He's moaning. I'm moaning. And then...

He steps away. His fingers pull out of my throbbing, wet pussy. My hand slips off his huge, fat cock.

"What are you doing?" I ask. "We're so close."

He pets my head again while his other hand tucks his cock away and zips up his pants. "I know, Chella. But the rules, love. I'm sorry, but the rules of Taking Turns say I'm... not allowed to fuck you. I'm not allowed to make you come. You're not allowed to make me come."

"What?" I ask. "What the fuck are you talking about?"

He laughs. "I'll excuse that slip in language because I kinda set you up here."

"Smith." I breathe in short, quick pants. "What the hell?"

"I'm sorry," he says. "I can't talk about the other rules. I can only tell you mine. And rule number one of our relationship is no fucking and that also includes no touching."

"That makes no sense," I blurt.

"It does, love." He pets my hair again, like I am a lost, sad dog. A very sick, lost and sad dog. "You'll see that it does. Now be a good girl and go get ready for bed. It's late now. We're having an early breakfast with Quin and Bric so I can give them a report on how tonight went. And you have work after that. So go on. Go upstairs and take a shower."

I.

Am.

Speechless.

"Chella," Smith says, raising his voice. "I just told you to do something. When I give an order you will acknowledge me and then carry it out."

I just stare at him. "Where are these rules?" I demand. "Were they in the contract?"

"The contract stated your role was to make us happy. And these rules make us happy. End of discussion. Go upstairs and get in the shower."

I let out a long, disgusted sigh. Stand up. And walk away before I slap his fucking face.

It's a game. It's a game. It's a game.

I run his words back in my head as I climb the stairs. The rules of Taking Turns say I'm not allowed to fuck you.

Or touch me. He said that too. What's that mean? He can't make me come? I can't make him come? Which means... we masturbate a lot and then we leave each other hanging?

"That rule is fucking stupid," I yell.

"Last time, Chella," he yells back from below. "Last time I'll let you get away with talking back. So be ready if you choose to do it again."

"Fuck you," I say. But I say it quietly.

When I get to the bedroom there's lingerie laid out on my bed. Just a soft pink chemise. The bust is made of lace and it has a flirty skirt that drapes down to just above my hips. There's also matching panties, same color.

I hold it up and look at it. Kinda sweet. Not what I expected from this freak, that's for sure.

"Why aren't you in the shower?" Smith asks.

He's standing in the doorway and I take a moment to appreciate him. He's fucking handsome. Tall with those broad shoulders. I can't see the muscles in his upper arms or back, but I know they're there. He has a shadow of stubble across his perfectly square jaw that wasn't there earlier in the day. I watch him watch me.

"I asked you a question." he says.

I look back at the lingerie in my hands. "I was looking at it."

"You don't get an opinion," he says. "So you don't need to look so hard."

"Can we talk about these rules?" I ask.

"No."

"Then how will I know what to expect?"

"We'll let you know."

"Don't you think that sets me up for failure?"

"The failure is half the fun, Chella. Now get your ass in the goddamned shower."

"What will you do if I don't obey you?"

Smith smiles. A crooked, devious, devilish smile. "I'll have Bric handle it. You can't get your way with me by ignoring my rules."

"And what will Bric do?" I'm genuinely curious. I'm not even trying to piss him off.

"You'll have that discussion with him, should you ever find yourself in that position."

I put the lingerie back on the bed and go into the closet to undress. Smith follows me, cocks a hip against the doorjamb and watches my every move.

I slip the dress down and his eyes follow it to the floor. That's pretty much all I'm wearing, so I place both hands on his chest as I try to maneuver past, through the door, but he slaps them away.

"Don't fucking touch me again, Chella. I'm very serious about this."

I let it go. I am tired, I realize. Tired of this game, tired of this day, and I need that hot shower more than he knows.

I start the water and when I look over my shoulder, he's there again. Watching. Silent. Arms crossed over his chest. Frown on his face.

"Am I not making you happy?"

"Not even a little bit," he growls.

I let that go too. Maybe when we have breakfast tomorrow he will tell Bric and Quin I'm not worth it. I can't make them happy. And maybe they will cut me loose.

If that happens... will I fight it? Or will I let it go? Walk out and never look back?

I wish I didn't know the answer. I wish the answer was walk out. Be strong. Leave this darkness behind before it's too late.

But I won't. If they decide I'm not their type or not good enough for whatever reason, I will fight it. I will prove it to them.

"Chella," Smith snaps. "Stop daydreaming and get in the shower."

I step into the shower and get my hair wet. The heat feels so good. But when I open my eyes, Smith is dropping his pants just outside the glass door. "What are you doing now?"

He takes off his shirt, throws it on the floor, then opens the door and I step aside to let him pass. "What the fuck does it look like?"

"I thought we can't touch."

"I won't be touching you. You've got a big shower."

Whatever. I give up. We trade places. I rinse my hair and apply conditioner as he soaps up his body. And even though I tell myself I'm not interested in those shoulders, or those arms, or that fat fucking cock of his-which is so hard, it's climbing up his stomach-I am. I can't stop watching him.

I think he feels the same way about me. His eyes linger on the thick, frothy bubbles as they fall over my breasts. He stares at my shaved pussy like he wants me.

If he wants me, why does he allow Bric and Quin to dictate his behavior with me?

"Are you done with the water?" he asks.

"I have two shower heads," I say, pointing to the one that's not in use.

"I can see that."

"Go ahead." I sigh, stepping aside as I go looking for my razor. I put my foot up on the stone bench in the corner and apply shaving gel to my leg. But before I can start shaving, Smith takes the razor. "What are you doing?"

"I'll do it."

"But you can't-"

"I'm not touching you, Chella. The razor is."

Clarity ensues and I smile.

"Don't get excited," he says, smiling back. A big enough smile to make that dimple appear. "I take the rules pretty seriously."

I press my lips together to stop the grin. "Mmmm-hmm."

He shaves my leg so carefully, I want to die. He crouches down so his cock is hanging between his legs. Those shoulders are right in front of me. Begging for my attention. I want to touch him so bad, but I stop myself. I'm enjoying his attention too much to fuck it up.

And he is paying very close attention to my leg. It's not even like there's much stubble because I just shaved two days ago. But he is careful and deliberate as he drags the razor down every curve of my calf.

When he's done, he looks up at me and says, "Next."

I repeat the process with the gel and I have to bite my lip to stop imagining how good it would feel if he'd do this part too.

"It's supposed to be fun, Chella," he says, still working.

"This is fun."

He looks up and smiles. "We have these rules for a reason. They heighten the pleasure. Everyone's pleasure. You'll have a better time if you give in. I promise."

I believe him. Because it's already working. But I still have questions. "So you're never going to fuck me?"

"What did I say about that word?"

"What? It wasn't an adjective. It's a verb. To fuck."

He scowls.

"You're never going to have sex with me?" I amend.

"I didn't say never. I just said for now."

"But when Quin comes on Sunday night-or Monday, if he's not that into me and can't stand the thought of that extra time-then he can fu-have sex with me? What's his rule?"

"You'll talk it out with him." Smith looks up at me and then stands up, his task complete far too soon. "Don't confuse us, Chella. We're very different people. We want very different things out of this game. But we all like to win. Even you, I'm sure."

"What is winning?" I ask.

The look on his face takes me by surprise. "Happiness, of course."

"And not touching me makes you happy?"

"Did you like what I just did?" He sets the razor down on the bench.

"Yes," I say. "But I'd like it more if your hands were touching me."

"Maybe one day I will touch you, Marcella Walcott. But that's a long way down the road. So it's better to get used to the way things are done now. Are you finished?"

I shake my head. "No, I have to rinse my hair."

"Hurry up then. I'm tired and I need you to fall asleep before I do."

He opens the glass shower door, grabs a towel off the rack, wraps it around his waist, and then walks out of the bathroom.

What do I think of this new development?

He can't touch me, but he can use other things to touch me.

Yes, this could get interesting very quickly.

Smith, I think as I rinse my hair. He's not really what I expected.

I expected the asshole he's shown me he can be. The one who creeps around, breaks into my house, makes himself a key, and changes my alarm code.

But this no touching stuff. Why? And then to demonstrate how nice it can be by shaving my legs? Again, why?

"Chella," he calls from the bedroom. "I'm fucking tired. Hurry up."