Reluctant Surrender

by Riley Murphy

  All day and night he’d tried to deny what he was feeling. After all, it had been a long time since he’d been happy in any measure. And now, with her? He found himself wanting to smile, more often than not. Wanting to spend time with her. Watch her. Touch her. God, he looked up at the stars, her skin was the texture of warm silky satin and he couldn’t wait to get his hands on her.

  After he figured he’d given her enough time to get to bed, he headed up to the house. His every thought focused on what she slept in at night. Knowing her, probably a pair of fleece pajamas and matching socks. No, her dead mice moccasins. Recalling them reminded him of the heels she had on tonight. The ones she’d kicked off when she got out of the limo. With those in mind he went on the hunt. She wouldn’t have remembered to bring them in and once he checked the area, he was surprised when he came up empty-handed. Maybe she had—

  He stopped right inside the door when he spotted them. Her pumps perfectly aligned and centered on the mat in the hallway. He crouched down and ran a finger over one little strap as he shook his head and smiled. The surge of pleasure he experienced was deep. She really was a keeper.

  He didn’t get up. Instead he pulled his cell out of his back pocket and dialed.

  “Hey, Alistair.” Ethan was in too good a mood to be pissed that his attorney was ragging on him. He let him rant for a few seconds and then said, “Sure, I know what time it is, but this is important. I want you to…”

  * * * * *

  Ethan couldn’t help smiling when Colin made a regal entrance into the family room the next morning. Her back was ramrod straight and she was walking as if she had a pile of slippery books stacked on her head. But what really got him was the pair of black sunglasses she sported that covered most of her face.

  “How are you this morning?” It was mean, but he purposely shouted the question at her.

  “Jesus! Tone it down some octaves, would you?”

  “That bad, eh?”

  He watched her feel her way around the couch before she took a seat. “I think it was the brandy.”

  He chuckled and slid off the stool. “Here, drink this. I’m glad you left your hair down.”

  She took the glass and held it up. “What is it?”

  “Gatorade.”

  “I need coffee.”

  “No you don’t. Caffeine’s not good for a hangover.”

  “Aspirin?”

  “No, aspirin is a blood thinner just like alcohol, so that would be counterproductive. A couple of glasses of the Gatorade to get your electrolytes balanced and you’ll be fine.”

  “I hope so.”

  “In the meantime, I’ve got some studying for you to do.”

  “I don’t think I’m up to studying today.”

  “Drink the Gatorade.” He leaned down and placed the pages on the table in front of her. “Then go over these. There will be a test after you have breakfast.”

  She didn’t look at the pages, probably why she was still calm, and said, “I don’t feel like eating anything at the moment.”

  He took hold of her chin and ignored how she winced when he carefully removed her glasses. “Read over what I’ve given you while I slice you up a banana and make you some egg whites and whole wheat toast.”

  She squinted up at him. “Banana?”

  “It’s got plenty of potassium. The eggs have protein and the toast is a carb. Can’t hurt.”

  He’d just cracked and separated an egg into a bowl when she spotted what was on those pages.

  “Hold the phone. I’m not doing this.”

  “Yes you are.”

  “No, for sure. Absolutely, I’m not. Uh-uh. Nope. Not going to happen.”

  He tossed the egg shells into the garbage and sighed. “It’s only three positions. You’re a smart girl. I’m sure you’ll be able to master them quickly enough.”

  “Naked?” she squeaked.

  “That’s what’s bothering you about it?” He cracked and separated another egg. “You can keep your clothes on for as long as you want to.”

  She took a moment to scrutinize him from across the room and then turned her attention back to the pages, grumbling, “All right then.”

  He was sure she wouldn’t be so keen to agree to it if she knew herself better. Today he’d get her stripped down to her undergarments, he was sure of it and maybe tomorrow or the next she’d be presenting to him naked in a kneel. That was a nonnegotiable. He liked his rituals and she’d come to cherish them too. As soon as she understood the positions themselves worked to enhance her mental and emotional submissive state.

  He already knew this was a huge trigger for her. In the office when he’d put her to her knees she was ready to be commanded. She hadn’t balked when he ordered her to reach for her panties and when she’d come up from all fours into a kneel and turned so she was between his legs he knew her gaze wasn’t lowered out of deference as she eyed his lap. Just as he knew she didn’t stumble on the cock slut website by accident.

  “This third one looks easy enough.”

  He cracked another egg and held his tongue. He wasn’t going to burst her bubble before breakfast. Because he was sure she was looking at those positions like yoga exercises while they were much more than that. They were a stamp of ownership. His brand of ritual. His, unique to him, desired placement of her before him, and within his household. This was also the first of many steps he’d need to take with her before she belonged to him.

  After last night and the generous way she’d opened up to him, he wanted her and with that decision made he had ten days to convince her that this was what she should want too.

  “What about these eggs. Would you like scrambled egg whites or a goat cheese omelet?

  * * * * *

  Colin closed her eyes and held her breath. Ethan was kneeling right behind her with one hand splayed on her abdomen and his other encircling her neck.

  “That’s right. Breathe deep, from here.” He gently pushed into her stomach as a reminder and when he leaned around her she shivered hearing him speak so close to her ear. “Slow and easy. Chin up and eyes downcast.”

  She would have moved if she could, but she had no room. Instead she opened her eyes and tried to get a sidelong glimpse of him. “I’m sorry. I was trying to focus but it’s a lot harder than it looks and besides, I’m hung over.”

  “Whose fault is that?”

  “Yours.”

  “I believe I warned you several times about nerves and alcohol. Now, pay attention. Next time you’re going to be doing these on your own while I watch.”

  She held the position and kept her eyes down. Thinking about some of the stuff they’d been discussing. After a moment she asked, “You’d really put a woman in the corner and make her wait to be spanked?”

  “Yes.” When he moved his hand up, forcing her chin higher, she shivered and as he continued to speak softly right by her ear she quaked. “If she needed to be corrected. A proper state of mind is imperative when doling out a punishment.”

  “For you or for her?”

  “For you,” he growled and nipped her lobe. The bite sent a shock wave from her lobe to directly between her legs.

  “I don’t know how you do it.”

  “What?” He was still at her ear. Still quiet. Still making her shiver.

  “How do you make something so outrageous seem normal?”

  He let go of her neck and brought his hand to the top of her chest. It was a kind of hold. Pressure, but no force. “Who defines that normal? You? Society? Your parents? Your neighbors? Who?”

  “I—” She frowned because now that she thought about it she had no answer for him. “I don’t know.”

  He pressed his jaw against her temple. “Here’s something you do know. My normal is as follows. I like to spank, suck, fuck, cherish, challenge, discipline, correct, entice and control my woman. You may think that seems demeaning. I know you like that word, but I’m smart enough to know there’s no honor in degrading a girl who thinks she’s worthless.
I make sure my woman knows her value because I don’t do all these things to her, I do them for her. There’s a vast difference between the two.”

  He let go of her and it took every ounce of strength she had not to sit back on her heels and remain as she was.

  “Now.” He stood and came around in front of her. She saw those Italian shoes of his and the funny thing was she felt better. They were a familiar thing to focus on as she lowered her bottom to her heels. Just like he’d showed her. By the time she was set with her shoulders back and her hands clasped behind her, her breathing was light and erratic. He must have noticed.

  “Breathe deep.”

  He walked around her, commenting on all the positive things he saw and corrected where he felt she lacked. “Good shoulder angle but you need to spread your knees a little farther apart. Very good.”

  His voice was soothing and when he brushed the back of his knuckles down the side of one of her cheeks she couldn’t help it. She moaned.

  He sat down on the coffee table and watched her. It was humiliating to some degree and comforting to another. It didn’t take her long to settle in and admit that she liked his attention homed in on her. And when he reached forward and tweaked her spiked nipple through her blouse she wanted to sigh. The aches he created. The contractions that centered between her legs were almost painful at times. Again and again he scissor-pinched the swollen part of her breast until her center was hot and soaking wet. She had to work hard to keep her eyes open and directed on the floor as he taught her when all she wanted to do was close them and drown in sensations.

  “Colin, come up into position two. Very good. Now, I want you to undo your blouse. Start at the top and undo every button to the bottom.”

  His voice was mesmerizing. Calm and assertive at the same time. His silky command gave her courage. Her hands were surprisingly steady as she remained in a straight kneeling position and undid the series of pearl buttons. When she reached the last one he said, “Take it off and hand it to me.”

  She shifted and let the blouse slide down her arms. Without a word she offered it to him, but it wasn’t until she brought her hands behind her back and clasped them together that he spoke. “Good girl.”

  In only her bra and jeans she felt wicked. Dirty. As if she was on display for him. And when he reached out and drew his fingers over the tops of her breasts, across the flesh that capped her bra cups, her stomach muscles clenched and she tensed.

  “Relax. Breathe.”

  He continued stroking the flesh around her breasts. Doing looping circles over the exposed mound above her cup, the lacy sides, the undersides and back up again. Teasing her in such a way that her nipples ached and the area around them became hot and hard. Competing for his attention.

  “Ethan.”

  He took his hands away and leaned back. “No talking, Colin.”

  After a full minute of silence, he ordered, “Move into the third position. As elegantly as you can. Do it. Show me your ass while you do it. Sell that beautiful attribute. Make me want to touch it. Squeeze it. Show me how slinky you can be as you get adjusted.”

  His words were what she focused on. By the time she’d managed what she considered a downward dog position she was totally turned-on. She hadn’t felt this sexy, this desired, ever. Her heart raced. She was thankful for the cool wood floor against her scalding cheek. It grounded her and allowed her to keep her position.

  “You’re a natural. Great form. Your ass couldn’t be any more perfect.”

  He ran a hand over each mound and when he slipped his palm between her legs and pressed in hard against her she groaned.

  “I’m going to undo your jeans.” He reached around underneath her and undid them. “Now I’m going to pull them down. I’ll leave your panties, but I have to see more of this beautiful ass.”

  With each soft tug she melted further and further into a huge well of desire. She tried to remember to breathe. She wanted to stay calm. To focus, but every nerve ending in her body was attuned to him and what he was doing. And when he had her jeans down, when he slipped them off, her quivering pussy clenched and slickened more.

  “There.”

  She expected him to caress her bottom or maybe even spank it. She had given him quite a taunting show as she maneuvered into the third position. So when he bent over and bit her right cheek hard through her undies she cried out.

  “Shh…”

  He bit her left cheek just as hard, but she was better prepared and pressed her lips together.

  “You’ve got a great ass, Colin.”

  He smoothed his hands over her panties and then took hold of her bottom and held on tight. Without another word he alternated between right and left cheek as he bit her. Sometimes hard, sometimes soft. One minute it seemed unbearable and the next it was too bearable. Hot and alive with sensation. By the time he was done she was shaking and panting. Pushing her ass up for more of that kind of attention. She didn’t care what he thought about that. This was too good.

  “Someone likes to be bitten.” He squeezed her bottom and even though it hurt it felt good somehow. She moaned and then gasped when he slipped an arm around her middle and lifted. “Come here.”

  He carried her to the couch and set her down. It was an awkward moment. Not just because she was in her underwear while he was fully dressed or that she’d basically begged him without words to continue biting her bottom, but she didn’t know if she could talk yet. Some of the rules were kind of confusing.

  “Can I speak?”

  He’d been looking down at her and when she asked him this, his eyes darkened and his expression got intense. “I like you asking my permission, Colin. I like it a lot. Yes you may.”

  And now she forgot what she wanted to say. She had to say something. “That was…nice.”

  “I want better than nice. Close your eyes.”

  “But—”

  “Trust me. Let me show you better than nice.”

  She closed her eyes and let out a breath. “Okay.”

  Without a word he turned her sideways and guided her back against the couch. When she was lying flat with her tingling butt cradled in the soft leather, he whispered in her ear, “You stay put, I’ll be right back. Keep your eyes closed.”

  She nodded and kept reminding herself to breathe. Was he going to get a condom? Suddenly her nerves kicked in. It had been so long since she’d had sex and really, how well did she know Ethan? Sure, he bit ass really well and he was dark and dangerous and what the hell was she thinking to be—

  “Relax,” he ordered and when she tried to get up he eased her back down. “You’re going to love this. I promise. Trust me,” he said against her ear.

  “I don’t know what’s wrong with me.” She took a deep breath and let it out slowly and still her damn heart hammered. “I’m trying. Truly I am.”

  It was as if she didn’t know her own mind anymore. One minute she was on board with all this and the next she was jumping ship.

  “You’re doing great. I never said this was going to be easy. Just relax and do as you promised me. Go with the flow. You have the power to stop me anytime you want. Just say the word and I will, okay? Good. I’m going to bring your arms up—”

  “You’re not going to tie me up, are you?”

  “No. But no talking, Colin. Listen and pay attention.”

  She bit her lip to make sure she didn’t ask more questions.

  “I want you to curl your hands around this.”

  It was the bolstered arm of the couch.

  “That’s right. Let go of all your tension until your body is weightless.” He stroked her neck, her collarbone and breasts. “This is going to feel cold against your skin. Stay still.”

  She heard a clipping noise and felt her bra strap give. He’d cut her bra. Her brand new Victoria’s Secret sexy bra, but before she’d decided to break the no-talking rule it didn’t matter because even if she wanted to complain she couldn’t. She was speechless because he cut off her new panti
es too. Men! All he had to do was ask and she would have—

  “Get over it.”

  Did she have to add mind reader to the list too?

  “Oww.”

  “Eyes closed and no talking.”

  He’d taken her satin panties off and instead of the cool leather greeting her bottom a piece of cloth that felt like sandpaper was rubbed against her. Initially it hurt. Chafed, but then the burn started and those thrumming vibrations from before, when he’d been biting her were back with a vengeance until she was pressing into the roughness. Seeking it.

  “That’s right. Refocus. Concentrate.”

  She listened to him and forgot that she was naked and sprawled on his couch. That he was seated beside her fully dressed and ready to give her better than nice.

  “Spread your legs for me. Like that. Here.” He helped to position them, drawing them up and pushing them into an open butterfly. “Perfect.”

  Her fingers dug into the couch arm and she fought the urge to flex. The pangs of desire building and stacking inside her took her breath away and yet he hadn’t really even touched her. Not where it counted.

  “Don’t let go of the couch, Colin, and don’t open your eyes. If you do either I’ll bind and blindfold you.”

  She would have nodded, but then he slipped something inside her hot, wet flesh that was more than cold, harder than hard and wreaking havoc on her inner muscles. She cried out. The wholly acute sensation was painful in a pleasurable way and just when the object inside her started to warm and get comfortable he withdrew it and replaced it with a fresh one. The blistering chill caused her pussy to clench and convulse as she moaned and panted through the shock waves created.

  “I had these specially designed. I call them stingers. They’re various sized stainless steel wands that will wake up all those lovely parts of you down here. Deep breath,” he said as he took that one out and inserted another one.