Raw Burn (Touched By You)

The warmer weather brought beauty and cheer to New York. And it brought Natalie Baker’s birthday, which was a big deal to Tanner. He was taking her to King’s Carriage House for dinner, knowing that she’d been missing England. The restaurant was designed as a European manor house and the food was described as royally good.

When they’d returned from Switz
erland, Cheryl was already in Russia with Dani, so she wouldn’t be in New York for Natalie’s birthday. Jazzy had called to tell her she had come down with the flu, and would take her to lunch when she was better. And Martha, her mother’s new live-in, had called to say it wasn’t a good time for Emma to go out in the evening, so Natalie planned to drop by in a few days instead.

S
ince her family and friends couldn’t share her twenty-third birthday, Natalie was a little down. Even her extended yoga workout didn’t perk her up. And Tanner had been working more lately, leaving her feeling lonely. Plus, she’d heard him on the phone a couple of days before. He’d seemed so delighted and tickled about something.

Holding the phone away from his ear, Tanner had waved for Natalie to come in when he saw her standing in the doorway to his home office. She couldn’t tell who he was talking to, but it was a woman’s voice. She
attempted to rein in her jealousy, but was unsuccessful. She missed spending more time with him, and the sound of his laughter with another woman made her blood boil.

Tanner put down the phone and opened his arms to Natalie. She sat in his lap and put her head against his cheek. Everything seemed okay, but she couldn’t be sure. His next words changed that.

“I’ll be late tonight. There’s an appointment I cannot put off. I’ll call you when I’m on my way home, so you won’t worry,” he said.

She was already worried. The late night appointment was unsettling. Could Tanner be seeing another woman? And who was that woman on the phone? It was distressing.

“Do you have to?” She said.

“Yes, baby,” he said. “No choice. But I’ll make it up to you when I get home.” He smiled, and Natalie tried to read something into his expression. There was something
there, she was sure. Well, at least tomorrow he wouldn’t be late. It was her birthday dinner, and she knew he wouldn’t miss it.

He hugged her, and she felt a tear roll down her cheek, unable to understand why she was so emotional over her imagined slights. With one finger, Tanner wiped the tear away.

“What is it, baby?” He asked. “Tomorrow is your birthday. You should be happy.”

Natalie smiled at him, trying to hide her inner turmoil. “Nothing, really,” she said. “Just that time of month I guess.” Maybe that was it. She was overreacting. Tanner wouldn’t be seeing someone else, would he? But then, he’d made no long term commitment to her. She couldn’t bear the thought that he’d be interested in another woman.
She prayed it couldn’t be true.

It was her birthday,
and she wanted to look her best, planning to have a good time in spite of anything. Yet, Tanner frowned when he saw her. She’d chosen a Jovani, a beautiful sheer long-sleeved dress. Being a flesh-colored, sheer fabric, it was like wearing nothing at all. Except for shimmery rhinestones splayed across the bodice, and over key areas to give her some modesty. But it was outspoken and sexy.

Even with the few gems that decorated the sleeves of the dress, it still exposed too much for Tanner’s taste. The hem stopped mid-thigh, which really didn’t matter since it was sheer up to the top of the thigh where thankfully some gems blocked the see-through effect.

“You’re wearing that?” Tanner said, appalled.

“Yes, I’m wearing this. It’s a party dress, and it’s my birthday. I plan to have fun,” she said and gave him a seductive wink.

Tanner sighed, and shook his head. He didn’t want to ruin her birthday, and bit his tongue, lest he say something he might regret. He did love her so much. Maybe he was softening. Still, she was flaunting it, no question.

On the drive to King’s Carriage House, Natalie was quiet. She looked out the windows, admiring New York which still excited her. The city was bustling, and preparing for the evening. It was going to be
a great birthday, she decided.

“Who was that on the phone yesterday?” She asked.

“When?”

“The woman you were talking to before you motioned me to come in. You hung up, right then.”

“Oh her,” Tanner said. “Just work.” There was that delighted look again, but he looked away to hide it from her.

Natalie wanted to press for details, but it was her
special night. She pushed aside her fears, and looked out the window. She wondered what Tanner got her as she hadn’t been able to needle any hints out of him. And, she couldn’t even guess. Like a child, she couldn’t wait to see what it was.

Stepping into the restaurant was like entering a European manor house with
period paintings, crystal chandeliers and antique furnishings. With its romance, charm and warm hospitality, King’s was one of her favorite restaurants. It reminded her of England.

Tanner held her hand, and guided her inside
, their bodyguard following them. She was glad to see it was Andre. She felt more comfortable with him than some of the other guards that she’d never even said hello to. She hoped Tanner would allow her to act normally around Andre without getting jealous. In the lobby, Tanner nodded to the server who snapped into action, and grinned at Natalie. He did still love her.
He must.

He glanced at the pink-blue diamond ring on her finger, and lifted her hand to kiss
it. “I love you, baby,” he said unexpectedly. Could he read her mind?

The server motioned for them to follow. Tanner put his arm around Natalie’s waist to escort her to the Hunt Room. It was an intimate room with a hand
-painted mural of the Irish countryside on the wall. They’d eaten in there before.

Turning the corner, Tanner slowed. Just at the edge of the entry to the room, Natalie saw red
and white rose pedals strewn across the carpet; utterly romantic. Both Tanner and the server smiled.

“Tanner…,” she said, touched by the gesture.

Upon entering, the silence of the room surrounded her. But unexpected motion caught her eye. Confetti suddenly poured from the ceiling, over the helium-filled balloons that were everywhere. There had to be hundreds of balloons, and endless flower arrangements, all red and white roses.

“Surprise!”
Their voices boomed with the greeting, and Natalie saw them move toward her, from the back of the room.

Natalie’s shock was evident, and across the room a camera’s flash captured the moment. Before her very eyes
were Cheryl, Dani, Jazzy, Ellis, and Emma.

“But…,” she said.

Everyone laughed and rushed forward to hug the birthday girl. Her initial shock turned to pure pleasure. She laughed along with them.

“I never suspected,” she said. “I thought….”

“Yes, well, I wouldn’t miss your birthday unless I was in a hospital bed,” Jazzy laughed. “It was hard to fake being sick. You know me so well.”

“And the world isn’t big enough to keep me away,” Cheryl beamed with
Dani at her side.

“Mom,” Natalie said, and gave Emma a big hug. “I’m so glad you could make it.”

“Can’t keep me down,” Emma assured her.

All through dinner, music played in the background, and the intimate party surrounded Natalie with birthday joy.
She loved surprises, and the party delighted her. When Tanner hugged her with a big grin, she could see the mischief behind his eyes.

“What?” She whispered in his ear.

“The woman I was talking to, that you were so suspicious of, was Cheryl. You owe thanks to her for helping me set all this up. And….keeping it a secret,” he winked. “And last night I dropped by to make sure everything was prepared. It was after work. Thus, I was late,” he said, and tickled her. She giggled and felt relief over her unfounded fears of him with another woman. When would she ever learn?

Tanner had planned well with Cheryl’s assistance, and start to finish it was a birthday party just to Natalie’s liking. The wild mushroom soup with salmon and artichoke risotto was beyond delicious. A 1995 Krug
Clos du Mesnil was served, the ideal champagne for a special birthday. The bubbly liquid was a perfect complement to the meal.

Desert was
a chocolate mousse cake; white chocolate on the outside and a soft dark cake with mousse on the inside. Tanner had it delivered from Black Hound and ordered special decorations. The cake had twenty-three white candles, set between red and white roses, with a ring of bigger roses around the bottom. It was too pretty to eat, but that didn’t stop anyone.

Natalie had a great time opening gifts; a silk blouse from Cheryl and
Dani, pearl earrings from Jazzy and Ellis, and perfume from Emma. On the spot, she tried everything on, even putting the blouse over her skimpy dress and dabbing the perfume behind her ears. The photographer Tanner had hired for the event took extensive photos, and he was glad that at least in a few of the shots, Natalie would be covered by more than her see-through dress.

Tanner wowed them by giving her a
custom-made gold, charm bracelet. The delicate charms represented every place they’d been together. The thoughtfulness of the gift moved Natalie deeply. And the designs were intricate and precisely crafted in white gold, diamonds, rubies, and sapphires. The bracelet fit her perfectly.

There was a tiny replica of The Great Music Hall where they’d first met. And,
dangling from the bracelet was a charm of the Statue of Liberty in New York, Duomo Cathedral in Milan, Eiffel Tower in Paris, Tower Bridge in London, and St. Basil’s Cathedral in Moscow. There was even one of the Grand Hotel Les Trois Rois in Switzerland, complete with a tiny deck on one side with a brilliant blue sapphire representing the hot tub, which only Tanner and Natalie knew the significance of.

Certainly, it was the most outstanding birthday Natalie had ever had. She giggled and smiled, saying goodbye to everyone, and thanking them over and over for such a wonderful evening. What she didn’t know was that the evening wasn’t over. Tanner had one more gift for her, something more personal.

The gift, wrapped in silver paper and tied with a bright blue bow, sat in the middle of the
bed. Natalie opened it to find black lingerie, which she knew by touch and feel was very expensive. The items were light, filmy, and see-through. Gaultier’s designs were the embodiment of feminine sexuality, and worth every penny.

“I want to see you in them,” Tanner declared
, still fully clothed, having only removed his dinner jacket and tie.

Natalie stripped off her tease of a dress, and Tanner suppressed a nagging comment when he saw that she had only a nude-colored thong and tiny strapless bra under it.
She removed her undergarments to try on the new sexy lingerie.

The sheer black bra and panties matched the elegant bustier and the thigh-high black stockings. The outfit came complete with black leather stiletto heels.
Tanner took the blue ribbon from the gift and tied Natalie’s hair back into a soft ponytail at the nape of her neck.

His hot hands brushed her sensitized skin in the process, and his breath caressed her cheek. Her clit had been hard from the second she pulled out the sexy garments, and she
tingled in anticipation, awaiting his command.

Tanner stripped, while Natalie watched, enjoying the process. His smooth skin stretched tight over his lean muscles, and his hard round ass flexed as he stepp
ed from his briefs. She glimpsed the tattoo of her name low on his spine. Her breath caught at the sight of his hard cock, bouncing as he walked slowly toward her.

Without pause, he put her hands behind her back, and locked her wrists in one of his strong hands. His mouth slanted over hers in unabashed desire,
his lips parted and his tongue rubbed in and around. She moaned softly in her throat.

The sight of her in
the sexy undergarments gave Tanner pause. The blatant sensuality suited her, like the black gossamer items were custom made for her. Wearing the black stilettos, she enraged the animal inside him beyond control.

Grabbing her ponytail, he pulled her head back, kissing wildly over her slender neck, up her jaw and over her face. The hot flurry of kisses weakened any resistance she may have had, and left her weak
. She panted softly, wanting more, oh so much more.

Letting go of her wrists, he spun her around and bent her over. She felt so completely wanton, standing in black heels, stockings up t
o mid-thigh and panties that hid nothing. Bent over, there was no refusing Tanner, something she’d become accustom to.

Tanner moved aside the thin material covering her sex,
leaving her most intimate area vulnerable. She heard him groan before placing his hand over her wetness. Instinctively, she leaned over further. He slid his fingers over her pussy, arousing her purposefully. His fingers dipped into her wet opening and she muffled her cry.

Bent over, dressed as she was, she made such an erotic sight that Tanner’s bulging cock pulsed hard, and he nearly came right then.
Yanking her upright, he led her to the bed, and sat with her on his lap, facing his chest. She straddled him, knees bent, still wearing the stunning shoes.

He kissed her hard, his hand at the small of her back, and fondled her erect nipples through the sheer fabric. He had no need to remove the bra, knowing that the rubbing and pinching through the thin cloth created a new sensation for her. She
moaned in his arms and through his kisses, her hands lost in his thick hair.

He lowered
her, so her head rested over the side of the bed against his shins, leaving her pussy in the center of his lap. She was upside down, so put one hand on each of his knees for support. Tanner ran a finger across the etching of his name, endearingly tattooed over her hip, a gleam in his eye.

He
slid the see-though panties down, leaving them mid-thigh, liking the view. He held her firmly by one hip, leaving his other hand free to play with her. His stimulations of her clit caused the muscles of her thighs to tense. He used a thumb and forefinger to stroke and massage with tantalizing skill.

It didn’t take much to bring Natalie to the peak of orgasm, and just at that moment, Tanner’s fingers still
ed.

“
Ahhhh,” she moaned. “Please.”

Tanner resumed his rubbing and pinching of her
clit, and she panted, squirming under his hand. This time he didn’t stop, but increased the speed, his fingers rubbing back and forth over the apex of her sex, her clit turning to a tight little stone.

Natalie fell into a sweet orgasm, shak
ing and clenching, with Tanner lightly touching her until she drifted down from the ecstasy. He pulled her upright and wrapped his arms around her, his hot cock hot underneath her. She ran her hands through his hair, and he exploded into action.

Gently t
ossing her on her back, her head on her pillow, he ripped off the tiny panties in one tug and buried his face in her pussy, licking and sucking. Natalie whimpered, and fisted at his hair to encourage him. His tongue slicked around her wet slit and delicately swiped around her sensitive clit. She craved him, and unable to take the unbearable pleasure, grabbed handfuls of the satin sheets in her fists. She pulled at the bunched sheets and writhed on the bed.

Tanner moved up, and kissed her savagely, her taste still on his lips. He removed the filmy bra, letting
her breasts spring free, and ran his tongue over her creamy skin, sucking at her nipples. She pressed her hips up toward him, crazy with desire.

He
kneeled between her thighs, and raised her legs in the air, folding them back so her shoe-clad feet were angled back toward her shoulders. In that folded-in half-position, her sex was fully exposed. Tanner liked the view and placed his hand over her bare pussy. A thrill ran though her, not knowing what he intended to do.

With one forearm across the backs of her thighs to hold her in position, he rubbed over he
r sex and across the base of her ass. The position offered an exposed view of her cunt and her ass. Tanner rubbed slowly over her wet slit, and then over the smooth skin of her buttocks. His touch sent warm sensations through her, and her clit begged for more attention.

She looked at his primal expression, eyes filled with lust,
and hair wonderfully mussed. His huge cock stood erect, as yet unsatisfied. He gazed back at her, and with a steely look, he drew back his hand. She flinched, knowing in advance his tone had shifted.

He smacked her bare bottom with his open palm. She
cried out from the suddenness.

“Quiet,” he barked, the only word he
’d uttered.

Over and over he smacked the soft flesh of her ass, and the sting aroused her. Her pussy vibrated with each slap, sending little waves of stimulation through her sex, and making her clit stiff. The sharp sound of his hand against her backside, along with the sting of the contact, pushed her
close to another orgasm.

Knowing her arousal, the slaps ceased, and he began patting her sex. Using his fingers, he tapped the sensitive area barely hiding her clit. The taps ricocheted vibration to her clit, and through her entire sex,
setting her on fire. Her repetitive moans became louder, and without waiting for his approval, she came hard, panting heavily through the duration.

She shuddered under his restraint, and as her body relaxed, she sighed heavily, “Oh God.”

Still hard and ready for her, Tanner let her legs fall back to the bed, thighs spread, and he lowered his body so his heavy cock rested on her belly. He rocked his hips back and forth, his thick member stroking against her skin.

He leaned down and flicked her nipples with his tongue. Relentlessly, he taunted them, until they turned bright red, distended and aching. His hot mouth found hers, and they pressed together in a crushing kiss, until Natalie couldn’t breathe. She gasped when he pulled back to run his tongue down her tingling
skin, and back up to her neck.

Looking into her eyes, he slid the bulbous head of his cock into her. She groaned and raised her hips higher in a plea for him to fill her completely. Tanner
slid further, slowly, inch by inch until her pussy swallowed his entire length. He was lost, and began stroking at a more rapid rate.

Harder and harder he fucked her. A random thought struck her that she was still wearing the black heels, and imagining how they looked together, she felt another orgasm starting. Sweat beaded on Tanner’s brow, his eyes gla
zed over, his muscles clenched.

His cock throbbed inside her
, hard and insistent, and with the strong muscles of her vagina she gripped him tighter. He groaned and ground his hips, shoving his cock into her depths, inflamed with the burn of his need for her. He filled her full, and with his hot pounding cock stretching her, Natalie let go giving way to another powerful orgasm.

Tanner moaned and panted, until his body went rigid in release. Under him, Natalie yelled in pleasure, rocking her hips, and convulsing around him
, clawing at his back. Both moved even after the crest of the release, in some carnal effort to bleed more sensation from the union, unwillingly for it to end.

Natalie
was cradled in Tanner’s arms, and quietly they felt each other breathe, burning in each other’s love. Together, they dozed. Natalie wasn’t sure how much time had gone by when Tanner loosened the ribbon from her hair, and ran his hands through her thick curls.

“Happy Birthday,” he whispered, and Natalie leaned up to kiss him on his perfect lips. It was the best birthday ever.