Ripple Effect (Effect 1)

Jarrod and I had dated since I was a freshman in college. He was a business major also and had graduated this past summer. During his last semester of college, everything started to change. Jarrod had begun trying to force me to reconcile with my father, whom I despised. When I’d refused, he’d become angry, broken up with me, and started dating a good friend of mine whose father also had connections. I had later found out he had been cheating on me with my supposed friend. Even the promise of love would not send me to my father’s doorstep.

Being used had hurt, but I would be okay. Jarrod hadn’t been the one, and I thought I had known that all along during our relationship. It had been easy being with him at the time.

Sometimes what you think is the good choice ends up being a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

Focusing back on the moment, I looked over at the man sitting behind the desk. Adam was attractive and had that bad-boy appeal to him with his tatted arms.

I wonder what tattoos are beneath his shirt.

His brown eyes were warm, and his dark hair was short but done in a messy way. I had never been with a bad boy. Normally, I always went for the safe guy. However, my last safe guy had turned out to be a power-seeking asshole.

From the moment I had seen Adam at the bar, a primal instinct in me had called out, I want to have sex with him.

Adam stood. He was in a tight-fitting blue T-shirt and jeans. The moment I’d said yes, something had changed in his eyes. The atmosphere had charged with a sexual energy. My insides wanted to combust, but I remained calm and collected on the outside. He walked over to me like a predator after his prey, and I stood firm. He wasn’t going to feel like he had the upper hand on me. He stopped within inches of me. I slowly looked up and cocked one eyebrow.

“You have no idea how much we are going to enjoy each other, Ainsley. I’m going to make you feel pleasure beyond your wildest dreams. I’m going to touch your body like it deserves.” As he spoke, his breath invaded my senses.

I took a shallow breath, hoping he didn’t see how his words affected me. “I’ve never done anything like this. I don’t know what the next step is.”

“Let your body be your guide.”

I licked my lips, and Adam’s head began slowly moving toward mine. His eyes searched mine in what I assumed was to see if there was any hesitation on my part. To give him my answer, I started moving my head up toward his.

Hell, I agreed to have sex with this man with no strings attached, so what is a little kissing at this point?

I was nervous since I had never done anything like this before. Hoping he couldn’t see it or sense my feelings, I tried to stay as calm as possible on the outside. His eyes continued to dart back and forth across mine. We were mere inches apart as I could feel his breath on my lips. My body wanted to close the gap, but I refused to appear desperate. I was going to make him kiss me first.

The anticipation kept building as we stayed locked in this position, not moving.

“I’m going to kiss you, Ainsley. I want to taste you.”

Adam closed the gap and pressed his lips against mine. One hand went to my hip, and the other went to the lower part of my neck. There was heat in his touch, and it warmed my veins. I opened up to him the moment his tongue pressed against my lips, and I let my body take over.

In that instance, everything changed as our kissing became hungrier. I wanted to claw my way inside of him, and he seemed to feel the same way. He pulled me closer to his body, to bring me flush against him. Both of his hands went to my ass as he walked us backward until I was against the wall. Something inside of me broke free as I became bold and wrapped one of my legs around his waist, causing my skirt to ride up indecently high.

He groaned in approval. He backed away slightly, putting space between us, as his hand went to the place right above my knee and slowly started to travel up to my inner thigh. When he reached the bottom of my skirt, he was inches from my core. My hips rocked into his hand. Adam leaned back into me and we began kissing like wild animals.

Adam’s fingers reached the edge of my panties and dipped beneath. I let out a small whimper as someone knocked on the door. I started to disengage, but Adam pressed his body against mine, keeping me still.

“They’ll leave. We need each other, Ainsley. Please don’t stop this.”

“I want this, too.”

He pushed his lips back to mine, and I was lost in the moment. Adam pushed his finger inside me, and I began pressing against the palm of his hand for more friction. My body tingled and heated from his touch.

From the door came another knock and a voice. “Adam? Are you in there? I found something. You aren’t picking up your phone.”

Considering I was in this position with an almost complete stranger and someone potentially coming into the room, I gently pushed against Adam’s chest. He immediately backed away a couple of inches, but he held on to me until I was steady on my feet.

His eyes searched mine as he called out loudly with slight agitation lacing his voice, “Just a second, Brandt.”

From the information he had shared a few minutes before, Brandt was his partner. Brandt sounded like he had a barely there British accent.

My body was still worked up as I gazed into Adam’s eyes. I was shocked I had let myself go like that.

Adam gave me a soft kiss. “I’ll be right back. We’re dealing with a problem. I can’t wait to continue this.” He gestured between the two of us.

I was a little breathless at this point as I melted from the sweet gesture of the kiss. “Take your time.”

Adam’s brows crinkled, but then he strolled confidently toward the door. Looking down, I saw that my skirt was above my panties, and I quickly smoothed it out.

Oh my, I melted at the kiss. I need to get a grip on this situation. This is a pleasure-only situation.

My mind was having a hard time reconciling the charming, tender side of Adam, like the kiss he had just given me, with the no-attachment relationship he adamantly wanted.

No, it’s what we both want.

Adam cracked the door open just enough to talk through. His arm muscles stiffened and hi

s voice became rougher as he spoke to Brandt. I walked back over to the chair and grabbed my purse. This would convey the message I was leaving without me being rude. As much as I wanted to roll around with this guy, I wanted to be a paying official member. After the confusing feelings I’d felt from the kiss, I needed to make sure a business transaction took place in order for me to keep it all compartmentalized.

This is pleasure only, not a relationship.

Adam closed the door, turned toward the wall where we had been, and then whipped back around to where I was, surprise evident on his face. “Are you leaving?” He sounded shocked. “You don’t have to leave.”

Standing tall and taking a deep breath, trying to squelch my desires, I responded clinically, “Yes. Will you be here tomorrow? I can come at eight, if that works. Before we start being each other’s pleasure buddies, I want to be an official member.”

Adam swallowed, and I glanced down at his crotch. There was definitely a bulge going on behind the placket of his denim pants. We were both going to end up having to take care of business on our own tonight. He started walking toward his desk, and then he stopped and looked at me. I gulped. He went to speak, but then didn’t and continued toward his desk. I turned and followed his movement. His masculine cologne still invaded my senses from where we’d touched earlier. Barely glancing my way, he pulled out a drawer and then a white band.

I remembered from the packet that a white band meant the member was taken and exclusively with someone. They were off-limits just like the black bands for visitors. The sight made me excited, but I pushed it down.

This is pleasure only.

He began walking toward me. “Will one hundred dollars a month for your fee work?”

I started to protest, but he cut me off, “Ainsley, yes, the fee is much higher than that normally, but any exclusive partner for Brandt or me is generally free. However, I have a feeling that you won’t accept a free membership even though I don’t want to take your money.”