by Jan Bowles
Ella breathed out. “You know how life sometimes is, Max. Things don’t always turn out for the best.” Max saw frustration etched across her beautiful face. “I thought we were okay, I really did. But after he came back from his first tour of duty in Afghanistan, I sensed that he’d changed. I couldn’t put my finger on it. But somehow Kirk was a different man.” She turned to Max, her sad eyes betraying the inner turmoil. “He wasn’t the same anymore.” Her brows drew together. “We went on as normal, but I knew he’d already left me, emotionally.” She tapped a finger to her temple. “In here he had. Physically, he was still there, but mentally, he’d moved on. Does that make sense to you, because I can’t explain it even to myself?”
Max took a sip of his bourbon. Kirk seemed the same to him as always. He was still the same guy, laughing and joking around as normal. Kirk had a wickedly funny sense of humor.
The tears began to flow in earnest down her cheeks. Ella had done well to keep them at bay for so long. Max reached out and stroked her head. “Shhh, Ella, everything will be all right.”
“No, nothing will ever be the same again.”
“It will, I promise.”
“How can it? Kirk’s dead, and it’s all my fault.” Her eyes opened wide, and she looked scared as she stared across the pool. “Oh, my God. Please, no.”
“Can you see him?” When she nodded, he continued, “Ella, look at me. It’s just your imagination playing tricks. He’s not there. I promise you.”
She sobbed. “He looks so real. Why does he keep tormenting me? It’s God’s way of making me suffer.”
Chapter Six
Max took the wineglass from her trembling hand and pulled her into his arms. Her head rested against his chest as he gently caressed her cheek with his long, masculine fingers. Ella closed her eyes, enjoying his warmth and strength, savoring his intoxicating, spicy scent. Max was all male, and he filled her with a calmness she’d been unable to achieve since Kirk’s gory death. His comforting, sensual touch made the image of her dead husband slowly recede, until she finally caught her breath.
“Look at me,” Max commanded. Unable to resist his deep, sexy voice, Ella stared mesmerized into his silver-gray gaze. His presence filled her thoughts. He overwhelmed her. He controlled her with just a look, a simple glance. It was breathtaking. This must be how his submissives felt when he dominated them. Her whole body buzzed when he brushed the hair from her tear-stained eyes. “He’s gone, and he won’t be coming back.” He said it with such authority. Surely she had to believe him? Only she doubted herself. She didn’t feel strong enough to cope on her own anymore.
“Max, I don’t want to be alone tonight,” she whispered breathlessly.
“Baby, you won’t be. I’m just across the courtyard. Only a few steps away. Trust me, I won’t allow you to come to any harm.”
“That’s just it. I feel safe when you’re around, but if I wake up and he’s there, I don’t know what I’ll do.” Panic flared once more within her, making her tremble uncontrollably.
He breathed in and rubbed a hand across his chin. She heard the rasp of bristles against his fingertips. “Ella, I can’t deny I’m attracted to you. If you stay in my room, things may happen that you later regret.”
A quiver of anticipation ran through her veins. Max wanted her? When did that happen? She couldn’t help blurting out the words, “Does that mean I get to see your playroom?” Fuck, why had she just said that? The words seemed to tumble from her mouth. During her visits with Kirk, Max had never allowed either of them inside the playroom. The mysterious room where domination and submission took place both frightened and intrigued her. It had always been strictly off-limits. Wondering just what it was like had fuelled her fantasies for years.
He laughed and playfully tapped her nose with a finger. “No, the playroom is reserved for bad behavior that needs correction, and besides, I need to get to know a woman intimately, before I take her there.”
“Oh? I’m not a child, Max. I know what goes on in a D/s relationship.”
He raised a brow. “Really? You surprise me, Ella. I didn’t know you knew about such things.”
“Well, that’s where you’re wrong, Mr. Dom. You can find out just about anything on the Internet. Besides, Sara gave me an explicit book on the subject.” She’d keep him in suspense as to how much she really knew.
“It figures.” Max’s derisory tone said it all.
“You don’t like Bill and Sara. You don’t like Kevin, either. Why?”
“They’re on the fringes. They practice something I have no interest in.”
“Which is?”
“Humiliation. I’m not into humiliation. Just like I’m not into pain, for pain’s sake.”
“Then what are you into?”
“Total possession.”
Those two simple words sent a shiver down her spine. The way Max looked at her now, she was in no doubt what he meant. He wanted to consume a woman until he controlled everything about her. She saw by the look in his eyes that nothing short of complete ownership would satisfy him. It scared and excited her in equal measure.
“I see.”
He laughed again. “Don’t look so worried, Ella. I’m just a very sexual guy, but I’m not a monster. I have enormous self-control. I just thought it best to lay my cards on the table, so there can be no misunderstanding.”
She knew her panties were soaking wet. How did Max make this happen with just a look? She took a deep breath, hoping he wouldn’t notice her chest rapidly rising and falling. “Thanks, Max. I appreciate your honesty.” She guessed Max wouldn’t take advantage of her emotional fragility tonight. She couldn’t help feeling a little disappointed, knowing that he wouldn’t make the first move. He’d laid down a marker though, a line in the sand so to speak. He was warning her what could happen, if she kept pressing.
He glanced at his watch. “It’s gone midnight. I don’t know about you, Ella, but I’m ready to turn in. I’ve been up since six this morning. I’ve had a long day. If you want to, you can come across to my room. I’ve already laid down the ground rules, so there can be no ambiguity. I promised I’d be there for you.”
Ella walked across to her room and looked at the nightdress she’d placed on her pillow earlier that evening. The tiny pink baby-doll nightie was made of a flimsy, see-through material. Apart from a blue silk gown, and a change of clothes for the morning, it was all she had. She sighed. After packing her bag that evening, she’d hardly thought she’d end up sharing a bed with the gorgeous Sicilian, Maximiliano D’Alesandro. Or did she? Her nightie was way too sexy. She smiled. Kismet came to mind—what will be, will be. Perhaps she and Max were always meant to be.
She’d always liked Max. He had an aura of power and sophistication that few other men seemed to possess. If he chose to, he’d keep her safe and secure from harm. His BDSM lifestyle had always intrigued her. So much so that she’d read everything she could lay her hands on. Not just the book that Sara had given her. The Internet was an unending source of information. As she understood it, a D/s relationship epitomized control. But who controlled whom? Was it the dominant that demanded the complete acquiescence of his slave? Or perhaps, the submissive was the real winner in the power play struggle. It was the submissive, after all, who got to enjoy all the delicious, wicked things her dominant did to her body, without any form of guilt.
Once she’d changed into the flimsy nightie, she stared into the full-length cheval mirror. Who was she kidding? She looked far too pale, and she knew she’d lost weight since Kirk’s untimely death. She certainly didn’t measure up to the beautiful Jessica, Max’s voluptuous, ebony girlfriend. She felt a certain satisfaction that their relationship was now over and Jessica had returned home to St. Lucia, but how could she ever hope to compete with such a curvaceous, dusky beauty?
Ella released her ponytail and pulled a brush through her hair. All she had to do was focus on getting through tonight. Tomorrow was another day. She realized, as she pulled on the blu
e silk gown and wrapped it tightly around her body, that she needed Max to find her attractive. It had been a long time since she and Kirk had even made love. Their marriage had faltered to such an extent that she felt unconfident about her own sexual allure. Would anyone ever want her again? Max said he did, but those were just words. Throwaway lines. Maybe he’d said the very same words to a thousand other women?
When her whole body shivered as she walked across the dimly lit courtyard to Max’s room, she put it down to the cool night air. Yet deep down, she knew it was the unrelenting flow of adrenaline coursing through her veins. Ella had finally come to the decision that she should lay her cards on the table, too. After all, life was too short.
The subdued lighting from his bedroom cast an eerie glow over the cobblestone pathway, which led to the impressive glass door. It was slightly open, and she pulled it back to enter. Her heart somersaulted. Max was already in bed, and reading a book. His naked chest showed the well-honed signs of a man who kept in tip-top condition. A dark smattering of hair covered the bare flesh and disappeared seductively below the sheets.
Perhaps enjoying her embarrassment, he smiled as she entered. “There you are.” As she began to slide the door closed, he added, “Leave it slightly open. It’s soothing to hear the fountains late at night, especially if you can’t sleep.”
Ella did as he asked, and then walked confidently into the room, feeling anything but. This was Max. She’d known him for years. Surely she could speak openly with him on any subject? Yet all she could manage to say was, “Max,” whispered so quietly she felt sure he wouldn’t hear.
“Yes, Ella,” he answered, proving his hearing was as impressive as the rest of him. He patted the empty space beside him. “Why don’t you get into bed?”
“That’s just it, Max. I want to say something first.” Instead of slipping under the sheets, she walked and stood in front of him. She watched him close his book and place it on the bedside table. He turned back and looked expectantly at her. His silver-gray eyes burned brightly.
“I’m all yours, Ella. Say whatever’s on your mind. I don’t bite, unless that’s what you want me to do.”
She cleared her throat. “What I wanted to say was…” This was proving more difficult. She tried again. “What I mean is…I like…” Ella stared into his eyes. “Help me out, Max, please. I was never good with words.”
Maybe he heard the heartfelt plea in her voice, because he pulled back the covers and rose from the bed. Wearing just a skimpy pair of shorts he stood mere inches from her. His thick erection was clearly evident beneath the thin silk material. Breathe, Ella, breathe. Her heart pounded in her chest as he reached out and cupped her chin with his finger and thumb. He angled her face to his. In that instant she saw desire burning in his eyes. Her lips parted in a silent gasp, just as he leaned in and grazed her mouth with his own.
“I know you want me, Ella,” he said, holding her gaze as he expertly untied the sash around her waist. “That’s why you’re here, now. You want me just as much as I want you.”
Still unable to speak, she nodded. This time he kissed her more forcefully as he pulled the robe from her shoulders and let it fall to the floor. His tongue dueled with hers until he breathlessly pulled away. When he stared down at her trembling body a wicked smile formed on his lips. “Baby, you do not disappoint me one little bit.” Through the fine gossamer material of the baby-doll nightie, Max traced the outline of her body with his large, masculine hands. His fingers gently brushed the swell of her breasts, and she let out a moan of contentment as he circled her hardened nipples with his thumbs. Her pussy ached with need.
“Tell me what you want, Ella?” he asked, returning to look her in the eye. “I want to hear it from your own lips.”
Ella stared into his eyes, totally absorbed by his arousing touch. “Don’t tease me Max. You know what I want.”
“Of course I know, baby, but it turns me on to hear you say it.”
“Okay.” She took a deep breath, trying to compose herself. “I want you to fuck me, Max. Fuck me like I’m the most beautiful woman in the world. Fuck me until I can’t stop coming.”
Chapter Seven
“You are beautiful, Ella, and I’ll have no trouble fucking you senseless. You see, I’ve always wanted to do this.” Max smiled into her eyes as he began untying the pretty pink ribbon on the neckline of her skimpy nightie. Her nipples were hard, and showed prominently through the fine material. It was like unwrapping the perfect present. He saw she was aroused, but he could also see she was wary, too. That fact alone heightened his own arousal. His cock felt like hardened steel pressed against the inside of his shorts. When she’d first walked into the bedroom, he knew she had something on her mind. Well, if Ella wanted a night of hot loving to forget her worries, he would not disappoint her.
Max peeled the material back, exposing her ample breasts just enough to lick the dark brown areolas. She smelled like heaven and tasted divine. Her back arched and she gripped his shoulders more tightly. He knew then that her nipples were supersensitive, just the way he liked them.
“We’ll leave this sexy little nightie on a while longer,” he said, pressing her possessively onto the bed. When she went to remove her strappy gold sandals, he stopped her. “Leave them.” He’d never seen a sexier pair of feet, and he wanted to enjoy them. Each toe had been perfectly painted in hot pink. The vibrant color complemented the tan on her beautiful, long, smooth legs.
Kneeling between those sensual legs, he took hold of an ankle in each hand and raised them from the bed. Then he kissed each one in turn, savoring the delicate bone structure wrapped delectably in the thin, gold straps. He rubbed his thumb over the leather thongs, tightly buckled around her heel. “You have beautiful feet. I could just lick and kiss them all day long.” He then worked his way up each leg, caressing the smooth, tanned flesh with his lips and tongue. “Mmm.” He smiled into her eyes. “Open your legs wider, baby. I want to see what makes you a woman.”
“I want to, Max, but I’m embarrassed. It’s such an intimate thing to do.”
“Do it.” He raised his brows, and said more forcefully, “I won’t ask you again.”
When she complied, a soft moan of protest left her lips as he spread her legs wider still. “That’s better. There’s nothing I don’t know about you now.” Her beautiful, shaved pussy glistened with arousal. It turned him on to see how wet her cunt had become.
“Oh, Max.” Her breathing seemed out of control. Her breasts heaved, and her stomach undulated with sexual desire.
“I’ve always wanted to do this, Ella.” Slowly he stroked a hand over her inner thigh, moving closer to her feminine folds. He loved seeing the anticipation in her eyes. Ella was very open to his touch. When he slid his index finger into her wet slit, she literally lifted from the bed, raising her butt high off the mattress to gain more pleasure from his touch. “Baby, you’re so responsive.”
“I can’t help it, Max. I need you.”
He wondered how long it had been since she’d last made love, but decided against asking. Realistically he didn’t want to know the answer. He guessed, by her reaction it had been a long time.
“You like this?” he asked, slipping his finger deep inside her cunt. Her gasp of pure pleasure told him the answer. “And this?” He drove two fingers inside her, and held them in place as he lowered his head to her pussy. She cried out when he dragged his tongue over her slit. Her hands fisted into his hair, pushing him further into her feminine wetness.
“Fucking hell, Max.”
He smiled. There was nothing like a woman’s sexual arousal to bring out the basest human language. “Yeah, baby. Fucking hell is right.” He circled her clit with his tongue, and then sucked it into his mouth, drawing the exquisite pearl bead against his teeth. When her wanton moans intensified, he knew she was close to climax. He lifted his head from her sopping cunt and smiled into her eyes. He saw the frustration etched on her face.
“You bastard, Max.
I was right on the edge, and you know it.” Her lips pouted petulantly.
“I’m sorry, baby. I just want to be inside you when you come for me for the first time.”
“Hurry, Max, please. Orgasms have never come easily for me, and that one was so close.”
He sat on the edge of the bed and opened the bedside drawer. He pulled out a pack of condoms. When he stood and removed his shorts, Ella moved across to him. “Give me that. I’ll do it.” He smiled, and handed her the foil pack. Ella seemed mesmerized by his cock. Her fingers grasped tightly around it, and stroked from base to tip, pumping it enthusiastically. He breathed in, controlling the impulse to fuck her hand. “Your prick is magnificent, Max. You’re so big.”
“It’s all for you, baby.” She looked so beautiful. The baby-doll nightie opened wide, giving him an uninterrupted view of her perfect, voluptuous breasts. Her hair fell about her fragile features in cascades of raven black. This all felt so natural between them. So right. She traced the large blue vein that dominated the side of his cock with a perfectly manicured finger. The tip of his penis wept his masculine arousal, and she swirled her fingertip in the sticky moisture she found there. Then she ripped the pack open and held the condom in her teeth. Using her mouth, she slowly rolled it down his aching shaft. It was a wonderful sight seeing his cock disappearing between her rosebud lips. “Fuck, woman, that feels good.” When he was fully sheathed, he knelt on the bed and stretched out his hands. “Come here, baby.” Ella smiled and slid into his open arms. He held her close, enjoying the intimacy between them. “I think we can lose this now,” he murmured, taking hold of the nightie and pulling it over her head. She helped him remove it completely and he discarded it on the floor. Now, both completely naked, she melted into his embrace, skin to skin, flesh to flesh. It felt good being with a woman again, especially a woman as attractive as Ella.
Max kissed her possessively on the lips, enjoying the feel of her body as he ran his hands over her feminine curves. Her breasts were full, her hips womanly, and her nipples hard and aroused as he circled them with his thumbs. He smiled into her eyes, which were hooded and expectant. “Kneel on all fours, Ella. It’s a good position for both of us, and excellent for stimulating your G-spot. Face the end of the bed. I’ve got a pleasant surprise for you.”
