Finding Serenity

by Amanda Perry

  He smiles down at me while his cheeks darken. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.”

  “You didn’t,” I lie, shuffling on my feet.

  I’m a horrible person. I forgot all about rescheduling with Tim, not that the chance has arisen for us to go anywhere. Nothing changed since the last time we talked. Yet everything changed at the same time. My curiosity over a date with Tim vanished weeks ago. He never was a serious interest for me, but going on a date with him sounded like fun. Now, it makes my stomach turn to think about going out with anyone but Marak, Allistar, Syn, or Maverick.

  “I just wondered how you’re doing. I know you’ve got some things going on,” he clears his throat and pulls on his collar, “but maybe you have time for drinks this weekend?”

  My every intention is to decline, but Maverick intervenes before I’m able. He lightly touches the front of his body against my back. Even the small, probably unintentional, contact lights a fire in me. None of them have touched me in a long time, even innocently.

  "No." The one word comes out rough and gravely and damn it if the sound doesn't make me shiver a little.

  I manage to cover my initial reaction with a dramatic eye roll. Poor Tim's wide eyes bounce back and forth between me and Maverick. "I... uh..." he sputters and stumbles, searching for something to say.

  I try again to tell Tim it won't work out. "This weekend won't work, but I—"

  "She can't go anywhere with you. Period," Maverick growls. The son of a bitch won't let me speak for myself. He's about to get himself hit in the nuggets if he doesn't knock his caveman bullshit off. "You don't need to ask her again. The answer will be no then, too."

  "Are... are you two together or something?" Tim's voice raises a few octaves when he addresses Maverick. For a minute, I worry he'll faint or pee himself.

  Maverick's body tenses behind me, and my heart drops to the floor. He probably hates the idea of anyone assuming the two of us are together. It hurts like hell, but I refuse to let him know it.

  Squaring my shoulders, I take one step toward Tim and away from Maverick, who growls once more. Stupid caveman asshole. "Tim, can I call you later tonight, so we can talk about this privately?"

  He brightens and nods vigorously. "Sure, that'd be great. I look forward to talking with you tonight."

  With only a small smile at Tim in response, I spin on my heel and grab Maverick by the arm. He allows me to drag him through the cafeteria and back to my office. I say allow, because I know damn well he could stay put if he wanted to. He's ten times stronger than me and twice as big.

  As soon we make it into my office and the door clicks shut, I spin on my heel to face the asshole head on. My hands rest in fists on my hips and my eyes narrow dangerously. “What the hell is wrong with you?”

  “That’s a loaded question.” Maverick runs a hand over his long hair, pulling out the tie always holding the top half back. “One I don’t think I’ve got an answer for.”

  “What are you talking about?” His words make no sense, and my confusion only fuels my anger. “Stop speaking in riddles and tell me why the hell you think you can just make decisions for me like you have the right. Especially after pretending I don't exist for weeks!”

  Maverick pins me with a fierce stare. It holds so much heat that my insides catch fire. A low pull in my stomach causes my lips to part, but no sound comes out. He takes a step toward me. “Because I do have the fucking right.”

  I reel back; his words take me off guard and turn my anger into fury. I don’t want to go out with Tim, he never really appealed to me, but he seemed nice enough. Now, I’ve all but moved in with four incredible, infuriating men, and Tim doesn’t even hold a candle to them.

  Still, Maverick is asking for a fight with the crap he just pulled. “The fuck you do! This is my life, and I get to make my own decisions. I’ll go out on a date with whoever the hell I want to go out with.”

  A menacing growl sounds from Maverick’s throat and stops my rant. He stalks toward me with such determination it startles me, and I back up a few steps until my back presses against the wall. He continues his pursuit until he stands so close that our bodies almost touch, but not quite. The heat rolls off him in waves, and his chest rises and falls rapidly as his breath quickens from his anger. My breathing speeds up in time with his, but the anger from before fades into something else—something I don’t understand. But whatever it is, I need it, and Maverick is the only one who can give it to me.

  Maverick slams both hands on the wall on either side of my head to cage me in. The sudden move makes me jump in my skin. He leans closer, his chest against mine, and lowers his head, his lips barely touch my ear. “You won’t go out with that fucker, because if you do, I’ll likely kill him for even looking at you.”

  My small gasp comes from anger, surprise, and possibly a little bit because his possessiveness and caveman crazy attitude turns me on. What the hell is wrong with me? Not five seconds ago, I formed a plan to nail his dick to the ground for acting like he makes my decisions. Now, my core ignites with heat—along with the rest of my body—and all I want to do is wrap myself around him like a koala. The dominance he shows does funny things to my body and mind. Normally, being told what I can and cannot do would get a man slapped or worse.

  Part of me wants to continue to throw fuel on the fire with a tantrum of my own. If he can be a brat, so can I. He pulls back a fraction of an inch, and I press my hand to his chest, my fingers curling into the front of his shirt. His breath hitches, and his eyes widen minutely as they dart to my hands then back to my eyes. “You can’t tell me what to do. You’re not the boss of me.”

  Maverick growls low and loud. “That’s where you’re wrong, Taylor. If I don’t want you to go out with that fucker, you won’t go out with him. You’re going to text that boy and tell him you aren’t interested in him, now or ever. Do you understand me?”

  The devil on my shoulder cheers me on. It encourages me to get more of a rise out of him. Whatever I need from him, defiance will be what gets it. “Make me.”

  Two words and the whole world stills. Maverick stops breathing, I stop breathing. There’s no sound but the rush of my heartbeat in my ears. It takes Maverick a few beats to let my words sink in. This could go either way. Either he decides I’m too much of a pain in the ass and backs off, or...he makes me.

  Until this moment, I didn’t realize how badly I want—no, need—him to pick option two. The idea of him following through consumes me. The last few weeks were hell, and I found myself in need of some sort of release. I didn’t know what kind until this second. I need Maverick to take control from me, to make my decisions for me for a little while, so I don’t have to.

  The minutes tick by, and Maverick finally exhales. He takes a small step back, and my heart sinks. Clearly, I’m an idiot and went too far. He doesn’t feel the same about me as I do about him. He doesn’t read our fight the way I do. My cheeks flame with embarrassment. How stupid am I? Telling him to make me like some dumb kid. He wants a woman who will act her age, not a brat who gets her kicks by defying him. It was never something even considered until right now, until Maverick. The release of control over every part of my life isn’t easy, but I wanted to give it to Maverick. I trust him, and I know he’d take care of everything for a while. It would mean I could simply not think, only do. Now, I wish I never entertained the thought in the first place.

  My head drops in shame, and I push off the wall to move around Maverick. His arm snakes out and wraps around my waist. He spins me around so fast that my vision blurs, then presses my back to his front. The arm around my waist becomes a steel trap, leaving no chance of escape.

  Not that I’d ever want to, but I push myself against his arm anyway. My bratty side simply won’t be tamed around Maverick. The more worked up he gets, the better. I find myself needing to get a rise out of him, pun intended.

  With his free hand, Maverick places a gentle finger on my chin and attempts to turn my face to see me. I
don’t make it easy for him. I refuse to turn in the direction he wants. His chest vibrates with a quiet rumble. He uses his thumb and forefinger to grab my chin and jerk my head to the side, giving me no choice but to meet his heated gaze. “If you want to act like a brat, I’ll treat you like one. You want me to make you? I’ll fucking make you, sweet girl.”

  A shiver of anticipation races through my body. Somehow, I felt as though Maverick would be domineering and demanding like this, but to experience it in real life instead of fleeting fantasies is better than anything I imagined.

  Maverick crashes his mouth onto mine. He nips and sucks on my bottom lip, demanding I open for him. It takes me longer to obey than he’s okay with. His hand on my chin moves down to my breast, and he pinches one hardened nipple through the fabric of my silk blouse and lacy bra. He uses my gasp of shock and pleasure to deepen the kiss. He takes everything he wants from me and leaves no room for argument or defiance. He takes all the control, and it’s exactly what I need.

  One second, I’m mewling like a kitten while Maverick assaults my mouth, the next I’m being whirled toward my desk. The contents on top of the desk get pushed aside in one quick swoop of Maverick’s arm. He places a strong hand between my shoulder blades and pushes me down. My front flattens against the desk, my toes barely touching the ground.

  “What the hell are you doing?” My mind finally catches up with me and the move he just pulled. It shouldn’t excite me; I should fight and kick him hard in the junk. But I can’t help the tingles that race up my spine. My mind lets go, and I allow him to take over completely.

  Maverick flips up the hem of my skirt to expose my ass. Had I known he’d see my ass, I might have chosen something other than a lacy black thong. Then again, I may have chosen nothing at all. “I told you, I’ll treat you like a brat if you want to act like one.”

  His hand cups my ass and massages it long enough for me to relax slightly. Then his hand is gone, and a loud crack echoes through the room, followed by a sharp sting on my ass cheek. I yelp and struggle against his hand as it holds me down.

  “Hold still, or I’ll do it again.” Immediately, my body reacts before my mind can, and I freeze in place. “That’s my girl.” Something about his praise makes me preen.

  He smooths his hand over my stinging cheek. “Now, tell me something, sweet girl. Are you going to listen to me and do as I say? Are you going to tell that little prick you’re not going out with him?”

  In the moment, I know there are three options. My first option would be to tell Maverick to stop. To say I don’t like what he’s doing to me and that he needs to let me up and leave my damn office. If I did, it would mean lying to him and to myself. His slap may have hurt a little, but it also has muscles low in my belly tightening. No one ever spanked me before. My ex barely finished himself off before he rolled over to snore like a train. Every time ended with me headed home, too bored and annoyed to stick around. My experiences with sex until recently were crap. It never crossed my mind I’d be into this, but the way my body responds, I am. With anyone else in the world, I’d be showing a completely different reaction.

  With option one quickly off the table, I consider my other two options. Either I say yes and comply with his demands, or I can provoke him a bit more and watch what happens.

  The little devil on my shoulder jumps up and down, begging and pleading for me to provoke Maverick, and I can’t let the little devil down. “I think I’ll call him and tell him I’m free next Saturday.”

  Maverick’s body vibrates with anger, and his open palm lands on my other ass cheek. A moan escapes before I can stamp it down. The fingers of Maverick’s hand on my back flex at the sound. He draws in a shaky breath, and I know he’s as turned on as I am. “Do you know what happens to sweet girls who are bad?”

  He doesn’t wait for a reply. Instead, he gives each of my cheeks two more hard swats. “They get punished until they’ve learned their lesson.” My thighs clench together, and liquid heat pools between my legs. Maverick’s breath is labored and matches my huffs and puffs. He runs his hand up my skirt, then pulls my panties down my legs. “I think it’s going to take a while for you to learn your lesson, sweet girl.”

  My hands tighten on the edge of the desk. A spot on my lower lip stings where my teeth sink into it to keep from crying out for more. The sounds of clothes being ruffled draws my attention, and I wiggle around to see what he’s doing.

  Maverick moves his hand from between my shoulders and disappointment fills me. It only lasts a few short seconds because as soon as I start to stand up, I’m flipped over onto my back. My legs are hiked up high and Maverick drives his hardness into me in one quick thrust.

  “Oh, god!” My back arches off the desk. He fills me completely; his length hits exactly the right spot inside me.

  Maverick groans low and loud. “You like being held down and spanked don’t you, sweet girl? You like provoking me, making me fucking crazy.” His hands grab ahold of my hips, and he pulls out slowly. “Fuck, you’re so wet. So tight.”

  His words only cause my muscles to clench harder around him. It’s the breaking point for him. He grunts out a curse then pounds into me, hard. Each thrust moves the entire desk while the tip of his dick hits me exactly where I need. Incoherent cries of pleasure break free while Maverick drives me higher and higher.

  “Are you going to listen to me now?” Maverick roars and picks up his pace. “Are you going to do as I say?”

  Does he really expect me to answer him? With actual words? If he asked me my name at this point, I wouldn’t be able to answer him correctly. Silence apparently is not the correct answer, though. He slows his thrusts, not pushing into me deep enough to hit the spot to make stars appear in front of my eyes.

  “Oh, please. Don’t stop. Maverick! Oh, god.” My head thrashes from side to side in protest, my eyes plead with him to keep going.

  A satisfied grin overtakes his face and he slows further. “You will not come until you agree to listen to me when I tell you to do something.”

  “You’re not—” My argument gets cut off when Maverick leans forward, pushes my shirt up, and drops wet kisses on my ribs. He works his way higher and pushes any fabric out of his way as his mouth leaves a hot trail on my abdomen. He stops when he reaches the edge of my bra, pulling the cup down. He sucks one tight nipple into his mouth.

  My hips buck against his, but he refuses to move within me. “Maverick! Please!” Every time I try to move, he presses harder on my hips, pinning me to the desk. When I tug on his hair, he gasps, then takes both of my wrists in one of his large hands, holding them above my head in an unbreakable grasp. His other hand remains on my hip like a steel trap refusing to allow me any wiggle room.

  Maverick likes my attempts at escaping his grip. He hums around my nipple, and the vibration sends shock waves through my body. I whimper and squirm and beg him over and over to do something, anything. Finally, he removes his mouth from my nipple only to capture my lips in a heated, demanding kiss.

  When I groan my frustration into his mouth, he pulls back. “Say it, sweet girl. Say what I want to hear, and I’ll give you what you need.”

  “Damn it, Maverick!” My lower legs are the only thing I can control, and I use it to dig the spike of my high heels into his ass, which makes him shudder. The small movement drives me wild, and I finally give in to him. “Fine, I’ll tell him I can’t see him. I’ll listen when you tell me to do something. I’ll do anything you want. Are you fucking happy now?”

  “Hmm, good, sweet girl.” He lowers his head and presses open mouthed kisses across my shoulder, up my neck, until his lips rest at my ear. “Do you think you should get a reward for being good?

  His words send shock waves of pleasure down my spine, and my inner walls clench around him. “Yes, yes, please yes.” My body shakes with need, and Maverick finally delivers.

  He slowly pulls out of me only to push back in with a hard thrust. In order to keep a scream in, I bite my lip almost t
oo hard. He keeps up a perfect rhythm as he pulls out slowly and rams into me hard enough to shake the desk. It only takes three delicious thrusts before I completely come apart at the seams. My body convulses, every nerve like a live wire.

  The screams I desperately hoped to hold in make their way up and out. Maverick kisses me hard and fast, muting them before anyone can wonder if I’m being attacked. I suppose I am being attacked in a way, but I fully welcome it.

  My walls contract around Maverick, pulling him deeper into me. He lets my wrists go to wrap his hand around the back of my neck and angle my mouth to deepen our kiss. He moves in and out of me hard and fast and quickly follows me over the edge. He breaks our kiss to throw his head back and groan as he finds release. His undoing sends aftershocks of pleasure through my core, and I spiral over the edge once more.

  The ability to move any part of my body vanishes, but luckily, Maverick still has minimal control. While we work to catch our breath, Maverick lifts me easily into his arms. He doesn’t pull out of me, which makes me happy—I don’t want him to leave me yet. He holds me with one hand under my ass and uses the other to pull the desk chair to us. He sits down with me straddling his lap, my legs tucked into the sides of his thighs.

  My hands push through his hair, and my forehead falls to his shoulder while I draw in precious air. Maverick runs one hand lightly up and down my spine; the motion soothes and comforts me. His other hand wraps around my lower back, holding me close. His gentleness contrasts with the rough dominance he showed only moments ago.

  He gave me everything I wanted and needed. It sated me completely; my anger and irritation disappeared, with serenity replacing it.

  A contented hum vibrates through me, and Maverick chuckles. “Feeling better?”