Work Text
"All this hard luck in this town has found me
Nobody knows how trouble goes 'round and 'round me
I'm all alone with no one to pet me
But old rockin' chair ain't never gonna get me
'Cause when I get low
Oh, I get high!"
-"When I Get Low, I Get High" by Ella Fitzgerald
“Unclench.”I’d been standing in the tea and coffee aisle of the supermarket, frowning down at two different chamomile teas, when a slightly mocking velvet male voice spoke from behind me. I jumped a bit in surprise—I hadn’t heard him approach—and then immediately frowned at the stranger.“Excuse me?”A tall, pale, dark-haired wiry man stood there. He wore a navy vest, white dress shirt, burgundy tie, and navy slacks. He had a box of jasmine-mint tea in one hand, and a basket in the other filled with fruit, veggies, and juice. His eyes looked blue at first, but upon further inspection, they had a ring of green at the center.“Unclench,” he repeated, as he tucked the box of tea into his basket. “It’s a simple decision, darling, not rocket science. You’ve seized up nearly every muscle in your vertebrae. Keep it up and you won’t get a wink of sleep tonight.”I stared at him in disbelief for a couple seconds. Anger quickly followed. “I don’t see how that’s any of your business.”He shrugged one shoulder. “True enough. Just some friendly advice. You’ll pinch a nerve at this rate, if you haven’t already.”I ignored the already sharp pain in my right thigh. “Friendly people usually don’t start their sentences off with the word ‘unclench,’ you know.”“I prefer the direct approach,” he said dryly. “Let me make it easier on you.”He reached up and plucked a different brand of tea entirely off the shelf and offered it to me. “This is what you want for the headaches.”I tensed. “How’d you—”“You’re grimacing,” he said without hesitation. “Which means you have one as we speak, and you’ve probably had them for the past month or so. Your posture is positively awful, which means you haven’t slept properly in weeks. There are dark circles beneath your eyes and your skin is far too devoid of color as a result of the sleepless nights. Your back is also out of alignment, evidenced by one shoulder being a little higher than the other. Your memory is sluggish, as is your attention span and focus, which is why you didn’t hear me when I passed by you the first time.”I didn’t quite gape at him, but I came close. He lifted an eyebrow. “Am I wrong?”“You…” I just frowned and put one of the boxes back on the shelf, dumping the other into my basket. “I’m fine.”“You’re also irritable, defensive, and standoffish as a result of not sleeping and being in constant discomfort.” He lifted my basket and dropped the brand he’d suggested into it. “In my opinion, you need to see a specialist immediately before the damage worsens.”“Great,” I grumbled. “I was hoping you’d weigh in on my personal life.”“What personal life?” he scoffed. “You and I both know you’ve isolated yourself to prevent anyone from noticing something is wrong with you.”I gritted my teeth. “Anyone ever tell you you’re a piece of work?”“Constantly,” he said, unperturbed. He produced a business card from his pocket and flicked it into my basket as well. “Monday morning, 9am. Don’t be late.”With that, he turned on his heel and walked away. I waited until he’d disappeared around the next aisle before reading the card.
Loki Laufeyson. Massage therapist.
This time, I did gape. A few of my coworkers had raved about the man to me before at the water cooler. The younger, prettier ones were infatuated with him, which I ignored, but Grace had sung his praises, and I trusted her judgment. She was going on seventy and yet was as spry as a twenty-something, and she had claimed it was all thanks to Loki.Still, though, the man was an arrogant douchebag. I had no interest in being insulted, masterful massages or not, so I pointedly returned the box he’d suggested to the shelf and stomped my way onward to finish grocery shopping.I slept like shit that night.In the morning, I rolled over onto my stomach and groaned into my pillow. My cat opened one eye to give me a questioning stare.I sighed. “I have to go see him, don’t I?”My cat just shut her eye and purred.“Dammit.”The acclaimed Loki Laufeyson owned a massage parlor downtown, near the trendy, expensive shops with plenty of high-flying, rich, Rodeo Drive-ish people in the city. I coughed up the money for the parking garage, grumbling the whole way, and then made my way to it. There was a pretty brunette girl at the counter answering calls when I walked in, and she politely put one on hold before addressing me.“How can I help you?”I tried to unclench my jaw enough to speak. “I…have a consultation appointment with Mr. Laufeyson at 9am.”She glanced down at her computer screen and then flashed me another friendly smile. “Excellent. I’ll page him and then let you through.”She picked up the phone. “Mr. Laufeyson, your nine o’clock appointment is here.”She paused and then hung up. “He’s ready for you.”The girl walked to the glass double doors of the lobby, swiped an ID badge, and pulled one open for me. “Straight down the hallway, miss.”“Thank you,” I said, and then forced myself to walk inside.The hallway was quiet and the color of sandstone. There were four closed doors on each side, which I assumed were the actual parlors, and then a big, heavy-looking mahogany door at the end of the hall. Once I reached it, I could see his name written in fancy gold script. I rolled my eyes and let myself in.Loki sat behind a glass desk, staring down at a laptop. The room had a light incense burning, nothing offensive, just a faint scent of lemongrass. The plush carpet was off-white. A black leather couch with a matching lacquer table was to my right, and there was a five-level bookshelf to my left packed with books.He had the sleeves of his forest-green button-up shirt rolled up over his slender but strong forearms, no tie, black slacks and shoes. His hair was tied back in a neat ponytail. He didn’t look up even as I closed the door to his office.“You’re late,” he said.“I couldn’t find parking,” I said. “Sue me.”“I doubt I’d get very much,” he said dryly.I shook my head. “I’ve met porcupines less prickish than you.”Loki glanced up at me then, and a faint smirk tugged his lips up to one side. “Cute. Have a seat.”“I’ll stand, thanks.”He frowned at me then. “You’ll only exacerbate your condition. I insist.”I crossed my arms and stubbornly remained standing. “Why do you even care in the first place?”“Money,” he said frankly. “The worse your condition, the longer it takes for me to undo it, and that takes away valuable time from other clients.”“So your motive is altruism, then. Nice.”Loki rolled his eyes. “I’m merely abrupt. I don’t like to waste time, as I am sure that you don’t either.”“Fine. Then let’s get this over with. How much?”He stood and walked around his desk. “First, you sit.”I glared up at him as he loomed over me. He had to be 6’4.’’ Like a giant, sarcastic tree. “I’m not a dog.”Loki smirked and bent down uncomfortably close, that velvet voice ringing with authority. “Sit. Down.”“Make me.”The second after it had left my mouth, his hand darted towards my right leg. I felt a sudden dull bit of pressure and my entire body crumpled at once, flouncing me down on the couch. I blinked a few times in pure shock and then sent the mother of all death glares up at him. “Asshole.”Loki shrugged. “You told me to make you.”“I didn’t mean it literally, you—”“Quiet,” he ordered, kneeling in front of me. “I need to do an assessment.”I pictured scooping the giant Medical Volume off his shelf and bashing him in the head with it. Instead, I took a deep breath and quelled my temper.He lifted my chin, tilting it this way and that. Then he settled his hands on my shoulders and rotated them gently. I bristled when he touched my hips, but he didn’t try to fondle me so I kept still. He moved each of my knees, examined my shins and ankles, and finished up with my wrists.“You are, in a word, fucked,” Loki confirmed.“Gee, thanks. Is that the professional term for it?” I asked.He ignored me. “You are holding tension in nearly every single part of your body, and both your joints and muscles are suffering for it. You are in immediate need of a deep tissue massage and realignment, among other things. I suggest we get started as soon as possible to avoid complicating your various problems. Are you going into work today?”“Day off,” I said. “Now how much?”“First appointment is always free,” he said as he stood up.I lifted an eyebrow. “All that stuff you just said, and you’re going to do it for free? Why? Isn’t that wasted labor?”“I assure you it’s no waste.”“What if I just take the freebie and don’t come back?”That insufferable, smug, arrogant smirk returned. “You’ll come back. They all do. After all, as soon as I’m done, you’ll notice such a vast improvement that you’ll continue your sessions indefinitely.”“Wow,” I said, shaking my head. “Being surrounded by all these bimbos has really gone straight to your head, hasn’t it?”Loki scowled at me. “You think I overestimate my abilities?”“Damn right I do.”“You have a headache right now, do you not?”“Yeah, so?”Again, the last word had scarcely left my mouth when Loki reached out, wrapped his fingers around the base of my skull, and made some kind of motion I couldn’t quite follow. Before I could even get a curse word out, my headache simply…vanished.“What the hell was that?” I screeched, smacking his arm away.“I released the pressure point that had been the lead cause of your headache. Shall I further demonstrate my proficiency in this area or are you convinced?”I seethed. “Look, I don’t know that I can be in the same room with you for more than five minutes without wanting to kill you. This is a bad idea. I’m leaving.”He stepped back to let me pass by him. “Is your defiance to authority truly worth more sleepless nights?”I froze with my hand on doorknob. “There are other massage therapists. Notably, some who are not complete and total alpha male assholes.”“You are quite right,” he agreed, folding his hands behind his back. “But I am the best. You know that. Your independence and pride won’t allow someone to dominate the conversation or control you, even if it’s in your best interest to simply…”He paused, as if searching for a word. He gave me a viper smile. “…submit.”“The only thing I’m going to submit is a sexual harassment grievance if you keep it up.”Loki snorted. “Don’t flatter yourself. As if my interest in you is anywhere near sexual.”That stung. I didn’t let it show. Instead of storming out, I faced him and mirrored the serpentine smile he’d worn a few seconds ago. “You’ve looked down at my lips no less than eight times since I walked in that door.”His expression soured. I batted my eyelashes at him. “You’re not the only one who can read body language, darling.”He stalked towards me, warm anger in his voice. “Your posture stiffens whenever I near you in anticipation of being touched, which you both fear and yet intensely desire.”“You’re running a massage parlor because you feel inferior to better-looking, more powerful men and the flirting, blushing girls make you feel important and desirable.”He stopped a few scant inches away and his glare tried to burn holes through my skull. “You are terrified of appearing vulnerable, so you are attempting to distance yourself from the very thing you want in order to maintain a false sense of control.”“You’re so used to being told yes by a woman that you can’t decide if you’d rather slap me or throw me down on your desk and fuck me senseless.”Loki slammed both his palms against the door on either side of my head. It rattled in its frame and made the wall shudder. I didn’t move an inch. I just kept staring up at him. His breath came in fast and heavy, his face slightly flushed, pupils dilated.Then, out of nowhere, he chuckled softly and smiled at me. “Masterfully done, darling.”He lowered his arms. “The first door on your right. Undress and pick a scented oil. I’ll be in shortly.”A short, caustic silence fell. Finally, I nodded. “Fine. But only because it’s free.”I turned and left his office.As annoying as he was, he’d chosen my room well. There was a little green engraved leaf on the outside proclaiming it to be the mint room, and it lived up to its namesake. There were pale green walls with white outlines of the plant, and the carpet was a deep jungle green. The massage table was against the far wall. There was a pretty paper decorative screen to separate it from the prep area. A neat white sheet sat folded along with a cylindrical pillow.“Can’t believe I’m actually doing this,” I muttered as I undressed and folded my clothes, leaving them next to my purse on the nearby chair. “Such a bad idea.”I winced as my back complained once I sat on the table. Well, at least I had a valid excuse for why I was entertaining this jerk’s ego. He’d damn well better be worth the headache. No pun intended.A few minutes later, I heard him knock. “Are you ready?”“No,” I mumbled, then raised my voice to say, “Yes.”Loki strode inside and locked the door behind him. He didn’t so much as spare me glance; instead, he marched over to the prep table. “What scent?”“Might as well go with the motif,” I said. “Peppermint.”“Very well.” He plucked the bottle up, poured a bit into the fragrance dispenser, and seconds later the pleasant scent filled the room just enough without being overpowering. He disappeared inside the small bathroom and washed his hands, then returned to apply lotion to them. “This will initially take an hour, due to the amount of work to be done, but all future appointments can be half an hour.”He flicked a sarcastic smirk over his shoulder. “Unless you become infatuated with my work, and request an hour each time.”I rolled my eyes. “When pigs fly.”“I’m going to greatly enjoy making you eat those words after we’re through here, darling.”“So do all your little chippies giggle and blush every time you call them that because of the accent?”“More often than not.”“I’m not one of your fangirls. You can drop the condescending term of endearment already.”He chuckled. “I gathered that quite some time ago.”“So you’re doing it to annoy me?”“Precisely.”I groaned. “God, your girlfriend must be certifiable.”“She would be if I had one.”I arched an eyebrow. “What? A man as charming as you, and there’s no obedient little skank waiting at the door, naked, with a rose in her teeth, for you to get home?”Loki dimmed the lights and grabbed a lighter, heading for the candles strategically dotted throughout the room. “A girlfriend would interrupt all the tawdry, wild sex I have with my clients.”I gaped at him. He grinned. “Gullible, aren’t we?”I blushed. “Shut up.”Once he finished lighting the candles, he made his way towards me. I pretended my heart rate didn’t climb into the millions at the sight of a tall, dark, handsome man walking towards me with only one thin layer of cotton between him and my naked body. Jerk though he was, Loki was quite a looker. Then again, he knew that and used it to his advantage.“It would be fruitless to tell you to relax,” he said, drawing the sheet away from my back until it settled over my butt. “Instead, I will invite you to simply put aside your distaste for me and focus your other senses. Forgo sight and thought. Simply feel and listen as I work. Think you can manage that, darling?”“I’ll try my best,” I said, hoping he couldn’t hear the slight tremble in my voice.He dribbled a bit of warm oil down the length of my spine and set the bottle aside.Then he touched me.He hadn’t been wrong. It had been quite a while since anyone touched me. I immediately tensed, wanting to draw away, but I managed to fight the natural instinct. Loki’s hands were rather soft. He had long, elegant fingers, like a pianist’s, and they were slightly cool. He swept them over my back in light strokes to massage the oil into my skin from the small of my back to the nape of my neck.“You are welcome to fall asleep if you feel so inclined,” he said, his tone even and neutral. “I’ll wake you once I’m through.”“I’m too wired to sleep.”“I think as I continue, you’ll find yourself surprised.”He began with the base of my skull, the pads of his fingers moving in calculated circles. “The knots I’m already seeing suggest you are in administrative work, no?”“Right.”“Many of my clients are in that industry. It’s brutal on the joints and especially the back, regardless of if you sit or stand in your position. You should have come to see me years ago, from the look of things.”“To think I could have been enjoying your sparkling personality that much sooner.”“Your denial is adorable. I would venture to guess that you like impossible men who are not at all good for you in the long run.”I imitated a police siren. “It’s the Cliché police! Hands up!”Loki snorted. “Fine. Denial it is, then. As witty as you are, I should think normal men have trouble keeping up with you and so you remain alone, or focus on emotionally unavailable ones to remain safe from any risk.”“Unavailable?” I retorted. “Let’s talk about whatever MENSA candidates you’re probably taking out to dinner weeknights. Let me guess: if they have the IQ of a sock, then you’ll go out with them? Anything higher than that and you’d have to put in actual effort.”“Ah,” he said. “But such ventures don’t keep me awake at night. I am honest about what I seek, and I make these women no promises. Your way of life, however, has come to a point where it causes you physical pain. Are you going to tell me that isn’t cause for reevaluation?”I sighed. “You assume that one can change. It’s easier said than done. I’ve tried it before.”“How many times?”“Enough.”“So you resign yourself to be unhappy for the remainder of your life?”“Guess so. Bet that’s good news for you, if you’re as good as you say you are. You’ll be stuck with me and I’ll be stuck with you, paying whatever ridiculous fee I assume you charge per session.”“If I’m as good as I say,” he scoffed. “I’ve already undone seven knots just from your neck alone, and you still question me.”I smirked. “You did just say I supposedly like impossible men.”He chuckled. “True.”He smoothed his thumbs down towards the spot between my shoulder blades. My eyes rolled back and my toes threatened to curl. Oh, yeah. Now that I could definitely get used to.“Enjoying ourselves?” he teased as his fingertips located the next knot and began to work it out.“You’re doing okay.”“Just okay? That won’t do at all.” He spread his hands out until his fingers ghosted along my sides, not far from the sides of my breasts. Again, I tensed, but he hushed me.“Relax,” he urged. “It’s a completely natural reaction.”I shivered as he fell into a pattern with the two points of contact with my bare skin: one light, one heavy, both slowly melting my muscles until they were pliable. He focused on each of my vertebrae, edging down every so often once the tightness around them had eased. It was very methodical. I gave him shit for his attitude, but I had to admit he knew exactly what he was doing. I could already feel my joints loosening and the blood flowing more freely to other parts of my body. Although some was going to a rather embarrassing part.“Now then,” he said, tugging the sheet to cover my upper body. “If I read you correctly, you have sensitive skin around your thighs, yes?”I blushed and struggled to respond. “Yes.”“I’ll be careful,” he assured me as he exposed my legs all the way to just under my backside. “But it’s perfectly natural to become aroused by this part of the massage. I take it very seriously, as your legs are an important part of your anatomy. There is no need for shame or embarrassment.”"Yeah, no big deal, getting turned on as a complete stranger touches your naked body."He seemed to pause before he started with my feet. "You take defensive to an entirely different level, you know. How many millions of women get massages on a daily or weekly basis without feeling ashamed of themselves? It's perfect natural, and yet you act as if you've done something wrong."His thumbs circled the painfully stiff parts on the ball of my foot. I squirmed a little. I was sort of ticklish there. "Not everyone is as open as you are about their sexuality. Some women like things to be private.""There is a difference between private and prude," he said. "You are nearly the latter."I scowled down at the table below me. "I'm not a prude. I just...look, why are you so interested in my mental health anyhow? I thought you were just supposed to work on the physical?""The two are in no way mutually exclusive. They are directly tied to each other. The mind can strongly affect the body. I respect it. If I want you healed, then it makes sense to attack both sides of the problem.""So you get this personal with all your clients?"He traced his thumb over my heel. "No, I don't."I scowled. "And what makes me so special? I'm the most screwed up one you've ever had?""By far," he said in a wry tone."Thanks a lot, Laufeyson.""Oh, come off it," he said, sliding his fingers to my calf. "Stop feeling sorry for yourself. You're better than that.""I'm really not. I value my pity parties.""That's attractive.""Who cares if I'm attractive? There's younger, better, prettier out there anyway. Men don't pay me any mind, so why should I care?"He touched the spot underneath my kneecap and I inhaled sharply. A lovely curl of pleasure lazily drifted up towards my groin. Oh, boy. Wow. That felt way too good. Loki certainly noticed, but kindly left me alone for once about it. Worse still, he concentrated on that spot for almost a minute, and I nearly started imitating an expectant mother doing Lamaze."You should care," he said after a while. "Because you have a lovely body that is falling into disrepair as a result of your mental state. There is nothing wrong with being independent, but you're far too protective of yourself. When's the last time you felt genuine pleasure?"Just now, I thought, but neglected to share that sad little thought. "None of your business."He sighed and swept his hands up towards my thigh. "Like I said, darling. Defensive."His fingers slid up towards the soft skin on my inner thigh and I couldn't help it. My spine arched just barely and I exhaled hard, a moan sliding out with it. Loki's hands stilled."S-Sorry," I muttered, blushing hard, nervous sweat popping up along my forehead. "I-I didn't mean to--""I told you," he said rather softly. "It's natural. Don't be ashamed to admit when you feel something."He drew lazy patterns on the delicate skin and I pressed my forehead to the cushion, my breath shallow, biting my lip to keep from moaning out loud."I'm going to make a recommendation," he said in that same calm, gentle voice. "You may refuse, but I think it is for your own good.""What?""When is the last time you had an orgasm?"I blushed furiously. "Loki, that's absolutely none of your fucking business.""Indeed not. Now answer the question.""I'm not going to--" His thumb slid up to the crease where my thigh met my ass. I dissolved into a puddle on the table and couldn't stop the moan this time."Six months?" he asked, his voice pitched a little lower. "A year, I'd wager?"I shivered weakly, gasping for air. "F-Fourteen months.""Mm," he said, tracing that sweet spot slowly. "It shows. My recommendation is that you allow me to give you a release. The tension you're carrying in the center of your body isn't something I can undo with your standard deep tissue massage."A shaky, disbelieving laugh left my lungs. "I bet you say that to all the girls.""I don't," he whispered. "And believe me, they ask. But you are different. You're starving for it. You've deprived yourself of all positive sensations for so long that it's affected you in every single possible way."I shook my head. "I'm not going to just let some perfect stranger get in my pants.""Why not? I am bound by client-therapist privileges not to reveal what I do to anyone. I have no intention of harming you. We're alone in here and the walls are too thick for anyone to hear outside of the room. I find you attractive. You find me attractive. The only thing stopping you is your stubborn, outdated sense of etiquette."I finally tossed a glare at him over my shoulder. "You're an asshole.""Yes," he said, smirking. "I am. And yet I am exactly what you need right now."He squeezed my thigh gently. I had to clutch the ends of the table to keep from moaning again. "What is your answer, darling?"I licked my lips and tried to run through the logic he'd used. Aside from it just being a trashy thing to do, he was right. It would relax me. I hadn't felt pleasure in over a year. I'd been too wound up from work to even think about facilitating it myself. Maybe I could give it a try."If I tell you to stop," I whispered. "Will you stop?""Yes.""At any point.""Yes. Of course.""How...far do you want to take it?""That is for you to decide."Oh, hell. Now he'd flipped it back on me, the bastard. Ball was in my court.I drew in all the courage I had and finally managed to force out the word, "Okay.""Very well," Loki said, and somehow, the two words came out in a low, lazy growl tinged with desire, as if I'd hit some sort of switch. He stepped away for a moment towards the small closet and returned with a pillow. He slid it beneath my waist to prop my lower body up comfortably, but he didn't move the sheet. I appreciated it. The illusion that he couldn't see what he was about to touch helped me relax.He didn't rush right in. He stroked my inner thighs until the tension drained out of them, and then he swept his thumbs up across the crease of my thighs. The movement spread me open at each pass, and the heat slowly building within my loins stoked one moment at a time. He drifted closer and closer towards my outer lips until he brushed against them. I hissed, squirming, and he murmured for me to relax and breathe. I clutched the other pillow to my chest and buried my burning hot face in it as he slid one hand beneath my lower body until he had completely palmed me. The steady pressure against my aching center and the brush of those slick, cool digits against my clit was exquisite. I whimpered and moaned, shaking from the suddenness of the pleasure."Breathe," Loki whispered. "In. Out. In. Out. Focus on my voice. Obey."After my gasping subsided, he lifted me slightly and then I felt two of his fingers glide inside me.I moaned helplessly. "Oh God, Loki.""Easy does it," he murmured, stilling his fingers within my slippery heat. "That's right. Good girl."He withdrew his fingers until only the tips remained, then slid them in again, gently pulling my pelvis back against his arm with his other hand. An explosion of sweet pleasure burst between my legs. Slowly, he coaxed me into rocking down onto his fingers again and again. Within seconds, the space between my legs melted into heavenly sensations. He never rushed me. He just let me find my own pleasure and build it a minute at a time until my toes curled and my thighs clenched."Mm, you're ready to come," Loki whispered. "Shall I release you, darling?"I shook my head. "More. Please, Loki, more.""How much more? Tell me, sweetheart."I uncurled my fingers from around the pillow and moved the hand flat to my belly until he reached my clit. He let out a little growl and flattened his thumb against the tiny nerve, circling it."That's it, isn't it?" His velvet voice made me shiver all over eagerly. "Exactly where you need me. Now tell me what to do to you, darling.""L-Loki--""Say it, sweetheart. I want you to say it. Now."I shuddered harder and finally let go. "Make me come, Loki. Please."He let out a low, satisfied chuckle. "As you wish, darling."He curled those long fingers inside my soaking cunt and then pressed the flat of his thumb up hard against my clit. My spine arched. "God! Fuck! Loki!"My inner walls clamped down over his fingers as I climaxed. I felt my lower body twitching and convulsing, my thighs tensing where I half-knelt on the massage table, my fingers grabbing hold of the ends to keep me from floating off into the atmosphere. A strangled animalistic groan escaped my lungs and made my throat raw as I came hard and unrestrained on Loki's hands. As soon as those glorious waves of ecstasy subsided, I flopped face-first onto the table and gasped for air.Loki eased his fingers free as well as his other hand and stepped away from me. He returned with a cool, damp towel and bathed my inner thighs, my pelvis, my ass, until all were as clean as they had been before. He cleared his throat once he noticed my breathing had stabilized."I'd ask if you enjoyed that, but I believe it's perfectly clear that you did.""Asshole," I muttered.Loki chuckled. "Yes, I believe we've already covered that."He swept one hand up the length of my spine and the teasing left his voice. "Now tell me how you feel.""I..." It took me a second to put it into words. "I feel...relaxed.""Good," he said, and I heard a warm smile in the word. "It shows. You didn't flinch when I touched you just now. I believe we've at least initially broken part of your anxiety regarding being touched."He drew little patterns over my shoulder blades. It felt nice. I didn't feel the urge to draw away. He was right. Damn. "Does your mind feel clearer?"I thought about it. "Yeah.""Excellent. Reducing your preoccupations will do your mental health a world of good."I nibbled my lower lip. "Can I ask you something? Something, um, I guess sort of personal?"He seemed to consider it before answering. "Go on.""You were so in control just now. Did you have the urge to...you know..."He didn't say anything, so I finally gathered up the guts to look at him. The candlelight illuminated half of his handsome, delicate face, but most of it caught on those eyes. They almost glowed at me. His expression was tough to read, something between hungry and disbelieving."You mean to ask if I wanted to fuck you while you were having your orgasm."I blushed madly and gulped. "Y-Yeah, I guess that's what I mean."Loki rolled his shoulders and exhaled. "You are a remarkably foolish woman."I winced. "I take that as a no, then."He narrowed his eyes at me. "Of course I wanted to fuck you, you silly woman. I still do. The only reason I haven't bent you over this table and ravished you is that I value my professional integrity and would only act with your complete and full consent. You were positively delectable while you were writhing in pleasure with my fingers inside you. I wanted to stick my tongue so far inside your cunt that I'd be able to taste you for months. I wanted to mount you on this table and fuck you like a Viking fucks a milk maiden on their wedding night. I wanted to bury my cock inside this delicious little cunt and make you come harder than you have in your entire life, and fill you with my come again and again until you couldn't take another bloody drop. I wanted to spank your perfect ass cherry red until you begged me to stop and then turn you over, fold you up like a pretzel, and fuck you inside out. I wanted to see just how many times I can drive my name out of these lovely lips. I wanted to completely, utterly ruin you."After that little speech, all I could manage was a tiny, squeaky, sheepish, "...oh.""Now that we've solved that mystery," he continued with a roll of his eyes. "Your hour is up. Get dressed."He abruptly turned and headed for the door with quick strides. I sat up, clutching the sheets around me, bewildered as he left the room without another word. Well. Okay, then.I got dressed. I noted that my limbs weren't as stiff. I moved smoothly, easily, without small aches and pains that I hadn't even realized had been there before. My skin felt soft and smooth. My pores even looked a little better when I checked the mirror to fix my hair. It seemed my coworkers hadn't been exaggerating. The man was nothing short of a genius.Imagine that.I returned to his office. He had stooped over his desk with a pen and was writing something on the back of one of his business cards. I shuffled my feet slightly and kept chewing my lip. "Are you sure I don't owe you anything for the--""You most certainly do," Loki said, his tone flippant. He walked over and offered me the card. "You will meet me here for dinner tonight at eight o'clock. Wear black."My eyebrows lifted. "I'm sorry, what?""We're going to dinner," he said. "After which I will bring you back to my apartment for the fucking of a lifetime. I would advise you to bring an overnight bag. I get the feeling I won't be able to restrain myself and we'll be up until past midnight."My jaw dropped open like a trap door. "Excuse me?"He arched an eyebrow. "What part of that was unclear?"It took me a moment to get actual words out. "You think you can just snap your fingers and order me to have sex with you? Just like that? Like I'm some sort of soft-brained little tart that you--"Loki shoved me up against the door in what felt like some kind of expert judo move, drew one of my legs up around his waist, and kissed the living goddamn fucking daylights out of me. His tongue demanded entrance to my mouth and swept the inside of it in a perfect loop, drawing my own tongue into the heat of his own mouth. He ground his narrow hips into the plushness between my thighs, driving a yelp of delight from me as I felt the hard ridge of his cock rubbing against my clit, over my opening, a silent, but definite promise. He fisted my hair and drew my head back as he kissed me deeply enough that I damn near felt it in my chest somewhere.He nipped my lower lip and then drew back from the kiss, his dark lashes lowered over those glowing eyes of his as he stared down at me to gauge my reaction.I licked my lips. "You said eight o'clock, right?"
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"This is such a bad idea," I muttered as I stared up at the glowing red lights to the Italian restaurant Loki had given me the address to on his card. To be fair, I'd heard great things about this place. Organic, locally grown ingredients, fair pricing, and generous portions. Normally, I'd be excited to try it. Now, I was about to have dinner with bar-none the most infuriating man I'd ever met. After he'd given me the best orgasm I'd ever felt in my life. Upon our second meeting. Oy.To be fair, I'd nearly talked myself out of it once I'd left his office. I'd been so close to success, but every time I promised that I wouldn't go on this ridiculous charade of a date, my mind brought up that unbelievable orgasm. I shivered the tiniest bit each time the memory flowed across my brain. It was stupid to think it'd had such an impact on me. After all, I could barely stand the guy. But my lady parts determined that the benefits outweighed the drawbacks, and so I dug up my cleanest black dress and dragged myself to meet Loki.The hostess led me around the corner from the entrance to a secluded little booth. Loki sat with one long leg crossed wearing an admittedly gorgeous burgundy suit jacket, white dress shirt, with black slacks and shoes, no tie. His hair was loose, and I noticed it had a natural curl to it at the ends that was somehow alluring and not as feminine as I thought. He sipped a brandy as he nonchalantly flipped through the menu. His aquamarine eyes flicked up once we were within earshot and he gave me a very serpentine smirk as our gazes met."So," he purred. "You actually showed.""Even I have lapses in judgment sometimes," I said without missing a beat.The hostess blinked and glanced between the two of us in shock. I gave her a small "it's okay" gesture with my hands and she returned to her post, though she still looked confused.I slipped out of my coat and sat down across from him. His eyes roved over my bare shoulders and plunging neckline, and while his cool expression didn't change, I noted the flicker of hunger and need that went through his eyes. As much as I didn't want to admit it, it excited me to know he found me attractive. Hadn't had much of that lately. It was a shallow but much needed moment for me.The waitress swept past with a smile and asked what to get me. I ordered a whiskey neat and let her leave before addressing Loki again. "So why are we at dinner if you made it clear what you want out of me this morning?""What we want out of each other," he corrected, and I rolled my eyes. "There's nothing wrong with playing the game, you know. I also thought it might help to avail some of your anxieties if we held an actual conversation before said events.""Talking to you is probably only going to make my reservations worse, not better."Loki smirked. "I guess we'll see, won't we?"The waitress returned with my whiskey. I sipped it and perused the menu until I found what I wanted. She drifted by again in a couple minutes and we put our orders in: veal parmesan for me, linguine pescatore for Loki."If I hadn't said yes to your..." I licked my lips and tried my hardest not to blush. "...recommendation, would you still have asked me out?""Perhaps," Loki admitted. "If you had been receptive after the rest of the massage."I scowled. "Was that the intention all along? To manipulate me into saying yes?""No," he said, and there wasn't a hidden tone to the word. My gut told me he wasn't lying. "I meant what I said, one-hundred percent. I wanted you to be able to truly relax, regardless of if you decided to bed me in the end."I sat back in my booth and eyed him. "Why?"He sipped his brandy and let me stew in silence for a while, appearing to think it over. "You're isolated. You're unhappy. Not too long ago, I knew how that felt. Intimately. If I could improve things for you, even for a short amount of time, then I felt it was my moral obligation to do so.""Moral obligation?" I echoed. "That implies that you have ethics, Loki.""Not many, but some." Speaking of which, I felt the toe of his dress shoe against the inside of my knee. I swallowed a gasp and kept a straight face as he teased me, running it lightly down my calf muscle. It tickled. I could have just moved my leg, but I was sure he'd count it as a victory, so I didn't. It made me want to smile, though, to think of Loki of all people playing Footsie with me."How'd you get into this gig?"He shrugged a shoulder. "I went to school for various forms of therapy and found this one the most enjoyable and least demanding. It gave me the opportunity to work for myself and form my own methods of holistic medicine and healing."I grinned. "Dammit. I wanted you to say something like, 'I wanted to help people' so I could call bullshit."He matched my grin. "Afraid not, darling. I'm in it for the money and the flexibility.""And the naked women just happen to be a plus, huh?"He snorted. "Despite what you might be thinking, they aren't all super models. The bulk of my clientele are in their late fifties, actually. I enjoy them far more than the little birds who just want my attention."I laughed. "No shit? Really?""I much prefer my loyal clients who appreciate my work over the shallow women who use me for self-validation. I hone my craft with the former, not the latter."That was actually pretty interesting. He may have been a pain in the ass, but he did appear to actually like his profession. He was passionate about it, at the very least, even if it was for selfish reasons. Plus, I got the impression he really wasn't terribly amused by girls like my workmates who only booked appointments with him in vain attempts to seduce him."How often are you getting offers from the younger girls?"Loki snorted and reached for my whiskey now that he'd finished his brandy. "I have to turn down sexual propositions on a weekly basis."I giggled, trying to catch it behind my hand. "Wow, that often, huh?""You've no idea how tedious it gets. After a certain point, bare breasts start to lose their allure. And they almost always try it the same way every bloody time, asking for a happy ending and then ripping the sheet off as if they expect me to ravish them like in some ten-cent harlequin novel. No imagination, these girls.""You're never tempted?""No," he said. "I prefer to pursue my prey, not have it come to me. Besides, it sets a bad example. If word gets out that I dated one of my clients, the others will get jealous and try to sabotage my business. It's not worth it.""And in my case?"Loki snorted again. "You don't like me. Of course you're not going to tell anyone we are seeing one another. You are, after all, mostly run by your defiance and denial."I scowled at him. "Is that right?""Yes." He then set his chin on his hand and winked at me. "But don't worry. I like that about you."The food arrived. It was absolutely phenomenal. I damn near wanted to lick the plate when I was done."Dessert?" he asked once we'd finished.I lowered my lashes and gave him a mock-seductive stare. "Is this where I make some kind of double entendre?""By all means, feel free," he said smoothly. "I won't be the least bit offended.""Why am I not surprised?" I shook my head. "No, not much into sweets.""Hmm," he purred. "Perhaps we should do something about that."Before I could ask what the hell that had meant, he signaled the waitress for the check, paid it, and walked me to my car. The parking lot had begun to clear out since the restaurant closed not long after nine o'clock. My heart ramped up its speed as my heels clicked along the concrete. I knew better. He had no intention of harming me, but the massage hadn't completely broken through my general anxiety just yet."So," Loki murmured, one hand in his pocket, the bare streetlamp hooding those gemstone eyes. "Have you lost your nerve or shall we proceed?"I crossed my arms and leaned back against my car. "What makes you think I've lost my nerve?""Your breathing has elevated," he said. "And your posture is more defensive.""We are alone in a dark parking lot, you know."He stepped closer. "And which do you fear more?"He reached out and twirled a lock of my hair around his forefinger. "The darkness or me?""There's a difference?"Loki chuckled softly. "Oh, that sharp tongue. I look forward to seeing what else it can do."He slipped his hand around the base of my jaw and tugged me up to meet him. He kissed me. His lips were soft and warm. He tasted a little bitter from the whiskey, but enticing nonetheless. He broke the kiss with a little sigh that hid a groan."This is your last chance," he growled. "If you come home with me, I will not restrain myself in the slightest."I met his gaze and just smiled. "Good. Lead the way."Unsurprisingly, Loki lived in a condo I couldn't afford if I saved up my salary for twenty years. I'd suspected due to his demeanor and other smaller habits that he came from old money. Still, he didn't seem like the type of guy who was a slave to his lifestyle. He likely just managed his company well and could afford the nicer things now that he'd established himself in the city. He'd been running it successfully for eight years and counting, after all.We rode the elevator up to the seventh floor together in an...interesting silence. Not comfortable, but also not uncomfortable. He stared across the space at me with a faintly amused look until I finally asked, "What?""I'm merely shocked you haven't demanded if I have a severed head in my refrigerator or something along those lines," he mused."You live on the seventh floor," I told him dryly. "It'd be pretty difficult for you to be a successful serial killer. Sooner or later, someone would notice.""True enough. You're calmer than I expected you to be.""Isn't that a good thing?" I challenged.His eyes twinkled then. "It's excellent, in fact."The elevator doors parted and he led me down the hallway to his apartment two doors down on the right. He inclined his head to me once he unlocked the door. "Ladies first."I rolled my eyes and stepped inside.Loki's place surprised me a bit. It was...warmer than his office. Earth tones, mostly, with accents of gold in the framed photos or small glass figurines. Black suede couch, walnut coffee table, bookshelves, entertainment center, and an actual record player in the corner. He had an open kitchen across from the den with an island counter and slick, modern appliances. Straight ahead, I spotted the doors to the guest room, bedroom, and coat closet."Nice," I said as I slipped out of my coat and set my small overnight bag by the couch. He hung my coat on the rack by the door."Thank you. Would you care for another drink?""No.""Very well, then." His voice came from a scant inch or so from my left ear, and I shuddered on impulse. He slipped one arm around my waist and pressed me to him. He buried his face in my hair and inhaled, trailing his lips down one side of my neck. "Shall we?""Yes," I whispered back.I yelped in surprise as he turned me around, scooped me up, and plopped me on the breakfast counter. He'd done it so smoothly and effortlessly that I was startled to realize how strong he was. I wasn't a tiny woman. He was stronger than he looked.Loki grinned down at my surprised expression as he closed in on me. I started to slide the straps to my dress down, but he caught my hands."Leave it on," he purred. "That's a beautiful dress and I want to fuck you in it."He kissed me as his hands slipped underneath the hem of the dress, his tongue taking the lead, coaxing mine out to play. He drew little patterns over my thighs with his fingertips before they crept up enough to find my panties.Only I wasn't wearing any.Loki jerked quite suddenly as he noticed, and I batted my eyelashes at him. "Problem?""Mm, you naughty little kitten," he growled, sliding both large hands underneath me to cup my bare ass underneath the dress. He pulled me forward on the counter and I shivered as the hard edge of his cock beneath the slacks met my already damp opening. He kissed me harder, nipping and sucking at my lips, rocking his hips into me in a rhythm that had me dizzy in seconds. I tore at his suit jacket until I got it off him and then undid the buttons of his shirt, a few of them popping loose in my frantic haste to get them undone and feel bare skin. I finally freed a triangle of pale flesh and went after it, kissing the hollow of his throat and dragging my lips over his collarbone. His skin was smooth and tasted lightly of cologne. Loki's chest rumbled with a moan and he gripped a handful of my hair to draw my head back to kiss me again. He took over for me, shedding the dress shirt as well as his belt. I batted his hands away for the final step, undoing the button on his slacks and sliding my hands inside his pants.Heavenly father. This was exactly why tall, slender men were my type.Loki bit off a curse as I cupped his hard cock through the boxer-briefs. I rubbed my palm against it, taking my time, listening to the low groans of pleasure it drew from him. I started to pull the hem down, but he caught my wrist and drew back enough to cluck his tongue."Ah, ah," he murmured. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves."He kicked off the slacks as well as his shoes and socks, then pushed the skirts of my dress up until they bunched at my hips. His hand wrapped around my throat and I nearly resisted, but then he just gently pushed me to lie on my back across the counter. There was a mad, merry twinkle of mischief in his eye as he propped my legs up on his shoulders and descended with deadly intent.He drew his tongue lightly over my opening, and I squirmed and choked on a moan at the rough, wet heat of his touch. God, it had been so long since I'd felt anything this good. It felt almost sinful. He traced the shape of my outer walls and then circled inward, pressing those soft lips against the petals in a kiss that had me shuddering inside and out. I gripped the edge of the counter frantically, biting my lower lip in an effort not to scream in sheer impatience.Loki emitted a slow sigh and licked his lips. "It's been a while since I've seen and tasted such a pretty cunt. It's a shame you're not a fan of sweets, darling. You'll be a fine dessert, it seems."I blushed. "Shut up, Loki."He chuckled. "The lady doth protest too much. You like my filthy talk, don't you?"I blushed harder. "I do not.""We'll see about that." Without warning, he buried his tongue inside me, all in one go. My spine arched. Pleasure detonated inside me. My nerve endings all disintegrated into smoldering ash. I moaned so loud it echoed through the whole damned apartment.Loki purred, his tongue still enticingly deep, the vibrations shooting straight up to my clit. I writhed on the counter and felt a hot rush of liquid escape to coat the invading appendage. He lapped it up with slow strokes and then withdrew with another evil chuckle."Sing for me, my pretty little bird," he whispered, pushing my thighs further apart. "Sing louder."His tongue returned. "Fuck! Fuck, Loki, God, oh God, ohGodohGodohGod--ah!"The bastard raked his teeth oh-so gently across my spot and then his lips parted wider, sucking. My vision started bleeding to white as my head got light and the climax pressed down over me like a heavenly weight. His fingers swept down my inner thighs in playful strokes, up and down, over and over, until finally he gripped twin handfuls of my ass. He lifted me from the counter and drove his tongue into me rhythmically, as if it were his fingers like he'd done this morning. I fought the creeping tide in vain. He sucked and sucked, harder and harder, until the last bit of my will simply snapped and I came on his tongue.Searing hot ecstasy soaked every inch of my skin and seeped into my bones. An animalistic groan tore from my throat. I clutched the edge of the counter as I rode it out until my fingers went numb and then collapsed in a heap when it finally abated.Loki lowered me to the counter and carefully extracted himself from between my thighs. My legs twitched and trembled at odd intervals. My lids felt as if they weighed a ton. He'd basically just tongue-fucked me into another dimension. I'd be lucky if I retained any ability to move for a while.But apparently, my mouth still worked.In my best British accent, I told him, "Good show, old boy."Loki paused for a few seconds and then burst into laughter. I lay there and enjoyed the rich, warm sound. Loki probably didn't laugh much in his line of work, and being an asshole. It felt good to amuse him for a moment."That," he said, still giggling a bit. "Might be the strangest reaction to cunnilingus that I have ever experienced.""You're welcome," I mused, still motionless. "Has anyone ever told you that you eat pussy like a fucking champ?""Not in so many words," he said, licking his lips clean. "But thank you for saying it so...delicately."I moaned as he sunk two fingers inside me. "And it is quite the magnificent pussy, by the way. I'm rather tempted to have a second helping.""I'm tempted to let you," I gasped out, seeing stars. "But maybe later.""Yes." He withdrew his fingers and licked them clean as well. "Many, many more times, in fact.""Really?" I challenged as I pushed myself up to a sitting position. Huzzah. At least my arms were working now. "You know, a lot of guys like to brag about that but after one roll in the hay, it's off to dreamland and I'm stuck by myself."I punctuated this statement by slipping my hand inside his boxer-briefs at long last. My fingers came in contact with silken skin, so hot it nearly burned me, and I ended the suspense by drawing the hem down to his thighs. Mm, mm, mm. Loki Laufeyson had one beautiful cock."Is that right?" he asked, still wearing that cool mask as my fingers circled his shaft and began stroking. "How unfortunate."I squeezed lightly, and his eyelids fluttered. I wrapped my arm around his neck and brushed kisses along his jaw, capturing his lower lip once or twice. He began petting my thighs, massaging them slowly, and I had to admit I was really digging the fact that his massage therapy skills came in handy here. "So how do I know you're not a one minute man, Laufeyson?""Oh, my dear," he drawled. "Let me put your pretty mind to rest."He pinned my wrist to the counter, arched his hips, and in one swift movement, delved inside me.I grabbed his shoulders, my head lolling back on my neck, digging my fingernails into his skin as the first red-hot spike of pleasure echoed through my veins. I trembled for a few seconds as little tremors danced up and down my legs and across the small of my back. My eyes had slammed shut on their own, and just as I noticed that, Loki leaned forward enough to nip my lower lip."Open your eyes for me, darling," the bastard whispered.Part of me wanted to disobey strictly because it was him, but the rest of me didn't give a damn; it just wanted more of this succulent pleasure, so I opened my eyes after a moment. He reached up and plucked my other hand from his shoulder, pinning it to the counter as well. His smile was so very, very wicked. It was a soul stealing little smile. A smile that promised filthy things in the darkness where no one could see them but us."Now," he said softly, his warm breath tickling my cheeks. "Sing for me again."He withdrew every solid inch of that gorgeous cock and pounded it into me a second time. I arched my back and couldn't stop the guttural moan that flew past my lips as a second pulse of pleasure rocked me to the core. Loki let out a breathy, satisfied little chuckle and kissed me as he reared back a third time. Again, he slammed inside me, hard, swift, deliberate. Then, after the third time, he didn't stop. He trailed light kisses and bites down one side of my jaw to my throat and sucked the delicate skin past his lips until it bruised my skin with a mark. Every thrust drove him up inside my slippery heat as far as he could go, and with every single one, I melted more and more. I felt delirious from the rising wave of pleasure, shaking, moaning, falling under his spell almost immediately. I rocked my hips into his, eventually wrapping my legs around his waist, gasping for air within mere minutes. God. I'd never been fucked like this. This was...everything.Loki's insidious lips trailed down to my collarbone, his tongue snaking out to caress my sweaty skin. He kissed the spot over my heart and sunk his teeth into my breast just barely. "Mm, such a sweet cunt, darling. You're so responsive to me. You like what I do to you, don't you? I can tell. You're fucking soaking wet around my cock. Such a naughty, naughty little pet. Fucking a man you barely know. You love it, don't you? You love misbehaving with me. It excites you, doesn't it?"I cried out as he nudged the neckline of the dress to one side, finding my nipple beneath the lace bra and biting down. I shivered as he sucked hard, then softly, swirling the tip of his tongue around and around until I whimpered. "L-Loki...""Yes," he sighed wistfully, returning to my lips. "Oh, say it again for me, darling.""Loki."His fingers tightened on my wrists. "One more time for me, pet.""Loki!"He let go of my hands in favor of grabbing my legs, lifting them onto his shoulders as he leaned forward enough to bend me in half. I gripped his forearms just as he spread his legs into a wider stance and pistoned into me from above. I screamed. There was nothing else to do but scream."Don't fight it," he whispered over the wet slap of our lower bodies colliding. Christ, I was wet. I'd never been so wet in my entire life, and he was fucking me so deep I thought I was going to lose my mind. "Don't you dare hold back on me. I want you to come. I need you to come. Let go. Let me in."He flattened his palm against my pubic bone, and the heel of his hand brushed my clit. I writhed and bucked up into the solid weight, helping him fuck me deeper, so dizzy with pleasure I could barely tell if I was moaning actual words or just nonsense."--yes, please, Loki, I'm so close, please, God, yes, yes, yes, oh, fuck--"Loki growled one final time and rubbed the flat of his thumb across my spot. I fractured into a million shards underneath his hands, his body, reaching my orgasm at long last.Bliss. Utter, total bliss. I bathed in it. I lavished in it. I let it erase every miserable moment I'd had in the last few weeks.I wasn't entirely sure when I came to, but I did as I felt Loki's lips tickling my inner right thigh. "If I drop your legs, will you fall off the counter?"I let out a hoarse, lazy laugh. "Probably."Loki chuckled. "Fair enough."He gripped my hips and scooted me further up onto the counter, and then lowered my legs from his shoulders. We were still connected, and I hadn't felt him come. Apparently, Loki was a man of his word. Interesting to know."Fucking hell," Loki sighed, running a hand through his disheveled dark hair and fixing me with an amazed look. "Are you always this...spirited, darling?"I thought about it. "Not really, no. I'm usually pretty reserved.""I thought so," he agreed. "I confess you nearly made me go back on my word. It took an awful lot of restraint not to enjoy myself as much as you were."I rolled my eyes. "My hero.""Oh, it's too late for sarcasm now," he teased, trailing his fingers up underneath my dress. "I've seen the real you. The one you hide behind a mask of decency and manners."His seawater eyes gleamed eagerly. "And I can't wait to see her again."Oh, boy.What have I gotten myself into?
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
"We'll start slow."I nodded, a little too fast, a little too shaky. I was blindfolded. I had a right to be a little uneven. "Okay.""Open your mouth."I took a deep breath and parted my lips.I felt the cool touch of the spoon on my lower lip, and then something cool and creamy, with a hardened crust on top. I chewed it carefully, taking my time."Tell me what you taste," Loki murmured."Vanilla," I said."What else?""Cream. Sugar. Egg.""Excellent." He wiped a glob from the edge of my mouth and smeared it over my lower lip. I licked it up and pulled his finger inside just for a second or two. It drew a delicious little purr from him before I let go. Seconds later, he kissed me, as if sealing in the flavor."I thought we'd start with something light," he said. "To get you used to the idea of trying sweets. Do you know what this dessert is called?""Creme brulee," I said. "I'm not a heathen, you know.""So you say," he sniffed, and I heard the clink of the spoon returning to the little dish it had been in. I heard him chewing and swallowing before he spoke again. "Aside from needing the little blowtorch, it's actually relatively easy to make as well.""And you just had some lying around," I asked, lifting an eyebrow. It poked a little bit above the blindfold, so he'd be able to tell I was being skeptical."I intended to entertain a lady for the evening," Loki said, as his bare feet padded over the tile. "I bought an entire smorgasbord of desserts since I didn't know what you'd like. What do you think of the creme brulee?"I shrugged. "Not bad.""Fair enough. Open."He spooned something else this time, something creamy again. It had a crisp but softened wafer as I crunched down into it. "Tell me what you taste.""Chocolate," I said. "Whipped cream. Cookie.""Ladyfinger," he corrected."Why, Loki, you're a cannibal?"He pinched my thigh and I laughed before continuing. "Coffee, maybe like...espresso? Amaretto. Something creamy, almost like cream cheese.""Mascarpone," he supplied. "It's tiramisu.""Gesundheit."Again, he pinched my thigh. "Keep it up and you'll land yourself in trouble, darling.""Like I'm not already there, blindfolded in a strange man's apartment while he feeds me desserts against my will.""It's not against your will," he sighed, and I could nearly see him rolling his eyes. "We are going to find a sweet that you like. Mark my words. Now, what did you think of the tiramisu?""Liked it better than the creme brulee, I admit.""Good. Open up."I tasted fruit this time, something creamy again, but smoother. "Well, this one's easy, at least. Cherry cheesecake.""Correct." I nearly sighed as he leaned in again, kissing me, his tongue catching a spot of the cherry pie filling. The next kiss was sweeter still. I tasted a little cinnamon underneath the fruit. I also tasted Loki, and it was good enough that one kiss turned into two, three, four, and his hand found its way underneath my dress again."You are trying to distract me," he said huskily."Me?" I said, feigning innocence as I looped my legs around his narrow hips. "Surely you jest.""Don't call me Shirley."I laughed. Wouldn't have guessed Loki was a fan of screwball comedies. "But if someone's getting impatient, then perhaps we can find some middle ground."I felt his hands slide around me and then unzip my dress. I lifted up enough to slip out of it. He went for my bra next, and after a second or two, I sat on his kitchen counter, blindfolded and naked but for my strappy heels."Better do something quick before I freeze to death.""Oh, I have an idea or two," he drawled. Movement. The metal scrape of a lid on glass. Footsteps.Then Loki smeared something across the tip of my left breast.I shuddered. Goosebumps popped up over my areola and spilled down the center of my body. I tried not to blush. I was ticklish.My breath came out in a hiss as Loki's lips followed his finger and he circled my nipple, lapping at whatever he'd just smoothed over my breast. He bit down gently and sucked, pulling a moan out of me before doing the same thing to my other breast. His mouth hunted mine down again and I tasted it at long last--fresh cream, sugar, vanilla. Homemade whipped cream. It glided over my tongue and across my palette and somehow made me even hotter than before.I felt the cool, slippery cream on my breastbone as he pressed it there and dragged it down the center of my flat stomach to my navel. He broke from my lips and followed the line he'd drawn, alternating between kissing and licking up the sweet cream from my naked skin. He cleaned up every last bit, and by then, I trembled with want and anticipation of his next move.Two fingers slipped inside me, coated with whipped cream, the coolness of it filling me with a sudden tingling sensation. I moaned again and let my head roll back on my neck, clutching the edge of the counter as the pleasure renewed within me. Loki slid his fingers back out so slowly it should have been a hate crime and then nudged my thighs wider apart. His thumb rubbed the cream across my outer walls, up towards my clit, pausing to stroke it and send me into minor convulsions, and then his tongue followed where his fingers had gone. The bastard knew I was impatient; he went slow, so slow, savoring me with every insidious lick, coaxing hoarse mumbled nonsense every time those soft lips found a spot to suck and tease and nibble. It only worsened as his mouth traveled upward towards my spot, and he dolloped a fresh bit of cream over my clit. I set my nails into his shoulders and tried not to scream, but the luxurious pace and the filthy, wet sound of him eating me out drove me crazy. Apparently, I wasn't alone. I could hear Loki's ragged, excited breathing in between the strokes of his tongue."Fucking hell," he growled. "I want to get lost in this sweet little cunt."He slid three fingers inside me just as he scraped his teeth across my clit, and I climaxed at long last.I tried not to scratch him. I really did. But I couldn't help it. The orgasm punched me in the gut and everything in the apartment vanished in a blackhole from my sight. I'd have fallen off the counter if he hadn't been there in the way. My limbs turned to gelatin. I just lay there quivering and looking like a naughty ad for a Jello commercial.Sometime later, I drifted back into my mortal form. Loki had very kindly removed his fingers to keep from overstimulating me. I was pretty sure Niagra Falls was less wet than I was right now. Good Lord."Okay," I conceded. "Maybe you had a point about the sweets."Loki chuckled. "My, my. Never thought you'd agree with me on something."I pushed up until I was sitting again and slid off the blindfold. Mm, boy, did he look yummy with his hair all tousled, no shirt, no shoes, just his open slacks."More than agree," I said, finding the mason jar full of whipped cream and pulling it towards me."Oh?" he asked.I stuck my finger inside it and slowly sucked the cream off. Loki's pupils widened to a ridiculous extent. "I think I'd like to join you."I slid off the counter and pushed him back to the far wall with one finger. He didn't stop me or try to resist, his expression somewhere between curious and ravenous. I dipped two fingers inside the jar and then encircled Loki's gorgeous cock with them. His eyes rolled back and his lids fell over them a second later. He groaned softly as I stroked his cock and used the rest of my body weight to press him against the wall. Loki had a definite dominant streak, but I could tell he wasn't against handing over the control every once in a while.He gripped a handful of my hair and pulled me flush to him, stealing a kiss. "Such a naughty thing."I imitated one of his sinister chuckles. "You have no idea."I sunk to my knees and took his creamy cock inside my mouth."Oh, fuck me," Loki gasped out, stricken, his lean body jerking sharply. He left his hand in my hair, but he didn't try to grab it this time; merely held the soft locks to one side as his cock glided deeper into the wet heat of my mouth. He stayed perfectly still, which was probably very difficult, and I almost wanted to applaud him for it. Part of me had worried he'd be one of those guys who enjoyed an aggressive throatfuck, and I'd have declined. It wasn't exactly the most pleasant feeling for me, personally, though I knew girls that enjoyed it.The fresh whipped cream felt even silkier in combination with Loki's beautifully straight, long cock. I could taste him beneath it, and the flavor only encouraged me as I relaxed and let him slide all the way out. I licked my lips, making sure to smack them. It had the desired effect of making Loki shudder."Lokiiiiiii," I said in a sing-song voice."Yes, darling?""Would you be a dear and open your eyes for me?"He let out a thready chuckle and shook his head. "Not a good idea.""Why not?" I asked, casually stroking his shaft and watching with impressed interest as his cock lengthened even more."Because if I watch you suck my cock, I'm going to immediately come all over that pretty little face of yours."I shivered. Damn him. Why did he know all of my kinks? Did he just have some sort of list hidden away in here? "And who says you can't do that?""I want to fuck you again, and I don't want to wait."Well, that was pretty fair. Not every guy could get it right back up. Loki probably could, being young and probably having sex on an incredibly regular basis, but I understood the sentiment."How about a compromise? Tell me when you're going to come, and I'll stop, but I want you to look down at me when you say it.""And why is that?""For the same reason you made me open my eyes. I want you to remember who made you feel this good.""Oh, trust me, pet, there is no way I will ever forget you."I grinned. "I'll make sure of that."I swallowed his cock a second time, sucking deeply, drawing another strangled moan from my captive. I drew circles around the shaft, the tip, eventually pull his slacks lower until I could cup his balls. Loki cursed and shifted on occasion, his breath in short, erratic gasps as he tried his hardest not to come. To his credit, he was doing far better than any of my past lovers.I knew he was getting close when his hips jutted forward from the wall, a completely unconscious gesture, and his cock pulsed along my tongue. I withdrew and pumped him with my wet fingers, my voice throaty with excitement. "Loki...are you going to come?"His slender fingers twisted in my hair. "No, darling.""Are you sure?" I teased before running my tongue along the underside of his cock.He let out a deep keening noise I'd never heard a man make before, but that I definitely liked. "Mm, no, darling."Dammit. He was being difficult. Well, what else was new? Stubborn bastard. I'd have to push a different set of buttons."Does it feel good? Does it feel good in my mouth, Loki?"I pulled him back inside my mouth and let my fingers circle the base. Loki shuddered hard. "God above, it feels so good in your mouth, darling.""Do you want to come in my mouth, Loki?""God, yes, I want to come in your mouth," he panted out, shaking all over, and somehow, it was absolutely beautiful. He was like the Norse god of his namesake, all flushed and handsome and elegant. Otherworldly, almost. "I want to watch you swallow it all. Every single drop of my come."Good God, I wanted to let him do it, honestly. I'd set out to drive him crazy and yet all he was doing was making me crazy instead. Silvertongue indeed."Come," I whispered, winding my tongue around the flushed, hot tip of his cock. "Come for me, Loki."With a roar of pure effort, his eyes snapped open and he gave me a look of pure, crazed hunger before he grabbed hold of my arm and yanked me to my feet. He flipped our positions, pinning me to the wall, shoving his slacks further down his thighs. Then he scooped me up in his arms and plunged inside me.I cried out and scrambled for something to grab onto as my inner walls clenched him tight, locking him inside with insane strength. A silvery thread of ecstasy flashed up from between my legs. I'd almost come on that first stroke. That was a feat in itself. I wrapped my arms around his shoulders to steady myself as he kept going, slipping deeper, until his hard, flat belly molded into me, his pelvis flat to mine. He lifted my legs and eased them around his waist.Then he fucked me like a wild animal."Ah! Loki! God, Loki, yes, please!" Every single thrust drove a word, a curse, a praise out of me. The pleasure crackled through my veins and singed my skin. It felt so good it was simply maddening. He buried his face in my neck and let his teeth scrape over my pulse, his hands cupping my ass, holding me still under his vicious assault."Mm, that's it," he whispered in my ear with that silken voice. "Keep going, darling. Don't resist. Take it."He let go of my ass and anchored his hands on either side of me, changing the angle of entry by letting my upper body lean against the wall while my legs stayed wrapped around him. He hammered his way into me, faster and faster, drowning me in bliss."God, Loki, please, I'm gonna come, I'm gonna come so hard, please, please--" The words spilled out of me in a stream. I was frantic now. I needed my release. I'd die without it. But I didn't want to go alone."Yes," he hissed, shuddering as he felt my inner walls clamping down over his cock. "Yes, my little bird. Come for me. Come as hard as you want. Give me every bit of this sweet little cunt. It's all mine, isn't it?""It's yours, Loki, oh God, oh fuck, please just come!"He hit the exact right spot and it all came crashing down.I melted around him. The heat suffused me inside out. Inescapable ecstasy spread through my veins and out into my skin. I writhed as I rode each cresting wave, and it felt so fucking sweet because I knew he was riding them too. Loki sought my lips just as his cock spilled everything into me at once, catching the sharp cry of joy that left me at the knowledge that I'd finally gotten him off. There was just something so satisfying in that one moment. I couldn't put words to it. It just made me feel so strong and sublime and wanted and powerful as he kissed me, those narrow hips endlessly pumping against mine as he came inside me. It was a pleasure so deep it was nearly pain.We both slumped against the wall when our respective climaxes relented. Loki pressed his forehead to mine as he tried to get his breathing under control. He eventually wrapped his arms around my waist so I wouldn't tumble to the floor. Good man.Eventually, I felt his chest shaking with an exhausted laugh and I opened my eyes to see a genuine smile on his lips."Best dessert ever."
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Loki, it turned out, had an excellent refractory period for a total asshole.We had taken a reprieve to clean up after our last foray, but scarcely fifteen minutes later, I'd been peeking around at his bedroom--which was also nice, clean, and shared the subtle gold patterns and dark tones of the rest of the apartment--when he caught up with me. We'd fallen into his King-sized bed in a hopeless tangle of limbs until he emerged the victor, on top, doing his best to ruin his neighbor's sleeping patterns by driving sounds out of me as if I were being murdered."Mm, this is exactly how I've wanted you since you walked into my office this morning," Loki purred, his lips close enough to brush mine when he spoke, not quite kissing me, but breathing in my air. He had me pinned underneath him now, those long fingers curled around my wrists, holding them on either side of my head, balancing his weight on his forearms. He sunk into a primal rhythm; neither fast nor slow, just hard enough to make me shiver and sweat and moan helplessly each time that amazing cock slipped into me. He rode me so perfectly, thrusting hard and precise on every one of my exhales, his hips rotating the slightest bit at the apex of every stroke to ensure it drove so nice and deep inside me.Still, not to be outdone, I'd wound my legs around his thighs to hold on and pressed up into his movements, living off the low growls and shallow moans my body elicited from him. It was a shame society didn't emphasize how goddamn sexy it was when men were vocal in bed. It fueled my fire like nothing else to hear those bone-deep moans in my ear, and Loki's were nothing short of fantastic. I wriggled against him at every opportunity, eager for a new sound to sample from him."You are a vision this way," he murmured, letting his sweltering gaze roll down my body, leaving goosebumps in its wake. "So lovely and vulnerable. So hungry. No longer holding back on what you want most."He kissed me, drawing it out until neither of us could breathe. "I want more. Show me more, darling."He reared up over me, holding his weight on his palms, watching intently as he slid his knees up enough to tilt my hips towards my chest. I bit my lower lip, stifling another moan as he sunk into me from the new angle. I wouldn't last much longer. Every thrust send shuddering prickles of sensation shooting straight through me, all the way down to my toes. The heat, dear God, the heat of him inside me drove me insane. The solid, inescapable strength holding me down made me frantic with need. So close now. I was so damn close.Loki hummed as he felt me fall into rhythm with him, seeking the friction I needed to end it all, his dark lashes lowering over those glittering eyes. "That's it. Move those hips for me, sweetheart. Spread those fucking legs. I want to be so deep inside you when you come for me."I cried out at his words, my spine arching, my thighs clenching as I reached the edge. He planted himself above me and drilled his cock into my sweet spot, so swiftly I couldn't even draw my next breath before I climaxed.Loki groaned out my name and sunk atop me completely, grinding his hips into mine, extending the pleasure entire minutes with every sinful circling motion. I surrendered completely, unrepentant as the orgasm shocked my nerves like sweet lightning. I couldn't help a tiny whimper of frustration as I realized he hadn't come with me. The man's stamina was off the charts. I should have believed his proclamation shortly after dinner, that he'd have me occupied until midnight. It apparently wasn't an empty boast.Gradually, I drifted down from the heavens and licked my lips. "If you do that again, I'm going to kill you."Loki chuckled as he chased a droplet of sweat down my throat with his tongue. "Do what?""Make me come without you.""Forgive me, darling," he sighed in a wistful tone. "I've been in a desert of sorts lately. I haven't enjoyed a woman's pleasure to this degree in quite some time. I tend to go a bit overboard as a result."I blinked at him. "You haven't had satisfying partners?""Some better than others," he admitted. "But this good? No, not for ages, if ever."He dropped another kiss to my collarbone. "You are genuine. It bothers me when women try to fake it for the sake of my own ego. Sex is pointless if the pleasure is not honestly felt by both parties.""You'd be surprised how many men don't share that sentiment," I told him wryly."Trust me, I will make no excuse for my species," he said, rolling his eyes. "It's pitiable the things they seek to do to the fairer sex."He climbed back up to my lips. "It's a shame you haven't been taken care of lately. You are exquisite."A warm rush flickered over my bare body. I hadn't realized how long it had been since I'd heard a genuine compliment from a good-looking fellow. It was sad, but it ruffled my feathers an awful lot. "You're not so bad yourself, Laufeyson.""Oh dear," he drawled playfully. "That must have cost you something."I shrugged. "I can afford to be generous sometimes.""Good to know, since I am so very, very interested in watching you ride my cock." He flipped our positions on the bed. I was startled staring down at his handsome visage with the reins of control now in my hands. I blushed quite unexpectedly to the sudden attention of his gaze along my naked skin. It made me nervous. I hadn't ever really been given control in bed before. I'd usually allowed my partner to have it, maybe because of my own set of insecurities about my performance."Um," I said. "I don't really...I haven't...done this in a while."Loki ran his hands up from the bend of my knees up over my backside to my hips, and then slowly stroked them in circles. My eyelids fluttered. Holy hell, that felt good."Relax," he whispered. "Just relax."He sat up enough to kiss my neck, his voice soft and light as a feather along my skin. "There isn't a single thing that you can do to me right now that I won't enjoy, darling. I want you. Your body. Your touch. Your sex. Your way.""I don't really know what my way is," I admitted.He drew back enough to give me an affectionate, but dangerous little smirk. "Then let's find out together, shall we?"He scooted me forward in his lap and lifted me gently, until the tip of his cock grazed the slippery edges of my opening. He teased me a bit, biting my lower lip, and then brought me down onto him one inch at a time. I hissed and wrapped my arms around his neck, digging my nails into his shoulders as sharp pleasure bit at my lower body and spread outward like wildfire. I found my balance with my knees on either side of him, shaking slightly at the change of pressure inside me. He filled me so completely. I had to adjust as my inner walls flickered around him when he bottomed out.Loki trailed his fingertips oh-so-gently up and down my spine, tracing absent patterns, taking small bites out of my throat as I lifted up enough to withdraw him from me. It sent little shivers dancing and whirled across my skin and contrasted perfectly with the heavy weight of the pleasure inside me. I let my eyes slide closed and concentrated on him, blocking everything else out, including my frazzled, worried thoughts. He held still at first to let me get comfortable, and after I discovered a rhythm that I liked, he shifted to press up into me each time I came down on his cock. The pleasure sweetened infinitely. We moved in sync, entwined, picking up speed one minute at a time.I leaned back on my hands for extra leverage and pushed down against him harder, faster, my head rolling backward as the pleasure welled up, threatening to drown me. Loki caught my waist in his hands and pulled me down to him with every stroke. A guttural groan escaped him as my inner walls tightened around his cock. I clawed at the sheets underneath me as a bone-deep tremble slid up my spine."God, Loki, please!" I pleaded, my body quivering from deep within as my climax rushed up to claim me.Loki wrapped his sinuous arms around me and jerked me up to meet him, kissing me hard as he reached his release. I buried one hand in his raven locks and simply let go.-I slept through the night in Loki's arms.Well. That was unexpected.I awoke for no real reason. I'd been one of those deep, comatose kind of sleeps. I knew that because I didn't remember dreaming or ever changing positions during the night. It had been a long while since I'd slept so well. I very nearly wanted to nod off again.Loki and I were intertwined. He had both arms around me, and mine were around him, one leg thrown over his hip so we fit snugly like puzzle pieces. He was warm and his skin was smooth everywhere, comfortable. He stirred when I moved. A light sleeper, it seemed.His dark lashes revealed those gemstone eyes and he gave me a little sleepy smile. I gave him one right back before the inevitable awkward words tumbled out of my mouth."I should go."I waited for him to unwrap his arms from around me and confirm the notion. He didn't. In fact, he drew me in closer and brushed his lips over my cheek, his voice soft. "Stay."I blinked at him. "Huh?""Stay," he repeated, with more conviction this time. It wasn't a command. It was...a request."No offense," I said carefully. "But I don't think I have it in me for another round."Loki rolled his eyes. "That is not what I meant."I gave him a baffled look. "Then what do you mean?""You silly girl," he sighed. "Do you think what happened last night happens all the time? We connected, you and I. Are you going to tell me you've been with a man the way you were with me last night?"I opened my mouth to rebuff him, but then paused and thought about it. "Well, no, but--""But what?" he asked.I sighed. "Loki, we hate each other.""Untrue. I make you laugh. You make me laugh. We challenge each other. Besides, we've both seen through each other's masks. There is no need for vitriol any longer.""Fine, even if it's not hatred, we're both stubborn, headstrong, difficult people. It would be a disaster to have a relationship."He studied me. "Do you truly intend to walk out that door and never return, darling?"Again, his words stopped me cold. Well. I had woken up expecting rejection. Expecting him to say "thanks for the wild night, darling" and proceed to move on to the next little chippie. Truth be told, I hadn't thought past that for an instant. I'd been living in the moment, since I'd been expecting to get hurt in the end.I licked my lips. My heart flitted against my ribs, excited and scared. "What are you saying, Loki?"He squeezed me gently. "Stay. For breakfast, at least. This--whatever the hell it is--is worth exploring. I don't want you to be a one night stand. We don't have to fall in love. We could just see where it leads.""You're a textbook alpha male asshole," I told him, narrowing my eyes."You're a closed off, defensive know-it-all," he countered. Then he grinned at me. "And we're a match made in hell."Oh, no.That line was perfect."Fuck," I grumbled. "I'm gonna regret this.""On the contrary, darling," Loki murmured as he leaned down to kiss me. "I think you'll find it rather therapeutic."FIN