by Mari Carr
One entire wall of her living room was taken up by bookshelves that were packed two rows deep with hardcover classics, a healthy supply of mystery paperbacks and a ton of those purple-covered Harlequin stories.
He grinned. With the exception of the romance novels, his shelves at home held many of the same books.
“Where is your bedroom?”
Jayne paused in the middle of fluffing the throw pillows on her couch. She pointed down a hallway. “Second door on the left.”
“Come on.”
Jayne led him to her room, walking a touch faster than normal. He wasn’t the only person anxious to pick things up where they’d left off. As they entered her bedroom, he placed his bag on the mattress.
“Take off your clothes.”
Jayne began disrobing immediately and he sank down on her bed to watch. Some of the shyness he’d seen last weekend had disappeared as she took her undressing to a new level, treating him to the sexiest striptease he’d ever seen. Soon she was topless, toying with the button on her jeans.
Turning her back to him, she slowly pushed pants and panties over her hips, bending forward as the denim fell. Elias swallowed heavily when he was treated to a peek of the plug filling her ass. His cock thickened and he adjusted his own pants.
As soon as she shed the jeans, she twirled around to face him once more.
Her pussy was bare.
He’d given her the name of a salon that specialized in waxing, but she hadn’t mentioned whether or not she’d made an appointment.
“Jesus,” he mumbled.
“You like it?”
“Come here.” He wasn’t sure he could stand without causing himself injury. He needed to get out of his pants soon or risk permanent damage.
He gripped her hips as soon as she was within reach. From his position on the bed, he was eye level with her bare pussy. Unable to resist, he ran his finger over the smooth skin.
Jayne gasped at his first touch.
His gaze flew to her face. “It’s more sensitive this way. That’s why I asked you to have it waxed.”
“I didn’t realize it would feel so good. I went to see the woman yesterday morning, so I’m still trying to get used to it.”
Elias was pleased to know she hadn’t had time to explore this new look on her own. He leaned forward and drew his tongue along her wet slit, stopping when he reached her clit. It was swollen and ready to play.
His hands drifted along her ass cheeks as he worshipped her clit and pussy with his mouth. Reaching between, he pressed on the base of the butt plug.
Jayne’s hands landed heavily on his shoulders as she tried to find her balance.
“Open your legs.”
She obeyed, swaying slightly as she did so. He’d coaxed her to climax after climax each night over the phone, but it appeared she was suffering from the same need for more physical contact as he was. There was simply no substitute for being together.
He pushed one of his fingers into her pussy as Jayne’s fingers tightened on his shirt. “You’re not allowed to come until I’m inside you.”
She released a small pained groan. “I need you now.”
He glanced at her face. She wasn’t lying about that. She was struggling for air. Her pussy clenched against his finger and he suspected that if he added just one more, she’d explode.
“Tough,” he taunted. He removed his finger then rose from the bed, bidding her to bend over the mattress facedown.
He’d introduced her to the butt plug three nights earlier during one of their phone-sex dates. Each day he’d urged her to wear it for longer periods of time. He longed to pull the damn plastic out and replace it with his dick, but he held back.
For one thing, Jayne had never been fucked in the ass and he wasn’t exactly a small man. While the plug was there to stretch her, it was a beginner’s toy and nowhere near enough to prepare her properly.
Secondly, he was too fond of anal sex. It was one place where his control sometimes slipped. He wouldn’t risk that tonight. But soon, he promised himself.
Soon.
He ran his fingers along the base of the toy at the rim of her anus. “Does this hurt?”
She shook her head.
“Good. Then it’s staying in. Crawl to the center of the mattress and lay on your back.”
As Jayne complied, Elias reached for his bag and pulled out the toy he’d bought this week at a sex shop near his hotel. The moment he’d seen the sex sling, he knew he wanted to put Jayne in it.
An adorable crinkle appeared between her eyes as she tried to figure out what he was holding. Rather than explain, he decided it would be more fun to show her. He attached the cuffs to her ankles then slowly lifted her legs, placing the padded neck strap behind her head after adjusting everything to the appropriate length. The device held her legs spread wide and straight up, leaving her cunt and ass open for him.
To complete the effect of rendering her helpless, he placed a velvet-covered cuff around one wrist then ran the six-inch chain through the slat of her bedframe before securing her other hand.
“Comfortable?”
“Sort of,” she replied honestly.
He winked at her then stood and walked to the foot of the bed, enjoying the vision of his sexy captive. Jayne’s body told him exactly how much she liked the bondage. Her nipples were budded and tight, her thighs shiny with the juices from her cunt, her ass clenching against the plug still lodged tight. She was vulnerable, on display. His.
He decided to give her a taste of her own medicine as he undressed slowly. Jayne’s eyes never left him as he took off his tie, his jacket, his shirt at a leisurely pace.
Her breathing accelerated when he started to unhook his belt and a weak “please” escaped her lips. He pulled the belt from its loops and folded the leather in half, striking it against his palm. Elias wasn’t sure what reaction he expected, but he certainly didn’t anticipate Jayne licking her lips then hissing the word “yes”.
Bending forward, he swung the belt loosely against her ass. There was no strength behind the motion, as it was meant to titillate, to tease. When her eyes closed in pleasure, he repeated the action on the opposite cheek. Only this time, he put some power into the swing.
Jayne groaned then lifted her ass as much as she could in invitation, silently asking for more.
Elias stood spellbound for several seconds. Jesus.
He’d held back the darker parts of his needs last weekend, reluctant to scare her. Suddenly he wondered if he’d held back too much.
He slapped her ass three more times with the belt, each blow varying in placement and intensity. Then he threw the leather aside. His control was in tatters.
Elias quickly stripped off his shoes, socks, boxers and pants. To hell with the striptease. He needed to be inside her.
Now.
Crawling along the mattress, he knelt at the vee of her outstretched legs. Dipping his fingers into her cunt, he discovered his sex kitten was more than ready. He placed the head of his cock at her entrance and shoved in with one hard thrust.
She was extra tight thanks to the plug in her ass. Jayne struggled against the cuffs at her wrists, but she wasn’t seeking release. At least not from the bondage.
Her pussy clenched against his dick. “I have to…”
Jayne’s words drifted away but he knew what she needed. “I’m going to fuck you, Jayne. Hard.”
“God, yes!”
Elias unleashed a week’s worth of pent-up sexual frustration, driving into her. The sling held her completely open, allowing him to penetrate deeper, his cock grazing her G-spot.
Jayne screamed as she came, her orgasm pulsing so hard Elias was helpless to resist. She shattered him, beautifully.
His balls tightened a mere second before he exploded, come filling her hot, wet cunt. Jayne trembled beneath him, her eyes closed tightly. She was absolutely stunning.
Neither of them moved as the sounds of their panting filled the quiet room.
&nb
sp; Slowly he withdrew. Jayne whimpered as he retreated then he released her from the sling, the cuffs.
She lay motionless on the mattress, her breasts heaving as she tried to catch her breath. He massaged her shoulders and rose from the bed.
He found a washcloth in her bathroom and wetted it with warm water. Returning to the room, he gently eased the plug from her ass and cleansed her, wiping away his come as well as her own sweet juices. Tossing the cloth aside, he laid down beside her, pulling her into his arms.
Jayne curled against him. Elias savored the feeling of holding her. Her soft blonde hair lay against his chest and, unable to resist, he lifted his hand to stroke it, to run the silky mass through his fingers.
Sleep was coming fast to claim them.
He had just closed his eyes when Jayne whispered, “I love you, Elias.”
Her words hit him like a two-ton wrecking ball as his eyes snapped open. Jayne seemed to recognize what she’d said as her gaze found his, panic-stricken.
“I mean—”
“Don’t,” he said harshly. “Don’t take that away.”
She tried to look down but he stopped her with strong fingers on her jaw. “I’m not your dad, Jayne. Think about it. Think about the man you’ve spent the last three years with at Books and Brew. That’s me. The real me. Have I ever discouraged you from expressing an opinion, speaking your mind?”
She shook her head. “No. But—”
“But what, Jayne?”
“There’s nothing I wouldn’t give you. I know that. I feel it. God, Elias, I could so easily lose myself in you. I’m afraid if I give in to that, I’ll disappear.”
Suddenly he understood. “I’d never let you disappear, Jayne. I need you too much.”
She swallowed heavily. “Just two more nights. Please. Don’t ask me for more than that.”
She was shutting down again. Somehow he had to show her that submitting to him didn’t diminish who she was. He longed to show her that she had the power, the ability to bring him to his knees. How could she think she would disappear when all he could see was her?
“No.”
She frowned. “No?”
“That game is over. I’m officially throwing my hat in the ring. I want to date you. Want to build a relationship with you. One that’s built on trust and honesty. We’re not strangers, Jayne. I haven’t hidden who I am or what I want from you. Either you believe me when I say I’ll never run roughshod over you and that I’ll never demean you or make you feel as if you aren’t one hundred percent my equal…or you don’t. I want you to be my friend, my lover and my partner. Take some time. Think about it.”
He slowly rose. Jayne’s grip on him tightened for a moment and he thought she’d pull him back. His heart fell when instead she let him go.
He dressed and walked to the door. Turning, he admired her beautiful though troubled face. Her tousled hair hung loose over her bare shoulders as she clenched the sheet, holding it up. “You’re leaving?”
He nodded, praying he wasn’t making the biggest mistake of his life. “You’re wrong about this so-called power struggle. You’re in control, Jayne. You always have been. The next move is yours.”
Chapter Six
“Elias?”
Jayne pounded on the door. For good measure, she pressed the doorbell button several times. When he didn’t answer, she started knocking again. His car was in the driveway.
“Dammit, Elias! I know you’re here. I’m not leaving until you open this damn door.” It was a bold taunt, but her temper had officially blown a gasket tonight and she didn’t expect to calm down for a long time.
She’d woken up alone in her bedroom two weeks ago. It had annoyed her that he’d left, that he’d called their game to a halt early, but she told herself it was for the best. She’d been in serious danger of falling too hard, too fast. She’d watched her mother slowly disappear over the years until she was a shadow of her former self. Jayne read the psychology books. She knew how often children repeated the patterns established by their parents.
So she’d made her decision, realizing he’d been right to walk away. She needed to let life return to normal.
Only, her normal sucked. She couldn’t sleep or eat or do anything without fucking it up. She was distracted and irritable. She was also currently running on empty and not thinking entirely rationally. Her friends had tried to console her, thinking things between she and Elias hadn’t worked out. She didn’t have the courage to tell them he’d offered her the moon on a silver platter and she’d refused it.
She tried to convince herself it was smart to break things off, so she didn’t try to contact him. After a few days went by and Elias didn’t call, she hung in there, consoling herself with the fact that she’d see him Thursday. He’d claim his same chair in the corner, she’d serve his a glass of Scotch, and somehow—please God—somehow she’d find a way to return them to their old, comfortable friendship.
Only he didn’t show the previous Thursday, or the next. Tonight was also the second Saturday he’d skipped.
And she’d snapped.
She couldn’t deal with this. With what he wanted. Why couldn’t he see that? Why had he changed the status quo? Her frustration built and she kicked his door. Hard. “Ouch! Fuck!”
She jumped over to the porch railing, cursing her sore foot on the way. It figured Elias would choose that exact moment to open the door. She was hopping around like an injured bunny.
Of course, he looked worse. He looked like hell.
“Jayne? What are you doing here?”
Her face was hot, no doubt blazing red, but this time she wasn’t feeling embarrassed or shy. She was pissed off.
“It’s Saturday.” The words came out loud and angry. As far as openings went, hers sucked, but it was the one fact she couldn’t let go of. It was Saturday and he hadn’t come. Again.
Elias seemed to understand. “I know.” His gaze drifted to where she still stood on one leg, massaging her aching toes. “Is your foot okay?”
She slowly let it drop, gingerly placing weight on it. She hadn’t broken it. More likely she’d just bruised her toes. And her pride. “It’s fine. You haven’t been coming to Books and Brew,” she accused.
“I told you when I left that I wouldn’t.”
“I want you to come back.”
He shook his head. “No. I can’t go into that bar and see you week after week without touching you. I endured three years of that hell. I’m not doing that anymore.”
“So this is it? It’s all or nothing?”
His grim smile confirmed it was.
It didn’t appear Elias had fared any better than she the past couple of weeks. His jaw was covered with several days’ worth of beard. His hair was mussed, his eyes underlined with dark circles that indicated his sleep hadn’t been restful.
Worst of all was his clothing. He wore loose-fitting jeans that looked as if they should have been pitched years ago. His college t-shirt was faded from about seventy washes too many and his feet were bare.
“You look like shit.”
He laughed, the sound of it doing funny things to her stomach. “Thanks. Fairly cruel comment, considering how gorgeous you look tonight. If I’d known you were coming, I would have shaved, found some clean clothes.”
She ran her hand through her hair nervously. When she’d decided to drive to his house to confront him, she’d run home to shower, fix her hair and put on makeup in an attempt to hide how much his leaving had hurt. Prior to that, she’d looked every bit as rough as he did.
Silence surrounded them as he waited.
Then his patience wavered. “Why are you here?”
“I miss you.”
He smiled kindly. “It’s only been two weeks, Blue Eyes.”
The term of endearment shook her. “I’m scared.”
“Of what?”
She gestured to him then herself. “This. I didn’t expect it to be so powerful, so overwhelming.” She pulled her jacket around herse
lf when the chilly breeze picked up.
“Come inside,” Elias said. “I think it’s time you faced a few truths about yourself.”
She walked into his house, grateful for the immediate warmth. It was a damn cold night. He led her to his living room and she claimed a spot on the couch, hoping he’d join her. The distance between them—physically and emotionally—was wearing her out.
Unfortunately Elias sat down in the armchair across from her. “Tell me what you’re afraid of. I know you’re harboring some preconceived notion that I’m going to suddenly turn into your father. I’m not sure how I can convince you that won’t happen.”
She bit her lip, glancing down at the floor. “That was never the concern.”
He tilted his head. “What?”
“I’m not afraid you’ll turn into my father. I know you better than that. You’ve never treated me as anything less than an equal. You respect my opinions. You even seek them out. You listen to me. No one’s ever encouraged me to speak my mind more than you. I know you’d never play the my-way-or-the-highway card with me.”
“Then what’s wrong?”
“I’m terrified that I’ll turn into my mother. I’ve never submitted to anyone sexually before.”
He nodded. “I know that. But Jayne, you enjoy it. You can’t fake that. You’re a natural submissive.”
“You’re right. I am. But what if it goes deeper than that?”
He studied her face. “Meaning?”
“What if I can’t turn it off? What if I give in to my submissive nature and it takes over?”
“You want to be a full-time slave?”
Jayne shook her head. “Hell no. I couldn’t do that.”
“Good. I don’t want that either. But you’re right. You’ve been holding back.”
She couldn’t deny it. He didn’t even pose it as a question. But she knew his secret too. “So have you.”
He frowned. “I suppose I have. I haven’t even scratched the surface on all the ways I want to take you, Jayne. So I’ll rescind my previous decision. The game will continue. One more night. Tonight. Both of us release the restraints and give in to our true natures.”
