Simone tasted like champagne, which was a great flavor added to her own sweetness. Knowing she wasn't wearing panties fueled my desire and I slid a hand up her thigh and under her skirt just to confirm it.

Oh yes, nothing but bare skin and soft curls. I growled as a fresh surge of lust flared through me. "We're getting out of here," I told her.

Simone leaned back on the seat, head back, eyes closed. "God yes. My place, please?"

I drove, pushing the speed limit which wasn't a great idea given the rain but the recklessness in me was taking over, not helped one damned bit by Simone's hand on my crotch. There was something kinda thrilling to it all; the danger and lust all mingled with another emotion deep underneath. The downpour grew, with lightning flashing by the time we made it to Simone's house. Both of us were drenched seconds after we got out of the car, and she stood there looking up, smiling as that thin wet dress clung to her like a second skin.

"What the hell are you doing?" I bellowed at her over the boom of thunder.

She laughed. "Rain!" Simone lifted her arms. "I hardly ever saw it as a girl. It's glorious!"

I strode over and scooped her up over my shoulder, exasperated. Simone squeaked, squirming a little and I made it a point to grab her ass as I went up the porch steps, setting her down again when we were out of the downpour.

"Very caveman of you," she laughed, working the key into the lock and pushing open the door. I crowded in behind her and pulled her into my arms before she'd even reached the light switch so we were in semi-darkness.

"Honestly, I ought to paddle your behind for that stunt," I growled down into her face, feeling a renewed sense of heat all through my body.

She looked pleased by that threat. "Oooh yes, please. Which stunt? Punching your former sister-in-law?"

"Not that one," I replied, digging her delicate underwear out yet again from my pocket and dangling them from my finger. "The other one."

"Oh that one," Simone giggled. "Well you said you wanted a distraction, Dwayne. I'm sure that fit the bill."

"You could say that," I grunted, pushing her back against the wall near the door, making sure she knew exactly how distracted I'd gotten. "Yeah, seems to have . . . worked."

She wriggled against me and despite our wet clothing the friction was pretty blatant. "Not sorry, mon cher. I am a very bad woman sometimes."

I braced my hands on the wall, trapping her there. "That you are," I nipped the side of her sleek neck, making Simone shudder. "Oh that you are."

Things got a little feral at that point; I heard the plink of buttons hitting the floor as Simone struggled to get my shirt off, and I wasn't much gentler with her dress, peeling it off her to get to that sweet skin underneath. She kept kissing me in every place but my lips until I pinned her to the wall and shoved my mouth to hers, drinking in her moans as lightning flashed outside.

Simone wriggled, gasping for breath when I finally broke that kiss, and we looked at each other, just on that knife edge of hard desire where nothing else is in focus. She shivered, nipples hard as pebbles pressing against my chest. "Please," Simone begged. "Spank me."

What the hell was it about this woman that had me so enthralled? Any other time I would have stopped right there; I don't hit women. Ever. But the lustful gleam in Simone's eyes goaded me on and seemed to promise it really was what she wanted.

Worse, my own body throbbed at the thought and I felt myself stiffen further, prick pressing hard against Simone's thigh even through my wet slacks. "You sure about that?" I rasped into one of her delicate ears. "Because I'm not in a gentle mood here."

She whimpered, swallowing hard; the rush I felt seeing that was insane—like the fire of hard liquor on an empty stomach. "Yesss," Simone admitted, squirming against me. The thunder boomed, as I tugged her from the wall, spun her and directed two quick hard smacks on that pretty ass of hers.

My hand stung; I'd swatted her good, but Simone gave a sweet little cry and quivered, clutching the arm that was holding her. I felt her nails dig in and that added pain felt almost nice. She threw herself at me and this time I was the one against the wall, knocking a frame off it under the force of her sweet assault.

More kisses, ripping cloth and somehow we made it to her sofa in a desperate tangle of limbs. Under me Simone wrapped her legs around my waist, practically panting by now and I wasn't much more in control myself, giving into the sort of desperate hunger I hadn't felt in years. The taste of Simone; the scent and damned heat of the woman drove me hard and she groaned as she guided me into the slickness between her thighs.

Sometimes in life you're reduced to your most animal self, right down to the sweat and grunts and blinding pleasure of slick, senseless desire. All I wanted was to drive myself into Simone, take her hard and lose myself in the sullen pulses of my orgasm deep within her snug body, so I did for long, blind minutes.

She came just as hard as I did, and damn I felt the squeeze of her legs around me, the rippling tension stroking my prick in the aftermath leaving me with aftershocks of intense pleasure as I collapsed on her. The sofa was well-upholstered as was Simone, who was as spent as I was. We lay like that, wrung out and useless while outside the wind picked up even as the storm continued.

I was out for a while and so was she, the two of us still joined in a slick mess. Powerful as it was, the aftermath of a session like that is never romantic or pretty. I knew I had to move and let the woman breathe, so eventually I shifted, peeling myself away and feeling a wave of shame so strong it was like a physical blow to the stomach.

Jesus H. what the hell had I just done? I sat up, running my hands through my hair, wondering what I could say when Simone stirred and shifted, sitting up as well. She tried to cuddle up to me but I flinched and I know she felt it.

"Dwayne, roi de mon coeur, please talk to me," Simone murmured softly. "This is important."

I turned my face to look at her, feeling numb. "I've . . . I've never done anything like this before in my life," I blurted. "God! Simone, I am so, so sorry-"

She cut me off with a kiss, warm and sweet, arms coming up around my shoulders, stroking them gently and I relaxed a little, still confused but not quite as panicked as I'd been a moment earlier.

Simone nuzzled my cheek. "I'm not sorry. Not one damned bit, Dwayne. This was what I started; this was what I wanted and needed. Oh you were amazing, mon cher!" she purred, climbing into my lap and burrowing into my arms. I let her, feeling a little stunned.

"But . . ." I protested, "I . . . damn it, I hit you!" The shame of it washed over me.

Simone chuckled softly. "No, you spanked me. I deserved it and I begged for it as we both know. And frankly, I adored it. Dwayne-" she caught my face in her hands, forcing me to look into her eyes. "I. Am. Kinky, remember? The sting of your smacks put me riiiight on the edge. So delicious, so perfect! Please don't you dare feel guilty for giving me that. I know you'd never hit too hard; I know you'd never do it unless I asked." Her voice got slower and lower. "And I know you liked it too. I felt it."

I didn't know what to say. Couldn't deny it, but in the aftermath . . . it was going to take some getting used to. Simone held me for a while and then quietly murmured. "Let's take a bath and go to bed."

-oo00oo—

I was not prepared for Simone's bathroom; I hadn't seen it when she'd given me the tour months ago and clearly it was where she'd sunk her money. A huge clawfoot tub over six feet long took up most of the room. She had hanging ferns and the toilet was tucked away behind a screen, along with towels and rugs and all the normal things you'd expect in a bathroom. But lord, that tub—

"I know it's extravagant, but I like baths," she told me as she sat on the edge, dropped the plug in and turned on the water. "I find them much more relaxing than showers."

We both fit. I leaned back, spooning Simone as we got used to the heat, relaxing bit by bit. I liked the freckles spattered across her shoulders, and the sweet curls at the nape of her neck. I was a lot calmer now, content to hold her and not talk; letting her soap us up and splash a little, humming a tune.

After a while I made her lean back against me, and spoke softly in her ear. "Thank you."

Simone turned to look at me, dimples deep. "Darling you are welcome. I think we are going to prunify, though, if we stay in much longer."

Something nagged at the back of my mind, and it wasn't until I sat on the edge of the bed that it came to me. I saw the nightstand and that brought images to mind along with a flash of panic. I turned to look at Simone, who was already under the covers, beckoning me.

"Shit. We . . . I didn't use a condom," I pointed out, my mouth dry. "Simone-"

I watched her take a deep breath. "Oh. Yes, well, I'm due to start my period in about three days."

"Cutting it close," I warned, feeling anxious. Simone threw back the covers and patted the mattress.

"Not as much as you think, and I can always get a morning-after pill if that's what you want," she told me quietly. "If that would reassure you."

I slid into bed, still concerned. "It may be best. After all, I don't think you want to end up . . . pregnant."

I rolled to look at her and Simone gave a slow nod. "True. Now would not be a good time for that."

I wasn't sure what to say, but she slid along my left side, resting a hand on my chest and added, "I did buy condoms. And no, they are not Bonne Nuit in case you were wondering."

"You bought them to make animals?" I joked quietly, holding her.

She laughed. "I think we can find a better use for them, don't you?"