Command Control

by Sara Jane Stone

  “I only read a few paragraphs,” he said, never taking his eyes off her. “But the idea of a woman taking control and telling me exactly what she wants, demanding satisfaction, I have to admit that turns me on. Big-time. So, no, I’m not leaving.”

  * * *

  SADIE BLINKED. SHE felt as if she’d been transported to another universe. He’d read her work and understood the needs and wants that motivated her character. He’d only read a page or two, but still, he saw it as more than a series of wild sexual positions.

  “You liked it?” she said.

  He rubbed the back of his neck, looking somewhat abashed. “Yeah.”

  “I guess you didn’t get to the part with the whips.” She wanted him laughing, not embarrassed that he enjoyed her writing. The last thing she needed was another person in her life who was uncomfortable with her day job.

  “Depending on who is giving the orders, I might get into it. I’ve never experimented with kinky stuff. Never really thought about it much. But if it turns you on, then I’m in.”

  Whoa. That was a lot of trust for a “just sex” fling. “You’re serious?”

  He nodded and she could see it in his eyes. This man meant what he said. He wanted to drive her wild and he’d do whatever it took to get her there.

  The temptation to make him prove he meant what he said—it was impossible to resist. She stepped forward, raised her hand to his chest and pressed him back. He complied, retreating until his back hit the fridge.

  Running her hands over his shoulders, down his arms, she entwined her fingers with his, lifting his hands over his head. She held him there. Rising on her tiptoes, her mouth inches from his, she said, “Kiss me.”

  She moved her lips to his and let him take over. His body strained toward her, but he stopped short of overpowering her and forcing her to release his hands. Running his tongue along her bottom lip, he demanded entrance. She opened to him.

  His kiss was fierce and demanding. She moaned against his mouth, but he didn’t let up. It was as if she could taste the truth of his words in his kiss. He wasn’t walking away. Not yet.

  Sadie widened her stance and stepped closer, capturing his thigh between her legs. Allowing her skirt to ride up, she rocked against his leg. It was crazy, but he had her so turned on, she wondered if she could come like this.

  She pulled her mouth away from his and tipped her head back. Her breasts pressed against his chest as she rode his thigh.

  “Sadie,” he said his voice low. “We need to stop.”

  Her hips stilled as she looked up at him. But she didn’t step away or release his hands. “I think that’s my call.”

  “It is.” His gaze dropped to skirt, which currently decorated her waist, revealing her red lace panties. “But we can pick up right here. After. First, I’d like to take you out.”

  No. The word was on the tip of her tongue. But curiosity—and the low growling in her stomach—won. He’d planned a surprise for her. And despite the very obvious evidence that he wanted her, he’d asked to take her to dinner first.

  Sadie released his hands and stepped away, readjusting her skirt. “If you insist.”

  Logan nodded. “I do.”

  12

  SADIE SECURED HER seat belt and waited for Logan to start the truck. It felt as if every nerve ending in her body was on high alert, waiting for them to pick up where they’d left off in the kitchen. And her mind? It was still in shock.

  Logan hadn’t run for the hills. Her writing hadn’t terminated another relationship. Not that they were dating. This thing between them was leading straight to the bedroom. And he still didn’t know she was MJ Lane, bestselling erotica author, who planned to go on national television in a few weeks. If he found out, he’d probably make a beeline for the door. But he was here. For now.

  Logan started the truck and drove down the dirt driveway, bypassing the main house. Sadie stole a glance at his crotch. She couldn’t help it. Anticipation ran through her veins, touching every part of her. He had to be in the same boat. One look confirmed her suspicions. Uncomfortably turned on.

  Tempted to scoot over to the middle seat, she settled for reaching over and resting her hand on his thigh. Logan tensed beneath her touch, but kept his focus on the road.

  “Where are we going?” she asked, running her hand up and down his jean-clad leg.

  “Into a ditch if you keep that up.”

  Sadie laughed, but kept her hand on him, enjoying the connection. “Seriously, where are you taking me?”

  “I told you, it’s a surprise.” He stopped at the main road. One way led to town and the other to the hospital, but beyond that she wasn’t sure. “Close your eyes.”

  “Yes, sir.” She shut her eyes. But she could feel the car turning to the right. The road to town. She’d secretly hoped they could escape Mount Pleasant for a night. The Quilted Quail served good food, but it was the only decent place in town, and overflowing with locals.

  “Almost there,” he said. The truck slowed and then took another turn, followed quickly by another. Then it stopped. “You can open your eyes now.”

  Sadie scanned their surroundings. The parking lot behind the bookstore, currently empty. “I’m guessing the store is closed for the night.”

  Logan nodded. He’d come around to open her door and held out a hand. “It is.”

  “Then what are we doing here?”

  He led her to the back door, the one they’d used to make their escape, withdrew a key from his pocket and opened it. “I talked the owner into lending me the store for the night.”

  She followed him through the maze of bookshelves. When they turned the corner, Sadie froze. Her eyes widened and her stomach did a little flip. A table set for two stood in the exact spot where they’d first met. In front of the romance/erotica section.

  “You didn’t have to go to all this trouble.” She walked toward the table, which held a bottle of red wine, two plates covered with metal domes and a single rose in a vase. “This is a fling, remember? I don’t need to be romanced.”

  “Sadie, look at me.” He stepped in front of her, blocking her view of the fairy-tale setup. Placing one hand on either arm, he held her there, demanding her attention. “I’m not ready for commitment. With my job, I might never head down that road again. But that doesn’t mean you aren’t special.”

  Sadie looked away. The honesty in his eyes—it crushed her. Despite his grief and the turmoil surrounding the mission that had gone awry, Logan was giving her everything he had to offer. He was building something with her. It would never lead to happily-ever-after, but still, he didn’t hold back.

  What did she offer in return? Her gaze landed on a shelf filled with MJ Lane’s breakout novel—her bestseller. Secrets. One big lie by omission.

  “Sadie?”

  She met his questioning gaze, noting the worry making creases around his eyes.

  “If you don’t like it, we can go someplace else.”

  She shook her head. “It’s perfect.” She should tell him the truth, but not tonight. He’d gone to so much trouble. “You haven’t told me what we’re having yet.”

  He released her arms and went over to the table. Lifting the metal domes, he revealed two plates of sushi.

  “Laurel mentioned it was your favorite,” he said, setting the domes to the side. “I went with vegetarian rolls. The only sushi place is two towns over. I wasn’t sure how well fish would do on the trip.”

  “Vegetarian works for me.” She eyed the array of avocado, tofu and sweet potato rolls. On her list of things she missed about New York, sushi was in the top five, maybe top three. “Let’s eat.”

  Logan nodded, walking around to pull out her chair before claiming the one across from her. He filled their wineglasses, then reached for his chopsticks and dug in.


  “What about you?” she asked, watching him inhale one piece after another. “Do you like sushi?”

  He shrugged. “Sure. I’m not picky. After months spent eating MREs—those are pouches of ready-made meals—I like anything solid.”

  “Is that all you ate during your ride?” She hadn’t asked many questions about his horseback trip through Afghanistan. She knew it was a touchy subject, but she was curious.

  “We roasted a lamb one night. And the locals provided meals. Most of it was pretty good.”

  “If I ask another question, are you going to tell me it’s classified?”

  “Probably.”

  “Fair enough.” She picked up another piece of sweet potato roll. “How was your ice cream date?”

  “Not bad,” he said. “You were right.”

  “I usually am.”

  He chuckled. “About her dad. She started telling me about how he made pancakes and let her wear her princess dress to school.”

  Sadie focused on her sushi, not wanting Logan to see her face and the emotion written all over it. She missed the man who’d let her wear her Halloween costume to school in April. Her father was alive and well in Maryland. And she wanted more than uncomfortable phone calls. But somewhere along the way her money and his pride has driven a wedge between them, one that wasn’t likely to go away anytime soon.

  “You nailed it,” Logan continued. “That man was her hero long before he put on a uniform.”

  “Did she ask about the war?”

  He nodded. “She asked a lot of questions about what it is like over there. I tried my best to answer. But to be honest, the conversation moved on to other things. One minute we were talking about what it is like to live on a base in Iraq and the next she was telling me about her Girl Scout camping trip.”

  “Just like any other kid.”

  Logan nodded. “When she approached me after the raffle, all I saw was her grief. But there is a lot more to her. By the time we left, she was bouncing up and down, telling me all about her best friend at school and asking if I would come in and meet her class.”

  “Setting up a second date. Smart girl. Are you going to do it?”

  “I might. Depends on how long I’m around.”

  He was leaving. Soon. She couldn’t forget that after their candlelight bookstore dinner, they would eventually return to their separate lives. That alone made this fling doable. “How does it work? Does someone call you one day and say, ‘Get back here now’?”

  “Something like that. Depends on how Hunter, my teammate, does with the writer in New York. Probably won’t be long, though.”

  One writer stood between him and what he wanted. Lifting her wineglass to her lips, she caught him glancing over at the shelves. The store’s romance/erotica section was limited, but they did a nice job highlighting what they had. Many of the titles were face-out. Including hers.

  Sadie took a sip. She wasn’t the writer standing in his way. Not yet. But in a few weeks, if they didn’t end their fling, she could cost him everything.

  She set her glass down and pushed the depressing thought away. Tonight was for him. His chance to move forward.

  “First time eating dinner surrounded by images of half-naked men and women?” she asked.

  “The naked guys? Yeah. But you’d be surprised how some of my teammates decorate.”

  “Men away from their wives and girlfriends? I can imagine.” He’d probably downed more than one of those MRE things in a makeshift camp filled with centerfolds.

  “It wasn’t the covers that distracted me.” Logan waved his chopsticks at the erotica shelves. “I can’t stop wondering, is one of those yours?”

  Every muscle in her body tensed. She should have known he’d ask. If she was in his shoes, she’d be wondering the same thing. Still, this wasn’t the time or place to tell him. “Yes. But I write under a pen name so you’d have a hard time guessing which one.”

  “Is that a challenge?” He pushed back from the table and walked over to the bookcase. Standing with his hands on his hips, he looked so serious as he studied the covers. Finally he reached out and selected a book.

  Not hers. Thank goodness.

  He flipped it open and scanned the pages. Color rushed to his face. Watching a man who looked like a superhero blush was a major turn-on. She crossed her legs under the table, squeezing her thighs together. Earlier, she’d been close to coming and her body hadn’t forgotten. But tonight was his turn. At least, the first time.

  “Tell me this isn’t yours,” he said. “I’m not sure that’s legal.”

  She didn’t know what he was reading and she didn’t care. The man standing in front of her turned her on more than the hottest erotica scene. The way he looked, the way he cared, not just for her, but also for Charlotte—he spurred her desire. She was close to tossing aside her chopsticks and demanding he take her right there on the table.

  Sadie stood and walked up behind him. Pressing up against his back, she rose on her tiptoes, her lips brushing his ear. “I can’t help notice, there is no one else around. No waiters. No other diners.” She reached around and plucked the book from his hand. “I don’t think we’ll need this. My imagination is running wild with what-if scenarios.”

  Logan nodded. “Always a good idea to run through all the possibilities. I’m listening if you want to bounce some ideas off me.”

  “How about I give you a demonstration?” She stepped back, breaking the contact.

  Logan turned to face her. The man looked tense, ready to pounce. But he held back, waiting for her command. Sadie searched his face for any signs of hesitation. None. His eyes were fixed on her with a laserlike focus. His desire felt so strong, so present, it was like another living, breathing thing in the store with them.

  “I think it is time for you to shed some clothes,” Sadie said.

  “Sadie, I hate to stop you, but we’re in a bookstore,” he said.

  “I doubt anyone is in the alley. And this section is hidden from the front window. It’s just you and me,” she said. “So how about we start with your shirt.”

  She folded her arms in front of her chest to keep from touching while Logan drew his T-shirt overhead. He tossed it aside, but she didn’t see where it landed. Those muscles—most men could work out for the next ten years and never look this good, this solid. Sadie’s mouth went dry and her hands ached to touch.

  “Your turn,” he said.

  The site of his sculpted chest and oh-my-God eight-pack abs almost had her melting in a puddle at his feet. Almost.

  “I think you forget who is giving the orders here. Lose the pants and the boots.”

  Logan arched an eyebrow. He bent down and pulled off his boots. Then his hand touched the button on the top of his jeans. She watched his zipper slide down. A second later, his pants hit the floor. No boxers or briefs. Sadie licked her lips, unable to take her eyes off the long, hard length of him. She moved closer, watching as small drops of liquid spilled from the head of his cock.

  “Sadie—” He wasn’t begging, but he was close.

  Standing so close she could reach out and touch him, she said, “Hands over your head. Hold on to the shelves.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” His tone was playful, yet heavy with desire as he followed her orders. He was enjoying this. There was no question.

  Still fully dressed, she sank to her knees in front of him. “Keep your hands where they are. Don’t let go.”

  “I don’t know if I can do that.”

  “Every good soldier follows orders.” Not that she’d ever had one at her mercy before. The men she’d dated in New York didn’t come close to Logan’s raw power. Their muscles came from long hours in the gym, not battling terrorists. The things this man was capable of probably pushed the boundaries of her imagination. Yet, he was here. Al
l hers.

  Slowly, gently, she ran her tongue from the base of his cock up to the tip. She wrapped her lips around the head, enjoying the salty taste of him. Wrapping one hand around the base of his shaft, she drew him into her mouth.

  “Christ, Sadie.”

  Still stroking him with her hand, she glanced up at his face. He was watching her; his body tense with need and something that looked a lot like awe.

  Sadie froze, her hand holding him tight. This meant something to him. It wasn’t just about pleasure. Being here with her, it was a way to move forward and prove to himself that he wasn’t drowning. Not anymore.

  She’d only known him a few days. They’d both agreed this was a fling. Just sex. Nothing more. But there was more emotion tied to every action, every touch than she’d experienced, especially when kneeling before a naked man.

  Taking the look in his eyes as a challenge, she lowered her head and kissed the tip of his erection. “Relax, soldier. You’ll enjoy this, I promise.”

  “Sadie—”

  She ran her lips down to meet her fingers. Moving her hand with her mouth, she repeated the action.

  “Ah, hell, that’s good.”

  She had a feeling that wasn’t what he’d planned to say. But whatever it was, it didn’t matter. She lifted her gaze, her mouth still moving up and down his cock, and saw him watching her. The way he looked at her—she ached to feel him against her skin, to feel his hands on her as he thrust into her. But not yet.

  They had all night for sex. Right now, she wanted to give him an orgasm that made him forget the pain he carried around day after day. For a few precious moments, she wanted to infuse his world with pleasure.

  * * *

  LOGAN WATCHED AS Sadie took him so deep he felt the back of her throat. His fingers dug into the bookcase, itching to reach down and hold her head while he thrust into her mouth.

  But he refused to defy her instructions. He didn’t need the extra ammunition. Being in the same room with Sadie sent his body into red alert. Still, listening to her issue commands took him up a notch.