It took Simon longer than he expected to track down the dungeon master he’d passed Anna Beth off on. He finally found him at the front gate, talking with a security guard.
“Master Neal,” he said, addressing Simon, “we ran into some problems with the submissive who interrupted your scene.”
He could have groaned. Of course they had. He should have expected as much. “What kind of problems?”
The monitor shifted his weight. “I escorted her to her room so she could get her things. She said she didn’t have a car and that she came by cab . . . I . . . ummm . . .”
He didn’t have to say it. Simon could tell what happened by the expression on his face. “You left her in the room to pack and you waited outside the door to call a cab.”
“Right. I figured I was guarding the door.” He shrugged. “That she couldn’t get past me.”
“How much time passed before you realized she went out the back window?”
The monitor’s face turned red. “Longer than I’d like to admit.”
“Do you know where she went?”
The other man jerked his thumb toward the security guard. “We were just looking over the security video.”
Simon wasn’t sure what he could do to help, so he gave them both his card and room number and told them to call him when they found out anything. He walked back to the main building. It was past time for him to meet Lynne back in the room. He ran a hand through his hair. And just what was he going to do about her?
His initial reasons for staying away, namely that she wasn’t submissive, didn’t hold water anymore. He wasn’t even certain he could use the fact that he was a sadist. Plus, after discovering that Lynne and Faye were one and the same, he no longer had to feel guilty about spending time with two different women.
Which left two obstacles. Nathaniel and the trust issue.
He thought he knew Nathaniel well enough to know that if his friend felt he had Lynne’s best interest in mind, he wouldn’t have a problem with Simon seeing her. Of course, he’d been wrong before. But surely Nathaniel would see reason.
If Simon truly had her best interest in mind, that is.
Did he?
There was still the trust issue to work through, but he was man enough to admit he’d never really gotten over her after they broke up. And now, if there was a chance she could give him what he needed and he could do the same for her, he would be a fool to walk away.
He took the stairs to the room instead of the elevator, giving himself more time to think. He had her for the weekend. She had agreed to be his sub. What was the risk in enjoying the situation for what it was and reassessing Sunday night?
He couldn’t think of one, but as he opened the door to the room, he had a feeling he was missing something.
He’d thought since he was later than anticipated returning to the room, Lynne might not be in place. He was surprised to discover he was wrong. He looked through the door of the bedroom he’d claimed as his and saw her waiting in perfect position.
Fuck, he wanted her so bad. He checked his watch. Dinner could wait, and if he decided as the night went on that he wanted to play outside at the party, he really didn’t want their first scene together to be public. He should take her now.
His dick agreed.
Though he typically didn’t ask his dick’s opinion when it came to making decisions, it was nice that all his body parts were in agreement.
He took his time walking into the room. Her spine straightened just a hair when she heard him enter, and he watched her breathing grow heavier. No matter how many times he played, he never grew tired of the way a submissive waited. Anxious. Needy. Yearning. Excited.
To have them so focused on him and his next move was a rush like no other.
For that submissive to be Lynne cranked up the rush by about one hundred percent.
He stood in front of her and took his belt off, making sure he did it slowly enough that she could hear the leather sliding through the loops of his pants. He didn’t miss the small shiver that shook her body.
“You know I’m a sadist?” He hadn’t told her when they were together the last time, and he didn’t want to go any further without being very clear about who he was.
“Yes, Sir.”
He let one end of the belt hang so just a part of it was in her line of sight. She sucked in a breath.
Yes.
“Your mind is racing, isn’t it?” he asked. “There’s the part telling you to stand up and get the hell out of this room. That you’re crazy for even thinking about staying here. That no normal person would put themselves willingly into the hands of a sadist.”
He didn’t need her to answer. He knew he was right by the way she shifted slightly, as if wanting to give in to that advice.
“But the other part of you wants to stay right where you are because even though you know it doesn’t make sense, you want nothing more than to be right here, right now, with me. Isn’t that right?”
“Yes, Sir,” she said, and her response held no fear, only need.
“That part of you is louder than the other part, but if I’m not mistaken, you’ve been doing all you can to silence it. You’ve tried telling it no and that it’s a bad idea. You probably gave it all the reasons you can think of, and I’m sure some of them are really good reasons. But it’s never enough, is it? Deep in your soul, you have a need for this, and giving in and accepting that need is the only thing that’s going to shut it up. Am I right?”
“Yes, Sir.” Her cheeks were flushed. He’d hit her thoughts exactly, and some part of her was embarrassed. He thought the embarrassment came from her admission of what she needed and not that he’d read her so easily.
“Rest assured, I’ll do my very best to give you what you need this weekend. So, for the next forty-eight hours, let’s leave the outside world outside. There will be only you and me and what we do together. How does that sound?”
“Really good, Sir.” He didn’t miss the smile in her voice.
“And, Lynne, look at me.” He waited until she lifted her head before continuing. “You are not to feel shame or guilt for any of it. Understand?”
That one was harder for her to agree to. He appreciated that she didn’t comply without thinking it through, but he didn’t like her hesitation over something so basic in her personality. She was a submissive and she needed to accept that.
“I mean it, Lynne. We’ll check out and go home right now if you can’t agree to that.”
She took a deep breath. “I’ll try, Sir.”
It would have to do, he decided. As the weekend went on, he would make it a point to check in with her frequently. If he ever caught her feeling embarrassed, he’d simply take her aside and they would talk through it.
“Earlier, I said that I was going to punish you for your deceit during the demo, but I’ve changed my mind. We’re going to go ahead and get that out of the way right now, so we can, hopefully, spend the rest of the day exploring more pleasurable pursuits. Any questions so far?”
“No, Sir.”
“Anything you want to talk about that I didn’t bring up?”
“No, Sir.”
He doubled the belt in his hand. “All right, let’s get this over with. I want you to stand up and lean over the back of the couch. I’m going to use the belt, and there is no need for you to count. Tell me your safe word.”
“Red.”
“Nice and simple. This is a punishment, so it will hurt. And while my expectation is that you will accept what I give you, if it gets to be too much, you will use your safe word without hesitation. If you understand, go get into position.”
She slowly rose to her feet and moved to stand behind the couch. He watched her, looking for any signs of distress and not finding any. She presented herself perfectly.
He wasn’t looking forward to this. Disciplining a sub was hard. Though he was a sadist, he didn’t enjoy inflicting pain for the sake of pain. It was much more enjoyable when both people got something out of it.
He moved behind her and gently caressed her backside. He wasn’t sure how many strokes he was going to give her. That was one of the downsides of never having played with her before; he wasn’t sure what she could take.
He warmed her up slowly with his hand, spending more time than he normally would because she was so unknown to him. But even then, the strokes weren’t painless. He could tell when they really started to hurt because of the way her muscles strained to remained still.
He ran two fingers between her legs and felt the evidence of her arousal. Feeling her excitement made him grow hard. Because this was a discipline session, he wouldn’t take her. But he would soon, he promised himself. He definitely would.
Satisfied that he had warmed her skin up enough, he started spanking her with the belt. He didn’t go easy on her. He wanted her to have a sore backside so that she would remember what happened when she lied.
He watched her carefully. Silent tears ran down her cheeks, but she didn’t utter a sound. Her ass was a deep red, and he knew she’d recall this very moment with just about every move she made.
“Spread your legs more. Give me access to that greedy pussy.”
She faltered for a second, no doubt wondering what his plans were. He had just opened his mouth to tell her to do it now when she widened her stance.
“Good girl,” he said instead. “Last few strokes.”
He brought the belt down on her pussy three times—each one made her jump and squeal. As soon as the last one fell, he dropped the belt and carried her to the bed. He gathered her in his arms, holding her and gently rubbing her back. He knew she’d never been spanked before, and he’d feared she’d pull away from him, but she didn’t. In fact, he was happily surprised that she seemed to want to put her arms around him.
He snagged a nearby blanket and covered her with it, not wanting her to get cold. She snuggled deeper into his embrace, and he was glad he’d decided to get that out of the way. Now the entire weekend was before them, promising nothing but decadent pleasure.
He’d forgotten how comforting it was to simply hold a submissive. It’d been far too long since he had. Since their schedule was free for the rest of the day, he decided they’d take it easy for the next hour or so. Lynne might need to talk since it had been her first punishment session.
Or, he thought, tightening his arms around her, she might just need to be held. And he was perfectly okay with that, too.
Because he’d decided that they would rest for the foreseeable future, it took longer than it should have for him to notice Lynne’s hands were getting more provocative. He caught her wrist as it traced his jeans.
“What are you doing?” he asked.
“I want you, Sir.” Her eyes were dark with lust. “Take me. Please.”
Out of all the things he might have expected her to say and all the ways he thought she might react, her asking for sex had never entered his mind as a possibility. His dick, of course, was all for it.
“Now?” he asked.
“Yes, Sir.”
He could imagine there were very few men who could turn a request like that down. How could he tell her no? Why would he?
Actually, he could think of a few reasons to refuse her, but at the moment none of them seemed important.
He lifted the blanket from her upper body and dropped a kiss on her shoulder. “I need to care for your backside first.”
Maybe the act of tending to her would help keep his libido in check. As it was, it felt like he was losing the tentative grip he had on his control.
“Roll over onto your belly,” he said as he got out of bed. What he needed was in the bags he’d brought, but he’d left them in the living room. He made sure Lynne was covered and went to get it.
He’d also left his phone in the living room, and of course it happened to start ringing as soon as he was making his way back to the bedroom. Whoever it was could leave a message. Lynne was his top priority right now.
She was in the same position he’d left her in, but at his entrance, she lifted her head and looked over her shoulder at him. Damn, she was gorgeous.
“Ass hurt?” he asked, even though he knew the answer. He climbed onto the bed, lifted the blanket, and tended to her skin.
“Yes, Sir,” she said. “But I like it. Well, not like it, like it. I mean, I don’t want to do that again, but yeah. It reminds me of you, and because of that, I like it.”
She fisted the sheets, almost as if she needed something to hold on to. “You okay?” he asked. The cream he was putting on her shouldn’t be causing her pain, but something was bothering her.
“Yes, Sir,” she said.
He kissed her lower back, right above the swell of her backside, and he swore he could feel her body relax at his touch. He caressed her, teased the skin of her back with nibbles and kisses.
Pressing himself along her back, being careful not to put too much pressure on her ass, he dropped his head and whispered in her ear, “I want you to get up on all fours, so I can fuck you while I admire how red I made your ass.”
“Sir? I . . . um . . .”
“Yes?”
“Remember when you said earlier not to be embarrassed or ashamed by what I want?”
“Yes.” He kept stroking her body, not wanting to let her arousal subside.
“I would like to do something, and, well, it’s okay for me to ask, right? I know as a Dom you don’t have to do it.”
He was struck again at how different she was now compared to when they were together the first time. That Lynne would have never asked for anything. He was so proud of her, he knew he’d give her anything she wanted.
“Tell me,” he said. “No more secrets between us. If you have a need or want, you bring it to me.”
She took a deep breath. “Do I have to be on all fours?”
That was what she wanted to talk about? Positions? Really?
Instead of explaining why he thought it’d be better for her to be on all fours, he decided to see just how open and forthcoming she was going to be. “How would you like to be?”
“On my back.” She wasn’t looking at him now. She had her head turned to the side away from him. That was probably why she was able to talk so freely. He needed to remember that. “I know it’ll be maybe a little painful, but I think I’d like it like that. You on top of me, taking me, while at the same time, I feel what you did to my ass not too long ago. The harder you fuck me, the more I’ll feel where you spanked me and it’ll—”
He cut her off by flipping her over and claiming her mouth with a kiss. Hot fucking damn, if hearing her talk like that wasn’t the hottest and sexiest thing he’d ever heard, he didn’t know what was. Listening to her had turned a part of him on that had been dormant for entirely too long. Hell, he wasn’t even sure it’d ever been turned on. And he was willing to bet she had no idea what her words did to ignite the sadist within him.
Beneath him, she was all softness and sexy curves, her body a treasure map of pleasure that was his for the taking. She wasn’t passive in her kiss, either. Oh no, not this new Lynne. She took as well as she gave, and as much as he was tasting her, she tasted him.
He ended the kiss with a bite on her lower lip that made her groan. “I think you’ve got quite a bit of a masochist in you.”
It was his ultimate dream, the one he never thought he could have, and here it was in his arms. Lynne. His Lynne. Looking at him as if he was her dream, too.
• • •
It was hard for Lynne to breathe the way Simon was looking at her. His eyes held an intensity she’d never seen before. It was a bit disarming, actually. Like he wanted to devour her and at the same time to shelter and protect her from anything.
“I think you might be right,” she said. “And, trust me, that doesn’t come as a bigger shock to anyone than it does me.”
“Why is that?”
She couldn’t believe, given the position they were in, that he wanted to talk. She almost thought about asking if he was serious, but being on her back had the exact effect she’d thought it would. Yet the pain from her backside only added to the overwhelming sense of arousal that made her grit her teeth so she wouldn’t hump against him, desperate for relief.
But still, she wasn’t going to goad him into punishing her again.
“Why is it a shock that I think I might be a masochist?” she asked, repeating his question. “I guess because I always categorized them. Thought that they would look different, act different. I never saw them as someone who could work as a nanny or a schoolteacher.”
As soon as the words left her mouth, she realized how foolish they sounded.
“Saying it, I can tell how silly that is. Like your profession dictates your sexual needs or something.” She wrinkled her nose. “Or your sexual needs dictate your profession. Either way it doesn’t work.”
“No, it doesn’t. And you are no less and no more of anything because of what you need sexually.”
He hadn’t moved away in the time they’d been talking, and she was suddenly very much aware of his body towering over her. She could feel him even if she closed her eyes. It went beyond the spanking he’d given her. Some part of him connected with her inner being. She knew deep in her soul that it would never be like that with anyone else.
The mood in the room changed, and Simon must have felt it, too. His eyes grew dark and hungry.
“You have no idea what you do to me,” he said.
“Will you show me, Sir?” she asked, teasing him a bit.
“Tell me.” He lowered his body just enough that he pressed her a bit further into the bed. Even the slight shifting of his body had her backside moving against the sheets. She was very much aware of all that had happened to her not long before. “When we’re positioned like this, is it like you thought it would be?”
He spread her legs apart with his knees, and the soreness from his spanking intensified.
“No, Sir,” she said.
“No?”
“It’s even better.”
That was all it took. He let out a sound that was something between a growl and a grunt, and he came up on his knees. Quicker than she thought possible, his pants were off and a condom was in his hand and he was rolling it on.
“You just shot my plan to go slow and easy straight to hell,” he said.
“Oh, thank God,” she said, wanting to sit up and touch him, but wanting to obey him more. Since he hadn’t given any instruction, she thought it best to wait.
His grin was both predatory and determined. “Have something against slow and easy?”
“No, Sir. Not on principle. But in this case, at this point in time? Yes, I have something against slow and easy.”
At odds with his words, his hands grazed the skin of her belly in a way that his light touch made goose bumps pebble up. “Knowing that almost makes me want to go slow and easy just because you don’t want me to.”
He rolled one of her nipples between this thumb and forefinger, ending with a sharp pinch. She gasped and arched her back, wanting to take more if it was his wish.
“I’ve wanted you for so long, Sir. I don’t care how you take me.”
He froze at her words, and she bit her lip. Dammit. She shouldn’t have said anything.
“I’m sorry, Lynne.”
Now she really knew she shouldn’t have said anything. They had gone from hot and heavy to melancholy.
“There’s nothing to apologize for, Sir.” And since he’d told her he wanted honesty from now on, she added, “I don’t mind talking about the past, but I’d really, really like to not talk about it right this second.”
He no longer looked melancholy. The desire and lust that had never truly disappeared from his expression had almost totally taken over. “I’m not opposed to delaying our conversation till later. On one condition, that is.”
“Anything, Sir.”
“Talk like that will get you in trouble with me one day,” he said, and though his voice held a bit of a teasing note, she knew he was being serious.
“Almost anything, Sir,” she corrected.
“Better.” He took her hands and brought them out to her sides so they were perpendicular to her body. “The condition is you have to keep your arms right there and don’t move them. If you move them, I stop what I’m doing and you won’t come at all this weekend.”
She vowed then and there, the room could catch on fire and she wasn’t moving her arms. “Yes, Sir.”
“You know I’m going to try really hard to entice you to move those arms.”
She grabbed on to the sheets. “I expected that, Sir.”
He didn’t say anything further, but lowered his head to her shoulder and began to kiss his way across and down her body. He even paid attention to both arms, kissing the bend of each elbow in turn.
She thought it was a pity she couldn’t touch him. It was evil and mean of him to deprive her of that privilege. But as he continued his way down, seconds before his mouth found her nipple, it struck her that maybe he’d had her keep her hands to herself because he doubted his control if she touched him.
While she’d expected him to be a thorough lover, she’d vastly underestimated just how thorough that could be. She was positive he didn’t skip one inch of her as he licked, kissed, and stroked his way down her body. By the time he finally lifted his head, she had twisted the sheets several times in her fists and was trembling with the strain to keep still.
“I’m impressed,” he said, and his voice was so calm and even sounding, she nearly cursed him out.
But she swallowed those words and took a deep breath. “I have to say, Sir,” she said, surprised that her voice didn’t mimic the tension she felt everywhere else in her body, “you surprise me.”
“How so?” He trailed a fingertip around her belly, and she moaned.
“When you told me you were a sadist, this isn’t how I expected you to torture me.”
He laughed softly and bent his head to bite where his fingers had been. She sucked in a breath as he blew across the wet spot left behind. Her belly shivered in the most delightful way.
“Expecting it to be a bit more like that?” he asked.
“Yes, Sir.”
“Lucky for you, I have many, many ways to whip your body into a frenzy.” As if to prove his point, he pulled her legs over his shoulders and gave her ass a quick slap.
She yelped—she was still sore from his earlier spanking. But he didn’t stop there; he promptly teased her clit, and she almost released her hold on the sheets.
“Dammit.” She wrapped more of the cotton around her hands.
“Cursing in bed?” He raised an eyebrow.
“You bring out the bad girl in me, Sir.”
“You say that like it’s a bad thing.”
“Definitely not bad, Sir. I rather like it.”
“Do you?” he asked.
The entire time they’d been talking, he’d kept up his teasing fingers along her inner thighs, dipping his finger into her slightly, but never deep enough to give her the relief she desperately wanted.
He was looking at her as if waiting for her to say something. What was it? She couldn’t think anymore with those fingers of his doing what they were doing. “I don’t remember the question, Sir.”
“That’s okay,” he said. “It wasn’t important anyway.”
She still had her legs on his shoulders, and she thought she would go crazy as she watched him slowly place himself at her entrance. She thought he would go fast, but once again he surprised her and ever so slowly pushed his way inside.
She arched her back. In the position she was in, she could feel everything. Him filling her up, the soreness of her backside, and when he moved his hands to pinch her nipples, she shuddered.
“You’d better not come without permission.” There was no trace of a teasing note left in his voice, and she knew she’d better hold on until he told her differently.
She bit her bottom lip, hoping the pain would help keep her from release. But as she was quickly learning, the pain just seemed to make it more intense.
“Please, Sir.”
He didn’t answer, but continued to push his way inside. So slow. He was trying to torture her by pleasure. And he was doing an excellent job at it. He held still for a second, and she took a deep breath, thinking she had taken him all. But just as she was getting ready to breathe a little easier, he thrust the rest of the way in.
She yelped and felt herself start to tighten around him, but she held off. She closed her eyes and concentrated as hard as she could, finally able to hold off the orgasm.
“Such a good girl,” he said.
“I’m not sure I can be for much longer, Sir.”
He started moving within her slowly, rocking his hips back and forth, as if he had all the time in the world. She supposed they did; after all, they didn’t have anywhere else to be tonight.
“You feel so good,” he said, and sped up.
She mumbled something, but she wasn’t sure what, because at that moment he grabbed hold of her backside and used it for leverage. His fingers dug into her aching flesh. It should have hurt too much, but instead it was just as she’d told him it would be. Between the soreness of her backside and his relentless pounding into her, she felt completely claimed.
“You can move your arms,” he ground out in a coarse voice.
It was the sign she’d been waiting for, and she threw her arms around him as if he were the only thing holding her down to earth. “Please, Sir,” she begged. “I don’t think I can hold off.”
“Then come.” He tightened his grip on her ass.
That was all it took. She lifted her hips, wanting him to go deeper. He complied, and she shattered around him. He held still until she finished.
She opened her eyes and sucked in a breath. He loomed over her, his body straining, and she realized he hadn’t climaxed yet.
“Now it’s my turn,” he growled.
She could only hold on tight to his arms and nod as he took his pleasure from her body. He was magnificent to watch, all rippled muscle and male strength. She felt another climax approaching, and she looked up to him in question.
“Yes,” he said.
She breathed a sigh of relief, and while the orgasm was not as intense as the previous one, it still took her breath away, especially watching Simon giving in to his own release.
He roared with pleasure as it passed. Breathing heavily, he gathered her in his arms and rolled them so she was on top. A minor detail, but one she was thankful for, because now that her body had had a chance to come down from its high, she was aware of every ache and pain.
She winced as she tried to get into a more comfortable position. Simon immediately sensed her need and helped her.
“Let me get you something for the pain,” he said.
Frankly, watching Simon walk around the hotel room naked worked just as well as any pain medication, she thought. But when he came back to the bed with two pills, she went ahead and swallowed them, figuring it couldn’t hurt.
She drank the water he gave her and giggled when her stomach gurgled.
Simon raised an eyebrow. “Are you hungry?”
“I don’t feel hungry, but it seems my belly thinks differently.”
“I had planned for us to go down to one of the restaurants on site here, but now I think I’ll change our plans.” His gaze wandered over her still naked body. She felt completely sated, albeit sore, but thought she probably looked like she was in desperate need of a shower.
Of course, maybe not. From the way he was looking at her, it didn’t appear he found her in need of anything. She decided she wasn’t going to allow herself to be self-conscious, so even though she felt like pulling the sheet up to her chest, she didn’t. In fact, she went one step further and pushed it down to her ankles.
“What do you have in mind?” she asked him.
The corner of his mouth lifted in a slight smile. “I’m thinking we order room service and eat up here.”
She wasn’t an overly social person. Most of the time she favored an evening at home as opposed to going to a party or any other type of social gathering. That was probably why she did so well as a nanny. She simply didn’t care to be surrounded by people.
“We can go down to the party and dance after we eat, if that’s what you want,” he said.
“Only if you want to, Sir. I’m perfectly content to stay up here, just the two of us.”
He nodded. “I wouldn’t mind a nice quiet night to ourselves, either. But there are several people who mentioned they wanted to talk to me tonight. I think we’ll have to be social for a little while at least.”
“I can handle that.” She’d heard there would be dancing, and while she rarely had the opportunity to dance, it was something she enjoyed. Looking over at Simon’s built-for-sin body, she found it wasn’t hard to imagine dancing with him, his arms around her, his hips grinding into hers. An unspoken promise of what he’d be doing when the dance was over.
Damn. She grew aroused just thinking about it.
“In fact, Sir, I might go so far as to say I’d really like to head downstairs after dinner. Especially if you think I might be able to persuade you to dance a little bit?”
She didn’t know if he liked to dance or would even want to.
“You might possibly be able to talk me into a dance or two.” He grinned. “Though I have to warn you, I have two left feet.”
“I don’t believe it, Sir.”
“It’s probably something you have to experience firsthand.” He walked to the desk and picked up the room service menu. “Anything in particular you want for dinner?”
She raised an eyebrow.
He snorted. “That I can order from downstairs?”
“In that case, no, not really.”
He gave her thigh a slap. “You have thirty minutes, and then I want you back in here.”
“Naked?”
“I’ll tell you when you can have clothes; until then, assume I want you naked at all times.”
She pretended to be outraged, but deep inside she loved it and had a feeling Simon knew it as well. She waited for him to disappear into his bathroom before she hopped out of bed and went into hers to take a shower. She thought about surprising him by saying she thought it was a waste of water for them to take separate showers. But she didn’t, deciding she wasn’t sure if he’d like that.
Crazy. What normal man wouldn’t want to have a willing and naked woman in his shower?
But neither she nor Simon had ever been considered normal.
By the time she made it back to his bedroom, twenty-five minutes later, she’d showered and washed and dried her hair. Simon stood near the nightstand with his back to her, and she took a second to admire his ass, even though he had put a pair of jeans on.
“I really don’t think it’s fair that I have to be naked and you get clothes, Sir.” She crossed her arms and tried to look perturbed.
He turned around and her breath caught. How was it possible for him to look so good in only a pair of jeans? His hair was still damp from his shower, and she wondered if his skin would be as well.
“I thought one of us should be decent when they delivered the food,” he said.
As if they’d heard him, someone knocked on the door. Simon flashed her a smile. “Wait here.”
Like she was going to give whoever delivered dinner a peep show. When he walked out to answer the door, she went to her knees to wait. It was a small gesture, but one she believed he’d appreciate. It took a bit longer than she’d thought it would for him to come back into the room. She strained her ears, but couldn’t hear anything. Finally, she closed her eyes and thought about what his expression would be when he came in and saw her.
She couldn’t contain a smile of victory at his gasp when he walked through the door. There were soft footsteps as he approached her.
“Very nice, Lynne,” he said, and she delighted in the way his voice sent shivers up and down her spine. Damn, but she loved it when he said her name. “Now, come with me.”
She stood and followed him into the living area. He’d been busy. She first noticed the candles scattered around the room. Short pillar candles seemed to be his favorite. There were four on the coffee table alone. Also on the table were three silver-domed trays, a bottle of wine, and a single glass. As they moved closer, she saw there was only one table setting as well. What the fuck? Was one of them not eating?
He led her to the couch and sat down, indicating she should kneel at his feet. She told herself that she wouldn’t let thoughts that she shouldn’t do any such thing prevent her from doing it. She was kneeling. At a man’s feet. And she was naked. Later. She would think about it all later. Then maybe she could discuss it with him. She wasn’t going to mention anything to him at the moment, at least not about that. She thought she might decide to tell him that she would like something to eat.
Those words died on her lips when he reached for the wine, poured a glass, and held it up to her lips. She took a sip, and was only a little surprised when he didn’t drink anything.
“You will eat tonight,” he said, stroking her cheek. “But only by my hand.”
Having a Dom feed her while she sat at his feet had never played out in her fantasies. She was quite certain that if it had, she wouldn’t have thought there to be anything sexy at all about the scenario. Yet, at this moment in time, kneeling at Simon’s feet and waiting for him to feed her, it was one of the biggest turn-ons she’d ever experienced.
As he took pieces of bread and held them to her mouth, or bade her part her lips for a taste of shrimp, something deep inside her belly grew warm and wanting. It was the most infuriating thing because he didn’t seem bothered at all. Nor did he eat or drink anything. Apparently, it was all for her.
She started to squirm as her clit begged to be touched.
“None of that,” Simon said. “Be still.”
She bit the inside of her cheek to keep from sighing. It was torture to have him doing something as intimate as feeding her and having to remain still while he did it. He held a block of cheese to her lips, and she took the opportunity to suck one of his fingers into her mouth.
“Such a dirty little girl,” he said. “Sucking on fingers like they were someone’s cock.”
She nodded around his finger. Maybe he’d do something about it now.
“You know, I was going to have you for dessert, but I think I’m full now and I’ll save my treat for later.”
He was such a bastard. She grumbled around his finger, but he only laughed. “None of that. Why don’t you go get dressed and we’ll see about dancing? See if I can make you believe I have two left feet.”
• • •
Two hours later, she believed him. What she didn’t believe was how someone as talented as he was in everything else could suck so badly at dancing.
“Sorry,” he said, after once again stepping on her toes.
She gritted her teeth, because damn that hurt. “I get it now. You’re a sadist. You get some perverse pleasure from repeatedly stepping on me.”
He gave a short laugh. “Good one. But unfortunately, no. I’m just really bad at dancing, and believe me, stepping on toes is not my kind of kink.”
“My feet beg to differ, Sir.”
He winced at that. “Perhaps we should sit this one out?”
“I think that’s the best idea you’ve had all day.”
He placed his hand at the small of her back, and they weaved their way through the sea of people dancing. Couples and groups of both genders and multiple nationalities gyrated to the rhythmic beat that pulsated through the speakers set up in the courtyard.
There were scattered benches lined around the perimeter of the outside space, and Simon took her to an empty one.
“Sit in my lap,” he told her once he sat down.
She thought he’d have her kneel either at his side or in front of him, and she’d actually been looking forward to it. But her disappointment didn’t last, because the only place she’d rather sit than at his feet was in his lap.
He gave her a tug, and she tumbled into his lap. “There we go. Much better.”
His arms came around her, and her skin heated where he touched her. All it took was that little touch for memories of what they’d done earlier in the day to flood her mind and for her body to crave his hands on her again.
He must have experienced something similar, because his hands didn’t leave her body. He placed one hand up high on her thigh, and the other traced invisible lines on her knee.
“This is much better,” he said, and because she was in his lap, his breath brushed her skin as he talked. “We can sit here and people-watch.”
“I love people watching.”
And there was no shortage of people to watch at the moment. From their position in the courtyard, they could see both the dance floor and the play area.
“The problem, Sir, is trying to decide who you want to observe first.”
“Very true. I think I’ve had enough dancing for the moment, so I’ll watch the people playing.”
That sounded infinitely better than watching people dance. She could see that almost anytime she wanted. Watching people play, however, wasn’t something she often had the opportunity to observe. There wasn’t a lack of scenes to pick from. From what she could tell, at least with the current activity taking place in the play area, most of the scenes were not extreme or edge play. Though Simon had mentioned that there were private rooms available for rent.
Playing with Simon in private would be fun, but surely they would have plenty of time for that after this weekend. Right? She bit her bottom lip, wondering.
“See that man at the far end?” Simon asked her. “The one with the two female subs?”
The man in question was directing the two women in front of a large web-looking thing. “Suspension?” she asked.
“Yes. He’s very good, from what I’ve heard.”
She tried to watch, but suspension wasn’t a big turn-on for her, and neither was playing with a female. Her focus kept being drawn to a flogging scene closer to them.
“The gentleman with the flogger is quite good, too,” Simon said, and she couldn’t miss the smile in his voice.
“Sorry, Sir.” She looked back at the suspension scene. “I don’t think that’s my kink.”
“Why?”
“For one, I don’t like heights and it looks fucking scary.”
He smirked. “All the more reason to do it. Was there a second reason?”
“I don’t know if I want to tell you now.”
He ran a finger down her arm, and she shivered. “You always have a safe word. No is always an answer.”
“I don’t want to be in a three-way. Especially with a woman.”
He nodded. “Yes, that was on your checklist. Marked as a hard limit. That means it won’t happen.”
Technically, she supposed it was Faye’s checklist, and though she supposed they were one and the same, she appreciated that he didn’t bring that up.
“Right,” she said. “I forgot that was on there. I should have marked suspension as well.”
“The fact that you didn’t tells me that deep inside you may want to give it a try. But if I remember correctly, it was marked as a soft limit, and as such, I won’t be pushing it this weekend.”
His words only relaxed her slightly. She had a feeling there was more he wasn’t saying. Maybe that while he wouldn’t push the limit this weekend, next weekend was totally up for grabs. There was just enough devilish delight in his eyes to keep her on the edge of uncertainty.
She decided to change the topic of conversation. “That Dom using two floggers at a time is pretty cool.”
Simon didn’t even look at the Dom she was talking about. “Would that be something you’re interested in experiencing?”
“Yes, Sir. Definitely more than suspension.”
He muttered an agreement and moved the hand that was on her thigh farther up her leg. “Keep watching the Dom with two floggers. And whatever you do, don’t make a sound.”
Oh, shit. That didn’t sound good. What was he planning to do?
She didn’t have to wait long before she found out. He dropped his head and whispered in her ear, “I’m getting so hard with you sitting here in my lap. And watching all these people is giving me all sorts of ideas about what I’d like to do with you.”
She would have groaned if he would have allowed it. Damn, but he wasn’t going to make this easy. Not that she expected him to.
“I can feel how wet you are through your panties.” He palmed her pussy, and the heat from his hand felt so good, she wiggled, trying to get closer. That earned her a sharp slap, right on her clit. “Be still.”
She froze in place and pretended to be a stone. That in and of itself would have been difficult enough just sitting on his lap, but when you added in his wandering fingers, she didn’t know how much she could take.
“Good girl,” he finally said, stilling his hands. “Now I want you to move just enough to slide the panties off.”
Here? She looked around. It was stupid to be embarrassed. She’d been naked for the demo practice, and she’d be naked for the demo tomorrow. And hell, it wasn’t as if there weren’t plenty of naked people in the courtyard this very second.
But somehow the thought of taking her panties off in public made her cheeks heat. Which, again, was stupid. They were just panties. She glanced at Simon, who was watching her with an I’m waiting expression. It hit her that this was the reason he hadn’t told her not to wear panties. He’d wanted to make her take them off in public.
She’d thought it was odd that he didn’t say anything about not wearing them. At the time, she’d decided maybe he was being nice by letting her wear them. Now she knew the truth. He’d known the entire time what he was going to have her do. There was nothing nice about it.
If only she could talk. But he’d told her not to, and she wasn’t in a mood to be bratty and disobedient. Which meant there was only one thing for her to do.
She lifted her hips slightly and pushed the panties down and off, wondering the entire time if someone other than Simon was watching, but not looking around to see. Because, damn, what if someone was observing her?
She forced herself to think reasonably. If anyone was watching, they probably thought what she was doing was hot. If the roles were reversed and she was watching a Dom with a sub in his lap and the sub took her panties off, she’d think the scene was hot. Especially if the Dom was as yummy-looking as Simon. She ran her gaze over his body since her eyes were the only part of her that she could move. He’d slipped on a T-shirt before they’d come down, and it stretched across his chest muscles in the most fabulous way. Add in his biceps and, yup, she was done for.
She handed the panties to Simon, but he shook his head. “Put them in your mouth.”
What?
She didn’t say it out loud, but it must have been written all over her face.
“I don’t think I was unclear, Lynne. Put the panties in your mouth.”
Funny, when he said he’d be pushing her this weekend, this wasn’t what she thought he had meant. She could either do what he requested or safeword. And panties weren’t worth safewording over. Keeping her eyes on Simon, she opened her mouth and put the panties inside.
Good God, she wasn’t going to look anywhere else. What if people were looking back?
“Wasn’t as bad as you thought it was going to be, was it?” he asked.
She couldn’t talk with her mouth full of underwear, so she shook her head. Maybe he’d let her take them out now.
But no, he once more started teasing her upper thigh with his fingers, and this time when he reached the top, there was no cloth in his way. She bit down on the material in her mouth, suddenly thankful it was there.
“So wet,” he murmured in her ear. “I could unzip my pants and slide right on inside you, couldn’t I?”
She nodded, begging him with her eyes. Please. Yes. Now.
But that wasn’t part of his plan. Oh, no. That would have been way too easy. And if she knew one thing about Simon, it was that he rarely did anything the easy way.
Instead of releasing his cock and giving them what they both wanted, he continued to tease her. He brought her right to the edge. She was so full of tension and strung so tight from withholding her release, she thought she’d combust if he blew the lightest breath on her. Not to mention, she was ever so thankful she had something to bite down on to help keep her from climaxing without permission.
Just as she was getting ready to either say, “Fuck it,” and deal with the consequences or safeword, his fingers were gone. She took a shaky breath.
He reached up and took the panties out of her mouth. “You okay?”
Deep breath. “Yes, Sir.”
He didn’t replace the panties, but stuck them in his pocket. “One more thing tonight and then I’ll take you upstairs and do all sorts of wicked and depraved things to your body.”
He truly was going to kill her.
• • •
If he weren’t so hard he feared his dick would be permanently imprinted with his zipper, he’d have laughed at Lynne’s look of exasperation. He’d pushed her a bit. Not nearly as far as he wanted or could, but far enough, given her relative inexperience in the kink world. So far, she’d taken everything he’d given her—and she’d taken it surprisingly well.
He watched her process his commands, happy to see that she didn’t mindlessly do anything he asked her. She was new to all this, and she took the time to ensure it was not something she had an issue with before she followed through.
He respected that. All too often he’d seen new submissives blindly leap into whatever the Dom they were with wanted without making sure it was also what they wanted. Granted, he held the Dom responsible as well. But it all came down to the sub.
From what he’d seen tonight, Lynne was certainly a sub, but she was no doormat. And because she’d done so well, he intended to reward her once they made it back to their room.
But first . . .
“I want you to dance for me,” he told her. “We both know I’m no good at it, and I’m willing to bet neither one of us wants to repeat our earlier attempt. But I don’t think you got to dance enough, and I want to watch you without having to worry about stepping on your toes.”
She gave a small laugh at his last statement and slid off his lap.
For a minute she looked awkward and uncertain, but he knew she only needed time to adjust and get comfortable.
“Close your eyes,” he told her. “It’ll make it easier.”
She didn’t hesitate, but took his advice immediately. Almost as soon as she did, her body relaxed. Very slowly, she started to sway in time with the music. Subtle at first, but then, as she grew more comfortable and confident, her moves became bolder.
Her hips swayed and gyrated. Gradually, she let her arms loosen, and they followed the movement of her torso. Before he knew it and right before his eyes, she turned into a siren. The way she moved, so full of grace and sensuality, completely mesmerized him.
He couldn’t take his eyes off the vixen before him. Her dance was both a long tease and the most incredible foreplay he’d ever experienced. He wanted to watch her forever and push her against a wall so he could bury himself deep inside her.
He clenched his hands into fists so he would not disturb her with his touch. Fuck, that one time earlier in the day hadn’t been enough to satisfy the need he had for her. Not that he thought it would, but he hadn’t expected to need her again quite so badly.
He vaguely wondered how many times and ways he could take her without impacting their stamina to do the demo the next day.
There was no answer forthcoming; he just knew he had to have her. Many times.
“Open your eyes,” he told her. “Don’t look anywhere except at me.”
He’d thought she might be self-conscious, but when she opened her eyes he could tell she was fully into her dance. She didn’t once look anywhere except at him. Her eyes had grown dark with lust, and she moved as if her only desire in the world was to dance for him.
“Come closer, but don’t touch.”
She moved forward, never missing a step and never glancing away from him even though his eyes traveled all over her body. He drank in every detail of the sultry woman before him.
Following his command, she got so close to him, he felt the heat from her body, but she never touched him. Then she totally blew his mind by bending her legs, one on either side of his, and moving in such a way that mimicked her riding him.
Fucking hell, he was adding that to the plan for tonight.
“Tell me, Sir,” she said, her eyes still on him and continuing to move in a way guaranteed to make him come in his pants. “I know I can’t touch you, but can you touch me?”
He should remind her that he was a Dom and, as such, he could do anything he wanted. Then he should spank her ass for forgetting, but instead he nodded. “Of course I can. However, at this moment, I’ve decided not to touch you.”
She gave a pout, but continued dancing, almost grazing his crotch. Dammit. His fingers itched with the need to touch her.
“And if you insist on pouting like a bratty toddler, I’ll keep my hands to myself all night.”
Her eyes sparkled with mischief. “You can keep your hands to yourself, Sir, as long as you share the other parts.”
He couldn’t help it; he snorted at her response. How was it he’d never been able to laugh while playing before? And what was it about Lynne that made it possible? Was he stricter with other subs, or was it just her nature and it hadn’t been that way for the other women he’d played with? He wasn’t sure, but he liked being able to actually play during play.
“The other parts?” he asked. “What other parts would that be? I believe I need specifics.”
“Your cock, Sir.”
He was surprised she’d said it. Even though she hadn’t had a problem being vocal earlier in the day, now they were in public. While it was doubtful anyone was listening to their conversation, the possibility always existed that someone could.
He flashed her a grin and, before she could guess his intention, grabbed her by the waist and pulled her down on top of him. She yelped in surprise and he bit her earlobe.
“This cock?” He thrust his hips up, making sure he came into contact with her clit.
“Oh, shit. Yes, Sir.” She ground her hips against his covered erection. “That’s the one I was talking about.”
“It damn well better be. Because you sure as hell aren’t getting anyone else’s.”
She nodded, still trying to find her own pleasure in humping him.
“Stop,” he commanded, holding her hips still.
She whined, but froze in place, breathing heavily.
“I think I’ve people-watched enough for one night,” he said, and she nodded in agreement. “I want you to get off my lap and walk in front of me. We’re not taking the elevator; we’re taking the stairs so I can enjoy watching that ass of yours.”
She lowered her eyes and softly spoke two words. “Yes, Sir.”
Speaking of her ass, his plans for what they were going to do when they reached the room changed as she walked up the stairs. Oh no, he wasn’t finished with that ass just yet.
They made it back to the room and she stood in the middle of the living room floor, waiting.
“Is that how you wait for your Dom?” he asked, crossing his arms.
She let out a squeal and dropped to her knees.
“Very good,” he said. “But you’re overdressed.”
Cursing, she stood up long enough to rip her clothes off and then knelt again, breathing heavily from exertion as well as from anticipation if he had to guess.
“Better,” he said. “Next time, let’s try to get it right the first time. And next time, I want you in red lipstick; nothing turns me on more than a sub with red lipstick sucking my cock.”
She nodded.
“Now.” He stepped closer to her, invaded her space, wanting to ensure she thought of nothing other than him and the words he was saying. “You’ve been teasing me with that ass of yours all night. Not to mention how much I got to see it when I spanked you.”
“Oh no,” she muttered, probably guessing where he was going.
“Oh, yes. You don’t have anal sex marked as a hard limit. Tell me, have you had anal sex before?”
“No, Sir.”
He grew harder at the thought of being the first to claim her there. “Have you ever used a plug?”
“Once or twice,” she admitted, though she didn’t sound like she was happy to be doing so. “I didn’t enjoy it, Sir.”
He tilted his head. “Did you use one on yourself, or did someone use one on you?”
“I used it on myself, Sir.”
“I see.” And he did. “However, I really enjoy anal sex and I want it, so that’s what we’re going to do. I’ll go slow and I’ll be as gentle as I can, but unless you safeword, my cock’s going up your ass. Tonight.”
“Yes, Sir.” Though she would probably deny it, he could tell by the way she answered, in that breathy voice, that she was more than a little turned on by the thought of what he was going to do.
“Move forward,” he said. “Face on the floor, ass in the air.”
She muttered something under her breath but moved into position.
“Nice,” he said. “Now you’re going to stay like that and think about what your ass is getting ready to take while I prepare.”
Leaving her in the living room, he went into the bedroom to collect what he needed. She hadn’t moved when he returned, though she jerked when he dropped to her side and stroked her backside.
“So jumpy,” he mused.
“Sorry, Sir,” she quipped. “I’m a bit anxious about that monster cock fitting inside me that way.”
“I can handle anxiety.” He kept stroking her. “Nerves and feeling a bit scared are okay as well.”
“And I’m afraid it’s going to hurt.”
He massaged both her butt cheeks. “I suppose it will hurt a little to begin with, and there’s not much I can do about that. But if you trust me and do what I say, it’ll go easier on you. Can you do that?”
“I’ll try, Sir.”
“That’s all I need.” He gave her ass a sharp slap. “Now reach back and spread your cheeks so I can prepare them.”
“Sir!”
“Is there a problem?”
“That sounds horribly embarrassing, Sir.”
“And?”
“And I don’t want to.”
He rained three hard and fast slaps on her ass. “Did I ask you what you wanted?”
“No, Sir.”
He gave her three more. “Do you think I care that you’re embarrassed?”
She whimpered, but he didn’t miss the wetness starting to appear between her legs. “No, Sir.”
“Exactly.” He rubbed the skin he’d spanked, making sure she felt it. “What I care about is you following directions. Now reach back and hold yourself open.”
This time there was no hesitation.
“Very nice.” He reached between her legs and teased her clit, pleased at the ass wiggle she gave him in response. “If you recall what I told you earlier, there is nothing that happens between us to be embarrassed about. When we’re together like this, there is no part of you that is to be hidden from me. Nothing about your body. Nothing about your mind. Understand?”
“Yes, Sir.”
“Easy to agree to, but much harder to put into practice. Now ask me to prepare your ass for a fucking.”
She took a deep breath, and he thought for a minute she’d balk, but she surprised him by saying, “Please, Sir, prepare my ass for fucking.”
“With pleasure.” He lubed two fingers and pressed one at her back opening, immediately noticing how she tensed up. “You have to relax, Lynne, or this won’t work.”
She didn’t want to relax, so he slipped two fingers of his other hand into her pussy and began a slow pump in and out. The squeak she couldn’t hold back encouraged him. She was tight and unsure, but he knew with enough patience he could have her exactly where he wanted her.
Little by little, he worked to get her to focus on the two fingers teasing her G-spot. She rose onto her toes at his continuous movement, but it wasn’t until she started pushing back toward him that he knew she was almost there.
“There we go,” he murmured low. “That’s how you do it.”
He slowly started moving his other finger back into her, but this time she didn’t tense up.
“Good girl,” he said. “Take my finger.”
There would be no rushing of this, he told himself. If it took all night, it would take all night, but dammit, he was going to make her love it.
He kept her right on the edge of orgasm, teasing her mercilessly. She rocked her hips and whimpered, but he didn’t allow her to have what she craved. Not yet.
“I’m going to add another finger now,” he told her, and her only reply was a nod.
Slowly, he eased a second finger into her backside and held still while continuing to hit deep inside her with the other. He smiled at her tormented whimpers. She was close.
“Do you need to come?” he asked.
She shoved her ass back at him. “Yes, Sir.”
“Then come for me.” He slipped his fingers out of her backside, and she came around the ones he had inside her pussy. Her orgasm passed and he slipped those out as well and lubed up his cock.
Taking a deep breath to ground himself and to remind himself that he needed to go slow, he lined himself up with his cock pressing against her. Under him, she shuddered.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
“Yes, Sir.” Her release had left her panting slightly. “I never thought I would say it, but I want it. Please. I’m so empty.”
“That’s what I like to hear.” He eased the tip of his cock inside her, relieved with her moans of pleasure that followed. He reached down and grabbed a fistful of hair. “You like having a cock up your ass?”
“Yes, Sir,” she answered, and he was pleased she didn’t sound the least bit ashamed or guilty at the admission.
He yanked on her hair. “Ask me to fuck your ass.”
“Please, Sir. Fuck my ass.”
He kept his hand buried in her hair while he pushed steadily into her. “So damn tight. I love the sight of my cock claiming this virgin ass.”
She muttered something, but he couldn’t make out what it was. Based on the way she pushed back toward him, she wanted more, and he gladly gave it to her, pressing forward until she’d taken all of him.
Once he was deep inside her, he held still to allow her time to get used to being filled and to remind himself that her needs came first. He took several deep breaths and pulled her hair tighter. “Good girl, taking my cock. Ready for me to fuck your ass?”
Her body shook with delicious shivers. “Yes, Sir.”
He didn’t say anything else, but started moving inside her, thrusting slowly at first, and as her whimpers of pleasure grew louder, he moved faster. She was so tight, he gritted his teeth, trying to resist the nearly overwhelming temptation to pound into her unrestrained.
Again, he took several deep breaths to clear his mind. This was Lynne, and she had given him her trust. As much as he enjoyed mind games, he didn’t want her hurt in any way.
Feeling calmer, he moved a bit faster, going deeper.
“Please,” she begged.
She was lovely in her submission, and he wanted to give her everything he could. He wanted to taunt and tease her and hold her close and protect her with all he had. He wanted to lasso the damn moon and pull it down to earth for her.
Instead, he gave her what he could in that moment. The pleasure of his body. The warmth of his touch. And gentle whispers against her skin.
Fuck, he was screwed.
• • •
She should have been tired. It had been a very eventful day, what with the practice demo, Simon finding out the truth, the hot sex, the dancing, and more hot sex. But she wasn’t sleepy at all. Some part of her realized she was still running on adrenaline. Surely she would crash and crash hard sooner rather than later. Yet at the moment she couldn’t settle enough to go to sleep.
The room was dark, but a slit in the curtain let through just enough moonlight to bathe the air in whispers of silver. She rolled onto her side, trying to move carefully so she didn’t disturb Simon, only to find him wide-awake and watching her.
“I thought you were asleep, Sir.”
He kissed her lips briefly. “Call me Simon now. And no, though I should be exhausted. It’s been a busy day.”
“I was just thinking the same thing. I figure we’re running on fumes and soon we’re going to putter out completely.” That sounded like something she’d say to Elizabeth or Henry West. “Or, well, give me a second and I’ll think of a more adult analogy.”
He chuckled softly. “I can see why you’re so good with kids. That sums up every two-year-old in need of a nap I’ve ever known.”
“I’m so close to getting my teaching certificate. If I can take two online courses during the fall semester, that should do it.”
“That’s great you’re so close.”
“Yeah, the only thing . . .” She stopped, catching her bottom lip between her teeth to keep from voicing the thoughts that had been turning around in her head lately.
“What’s the only thing?” he asked.
She took a deep breath. He was friends with Nathaniel. Maybe it wouldn’t hurt to get his opinion. “I hate to put Nathaniel and Abby in a bad spot. I mean, after all they’ve done for me, to just leave them, with Elizabeth and Henry still so young.”
“Wait a minute.” He shifted so he could look at her more fully. “Let’s look at this a different way. First of all, Elizabeth and Henry are Nathaniel and Abby’s kids, not yours. You’re under no obligation to work for them until they go to college.”
“I know, but still.”
“There’s no but still. You work for the Wests. You’re an employee, and you have the right to leave anytime you want to. Although it would be nice for you to give them two weeks’ notice. And as for everything they’ve done for you, they did it of their own free will.”
She shook her head. “It can’t be that easy.”
“Lynne.” He lifted her chin so she looked into his eyes. “It is that easy. I’ve known Nathaniel for a long time, and he would never want to hold you back from doing something you’d want to do just because it’d make life easier for him. Yeah, they’d have to find a new nanny, if they wanted one. And no, you wouldn’t get to live in a huge mansion anymore—”
“I don’t even care about that.”
“I know you don’t. But the point I’m trying to make is, if you want to be a teacher, don’t let anything hold you back, least of all an obligation that doesn’t exist. Life’s too short to live it for other people. You only get one life. Live it for you.”
Her eyes prickled with tears, not from the words he spoke, but from the passion he voiced them with. She felt one fall as she blinked.
“Hey.” He wiped it away with his thumb. “What are the tears for?”
She sniffled. “You. You’re being so nice. I lied to you, and here you are, trying to make me feel better about my career choice and—I don’t know—how’d you get to be so wonderful?”
“I’m not always so wonderful.”
“I’ve never seen proof of that.” She added with a grin, “Not including when you dumped me the last time.”
A look of raw pain came over his face. “I was so wrong to run out on you like that, without giving you a valid reason. I was afraid if you found out about what I really needed that you would look at me differently. Like a monster. And I couldn’t stand the thought of you looking at me like that. So I took the easy way out.”
“And now?” she asked, surprised at where the conversation had turned, but not unhappy about it.
“Now I know that you are strong enough for me. For the truth. And I won’t ever hide it from you again.”
“See?” She smiled. “Completely wonderful.”
“Give me time.”
But she knew better. She could give him all the time in the world and he’d never prove himself to be any less wonderful in her eyes.
“Tell me one thing you’ve done that could possibly prove that,” she dared him.
His thumb still rested against her cheekbone where he’d wiped her tear away. “I couldn’t stay away from you.”
“And that’s a bad thing?”
“I don’t know. I don’t know if I’m good for you or not.”
“Who says we have to know that now?” she asked. “As long as we’re good right now, isn’t that all that matters?”
He leaned his head down and drew her close. “I don’t know, but I’m willing to act like it is if you are.”
She was still sore from when he’d taken her before bed. Between that and everything else they’d done the day before, there were very few places on her body that didn’t remind her with every move that she’d seen more action in the last twenty-four hours than she had the last five years combined.
But none of that mattered as he placed a gentle kiss on her lips. She couldn’t believe how her body reacted to him. Couldn’t believe that with just one kiss, he could stoke the fire of need and desire once more within her. Her body craved him, yearned for him, and, whether her brain could make sense of it or not, would let him have her again.
He was hesitant. Never before had he been so tentative with his touch. His fingers lingered gently, and his lips were soft.
“I won’t break, you know,” she said.
“I’m just very much aware of what I’ve put your body through. I don’t want to hurt you.”
She chuckled. “And here this whole time I thought that’s what sadists did.”
“Yes,” he said, with a smile in his voice. “But only in the good ways.”
“I promise if you get to be too much or I’m too sore to continue, I’ll let you know. But for right now, I want you.” She let her hand drift to his waist. “Please, Sir.”
He held her tight and rolled them so she was on top of him. “Yes, but this time, you ride me.”
She might have been on top, but there was no doubt who was in control. He held her hips tight, allowing only so much leeway. She wanted him hard and fast, but he had other plans.
“Stop fighting me,” he said, after she unsuccessfully tried to impale herself on him all at once.
“But, Sir,” she whined.
“Patience, Lynne.”
She blew a hair out of her face and sighed.
“We do this my way or we go to sleep. Which is it going to be?” he asked.
He was serious about the sleep thing; she saw in his eyes that he’d have no problem whatsoever in doing without more sex tonight.
“Your way, Sir.”
“Very nice. Can you say it with a little bit more enthusiasm?”
“I don’t think so.”
“Well, then, I’ll have to see if I can get you to be enthusiastic another way.”
She had no doubt that he could, probably with little more than a crook of his finger. But he kept his hands firmly on her hips, easing her down onto him ever so slowly. Her eyes almost rolled to the back of her head, because, dammit all, there was something to be said about going slow and taking your time.
Before it had happened so quickly, she didn’t have time to appreciate the feel of him claiming her. Or enjoy the way he filled her up so completely. Inch by inch, he took his time, and when he was finally situated fully inside her, she moaned with bliss.
“Now, that sounded more enthusiastic,” he said with a smug grin on his face, though his voice was a bit strained.
“You’re going to make me a fan of taking my time,” she said.
He didn’t answer but, holding her where he wanted her, began to move in a rhythm that was almost enough, yet not quite. She started to complain, but the intense look of his expression told her that wasn’t the best idea.
She relaxed her body and let him take control. It was better that way anyhow. He sensed her surrender, and only then did he speed up. Just a little.
“So much better when you follow me, don’t you think?” he asked, and then, as if to prove his point, he thrust up into her.
“Yes, Sir,” she replied in a half yelp, half moan.
“Patient girls get rewarded.” His expression wasn’t so much intense as it was downright devious.
“How’s that, Sir?” she asked, almost afraid to find out.
“They get fucked.”
And with those three words, he held her suspended above him and began pounding into her. All she could do was hold on, enjoy, and let him take what he wanted from her.
“Fuck, you feel so good.” He was panting now, his punctuated words a testament to both the strength and control he was exercising as well as what it cost him to do so.
“Oh my God.” She nearly came as he hit a new sensitive spot within her. “I’m going to come.”
“Yes,” he said. She wasn’t sure why he allowed her to come so easily, but she wasn’t going to argue. Her climax rocked her body, and still he didn’t stop, driving into her over and over. A second orgasm hit and was so intense she closed her eyes and opened her mouth in a silent scream.
She didn’t remember Simon coming, but he must have because when she opened her eyes, she had collapsed on top of him and he was breathing heavily. It was only then that she noticed the wet spot.
Had he not used a condom, or had it broken?
“Uh, Sir?” she asked.
“Ummm?” He didn’t move or open his eyes.
“I think the condom broke.” There was no doubt in her mind that that was what had happened; she was all sticky between her legs.
His eyes flew open and he sat up. “Shit.”
Now that he was more visible to her, she glanced down and saw nothing. Her heart pounded as she processed everything.
“Dammit.” She hopped off the bed. “You didn’t use a condom, did you?”
He ran his fingers through his hair. “I can’t believe I did that.”
“Me either.” She stomped to the bathroom to clean up, ignoring his calls for her. He banged on the door, but she’d locked it.
“Lynne!” he yelled through the door.
“Just a minute.” She turned on the water and looked at herself in the mirror, not recognizing the woman she saw reflected there.
What was she doing? Is this who she was? Just running around jumping into bed with anyone? Part of her knew she was being ridiculous. Simon was the only man she’d slept with in who knew how long. But the fact that she’d been so out of it that she hadn’t realized he didn’t use a condom shook her.
She had to put some distance between them so she could regain some control. To that end, she took her time in the bathroom, brushing her hair and cleaning her teeth, and she felt much more calm and collected when she stepped outside.
Simon, though, looked like shit. He sat on the edge of the bed and stood up as she emerged. She noticed he’d slipped on a pair of shorts.
“I’m sorry, Lynne,” he said. “I promise I’m clean. I can give you the reports tomorrow. I have them at home.”
She shook her head. “It wasn’t only your fault. I was there, too. I should have made sure you used one. I’ve never been that out of it before that I didn’t notice.”
“Are you on birth control?”
“Yes, thank goodness.”
He could only nod. She couldn’t get over how scared he looked. Was it the possibility of pregnancy, or something else?
“I’m completely exhausted,” she said, and it wasn’t a lie. She could tell she was finally coming down off the high she’d been on for most of the day. “I’m going to sleep in the other room.”
He didn’t argue with her, but let her go after she promised she was okay. She couldn’t explain it, but once she crawled under the covers, she started to cry. Not wanting Simon to hear, she buried her head in the pillow until she’d cried herself out. Even then, as tired as she was, it took a long time for her to go to sleep.