Wendi gasped into her mouth and followed her lead, squeezing her breast and causing several groans, both male and female, as other people took notice of what they were doing.
Wendi’s free hand was tracing circles on the skin over her ribcage. It was nice. She was nice.
Tasha was just about to lift her mouth to end it when Burke spoke again.
“Touch her, Wendi. Suck on her nipple and put your hand between her legs. See if she’s as turned on as you seem to be.”
Before Tasha or Wendi could respond, she felt Stephen’s hand move from her hip down inside her bikini bottoms to cup her sex possessively.
Oh God.
She’d never imagined he could be that bold. Right here, in front of everyone. She’d told him he could, but she’d never…
Oh God.
“This is mine,” he growled. “I’m the only one who gives permission for that, Burke. Are we clear?”
“As crystal, Senator,” Burke murmured.
Tasha couldn’t contain her moan when Stephen’s fingers slipped between the lips of her sex. Her hand dropped to press his harder against her, her hips rocking as an unexpected but intense wave of need swamped her.
Right here. Touch me and show them I’m yours.
Stephen moved in close behind her, pressing his lips against her ear. “You like hearing me say that, don’t you? That this is mine?”
He rubbed her clit and she whimpered against Wendi’s mouth, nodding.
One finger slipped inside her. God, yes. Do it. Don’t stop, Stephen.
“You’re so sexy, Natasha. And wet. Do you need to come?”
Here? He would… Really?
She nodded again and Wendi moaned in excitement at the prospect.
He bit Tasha’s earlobe sharply, still touching her. Teasing her. “Then thank this wonderful woman for a beautiful experience and head toward our room to wait for me. I’ll be right behind you.”
She pulled back obediently, her smile shaky as she mouthed a thank you to Wendi and reached for her bikini top, slipping it back into place.
Stephen hadn’t moved his hand away yet. Wendi sat back, her gaze lowered between Tasha’s thighs to watch. Everyone seemed to be watching her hips pump helplessly against her lover’s hand. “Stephen?”
His finger plunged deeper once. Twice. Tasha gasped and gripped his wrist with both hands. “Stephen? Did you change your mind, baby? Do you want me in the bedroom? Or here?”
He tensed and released her slowly, reluctantly removing his hand and coming to his feet to help her off the lounger. His eyes were a turbulent blue. “Go. Now.”
It was a command she had no desire to defy.
“Wait a second, Finn,” Burke said as she took a step away. “Don’t go disappearing for the rest of the night now. I thought we could all eat out here and get to know each other better.”
“The steaks will wait.” Stephen’s voice was deeper than usual. Unshakeable. “We both have women to see to first, wouldn’t you agree, Phil?”
“Of course.” Burke yanked Wendi down beside him and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. She smiled weakly at Tasha once more before burying her face in his chest. “You’ve got the right priorities, Senator.”
Tasha walked away without another word, her bare feet taking her through the small crowd that had gathered around the pool and into the house. Still more people were inside, talking or playing at the BDSM stations that had been set up in the movie theater-sized living room.
Too turned on by Stephen’s actions outside, she had no interest in any of them. She couldn’t get over what had just happened. What Stephen had done. He hadn’t hesitated with his intimate caress, hadn’t cared who watched him claim her with his fingers and his words… He’d left her reeling.
Despite her confidence in Stephen’s desire for her, it had always been there—the small voice that wondered if he’d never broken their rules before now, never pursued her when what was between them hadn’t dimmed with time or distance, because he didn’t want anyone else to know how he felt. Because he was ashamed of how he felt.
That’s your mother talking, she told herself sternly.
Maybe it was. Stephen was a good man. One of the best she’d ever known, right up there with Jeremy and her father. But her father had never written her back and Jeremy had never been hers—not the way she’d wanted Stephen to be.
His behavior was messing with her head, making her think about things—want things—she never had before. Things that weren’t realistic. Weren’t possible.
Someone reached for her hand before she made it to the staircase, spinning her around.
“Rivera? Tasha, what are you doing here? I saw you on Friday for the ceremony, and you never said a word about coming to Burke’s bash.”
She focused on the shirtless man in front of her with an apologetic smile. “Ken. Sorry, I didn’t see you.”
What was he doing here? And how could she have missed noticing him until now? Kenneth Tanaka wasn’t the kind of man you failed to notice. He was tall and muscular, with full lips, eyes such a light brown they were nearly golden and skin like warm honey. He was also covered in stunning tattoos and had ink-black hair falling in a silken braid to his waist. But it was his smile that made him truly beautiful. He got teased a lot about that smile. People said when Tanaka smiled, angels fell and the devil got nervous.