by Virna DePaul
"The problem with these cuffs, though?" His gaze raked over her naked body as he edged closer to the bed, until his cock was just inches away from her face. "There's only one set. That means we're going to need to improvise."
She was so intent on that hard, thick shaft near enough to touch that she barely registered his words. It wasn't until he slapped the metal around her wrist then attached it to a bed post that it sank in.
"Improvise?" she asked, her voice coming out more like a husky promise than a question.
His wicked smile had her nipples tightening into peaks.
"You have four limbs, love. If I want you open and helpless, we're going to have to bring in reinforcements."
Adrenaline coursed through her as she watched him move toward the closet. On a whim, she tested the cuffs, giving her arm a firm yank. Okay, so those were definitely real and they weren't budging. Fear and excitement coalesced into a heady elixir, making goosebumps break out over her exposed skin.
"Um, so do we really need to secure all four limbs?" she asked tentatively.
He turned back toward her, a myriad of neck ties in hand. "Oh, yes. It's imperative." He tipped his head in a solemn nod. "We can't have you trying to get away, can we?"
She took in the full frontal view of his naked form and she had to bite back a laugh. As if she'd try to get away from that. What woman in her right mind would? But the stark need etched on his face kept her from telling him that because she wanted nothing more than to be completely under Gio's control right now.
In fact, she was trembling with desire, and he hadn't even touched her yet.
When he reached the bed again, ties in hand, she lifted her chin. "Do your worst."
She watched him as he moved to the bottom of the bed, admiring his easy grace.
He reached down for her foot, pausing to caress the sensitive sole before looping one silky tie around her ankle.
He made a quick knot and then fastened it to a bed post. After giving it a tug and nodding with satisfaction, he circled around to the other side of the bed to tie her free wrist to a bed post. By the time he reached her left ankle, the apprehension that had come and gone returned full force.
"M-maybe we should just go with the three," she murmured, wetting her lips nervously. "What if there's a fire or something?"
"Oh, there's going to be a fire, Rose," Gio replied as he slowly pulled her legs open. "Relax," he urged, alerting her to the fact that she'd been resisting.
She let her eyes drift shut and willed herself to sink into the experience, unclenching her muscles, allowing her thighs to fall open as he spread her wide.
His low groan gave her the courage to open her eyes again. His face was a mask of desire and as helpless as she was from a literal standpoint, she'd suddenly never felt so powerful.
"You're so pretty down there, love. Your pussy is so pink and sweet."
His words washed over her like a caress and she wriggled against the sheets, wishing he would touch her.
He was taking his sweet time, though, circling the bed and studying her from every angle.
She refused to think about the gentle swell of her belly or the fact that her breasts weren't as perky as they were back in high school. She would try to see herself through Gio's eyes and, judging by the way his harsh breathing was eclipsing the sound of the waves crashing in the distance, he liked what he saw.
After what felt like an eternity, he reached out a hand and traced a path from her upturned palm, over her tethered wrist, down the inside of her elbow, lingering there for a moment before moving to her shoulder and trailing over her collarbone like a whisper.
It almost tickled, but not quite, and she let out a shuddery sigh.
He repeated the motion over and over, each time moving inexorably closer to her straining nipple. She tipped her head down to watch as his strong fingers played over her skin, barely skimming her breast, and then dipping between them.
"Gio—"
Before she could beg, he was there, his feather light touch sweeping over her sensitive nipple, circling around and around, bringing it to a tight, aching peak.
She jerked against the handcuffs, forgetting she was restrained for a second, wishing she could close her hand over his and force him to grab her fully, to pinch her nipples in a rougher caress. She wanted more.
But he wouldn’t be swayed. In fact, if anything, he touched her more lightly as he moved down the length of the bed, forging a path over her ribs, one by one, to swirl lower, over her hip and inner thigh.
Her muscles shook as she flexed toward him, rolling her hips in a wordless plea. Her pussy was drenched and she could see his thick, delicious cock just feet away from where she wanted him most.
If he could just—
“Ah!” she cried out as he brushed his thumb over her swollen clit. She arched her back, a move that elicited a hiss of approval from him as he repeated the motion.
This was it. She was going to expire right here and now, dead from unslaked need.
“You like that, babe,” he whispered, strumming her in the barest of circular strokes, each one sending shocks of pleasure rippling through her.
“Yes. God, yes.”
She arched against his hand as much as her range of motion would allow, moaning as his touch grew almost infinitesimally firmer.
“Gio, if you let me come now, I’ll do anything. Anything,” she pleaded.
“You want it, take it, Rosie,” he shot back, the tips of two fingers pressing against her entrance even as his thumb worked its magic.
She bore down as far as she could go, crying out as the move buried his digits a few inches into her tight, clutching heat.
“Yes, oh my God, yes,” she chanted, using her leverage to pull away and plunge down again. This time, his fingers moved to greet her, seating them deeper inside her.
He climbed onto the bed between her legs, bracing himself on his knees as he took his pulsing cock in his free hand with a hiss.
She drank in his face as he watched her fuck his fingers, each thrust of her hips earning a low growl from him. He began to work his cock up and down in long, even strokes, the sight of which nearly sent her over the edge.
But it was the sudden curling of his fingers that had her crying out in broken sobs as he pressed against that secret spot inside her that made her want to pound her fists on the mattress.
“Please, Gio. Please!”
He let out a string of curses and plunged his fingers deeper as he thumbed her clit.
“Come for me, Rose. Let me feel that tight little pussy squeeze my fingers. That’s it, babe, that’s my girl,” he muttered through clenched teeth as her hips began to jerk frantically against his questing hand.
And then she was hurtling through the stratosphere without a net, pleasure rocketing through her as she rained down on his fingers in a hot, silky rush. She bucked and tugged against her restraints, working herself against his hand as best she could, riding the wave of ecstasy for all it was worth until she was trembling and shaken.
When she managed to open her eyes again, it was to find a quaking Gio still poised between her legs, cock in hand, breathing through his mouth in labored gasps.
“You’re so fucking hot, Rose,” he muttered, squeezing the head of his member and groaning at the pressure. “It’s taking everything I have not to fuck you right now, all spread open and wet for me, but I want more. I want it all.”
Her tongue felt thick in her mouth as she tried to frame a reply, but before she had the chance, he’d dropped between her thighs to run his tongue over her slit.
Her orgasm had been so violent, so all-consuming, she never imagined she’d recover so quickly and be hurtling headlong toward another, but here she was as Gio sucked her clit in gentle pulls.
Just as her body began to tense for it, he tore his mouth away with a groan.
“I could eat that pussy all day, but I need to be inside you,” he managed before pushing himself off the bed to untie her ankl
es before moving to her wrists.
Once her cuffed hand was free, she eagerly helped work the tie off the other. “I’ve been dying to touch you,” she admitted, yanking him on top of her before realizing he had the paddle clutched in his hand.
How had she forgotten about that?
She stared at it now and then averted her eyes to meet his gaze.
“Seems to me, you’ve been a bad girl, Rose.”
The intensity on his face should’ve scared her, but instead it made her pussy spasm with need.
“I have,” she croaked, nodding. “So what are you going to do about it?”
She shoved at his chest and then rolled away from him, tucking her legs beneath her until she was on her elbows and knees, bottom thrust out.
She shot him a long look over her shoulder as she waggled her ass.
He moved so fast, he was almost a blur as he positioned himself behind her. Her bravado faltered as she squeezed her eyes closed, waiting for the first blow. Instead, though, all she felt was gentle fingers moving over the globes of her ass and lower, through the slick folds of her pussy before sliding back up and painting her cheeks with her juices.
“Ah, Rose, trust me when I say this is going to hurt me more than it hurts you.”
With those words of warning, he brought down the paddle with a sharp crack.
She jerked instinctively forward with a moan at the sting.
“Fuck,” she murmured, pressing her forehead against the sheets as her mind reeled.
That had hurt more than she’d anticipated…but trailing behind that pain was a dark, curling sensation that wound its way around her. A sensation that made her push past the pain and murmur, “Again.”
He let out a hiss and sent the paddle toward her bottom again, where it landed with another smack.
Pain. Heat. And then a deep, needy pleasure that had her arching her back and rocking toward him.
“More,” she whispered as the pressure between her thighs began to build.
The fingers that had been so gentle before grew rougher as he gripped her hip and sent down the next blow, this one harder than the others.
“Ah!”
But her cry was as much from pleasure as it was pain now, as he let loose another and then another, moving from cheek to cheek, groaning as she writhed and gasped, urging him on.
It wasn’t until she was shaking from head to toe, ass on fire, that he stilled and she heard the distinctive tear of foil echo through the room.
“You ready for this cock, Rose?” he demanded from behind her as he pressed against her throbbing seam.
She nodded, nearly delirious with need as he pressed the heavenly head of his cock into her. There was no teasing now as he fed his hard length into her, deep and deeper still, until he was seated firmly inside, hips flush against her ass.
“Stay…stay just like that for a second,” she whispered, determined to remember this moment.
She felt so full. So right. If only it could be like this forever…
But the demands of her body wouldn’t be denied and she began to move, leaning forward on her elbows and then back until her body swallowed his whole length again.
“I wish you could see what I’m seeing, Rose. God, you’re fucking perfect,” he growled, running his fingers over her spine and using his other hand to move her hips, thrusting forward as he pulled her back. His strokes started out long and measured, a steady, even fucking that had her fists clenching and her eyes rolling, but it quickly turned wild as his pumped in and out of her almost frantically now.
The sound of skin slapping skin was erotic music to her ears as he pounded her pussy, his hips slapping the tender flesh of her ass, making her wish he would—
She’d barely had the thought when the paddle came down, landing with a crack just as he impaled her to the hilt with his massive cock.
“Gio!” she cried, exploding around him as she came. Her channel milked him as she spasmed over and over, crying out into her pillow. Lights exploded behind her eyelids and for a second, she thought she might black out the pleasure was so keen.
She was still twitching as Gio stiffened, let out a bellow and erupted inside her. She bore down against him, pushing her ass backward to take every centimeter of his bucking cock as his fingers clutched her hips in a bruising grip.
“Rose, my sweet, hot Wild Rose,” he groaned, slumping forward until his chest was pressed to her back as the last of the shudders rocked through him.
His Wild Rose.
Lord, how she wished that was true. She’d been his once, and she’d walked away.
Could she really do it again.
Maybe she wouldn’t have to.
For the first time, she really let herself consider the possibility.
The wedding was in two days. She’d made a deal, and until she’d met her end of the bargain, she couldn’t risk opening a can of worms that could result in them parting ways forever. But she’d already decided that as soon as it was over and they were away from the prying eyes of his family, she would tell him the real reason she’d broken up with him so long ago.
She could also share more. She could tell him the full truth and say the words that were practically choking her now as his arms tightened around her waist.
I love you, Gio. I always have. And I never want to let you go.
Chapter 16
Total bliss.
Gio’s eyes were still closed, but he knew exactly where he was and who he was with as late morning sunlight filled the room. There was only one reason for the feeling of rightness that had settled over him, and that was because Rose was in his arms again.
“You awake?” he asked as she stirred against him.
He wouldn’t blame her if she wasn’t. They’d gone one round in the middle of the night and had wound up going for another at the crack of dawn, but he’d never sleep a wink again if it meant more of the same.
“Do we have to get out of bed?” she whispered, snuggling closer with a sigh.
“Nope,” he replied, pressing his face in her hair and breathing in her sweet smell. “I’ll go downstairs, tell everyone we’re both feeling under the weather and don’t want to get them sick before the big day tomorrow. Then, I’ll sneak us up a couple of bagels and coffee. We can lounge around in bed and watch—”
He broke off at the sound of someone pounding at the door.
“Is your sister in there?” Nana Ginger demanded.
“No, why would she be?” Gio said, sitting up against the headboard as Rose yanked the sheets and blankets up to her shoulders.
And it was a good thing as Nana shoved the door open a second later.
“She left Alec a note this morning telling him she needed some time to think and no one has seen her since. I was hoping she contacted you,” Nana replied, barely giving them a second glance as she began pacing, ringing her hands as she went. “She seemed fine all week so I don’t know what’s come over her, but we’ve got dozens of people showing up tomorrow for this shindig. Maybe you could try to call her?” she pleaded, shooting him a pleading glance.
“Of course. I’ll call her right now,” Gio said, his mind churning with questions he knew his grandmother didn’t have the answers to. “Is Alec all right?”
“He’s understandably upset, but you know how much he loves her. She asked for some space and he wants to give it to her. That’s all well and good,” Nana added with a sniff, “But he’s a nice boy and if she doesn’t plan to marry him tomorrow, she should tell him that. It would be beyond horrible for her to allow all his family to drive into town just to watch him get Julia Roberts’ed.”
“What does that even mean?” he asked with a frown.
“Runaway Bride,” Rose responded in a whisper. “She was always leaving guys at the altar.”
He pinched the bridge of his nose as fantasies of breakfast and spending the day in bed with Rose fizzled away.
“Okay, that’s not going to happen, Nana. Let me get dressed and I’ll
see what I can find out.”
Nana nodded and hurried out of the room, her face creased with worry.
“They looked so happy together last night,” Rose said softly.
“They were. They are. I think she probably just got cold feet.”
He swung his legs off the side of the bed and reached for his phone on the nightstand, quickly punching the keys until the phone began to ring. When it rolled straight to voice mail, a sizzle of unrest ran through him.
She was probably fine. He glanced at the clock. It wasn’t even noon yet. She was probably driving along the coast or something.
And still…
“I’m going to take a drive around town and see if I can find her, just to ease the family’s mind.”
“Do you want me to come or would it be better if I stayed here.”
The warmth that had filled his chest when he’d first woken up returned, chasing his worry away.
“I’d love it if you came.”
They dressed quickly and made their way downstairs, only to find the rest of the family, including Alec, gathered in the living room.
His face was pale and stricken as he clutched his coffee mug, but he was keeping it together.
“She looked really spooked when she left,” he said, clearing his throat as he met Gio’s gaze. “I just want her to know that I didn’t mean to rush her. If she’s not ready, I’ll wait…”
“Let’s not jump the gun here,” Gio said, nausea rolling through him at Alec’s words.
He’d been there, in exactly that spot. Not knowing what he’d done wrong or how to fix it, and wondering how to make it right. He didn’t envy the poor bastard, that was for sure.
“Rose and I are going to take a ride around town and see if we can find her and talk to her. One of you guys text me if she comes back or contacts you.”
They all agreed and he and Rose headed for the door.
For the first half hour of their search, things were quiet. He was lost in his own thoughts, some about his sister and, he had to admit it, some about his past with Rose. Watching Alec was a little like reliving his own pain and he wasn’t ashamed to admit it fucking sucked.
