“Not sure past conquests are the way to my heart.”
“No, not like that. With BDSM, I mean.”
“Right, tough guy. Spill.”
“I was actually the one bound. In love with an older woman.”
“Older woman, huh? Not sure I like that.” I grin teasingly. It’s hard to picture him submissive.
“Cut me some slack, I was barely eighteen. Still figuring things out.” He throws me an amused side eye. “Besides, I hadn’t met you yet.”
“Suck up. Alright, what happened?”
“BDSM, or at least my idea of what it was, seemed perfect for me. Dark. Lots of black. Edgy. Outside the norm. So I started seeking it out.”
Him opening up like this is unexpected, but he has my attention.
“In the end, BDSM found me. She had to be like thirty or something. You know, ancient when you’re eighteen. I thought I was so tough, but what kid at that age doesn’t respond when someone older and more experienced puts the moves on you, right?”
I nod, thinking about a couple of exes back when I was fifteen, sixteen. Yeah. They’d seemed so mature and grown up then.
“Well, she didn’t move slow, so a couple of dates later, I found myself in her apartment and strung up while she was getting out the flogger...”
“Flogger? Hardcore.”
“It’s not too bad. You’ll see.” A chill races down my spine at that. “Anyway, it went... badly. Didn’t take long to figure out I’d rather be the one holding the whip. Afterwards I came here.” He turns his gaze at me, the full force of it. “It wasn’t a great first experience, and it took me a while to try BDSM again. Last night, I shouldn’t have moved so fast. I got carried away and then panicked about pressuring you. I didn’t want to repeat her mistake.”
I meet his gaze. It’s intense. He’s opened up to me, but something about his expression makes me think there’s more to it than sudden cold feet. But it’s a start. Enough to make me consider a second chance. Oh, who am I kidding? I knew he was getting a second chance the minute I walked out the door and sat on his bike. But I feel better about it now.
“Thanks for telling me. That means a lot.”
“I’ve never told anyone, so if you ever blab, I’m going to take you over my knee and spank you until you can’t sit for a week. Got it?” His joking tone takes away the threat. Mostly.
“Got it. Back to work. I’ll forget I ever heard anything.” I drag my fingers across my lips, zipping them tight.
“Perfect.”
“Emo.”
“Shut up.”
We get back to work, but I can’t quite keep the smile off my face.
Chapter 8
Amber
“Okay, stop!” He pushes the laptop away so it lands on the blanket in front of us.
“What? We’re actually getting somewhere today.”
“Maybe you can live all day on coffee, but I can’t.” Opening a cloth bundle, he pulls out two long thin packages, one in aluminum foil. “Lunch time. Roast beef or meatball?”
“Um... both? Split them?”
“Yeah, alright. Sound good to me.” He pulls out the bottle. “I forgot glasses, so I hope you don’t mind sharing this too.”
“Classy.”
“Only the best.”
Laughing feels good. He makes me feel good.
“Cheers!” He hands me the bottle.
I take a swig, then bite into the juiciest meatball sub I’ve had in like forever. It’s delicious, gooey with cheese and packed with rich sauce that gushes out the end, plopping on my shirt like a stain-stick commercial.
“Oh no.” White t-shirt, splattered in red marinara. I look like a slasher victim.
Eric laughs, making me glare.
“It’s not funny!”
“Sure it is.” He’s still grinning when a meatball slips out of his sub and splats right into his crotch. “Oh, fuck me.”
My turn to laugh. “Okay¸ now it’s funny. Serves you right, you jerk.”
He glares at me, picking up the meatball between two fingers. With a flick he pelts it right at me, so quickly I don’t have time to react. It splats against my forehead, breaking apart as it hits, leaving behind a red wet mess that drips toward my eyes.
Oh, it’s on now. This means war. I get up on my knees and put on the sternest look I can. With my half of the sub in one hand, I grab the top of my sandwich with the other and throw it aside. His eyes widen, but he doesn’t realize what’s in store. Yet.
I’ve never been able to cry on demand, but I screw my face up as if it’s coming. He’ll never know what hit him. Blink. Big eyes. Look up at him through my lashes. Sad face, sad face.
“Shit, Amber. I was just joking. Listen, I’m sorry, I...”
I don’t let him finish. Grabbing a handful of gooey cheese, sauce and meat in my free hand, I squeeze, mushing them together. Messy, but worth it. Before he has time to catch on, I mash my hand right into his face, then drag it down to his black shirt, smearing sauce and meaty bits everywhere I touch.
His eyes go wide, his pupils fully showing. Then they narrow as he targets me with laser-like focus. “You little...” He leaps at me, tackling me into the grass while I squirm to get away, laughing so hard I can hardly breathe.
Yanking me up, he grabs my arms and pulls them tight around me, like a straitjacket. I’m trapped, and I don’t want him to let go.
“You’re being a naughty girl.” He whispers right into my ear. “And naughty girls get punished.”
Those words send a shiver right through me. That same tingling sensation I got while watching the couple at the club, only this time the only couple is us. Does he mean what I think he does?
His voice is darker, huskier. “I’m giving you two safewords. Red, and I stop. Something’s really wrong. It’s the cut-me-loose-and-take-care-of-me word, okay?”
I nod nervously.
“Good.” It’s almost a hiss. “Yellow means slow down. Change something. Talk to me. Got it?”
I nod again, not trusting my voice. I’m shivering, but it’s not cold.
“Good girl.” He lets go of my wrists. “Raise your arms.” His voice is steel, the command impossible to ignore.
“Your shirt’s a mess. Can’t have that.” His fingers slip under the hem and start to pull the shirt off me.
“Wait.”
He doesn’t stop.
“Someone might see us.” I look around, almost in a panic, but there’s no one else here. The park’s deserted.
“I hear you, but I don’t hear a safeword. Remember that.” The shirt slips past my breasts, revealing my bra. The message is clear. He’ll stop if I really want him to. Until then, he’ll do what he wants no matter what I say.
Part of me, the sensible and cautious part, wants to call it out right away, but I don’t. I don’t want him to stop. Not really. A surge of heat races straight to my core, and my lacy bra feels rough against my hard nipples.
He pulls the shirt over my head and throws it aside, leaving me exposed. It’s no worse than a bikini, and I wouldn’t think twice about sunning myself at the beach, but this is different. It’s underwear. If someone sees me...
“There. Much better. Don’t move.” He rummages through his saddlebag, and I turn my head to see. “Don’t move, I said.”
My head snaps back. I wait, my ears straining. What’s he up to? I more sense than hear him step up behind me.
“Stand up. Keep your arms up.”
I don’t know what he has planned, and it terrifies me even as feel myself responding to him. There’s a huge lump in my throat, and I try to swallow it. Watching at the club was one thing. Can I handle actually doing? Still, I obey. I’m nervous, but also the horniest I’ve been in my life.
“This way.” He puts his palm on the small of my back, his hand burning hot against my bare skin, pushing me towards the base of the tree that’s giving us shade. “A little further. There. Stop.”
I stop.
He throws som
ething up in the tree behind me. A scratching noise and the rattle of leaves. Something coarse dragged over wood. Something that makes the branch above me shake, just for a moment.
“Alright, that looks good. Back up two steps.”
I back up.
“Nice. Keep your arms straight, like two columns. Straight up.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I see his rope. Oh God. He’s tying me to the tree. Loop by loop, he winds the soft cord around my forearms. Four, five, six loops, then he ties it off. My wrists are pulled toward each other by the tightening of the rope, only separated by the knot in the middle. He slides his pinky under my cuffs, making sure he’s not cutting off circulation. The knot passes inspection and he steps around to face me.
“You remember your safewords?”
I nod, quickly. My breasts rise and fall rapidly in time with my breath and I’m chewing my lip.
He touches my side, strong fingers sliding up along my ribcage. “Naughty girls get punished. Especially when they make a mess of my finest clothes.” He winks, letting his hand trail past my breast up to my throat. He grips my chin and draws my face up as if he’s going to kiss me, but he doesn’t. Just stares into my eyes, his green emeralds glinting.
I don’t know why I do it, but I whisper softly, “Jerkface.”
He blinks.
His smirk grows wider and he lets go of my face. “As you wish.” He kneels and begins to unbutton my jeans.
“Eric! You can’t take my pants off in public!”
“No? Seems to be working just fine.” He pulls down the zipper.
Even freaked out, I’m glad I put on matching underwear this morning. “Someone might come!”
“Only if you’re a good girl.” A light touch brushes across my mound and I gasp. “To be honest, I think they’ll wonder about the ropes before they ask about the jeans. Though I suppose that might be the next question, yeah.” He hooks his fingers in the belt loop and tugs, totally unsympathetic.
My panties slide halfway down my ass before the jeans let go and slip down my legs. I could have kicked him. Spread my legs or something, but now it’s too late. I almost wish he’d blindfolded me. At least then I wouldn’t be putting a kink in my neck looking around to see if anyone’s coming.
One more tug, and he has my pants around my ankles. “I’ll leave them here, in case we have to make a quick escape. See? I’m not totally heartless.”
Just the thought of being found like this nearly makes me hyperventilate. This is crazy. Crazy hot. My body’s vibrating with need. I don’t understand it. I’ve never felt it this strongly before. The helplessness. The risk. His presence. When he tells me something, I don’t want to disobey. I’m playing right into his hands.
Those large, strong hands that slide up the outsides of my thighs, one on each side. His touch is hard, confident. “Nice,” he whispers between his teeth, like he’s inspecting a work of art. Part of me melts. I’ve never been admired before. Not like this. I feel proud, and a little out of my depth.
He reaches the curve of my ass, sliding right onto it. He grips my cheeks, squeezing hard, then grabs my panties and tugs them back up, so they’re on properly. A minute ago I was worried about being seen. Now I’m disappointed to be covered again.
He stands and grips my wrists to hold me steady. “Alright, this ass won’t punish itself.”
“Say what?”
Eric swings his arm, and then the palm of his hand slaps against my soft flesh. I yelp, mostly in surprise. It’s not that hard, but he caught me off guard. Spanking? Really?
He watches me. Waiting for me to give in. To see if I use the safeword.
I won’t give him the satisfaction. No way. Well, not unless it really hurts, ‘cause I’m a bit of a wimp. But only then. Maybe.
He grins, his eyes sparkling with lust. He connects again, harder this time. I grunt at the impact, my hips pushing forward to get away from him. For a second I lose my balance and swing by the rope, until he rights me with his strong grip.
“Good girl.” Again, and this time it stings. Really stings. I suck in a sharp breath through my teeth. Another strike, on the other cheek, and I squeeze my eyes shut. “Ow!”
“Four for the shirt, and two for the jerkface. How many was that?”
“Uh... four?” My breath is racing. Pain mixes with sexy tingles, spreading from my ass straight into the rest of my body.
“Call me Sir.”
“Wha... uh... four, Sir?” I feel silly, but I don’t want to earn more of those smacks.
“You sure?” He’s behind me, but I can hear the grin in his voice.
“I... I think so? Sir?”
“Okay.” He spanks me again, a solid crack across my ass.
I cry out. Fuck, that hurt.
“Only one more, but it’s a doozy.” He comes around to face me. “You ready?”
Oh Jesus. No. Yes. Maybe. I close my eyes and nod, wincing like I already feel it.
He puts his fingers under my chin and lifts. My eyes pop open, just in time to see him lean in. His warm lips press against mine, his beard pricking my skin. He threads the fingers on his other hand into my hair and tugs, holding me in place while he kisses me senseless.
All my nerve endings tingle and my stomach drops. The hand under my chin slides down and around until it’s at the small of my back and pulls me into him. I follow gladly, melting against his hard chest. I shiver with adrenaline, losing myself, giving him all I have. Giving him me.
When he finally pulls away, his eyes are crinkled into tight crow’s feet over his broad smile. “Told you it would be a doozy.”
“You...”
He holds up a finger. “Nuh uh uh... remember what happened last time.”
I stop, but mostly because I’m trying not to laugh. Makes it hard to say anything. Instead I hang from my ropes while I follow him with my eyes, my tongue playing over my teeth.
He steps behind me and lands a solid flat palm right on my ass, the hardest one yet. I squeal loudly, setting a couple of birds launching into the air from a nearby tree.
“Six! Good job, babe.”
God, my heart jumped right up into my throat. I’ve just swallowed it back down when my phone rings, sending it right back up. Eric walks over and rummages through my satchel.
“Eric, what are you doing? I can’t answer the phone like this.” It’s not until I try to speak that I realize how out of breath I am.
“No worries babe. I’ll hold it for you.”
What? My jaw drops.
He digs the phone out and looks at it. “It’s your mom. Can’t leave her waiting. You’re her little girl, right? Wouldn’t want her to worry.”
Oh Jesus. He’s not serious, is he? He is. As soon as he’s next to me, he hits the answer button and holds the phone up to my ear with one hand. His other cups my breast, rolling the taut nipple between his fingers while I try desperately to sound normal.
“H... hello?”
“Amber! I was starting to worry you wouldn’t pick up. How are you? You sound out of breath.”
“I... was out running.”
“Oh, how nice. I’ve been saying how you should take care of yourself. Keep the pounds off, right? Don’t be like me and wait too long. Your Nanna didn’t exactly pass on skinny genes. Bless her soul.”
“Right.” I roll my eyes. Great. Just what I need right now. Meanwhile, Eric’s fingers leave my breast, trailing down across my stomach towards my panties. My eyes widen when I realize where he’s going. Giving him the meanest glare I can, I mouth the words, “Don’t you dare.” He chortles quietly, and I know he’s going for it.
Meanwhile, Mom’s going on and on. And on. Eric’s fingers slip under the elastic, sliding easily in between my soaking wet folds. I bite my lower lip so I don’t moan into the phone. I have to stop this, get her off the line.
I bite my lip and do my best to ignore the thick finger threatening to slip right into my pussy. God, I want him to, but not with Mom on the line. I try to
clench my thighs together, but I only earn a sharp slap on the ass for it. I draw a sharp breath.
“Dear, are you sure you’re okay? You didn’t hurt yourself running, did you?” She’s got a really loud phone voice, and I know he can hear her from how his grin spreads.
“No, Mom. I’m... fine. Just worn out.” God, his finger feels good. If he makes me come while I’m on the phone with Mom, I’m gonna kill him. “Listen... I’m happy to hear about Aunt Ruth, but was there a reason you called? I’m a little... tied up right now.”
Eric almost loses it.
“Do I need a reason to call my daughter? But so long as I have you on the line, your father’s at work all day, and I’ve got a ton of things to bring to the Salvation Army. Do you think you could come by in a bit and help me carry?”
Anything to get her off the phone. “Sure. Yeah. I’ll come as soon as I can.”
Eric grins.
“Alright, Dear. See you soon. I love you.”
Thank God. “Love you too, Mom. Bye.” The phone goes dead. Finally. “You bastard.”
He laughs, but doesn’t remove his finger. “You’re so fucking wet. You love being put on the spot, don’t you?”
Fuck, he’s right. I tingle all over. Deep heat radiates through me, all coming from my clenching center. Just a little more. Just a little.
He bends and takes my nipple between his teeth, right through my bra. I groan. So close.
It hits, surging through me like a tidal wave. I come on his finger, shaking and twitching under the tree, rattling the branch above me, the rustling leaves not quite covering my throaty moans.
“Fuck!” I know we are completely out in the open, but I can’t hold it in. I’ve never come like this, not this strongly. It’s everything. The danger, the ropes, his clever finger, even that damn phone call. I shake until my orgasm runs its course, leaving me hanging limp by the rope. My shoulders are beginning to ache, and my arms are tired, but man, that was worth it.
A motor, obviously closer than the highway. My head snaps up. A big white SUV pulls into the parking lot. Shit, have they seen us? “Eric!”
Like a lightning flash, a pair of EMT shears appear in his hands, hastily tugged out of his back pocket. A couple of snips, and the rope gives. Unprepared, I drop to a crouch before I catch myself. Eric’s right there to steady me.
Teach Me Page 4
