"What's this?"

"Fun money."

I tilted my head and tried to pull away but he didn't let go. "I'm flush with cash now, Blake, remember?"

He smirked, brushing his thumb over my wrist. "I insist."

"Whatever," I huffed.

"No strippers," he said firmly.

I laughed. "You really need to stop making rules and get out of here."

"I'm serious, Erica."

He released me and I turned with a wave. "Me too. Goodbye."

I disappeared into the bedroom to find Alli. I heard James and Blake talking for a few minutes longer before the door shut.

I let out a sigh of relief. I wanted to let loose tonight. I wanted to be free and have fun. I was pretty confident James wasn't interested in ruining our fun, but Blake's meddling never failed to grate on my nerves. Fiona and Simone joined us, and we talked over which club to hit first.

By my second glass of champagne, I'd nearly forgotten about James and Blake entirely. Alli twisted my hair up into a sexy, messy up-do and applied heavy makeup to my eyes and cheeks, leaving my lips nude and glossy. I slipped on a simple number, a strapless hot pink sheath covered in black lace. The tiny dress showed off every asset, and I was grateful all over again that Blake wouldn't see me leave in this.

I was definitely looking forward to coming home in it though. The thought reminded me of the plug. I fought the heat creeping into my cheeks.

"You okay?" Fiona asked, her eyes far too innocent for the truth of what was making me blush.

I fanned myself, trying to get hold of my body's rioting. "Yeah, I think it's the champagne. It's warm in here."

Simone opened a window, mercifully closing the subject.

Darkness fell before we finally headed out, but not before Fiona decorated all of us with sashes bearing our titles, as bride-to-be and bridesmaids. She tucked a tiara that could not have been made of more than two dollars worth of plastic into my hair.

"Perfect. Oh wait." She fussed with it a minute more until it began lighting up, red and white lights. "Now you're perfect."

We laughed and James took our pictures. Then the five of us piled into the limo. A bubble of happiness grew in my belly being surrounded by my friends. Even James, who had become a loyal friend despite our ups and down. Simone cranked up some music, and before long we were laughing and shouting over each other.

"James, you're going to have so much fun babysitting us," I teased, nudging him with my elbow.

He smiled and looked out the tinted window. "I have little doubt."

We drove until the limo dropped us at the club. Alli led us to a booth reserved for our party. We ordered a round of drinks and watched the club fill up.

Out of the masses, a cute blond bartender approached again, balancing a tray of shots, enough for each of us. His gaze lingered on Fiona. She reddened and toyed with her diamond hoop earrings.

"What's this?" Simone reached for one of the shots.

"The lady up there ordered these for you." He gestured to the upper level. The club was smoky and I couldn't place who he was referring to.

Alli leaned over the tray, her nose wrinkled. "What are they?"

Simone tossed hers back and dropped it back on the tray with flare. "They're yummy."

He cleared his throat. "Um, they're called 'shit on the grass'."

Simone grimaced.

"What?" Alli studied the shots, their green liquid settled aptly over the brown. "Who sent them?"

I looked past the man, squinting until, through the lighting and crowds of people, I settled on a familiar face. Fucking Sophia. She sat at a high-top bar table on a platform overlooking our VIP sofa. Our eyes met and she offered a small wave, a conceited expression set on her face. I glared at the bartender, momentarily hating anyone remotely connected with her.

"Sophia," I said.

"What a bitch." Alli spat.

Simone wrinkled her lip. "Are you telling me I just drank shit on the grass?"

Fiona started laughing. The bartender flashed her a smile and returned his attention back to me. "She wanted me to tell you congratulations," he said, his mouth tensed into an awkward line.

"Send them back." I waved my hand for him to go away.

"They're paid for." He attempted one last effort to offload the drinks and extricate from this evident long-distance catfight.

"I don't care. I don't take drinks from people I don't trust."

He hesitated. "What do you want me to do with them?"

I chewed the inside of my lip, an idea forming. "Take them back to her and give her a message. Tell her the ball gag she sent over this week fit perfectly. Blake and I both send our thanks."

His eyes went wide, and I knew that would be a hard order to fill. I reached into my purse and fished out a handful of bills. I dropped some of the hundreds Blake had given to me onto the tray. "For your trouble. Make sure she gets the message."

Barely obscuring his smirk, he turned to leave. I sat back on the couch, feeling as smug as Sophia's face. I glanced over at Alli who was staring at me wide-eyed.

"Ball gag?"

Whoops.

I grabbed my drink and sucked up some more liver-damaging liquid through the straw. "Doesn't matter. I'll tell you about it later."

Or not!

Simone shook her head, her eyes a drunken haze. "I knew you guys were freaks."

Alli's wild laughter set off my own, and before I knew it we were doubled over, tears threatening our mascara. Alli's was still perfect, but I had a feeling mine was probably traveling all over my face at this point in the evening. We finally caught our breath.

"Want to dance? I feel like I'm hitting a wall," Fiona said.

"Sure." We jumped up and pushed in the crowd. James followed obediently behind, emerging from somewhere in the shadows where he was giving us our privacy. Whatever orders Blake had given him, he seemed bound to following through. I hoped it had more to do with caring about our well being than accommodating Blake's overbearing tendencies.

We danced through several songs. With our matching party sashes and my obnoxious blinking tiara, we attracted stares from everywhere. The attention only motivated our dance moves, as the four of us went from tipsy, cute partiers to sweaty, drunk disasters. Simone shimmied her ass against James, who, while on duty, didn't seem to mind the small distraction from the evening's task of keeping me "safe." Alli and I clung to each other, laughing and yelling and reveling in our general awesomeness.

As one song rolled into the next, the persistent pressure in my ass combined with watching Simone grind up on James reminded me of some other fun I could be having. The night had been a blast, but I was now all sorts of horny. I needed my man and I needed to stay upright for the wild night he had promised me. I leaned against Alli.

"I want to go home and see Blake."

She laughed. "I'm picking up what you're puttin' down, babe. Let's get out of here before I pass out."

CHAPTER FOURTEEN.

I sucked in a deep breath when we emerged from the club. The night air was cool, refreshing on my damp skin. Fiona and I had our arms linked as I scanned for our ride home.

"This way, ladies. Your chariot awaits." James led us toward the shiny black limo parked along the curb.

"Erica."

I stopped abruptly, nearly tripping Fiona. James caught her and helped her into the limo. Simone and Alli were taking selfies a few feet away, loudly critiquing each one as not quite right.

A warm arm wrapped around my waist, lifting me to my toes. Blake had me pressed tightly to this chest.

"Blake!" I pressed a sloppy, slightly inappropriate kiss to his lips. I felt him smile under me.

I heard Alli whoop loudly behind us. "Oh my God, I love you two together. Aren't they the cutest?" She nudged Simone, whose focus was locked onto her phone. "Blake, I love you. Have I told you that? I really do."

He laughed. "Thanks, Alli. I love you too."

Her eyes brightened. "You do? Aww, let's all just get married and have babies. I want babies. Don't tell Heath, but I want his babies."

"Maybe you can tell him yourself."

He nodded toward the limo where Heath emerged. The uncomfortable smile on his face told me he'd heard her. She'd been almost shouting every word for the past three hours, so I wasn't surprised.

"Heath!" She squealed and bounded into his arms. He lifted her up, letting her wrap her legs around his waist. She caught him between her hands, kissing him as passionately as I'd just kissed Blake.

"Wow, they are going to have some fun tonight."

Blake slid his hand down my spine and grabbed my ass. "I'm more interested in the fun we're going to have. You still up for it?"

I rubbed my body against him with a helpless moan. I was ready to take him right on the street. I slid my hands around his nape and went for his mouth again.

He chuckled softly, breaking our kiss. "Okay, I'll take that as a yes. Let's get you home." He led me by the hand toward the car.

Despite my efforts to crawl across the console to assault him all the way home, he kept his cool until we got upstairs to the apartment.

But as soon as the door closed behind us, he had me pinned to it. I whimpered, every touch lighting fire over me. I arched into him, lifting my leg to wrap around his thigh, shifting the plug inside. "Fuck, I need you. Like right now."

He thumbed the thundering pulse at my neck, pressing a kiss there. "Slow down, baby."

"I can't slow down. Not tonight."

"Slow down, or I'll have to tie you up."

"I don't care. Tie me up. Do whatever you want." Just fuck me, for heaven's sake.

"I just might. I have plans for you. And your ass." His hand slid under my dress and nudged the sparkly tip of the plug, reminding me again of what I'd been feeling all night. Friction. Fullness.

"I'm ready now." I wanted this plug out. I wanted relief. I tugged off Blake's shirt and threw it hastily to the floor.

He laughed. "Trust me, I know. I want to play a little first though."

I splayed my hands over the gorgeous planes of his chest, all the way down to the band of his low-slung jeans. I wanted those off. "What are we playing?" I asked, only vaguely interested.

"You'll find out soon enough. First, I want you to undress for me."

I shot him a playful smile and reached down for my heels.

"No, no." He caught my hand, helping me regain my balance. "Keep those. Everything else goes."

"Kinky Blake," I murmured as I shimmied out of my tight dress. I unhooked my bra and stepped out of my panties. I stood before him naked and blissfully tipsy.

"Where would you like me, Master?" I toed the tip of my shoe on the floor, letting a little bashfulness seep into my intoxicated boldness.

He nodded toward the living room. "Over the back of the couch. Ass in the air."

I obeyed, sashaying to the other room. I bent over the cream fabric, balancing on the tiptoes of my high heels. I waited for his approach, but I'd heard him leave the room and return a couple minutes later. The delay only added to my vulnerability. I closed my eyes, listening as his footsteps stopped behind me.

"Did you misbehave tonight?" The timbre of voice was low, warm, and a little threatening. A shiver slivered up my spine.

"Yeah," I breathed. Already the night had become a blur, but if he wanted me to be bad, I'd gladly play the part.

"Oh? That's not good."

A cool flat implement rubbed across my backside, over the curves of my ass and down my thighs. I was breathless, but in the most wonderful way. I wanted to moan and arch back into it-whatever it was he wanted to give me.

"You drank too much, huh?"

"Mm-huh." I fidgeted anxiously, wiggling my ass impatiently. Warmth radiated in my belly, causing my pussy to twitch in anticipation. I wanted to know how far he would take this, yet a part of me didn't want to know. It was the not knowing that drove me wild every time.

"Did you let anyone touch you?"

I quickened, not quite sober enough to resist the temptation to stir his jealousy. "Maybe."