Chapter Nine

Nothing tonight had gone like Will had planned. From the dinner to the kiss on the street to the botched scene to confessing things he’d never confessed before. He’d half expected Penelope to lay on the accent, call him ‘sugar,’ and use the new information to put him firmly in his place. Instead she’d become as fierce as he’d ever seen her.

And now here she was, offering him everything.

He kissed her because there was nothing else to be done. No words could encompass his gratitude, or the sheer level of emotions rolling through him in waves. He’d never been so off the rails in his life, but he couldn’t have stopped if he wanted to. With this woman in his arms, her tongue twining with his, he didn’t want to.

So he didn’t.

Will pushed to his feet, taking her with him, and walked them to the bed. He carefully set her down on the edge. “On your stomach.”

She crawled fully onto the mattress and obeyed, watching him as he folded the blanket and set it aside. There was nothing but trust in her dark gaze—a trust he would do damn near anything never to betray again. No more mistakes, especially not where this miraculous woman was concerned.

He found the special balm Nolan kept stocked in all the rooms and climbed on the bed to straddle the back of Penelope’s thighs. “Thank you.”

“For what?” She sighed at the first contact of his hands on her skin, spreading the balm into the area he’d taken to with the flogger.

“For…” For not despising him for accidentally taking things too far. For not throwing his weakness in his face as he deserved. For turning around and offering her submission in a priceless gift. “For everything.” He went over her back, taking the time to massage the tight muscles along her shoulders and neck, and then working his way down her spine to the flare of her waist. It was only when she was limp and making little moaning sounds that he pressed a kiss to the small of her back. “Turn over, pet.”

She responded immediately, rolling onto her back and spreading her legs. If he couldn’t see the desire gleaming between her thighs, all he had to do was take one look at her expression. Need was written across her face, need he was only too happy to fulfill.

“Good girl.” He used his fingers to part her and flicked her clit with his tongue. She whimpered, so he did it again. “Your taste drives me to distraction.”

She moaned, but then her fingers were in his hair, tugging him upward. “Kiss me.”

Will was only too happy to grant that demand. He crawled up her body and kissed her, letting his weight sink onto her a little. She ran her hands down his sides, and that feeling of being touched, of her fingers against his skin, had him closing his eyes. He kissed her again to mask his response, but he couldn’t help growling against her mouth when she lightly raked her nails down his back. “Harder.”

“Yes, Sir.” She obeyed, and he couldn’t stop the uncontrollable jerk of his hips at the sparking of pain she left in her wake.

Condom. He needed a condom now, because he was dangerously close to throwing caution to the wind and slipping inside her. One last kiss and he climbed off her long enough to grab one from the chest at the end of the bed and roll it on. She was on her knees as he moved back to the bed and she met him at the edge of the mattress, kissing him as if she couldn’t stand the distance between them any more than he could.

He lifted her, and she didn’t hesitate to wrap her legs around his waist. Palming her ass, he slid her down his cock, until they were joined as closely as two people could be. She clung to him as he moved her up and down, her movements got more frantic and pressure gathered in his balls, demanding release.

She broke the kiss long enough to say, “God, Sir, that feels so good. You feel so good.” Penelope shifted her grip to his shoulders, her body moving in a wave as she fucked him where he stood. He held her easily, enraptured by the picture she made. And she was his. His.

It was almost too much. He had to close his eyes or risk losing it before she did. “Now, pet. Come on my cock.”

“Happily, Sir.” She kissed him again, her moans becoming his air as her pussy tightened around him, milking him until he had no choice but to let go. He walked them to the nearest wall and shoved deep again and again, coming so hard it was a wonder he managed to stay on his feet. All the while, she never once stopped kissing him.

He couldn’t shake the feeling that he’d just taken them somewhere from which they could never come back.

…

Penelope carefully dressed, her body still shaking from that orgasm, her back tender from the whipping Will had given her earlier. She couldn’t quite look at him, not sure what the next step was. That had been… There were no words to describe how good that had been. He’d taken care of her, touching her as if she was something priceless. And the sex. Good lord, her legs still weren’t steady after what they’d just done.

She didn’t want to leave him, didn’t want to get into a cab alone and go back to her empty apartment, but she wasn’t sure she could ask him… What? To come with her? To take her home? She slipped on her shoes and stood. Tonight had already taken them off the deep end. She refused to be the one responsible for pushing them even further.

Not when she so desperately needed to get her feet back on solid ground.

Will finished putting his toys back into his bag and stood. “Penelope.”

Now she had no choice but to look up, obeying the command in his tone. He held out a hand and pulled her to her feet. She expected him to release her the second he was sure of her balance, but she was sorely mistaken. He maintained his hold, leading her from the room and down the hall to the elevator. The public play room had mostly cleared out, but she could feel the eyes of the remaining people on her. The Ice King didn’t hold hands, and there was no other description for what they were currently doing.

The elevator ride to the main floor went far too quickly. With each passing moment, she became more and more sure she didn’t want to spend the rest of the night alone—and that if she said as much, Will would accommodate her. Hadn’t he told her time and time again that all she had to do was ask?

But things had changed tonight. By her comforting him and finally submitting fully, they’d crossed the line from physical into emotional. She wasn’t sure how she felt about that, and this wasn’t going to be the moment when she figured it out.

They passed through the bar area while she was thinking hard, and then they were outside, standing before the row of cabs waiting to ferry people home. It was now or never. She opened her mouth, but couldn’t quite make the words come—didn’t know which words she wanted to come out. Damn it, she was better than this. She hadn’t been a coward the first twenty-six years of her life, and she wasn’t about to start now. “Will?”

“Come home with me.”

She nearly sagged against him as the command registered. He’d taken away her choice, taken away the need to decide what she wanted. For now. She nodded. “Yes, Sir.”

He held the cab door open for her and then followed her in, not giving her a chance to scoot to the other side of the bench seat before he pulled her against him, tucking her against his side. Her pent up breath released in a rush that left her dizzy. This. This was what she’d wanted—what she’d needed. The sex had been beyond outstanding, but aftercare was even more important in a way. She closed her eyes, and let herself sink into him and the safety he represented. It was so strange to be on the other side of things, to be the sub in need of comfort, though she knew from experience that the Dom got nearly as much out of aftercare as his or her submissive did.

It seemed like two seconds later that he was gently shaking her awake. “We’re here.”

She exited the cab, blinking blearily. “I didn’t mean to fall asleep.”

“It’s okay.” He reclaimed her hand and led her into the building. She got the impression of industrial decor and then another elevator ride flashed by. God, she must be more tired than she’d thought, because she was having a difficult time focusing.

Will walked to a door halfway down the hallway and opened it. She paused just inside his apartment, taking in the same industrial style as the lobby. It was all very cold and clean and looked as if it were a model home instead of a place where someone actually lived. She moved to the kitchen with its empty sink and polished counters. Yes, he definitely didn’t spend much time here.

He stood in the entranceway while she wandered, as if waiting for her verdict. She turned to him and shrugged off her coat. “Where’s the bedroom?”

His smile was a reward in and of itself. “This way.”

The room to which he led her held all the personality that the rest of the place lacked. The comforter was thick and deep blue, and there was even art on the walls. She went to examine the pieces, surprised to find they were Agatha Turner, a photographer renowned for her classy nudes. The trio of pictures were all couples and sensual enough to have her heartbeat picking up, despite how exhausted she was.

“Penelope?” She turned to find him in the bathroom, holding a toothbrush still in its package. He caught her look and shrugged. “I don’t have many overnight guests, but I prefer to be prepared.”

Just like he did in every other aspect of life. She crossed to him, pressed a kiss to his cheek, and then went about brushing her teeth. It was strange to do this next to someone, which was silly considering what they’d spent the last three days doing, but this was a side of Will she never anticipated witnessing.

He stripped and she followed suit, climbing into that massive bed and nearly moaning when the mattress seemed to suck her down. “This bed is positively sinful.”

“I know.” Instead of letting the distance between them stand, he pulled her over and once against tucked her against his side. She thought about protesting—this was too intimate in the wake of the rest of tonight’s events—but sleep pulled her down before she could follow through.