“Five minutes already?” He looked amused…and pleased. “I might be up to that challenge.”
“I imagine you are. Jesus, I never suspected you were so good at being kinky. I’ve never known any kinky people before.”
The rope’s caress was replaced by leisurely fingertips. “Oh, you know kinky people,” he chuckled. “Trust me, you know more of them than you think.”
She lifted her head to look at him. “What does that mean? Who do I know?”
“I’m not saying. Come here, beautiful girl. I still have about four and a half minutes to kiss you before we go again.”
She rolled into his embrace, lifting her chin. “This is way nicer than spending the night alone in a boring hotel room.”
“Way nicer, and I’ve still got plenty of interesting things I want to do to you.”
Ruby wouldn’t have believed that a day or two ago, but now…
She ran her fingers over the rope marks on her wrists as Ethan pulled her closer. Now, everything had changed.
5.
Ruby woke from a sex-soaked dream of Ethan and the Tchaikovsky piece they’d played at the reception. It was hard to remember what was part of her dream and what was real. They’d gone at it three times last night, until neither of them could muster up the strength for more. Ruby had learned that she liked belt spanking, extreme nipple stimulation, and bondage. She learned that oral sex could be more than routine foreplay, and that she could actually come from doggy style.
It had been the best night of her life, sex wise, and that was a wonderful thing, but now that it was morning, reality was setting in.
Ethan stirred beside her. “Ruby?” He reached for her hand. “What time is it?”
“I don’t know.” She turned to grab her phone and squinted at it. “It’s almost eight.”
He sat up on one elbow. “What’s wrong?”
“What do you mean, what’s wrong?”
“I know you. I know how your voice sounds when you’re upset.”
She shook her head. “I’m not upset.”
“That’s exactly what you say when you’re upset.”
“Fine.” She blew out a breath and turned to him in bed. “You do know me, Ethan. Because we’re in a quartet together and we have this working relationship.”
“Yeah, sure. None of that has to change.”
“But what if it does?” She buried her head in her hands. “I was just dreaming about how wonderful you are, and all the things you taught me. Last night was so wonderful…”
“And?”
“And I wouldn’t trade the experience for anything, but…the Gold Quartet is my whole life. My entire life, Ethan. What if what we did last night ruins it?”
“How would it ruin it?”
“We had crazy hot sex, lots of times. It’s going to change things.” She lifted her head and let out a groan. “How could it not change things between us? And when things change between us, things might change between the whole group. My years with the Gold Quartet have been the best years of my life. I never imagined I’d be able to make a living as a musician, much less have fun and travel and make such awesome friends…”
Her voice broke with emotion, and Ethan pulled her into his arms, so she could rest against his warmth. She felt as confused this morning as she’d been horny last night.
“So you’re worried about the quartet?” he asked. “About the four of us breaking up if you and I start a relationship?”
“Yes. Even now, I feel like too much has changed.”
“Nothing’s changed.” He made her look up at him. “We’ve had a relationship all this time. It’s just a little spicier now. And seriously, nothing will ever change my respect for you as a musician, and a quartet member.”
“It might change their opinion. You know how Jonathan can be.”
“Jonathan can get over himself. He only gets snappy because he likes you so much.”
She frowned at him. “Jon can’t stand me.”
“You really are clueless, aren’t you?”
The sting of his words was immediately soothed away by a kiss…and another kiss.
“Don’t worry about them,” he said when he released her. “Jonathan and Steve don’t have to know. We don’t have to tell them.”
“Whether we tell them or not, shit happened between us. It was magical and magnificent shit, but still, I can’t risk losing the quartet.” She hated arguing with him after the fun they’d had last night—and the way he’d kissed her just now—but friend groups drifted apart when the members got into relationships. She’d seen it happen so many times. “Please, Ethan, I just feel…scared.”
“I don’t want you to be scared.” He sat up on the edge of the bed. “Last night was such a powerful thing. I get what you’re saying about the quartet, but I don’t like it.”
She leaned against his back and stroked his tousled hair. “Thank you for showing me all that beautiful, perverted stuff. But if I ask you to show me again, like, tonight or something, you should probably say no.”