“Okay.”
He crossed his arms and frowned. “Do you need another lesson on how to address me, Mrs. Caldwell?” This scene could be dangerous, and it was critical that she accept her role as sub and his as Dom. There was no room for leniency or error.
“No. No, Sir.”
“Very good.” He lit the survival candle then picked up a torch from the end table and dipped it into the jug of rubbing alcohol, pressing it against the side to squeeze out any excess liquid. Drips led to unexpected results and he didn’t want anything unexpected to happen tonight. He could feel Rickie’s eyes on him as he went through the preparations, feel her tension and worry. He passed the torch over the open flame, and it ignited with a burst of light and heat.
She gasped and leaned far back on the table. “W-what are you going to do with that? Sir?” she asked, barely managing to tack on that last word. Knowing she was frightened, he let it slide.
Away from her face and the equipment on the end table, he waved the torch around, making shapes in the dark. “Tonight, my sweet sub, you and I are playing with fire.”
“But you’re a fireman!” Her hands flew to her mouth. “Sir.”
The outrage on her face made him laugh. “Haven’t you ever wondered what drew me to firefighting? I’m not from one of those families where half the men are in the fire service.”
She set her hands on her thighs and kept her gaze downcast. Did she know she was presenting again? This time though, it didn’t bother him. He loved seeing the glint of her juices in the light of the flames.
“Fire is magical. It gives life, and it takes life away. Some fear it, others worship it. I have a healthy respect for fire, and because of that, it gives me great pleasure. A pleasure I can share with others. A pleasure I want to share with you.”
Lifting her head, she offered him a tremulous smile.
Time for a demonstration. He stretched his uninjured arm out and ran the torch along the inside of his forearm. The fire followed his lead before quickly extinguishing itself. He brushed his arm on his thigh to complete the pattern.
“Oh!” She grabbed his arm and touched her fingers to the area where the flame had been. “Did it hurt, Sir?”
“Not at all.” To him, flames on his flesh were like a lover’s tongue. Sometimes it was a long broad lick, other times, a short sharp lash. Either way it turned him way the hell on. Just that small taste had made him hard. He couldn’t wait to get on with it. But this wasn’t about him, it was about Rickie.
“Aren’t you afraid to get burned again, Sir?” Her eyes went to the damaged skin on his other arm. “Fire hurts.”
“It’s all about the fuel. The fire last night was gasoline-based, which burns very hot. I’m going to use 70% rubbing alcohol. Since it burns just above normal body temperature, it will feel warm, but not hot. Now, if I used 90% rubbing alcohol, it would burn you.”
“So you want to do that on my body?” She made a face that had him smiling. “Now I get why you wanted me to shave, Sir.”
“That and because the thought of your naked pussy turns me on.” When she squirmed, he grinned. He was so loving this. “If the fire starts to feel too warm or if things get too intense for you, you will use your safewords. Tell me what they are.”
“Yellow for slow down. Red for stop.”
“Perfect. You’re handling this very well.” He trailed his fingers down her arm in a calming gesture. He wasn’t going to explain about subspace; no need to alarm her. In this kind of play, it was the Dom’s responsibility to see to the sub’s well-being; his responsibility to check her skin for color changes and hot spots; his responsibility to push only as far as the sub could handle. And with Rickie, those were responsibilities he cherished. “If you have any questions, ask me now.”
“Not a question, but I do have a request, if that’s permitted, Sir.”
“Go ahead.”
“Can you walk me through this, Sir? It will help me relax if I know what you’re doing. I really don’t want to mess this up for you.”
He blew out the torch and set it on the steel platter he’d left on the end table for that purpose. Caressing her cheek, he smiled. “I have every intention of walking you through it, step-by-step until you’re comfortable with the technique. There shouldn’t be any pain. At least not more than you find enjoyable. Fire play is sexy and sensual. It feels good, like the best high imaginable. I want you to have that.”
“What if something goes wrong?”
“You remember I told you I was in the lifestyle before we met. I was a Fire Master. I did shows and taught workshops on fire play. I won’t lie to you; in unskilled hands, even the basic techniques I’m going to do tonight can be very dangerous. Lucky for us, I have a lot of experience, and if something does go wrong”—he pointed to his chest and grinned—“I am a firefighter and an EMT. Relax. You’re in good hands.”
Judging by the angle of her brows, she still wasn’t convinced. “Aren’t you out of practice though, Sir?” she asked.
“I’ve kept it up. I do demos when we get prospective members for the technical rescue team.”
“You’re teaching them about fire play and sex?” Her eyes bulged.
“No! I test them to be sure they aren’t trying to get onto the rescue team because they’ve developed a fear of fire. One member who panics in a fire situation puts the whole team at risk.”
She massaged her forehead. “How did I not know about all this? I’m your wife. A wife should know when her husband has a strong passion for something.”
Placing his hands on either side of her hips, he leaned forward until his face was inches from hers. “Fire play was part of my BDSM life, so I kept it from you. I’m sorry about that. But we’ve made promises to each other now—no more secrets.” He closed his eyes for a second. “There’s so much I want to share with you about me and about this life. I hope you’ll let me.”
She kissed him, her lips soft and pliant. “Of course, I will. I’m dying to know all of you.”
People said he was brave, but compared to Rickie, he really wasn’t. He always went into situations with both eyes open, knowing exactly what he had to do, and he remained in control the entire time. Rickie, on the other hand, had no idea what he was going to do and where that was going to take her. She was placing herself in his hands.
Her courage in the face of incredible vulnerability humbled him. He would go to any lengths to see this through and do her proud. “Then lie down on your stomach, Mrs. Caldwell, and give yourself over to the experience of a lifetime.”
Erica quelled the almost overwhelming instinct to leap off the table and run screaming into the dark night. Jamie wanted to set her on fire and he actually believed she’d enjoy it. Was he crazy or was she? Definitely her. She was crazy in love with her husband. That was the only possible explanation for her willingness to humor him. She had to trust that Jamie really knew what he was doing.
Swallowing her fear, she stretched out on the table, and Jamie tightened the bun she’d made with her hair.
“I want you to close your eyes and breathe deeply.” His hands began massaging her back, kneading the tense spots below her shoulder blades. He moved down her body, tapping his fingers on either side of her spine. “In. Hold. Out,” he instructed her, his voice low and soothing. He made wide sweeping motions over her bottom, her legs, and her feet, before returning to her back. The friction from his hands rubbing her skin made her moan.
“One of the key ways to ensure you don’t feel any pain is to release endorphins into your system.” His hand smacked her bottom in a series of short, sharp slaps.
The shock had her gasping and clenching her fists. Just when it was starting to sting, he stopped and rubbed her cheeks, his touch whisper light. “The side benefit of endorphins is that they allow you to experience greater pleasure.”
As though demonstrating, he spanked her again. Though the smacks were harder, they didn’t hurt. All she felt was a burning heat that seeped between h
er legs. Had he turned her into a pain slut, or had she always been one and just hadn’t known? She flushed and buried her face in her arms.
“Don’t be embarrassed if this turns you on. It’s kind of the point.” He caressed her bottom again, his fingers dipping down to her folds. “If you’re a good girl, I might even let you come.”
Hearing his amused tone, she shivered and remembered the night he’d tied her to the bed. She’d had to count sheep to keep from climaxing until he gave her permission. Would he really be able to bring her to that point with this fire play?
Without removing his hand from her bottom, he stepped closer to the end table and picked up the torch he’d used on himself. She stiffened, knowing her play date with fire was about to start.
“At first, I’ll use my hand to let you know where I’m going to lay the fire.” He dipped the torch in the alcohol then brought it to the candle. It lit with a flash. “Ready?”
She shut her eyes tightly. “Yes, Sir,” she lied. Goose bumps pebbled all over her body and her toes curled. She was so not ready.
Jamie stilled. “Erica.” She looked at him over her shoulder, meeting his gaze narrowed. “You must be honest with me. If you can’t do that, we stop right now.”
Upsetting Jamie, risking their newfound connection, scared her far worse than the fire. Steeling her spine, she lifted her chin. “I’m sorry, Sir. I can do this. I’m just a little scared.”
His hand brushed her back and his features softened. “That’s normal. It’s your first time and you have no idea how the fire will feel. I’m going to do a little test on your butt. If you don’t like it, we won’t go any further.”
A test would help. She pressed her lips together and nodded.
“Trust me,” he said, lifting the torch over her.
When it touched her skin, she felt a moment of warmth, then Jamie’s hand passing over the spot. That was it?
“How did that feel?” he asked.
“A little warm.”
“Hot?”
“No, nice. Does it get worse than that?”
“It will get a little hotter, a little more intense, but in a good way. Before we begin, tell me the safewords again.” She rolled her eyes, then closed them, glad her head was buried in her arms. Laughing, he smacked her butt. “I know you rolled your eyes, naughty sub. Obey my order.”
“Yellow to slow things down, red to stop.”
“Very good. You’ll feel a series of continuous movements over your body. I’ll stop every now and then to change the torches and give you a little break.”
“Thank you, Sir.” Jamie seemed to understand how much she needed to know what was happening. She’d never have consented to try this with anyone else.
His hands moved over her skin. Wherever he touched her, a lick of heat followed, then a swipe of his hand completed the dance. He repeated the short confident strokes on her bottom, her back, her legs, even her feet. Every nerve in her body was on high alert, hypersensitive. She tried to anticipate where he would go next, but she couldn’t identify a pattern.
Every few minutes, he changed torches, barely missing a beat. She felt like a musical instrument and he the virtuoso. The heat and the stroking were oddly comforting. She felt herself drifting, on the verge of falling asleep, like when she had a massage or got her hair done.
As though sensing her lack of alertness, Jamie smacked her bottom. “On your back, Mrs. Caldwell.” He helped her turn over on the narrow table and placed a neck roll under her head. “You’re going to want to watch this.”
She tensed. “Why?” Even though she’d enjoyed the fire on her back, she wasn’t at all sure she’d enjoy having her breasts set on fire. When he frowned at her, she continued, stumbling to cover her mistake. “Are you going to do something different, Sir?”
Like a little boy who had the full attention of his parents, he grinned. “I’ve got a few tricks up my sleeve.”
Light as a rose petal, he ran his palm between her breasts, over her stomach, down one leg, and up the other before cupping between her thighs. “Open.”
“Are you going to put fire on my p—” Her throat constricted and she had to breathe in and out before she could spread her legs. She indicated her crotch with her hand. “Are you, Sir?”
He chuckled and dipped his finger in her folds. The gentle glide had desire pooling in her belly, a pool where fire danced on the surface. “You still have trouble saying it.”
Frustrated with him for teasing her and with herself for responding so wantonly to this fire pleasure, she curled her hands into the towel beneath her. “I said it earlier. It’s probably because you’re standing there staring at it that I can’t say it now.”
He circled her clitoris, never touching it. “I love your pussy and the fire loves it too. But you’re not ready for such intense play tonight.”
A noise rose from her throat, startling them both. Could she actually be disappointed?
Jamie arched a dark brow, a smirk on his handsome face. “Don’t worry, Mrs. Caldwell. Even though the fire won’t, the heat will kiss your pussy later. But only if you ask nicely.”
The desire to glare at him was so strong, she snapped her lids closed and took a deep breath. Wetting her lips in what she thought was a seductive move, she arched her neck. “Please, Sir. When you think I’m ready, please let the heat kiss my… p-pussy.” There’d she’d done it.
He slipped his finger inside her. “Not good enough. Say it again.”
Her eyes shot open. She locked her gaze on his. “Please let the heat kiss my pussy, Sir.”
Bending, he sucked one of her pussy lips in his mouth and tugged. She hissed and arched her back at the delicious stretch. It left her feeling open and exposed. Vulnerable and extremely aroused. Why had he never done this before? Then she remembered: she’d never been completely bare before. He did it again and she moaned. Oh God. If he promised to do that again, she’d get waxed or even undergo laser hair removal. Her back bowed as desire ripped through her.
A wide grin on his face, Jamie released her. His lips gleamed with her juices. She’d never seen anything sexier in her life.
“We’ll get to that, but first, let’s have a little fun.” He picked up a piece of gauze from the table and dipped it in the alcohol, then he did the same with a fresh torch.
Using the gauze, he swabbed a trail across her stomach. When he lit the alcohol with the torch, blue light streaked across the line he’d drawn. Her hips twisted and she gasped, shocked by the beauty of it. Jamie’s hand quickly swiped over the area. His eyes met hers, his expression blank. “Like it?”
“Jamie.” Small spasms continued to shake her body. She swallowed and started again. “Mr. Caldwell, Sir. That was amazing.”
“Not too hot?” he asked.
When she shook her head, the blankness on his face changed to relief, revealing how worried he’d been that she’d reject his fire, his passion. It only made her love him more.
He rubbed the gauze from just above her belly button, up the middle of her body, to the line made by her nipples. “Keep your head back,” he warned before touching the torch to the bottom of the path. Fire raced up her stomach to her chest. Her body undulated as the heat followed the flames—straight to her face. Despite knowing better, she squealed.
Jamie’s hand followed, extinguishing the flames, and rested in the valley between her breasts. Her heart beat wildly under his touch. “Shh, relax,” he murmured. “Breathe.”
She repeated the exercise he’d shown her. When her heart rate settled, he smiled. “Okay, now?”
“Much. The flames near my face frightened me, Sir.”
“I won’t let them get past here.” With his finger, he drew a line just north of her breasts. Was he really going to make a bonfire out of them? Moving his hand down her body, he swabbed the length of one thigh, set fire to it, and put out the flames with a brush of his hand.
After doing her other thigh, he switched the gauze for one he picked up from a b
owl on the table beside her. “I’m going to try something new.” He squeezed the gauze in his hand. “This is going to be fun for both of us. Remember to tell me how you’re feeling. Safeword if you need to.”
She took in the flush on his cheeks, the sharpness of his features and the hunger blazing in his eyes. The last time she’d seen him like this was after he and the team had worked all day to rescue people trapped in a subway tunnel. Jamie was riding high on adrenaline and excitement.
Thrilled to share this rush with him, she nodded for him to continue. He ran his alcohol-drenched palm over her stomach, lit the trail and blew out the flames. The multiple sensations had her moaning and writhing. His hand stroked between her breasts. Heat followed, then coolness. Over, under, around each breast, circling closer and closer to her nipples, but never touching.
Each time he lit the wetness, blue flames ran over his hand and her body until his breath extinguished both fires. For that small moment in time, they were joined in the flames. Desire grew inside her, soaking her pussy. Her chest heaved as her breath came in short pants.
When Jamie stopped, she raised her head to see why. He picked up a washcloth from a bowl and wiped her breasts and stomach with it. The coldness of the wet cloth had her shivering. “Did you enjoy that?” he asked.
“Yes, Sir. Why did you stop?”
“To keep the fire from burning you, I have to keep moving it around. When I use my hand as a torch, the fire is always on me in the same spot.”
“Oh! Are you hurt, Sir?” She tried to sit up, but he stopped her with a heavy hand on her shoulder.
“I’m an expert at this. I know exactly how much I can take.” He held his hand out where she could see it. His skin wasn’t even pink.
She dropped her head back and sighed. “What you were doing, Sir. It felt so good.”
“You were close to coming.”
Embarrassed that he’d seen through her, she bit her lip. “How did you know, Sir?”
“I know you.” A big sexy grin on his face, he picked up several cotton balls and placed them in a zigzag pattern that moved up her torso. “This is flash cotton. The balls burn very quickly and feel hotter than what you’ve experienced so far. Don’t be scared. I won’t let you get hurt.”
Under His Command (Six-Alarm Sexy) Page 17
