Ripple Effect (Effect 1)

After some time, I broke the silence. “Can I ask you some questions?”

He looked at my face and then gave me a grin in return. “Of course.”

My mind was still trying to ensure that I kept my distance. To avoid developing feelings for Adam, especially after sleeping with him, I needed parameters to work within. I decided to go for the straightforward approach, like I generally did when I was curious. It seemed to serve me better.

“I don’t know what I’m supposed to do after we have sex. Do we do it once, and I leave? I know this isn’t a relationship, and I don’t want my questions to make it seem like I think it is. I truly understand this is a consensual pleasuring session. At the same time though, if we both get up and go to separate corners until we have a desire again, it seems too detached. Now that we’ve had sex, I guess I don’t know how the arrangement works between those times. Does that make sense?”

Adam appeared to be thinking about his response as his brows crinkled. His voice was low when he spoke, “I understand what you’re saying, and I should have explained it more thoroughly. I’ve been dying to get my cock in you, and that’s all I could focus on. When we are in the club, I will treat you as if we are together. It’s a buildup of feelings. If I didn’t tease you and bring anticipation into the picture, the orgasm would be mediocre at best. Most of those desires—the want, the lust, the need—come from the foreplay. It’s all an essential part of making the moment when we join our bodies the best feeling possible. We were both still worked up from last night.

“However, when either of us leaves the parking lot, the attachment we show each other in the club becomes nonexistent, but the exclusivity part stays intact. If we keep sex to the club, then it stays in that frame of mind when you walk through those doors. If I saw you, let’s say, at a grocery store, we would say hello and continue on our way unless we wanted to talk about our next meeting at the club. There would be no foreplay outside of the club. Does that help?”

My mind thought about each sentence as I assimilated it all. “Yes, I think so. It’s different, but I think I understand it. Basically, in here, we are in a committed relationship, for lack of a better term—meaning we can flirt, play, and have fun with each other—but all the serious things in life are checked at the door. Outside of the club, we are acquaintances. Is that right?”

Adam smiled. “It is. We give each other the benefits of a relationship without all the drama and attachment. We’ll continue to learn each other and get more comfortable with what the other likes.”

I turned over, looking at the rest of the room, and the sheet exposed my back. Adams fingers began lightly tracing unidentifiable shapes across my exposed skin causing a satiated warmth to spread through my body. There was a chaise lounge, what looked to be a sex swing with straps hanging from the ceiling, a large beanbag, and a chest of drawers.

“Will we use more of what’s in this room? Or will we only have sex in the bed?” The longing in my voice wasn’t lost on me. A part of me apparently wanted to explore my sexual side.

Adam’s hand crept up to my hip bone and then made its way down to my clit under the sheet. He scooted closer until his body was against mine, and his lips were at my ear. “Ainsley, I’m going to fuck you so many ways, and it won’t just be in the bed.”

He was expertly touching me, and I closed my eyes as I began moving my hips to gain some friction.

“Would you like that, Ainsley?”

Little moans escaped me as he pressed against me harder, delaying my response.

I tried to focus. “Yes. Yes, I want that.”

His voice was a low, sexy growl. “I want to take you from behind.”

My body responded as I turned to lay on my stomach. Moving behind me, I heard a foil packet tear. Adam raised my hips and entered me in one movement. The way he moved in and out felt like my world was being altered by something amazing. It was unbelievable. His thumb moved back to my clit, and I bucked at the feeling. Oh, that felt good to push back as he pushed in.

“Oh, Adam, faster, harder.”

He complied as he said, “I’ve got you, baby.”

Those words sent shivers through my body. After several more thrusts, I was calling out an incoherent cry of ecstasy. We both collapsed as Adam pulled out of me before lying on his side. I lay there as I bathed in the languid feeling from sex.

I turned to face him and smiled. “I think I’m going to like this a lot, Pleasure Buddy. You are definitely not a Defective Buddy. Your nickname has been decided.”

I giggled as Adam brought me to him, looking triumphant.

“Can you come back tomorrow? I want to try the Tantra Chair.”

“Tantra Chair?”

Adam moved closer, nipped my lip, and then pointed. My head turned and followed to where he was pointing at the chaise lounge I had noticed earlier sitting off to the right of the door.

“That chair right over there is going to keep us busy tomorrow night.”

I turned to face him, moving closer to where our lips were almost touching. “Sounds good. Can I ask you something else?”

He rubbed his nose against mine. “Ainsley, you can ask me whatever you want. It’s the only way we’ll learn to trust each other, and you’ll be able to relax more when we’re not in the heat of the moment.”

I took a deep breath. It was hard being vulnerable. “Did you still enjoy it even though I’m obviously not as experienced as your previous partners?”

“Ainsley, it was perfect. Don’t ever compare yourself to a past partner. You were incredible, and we will form a bond that works for us. It will be ours. I’m going to have fun showing you things while learning your body.” He spoke the words soft and seductive.

My fingers went to the tattoos on his arm, and I smiled. It felt good to hear that my sexual abilities weren’t being scrutinized, and he had enjoyed it as much as I had. I began to trace the words Carpe Diem on the inside of his bicep, and then I moved to the tribal design with the word Strength intertwined in the symbol.

“Do each of your tattoos have a story behind them? I’m fascinated by your ink. I don’t have any tattoos.”

Adam’s hand went to my hip. “Have you ever thought about getting one?”

I noticed that when he wasn’t ready to disclose something about himself, he would turn the question back on me.

Standing my ground, I responded, “You first.”

A smirk played on his lips. “They all have a meaning of some sort. The word Strength written inside the tribal design is to remind me that strength always comes from within. That’s why the design spirals out from there.” Adam gave me an expectant look since he had shared.

“I’ve thought about it, but I don’t know if I could choose something that I’d love on my skin for my entire life.”

Adam stroked my skin. “You have beautiful skin, Ainsley.”

“Thank you.”

His hand touched my hip, drawing lazy circles on it. “What time can you come tomorrow?”

“I can be here at seven, but I need to leave by midnight.” The thought of doing things in the Tantra Chair caused me to bite down on my lip.

He pressed his lips to mine. “Perfect.”

I looked at the clock, and it was approaching five. It had been a long day of waiting for seven to come. Ainsley had me wanting more. Last night had not been enough, and the experience had only heightened my desire for her. I had kept the fucking to a few times last night as I needed to learn her body. The way she’d responded to me was perfect. She was tight, and she’d squeezed my cock to perfection.

What I wouldn’t give to feel her bare…

I needed to stop having those thoughts. Ever since Ainsley had left last night, my focus had been shit.

Ainsley was confident and tough, but I had seen a vulnerable side to her. She needed a closer connection than any of my other fuck buddies had needed, and without thinking, I had given it to her. I had never lay there and talked before or after having sex.

None of my previous partners had wanted to be close, or it would have ended. Surprisingly enough, I had enjoyed myself, and I wanted to learn everything I could about what made Ainsley tick. Just because this wasn’t how I did my typical exclusive arrangements at the club didn’t mean this couldn’t work. I believed Ainsley wasn’t looking for anything more. She seemed like a straight shooter.

My phone beeped. It was my sister, Jessica.

Jessica: Hey, Adam. Our parents’ anniversary is coming up. I want us all to celebrate together. They’d never push you, but I know they’d like it.

Me: Will he be there?

I barely acknowledged my brother’s name anymore. He had moved in on my future and stolen it from me. I’d never forgive him or Selena for their affair. Jessica tried to stay neutral, but it was a delicate balance with how everything stood.

Jessica: Yes. Adam, please come.

Me: I’ll think about it.

Jessica: Thanks for considering it.

There was a knock at the door.

“What?” My voice was agitated. It seems like it had been since I got here right before lunch.

The door opened, and Brandt strolled in, wearing a T-shirt and jeans. He took a seat where Ainsley had been the night before last.

“Hampton is looking into Roach. I sent him all the information you’d provided to me. He’ll follow up with us tomorrow at the latest.”

“Good. He’d better not dick around.”

Brandt cocked his eyebrow. “When has Hampton ever screwed around? What’s eating you? You’ve been on edge since you got here. You need to chill the fuck out.”

I let out a deep breath and scrubbed my hand down my face. “I’m fine. I want this problem solved and behind us.”

He kept staring at me, and it was irritating the shit out of me.

“Is Ainsley coming back tonight?”

Shit, here we go.

“Yes.” I kept my answer short and clipped.