Art of the Lie by Delphine Dryden Read Free Book Online Page A

quivering body with a shout that sounded suspiciously like triumph.
    * * * * *
    When Lindy tried to leave the bed, Richard held her down with one arm and one leg, laughing at her attempt to wriggle free.
    “You’re not going anywhere. You have to stay for the advanced lessons, remember?”
    She blushed, thinking about the various “lessons” he had already proposed. “You don’t have to do all that. This was wonderful, but I really think—”
    His stifling kiss was firm but lazy, confident, just like his voice when he finally released her mouth. “You’re here for the night. Get over it. I’m not through with you.”
    “I thought this was just supposed to be my first time? Thank you, by the way.”
    “You’re very welcome. My pleasure.”
    “Yeah, mine too.”
    He smirked and tossed his hair back out of his face. “I noticed.”
    “You don’t have to get all smug about it.” She tried to sit up again, to no avail.
    Richard gave her an appraising look. “I just had great sex, of course I’m smug. I guess that can be lesson number two. If the guy either falls right to sleep or turns into kind of a jackass afterward, you know you were doing something right.”
    “Gee, good to know. Can you not number the lessons?”
    “So you admit there will be more lessons. Victory!”
    “Jackass.” But she was failing at her effort not to smile.
    “See? Good job.”
    A snicker escaped. And then a giggle, bringing with it a sudden wave of relief. Lindy rubbed her eyes then stretched, arching her back. The move earned an appreciative hum from Richard, who was unable to resist fondling the closest breast.
    “You surprised me,” he confessed as he toyed with her. “In more ways than one.”
    She found it hard to think with his long fingers plumping the tender flesh, thumb scraping a slow back-and-forth over her nipple. A few moments earlier she would have considered herself spent, but Richard’s casual stroking was already sending fresh tendrils of need from her breast down to her thighs.
    “Surprised how?” she managed.
    “Well, asking me to do it in the first place caught me off guard, I have to admit,” he said with a wry little smile. “But also…” Lowering his head, he ran his tongue over Lindy’s nipple, then took it between his teeth and pressed just hard enough to pinch. When her eyelids fluttered and she moaned softly, he grinned up at her and released his mouthful. “Also stuff like that. I wouldn’t have expected you to go in for any of the rough stuff.”
    Lindy bit her lip. Rough? Had he been rough? She wished she knew. He just seemed confident to her, demanding and a little arrogant, which had always been her ideal. And the pain had seemed different, in this new context. Just another thing to feel at a time when everything felt good. She wondered if spanking would have the same effect; maybe that was the appeal. “You like rough stuff?”
    After a beat, he nodded. “Yeah, actually I do. Usually. This was good, too, though. More than good.”
    “So what would be an example of something rough?”
    He pursed his lips then looked away, scanning her body with obvious appreciation. Then he frowned, pointing to a tiny smear of drying blood at the top of Lindy’s thigh. She saw a similar streak on the condom he had yet to take off.
    “We should go get cleaned up.”
    Lindy couldn’t argue with that. She grimaced and sat up, then stood. Richard followed her to the bathroom, to her chagrin. She was further embarrassed when he lifted her up to sit on the counter and then accosted her with a warm, wet washcloth.
    “I’ve been washing all by myself for years now, Richard.”
    “Whatever. Spread your legs for me.” He stroked gently with the cloth, looking for any other signs of bleeding and finding none. Focused, intent on his job, very conscientious and thorough. Lindy was almost painfully turned-on again by the time he was finished. When Richard was through with her, he turned his attentions on