by Ivy Barrett
“Let me see how the second lesson goes and I’ll let you know.”
Chase nodded in agreement, feeling even more restless than before. “Then the bet is officially off.”
“Good.” He blew out a ragged sigh. “And what’s my penalty?”
A smile tugged at the corners of Chase’s mouth, but he carefully schooled his expression. “Let me see how the lessons go and then I’ll let you know.”
KATIE PACED HER TINY living room, too anxious to sit still. She’d showered and shaved, even re-grooming areas of her body that hadn’t received this much attention since long before Dillon moved out. Josiah would be here any minute for her second lesson. Thinking of this within the student/teacher dynamic added a certain forbidden edge to the situation. How far should she let their exploration go? Would he allow her any control? She really didn’t know what to expect. Would he spank her again, or try something even more daring? Nipple clamps? Maybe a paddle? She shuddered. The redness had faded, as had the tenderness. Why would she want to go through it all again?
Fyn had called her earlier, which in itself had seemed odd. It was the first time he’d used a telephone since he revealed his true identity. He’d asked if she wanted him to monitor the situation or if knowing he was there would make her uncomfortable. She’d opted for privacy, but she had no way of knowing if he’d actually stay away. Unlike the night before, she hadn’t made him promise.
The thought of Fyn watching was strangely titillating. Knowing Chase was watching while Josiah went down on her and vice versa had definitely added to the excitement. Maybe she and Josiah should explore her exhibitionist tendencies and—
Someone knocked on the door and she jumped then chuckled. She needed to calm down. After taking a couple of deep breaths, she crossed the room and answered the knock. “Hi.” She pushed the screen door open with a smile.
Josiah moved closer without crossing the threshold. “Are you sure this is what you want? If we do this, I’ll push your boundaries and expect complete obedience.”
Heat cascaded through her body, swirling deep into her belly and making her clit tingle. “I’m sure.”
He stepped into her house like a vampire she’d just invited inside. He pulled the screen door closed with one hand; the other held a nondescript plastic bag. After kicking the main door shut with the heel of his boot, he turned her and pressed her back against the door. He eclipsed the rest of the room, his intense gaze stabbing into hers as he tangled his fingers in her hair. His lips parted as if he’d say something, and then he lowered his head and kissed her.
Unlike his other kisses, this one was slow, deep, yet commanding. He held her head at a precise angle while his tongue explored her mouth. Surprised by the passionate greeting, she took a moment to respond. Wasn’t this supposed to be instructional, impersonal? His warm breath teased her lips and he tasted of coffee and something tangy/sweet, like Irish cream or Kailua.
He released her hair and splayed his free hand against the door. “Passion should be spontaneous. It’s chemistry, not logic. Sex is loud and messy. It shouldn’t be routine or predictable.”
She stood there stunned and breathless, amazed at how easily he’d unbalanced her. It wasn’t as if she’d expected him to sit her down at the kitchen table with illustrations and graphs, but already she felt unsure—yet hungry, aching for more. It had never been like this with Dillon or any man who’d kissed her since. Only Josiah possessed the ability to unravel her world. Even her attraction to Chase wasn’t this combustible.
“You will always be honest with me and you will always respond to my questions. Do you understand?”
“Yes.” Despite the tension gripping her insides, her voice sounded surprisingly steady.
“Yes, what?”
“Yes, Sir.”
He nodded, acknowledging the correction. “And do you agree?”
“I do.” The familiar phrase sent a shiver down her spine. She’d been so damn close to offering those words to Dillon and he hadn’t deserved her trust. Could she trust...the thought evaporated like mist, leaving the cold realization that this was an illusion. Josiah deserved her trust even less than Dillon.
“How often do you masturbate?”
Humiliation scorched her cheeks and drove her gaze away from his handsome face. So much for tact and courtesy. “Whenever I can’t fall asleep.”
He lightly grasped her chin and turned her face back around. “And how often is that? Once a week? A couple of times a day?”
“A couple of times a week.”
“Do you ever watch porn?”
“No.” She shuddered. “I’d rather use my imagination or read erotica than watch some silicone-enhanced nineteen-year-old with come dripping off her face.”
He chuckled and pushed off the door. “That answers my next question. You’ve obviously seen porn at least once.”
“One of my friends tried to ‘deprogram me’ after Dillon left. She was convinced that only brainwashing could have kept me with him for so long. Watching porn was one of many things we did to express our rebellion. Some of the guys were hot, but it all became redundant really fast.”
“And you’re not a fan of come shots?” His lips curved into a faint smirk.
“Not even a little.”
“Are you always at home when you masturbate?”
She looked at him as if he’d lost his mind. “Where else would I be?”
His smile broadened, yet his gaze remained warm. “In a car or a bathroom, an empty exam room at work, under the tablecloth at a restaurant. I can think of all sorts of places.”
Suddenly she could picture them too, but it wasn’t her fingers rubbing and sliding over sensitive flesh, it was his. “Sorry. I’ve always been at home. In fact, I’ve almost always been in bed.”
“Then that’s where we’ll start.” He motioned toward the stairs with the hand holding the plastic bag. “Take me to your bedroom.”
She shook her head. “My bedroom is private. We’ll use the guest room. And what’s in the bag?”
“The guest room is fine and you’ll see.”
The staircase had never seemed so narrow or so long. She could feel Josiah behind her, matching her step for step as she climbed to the upper level of her house. Knowing she’d likely be undressing shortly after he arrived, she’d donned shorts and a simple tank top. But the outfit had never made her feel quite this exposed before.
“I understand why you hide your figure at work, but why don’t I ever see you outside in shorts?”
“I sunburn too easily. It’s easier just to stay covered up.” It was a familiar lie; one she’d nearly convinced herself was true.
His hand banded her upper arm and kept her from taking the next step. “You promised to be honest.”
She looked back at him without turning around. “I do burn easily, but that’s not the only reason.”
“It’s not the primary reason.”
She tensed, annoyed by his confidence. “If you already know the answer, why ask me?”
Reaching around her, he grasped her other arm and turned her to face him. He was standing one step below her, which put their eyes on a level. “I can’t help you unless you’re brutally honest, not just with me, but with yourself. Why do you hide the shape of your body?”
“I have big boobs and round hips. Dillon thought I’d look better if I lost twenty-five pounds.”
“Do you consider yourself fat?”
“My BMI is on the high end of normal for my age and height. I wasn’t self-conscious about my body until Dillon pointed out all my flaws, repeatedly. He kept buying me clothes two sizes too small, trying to ‘motivate’ me into ‘taking better care of myself’.” She emphasized the hatful words with finger quotes. “I lost a few pounds right after we met, but mainly it just demoralized me.”
“Well, I’ve seen you naked,” he clarified with a sexy grin. “Would you like to know what I thought?”
“Probably not, but it’s obvious you’re going
to tell me anyway.”
“Your curvy hips perfectly balance your breasts, which are lush and soft and utterly addictive. Your trim torso and narrow waist give you a classic hourglass figure. In the forties and fifties you would have been known as a bombshell.” He moved his free hand to her waist and pressed his face against her breasts. “Don’t even get me started on your ass.” He slid his hand down over her hip and up inside her shorts, squeezing one of her ass cheeks. “It’s all I could see after I left here. Your amazing ass covered in my handprints.”
She wiggled away and darted up the last few stairs so he didn’t see her fiery blush. A bombshell? Did he honestly find her body appealing, or was he simply telling her what she wanted to hear? What she’d needed to hear the entire time she was saddled with Dillon?
And she had tried very hard not to think about what he’d done to her posterior.
With a self-recriminating sigh, she pushed open the door to the guest room and flipped on the light. Josiah was a master seducer. He knew just what to say and how hard to push before he drifted away, leaving his partners hungry for more. Once again she thanked Fyn for preparing her for this confrontation. If she hadn’t known about the bet, this would all be incredibly compelling.
Josiah lounged in the doorway, watching her. “Get undressed. The sooner you become comfortable with your own nudity, the faster we can move on to more important concepts.”
She peeled off her tank top and paused, her breasts still mostly covered with her bra. “And if I never get used to being naked?”
“Then I’ll assign you homework.”
One of her eyebrows arched. “What sort of homework would help with my self-consciousness?”
“I’ll insist you watch TV naked and clean your house naked and eat dinner naked.”
She laughed. “I get the idea.”
“And, of course, I’ll need to verify that you’re doing your homework, so I’ll have to watch you do all those things without a stich of clothing on.”
Still smiling from his playfulness, she reached back and unhooked her bra. She watched his eyes lower as the undergarment slid down her arms. He either liked what he saw or he was a damn good actor. Probably a bit of both. She slipped her shorts and underwear down together, then kicked them aside.
“Turn around, slowly. I want to see all of you.”
Awkward yet oddly exhilarated, she turned in a slow circle.
“Stop,” he called when her back was too him. “The redness faded completely. Are there any tender spots left?”
“No, Sir.” Her skin had been so red after the spanking that she’d feared there would be bruises. But clearly he knew what he was doing. By morning it was impossible to tell she’d ever been spanked.
“Continue.”
By the time he’d looked his fill, his cheeks were flushed and his eyes gleamed with unmistakable interest. Reactions like those couldn’t be faked. He might have an ulterior motive, but he was genuinely attracted to her.
“You trimmed your pussy hair even shorter than it was the other night.”
How could he say such outrageous things so casually? Because they’re not outrageous to him. He didn’t think of sex as dirty or shameful. He was comfortable with words like pussy and cock, fuck and cum.
“Were you hoping I’d lick you again?” The question drew her more fully into the moment, instantly increasing the awareness pulsing between them. “Do you like having my mouth on you?”
She licked her lips all the while fighting the urge to cover herself with her hands. “You know I do.”
“Did you like having Chase’s tongue deep inside you?”
A groan slipped out, despite her effort to maintain her composure. “Why do you keep asking questions you know the answers to?”
He set down the plastic bag beside the bed, then stalked toward her. “I want to hear you say it.”
“I liked all the things you both did.”
“Be specific.”
“I liked having your mouth on me.”
“On you where?”
She wasn’t sure why men enjoyed hearing women talk dirty, but she hadn’t met one yet who didn’t. Even Dillon, with his inflexible ideals and Victorian morality, lost control when she whispered nasty things in his ear. “I loved the way you licked my pussy and fucked me with your tongue. I wanted to stay there all night. I wanted to let you and Chase take turns driving me crazy.”
He jerked her to him, his hands firmly grasping her arms. “I can arrange that if you’re serious.”
Even though her heart was pounding and her entire body ached with need, she had to push him away, had to make him work a little harder than he was used to working to get a woman into his bed. “It’s a fantasy like any other. It’s not meant to be real.”
His fingers gradually relaxed and he stepped back. “Some fantasies are figments of our imagination. We picture things we know will never happen. But some are wishes, the private expression of our deepest needs.”
“You think I need...what exactly do you think I need?”
A visible disconnect calmed his expression and banked the fire in his eyes. He took a deep breath then motioned toward the bed. “Lie down. I have some more questions.”
Of course he did. Questioning maintained his power over her. She was naked while he was fully dressed. He requested information and she was obligated to provide every awkward detail. She hesitated. The dynamic suddenly felt too much like what she’d endured with Dillon.
“Will you please take off your shirt first. This feels punitive.” It was a test of sorts. If he refused, she’d end their interaction. Dillon had never been willing to compromise on anything. She wasn’t willing to feel utterly powerless ever again.
“I’ll strip completely if that’ll make you more comfortable, but my clothes are a tangible reminder that I can only take this so far.”
The excuse made sense, but she still couldn’t bend. If he wanted her to trust him, he had to be willing to bend. “Just the shirt, so I won’t feel quite so vulnerable.”
He took off his boots and socks then peeled off his T-shirt, leaving only his jeans and whatever, if anything, he wore beneath. “Better?”
It wasn’t the first time she’d seen his chest, but the sight was no less impressive. He was lean and toned with the sort of build that promised speed and agility. “How does a hacker stay this fit?”
He smiled, clearly pleased by the question. “I haven’t hacked in years and I work out my aggressions in our home gym.” After folding his T-shirt and placing it on a chair, he closed the space between them. “I did as you asked, now I want the view you deprived me of the other day. Face the bed and bend over. Do not bend your knees.”
Dread momentarily closed her eyes. Refusing him last time earned her a spanking. Was he hoping she’d refuse again? The thought sent heat undulating through her body. Her heart thudded and her core tightened as she remembered how wet and needy she’d felt after he disciplined her.
“You told me to lie down,” she reminded forcing her lids to lift. “I’d much rather do that.”
“I accommodated your request,” he said firmly. “Now reciprocate.”
She glanced at the bed, but like before her body refused to cooperate. “What is your obsession with my butt?” Without thinking she added, “Is it a gay thing?”
Rather than argue with her, he grabbed the back of her neck and turned her toward the bed. Then he bent her forward so fast, she automatically put out her hands. “Lower. Rest on your forearms, not your hands.”
Fuck! Apparently, she was doing this whether she wanted to or not. Reluctantly bending her elbows, she went down onto her forearms, which forced her ass up in the most humiliating way.
He kicked her feet farther apart then growled out, “Don’t move.”
Goddamn it, now he was pissed as well as horny. “I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I didn’t mean what I said.”
He moved in close behind her, pressing his body against her legs and ass
. “Do you honestly think it’s only gay men who enjoy anal sex?”
“No. I know it’s not. I just...”
Reaching forward, he cupped her breasts as he rubbed his erection against her ass. “If I never had any interest in these, or in your sweet pussy, you might have a case. But I’m pretty sure you know that’s not true.”
“It was instinct. I was trying to shift your focus away from all that.”
He laughed. “You can’t even say it. Ass.” He moved his hands to her butt and pulled the cheeks apart, so the bulge in the front of his pants rubbed her even more intimately. “Lovers will want to fuck your ass, Katie-cat. They’ll want to finger your ass while they lick your pussy. And if your interest in multiple partners continues, one lover will fuck your pussy while the other fucks your ass.”
She held perfectly still, trying hard not to think about the tantalizing things he was describing. But her imagination had other ideas. Vivid images filled her mind, and the smoldering heat in her pussy flared into flame. She clutched the bedding and tried to stifle her moan.
The light pressure of his body against hers disappeared, and then his hand slipped between her thighs from behind. “Which one of those situations made you this wet?” He pushed two fingers into her core and began a slow, shallow motion that only made her want more.
“All of them,” she admitted, pushing back, trying to bring his fingers deeper into her aching body.
Suddenly he pulled his fingers out and smacked her upturned ass.
She gritted her teeth and refused to make a sound. She knew this was unavoidable as soon as that hateful question slipped out. He might have let her get away with resistance, but he’d never tolerate disrespect.
He spanked the other side before he asked, “Why am I spanking you?”
“I was rude.”
“And?”
“Argumentative.”
He delivered two more stinging slaps before saying, “You weren’t just arguing with me.” Smack. Smack. “You argued in order to avoid something you didn’t want to do. That’s a form of disobedience.”
