by Pamela Clare
“Huh.” A surprise.
“Do I need to rearrange what’s left of your face?”
Austin looked up to find Hawke glaring at him.
“I would never mess around with another man’s woman—especially not when that man is like a brother to me.”
And immediately Austin felt like an idiot. “Sorry, man.”
“Yeah, you’d better be.” Eric went back to work. “She would never do that. I don’t care what kind of arrangement you have. She’s not that kind of woman. Besides, she cares about you. I’m not sure why she prefers you to me. I’m better looking, and my cock is at least three inches longer than yours.”
“Okay, that is bullshit.” Austin couldn’t help but grin.
“Are you two really comparing dick sizes?” Sasha walked in through the open bay doors. Her gaze dropped to Hawke’s groin. “Hey, if you need an impartial judge, let me know.”
She headed off toward the ops room, a smile on her face.
Hawke’s gaze followed her. “Did she just check out my bulge?”
“What bulge?” A rough patch of rope scraped across Austin’s palm. He held up that bit of rope, saw that a few of the fibers were frayed. Worse, the rope was flat as if it had been pinched. “Another one bites the dust.”
He wound the rope around his arm and carried it over to the recycling bin.
“How many does that make so far this year?” Hawke asked. “Five?”
“Yep. Megs is going to be thrilled.”
“Did you hear Breece stole at least sixty grand from us?”
“Yeah.” Lexi had told him. The news had made him want to crush Breece.
“We could’ve bought a lot of ropes with sixty grand.”
Speaking of ropes…
Austin walked back to the recycling bin and took the rope back out, stashing it near the door. He still had to get his revenge on Lexi, and he had a pretty good idea of what he was going to do. He could use some rope that he wouldn’t mind cutting to size.
Hawke watched him. “What the hell are you going to do with that?”
Austin grinned. “Wouldn’t you like to know.”
Hawke rolled his eyes. “Jesus.”
Chapter 17
Lexi stopped by the inn after work and packed a few things in her carry-on bag to take with her to Austin’s. She’d been spending every night at his place, so it made sense to bring her toiletries and a few changes of clothes with her. She was on her way out to her car when she saw her father sitting on the bench in the backyard.
He looked shabby, his hair uncombed, his face unshaven.
She didn’t want to feel sorry for him, but she did. He’d done what Kendra had said she wanted him to do, only to have Kendra throw it in his face. Lexi couldn’t imagine how he must feel.
She left her bag just inside the back door and walked over to him. “Hey.”
“Hey.” He moved over to make room for her.
She sat beside him. “How are things going with Rain?”
“She does a good job. I only have to show her once.”
“That’s good. I’m glad it’s working out.”
“Yeah. Thanks, by the way. You hired the right person.”
Lexi had known her father all her life. She ought to know what to say to comfort him. But she didn’t. “I saw Kendra yesterday. She told me you called her.”
He nodded. “She thought you put me up to it.”
“I’m sorry. I told her I wasn’t even here, and I think she believed me.”
“It’s hard to tell with Kendra. The woman loves to hold a grudge.”
That was the truth.
Lexi decided to tell him all of it, because he’d find out anyway. “She said some pretty awful things. I got angry and walked out on her.”
“You did?”
Lexi shared the gist of the conversation. “I was so angry I left and made her pay for her own lunch.”
“Served her right.”
Wait. What? She and her father had just agreed on something.
Lexi was tempted to note the date in her calendar. “You’re not angry with me?”
He shook his head. “But she’s not wrong, you know.”
Had her father just told her that Kendra was right, that he didn’t really care about them? She supposed that wasn’t a surprise. But still…
Blinking back unexpected tears, she shot to her feet. “I’ll talk to you later.”
“You’re going to his house again, huh?”
She clamped down on her emotions and turned to face her dad once more.
“I’m only going to be here a couple more weeks.” Had she truly felt sad about leaving this afternoon? Ha! If it hadn’t been for Austin, she’d have jumped in her car and left Colorado tonight. “I want to spend as much time with him as I can before I go.”
“You’d rather spend time with him than your old man. That’s okay. Can’t say I blame you for that.”
Was that hurt in his eyes? Good grief!
Why should she care how he felt when he didn’t seem to give a damn about her feelings? She would go to Austin’s house. She would turn and go right now. She would walk away. But she couldn’t, something holding her to the spot.
Damn it!
A sense of resignation washed over her. “How about we order pizza and play some checkers?”
God, she must be an idiot! Choosing time with her dad over Austin? Besides, she hated checkers.
The surprise on her father’s face was real. He nodded, some light returning to his eyes. “I think I’ve got a coupon for Mr. Fatty’s somewhere.”
Angry as hell at herself for caving like this, she pulled out her cell phone. “Hey. It’s me. I’m going to have dinner with my dad tonight and spend the evening with him. I’ll be over later, say, nine?”
Austin sounded surprised. “Is everything okay?”
She couldn’t explain, not with her father sitting there. “Yeah. See you later.”
Her dad got to his feet. “You still like pepperoni and black olives?”
She wanted to say that what Mr. Fatty’s served didn’t deserve to be called pizza, but she bit her tongue. “Love it.”
She turned and followed her father back inside.
Austin watched Lexi park and walk around to the back door. He put Mack in his crate with a chew toy. “Sorry, but I’ve learned I can’t trust you, buddy.”
He’d spent the evening setting everything up, the thought of what he was going to do to her making him incredibly horny. He’d never gone so deeply into his own fantasies with any woman before, and he was a little worried about how Lexi would take it.
Would it turn her on, or would she decide it was too kinky?
He waited until she knocked, then opened the door and killed the lights.
“Austin?” She stepped inside.
He moved up behind her, clamped a hand over her mouth, turning her surprised cry into a squeak. “Not a word. Do you understand?”
Her body stiffened, but she nodded.
He bent one arm behind her back, using it to guide her. “Upstairs. Now.”
She allowed herself to be marched up the stairs. “What are you doing?”
There was a hint of laughter in her voice.
He jerked her back against him, using just enough force to set the tone, the pulse at her wrist tripping beneath his fingers. “I said not a word.”
When she turned toward his bedroom, he stopped her.
“No, not that way. I have something else planned for you tonight, honey.” He pushed her down the hallway toward one of the empty bedrooms—not so empty now—and opened the door.
She sucked in a breath, her gaze moving over the room.
Dozens of candles illuminated the little scenario he’d created for her. Handcuffs dangling from the ceiling. The rest of the homemade sex swing tied up out of the way for now, its homemade ankle restraints visible. The digital camera he’d set up in front of the swing. The flatscreen TV he’d placed right where she’d be ab
le to see it.
He nudged her deeper into the room and slammed the door, locking it behind them. Click. “No one will be able to hear you, so scream all you like.”
“This is your revenge.” Her voice was breathless, equal parts excitement and nervousness.
She was playing along.
Hot damn.
“I told you I’d make you pay.”
She put up a brief and half-hearted struggle, offering just enough resistance to make him use his strength.
“Fight if you want, but you don’t stand a chance.” With very little effort, he brought her to the center of the room, stretched one arm at a time over her head, and cuffed her to the ceiling. “You’re mine until I decide to let you go.”
She glared up at him. “When will that be?”
He ducked down, kissed her roughly. “I’m going to fuck you so long and hard you’ll have trouble remembering a time when my cock wasn’t inside you.”
The look of arousal on her pretty face was unmistakable.
She hid it behind a mask of fear. “Don’t hurt me.”
“I won’t unless you force me to.”
Then he realized he was faced with a problem he hadn’t considered. Her arms were cuffed over her head, and she was still fully dressed. There were only two ways to get her naked—uncuff her or make use of the folding army knife in his pocket.
Smooth move, idiot.
Not wanting to look like a total bondage newbie—which he was—he would much rather go with the knife.
“You won’t need clothes anymore.” He drew the knife out of his pocket, opened it, let her see the blade, giving her a moment to realize what he was about to do.
She sucked in another breath, but didn’t object.
His gaze locked with hers as the knife sliced through the fabric of her dress and then her bra. He saw her pupils dilate, heard her quick little intake of breath when the fabric fell away from her skin, her need heightening his own.
He stepped back, the breath leaving his lungs as he took in the sight of her—hands chained above her head, eyes wide, puckered nipples peeking through strands of red hair, candlelight dancing over her pale skin, her feet still in heels.
Damn.
She was every fantasy he’d ever had come to life, and he was so hard now that it hurt to be inside his jeans.
“Hurry up and get it over with.” She was good at this make-believe thing, her voice laced with fear.
“What fun would that be?” Besides, he hadn’t spent three hours figuring all this shit out only to have it be over in five minutes—which was a very real danger, considering how turned on he was. “I’m going to take my sweet time and enjoy your body the way it was meant to be enjoyed.”
Now for the final touch.
He turned on the camera and then the television, an image of beautiful, naked Lexi filling the screen.
Her gaze shifted from him to the image of herself, her eyes going wider.
He stripped off his shirt, then moved in on her.
Lexi’s pulse raced as Austin strode shirtless toward her, one hand unzipping his jeans, his erection springing free. She forgot about the image of herself on the TV screen, almost moaning at the sight of his cock, her body already wet and aching for him.
He took her chin in his hand, forced her to look at the television. “Look at you—helpless, vulnerable, no one to save you.”
Seeing herself like this was so stunningly erotic that it didn’t occur to her to feel self-conscious or even to wonder whether he was actually taping this.
He stood to the side out of the camera’s way. “Don’t take those pretty green eyes off the screen.”
She watched as he pushed her hair over her shoulders to expose her breasts, then palmed her, his thumbs teasing her nipples to points, the sensation seeming to travel straight to her belly. She whimpered, the ache inside her overwhelming. “Please.”
“Please what?” He lowered his head to nip the skin beneath her ear, his hand moving from her breasts to cup her, one finger sliding inside her. “You’re wet. Your body is giving you away. You like what I’m doing to you.”
Oh, God. Did she ever.
But if she’d thought he was going to put her out of her misery, she’d been wrong.
He withdrew his hand, raised his middle finger to his mouth, and tasted her, his eyes drifting shut. Then, without warning, he nudged a knee between her thighs, forcing her legs apart. “Wider.”
Then he knelt down and took her with his mouth.
Lexi’s hands grabbed onto the strap that held the handcuffs, her knees almost buckling at the hot shock of his tongue against her as he tasted her, teased her, tormented her. She must have been wiggling too much because one of his big hands moved to cup her ass, holding her in place for him, angling her pelvis.
Two thick fingers slid inside her.
Oh, sweet heaven!
Then she remembered the TV screen. She opened her eyes to see herself chained from the ceiling, Austin’s head between her legs, the muscles of his back shifting while he devoured her.
It was too much—his tongue stroking her, his lips tugging on her clit, his fingers fucking her deep and slow. Bliss gathered into a tight ball low in her belly, sensation carrying her upward until…
Austin stopped, got to his feet, and stood there, a satisfied grin on his face, while she hovered on the edge of a climax she couldn’t quite claim.
She gaped at him. “You can’t stop.”
He stepped away from her. “I can’t?”
“Safe word!” She blurted the term.
His brow furrowed in confusion. “Safe word?”
Oh, God, they were both such beginners.
She told him what she’d heard. “When someone can’t take what the other person is doing they have a safe word.”
He leaned in, her scent all over him, an amused grin on his face. “Don’t tell me you’re undone by one round of cunnilingus interruptus. Remember what you did to me? Three’s a charm. Besides, Lexi, honey, you don’t have a safe word.”
“Oh, you bastard!” Torn between sexual frustration and laughter, she tried to squeeze her thighs together, anything to ease that ache, but he stopped her, kicking her feet apart again, his forcefulness only heightening her lust.
He shook his head. “Bad girl. What am I going to do with you?”
He disappeared behind her, her gaze snapping to the television screen for some sign of what he meant to do next. He reached around with one hand to torment her more, the sight of his busy fingers between her thighs bringing her frustration to a peak.
Then he caught her around the waist with one arm and thrust himself into her.
Lexi’s cry mingled with his moan, the feel of his cock inside her like deliverance. “God, yes, fuck me.”
He plunged into her, and she could see it all—his fingers digging into her hips, the expression of sexual anguish on his face, her breasts bobbing, his cock disappearing into her up to his balls.
She came hard and fast, his thrusts driving her orgasm home.
But he didn’t let himself come. When her climax had passed, he withdrew from her, walked to the side, and reached up.
“Time to get serious.”
She had no idea what he was talking about until a homemade sex swing fell from the ceiling above her.
Oh. My. God.
It took a few minutes to fasten her into the thing. Then with some tugs on a few different ropes, he had her off her feet, her knees drawn back, her ankles bound by straps, her legs spread wide.
It was all there on the TV screen, every inch of her bared to the camera, to Austin. She was exposed, completely vulnerable.
“That’s more like it.” He stood there for a moment, his gaze moving over her, a muscle clenching in his jaw, the heat in his eyes scorching her, taking her breath away.
Then he stepped in front of the camera, grabbed hold of her waist, and slowly buried himself inside her.
He pounded into her, every thrust
making her cry out, the sheer pleasure of it staggering. But he felt it, too. “You feel … so … good.”
She came again, the pleasure searing through her like molten gold. She thought he would join her, but the moment her climax subsided, he stopped and held himself still inside her, drawing deep, even breaths, his muscles slowly relaxing. He was trying to make it last, putting all his strength and stamina into making good on his threat.
I’m going to fuck you so long and hard you’ll have trouble remembering a time when my cock wasn’t inside you.
Oh, she could only be so lucky.
Again and again he went as long as he could without coming, until his chest was slick with sweat and Lexi hovered on the brink of an unbelievable third orgasm, her heart thudding, her toes curled in her shoes.
He looked into her eyes, his chest rising and falling with each slow, steady breath. “You are the most beautiful thing in my world.”
Her heart melted. “Austin.”
Then he began to move again, cutting off anything else she might have said, the feel of him inside her perfect. But this time, he didn’t stop, driving relentlessly into her, bringing her to a third shattering climax, her gaze locking with his as he finally let himself go inside her.
Austin let himself catch his breath, holding onto the straps of the swing for balance, certain the earth had just shifted beneath his feet, his cock still inside her, the aftermath of orgasm sliding through him like warm honey.
Holy hell.
That was all his brain could manage at this point.
Lexi’s eyes were closed, her body limp, her lips parted.
He felt a hitch in his chest, overwhelmed by the need to hold her. He took off her fancy heels, untied her ankles, then unfastened the climbing harness and unlocked the handcuffs, catching her in his arms as she slumped, boneless, against him. Then he carried her to his bed and wrapped his arms around her, kissing her cheeks, her closed eyelids, her lips.
She opened her eyes, ran her hand up his sweat-slick chest, her gaze soft. “You’re the most amazing man I know.”
It wasn’t “I love you,” but it was better than nothing.
Afraid he’d say something dangerous or stupid if he said anything at all, he bent down to kiss her.
