ROAD TRIP (BILLIONAIRE BAD BOY ROMANCE Book 1)

by Linzi Basset

  “Remember the lessons on Key West, Sage. Push through the pain until you reach the summit. Only then will you be exhilarated by the sensations coursing through your body.”

  “This isn’t an erotic whipping,” she protested vehemently.

  “No, it isn’t.” He trailed his fingers lazily over her breasts in a slow path of sensual delight that stirred to life a throb deep inside her. She moaned as his lips moved over the pulsing vein in her neck, kissing, sucking, and then with a sharp bite that brought a shriek of surprise from her lips, he stepped back. “Even though this is punishment, you know how to stop me if it becomes too painful.”

  The sharp snap of the switch against his shorts brought her back from the cloud of lust she’d been floating on.

  “Spread your legs. Wider. Good. Now, count them down, Sage. Begin at four.”

  Swish, crack, swish, crack.

  “Four. Five.”

  Cole continued until she stammered out ten before he stepped closer again.

  “Breathe, love. Come on, deep breaths in and out. Let the pain flow through you and stop fighting the strikes. Lean into them.”

  She gritted her teeth as his arm circled her waist to strum her nipples. Her hips jerked involuntarily as he pinched and rolled them between his fingers. Why, she had no idea, but she needed his hands on her clit. By now her ass was flaming and the driving caveat of her need. She’d been shit scared of the damage Cole could do with his strength and an untested impact tool. But he managed to amaze her with his ability to control the switch, one that could potentially cause serious pain, yet he stayed his hand and only slowly heated her skin.

  “Cole …” she puffed as his fingers trailed over her stomach. The moment he touched her clit, the swish of the switch was the only warning before two quick lashes struck her nipples. “Fuck!” she panted as stinging heat throbbed through each nipple. Her eyes widened and a surprised wail exploded from her chest as an unexpected climax rippled through her. It weakened every muscle in her body until she clung like a ragdoll onto the branches.

  Cole’s arm held her loosely against him as he allowed her breathing to settle. Sage winced at the harshness in his voice. “Did I give you permission to come, Sage?”

  “No, Master Cratos. I’m sorry. It was too quick and unexpected.”

  “Under the circumstances, I’ll be lenient but don’t let it happen again.”

  “I’ll try,” she whimpered as she struggled to straighten her legs when he stepped away.

  “We continue from eleven.”

  Sage didn’t attempt to keep back the cries as she counted off the strokes. Sizzling pain shot with warm intent directly to her clit and darted over her nerves with every lash of the switch. It heated her from the inside out until the pressure inside her threatened to explode if he continued. He stopped three short of twenty. She panted, well aware of the tears trickling down her cheeks. She should’ve thought things through. She’d come to know Cole well enough over the past couple of weeks to realize her action would have repercussions.

  She hissed as he brushed his hands roughly over her sore and sensitive buttocks.

  “I love this color on you, my pet. It looks absolutely magnificent with the crisscross of stripes.” He chuckled as she snorted crossly. He stood so close; she inhaled the scent she’d come to associate with him during the course of the trip. Power spiced with arrogance. Master Cratos was a man who took what he wanted.

  “Behave,” he rasped as her hips canted against his hand when he stroked his palm up and down her labia, finding her soaking wet and sticky from her juices. “Let’s finish this. No need to count.”

  She tensed her muscles at the now familiar swish through the air, only to scream as the strike landed directly on her pussy, followed immediately by two lashes on the tip of her clit.

  A raw wail tore from her lips as she fell to her knees, clamping her legs together.

  “There now, love, it’s over. Let go.”

  Sage realized she was still clutching the branches as Cole gently pried loose her hands. He picked her up and sat down against one of the trees with her on his lap. He wrapped his arms around her and hugged her against him, soothing her with tender caresses and whispering how proud he was of her.

  “I’m sorry. It wasn’t my intent to … to …” A forlorn sob broke through and she slumped weakly against him. Her loins throbbed in tandem with the stinging pain from her ass and now her clit and labia.

  “It’s over and you took your punishment very well.” He tipped back her chin to force her gaze to his. “I didn’t punish you for causing us to lose, Sage.”

  She blinked in confusion. “Then why?”

  “I don’t need an excuse to exert my Dominance over you, love. I’ve had visions of flogging you from the moment we arrived here. You just gave me the perfect excuse.”

  “Why punishment? You could’ve given me an erotic flogging!”

  “Because I wanted it to hurt. I wanted to test your strength to take something like this and evaluate how your body would react to it. I couldn’t be more pleased with the outcome. You just proved to me without any doubt that I made the right choice in choosing you as my submissive.”

  “You could’ve told me.”

  “Then the result wouldn’t have been the same.” His head lowered and he kissed her leisurely before pushing her off his lap.

  “Come, let’s get you dressed. I have some fish to catch.”

  The rest of the evening Cole was attentive and ensured she was comfortable and relaxed.

  Sage had been struggling since his confession in the orange tree field. It surprised her that she wasn’t angry. Maybe because since she’d discovered the true submissive inside her, she understood his reasoning. What bothered her the most of the scene was how her body had reacted to the pain and humiliation of being naked in the open and whipped with a switch made from a tree.

  She would never have admitted it at the time but now, during introspection, she could. She’d enjoyed it. More than that, she’d reveled in it. Every burning slash that had struck her buttocks had sent a wildfire of lust through her. Those final ones against her pussy and clit … good lord, it had hurt … so bad, but at the same time, she’d wanted more. At least until she climaxed from the rush of endorphins the pain caused to flood her mind.

  “Am I a pain slut, Cole?” she asked in a small voice later that night as he pulled her tight against him and settled in to sleep.

  He glanced at her in surprise, her face clear in the silvery beams of the moonlight shining through the open window. “Why do you ask?”

  “I know it was punishment and you meant the flogging to hurt and freaking hell, it did but at the same time …” She buried her face against his throat. “I realized afterwards how much I thrived in it and I wanted more. I wanted you to keep hitting my pussy until I came,” she admitted in a strangled voice.

  Cole wrestled her head from under his chin until he could look into her eyes. He smiled gently as he traced the contours of her face. “You are so beautiful, so pure, and yet … so innocent at the same time.” He turned serious. “No, love. I don’t believe you’re a pain slut. All you needed was a little nudge to release the final shackles that had been keeping the true submissive chained inside you. That was what had kept you from fully embracing the BDSM Lifestyle until now. You knew your body wanted and needed something but no one had ever tapped into that part of you that fought to be released.”

  “But I liked the pain!”

  “You embraced the experience, baby, in full submission to me. There’s a difference. Believe me, you won’t like or react like that every time, but under the right conditions and circumstances, as your Dom, I know how to awaken that need inside you. It’s not a natural affinity, Sage.” He kissed her tenderly. “You, my lovely submissive, are not a pain slut.”

  “Ooh!” Sage gasped as with a quick twist of his body, he settled between her legs. “Now, seeing as you’re keeping me awake … I think we should take ca
re of our mutual needs; don’t you agree?”

  She wrapped her arms around his neck and rolled her hips against his. Her back arched in a bow as he slowly pushed his thick venous shaft to the hilt inside her.

  “Ohhh, yesssss … let’s.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  “Good grief, Sage! Please stop smiling so much. I always wanted you to be happy and find love but this is just too much.”

  Sage laughed at the disgruntled expression on Talia’s face. She stretched out lazily and looked around wide-eyed. “I’m thirty-two years old and it’s the first time I set foot in Dallas. As a matter of fact, this trip has been a lot of firsts for me.”

  “Falling in love being one of them?” Talia kept pushing as she did stretch exercises with her arms. Cole had pushed them hard and it had been a grueling five hours of driving with limited stops throughout the day.

  “Maybe.” She shrugged. “I do know that for the first time in my life I feel wanted and cherished.” A rosy hue colored her cheeks. “It’s like I’ve been reborn, like a part of me only came to life over the past four weeks. Time has gone by way too fast. I can’t believe we’ll be home in a couple of days.” Her face fell. “That it’ll be over.”

  “What is this? Don’t tell me you doubt Dean Sawyer’s commitment to you?”

  Sage looked over her shoulder searching for Cole. The four men were booking them in at the luxury Rough Creek Lodge and Resort ninety miles outside of Dallas. He had specifically selected it to coincide with a charity fundraising gala he hosted there annually. The students had been talking about it nonstop since he told them a week earlier. They were excited at the prospect of rubbing shoulders with the rich and famous, celebrities and politicians alike. Not to mention the prospect of the shopping spree Cole had promised he’d pay for to outfit them for the gala.

  “It’s been so much more than I expected when I signed that agreement, Talia, but this trip … it’s not real life. It was a wonderful summer road trip but, and this is the crux of my concern, there were always a group of people around us. Yes, we had alone time here and there but once we get back home, everything is going to change. What if—”

  “What if nothing. We can all see the Dean is crazy about you, Sage. Don’t allow your insecurities and cynicism about love to boycott something good. Believe me, it’s more than just good. He brought out the light in you. He makes you shine, my friend, and whether you wish to admit it to yourself or not, you are head over heels in love with him.” She jabbed at her playfully. “He’s so smitten with you, he didn’t even glance at Ally once, no matter how hard she tried to seduce him with her short skirts and gaping tops. I’ll bet you my favorite pair of Gucci boots that he reciprocates your feelings.” She looked over Sage’s shoulder. “Are we all set, Dean Sawyer?”

  “Yes. I suggest everyone gets settled in their rooms first. We’ll meet at the poolside in thirty minutes. I arranged for a bus to take us to Glen Rose. There are a couple of chic boutiques where I’m sure everyone will find something to their taste for the function tonight.” He slipped his arm around Sage’s shoulder. “I for one need a quick shower to revive myself. It’s been a dusty ride.” He gestured at the lodge. “For you ladies and gents, I arranged with the boutique here to take care of you. They cater extensively to guests and have an amazing assortment of evening gowns and suits.”

  “You’re too kind, Dean Sawyer and you spoil us way too much,” Ally cooed and molded her curvy body against his other side as she and Veronica joined them.

  “I do it for the students. They work hard all through their years of study and deserve to be spoiled a little. Many of them will never experience such a trip again.” He turned away, effectively dislodging himself from Ally as he took Sage’s hand. “Let’s get going, people. I want the students to have enough time to shop around and find what they like before the shops close.”

  Sage couldn’t suppress the giggle when she saw Ally’s expression at Cole’s not so subtle rebuff. He glanced at her as they walked through the gorgeously cool entrance of the lodge.

  “Did I miss something?”

  Her eyes glimmered with mirth as she studied him. He was relaxed but looked dangerously rough and sexy in his black leather jacket that molded to his shoulders.

  “Are you really not taken with Ally? I mean the way she rubbed her luscious breasts against your arm was an open invitation not many men would say no to.”

  “I guess I’m not one of them.” He swiped the card as they reached their room and ushered her inside. “Besides, why would I look for a snack elsewhere when I have a gourmet dish on hand?” He removed his jacket and threw it on the bed. “What kind of man do you think I am, Sage, to think I would be lured by bared tits while you stand by my side?” He pinned her to the spot with a piercing look. “Or is that what you’re expecting from me? To have sex with other women when you’re not with me?”

  “It was meant as a joke, Cole. I didn’t mean to insult you.”

  He prowled closer and it took all her willpower not to retreat as he approached until they stood toe to toe. His hands circled her throat. She willingly tilted her face upward to meet his gaze which drilled into her with a seriousness that threatened to rattle her fragile emotions. Yes, she admitted to herself that she loved him weeks ago already but he hadn’t shown any signs of reciprocating it. She hated how insecure it made her feel, wondering if this was no more than just a summer holiday fling.

  “I told you I know what I wanted the day we signed the agreement. Nothing has changed. I’m not getting any younger and if I learned one thing over these almost four weeks, it’s that my instincts were right. You are the woman for me. The one I see in my future … as my wife and the mother of my children.” He smiled at the pleased surprise in her eyes and brushed his lips over hers in a butterfly caress. “I’m not about to jeopardize my future by indulging in something as menial as carnal sex.” His smile was crooked. “You seem to forget that I’m a Dom, first and foremost, which means I have control over my body, my actions and every move I make is done with a specific aim.” He tapped her on the nose and stepped back to yank off his t-shirt as he ambled toward the en suite bathroom. His words floated over his shoulder. “I don’t need senseless sex to feed my ego, Sage. Your reaction to me already does that.”

  Pleasure flooded her body at his words which served to scoff at her insecurities well and good. It left her with a feeling of hopeful lightheadedness and a silly smile on her face to complement the warmth that settled deep inside her soul.

  “Have I told you how ravishing you look?”

  Sage couldn’t help the laugh that thrilled from her lips. She had never owned or even tried on a dress like this. She felt beautiful in a black floor-length boatneck mermaid style dress. The classy neckline fell beautifully into a low drop open back. Swarovski crystals embellished the edge which added elegance and style to the simple design. In honor of the beautiful backline, she’d taken up her hair in a loose but neat bun with a couple of long curls around her face. Paired with diamante earrings and silver high heel sandals, she looked chic and graceful. She tightened her arm around Cole’s as they walked through the high arch leading into the ballroom where the gala was taking place. It was already buzzing with students and guests.

  “You have ... a couple of times and since you look so dashing and debonair, I’m glad I took the time to choose my dress.”

  Her eyes glimmered as she looked at him. He’d taken her breath away when she’d walked into the room to find him dressed in a black tuxedo with a pristine white shirt and silver tie. His dark hair and goatee gave him that added bad boy appearance that so many women found hard to resist in a man, especially one that had the rippling muscles of a bodybuilder.

  “You don’t need a dress to enhance your beauty, love, but looking at you tonight, I realize once again how lucky I am to have you by my side.”

  He surprised her by cupping her chin and tilting her face for a deep and leisurely kiss.

  “Well
, well, well. Would you look at that? The most sought-after bachelor of all making out in public.”

  Cole stiffened against Sage and she broke away from the kiss as the sugary voice infiltrated her hazed mind—courtesy of the effect his kisses always had on her. He circled her waist and drew her against his side as he turned to face a sensationally gorgeous blonde woman.

  Where Sage had just felt desirable and beautiful, she suddenly felt drab and dour. For that matter, every woman at the gala probably paled against the fiery beauty and seductiveness that oozed from the woman. Dressed in a silver dress that revealed more than it concealed, she carried herself with confidence and the knowledge that she had an effect on all men in the immediate surroundings.

  She trotted closer until her ample breasts flattened against Cole’s chest. Her fingers fluttered over his chin as she smiled sensually. She was tall and with the added benefit of the stilettos she wore, leaning up to plant her lips against his took no effort at all.

  Sage felt her heartbeat slow as her body turned tense. The temptation to rip her from him raced through her but she suppressed it. She wasn’t the kind of person to make a public scene. The only consolation she had was that Cole’s arm remained around hers and he didn’t seem to reciprocate the kiss at all. He only stared at the woman with narrowed eyes and a granite hard jawline as he pushed her away.

  “I don’t recall you being on the guest list, Samantha.”

  She licked her lips as she trailed her long red-tipped nails under the lapels of his jacket. “You know me, lover. I always love to give to the needy.”

  Anger tended to spark in people no matter how hard they endeavored to remain calm. Sage felt the flash of heat inside her chest at the deliberate pun that this woman had intimate knowledge about Cole. One directed at Sage with the intent to draw her out. For the first time ever, she was glad she’d become a professor. She had learned early on how to redirect anger boiling inside her from students who defied or attempted to manipulate her. She dragged in a deep breath to calm her nerves. She refused to allow a stranger or ex-lover of Cole to intimidate her. More than that, to make her doubt their relationship.