Decadence

Karen Stivali

A book in the Spice Rack series.

In eight years of marriage, Eric Carlson has never forgotten
to kiss his wife Jessica goodbye—until this morning. As Jessica runs her
errands, all she can think about is the missing kiss. When Eric calls to tell
her he thinks he left the toaster oven on, she rushes home, annoyed and afraid
their house may be burning down. Instead of smoke and flames she finds Eric,
looking hot and sexy as hell as he prepares fresh waffles.

Eric knows he and Jessica have been drifting apart. He’s
bought the hot new product everyone’s talking about—the Spice Rack, guaranteed
to spice up your love life. The jar he opens advises them to “Spend a decadent
day indulging all your senses.” With the whole day ahead of them, a fridge full
of tempting treats and the house to themselves for a change, that’s exactly
what Eric intends to do—in the kitchen, on the washing machine, wherever the
mood strikes. And Jessica’s got a super-steamy surprise for him too.

A
Romantica®
contemporary erotic romance
from Ellora’s Cave

He didn’t even kiss me goodbye.
Jessica knew it was
silly to get upset over something so minor, but she couldn’t help it. In the
eight years they’d been married, she couldn’t remember another morning when
Eric had forgone the farewell kiss. Sure, the kids were running amok, a sea of
backpacks and lunchboxes, but that was normal. Eric saying goodbye with a wave
was not.

“See you later.” He’d thrown her his trademark sexy grin.
She’d stood still for a few seconds, holding the door open as the kids piled
out of the house, waiting. And…nothing.

While queued in the drop-off line at the elementary school, she
flipped open the vanity mirror. She didn’t look like a beauty queen but at
least she’d showered. Her skin was clear, her cheeks even a bit rosy from
gardening the day before. She grimaced.
I should have brushed my hair.
Dark hair, wavy and out of control, pulled into a loose ponytail paired with
t-shirt and yoga pants.
I look like a teenager. Not exactly sexy.
Frowning at her reflection, she heard the car behind her honk.

“Mom, pull up, it’s our turn.” Timmy, though only seven, had
been a backseat driver for nearly five years.

“Sorry.” She inched the car toward the orange drop-off cone
and stopped. “Have a good day, guys. I love you.”

“Love you too, Mom,” the chorus of three came from the
backseat as they scrambled out the door.

Taking a last quick glance in the mirror, she snapped it
shut and eased back into the parking lot. As she was about to turn onto the
main road, her cell rang.
XXXXX
, Eric’s ringtone. She fumbled in her
purse and slid the purple case open. Holding the phone to hear ear with her shoulder,
she pulled onto the street, not wanting to get beeped at a second time this
morning.

“Hey, sweetie,” Eric said. “Can you do me a favor?”

Sighing, Jessica shifted to keep the phone in place as she
changed lanes. “What’s up?”

“I know you said you were going to the grocery store, but I
need you to stop home first. I think I may have left the toaster oven on.”

“Can’t you go check?”

“I’ve got a really important meeting this morning. I need
you to do it. Please?” She could hear the smile in his voice. The charming,
irresistible smile to which she’d never been able to say no.

“Fine.”
Even if you didn’t bother to kiss me this
morning.

“Thanks.”

Did he just chuckle?

She hung up and tossed the phone back into her purse.
Great.
Now I have to go all the way home, which means I won’t get to the store for
another hour.
Not that it was a huge deal. With all three boys in school
this year she had her days to herself. She’d been looking forward to that for
years, but it wasn’t as fun and freeing as she’d expected. All the same
responsibilities were there. The house still needed to be cleaned, dinner still
needed to be made, laundry was always piling up. And she always had a stack of
work on her desk. Freelance graphic design was the perfect work-from-home job
and she could do it any time of day or night, but lately she felt as though
everything was getting away from her. Somehow she’d had more structure to her
days when the kids were home than she managed to have with them in school all
day.

As she turned onto her block she couldn’t help but look for
signs of smoke pouring from her windows.
God, I hope he didn’t really leave
the toaster oven on. What the hell was he even using the toaster oven for?
Eric ate cereal for breakfast, though now that she thought about it she hadn’t
seen him pour himself a bowl this morning. She’d been too distracted by the
fact that he was wearing only pajama pants as he plodded around the kitchen.
She’d been so busy the past few weeks with back-to-school shopping and
beginning-of-term projects they’d barely spent any time together. Seeing him
bare chested, hair tousled from bed, reminded her that it had been a while. Too
long. Her stomach fluttered from a combination of longing for Eric and fear
that her house might be burning.

Jessica slammed the door of the minivan shut, breathing in
deeply to see if she could catch any hint of smoke in the air. Nothing. As she
opened the front door, another scent greeted her instead. The incredibly
delightful aroma of…waffles.
Why does the house smell like waffles?
She
rounded the corner into the kitchen and saw the waffle maker on the counter
with Eric poised before it, faded jeans slung low on his narrow hips, a t-shirt
clinging to his muscular back, dark hair still damp from a shower hanging
loosely into his eyes. A wave of heat washed over her, settling between her
legs. Her mouth watered from thoughts of more than just a bite of the waffle
Eric was lifting out of the grates.

“Perfect timing,” he said, grinning so wide the dimples on
his cheeks were positively cavernous. Blue eyes twinkled at her, full of
mischief.

“What are you doing?” She tossed her purse onto the counter,
mystified.

“Celebrating Mother’s Day.” He plucked a strawberry out of
the colander in the sink, swirled it in a bowl of what appeared to be freshly
whipped cream, and approached.

“Mother’s Day is in May. It’s October fifteenth.”

“I know.” He held the plump red berry close enough that she
felt the gentle brush of cream melting against her lips. “I was thinking it was
something we should celebrate more than once a year.”

She curled her tongue around the cream-covered berry and
gave a quick suck before biting off a piece.

The moan Eric emitted sent a tremor rolling down her body,
making her knees weak. His lips were on hers before she finished chewing. The
sweetness of his velvety tongue blended perfectly with the fruit and cream.
This was already better than any Mother’s Day she could recall.

“Yum,” she murmured, swallowing. Before she could speak,
Eric’s mouth was on hers again.

Jesus.
He coaxed her lips apart with slow, gentle
licks as he deepened the kiss, easing his fingers into her hair, tipping her
head back so her body instinctively arched toward his. The enticing bulge in
his jeans pressed into her hip, shifting lower as he bent his knees to grind
against her.
What’s gotten into him?

Eric trailed his hands to her waist, walking her backward
until they reached the cupboards. He lifted her onto the counter with such ease
she felt weightless. She wrapped her legs around him, tugging him closer. His
tongue continued its maddening exploration of her mouth, making it impossible
for her to think of anything other than the pressure building between her legs.
She ached to feel his skin against hers. To have him inside her.

Sliding her fingers beneath his t-shirt, she skimmed the
rippled muscles of his back. Heat radiated from his smooth skin.

Eric’s strong thumbs shifted the elastic band of her yoga
pants lower and she arched her hips toward him. Long warm fingers inched
inside, teasing for just a second before slipping between her delicate folds. A
groan escaped her as she pressed into his hand. Her muscles clenched and
released, trying to draw him even nearer.

His mouth returned to hers. Slow. Delicious. His tongue
worked hers in drawn-out circles as his thumb swirled around her clit.
Dizzying, breathtaking swirls that spun her mind into a blur of pleasure.
Oh
god, yes.
She moaned again and Eric slid his mouth down to her neck,
nuzzling the sensitive spot just below her ear as his hot breath caressed her
throat.

“Eric,” she whispered, clutching at his broad shoulders.

“Come for me, baby.” His voice was deep, raspy, filled with
desire. He increased the pace of his fingers, bringing her to the brink and
keeping her teetering on the mind-blowing edge. As much as she wanted to stay
in that moment, prolonging the anticipation forever, she couldn’t. She braced
her arms behind her, vibrating from head to toe. With one intense shudder she
felt the orgasm tumble through her so hard her hips lifted off the countertop.
Eric steadied her with a firm arm along her back as she bucked hard against his
hand. His lips continued to work on her neck, soothing her as she drifted back
to earth. He eased his fingers from her swollen flesh and she instantly missed
his touch.

“Ready for some waffles?” The sexy smirk on his face made
him look more handsome and devilish than she’d ever seen him. She was ready for
whatever he had to offer.

Eric couldn’t keep the grin off his face as he watched
Jessica get the juice out of the fridge. Her legs were clearly still wobbly. He
returned to making waffles. The sugary toasty smell filled the air, tempting
but not enough to distract him from the demanding presence making itself known
beneath his jeans. He wanted this day to be about Jessica but he was already
looking forward to finishing breakfast so he could whisk her upstairs to finish
what they’d started. What he’d started. Round one of a day full of what he
hoped would be a whirlwind of fun.

“Not that I’m complaining,” Jessica said, coming up behind
him and wrapping her arms around his waist. “But what brought all this on?”

He leaned his head back and kissed her cheek, his lips
brushing against her hair. She had the sweet, sleepy scent she always had after
she came.
God, she smells good.
“I told you. I wanted a day to celebrate
you.”

He placed a waffle on the cooling rack and poured more
batter onto the hot pan.

Should I tell her or will she think it’s stupid?

“What?” she asked, reading his mind as usual.

“I saw an ad in one of your magazines, for the Spice Rack.”

Her dark-brown eyes bugged. “Seriously? The ‘spice up your
love life’ jars?”

“Yep. Ordered a set last week. Thought it might be fun.”

“And it suggested waffles?”

Eric chuckled. “Not exactly. There are three rows to choose
from. I opened a jar from the ‘sweet’ row and it said ‘Spend a decadent day
with your lover, indulging all your senses.’ Sounded like a good idea.”

“Which sense is this? Taste or smell?”

“The waffles are taste. But you smell fantastic.” He
burrowed his nose into her hair, breathing deeply.

“Sweet talker.” She looked up at him through her thick, dark
lashes. Bedroom eyes. The thing that had drawn him to her the first time they’d
met.

“You’re what’s sweet,” he said, going in for a kiss.

This hiss of the waffle iron made him pull away, though it
was the last thing he wanted to do. Pulling her down onto the kitchen floor was
more what he had in mind, but he reminded himself to take it slow. They had all
day and he planned to use every second to its fullest potential.

With a plate of waffles in each hand, he gave her another
quick peck then headed for the table. “Let’s eat.”
We’ll need our strength
to make it through the rest of the day.

Just as they finished eating the phone rang. Jessica
groaned. “It’s my mother, I have to take it.”

“I know. Go ahead.” Her mother had been recovering from a
hip fracture and a mild heart attack and he knew Jess was constantly worried
about her. He put away the leftovers and loaded the dishwasher as she spoke.
Her brow was furrowed, her shoulders tight. He hated seeing her so stressed. He
was placing the cube of detergent in the machine when she hung up.

“Everything okay?” he asked.

“Yeah, she just wanted to let me know the visiting nurse had
been there this morning. And she was complaining that the light bulb blew out
in her staircase again. I think I convinced her not to try to change it
herself.”

Eric hit start and reached for her hand. “How about if you
call her later and tell her I’ll stop by over the weekend and take care of it?”

“You don’t have to do that. I can call a handyman.”

He tugged her closer. “I’m a very handy man.”

Jessica pressed against him, reminding him that he’d been
hard through most of breakfast. “You are indeed. Very handy.”

He slid his fingers beneath her shirt and lowered his lips
to hers. “How about we go upstairs and continue celebrating?”

She ground her hips against him and nodded. “Good idea.”

Following her up the stairs, he watched as her curvaceous
ass swayed with each step. “You should wear those pants all the time.”

Giggles purred out of her. “If I’d have known you were going
to seduce me I’d have worn something sexier than yoga pants.”

“There’s nothing sexier than the way your ass looks right
now.”

He ushered her into their bedroom and pressed her against
the wall. A shudder ran through her and he knew she was as filled with
anticipation as he was. She stroked the back of his neck then trailed her hands
to his chest. “You’re wearing too many clothes.”

Eric wasted no time shucking his t-shirt and stepping out of
his jeans and boxers. His cock bobbed, eager for Jessica’s attention. “I
believe you’re the one wearing too many clothes. But I can fix that.”

He inched her shirt up, making sure to rub against both
nipples as he eased it past her full breasts. Stiff peaks rose through the thin
pink fabric of her bra.

Tossing the garment aside, he kissed his way down her chest
and reached around back to unhook the clasp. She gasped when he took one firm,
dark nipple in his mouth, twirling his tongue gently before sucking. The sigh
that escaped her sent tingles down his spine. “So fucking sexy.”

She answered with another shudder. Her eyes were closed,
head pressed back against the wall.

He knelt and slipped his hands inside the waistband of her
pants, teasing the delicate skin just along her hipbones before he slid the
fabric down. Her warm, sweet scent filled his nostrils as he breathed her in.
“God, I want you.” He kissed his way back up the length of her body until he
reached her mouth.

Her lips met his, hungry with desire as she wrapped her hand
around his cock. She stroked, slowly, her touch so light it felt like silk. He
dragged his lips to the soft spot below her ear, licking and nipping until she
moaned.

She whispered in his ear. “I have a confession to make. The
other morning, when you went to work late, I came upstairs to put away some
laundry and I saw you.”

Saw me?
Eric’s cheeks heated and he swallowed hard.
He pulled away enough to look at her. “What do you mean?”

Jessica averted her eyes as she traced a lazy path down his
chest. Her fingertips, smooth and dainty, left a trail of fire in their wake as
they journeyed southward. The satiny skin of her palm smoothed over his shaft,
circling his swollen head before sliding down to cup his balls. “Doing this.”
Curling her other hand around him, she stroked, long and slow, up from the
base, her index finger slicking the bead of moisture from his tip before
heading down again.

Christ, she saw me.
In twenty-some years of jerking
off, he’d never, to the best of his knowledge, been caught by anyone. His heart
pounded, his discomfort only partially muted by the mesmerizing rhythm of her
hand. Up and down. Swiveling over the head.
Jesus. She really did see me.
She’s never moved her hands like that—that’s how I do it.
His cheeks burned
hotter as the pressure in his groin grew. His own stroke applied by her hands
was driving him wild.
Still, what must she have thought? How long did she
watch?

Jessica leaned closer and kissed the base of his throat,
just above the center of his collarbone. He was certain she could feel his
pulse against her lips and it beat double time in response to her movement. “I
didn’t intend to spy. I was bringing towels up from downstairs. You looked so
incredibly hot I couldn’t take my eyes off you.”

Hot? She thought it was hot?
His cock twitched in
response and she paused, squeezing just hard enough that he groaned. Words still
weren’t possible.

“I watched the whole time.”

She pressed his erection flat against his abs, tracing her
thumb back and forth against the sensitive ridge. His breath hissed out. He’d
always thought being caught would be humiliating. A nightmarish combination of
shame and explanations. Jessica shifted so she was straddling his thigh. Her
hips gyrated, rubbing her wetness against him. His throat was so parched his
voice rasped. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

“I didn’t want you to get mad or feel embarrassed.”

Fair enough.
“How did you feel?”

A sly smile lifted one side of her lovely mouth. “Excited.”
Her hips made another enticing circle against his leg.

“How excited?” He pressed his thigh harder against her
crotch, loving the sensation of her grinding on his bare skin.

Soft lips skimmed his collarbone, sending a shiver up his
spine as her hand kept its leisurely pace along the underside of his cock. Her
silence intrigued him.

Pulling back to try to look her in the eyes, he repeated the
question. “How turned-on?”

Her cheeks flushed a deep shade of pink. “On a scale of one
to ten?”

“Sure.”

“Twelve.” She breathed the word against his chest as her
tongue darted out and flicked his nipple.
God I love when she does that.

“Twelve? And you still didn’t join me?”

She shook her head, which made her silky hair brush back and
forth across his chest as she continued to kiss her way across his ribs, up to
his shoulder, back to the base of his neck. “Well, I sort of joined you.”

Eric’s heart felt as if it stopped. “Joined me how?”

“Let’s just say I came with you, in spirit.”

“Came with me?”

He tilted her face up toward his. Her deep brown eyes
glistened like polished stones. “Once while I watched and twice after you left
for work.”

His breath left him in a hot rush as he felt all the oxygen
leave his lungs.
She came watching me jerk off?
A tremor ran down his
spine. The look on her face, so open, so expectant, made him feel bolder than
he’d felt in years. “Show me.”

Her eyes opened wide, her full pink lips parting with a
small gasp.

He ran the pad of his thumb across her lower lip then kissed
her, slow and tender, coaxing her tongue into his mouth. “You watched me.” He
breathed the words against her lips. “Isn’t it only fair I get a turn
watching?”

She stiffened in his arms.
Shit. Did I go too far? Too
much too soon?
He was about to amend his request. Sure, he wanted to watch,
but he was so hot for her he didn’t care what they did as long as they’d both
get to come, and soon. Before he could speak, she stepped back. Not away, just
far enough that she could slide her hand from his cock to her own belly. In awe
he watched as she slid her fingers between her legs.

Holy hell, she’s touching herself.
His cock twitched,
demanding attention, but Eric was too engrossed in watching her to even move.
Using two fingers, she spread her lips, easing the folds of skin apart. As one
finger passed over her clit she let out a soft cry. Eric reminded himself to
breathe. “You’re so fucking beautiful.”

A smile flickered across her face as her eyes drifted shut.
His gaze passed over her, her breasts seeming firmer than they had moments
before, tight and round, nipples puckered into deep brown peaks. The muscles of
her stomach clenched as she pressed her back against the wall, arching her hips
forward. Her elegant hand, fingers splayed, continued to work her clit.

Eric’s heart beat from his ears to his toes. For years he’d
fantasized, wondering what she’d look like pleasuring herself, not even certain
she ever did. Watching her, hearing her gasp and moan, smelling her arousal all
around them, he couldn’t believe what he was seeing. Her fingertip moved so
slowly, so precisely, stroking with gentle passes across her swollen flesh. He
tried to ingrain the image in his brain. Memorize it.

His cock begged for his attention but if he started stroking
he wouldn’t be able to stop. That was for sure. And the one thing he knew was
that as soon as Jessica came he wanted to be inside her. A stream of pre-cum
ran down the length of him and he ignored it, steeling himself and focusing
only on her. Every stroke of her fingers over her slick opening made him throb
with need. Her breaths rasped, filling the room with their lusty sound. The
high-pitched cry she emitted let him know she was about to come. His gaze raced
back and forth from her face to her hand, wanting to somehow see every inch of
her at once as she came.

Her lips, firm and full, fell open, her eyes were tightly
clenched, and he glanced back down just in time to see her hand still. Stomach
taut, pelvis bucking forward, she groaned. Wetness glistened on her thighs as
she thrust her hips, letting the orgasm shake through her.

Needing to touch her, he smoothed her hair away from her
face. She turned her head, kissing the palm of his hand in a gesture so simple
yet so sexy it took his breath away.

He wrapped his arms around her, his cock sliding against the
slick skin of her thighs. “I need you, Jess. Now.”

She nodded, twining her arms around his neck as he lifted
her and carried her to the bed.

Jessica could still feel the aftershocks of her orgasm as
Eric placed her on the mattress. The weight of his body felt amazing. Solid.
Warm. Heavy. She’d never wanted anything more than she wanted him at that
moment.

Eric groaned, sinking deep inside her. “God, I’ve missed
this,” he said, his face buried in her hair as he swiveled his hips against
her.

“Missed what?” She gasped as he plunged particularly deep,
causing her muscles to contract around his cock.

“This.” He thrust again, slower this time, reaching a hand
beneath her ass, tilting her pelvis. “Sex in the middle of the day, with the
sun shining so I can watch your face as you come.”

She’d forgotten that Eric liked to talk during sex.
How
could I forget something like that?
For years they’d been sneaking moments
together after the kids went to bed, one ear always listening for the sound of
someone waking from a nightmare or padding down the hall toward their room.
Silent. On alert. She missed the sexy sound of his voice. Missed his running
commentary. His commands. All of it.

A soft moan escaped her. “Feels so good.” His cock was so
hard she could feel every ripple and ridge as he pushed into her again and
again.

“You feel amazing. So tight.”

She wasn’t sure if he was extra large or she was swollen
from being so aroused but he was right, the extra-snug fit made every stroke
more intense. Her insides quivered, her shoulders shook. Digging her feet into
the mattress for support, she lifted her hips, wanting even more of him.

“Not so fast,” he said, slowing his movements.

She groaned as he pulled nearly all the way out, holding
there. The look on his face was almost enough to make her come. Strong,
powerful, in control. She’d missed this too. The Eric who teased her, made her
wait until she was almost crazy with need. She tried to raise her hips higher
but his sturdy fingers held her in place.

“Tell me what you want.” His voice was thick, lustful.

Jessica could barely breathe let alone speak. “Fuck me.” It
had been years since she’d said those words to him.

The slow smile that spread across his face told her how much
he’d missed hearing them. Inch by delicious inch, he eased himself inside her,
taunting her. “Like that?”

“Harder.” She breathed the word, trying to keep her voice
from shaking, struggling to keep her eyes open as pleasure tried to force them
shut.

“I didn’t quite catch that. What did you say?” His voice, as
deep and rich as molten chocolate, practically dripped from his lips as his
eyes, smoldering and narrowed, urged her to repeat her request.

“Harder, Eric. Please.” She clutched at his back, attempting
to draw him nearer. Having him poised, barely inside her, drove her to the edge
of desperation. The pressure inside her became almost unbearable. “I need you.”

She could see him swallow, feel his resolve giving way. Eyes
locked on hers, he lowered himself all the way, sinking into her until their
bodies met. He moved with determination now, grinding against her in tight
circles. She felt him swelling as her clit throbbed under the newfound
pressure. “Yes.” She exhaled the word against his chest, nipping at his
collarbone as she trailed her mouth toward his neck.

“That’s it, baby.” He rocked against her, one hand still
under her ass, pulling her hard against him. His lips grazed her ear. Hot
breath caressed her cheek, adding to the waves of heat that seemed to be
rolling off her.

Beyond words, she moaned, louder than she’d ever heard
herself.

“Oh God, yes.” Eric’s voice vibrated through her, his need
palpable. He pumped faster, grinding with a perfect twist each time their
bodies met.