After several minutes of laying together, I grew restless. My thoughts kept steering toward the erotic. I looked down Howard's body, seeing the sweat-dampened hair plastered to his chest, and his muscled legs, which were tangled with mine.

His arm was wrapped authoritatively around me. I detected its strength, but became increasingly aware of its tremor.

I hadn't exhausted Howard. Instead, I whet his appetite.

He propped himself on his elbow. His stare was of laser-hot intensity. The wooziness of orgasm had left him. He was ready for more.

Those long fingers slid under my bikini top. He easily covered my plump breast with the span of his hand. I shivered as that large thumb passed over my nipple. The motion of his fingertips gave me an adrenaline rush.

"Ohhhhhh." I sobbed, hungering for his manly touch.

He studied my reaction while playing with my nub. He plucked it between his fingers, twisting and pinching, until it thickened. He put his whole hand into the other side to free my other breast. As a result, the strings became undone and my flesh billowed out at him.

Desire flamed his complexion. Those dark pupils glowed. Within seconds, he scooped my breasts together, aligning the nipples, and brought them to his mouth. I only saw that tongue dart out momentarily before its moist flick sent me into a spin. I hadn't expected that jarring effect.

"Oh, yes…oh, Howard."

He took hungry mouthfuls of my breasts, surrendering to a primitive urge. I made no attempt to tame the bobbing of his head. I let him suck. It felt so good.

Howard noticed my quivering surrender. He had reduced me to a trembling mass of flesh. Gradually, he worked his way down. I felt his hot breath against my stomach, through my pubics and finally above my core. He untied the strings of my bikini slowly and I rapidly lost sanity. I twisted beneath him, the wait unbearable. I longed for that tongue to dip into me. I wanted to experience the same passionate force that had been vented on my nipples. I was so ready for that tongue, for those sweet penetrating licks.

Howard slipped his hands under my thighs and brought them apart. His breath on my exposed flesh provided tremendous excitement. The loud, hungry slobbering that followed sent me into turmoil.

"Oh, yes. Oh, yes!" I cried out, receiving those satisfying lashes. This time, I seized his head and rhythmically shoved myself at his mouth. My eyes rolled in their sockets as I enabled him to meet my hard clit. I was going out of my mind with pleasure. He was so good.

I clutched at him, my hands getting sweaty. I was delirious, enjoying every second. My brain was on fire as I centered on those restless nights spent thinking about him. This was the real thing. It was far better than expected.

And then, without warning, he stopped. He lifted his fever-bright face from between my legs and looked up at me. It was as though he came to his senses and couldn't believe we had taken things to this stage. I got the impression he was reluctant to continue.

"No," I gasped, unwilling to accept the reality creeping into his eyes. I refused to be subjected to any amount of guilt. We were far away from Alex; there was no room for regret. "No, please…"

"Sherl," he murmured, rising away from me.

I clamped down on his head. "I don't want you to stop, Howie. I want more, please,
more."

He didn't repel the force I used. He allowed himself to be snapped back into place, but his haunted expression was fixed. I couldn't be bothered with the weight of responsibility he might have felt. I was so excited; nothing could prevent me from getting what I desperately needed.

I pushed him until I felt his mouth on me. "Please, Howie, I need more. I'm so close. Please."

His tongue started to function. I felt those shivering strokes resume, but they weren't of the same enthusiasm. He obviously wasn't keen on supplying me the thrill I required. The idea of submitting to carnal desire with your partner's girlfriend startled him.

"You know you want to finish," I said, gasping. "You know you want to make me cum."

I could see the shame in his eyes while obeying the persistent thrusting of my hips. Either he didn't want this, or was having trouble reconciling himself to the sequence of events that precipitated it.

At that point, I wasn't sure if it was wise to have him complete the job. I couldn't achieve satisfaction if he didn't wish to give it. My hips slowed, my body temperature dropping. If the pleasure wasn't mutual, then I wanted no part of it.

Just as my body eased in its frantic movement, I felt his tongue stir. It wasn't with artificial drive, but with genuine desire. I saw his eyes glazing, his expression serious. I felt his sharp exhalations. His thumbs kneaded the flesh of my inner thighs while he began licking me with renewed fervor. His head bobbed and I could see through half-closed eyes his total absorption. Whatever caused him to take study of his actions receded. Howard surrendered to manly instinct and appeared very determined to make me cum.

Because of concentration and his restored effort, I came instantly. The strength of my orgasm shocked me. I pitched beneath him, gasping for air. M y entire body shook, my tremors controlled by his powerful grasp.

"Oh, God," I moaned, sweltering at his expertise. I had never in my wildest dreams suspected Howard would be as good as he was. His technique left me delightfully woozy.

Finally, he lifted his face. He looked as sexually appeased as I felt. His eyes held that glazed front. His lips were damp.

I beckoned him into my arms. I was struck with the need to be encompassed by him, to feel his weight on me. Howie floated up to me, recognizing it. His mouth covered mine, his tongue exploring. We touched, exchanging tastes.

We kissed sensuously, with lips rubbing, tongues wriggling. I was aroused by the passion we summoned. After a while, we separated. I gazed into his eyes, trying to remind myself that this was the real Howard Dorough, not the ruffian that kidnapped me. The memory of his subduing me was almost obscure.

Howard underwent another emotional change. I could see him reverting back to that remorse filled portrayal. He shook his head, and then turned away from me.

"What's the matter?" I asked softly.

"We shouldn't have done that. We shouldn't have done any of this." He sat up, his back facing me.

I stroked him from behind. "It was meant to happen. We couldn't have stopped it, even if we tried."

I stroked him from behind. "It was meant to happen. We couldn't have stopped it, even if we tried." We're not a pair of horny teenagers, out on their first date."

I almost laughed, but didn't. Howard's moods were far too complex for me to rationalize. If there were any dangerous aspects left of his character, I wasn't quick to learn them. "Do you really believe that was possible? My God, Howard, we've been attracted to each other for a long time. I can't, for a minute, accept that we could have come to terms with that attraction by asserting discipline."

He was plainly unwilling to substantiate my admission. Instead, he insisted, "I didn't bring you here for that. All I want is my money, what rightfully mine."

I couldn't comment. Only AJ could supply him the answer he sought. "It must have been difficult for you, dealing with AJ as a partner. The two of you clashed so often in the past. You agree on relatively little."

"AJ preferred conducting business in his own fashion, without consulting me. He refused to involve me in the negotiations for the casino. He kept me apart from the buyers, and completed the transaction without my approval." Howard shook his head. "He won't get away with it. I'll get my share, no matter what I have to do."

A chill went through me once again. What was he implying? Was I in peril?

Howard must have read my apprehension. He put his hand on my shoulder. I took immediate notice of his calm state. "It's not my intention to frighten you, Sherl. As I've said from the beginning, I don't plan on hurting you."

Plan? That word had ominous connotations. Perhaps he wasn't going to deliberately harm me, but if I drove him to it, then it was conceivable. No matter how much I tried to displace it from my mind, I couldn't entirely block the memory of his hands pressing me to his body, holding that cloth to my face, getting me to submit to his will. How could I forget the strength, that unforgiving look he registered just before I succumbed? Howie was definitely capable of anything.

"Look, it's late," he said, glancing out the window. The light had long since faded. Night had descended upon us. I was unsure of the hour, but I knew much time had passed. "Let's get some sleep. We'll feel better in the morning, think clearer, at least." His voice revealed fatigue. The pounding excitement of our actions had taken their toll. Howard was in need of rest.

I wasn't sure how he intended to keep an eye on me while recharging his flagging energies. I had expected to be tied, or at least handcuffed. Howard made no motion to retrieve any of these restraints. Holding out his arm, he gestured for me to get into bed with him. I curled myself into a ball, feeling quite vulnerable. He slid up against me, curving his body around mine. I trembled as his muscled arm went over me. The weight of it brought security, yet triggered arousal. I did not wish to become aroused. If I contemplated escape, I had to separate my internal demands from those external.

Still, I could not fight the urge. I wanted him; get it out of my system. I knew if I felt him inside me and got the pleasure I craved, I could move forward without regretting what I missed.

Howard's breathing lapsed into a slight steadiness. I wasn't sure if he was awake or not. Surely he couldn't have gotten that comfortable so quickly. I stirred, wiggling my butt to his crotch. I tried rubbing against him, giving his hormones a wake-up call. He failed to respond to me. There was no sign of an erection.

My fingers inched toward him, ready to enclose that pulsating mass. With some gentle female prompting, he could be made big and useful.

Howard caught my hand before I got there. He was wise to my plan. "No." he said gruffly in my ear. "It's time to sleep. Relax."

I didn't try to look at him. I spoke with authority. "You know how badly your body craves it."

"I want to fuck you."

"We're not here for that. How many times do I have to tell you?"

"But we already gave each other pleasure. What could be wrong with bringing it a step further?"

"That was oral sex. It was detached, impersonal. Look, we got it out of our systems. We shouldn't have gone that far, but we did. Let's forget it happened."

"How can I close my eyes and pretend to sleep when I'm horny. Please, Howie. Don't leave me in this condition."

"Shake it off and sleep," he whispered, burying his face into my hair, reinforcing the steel bands his arms provided. "Sleep, Sherl. It'll be okay."

The bastard! I sobbed inwardly. I couldn't believe he wouldn't let me climb on top of him and allow me to satisfy myself. If he gave me the chance, I could get him hard. He wasn't invincible to a woman's touch. Perhaps sucking him off and given him back his obstinacy.

I closed my eyes and fought the tingling impulses that plagued me. He was leaving me so frustrated, so unfulfilled; I didn't think sleep would come to me.

Strangely, it did.