"Don't slip. You know my thoughts on this."
Feeling like I'd just been slapped in the face, I faltered and tripped the last few feet to the couch. Daniel caught me. Offering an apologetic caress of my cheek, he settled me on the couch and sat down. With his body nestled close, I felt the tension running through him.
"Yes, but Daniel and I have discussed it again." Aldon followed after me, his voice loud enough for everyone to hear. "We both agree you're being an obstinate bastard for no good reason."
For the first time ever, I saw real anger flash in Hunter's eyes. His hand reached up, absently rubbing at the right side of his chest before he shrugged the emotion away. "Irrelevant. It must be unanimous."
"Unanimous, of course," Daniel agreed. His fingertips hooked the fold of my shawl and dragged it slowly off me. "Such a pretty color, love."
He kissed my bare shoulder, his lips lingering to whisper just above the surface of my skin as he sparred with his best friend. "But equally irrelevant is your objection on what woman Aldon and I take to bed, individually or together."
Hunter came to a stop in front of Daniel and me. His hands gripped his hips, the fingertips denting the fabric of his pants and the flesh beneath.
Daniel's hand suggestively skimmed the skirt of my dress before his touch settled center of my lap. His mouth drifted up to my ear. "I do believe this dark pink perfectly matches your sweet lips."
My lips are not a dark pink, at least not the ones on my face.
Hunter reached down and captured my wrist. "I'm taking you to your room -- now."
"Oh, so you do want to fuck our lovely girl." Aldon circled behind Hunter, blocking any easy retreat. "Do go slow and gentle. We've discovered it will be her first time."
Hissing, Hunter released me like I was dipped in acid. He spun, fists clenching but held firmly at his hips. Looking at Aldon, I let my tears plead with him to stop. He gave a soft shake of his head, his own eyes shimmering.
Daniel stroked my cheek. "I'm so sorry, love, but this situation cannot continue. Hunter has been dancing around this for a year and a half, making all of us miserable, none more miserable than himself."
I shook my head, my tears flinging like raindrops in a hurricane. "You're wrong."
I hated the tremble infecting my voice, hated that the tears had started and there was nothing I could do to stop them. "Hunter isn't attracted to me, doesn't want me. My being here is an absolute bur…"
On the verge of totally losing all control, I sucked a ragged breath in and stuttered the last word out.
Burden.
Aldon had convinced Daniel to give me time to realize the way Hunter looked at me. I had -- last night in the gym, that morning in the hall, and right then in the library. The truth of his complete disinterest showed in his outrage at their suggestion and the straight line of his back as he faced away from me.
Whatever their intent, Aldon and Daniel had succeeded only in completely humiliating me in front of a man who cared nothing for me. Worse than that, I'd been foolish enough to fall in love with Hunter, deepening my pain. I realized how badly I had misinterpreted his earlier interactions with me, reading his politely attentive manner as unconditional smiles and soulful gazes. Never before had I so completely deserved to have a giant L branded in my forehead so all the world could be warned what a foolish loser I was.
"I'm going home." I slipped from Daniel's arms and tried to rise, only to find my way blocked by a solid wall of infuriated muscle.
"Sit down." Hunter pushed lightly at my shoulder. There was no give to his touch and the look in his eyes demanded my complete compliance. "You will not leave the estate, Casey. It's not safe."
I sat, my gaze hammered down to the floor. My lips rolled inward. I fought the urge to chew at them, knowing my emotions were stretched too tight and I would shred the inner flesh completely.
Next to me, the cushion sloped away as Hunter folded his tall frame onto the couch.
"I will deal with the two of you later." Homicidal intent edged Hunter's voice. His hand curled around my shoulder, the grip surprisingly light and gentle despite his anger. Heat seeped into my skin but the muscle beneath remained frozen.
"Casey, you need to understand that I will never lie to you."
"You lie to her every fucking--" Daniel ended with an abrupt clearing of his throat and a hot puff of air. Curling his hand around mine, he gave a supportive squeeze.
Lifting my gaze for a millisecond, I saw Hunter staring Daniel down, his glare almost murderous. I closed my eyes, tried to float away from the drama in the room even if my body had to remain. It was a technique I'd perfected over the years, starting with the hateful comments of my step-brother Roland when my mother had remarried sixteen years before.
There in the library, the technique proved useless. I cared too much what these men thought and did.
The touch of Hunter's hand on my cheek startled my eyes open. I immediately looked away, only to have my gaze land on Aldon. He had taken a kneeling position on the opposite side of the coffee table, his hand resting on its surface but reaching toward me. His expressive features looked pained. He and Daniel hadn't meant to hurt me, I knew that. My battered emotions were collateral damage from misjudging Hunter's feelings so badly.
I closed my eyes again, trying to shut all of them out.
"Casey…" Hunter's fingertips dragged softly in the shallow dip beneath my eye, smearing my tears.
It didn't seem right that his touch was so gentle, almost reverent, his voice so deep and soulful. That was exactly the sort of thing about him that confused me.
"I never said I didn't find you attractive or that I don't care about you. I care about you very--"
I shook my head, the motion so violent I could feel my brain sloshing inside my skull. Curling both hands around my head, Hunter pushed me against the couch. I felt his body heat and the rhythmic collision of his chest against mine when he inhaled. I pushed at his chest, wanting him far away from me.
He wasn't trying to be cruel, only trying to calm me, but he couldn't understand how much it hurt to have him close like that, his hands on me, his scent and heat caressing me. I wanted him so badly.
"Please stop talking," I whispered. I couldn't handle any more verbal tap dancing from Hunter. I wanted honesty from him, however brutal. It was the only way I would ever be able to move on. I sucked a sob in, railing at the tears that wouldn't stop. "Just shut up and let me leave."
Hunter continued to cup the sides of my head. Seconds passed in which no words were spoken. I relaxed a fraction, hopeful he would release me and I could go.
Defeating my expectations, a mouth pressed warmly against mine. Opening my eyes, I found Hunter gazing into them. His teeth tugged at my bottom lip. I pressed my lips tightly together, shut my eyes again and tried to shake my head.
I couldn't -- his hands still controlled me.
"Why won't you listen to me, Casey?"
The heat of Hunter's question curled against my mouth. It sounded so tender and sweet to my ears, but I wouldn't fool myself again. I swallowed then answered, delivering each word with a hesitant wince.
"You're trying to make peace with Daniel and Aldon, give them what they think they want, or you don't want to hurt my feelings, but you're only going to hurt me much worse by lying to me."
He jerked his hands away. I kept my eyes shut. It would be too painful to see the truth of what I had just said settle in his expression.
"Do you really think I sound like that?"
He sounded hot and strangled, his voice choking on the words so that they left him with an underlying groan that could have been agony or ecstasy. I opened my eyes, which felt brave at first but didn't provide me with any answers, just a glimpse of his beautiful, strained face before I looked down at my hands twisting in my lap.
Hunter stood and moved away. For a few conflicted seconds, I thought he was leaving and felt equally relieved and heartbroken.
He took a seat on the spanki
ng bench. His gaze slowly searched mine out, hooked it. Numbness settled over my body.
"Come here, Casey."
I inhaled deeply, held it, but didn't otherwise move. I don’t think I so much as blinked. Wrapping an arm around my shoulder, Daniel lifted me into a standing position. Aldon came around the table to help. Both men made quiet calming sounds, their faces pressed gently against the side of my head as they walked me toward Hunter.
Coming to a stop, Daniel reached up and gently tugged my hair from its bun. He spread it around my shoulders -- as if I was some gift being presented to his friend. Still numb, I looked down. I stood between Hunter's parted legs, no more than six inches from him. His fingers fluttered for an instant against my thighs.
Pure lightning raced across my skin.
Pulling back, Hunter tugged his shirt loose from his waistband and peeled it from his body. Capturing my left hand, he brought it to rest against his chest where the scars were most pronounced. He released me, the gesture and the way his hand shook granting me permission to explore.
Unsteady, I rested my right palm against his opposite shoulder. My thumb slowly waltzed along his collarbone. I wanted to run, but I wanted to touch him, too. I hadn't really touched any of them, only allowed myself to be handled. I hadn't sought their lips with mine or palmed their warm, muscular flesh.
My mouth and fingers ached from the lost opportunity.
Still hesitant, I looked at Hunter. He sat stiff and straight, his eyes directed down. I didn't quite understand his posture. Aldon and Daniel had suggested Hunter frequently shared women with them in the past. Had he offered all of those women so intimate an inspection?
Or was I the only one?
Were the scars the source of Hunter's resistance that Aldon mentioned but wouldn't explain? Did Hunter really think I would reject him for so shallow a reason? He was beautiful and apparently stupid despite the whole mega-genius thing he had going on. I could run my hands and gaze over his body all day long in study of his beauty and not find a single flaw.
Inhaling a little courage, I gently dragged my fingertips across his chest, the contours of the scars my only guide as I watched his face. Slowly, his expression relaxed. His eyes drifted shut, his lips softly parted. The heat already burning low in my belly flared and I moved closer.
The front of my thighs pressed against the inside of his.
Hunter gave a little squeeze with his legs, his hands drifting toward his knees then maneuvering up under my dress to curl against the very top of my thighs. More heat spiked inside me, melting my spine and knees so that my body did a little roll and dip. I trailed my fingers up his chest. Pausing at the areola, I traced the perimeter of hair before I drew the nipple taut with a bold pinch.
A shaky breath escaped Hunter. His grip on my bottom tightened. I stroked the underside of his chin and he looked up at last, his gaze holding the same fire I felt burning inside me. My thighs slick with my cream, I tensed from the need to rub them together and feel the thick slide of my labia. I started to shake but Hunter kept staring into my eyes.
"Undress her." He spoke to Daniel and Aldon, who had remained just a few steps away from me the entire time.
I felt the caress of more fingers as Daniel and Aldon executed Hunter's command. One unzipped the back of the bodice, while the other traced relaxing swirls along my spine. Their hands traveled down to seize the hem of the dress. They lifted it from me, leaving me in just my bra and heels.
Little moans of need and pleasure gurgled through my throat until I gasped with surprise at the bra's quick removal. Daniel and Aldon cupped my breasts, kneading my flesh as they kissed lines along my shoulder and neck. Shivers ran up and down my body.
Releasing my bottom, Hunter slid one hand around front to rake his fingers through the silky strands covering my mound. Finding me drenched, his gaze traveled between Aldon and Daniel. "Have you tasted her?"
His cheeks flushing a dark red, Aldon chewed at his lip. "Not like I wanted to."
"Just the honey our fingers picked up," Daniel explained.
"Mmm." Hunter stroked lightly between my legs, his fingers quickly coated in the translucent syrup of my arousal.
The bench he sat on measured two feet deep and five feet wide. He slid all the way back, his body bending at the waist so he could kiss a line along the curve of my stomach. "I prefer to drink straight from the source."
His hands pressed gently at my hips. Daniel, Aldon and I moved backwards as a unit. Curling a hand around my thigh, Daniel and Aldon coaxed me into a wider stance as Hunter's mouth reached my mound. His thumbs parted the thick, swollen lips of my cunt. His tongue took an exploratory swipe along my clit.
He moaned. The vibrations crawled up my spine until my head rolled back onto my shoulders. Another swipe had my fingers around Hunter's head and knotting in his hair.
My head dipped left. Aldon claimed my mouth, his tongue stroking inside me with the same gently rolling pace Hunter used to tease my clit. Bending, Daniel sealed his lips around my nipple and I started to collapse from the sheer pleasure the three delivered.
"Steady, love." Hunter pulled me onto the bench and his lap.
The position he held me in took a second to register in my bliss-soaked mind. My stomach rested across his thighs while my bare bottom pointed up toward the ceiling. Tensing, I lifted my gaze to meet his. "You're not…"
I couldn't even voice the question! An only child until my mother's remarriage, I'd never been spanked. Not once!
Hunter smiled, the curve of his mouth sensual and indulging. "It is the spanking bench, love."
"And still unchristened after four years of owning it." Aldon slid onto the seat to the right of Hunter.
Looking up at Aldon, I rolled my lips nervously. "Were your other women not as bad as me?"
"Oh, they were very bad indeed." Aldon contorted until he could kiss the side of my face. "But they never entered this house. You're the first here, pet, because you're the only one who matters."
Aldon's hand slid under me to roughly milk my breast. I moaned, trembled, gasped. The sensation of his hand and the simultaneous slow exploration of my cunt by Hunter threatened to send me over the edge.
"Such thick nipples," Aldon sighed. "Perfect for clamps."
I looked up, intent on asking Aldon what the hell he meant. Hunter eviscerated my capacity for interrogation with the tender slide of a finger inside me. Finding me nervous and tight, he groaned.
His free hand captured my chin and forced me to look at him. "Baby, how is it possible this sweet pussy is still untouched?"
I closed my eyes, doubt creeping in. If he realized other men didn't find me desirable, would he see me as less attractive? Would they all realize their mistake?
Taking a mournful breath, I answered. "No one else sees me like you do."
My response earned a first smack across my bottom, hard and immediate. I yelped in surprise. Before I could protest, Hunter rubbed his fingers across my needy slit once more, focusing on my clit until my stinging bottom was an old memory and all I could think about was how good it felt to have them touching me.
Daniel knelt on the floor, rubbing my shoulder in a comforting pattern.
Hunter nudged him. "Help me."
Daniel replaced Hunter's hand with his own. I sucked a burning breath in as he pinched my clit. Smiling tenderly at me, he massaged the pain away.
Hunter rubbed his palm across my bottom. "Tell me again, baby, how is it possible this sweet pussy is untouched?"
I bit my lip, frustrated that the answer running through my head was no different than my last response. When I hesitated too long, he spanked me a second time, just as hard. He squeezed the stinging cheek then lightly ran his fingers over the flesh.
Hunter jerked his head right at Aldon then left at Daniel. "For eighteen months, these two have been sniffing around your desk constantly. I had you hand delivering to me three reports a week that have been automated to run on the lab's printer for the last three ye
ars. We reassigned one annoying suitor and bribed a law firm to hire another. And you've been oblivious to it all."
I hadn't noticed Todd's interest but I was pretty sure the reassigned suitor was Monroe, although I wouldn't have called him a suitor. He was just looking to get laid and figured fat girls were easy targets. I had only pretended not to notice his so-called interest so I could avoid an uncomfortable conversation with him when I turned him down.
Hunter raised his hand, the palm hovering six inches above my left butt cheek. "So tell me again, why?"
I closed my eyes, chewed at my lip for half a second then spit out a reply. "Because I don't view myself as desirable."
His hand came down to gently caress my bottom. "And?"
"No one has tried to change my mind." I opened my eyes to see Hunter's smile beaming down at me. My gaze danced to the side and found the same smile on Aldon's face.
Daniel kissed the small of my back, his satisfaction with my response evident in his voice. "It would take a locksmith to change your mind, baby girl."
Lucky for me, I had three. I relaxed a little, my tone hopeful. "So no more spanks, right?"
"At least eight more, love." Laughing, Hunter stroked my jaw. "I want to ensure you know that every time the silly notion you're not desirable starts to form, Daniel or Aldon or I will discipline you for it. So that this," He stopped to rub his fingers against my needy slit. "This beautiful pussy will start to ache. You'll remember what it's like to be thrown across one of our laps, to have our hands meeting your sweet flesh. You'll remember how desired you felt."
I pouted, trying to ignore my drenched pussy. I was wet from their stroking me, from Hunter's fingertip circling my pulsing hole and the way Aldon and Daniel pulled my flesh taut, my nipple and clit stretched to maximum tension. The two earlier spanks and the thought of more had nothing to do with my being aroused or feeling attractive. My pout expanded until I scowled at the idea.
"I don't see how spanking me is supposed to make me feel desired."
Hunter smiled, the curve of his mouth deliciously ominous. "Let me show you."
***
The Alpha's Touch Boxed Set (14 Book Bundle) Page 45
