Desire

Passages

Every passage tagged with this emotion in the Vela corpus. Search the body text, narrow by source or register, click through to a book’s profile to see how the passage sits with the rest of the work.

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• From Best Erotic Romance

  There was a playful look in her eyes, and she seemed to be assessing him in some way. That made his temperature rise. “This is why they always put me on the advertising accounts for food products, at work,” she explained. “It’s the flavors, they set my imagination on fire.” Her gaze drifted over him. The conversation was making his blood head south, but he wasn’t complaining. “I can see the sense in that,” he murmured. “I’ll let you in on a secret.” She leaned forward, conspiratorially. “I think my taste buds are one of my most powerful erogenous zones.” There was absolutely no mistaking the naughty look in her eyes. Lifting his eyebrows, he said, “Oh, is that the case?” “Uh huh. When it’s a meal I really like, and I love spicy food, it really turns me on.” Samuel stared across at her as the implications slid fully into place. His inquisitive mind began to delve deeper, wondering to what extent that arousal manifested. Did she get wet? Did she want full-on sex as a result of it? The questions evaporated when Cassie held his gaze and reached for her fork, lifting another mouthful of Thai green curry. He watched as her glossy lips moved appreciatively while she ate the food. Another long mmm soon followed. He noticed then how she moved against the chair she was sitting on—it was a very real physical response. His erection built when he wondered what it would be like to have her sit on his lap while she ate—what it would be like to feed her himself. “My ex-husband hated it,” she added. “It’s a wonder we lasted nine years together.” She chuckled again. “Seriously?” Samuel was relieved that there didn’t seem to be any regrets about the ex, and no impending reunion, a possibility that had entered his thoughts when he first thought about asking her over for a meal. The irony was that while he’d been cooking, he’d persistently reminded himself not to ask awkward questions about her divorce. All thought of that subject had evaporated when this absolute goddess had appeared and sat down at the kitchen table with him, as if dining out with a younger man while discussing erogenous zones was an everyday occurrence. Her eyes twinkled. “When a meal is delicious as this, it’s like really good foreplay for me.” Samuel ached for her. “I have to admit, the way you’re enjoying the food is doing bad, bad things to me.” She dipped her finger against the corner of her mouth, wiping away an errant drop of sauce. “I noticed you’ve stopped eating.”

• From Best Erotic Romance

  Ouch!” My bottom quivered in the aftermath of the unexpected smack. I supposed that was a no. He bobbed down under the bed again, looking for more devilish implements. “It’s an unorthodox treatment,” he said, coming back up. “I’m writing up my findings for the medical journals. It’s proving very effective, but it can be a little difficult to administer if the patients are too mobile. So...” He applied a leather cuff to my left wrist, chaining me to the outer post of the headboard. “...I think restraints are in order...but it’s nothing to worry about....” He repeated the process with my right wrist. “It’s all perfectly safe. Trust me. I’m a doctor. Now, get up on your knees and spread them.” Promptly I obeyed, slipping about on the wet rubber sheet until I was positioned for optimum obscene display. “If you make a sound,” he cautioned, “the treatment will be ineffective and I will have to use something stronger on that sore bottom of yours. So complete silence for this, understand?” I nodded, full of joyful dread. “It’s called orgasm therapy,” he told me. A smooth bulb-shaped presence made itself felt at my cunt. “Come-vales- cence.” “Oh, that’s terrible,” I groaned, and then I squeaked as the bulbous head of the vibrator was shoved unceremoniously forward, breaking through yielding flesh and lodging inside. “I said silence! That’s five strokes of the strap for you, later.” I held my breath and concentrated on the easy passage of the silicone intruder up to its full length, where it rested for a while before beginning to buzz gently. Matthew’s fingers, now sheathed in surgical gloves, manipulated my clitoris, bringing it to its swollen point of no return, making me gasp silently and strain against my bonds. His exact and precise knowledge of my most intimate places frightened me sometimes. It was as if he had a book stored in his head called How to Touch Loveday, every word of which he had memorized. Heat rushed to the spot, and the slow vibrations inside me brought me to a first rapid climax. Mixed with the intensity was an edge of panic as I wondered if orgasmic silence was possible. Why hadn’t he gagged me? It would make things so much easier. Oh. That was why. I bit my lip, pulled at my bonds, let the tremors build up and radiate through me, concentrating on feeling myself at the center of them rather than expressing them in my habitual broken yowls. “You’re coming, aren’t you? That’s good. Very good. Let it out. That’s right. But we haven’t finished yet.”

• From Best Erotic Romance

  “Then I’ll have a beer.” He caught the eye of the harried bartender straight away and the woman came right over. Jodi held up two fingers. “Two beers please.” “Sure.” She went to open her purse, and he put his hand over hers. The strength and warmth of it shocked her into stillness. “Don’t worry about it yet. I’ve already set up a tab. We can settle up later.” “Actually, I was going to check my cell.” His grip tightened. “Don’t you remember our deal? No cell phones and no texting. This is our time.” “Okay,” Jodi whispered and waited for him to move away, but instead he picked up her hand and turned it over. “Nice nails.” “I usually keep them short.” Jodi admitted. “But this seemed like a special occasion.” He brought her hand to his mouth and kissed her knuckles. “I like a woman scratching my back and digging her claws in my ass.” “Yeah?” She said weakly. His tongue flicked out, and he licked her index finger and then he sucked it gently into his mouth. Jodi wanted to whimper as her nipples tightened until she knew he’d be able to see them through the silk of her top. The arrival of the frosted beer bottles made her jump, and he released her hands. She took a hasty swallow and then watched him drink the whole bottle, the regular motion of his tanned throat just adding to her anticipation. He put the empty down and slowly wiped a hand over his mouth. He gestured at her unfinished beer. “Do you want a glass for that?” “No, I’m fine with the bottle.” A smile kicked up the corner of his beautiful mouth. “Always a nice sight for a man, seeing a woman’s lips locked around the neck of a bottle.” Jodi met his gaze. “And good practice too.” “Yeah,” he glanced over at the packed dance floor, where the music had changed to something slower and sultrier. “Would you like to dance?” “With you?” Jodi couldn’t keep the surprise out of her voice. “Yeah, I can dance.” She felt herself blushing as he held out his hand and helped her off her stool. He stayed close so that her whole body came into contact with his, and he steadied her with his hands at her hips. The lights were lower now, and he guided her toward the shadows, one hand riding her waist. Jodi reached up and locked her hands around the back of his neck and breathed in the scent of leather and Calvin Klein aftershave. They moved together to the music, her breasts crushed against his checked shirt, her stomach pressed to the hard ridge of his jean-encased erection. He slid his hands beneath the hem of her skirt and stroked the underside of her ass. “You wearing those red panties for me?” “Yes.” “Good.” He bit down on her ear and she whimpered. “They won’t get in my way then.”

• From Best Erotic Romance

  She blurred in front of his eyes, and he thought it must be a mirage, that there was no way she would be moving in so close to him, bringing herself close enough to… His world went suddenly sweet and upside down. Her lips on his. The tip of her tongue darted into his mouth. He thought to himself, Oh! She was rubbing up against him. That devious cock of his reared up against Jane’s belly with delight, surging forward to meet her with bold joy and god-damn-whoa lust that made his heart ache. They collapsed together, falling against the couch and scrabbling not to break the embrace. John’s pajamas were a flimsy barrier, and Jane had his cock extricated and standing proud within seconds. In turn, John plucked at her kimono, pushed it roughly aside to free her breasts. He squeezed tenderly, leaning down to suckle and bite, but not hard enough to bruise. “Yes,” said Jane, “more, please more.” He looked up and caught sight of the clock behind her head, just to the left of the framed record cover. Five A.M. Dawn was starting to turn the sky light. His neighbor’s tits were in his face, her nipples still wet from his mouth, and the music. The music was still playing. “Excuse me,” John said, and laid Jane down gently on the couch. He padded over to the stereo, trying to cover his awkward hard-on while Jane sighed behind him. “What are you doing?” she asked, as he lifted the needle from the record and cut the singer off in midchorus. Silence bloomed between them. John met her eyes, saw the restless spark and the tiredness in them. He moved to her and sank onto his knees in front of the couch. “You love music,” he murmured, whispering now as the quiet boomed in his ears. Jane nodded as he pulled her jeans open and bared her pubic hair, the top of her clit. “So lie back,” John said, lowering his head. “And listen.” He put his mouth to her, bending like a monk in prayer. The nerves in Jane’s body all rushed between her legs, every fiber and pore of her pricked and readied for his touch. And he was quick. His tongue slid between her lips with delicate precision. Should she have guessed? Someone who danced at the edges of life, who flattened himself against walls to keep from brushing against her? Yes, she thought as she closed her eyes and let out a deep breath. That supple, skillful mouth working against her now, that flicking and licking and sucking. Only a quiet man could be that good. Only someone who listened, who was sensitive to the minute ebb and flow of things. Without the bath of music she was used to, her ears reached out to find the smaller noises. In the gap of silence, she heard a new tiny, intimate melody, so unfamiliar it was nearly embarrassing.

• From Best Erotic Romance

  Really see you. Are you okay with that?” I nodded, reaching for the zipper at the side of my dress. “Leave it.” I quirked my eyebrow at him, but I left my dress zipped and walked over to take his hands. The glow from the light turned the glass doors to the balcony into quasi-mirrors, reflecting the room while still letting in the twinkling lights from the marina in the darkness below. Eric slid his fingers up my arms, then he was holding my head to his, his kisses hungry now, still soft but with an underlying desperation that had me quickly running my tongue over the insides of his lips. When I sucked his tongue, he groaned, his hard-on so stiff against me I felt my juices trickling down my thigh. “Undo my pants,” he growled, one hand sliding down to cup my breast. As I tugged his zipper down, the side of my dress parted. His hand was against my bare skin, stroking a trail of fire. His belt clunked to the floor, and his bare hip was against my hand. No underwear. I hadn’t expected any. “I can’t wait,” he growled against my lips. “Now,” I panted. “Hurry.” I reached for the condom and met his hand. “I’ll do it. If you touch me, I’ll come.” He stepped out of his pants and sheathed himself, breaking the kiss again to move in back of me. He sat and pulled me to straddle him, my back to his chest, my thighs spread wide over his, the open slit in my panties exposed. My skirt fell between us as he lowered me onto his lap. “We have a problem,” I laughed breathlessly. “No problem,” he panted. The silk of my skirt rasped against my pussy lips as he ground me against the hot flesh of his erection. His groan was long and loud. I closed my eyes, relishing the feel of him lowering the top of my dress, of him lifting my breasts out of their confinement to rest on top of the blasted Wonderbra, the cool air helping his talented fingers tease my nipples to rock-hard peaks. “Look at the window.” Oh, my God. Our full-length reflections gazed back at us from the long sheet of glass. My head rested against Eric’s shoulder, his face visible next to mine, my chest arched forward displaying my bare breasts where he toyed with my nipples. I balanced on my heels as his other hand slowly teased my skirt up, over my thighs, over the tops of my stockings. Higher. “Christ.” Eric’s hand shook as he raised the shimmering red silk past the lace-framed, neatly trimmed thatch guarding my pussy lips. His fingers spread the sopping lace, slid between the slick, swollen folds, through the glistening dark pink slit to delve deep into my pussy. “Fuck. Now! I need you now! Lift up.” I did, yanking my dress out from under me. Eric braced himself with one hand.

• From Best Erotic Romance

  She tasted him again, but again lost control when a second orgasm washed over her. She tried her best to overcome him with her mouth. When she managed to take him fairly deep, he became still for a moment, but his fingers and mouth were so capable, all she could do was try to keep up with what was happening in her. The words replayed in her mind. A place where a man can taste a steak in his mind...Oh, the things Dave must have thought while he was imprisoned. She increased her urgent sucking, and his cock was a dark burgundy color, but it did not yield to her. She orgasmed yet again. She needed control badly. She thought to ask him for it, but this made no sense given their time to date. She thought of sword swallowers in the circus. She fought past her gag reflex. It took a few tries, but she took him down, her nose brushed his tight balls. Dave grunted, and his limbs went limp as she worked his cock. She loved it desperately, as if the small window she had created would soon be revoked. Tongue, fingers, palms, lips, a touch of teeth, then back down her throat a few times, and he arched his back, lifting her like she was a feather. His voice was silent when the first shot sprayed deep into her gullet, and she nearly lost control of the gag reflex again. She subjugated it. He yelled out. His cock sprayed her mouth. She swallowed him whole again, and he nearly bucked her body off. She held tight to him like a rodeo champion finishing the bronco ride, still in the saddle. They lay in a heap, nearly still, totally silent. Only soft, restorative breaths. The cab was brightly lit. “What the hell did you do to me, Sarah?” All that came out was, “No bellyache.” He laughed and stroked every inch of her body. She had never felt like this with any man. She had never felt like this at all. She didn’t want it to end. Sarah devoured a big omelet breakfast in the diner. The meal in Reno had burned off halfway across Nevada. She wanted this one to last. Dave sipped his coffee, nibbled some toast, and didn’t try to stop her from paying for both their meals, though clearly he had to fight the reflex. “I’m sure you’ll be able to get a ride up to Nampa. I’d sooner take you, but I got a schedule.” He started for the cab of his semi. He looked back just once. “Thanks, Dave.” Yes, she was close enough to home that she could get someone to come get her, or thumb a ride north. She barely heard the words moving away. “I sure will miss you, Little Sarah.” She yelled out. “You never told me where you’re headed.” “Next stop, Lincoln, Nebraska. After that, well, lot of roads out there.

• From Best Erotic Romance

  Jodi swirled her smallest finger in the wetness they’d created and tilted her hips forward so that she could ease the tip of her finger inward through the tight pucker of her ass. She imagined his cock there too, much bigger and more demanding, making her beg him to stop, to never stop, to fuck her until she was hoarse from screaming. The drive hardly seemed to take a minute before he stopped the truck. “Stay here.” Jodi was quite happy to oblige him. She wasn’t sure if she wanted to move ever again. She continued to touch herself until he opened her door and stared down at her. “Christ,” he muttered and bent his head to lick her fingers and clit. She climaxed hard, pushing her sex into his questing tongue. Before she finished coming he picked her up and strode toward a dimly lit building, pausing only to slide the card in the lock and kick the door open with one booted foot. He snapped on the light. The room smelled of dust, bleach, and old carpet but she didn’t care. There was a bed and a bathroom, and that was all they’d ever needed. He laid her carefully on the bed. “I want to see you naked. I never get to see you naked anymore.” She helped him remove her clothes and then he came down over her, his mouth on her breast, one hard thigh between her legs tormenting her already sensitive clit. His fingers slid into her from behind and probed her slick entrance. “Damn, I wish I had two cocks. I want to fill you up.” He kissed her mouth. “Next time, bring your vibrator with you, okay?” “Sure.” If there was a next time…Jodi attacked the snaps on his shirt to reveal every inch of his muscled chest. He didn’t need to go to the gym to work out. Life on a ranch was hard enough. She went to unbuckle his belt, and he caught her hand. “Give me the belt when you’ve taken it off me. I want to try something new.” Jodi stared up at him, her mouth suddenly dry. She handed him the belt, and before she could start on his jeans, he moved off her. “Kneel on the bed with your hands behind your back.” She did what he said, her body trembling with a combination of apprehension and excitement. He’d always been adventurous in bed, and she loved every single kinky thing he’d ever shown her. He wrapped the belt around her wrists and pulled the leather tight through the buckle. “Kneel up.” Jodi managed it somehow and he drew the rest of the belt down between her ass cheeks until it was pressed flat against her wet pussy. He came to stand in front of her, one hand working the zipper of his jeans, the other reaching for the end of the belt. “Suck my cock.”

• From The Laws of Human Nature (2018)

  We must see within ourselves the grass-is-always-greener syndrome at work and how it continually impels us to certain actions. We need to be able to distinguish between what is positive and productive in our covetous tendencies and what is negative and counterproductive. On the positive side, feeling restless and discontented can motivate us to search for something better and to not settle for what we have. It enlarges our imagination as we consider other possibilities instead of the circumstances we face. As we get older, we tend to become more complacent, and renewing the restlessness of our earlier years can keep us youthful and our minds active. This restlessness, however, must be under conscious control. Often our discontent is merely chronic; our desire for change is vague and a reflection of our boredom. This leads to a waste of precious time. We are unhappy with the way our career is going and so we make a big change, which requires learning new skills and acquiring new contacts. We enjoy the newness of it all. But several years later we again feel the stirring of discontent. This new path isn’t right either. We would have been better off thinking about this more deeply, homing in on those aspects of our previous career that did not click and trying for a more gentle change, choosing a line of work related to the previous one but requiring an adaptation of our skills. With relationships, we can spend our life searching for the perfect man or woman and end up largely alone. There is nobody perfect. Instead, it is better to come to terms with the flaws of the other person and accept them or even find some charm in their weaknesses. Calming down our covetous desires, we can then learn the arts of compromise and how to make a relationship work, which never come easily or naturally. Instead of constantly chasing after the latest trends and modeling our desires on what others find exciting, we should spend our time getting to know our own tastes and desires better, so that we can distinguish what is something we truly need or want from that which has been manufactured by advertisers or viral effects. Life is short and we have only so much energy. Led by our covetous desires, we can waste so much time in futile searches and changes. In general, do not constantly wait and hope for something better, but rather make the most of what you have. Consider it this way: You are embedded in an environment that consists of the people you know and the places you frequent. This is your reality. Your mind is being continually drawn far away from this reality, because of human nature. You dream of traveling to exotic places, but if you go there, you merely drag with you your own discontented frame of mind. You search for entertainment that will bring you new fantasies to feed upon. You read books filled with

• From Best Erotic Romance

  Samuel stared at her upturned face and for a moment he couldn’t respond. The physical contact was too good, and the question was almost too direct—but it was exactly where he’d been planning to direct the conversation over the main course. Then she smiled that gorgeous smile of hers and the tension in his gut began to unravel. “That was my intention,” he replied. Acting on the sudden intimacy of the moment he drew her fingers to his lips, kissed them, then leaned down to kiss her mouth. Her soft lips parted under his, inviting him in, and when she wrapped her free hand around the back of his head and drew him closer still, physical need built quickly inside him, making him hard. How long he’d been waiting to do that, and now he knew she wanted it too. “Don’t let it get cold,” she said as they drew apart, with mischief in her eyes. Not possible, he thought as he took his seat at the table, opposite her. He wanted her too much, and being this close to her was driving him mad. She was a sensual, expressive woman with a warm, playful personality. That’s what had drawn him to her, right from the moment she’d moved into the flat opposite his about six months before. He’d been attracted to her on sight, but given the age difference between them and her freshly divorced status, he didn’t think he stood a chance. He was a research student in his mid-twenties. She was an advertising executive in her early thirties. Why in the hell would she give him the time of day? But she had, and now here they were. “So, how long have you wanted to ask me on this date?” she asked as he dished the food from the platter onto her plate. “Since you moved in.” He smiled. Her eyes flashed. “And there was me thinking it was Kyle you were interested in.” Samuel lifted one shoulder. “Hey, he’s a good little gaming adversary.” It was true, but it wasn’t the whole story. Six months ago he’d started chatting with her and her seven-year-old over the mailboxes each morning. Then he’d endeavored to help her out with her garbage on a Monday. She was grateful, and she chatted amiably. Before long he’d invited Kyle over for computer game time, and Cassie had come along to cheer them on. The three of them began to visit the nearby park together, and they enjoyed long conversations about life while watching over Kyle at play. Slowly but surely Samuel’s fascination with her had grown, until the nights grew restless and he knew he would have to take a chance and make a move.

• From Best Erotic Romance

  She unclasped her bra, shrugged her shoulders, and her full breasts relaxed. She traced finger and thumb along the top of her panties. “Oh lord, Sarah.” She could see the bulge in his jeans plainly though his groin was angled away. She pulled down the panties. The sun emerged fully. Dave didn’t look at it. He stayed on Sarah, then jumped into the sleeper. He fumbled with his clothes like a teenager, his first chance at sex. Their limbs formed shadows on the back wall of the sleeper. “I’m hungry.” Dave crouched down in a small parcel at one end of the sleeper, his face turned up, eyes locked in hers. He pressed his face to her clit. “Oh!” Sarah had a few men do this and it made her feel awkward. It was so intense a sensation, and so personal a place. She let out a gasp as Dave flicked her clit with his tongue. She grabbed the plain white sheets in her fists. Her voice overpowered the rise and fall of diesel engines nearby. Dave’s glossy chin ascended from between her legs, a huge grin across it. “You’re delicious, Sarah.” “I’m hungry too.” She motioned for him to lie next to her, facing the other direction. She pulled his cock to her mouth. The tip was beautiful and silky soft. The thick veins curled like vines atop the rigid shaft, and she could not get enough of studying him, taking him as deep as she could into her mouth then tonguing every inch of him. Each time she focused on its base and flicked his tight balls, she felt him jerk. He rolled her body onto his chest and split her knees as wide as they would go. His tongue was powerful, insistent, unrelenting. She was overcome by a huge, full-body orgasm, her mouth was slack on his flagpole cock. Her limbs tingled and her waist shuddered in time. She tasted him again, but again lost control when a second orgasm washed over her. She tried her best to overcome him with her mouth. When she managed to take him fairly deep, he became still for a moment, but his fingers and mouth were so capable, all she could do was try to keep up with what was happening in her. The words replayed in her mind. A place where a man can taste a steak in his mind… Oh, the things Dave must have thought while he was imprisoned. She increased her urgent sucking, and his cock was a dark burgundy color, but it did not yield to her. She orgasmed yet again. She needed control badly. She thought to ask him for it, but this made no sense given their time to date. She thought of sword swallowers in the circus.

• From Best Erotic Romance

  The car stopped again and the elderly couple exited. As the teenagers moved out of their way, the lone girl in the group glanced at Paul. Interest flared in her kohl-rimmed dark eyes. She checked him out, reading his brewery’s logo on his T- shirt and eyeing the tattoo that peeked out from beneath the sleeve. She was following the line of his arm down to where he was parting the lips of Robin’s cunt when the two boys with her spread out in the absence of the couple and cut off her view. Robin sucked in a sharp breath when he pushed his middle finger inside her. Her tight, plush sex sucked at him greedily, and his eyes grew heavy-lidded, lust riding him hard. Pressing his heel to her clit, he massaged her, getting her ready for the pounding drives of his cock. He’d meant to talk with her first, but she was hot for it and God knew he was hot to give it to her. Stumbling through his life without her had been torture. At times, he thought he’d go insane from the need to hear her voice and feel her body against his. The kids stepped off at the next stop. The car continued its ascent to the forty-fifth floor with only the two of them on board. “I’ve missed you,” he said gruffly. In answer, she thrust her desire-slick pussy into his hand. “You’ve missed this.” Her cool voice sliced into him, but her body betrayed her. She was scorching hot and delectably wet. As he finger- fucked her juicy cunt, soft sucking noises filled the car. Her composure lost, she gripped the brass handrail and moaned, shamelessly widening her stance. The moment the car reached his floor, Paul pulled his fingers free and caught her up, tossing her over his shoulder and dropping his empty bottle in the trash can conveniently placed just outside the elevator. He had a condom between his teeth and his keycard in hand before he reached his suite. Kicking the door open, he propped Robin against the inside of the stationary half of the double-door entrance. His button fly was open before the latch clicked shut. His jeans dropped to the entryway’s tile, the weight of his chained wallet hitting the floor with a thud. A moment later, her lacy underwear fell from her fingers and fluttered down. As he sheathed his cock in latex, Robin pulled her dress up to take him. Paul paused to look at her, his chest tightening. She was unruffled elegance above the waist and a walking wet dream below it. Her legs were long and lithe, her sex pouty and glistening.

• From Best Erotic Romance

  I laughed. His head jerked up. His gaze met mine, and his lips twitched. “Think I didn’t do that on purpose?” “Losin’ circulation yet?” He ducked and mashed his lips against mine, then backed up on his knees. His arms slid from under my legs, and I eased them down, stretching them on either side of his kneeling frame. “So, I hear you’re leavin’.” “Word gets around.” “Movin’ out of town?” I nodded. “To Prescott. I have another job. But how’d you know? I asked Cooter to keep it quiet.” His mouth widened. “Your new job. Dispatch for Ragland?” I eyed him warily. “That’s it. Just a good guess?” He shook his head slowly, his smile never dimming. Warmth centered in my chest. I ran my palms over his belly and scratched my fingernails down toward his groin. He came out of me, and I rolled the wet latex slowly down his length. “Lemme guess. You drive for them.” “Uh huh. Owner said this hot as hell woman from HT was hirin’ on, and did I know you.” I pulled his cock hard, just to get his attention. “You couldn’t have mentioned this earlier?” He came over me, bracing his torso on his arms, a wicked glint in his gray eyes. “And have you spoil one fine-as-hell good-bye?” ONCE UPON A DINNER DATE Saskia Walker Samuel set the steaming platter of food down on the table with a flourish, intent on making an impression on his guest. “This looks delicious,” Cassie said, eyeing the food hungrily. He was just about to move away when she reached out and grabbed his hand. “Is this a proper date?” Her fingers meshed with his as she asked the question. Samuel stared at her upturned face and for a moment he couldn’t respond. The physical contact was too good, and the question was almost too direct—but it was exactly where he’d been planning to direct the conversation over the main course. Then she smiled that gorgeous smile of hers and the tension in his gut began to unravel. “That was my intention,” he replied. Acting on the sudden intimacy of the moment he drew her fingers to his lips, kissed them, then leaned down to kiss her mouth. Her soft lips parted under his, inviting him in, and when she wrapped her free hand around the back of his head and drew him closer still, physical need built quickly inside him, making him hard. How long he’d been waiting to do that, and now he knew she wanted it too. “Don’t let it get cold,” she said as they drew apart, with mischief in her eyes. Not possible, he thought as he took his seat at the table, opposite her. He wanted her too much, and being this close to her was driving him mad.

• From Best Erotic Romance

  I sucked in a deep fortifying breath, adjusted the neckline of the red Lycra top to show my breasts to their best advantage, and pushed through the glass door. His head turned at the sound, and then he straightened away from the counter and dropped his arms. “You cuttin’ my route, Angela?” I gave him a crooked smile. “Think I’d do that and ask you to wait for me here in the middle of the night?” His brows drew together, curiosity glinting in his gaze before it dropped to my boobs. I’d worn a bra that pretty much left everything sitting on a shelf. My nipples were outlined against the red, stretchy fabric of my top, the tips spiking because I’d given them a little tweak before I’d exited my car. His frown deepened. “What’s this all about, Angela?” I cleared my throat and tried for a sultry look. “I think you know.” He cocked his head and looked me up and down again. Slowly. “You don’t have to hijack a man’s keys to get his attention, sweetheart.” I planted my hands on my generous hips. “Apparently, I do, because you sure as shit haven’t followed through on any one of your invitations.” His lips twitched. “I thought you flirted like that with all the guys.” “You ever see me do it? Even once?” His jaw tightened. Fatigue showed in the shadows under his eyes. Stubble clung to his craggy cheeks. I felt a momentary twinge of guilt over the fact I was keeping him from his bed, but that was all I’d allow. He was young and hot as hell. If he needed sleep that damn bad, he could tell his latest squeeze to come around another time. Tonight, he was mine. “My keys weren’t in the lockbox. I know I left ’em there.” “You did indeed,” I said nodding. Then I looked him up and down, making sure he hadn’t mistaken my intent. “Fact is, I have an itch that needs scratchin’ and I’m hopin’ you’ll help me out.” I tried to exude more confidence than I felt, but I lost my nerve on the return trip up his hard body. I paused and swallowed hard, then gave a little cough to loosen the knot lodging at the back of my throat. When I reached his mouth, he was grinning. Shit. “Angela, is there somethin’ you want?” You, preferably naked and tied spread-eagle on a bed so you can’t stop me nibbling every edible part of you. “Angela?” “Is there something I want? Yeah, there is.” “Then just say it.” But I couldn’t. I felt foolish enough. I reached into my purse and drew out his key ring. “Look, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have taken this so far.” “You made me wait half an hour, when I could have been home, showered and in bed.

• From Best Erotic Romance

  The champagne is for Derek to enjoy…when I pour it all over myself. I get through a few Britney tracks, a few Christina, a little Rihanna, shaking my ass, my hair, my breasts, every part of me. I do it barefoot and in heels, and I get used to bending over, flashing myself, running my hands over my body. I’m flushed and filled with a new kind of sexual energy by the time I’m done. I slip into the deep peach silky nightie and start to curl my hair. Even though I plan to shake it all over, I have an hour to kill and want to make sure I look stunning for him. I want to make sure Derek knows how much I want him, not just tonight, but always, how much I’d do for him, with him, to him. The curling iron heats up quickly, and in only a few minutes my hair looks elegant. I pin some of it up and let the warm curls fall around my neck. Normally I’m a lip gloss and maybe dash of blush kind of girl; my weekly manicures and pedicures are my big concession to glamour. But that doesn’t mean I haven’t raided Sephora a few times, and I discover a treasure trove of barely used makeup. Though I don’t wear it often, I didn’t grow up with two older sisters and walk away not knowing how to do a perfect smoky eye. I layer on the liquid liner, then a glittery purple shadow, then add false eyelashes I’ve been saving for a special occasion. This damn well better qualify. I lotion myself up then prance around the house in my favorite heels as I try not to touch myself again. That would deprive Derek of the sex-starved, nympho side of me. When I hear his keys jingling in the door, I compose myself. I’m the good wife gone bad, and a quick glance in the hallway mirror confirms I look the part. He starts to say, “I’m home,” but stops at “I’m” when I walk toward him and give him a big hug. Is it me, or does he look even hotter than when he left? “Honey, I…” He just stands there with his jaw open, unable to say anything else. “How was the bachelor party?” I ask. “It was fun,” he says with a cautious note in his voice as he looks around. “Am I…interrupting something?” I realize he thinks he’s walked in on me in the midst of some clandestine affair. He has, in a way, but not in the way he thinks. “No, you’re right on time. The show’s about to start,” I purr, running my hand up his chest. “Show…?” he asks in a bewildered voice, but I tug him up the stairs, facing him and walking backward, ensuring that he’ll want to follow me.

• From The Laws of Human Nature (2018)

  and that you can re-create yourself at will. You can follow the same path to power and fame as someone else, even though they come from very different circumstances. The concept of a set character can seem like a prison, and many people secretly want to be taken outside themselves, through drugs, alcohol, or video games. The result of such denial is simple: the compulsive behavior and the patterns become even more set into place. You cannot move against the grain of your character or wish it away. It is too powerful. This was precisely the problem for Howard Hughes. He imagined himself a great businessman, establishing an empire that would outdo his father’s. But by his nature, he was not a good manager of people. His real strength was more technical—he had a great feel for the design and engineering aspects of airplane production. If he had known and accepted this, he could have carved out a brilliant career as the visionary behind his own aircraft company and left the day-to- day operations to someone truly capable. But he lived with an image of himself that did not correlate with his character. This led to a pattern of failures and a miserable life. The other direction is harder to take, but it is the only path that leads to true power and the formation of a superior character. It works in the following manner: You examine yourself as thoroughly as possible. You look at the deepest layers of your character, determining whether you are an introvert or extrovert, whether you tend to be governed by high levels of anxiety and sensitivity, or hostility and anger, or a profound need to engage with people. You look at your primal inclinations—those subjects and activities you are naturally drawn to. You examine the quality of attachments you formed with your parents, looking at your current relationships as the best sign of this. You look with rigorous honesty at your own mistakes and the patterns that continually hold you back. You know your limitations—those situations in which you do not do your best. You also become aware of the natural strengths in your character that have survived past adolescence. Now, with this awareness, you are no longer the captive of your character, compelled to endlessly repeat the same strategies and mistakes. As you see yourself falling into one of your usual patterns, you can catch yourself in time and step back. You may not be able to completely eliminate such patterns, but with practice you can mitigate their effects. Knowing your limitations, you will not try your hand at things for which you have no capacity or inclination. Instead, you will choose career paths that suit you and mesh with your character. In general, you accept and embrace your character. Your desire is not to become someone else but to be more thoroughly yourself, realizing your true potential. You see your character as the

• From The Laws of Human Nature (2018)

  only to find dozens of reasons of why the advice given won’t work for them. The best thing to do is to play a game of mental judo with them. In judo you do not counter people’s moves with a thrust of your own but rather encourage their aggressive energy (resistance) in order to make them fall on their own. Here are some ways to put this into practice in everyday life. Use their emotions: In the book Change , the therapist authors (Paul Watzlawick, John H. Weakland, and Richard Fisch) discuss the case of a rebellious teenager, suspended from school by the principal because he was caught dealing drugs. He was still to do his homework at home but was forbidden to be on campus. This would put a big dent in his drug-dealing business. The boy burned with the desire to get vengeance. The mother consulted a therapist, who told her to do the following: explain to the son that the principal believed only students who attended class in person could do well. In the principal’s mind, by keeping the boy away from school he was ensuring he would fail. If he did better by working at home than in class, this would embarrass the principal. Better to not try too hard this semester and get on the good side of the principal by proving him right. Of course, such advice was designed to play into his emotions. Now he desired nothing more than to embarrass the principal and so threw himself into his homework with great energy, the goal of the therapist all along. In essence, the idea is not to counter people’s strong emotions but to move with them and find a way to channel them in a productive direction. Use their language: The therapist Milton Erickson (see chapter 3) described the following case that he had treated: A husband came to him for advice, although he seemed quite set on doing what he wanted anyway. He and his wife came from very religious families and had married mostly to please their parents. The husband and wife were very religious as well. Their honeymoon, however, had been a disaster. They found sex very awkward and did not feel like they were in love. The husband decided it was not anyone’s fault but that they should get “a friendly divorce.” Erickson readily agreed with him and suggested exactly how to bring about this “friendly divorce.” He instructed him to reserve a room at a hotel. They were to have one final “friendly” night together before the divorce. They were also to have one last “friendly” glass of champagne, one last “friendly” kiss between them, and so on. These instructions virtually ensured the wife’s seduction by her husband. As Erickson had hoped, the husband followed his instructions, the couple had an exciting evening together, and they happily decided to remain married. Erickson intuited that the husband did not really want a divorce

• From Best Erotic Romance

  He wanted to feel Brynn’s body grinding against his, both of them slick with sweat and so aroused they couldn’t get enough of each other. He pressed a finger just inside Brynn’s pussy, feeling the heat and wetness there, so different from the tepid bath water. Brynn gasped, gripping Paul’s wrist tightly and wriggling beneath his touch until water splashed over the side of the bathtub. “Easy, baby,” Paul soothed. “I’ll give you what you want.” Brynn looked at him, blue eyes heavy-lidded with lust, her expression one of complete trust. “I know you will.” Paul slid his finger deeper, feeling Brynn’s muscles reflexively tighten around her. “Been practicing your Kegels, I see,” he said. Brynn giggled and nodded. “Yeah.” “Good girl.” Paul slipped another finger inside her wetness, curving them up and forward to rub that rough spot he knew so well. “How’s that?” “Oh!” Brynn exclaimed, sloshing water over the edge of the tub as she took Paul’s fingers inside her. “Yesssss!” Paul’s clothes were soaking wet at this point, but he didn’t care. All he cared about was making Brynn feel good. He twisted his fingers inside Brynn’s pussy, feeling the slick wetness of arousal. It fueled his own desire, coaxing his passion beyond gentleness. He tweaked one of Brynn’s nipples between his fingers, delighting in the damp, rubbery texture of the skin beneath his touch. “You’re so fucking sexy,” he said, barely recognizing his own voice. Brynn cupped her full breasts, head thrown back against the side of the tub. “Fuck me with your fingers,” she whispered. “I need to come.” Her words drove Paul to the edge. He added a third finger inside Brynn’s swollen pussy, filling her. He laced his fingers together and made a twisting motion as Brynn’s muscles clenched down on him. He didn’t want to be gentle anymore, wasn’t even sure that he could. He just wanted to fuck Brynn—hard. He looked into Brynn’s half-closed eyes, searching for approval. “Are you sure you can take this?” Brynn nodded. “Oh yeah. I want it. Do it.” That was all the encouragement Paul needed. Oblivious to everything but the feel of Brynn’s pussy clamped around his fingers, he began to fuck her hard. Water sloshed every which way, causing a tidal wave in the bathroom until the floor was soaked and Brynn was only half-covered by water. Paul braced his right hand lightly on Brynn’s wet, swollen belly as he finger-fucked her with his left hand. It was like fucking a beautiful, familiar stranger—and that aroused him in a way he could never have predicted. “You’re so wet, baby,” he growled, pushing his fingers deep inside Brynn.

• From Best Erotic Romance

  She tangled her fingers in his hair, but didn’t really tug—it was an old habit with them, almost a joke. She’d urge, but she’d still let him take the lead, make the decision to finally lean all the way in and swipe his tongue across her lips, bury between her folds, nuzzle against her clit. When he finally did, she let out a long sigh, feeling like they had both come home. Then his talented tongue was working its magic, flicking against her swollen bud, stoking the fire. She pressed her head so hard against the back of the sofa that she knew her neck would hurt the next day, but she didn’t care. The scorching spiral toward orgasm wound tighter and tighter, the fire consuming her until she screamed her release. Ethan didn’t give her much time to recover, and she didn’t blame him. He shucked off his pants and underwear, and she saw how hard he was, tasted the moisture that seeped from the tip of his cock. He groaned as she did, but pulled her away a moment later, telling her he needed to be inside her. She had no argument for that. He urged her up, and she knelt on trembling legs to face the back of the sofa. He wasted little time sliding into her, and no matter how long it had been, she welcomed him, knowing now just how much she’d missed him. His hands were full of her breasts as he pushed into her. She felt his thrusts grow staccato, knew he was close. She welcomed that, too, because she was already on edge again herself, from the rake of his cock deep inside her and the pressure of his hands on her nipples. She felt herself clamp down, and then she tumbled into another orgasm, pulsing along the length of him. Dimly she heard his own shout as he came with her. Eventually they roused themselves, although it was largely so Ethan could check whether the bottle of brandy they always tucked into a back cabinet was still there. It was. They sipped and talked, long into the night, long past the three-quarter moon’s shimmer on the water. Eventually they staggered to the bedroom, spread the sleeping bag he’d brought onto the bed, and made love again. Slower, this time, and more bittersweet, perhaps, as Bella cradled his head in her hands and he buried his face in her shoulder as they came. They were roused the next morning not by the stream of sunlight across the bed but the sound of the front door being unlocked. Ethan scrambled into pants and shirt, giving Bella time to dive for the bathroom. She was vaguely amazed she had no hangover. And no heartache. In the bathroom mirror, she saw that her hair was a tangle, her lips puffy from kisses, and her eyes sparkling from pleasure despite the circles beneath them. She pulled herself together as best she could.

• From Best Erotic Romance

  His callused thumb moved higher, tracing the lace between her ass cheeks, and Jodi closed her eyes as her knees threatened to give way. He could still do it to her. One touch and she was like warm flowing honey in his hands. The music changed to another slow song, and he bent his head and took possession of her mouth, his tongue thrusting deep as he penetrated her sex with one long finger. She gasped into his mouth but couldn’t escape him, her body way too eager to accept his penetration in any way she could get it. When he finally lifted his head she could only stare up at him in mute appeal. He took her hand and started toward the restrooms. “Come on.” He didn’t stop until they’d exited the back door of the bar and veered to the left. Jodi found herself in a small yard filled with barrels and crates of empty bottles. He backed her up against the nearest wall, his gaze hungry and determined, his hands all over her. “I can’t wait. I want to fuck you right now.” Jodi moaned as he rucked up her skirt to her waist, cupped her ass, and lifted her against the thick wedge of his cock. The denim felt harsh against her swollen wet folds, but she didn’t care as he ground himself against her. “You want this? You want my cock?” Jodi nodded. “Then take it out so I can fuck you right here against the wall.” Jodi scrabbled with his metal belt buckle and straining zipper until she revealed his thick shaft. Before she could do more than moan her appreciation, he lifted her and impaled her on his thick heated length. She screamed into his mouth at the sudden penetration, holding tight to his shoulders as he worked himself up inside her in short, sharp, unforgiving strokes. “Take it, honey. Take my cock in your cunt, make me come.” Jodi concentrated on the thrust and withdrawal of his shaft and the ragged sensations he aroused in her. She anchored her feet on his pumping hips and simply enjoyed the wildness. Had she ever had sex like this before? Probably not since she’d gotten married and certainly not since she’d had kids. She felt his buttocks tighten beneath her heels, and his stroke became shorter and faster as if he was trying to jackhammer his way up inside her. He managed to shove his hand between them and zeroed in on her clit, thumbing it in hard circles until she started to come around his big cock in an ever-tightening frenzy of need. He groaned into her mouth and climaxed, his cum hot against her clenching, greedy, demanding pussy. When Jodi opened her eyes, he was still holding her, her legs wrapped around his hips and his cock just inside her. “We’re not done.” Jodi gasped as he started walking toward the parking lot. “You can put me down!”

• From Best Erotic Romance

  He waited outside the door for me and, on my exit, he took me by the shoulders and steered me back to the bed. “Since you can’t be trusted to do as you’re told,” he said, “perhaps I need to tie you to the bed. Hmm? Should I?” “No,” I whispered. “I’ll ask next time.” “You’ve got your phone. If I’m in another room, just send me a message.” “I will.” I collapsed into the blankets again and let them take me into their too-hot embrace. For two days I languished, but on day three, I began to rally. My voice was still more like that of a pubescent boy than a professional soprano, and my head still felt stuffed with wadding, but my spirits made a brisk reentry, and so did my libido. I picked up the mobile phone and began to text. I knew that Matthew was composing in the other room, but he’d had two uninterrupted days with his muse. Surely she could spare him for a little while. “I need a doctor,” I wrote, and pressed Send. He appeared in the doorway in a matter of seconds, his face pale. “Are you alright, Loveday? Why do you need a doctor? Are you feeling worse?” Feeling slightly guilty, I shook my head. “I meant you,” I warbled. “I need Dr. Rossington.” The color returned to his cheeks, and he raised a disapproving eyebrow. “You mean you just worried me on a whim?” “I didn’t mean to. I just felt the urgent need for some... medical attention.” I tried to look sexy, which wasn’t easy in an old-lady nightgown and socks, but it seemed to work because he came all the way into the room and stationed himself at the foot of the bed, arms folded, brow creased in that thrilling way I love so much. “Medical attention? Well, I think I can provide that. Take off your nightgown.” I pulled the sagging cotton over my head and peeled off the socks too, since he’d never expressed a kink for them, while he left the room. When he came back, he was carrying a basin of soapy water and a sponge. “Let’s start with a bed bath, shall we?” He pulled out the rubber sheet from underneath the bed and made me lie flat on it, its cold smooth texture immediately transporting me back to the other occasions it had been in use, bringing my reawakened sex drive to even more vivid life. I curled my toes and clenched my vaginal muscles, enjoying the sight of him rolling up his shirtsleeves before he reached for the sponge.