Livvie continued, “I get a foot massage and the chance to rub you down? I really am the luckiest girl in Paris. Do you even notice how women look at you, Caleb? James. Whatever. You’re just… you’re f**king beautiful is what you are.”

“Handsome. I’m handsome. And no, I don’t notice. I’m too busy looking at you. Or using my carefully cultivated death-stare to threaten any man stupid enough to set eyes on you.” I smiled at the contented sigh this elicited from Livvie.

“Yes, you definitely have a way with words. You should be a writer; you’re certainly screwed up enough for the job.”

“Aren’t you the writer?”

Livvie opened her eyes and sat up. There was a brief moment when I perceived she was nervous, but it quickly faded. She was all flirty smiles when she spoke.

“Not really. It’s not like anyone reads my stuff. It’s all just on my laptop.”

“Not true. Claudia has apparently read your work. I don’t know if you know this, but I read. I could take a look if you’d like. Claudia seems to think it isn’t to be missed.”

Livvie slowly removed her foot from my lap and straddled me in my seat.

“What? You can read? I’m shocked!” She kissed me on the lips briefly.

“You’re trying to distract me,” I said, unimpressed.

“I am not. I’m just eager to give you that massage.” She rubbed my shoulders and I groaned. “Will there be some sort of oil involved? The idea of sliding my hands all over you is really appealing. I could take off all my clothes if you’d like.” She pressed her thumbs into my neck and ground her hips against me. I felt her breath as she whispered in my ear. “I’ll even do the front.”

“I won’t forget about this,” I said half-heartedly.

In all honesty, the only thing I was truly thinking about was slippery Livvie and how easy it would be to slide into her. Some days it seemed as though the only time I felt firmly connected to her was when I was literally inside her. I could imagine myself as her Prince Charming. I was not a monster. I was worthy. My heart was not an empty husk—it was engorged with blood and feeling.

“Hey,” Livvie whispered against my mouth. “Where’d you go, Sexy?” She was worried. I could hear it in her voice and memories threatened to invade. I hated how familiar her worry was to me. I made eye contact with her.

“I’m here, exactly where I want to be.”

She smiled.

“Me too.” She kissed me slowly, passionately, and inherent within the press of lips there was an undercurrent of gratitude. It was difficult for me to accept given our circumstances, but the void consumed it nonetheless. It had the gall to demand more.

“Tell me you’re mine, Livvie.” The past intruded.

“I’m yours, Caleb.” Her lips traveled across the side of my face and down my neck. Our attentions had gone from slow and passionate to fast and hungry. She sucked the flesh of my neck into her mouth, marking me. I already bore her scratches on my back. “And you’re mine. Only mine.”

I hated where Livvie and I had started. I loathed that I had ever wounded such an incredible person. However, the past was not without its comforts. It had been a time when I labored under the illusion of purpose and strength. Livvie unabashedly proclaimed her love for me and I held all the power. For all the horrors of my past, I took comfort in my understanding of the darkness in my soul. Livvie had let in the light and it blinded me. I groped for purchase within my new world. With Livvie at my side, I clung to her, powerless and oft times petrified. Moments like the one in which we found ourselves were sweet succor.

I undid the three tiny pearl buttons at Livvie’s nape with care before I forcefully pulled the zipper along the back. She made a startled but eager sound against my neck. I spread the fabric and let it slide down her arms, pinning them to her sides. Livvie whimpered as she writhed against me. Her hips made little thrusts as she chased her pleasure.

I put my mouth against her collarbone and sucked. I had left my own marks on Livvie: I’d scraped my teeth along her hipbones. I’d left my handprint on her ass. There was a bruise near her nipple where I’d pinched her while she came. Her pu**y still had my come in it from the night before. What more did I need? What more did I deserve?

“You make me feel so good,” Livvie panted. Her knees dug into my hips and her hands tugged at my shirt in search of more contact. The long line of her throat, naked shoulders, and exposed cle**age were offered up to my mouth freely while Livvie’s head was tossed back. I let my lips brush against the purple mark I’d left on her collarbone.

“Only good? I must not be trying near hard enough.”

“Mmm… try harder then.”

I gripped her hips and ground her down hard against my erection. She pulled her arms free of her dress and wrapped them around my neck as she attempted to ride me. I canted her hips back and held her in place, feasting on her hungry little sounds.

“Again with that mouth. So saucy.”

“Caleb,” she purred. “Stop f**king around. You know what I want.”

I grinned.

“And what would that be?”

“You. Inside me.”

My c**k gave a little leap of excitement.

“You want to feel me?” I put my hand beneath her dress, skimming the sensitive flesh of her thighs where her stockings squeezed. I decided I would buy her garters, like a French girl would wear. I continued my exploration, lifting the trim of her lacy panties so I could graze her with my fingertips.

“Yes… please.” I heard Livvie swallow. Her hips tried to guide my fingers. My finger pulled the scrap of fabric forward. Her panties were damp where her pu**y had rested.

“Do you really think you deserve it? Am I the sort of man who appreciates a saucy mouth?” A memory: “I like your saucy little mouth. I don't want to hurt it.”

“I—” She pressed forward, cunt seeking. “I hope so.”

I touched her with the back of my fingers.

“I do.” I whispered and took her mouth, both of them, at the same time. She shuddered. I pumped my fingers into her heat as I collected her moans in my mouth. Livvie’s pleasure was short lived. I withdrew my fingers slowly.

“But it doesn’t mean you get to speak to me however you’d like.”

She frowned.

“Caleb.” I pressed my wet fingers to her mouth. She pulled back. She was shocked and a little disgusted. She’d licked her lip before she thought about it.

I brought her mouth to mine and licked her lips until she opened to me again. I liked the taste of pu**y in her mouth. It drove me wild with lust. A familiar part of me enjoyed her horror and always would. I felt like myself. I felt powerful.

I pulled away from the kiss. I stood, carried Livvie toward the bed, and tossed her on it.

“Turn around and lie flat on the bed. I want to f**k you.” Livvie sat, chest heaving, with her rumpled dress pooled around her waist. She reached for it, to take it off I assumed. “I didn’t tell you to take it off,” I snapped. Fear ignited behind her eyes and quickly burned down to an ember.

“Yes, Caleb,” she whispered. Slowly, she turned and crawled toward the top of the bed. Once there, she lifted her dress to uncover her panties. The lacy fabric didn’t cover her completely—it left the bottom of her cheeks exposed and framed her ass. She made eye contact, caught me looking. She smiled coyly and finally lay down on the bed.

“Yes, I like what I see. I would have thought that much was obvious by now.” I palmed her ass with a loud smack. “No need to be smug.” I reached for her panties and slid them down her legs. I stood up to remove my belt.

Livvie visibly tensed. Her hands fisted in the comforter. To her credit, she didn’t move. She didn’t turn to see what I was doing. She didn’t ask what I was up to. She simply waited. Patient. Trusting. Submissive.

I was tempted to swat her with my belt. I pictured her gasping in surprise, her cheeks flexing and red. I imagined the way she would struggle to remain still. I visualized the raised welts my belt would leave. Another mark. Another brand. Another claim. My fist tightened on my belt. I let it go. I didn’t want to remind her any more than I already had.

I undressed slowly. I took the time to hang my pants in the wardrobe. I set my other clothes aside to be sent in for washing. I watched Livvie the entire time, letting my lust build with every minute she patiently waited for me to return.

Or issue a command.

I riffled through the luggage to retrieve a bottle of oil I’d brought. I really did want that damn massage, but it could wait. I had different plans. I let my mouth nip and lick the backs of Livvie’s legs on my way back up to her sexy ass. She trembled. A small squeak escaped her lips when I drizzled the oil in her cleft.

“Is this okay?” I asked. I didn’t need an answer to my question. I simply enjoyed listening to her answer. She was slow to acquiesce. It wasn’t until I rubbed the oil into her crack with the head of my c**k that her lips opened.

“Y-y-yes?” I rubbed harder. “Oh… wait… please…” Livvie propped herself up on her elbows and tried to drag her body higher up on the bed. She couldn’t. She was pinned beneath me.