Primalbeat, p.1
PrimalBeat, page 1
Primal Beat
Marilyn Campbell
Anthropologist Spence Banning is researching the effects of primitive tribal music on the civilized human libido. Unfortunately, he lacks the perfect test subject to complete his work on sexual response.
When the primal beats pulse through the vents of her apartment in the middle of the night, Ivy Whitehall awakens in a state of intense arousal. Although she normally avoids confrontation, desperation drives her to seek out the source of the music and demand relief. Their initial sexual encounter is manic, mindless and nameless but afterward Spence convinces Ivy to be his test subject. Though the research is intriguing, Ivy finds her willingness to help is less for the sake of science…and more about strengthening a certain sexual syncopation.
An Ellora’s Cave Romantica Publication
www.ellorascave.com
Primal Beat
ISBN 9781419929243
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Primal Beat Copyright © 2010 Marilyn Campbell
Edited by Grace Bradley
Cover art by Syneca
Electronic book publication November 2010
The terms Romantica® and Quickies® are registered trademarks of Ellora’s Cave Publishing.
With the exception of quotes used in reviews, this book may not be reproduced or used in whole or in part by any means existing without written permission from the publisher, Ellora’s Cave Publishing, Inc.® 1056 Home Avenue, Akron OH 44310-3502.
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This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, or places, events or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the author’s imagination and used fictitiously.
Primal Beat
Marilyn Campbell
Chapter One
Ivy saw the huge backpack and beat-up body bag before she noticed the man holding them. After yet another twelve-hour workday, all she wanted to do was get into her apartment and go to bed but he and his oversized baggage were between her and the old brick building’s new security door. “Excuse me,” she said after a few seconds of waiting for him to enter or get out of her way.
“This wasn’t here when I left,” he said, continuing to stare at the door.
“It was installed right after I moved in about a month ago.” She had the key in her hand but hesitated to open the door to a stranger.
He turned around. “I swear I live here,” he said, guessing her thoughts. The streetlight allowed Ivy to get a shadowed look at his face and, despite the unkempt mass of light brown hair and several days of beard stubble, she sensed no threat. In fact, he looked even more worn-out than she felt. Besides, he was wearing a nice pair of frameless glasses. Stranger or not, she’d always had a weakness for men in glasses.
She smiled, unlocked the door and held it open for him. Since she’d already let him into the building, there was no reason to avoid getting into the elevator with him. She pressed the button and the doors slowly opened.
“Thank you,” he said, hauling his bags into the compact elevator after her.
A person’s voice often gave her a clue to their personality and she liked the sound of his. Low and masculine without being radio announcer deep, it gave her a funny little shiver. It also gave her a reason to look at him again. “You’re welcome,” she replied.
And then there was a moment—one of those magical time-stopping moments she’d only seen in movies. When she looked directly into his warm brown eyes, she felt a chord of familiarity strike deep within her, and the way his expression softened told her he’d felt something also.
Or maybe he just thought she was odd for staring at him with her mouth open.
As the elevator doors closed, she tried to think of something to ask so he’d speak again, but small talk was not one of her talents.
What would Mel say? Ivy’s friend was never at a loss for words and was always bugging her to be more sociable. She said the only thing that came to mind. “Business or pleasure?”
He was studying her face, frowning a bit, like he was trying to remember where he’d seen her before. “I…I’m sorry. What did you say?”
She felt her cheeks warm but couldn’t take the question back. “I noticed your, uh, luggage. I didn’t mean to be nosy.”
He dragged his gaze away from her to his bags. “Oh, yes.” He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose, causing his glasses to lift up and down before he explained. “I just flew in from New Zealand. I’m not even sure what day it is.”
Ivy’s interest raised a notch but the elevator arrived on her floor and she had no practical reason to linger. “It’s Friday,” she said and stepped out. As the doors closed behind her, she realized he hadn’t pressed any of the buttons for himself. Surely he would find his way to his apartment eventually but she wished she had seen the floor so she could accidentally get off there one day. She dismissed the unusual thought as a product of being overtired.
Although “dinner” had consisted of a can of tuna and a bag of chips from the vending machine, she needed sleep more than a hot meal. She expected to doze right off the instant her head nestled into her pillow. Instead, the image of a very attractive, albeit somewhat scruffy, man was keeping her from completely relaxing.
Ivy liked men…in general. And she wasn’t completely averse to having one in her life. She simply hadn’t dated anyone worth the inconvenience. Mel insisted that was Ivy’s fault, that she didn’t “put herself out there”. Though Ivy admitted that was true, she couldn’t stir up the nerve to do it.
In the meantime, on the few occasions she felt the urge for a sexual release or just needed a little help falling asleep, she could take care of it herself. All she needed was her imagination.
The mysterious stranger was the perfect character. The cramped elevator was the ideal location. She just needed to alter the reality a bit.
As the elevator doors inched slowly apart, she saw the yummy man inside. They had passed each other before, always going in opposite directions, but the glances they’d exchanged had promised that someday they would be rushing toward one another instead of away.
He looked completely relaxed, slouched against the back wall yet still a good eight inches taller than her. His hair was shower damp, falling in thick strands over his forehead and ears. A gray sweat suit failed to disguise the lean, fit body beneath. The glasses were an instant turn-on for her but it was the message in his eyes that obliterated her common sense. He was clearly thinking she was the hottest, most beautiful woman he’d ever seen and he had wanted her from the first moment he saw her.
There was no need for words. Today was the day. Now was the time.
She stepped inside and, as soon as the doors closed, she hit the stop button. He quickly yanked her toward him, bringing her firmly between his strong thighs so she could feel his cock, big and hard and ready to give her anything she wanted.
His mouth took possession of hers in a way that left no question as to what he wanted from her—a wide open, no-holds-barred, ram-it-up-against-the-wall fuckfest.
As his tongue engaged hers in a struggle for supremacy, his hands slid down to her ass and squeezed. Holding her in place, he bent his knees, lowering his hips to hers then slowly rose so that her pussy felt the length of his cock through their clothes. He repeated the teasing movement several times until she moaned her appreciation. Without parting their mouths, he turned her into the corner of the elevator and she felt his pants being shoved downward.
She wanted so much from him. Everything. All at once. But she knew what she wanted first—to make him as hot for her as she was for him. Her hand slipped between their bodies and enveloped his stiffened penis. The prize was hers to claim, to massage and stroke for as long as she chose but it wasn’t nearly enough. She wanted him weak with desire, willing to do anything she commanded. She broke the unending kiss, dropped to her knees and took him fully into her mouth.
His groan sounded of pleasure and pain as he pulled her back up to her feet. “No. Not this time. I need to know how it feels to be inside your sweet, hot cunt. All the way inside.”
It was his turn to act quickly. Her skirt came up, her lace panties came off and she was lifted with her legs around his waist. Somehow he knew she needed it fast and furious and was wet enough to take him just like that.
She wanted to help but he held her firmly so that she had no choice but to receive the gift his body was giving her. In and out he pumped, his pubic hair scraping against her clit, perfectly increasing the rhythm to match her need.
The first hint of satisfying pleasure was a mere tickle deep in her core but quickly spread out in shimmery waves.
As Ivy’s fantasy came to a big finish, her fingers satisfied her need in the real world. She couldn’t remember ever enjoying masturbation quite this much. It was as though she had broken through a sensual barrier she hadn’t even known was there. Perhaps being overtired explained that as well. Her last thought was that she’d have to thank the man in glasses if the opportunity ever arose.
* * * * *
“Hey, what’s going on with you today?”
Ivy looked up from the file on her desk and blinked. When she’d first been hired as a paralegal at the prestigious law firm, Mel was assigned as her assistant but they had become close friends over the years. “Sorry. I think I dozed off for a minute there. Did you need something?”
“Still not sleeping?”
Ivy shook her head.
“Maybe you should cut back—”
“It’s not the workload. It’s my neighbors. The last two nights I’ve been awakened by some kind of strange music. At least I think it’s music. I mostly hear a heavy bass thumping. And sometimes a flute. It starts in the middle of the night, goes on for a while then stops. It’s weird. And it’s not really the volume either. A pillow over my head is enough to shut it out. It’s more like it agitates me and I can’t get back to sleep. I’m pretty sure it’s coming through the vent from the apartment upstairs. You know I’d rather not…get involved with the other tenants but in this case I may have to—”
“Face the music?” Mel finished for her. “You could file a complaint with the building manager.”
Ivy grimaced. “That’s the sort of thing that could make the situation worse. Anyway, it only started the other night. Maybe they’ll get bored with it soon.”
“Yeah, and maybe you’ll luck out and another neighbor will file a complaint so you don’t have to get involved at all. Speaking of getting involved with neighbors, what’s going on with the cutie from down under? It’s been days since you mentioned him.”
“I didn’t say he was from—” She noticed Mel was grinning at her. “It just so happens, I saw him last night. He was on his way out as I was walking in. Looked like he was headed to the gym.”
“And?”
“And his workout clothes confirmed that my overactive imagination was pretty damn accurate. In fact he looked so hot I gave him a blowjob right there in the lobby.”
Mel laughed. “Oh, how I wish that were true. So what really happened?”
Ivy shrugged. “We had another one of those weird moments as we passed. Like we each wanted to say something but didn’t know how. Instead we both nodded and continued on our way.”
“Geez, Ivy. It’s pretty obvious you’re attracted to each other. Maybe he’s waiting for you to give him some sort of sign. You could have accidentally dropped your purse in his path and when he picked it up, you could have asked him to stop by your apartment for a drink.”
“No way! It really doesn’t matter how attractive he is, he’s still a neighbor—”
“And heaven forbid you should get involved, especially with someone you can’t avoid if things go wrong. Okay, forget the sexy travelin’ man. Anyway, it’s beginning to sound like you’d have to be the aggressive one with him and we both know that’s not going to happen.”
Ignoring the additional dig at her passive lifestyle, Ivy steered Mel back to work. Now if only she could steer her mind away from the man in glasses…
* * * * *
Ivy awoke with a jerk. They were at it again!
Blasting their damn music in the middle of the night showed a complete lack of consideration for other tenants. She still couldn’t tell whether it was rap or some other style but this was the third night in a row that the heavy bass thumping had broken into her sleep. And, also for the third time, once she came fully awake, she could barely hear the sound coming from the apartment above.
Tonight’s music seemed different in some way though. Listening closely, she thought she heard bongo drums and a whooshing sound like the ocean tide. She picked up clicking, similar to castanets, and a flute playing a tune that made her think of a snake charmer. Beyond identifying instruments however, she felt something different—a distinct vibration, as though she was right in front of the speakers as the deep bass boomed out. It was rhythmic, like a pushing and pulling deep inside her body. As tired as she was, her body was urging her to sway with it.
Focusing on that sensation made her aware of precisely where she was feeling it the strongest. Her clit was pulsing with arousal, demanding attention. What in the world had she been dreaming about? All thoughts of her annoying neighbors disappeared as a wave of intense physical need grabbed her. Almost involuntarily, her hands moved to her nightshirt-covered breasts and found her hardened nipples. She pinched and felt a surge of pleasure shoot straight down her abdomen.
Nothing like this had ever happened to her before. There was no plan to masturbate to relax. There was no fantasy running in her mind. This feeling was purely physical, unconnected to any thought.
Abruptly she knew that was a lie. There was most definitely a thought…and an image of the man. His face had been haunting her day and night since the elevator moment but now he was staring at her with fire in his eyes. Unquestionably, his desire for her was equal to hers for him and nothing was going to put out the fire short of fucking each other’s brains out.
She made an attempt to shake off the wanton feelings but there was no denying her body’s cry for help. As her hands slid down her abdomen, her thighs parted and she felt cool air tease her shaven lips. But it wasn’t cool enough to turn down the heat between them. In fact, the simple act of spreading her legs heightened her need for release.
Her palm pressed hard against her cunt, trying to calm the throbbing and she was surprised at how very, very wet she was. As she drew the wetness upward, she surrendered the last remnants of control. Round and round, up and down, faster and faster her fingers worked the tiny bud, instinctively matching the swell of the music. Within seconds, a powerful orgasm quaked through her entire being.
As the aftershocks subsided, she vaguely realized the music had quieted as well. And yet, her body was still refusing to relax. She needed more than what she could give herself. She needed something thick and long and hard thrusting deeply into her body. She didn’t own a dildo and nothing else she possessed would do the job. What she needed, what she desperately wanted, was a man.
But not just any man. The one she wanted was tall, handsome, had a sexy voice and wore frameless glasses. Too bad she had no idea which apartment was his.
Chapter Two
“Just wanted to remind you about going to Hooligan’s after work,” Mel said in an offhand manner as she dropped a folder into Ivy’s in-box.
“I said I’d think about it.”
“Come on. You really need to get out with other people.”
“Hmmph. Watching my coworkers celebrate the fact that it’s Friday by getting stupid drunk isn’t my idea of a good time.”
“And going home alone to watch a DVD in your jammies is? I’m warning you, girlfriend, one of these days, I’m going to trick you into doing something totally wild and crazy and you’re going to love it.”
Ivy balled up a piece of paper and threw it at Mel as she ducked out of the office. “There’s your wild and crazy!” Ivy opened the new file but after a few seconds, she gave up trying to prove she could be as free-spirited as Mel. She rose, picked up the paper ball and placed it in her trash can.
An hour later, Mel interrupted Ivy again. This time, however, her expression was grim and she was carrying a white box containing overstuffed legal files. The way she dropped the box on the floor confirmed that she wasn’t bringing good news.
“Special delivery from the old man.”
Ivy’s stomach churned acid. “Go ahead.”
“One of his special clients has an important hearing on Monday and he needs you to do some research and email him your findings by tomorrow night.”
“Tomorrow night? Wait, better question—why me?” Ivy sighed. “What did I ever do to deserve this?”
“Uh, how about you’re guilty of never complaining?”
“Hmmm. Or maybe he’s already figured out that I never have anything better to do on the weekend. Okay. Go away. I have to see what I’m up against.”
“Okay, but I brought you something else.” She pulled a small plastic baggie out of her pants pocket and held it out to Ivy. “It’s a couple of the sleeping pills my doctor gave me to try.”
