White Knight

by Mari Carr

  Shea split apart at the seams, screaming at the undulating sensations pummeling her body. Travis drove her higher, rubbing her harder, faster, never halting until he’d wrung out every drop of pleasure her body had ever known.

  When she finally began to descend, realization hit. His finger, his lips weren’t enough.

  She wanted more.

  Chapter 6

  Shea sat on the couch and patted the cushion, encouraging Travis to join her. He dropped down beside her. True to his word, he’d gone downstairs to “pick her up” for their dinner rendezvous shortly after six. They’d had a wonderful meal at a local restaurant that specialized in micro-brewed beer and big, juicy hamburgers. Travis wasn’t sure when he’d enjoyed a date more—the food and the company.

  “You know, I’ve told you an awful lot about my past but I know very little about you.”

  Travis shrugged. “Not much to tell. Grew up in North Dakota with Emma and Jack. After graduation, we all decided to try our luck in a city that actually offered a social life. I inherited some money from a relative and decided to open this club. End of story.”

  “Wow. I may be a cliché, but you’re just sort of boring.”

  Travis chuckled. “I guess I am.”

  “It’s my turn.”

  He looked at her, confused.

  “To get what I want,” she clarified.

  “So it is.”

  He tried to swallow back the bile gathering in his throat. He felt like a fool. Here he was with a beautiful woman he was incredibly attracted to. He wanted nothing more than to lay her down on the couch, cover her with his body and give in to all the lust she inspired. Instead, he tried to covertly wipe his sweaty palms on his pants. That would never happen. “What do you say we get this over with?”

  She rolled her eyes. “Gee. Try not to overwhelm me with your enthusiasm.”

  Travis tried not to laugh but it was hard with Shea. “You weren’t exactly looking forward to my spanking.”

  “Well, yeah, but at least I got into the spirit of the thing.”

  Travis smiled. He knew he was in serious danger of losing his heart to this woman. In the past, he’d balked at that idea, but something about Shea made him want to say to hell with it. To take a chance.

  If only he could. His heart was racing and he found it difficult to take a deep breath.

  “I do like your spirit,” he teased. Her inner muscles had nearly bruised his fingers with the force of her climax. All that passion wrapped up in a gorgeous, entertaining package.

  “Will you take your shirt off?”

  He didn’t pause, didn’t hesitate for a moment. Just gripped the hem of his t-shirt and pulled it over his head.

  “Damn. Go to the gym much?”

  He tapped her nose playfully. “I like to work out.” He needed to feel strong, to know he could take care of himself in a fight. He’d begun lifting weights in high school and he’d never stopped. There was safety in muscles and brawn.

  “It shows. I mean I thought you were built, but you’re downright ripped.”

  “Is that a bad thing?”

  She shook her head. “I didn’t think guys looked like this without steroids or airbrushing.”

  “Well, I promise you none of that applies here.” He hoped he could get through the evening without making an ass of himself or chasing her away. He didn’t want her to leave.

  She leaned closer and Travis sucked in an inconspicuous breath, trying to hide his unease. He’d never let any woman take the lead in sex. Actually, until Shea, he’d never indulged in kissing. It was too personal, too close. His sexual experiences were limited to two styles. He enjoyed voyeurism, where he and the woman both came by their own hand, or he used bondage as a way of controlling his partner. A woman couldn’t touch him if her hands were bound. As a result, he spent a lot of time in BDSM clubs with women who didn’t mind his kinks.

  Cupping his cheek, Shea kissed him.

  Once again he waited for the panic, the usual reaction. He’d been shocked last week when he’d been able to lie down with Shea and kiss her. Everything had been fine until she’d touched him. He hadn’t had a chance to prepare himself and he’d reacted like a fool, running to his office like the fucking sick coward he was. He’d sworn he’d never see Shea again. For two days, he’d turned off the monitors and retreated to his apartment, licking his damn wounds.

  On the morning of the third day, the pull of her had become too much and he’d come back to the club, spent the entire evening watching her on the monitors. When the club closed and they were the only two people remaining, he’d seen her wave at his window from her bed on the stage and he’d known then his resolve to stay away from her would weaken. He’d made it a week before his determination collapsed completely and he’d invited her to his office for dinner.

  Travis accepted her shy kisses for a few breathless moments before his restraint broke. He deepened the kiss and took control.

  While he’d assured her they weren’t engaging in a power play, he wasn’t sure that was entirely the truth. Travis definitely preferred to hold the reins.

  Her fingers drifted away from his face to his shoulders.

  He froze for a split second, stiffening slightly before adjusting to the touch. So long as they took it slowly, he felt hopeful this wouldn’t turn out like all the times in the past. Shea was different. He’d known it from the first moment he saw her.

  He thrust his tongue into her mouth, starving for her taste, her scent. Every part of her.

  She didn’t resist his advances. Instead, she welcomed him, wrapping her arms around his neck.

  He felt an odd tingling, an unease lodge in the pit of his stomach. Ice water began to course through his veins. Time to retreat.

  He lightened the kiss, refusing to freak out in front of her again. It was time to put them on steadier ground. This slippery slope was too dangerous for his sense of control, of self-preservation.

  He backed away, needing distance. Suddenly a plan came to mind. A way to keep her here and retain his sanity as well. “I want to explore that fantasy of yours a bit more.”

  She smiled, her lips slightly puffy from his kisses. He wanted her, but it had to be on his terms. Or, God help him, not at all.

  “What did you have in mind?”

  “Go sit on that chair over there.” He gestured to the chair by the two-way mirror.

  “But I thought—”

  “Trust me. I’ll make this very good for you.”

  Her long, dark eyelashes lowered, humor written clearly in her bright blue eyes. “Very good, hmmm? That sounds better than okay.”

  “Oh yeah, it’s miles away from meh. Promise.”

  She walked toward the chair but didn’t sit down.

  He followed her and stepped closer. Shea’s hands caressed his chest and shoulders once more, traveling over his skin as if she wanted to buy property and move in. It was an incredible sensation. He closed his eyes and let her continue her exploration. When her hands reached his waist, his heart raced—and not in a good way.

  He pushed her away gently. “Lift your skirt and take off your panties before you sit down.”

  “Why don’t I just take everything off?”

  He shook his head. “You’re my captive. I’ll take care of that.”

  She shivered and blushed. He wasn’t sure why women always felt so guilty about the capture fantasy. It wasn’t an unusual one. Hell, Jack had stolen Emma’s heart on the Scoundrels stage by acting as a pirate captain, claiming her as part of his spoils.

  Shea lifted her skirt and sat on the chair. She suddenly appeared nervous, uncertain. “Are you sure you’re okay with this? I mean, if you don’t find it hot or anything…”

  Had anyone ever cared so much about him and his desires? He walked toward her without speaking, grabbing a basket along the way.

  “What’s in the basket?” she asked.

  “Props for the shows. Sex toys.” He held the basket so she could see the piles
of new toys, still in their wrappers. “We used to keep them backstage but they were disappearing. Emma suspected the actors were using them to take care of some lingering effects from the shows and then taking them home. She decided they’d be safer up here.”

  Shea looked in the large basket curiously. “I have no idea what half of that is.”

  “I’ll give you a sex-toy workshop one day. But for now, no more talking,” he said. “We’re going to do our own little fetish show right here. I assume you’ve listened to Emma talking to the actors prior to a performance, heard her getting them into character. I’m going to do the same for you, but before I do, do you know what a safe word is?”

  “Yes.”

  “Yours is Vegas. If you get scared, if it goes too far and you want me to stop, just say that word and the game ends. Understand?”

  She nodded. “Vegas.”

  “I won’t mention it again. It’s up to you to remember and to use it. And I’m telling you now, Shea, that’s the only word that’s going to make me stop.”

  He reached into the basket and found what he was looking for. Lifting the scarf, he placed it over her eyes, tying it behind her head. She didn’t object, so he continued.

  “You’re walking home after work, late at night. You know you shouldn’t be on the streets alone. Especially not in this dangerous neighborhood.”

  Shea swallowed heavily. He’d purposely picked a scenario she could relate to. He’d make sure she never put herself in such a dangerous position again. It had cost him more than a few restless nights when he thought about her staying in East Hollywood alone.

  He pushed the fear away and continued painting a picture for her. “After a few minutes, you suspect you’re no longer alone. Someone is following you.”

  Travis studied her face closely, heard her breathing hitch. She was listening intently.

  “You pass under a broken streetlight, cursing the sudden darkness. You start to walk faster, resisting the urge to run, when you feel strong arms grab you from behind.”

  Shea squirmed and bit her lower lip. His story was having a definite impact.

  “The man drags you into an alley and starts to tear off your clothes.” Gripping the edges of her blouse, he pulled forcefully, tearing the material and popping off several buttons. Shea gasped.

  He roughly pulled her breasts out of her bra but kept the elastic fastened. He leaned forward to whisper in her ear. “I love the look of you right now. In disarray. You look like a woman who’s put up a fight.”

  He ran his finger along the center of her chest, from neck to stomach. Shea squeezed her legs together and Travis resisted spreading them apart, plunging his cock into her wet depths. Her face flushed as he continued speaking.

  “You’re fighting back, trying hard to escape, but you’re no match for his strength. A car drives by on the street and he drags you farther into the shadows. You try to scream but he covers your mouth with his hand. He keeps pulling you deeper and deeper into the darkness—and that’s when you realize there’s a car parked there.”

  “Oh God,” she whispered. Shea was completely mesmerized by the tale he wove.

  “You make one last ditch attempt to break away, but that’s when you smell it. The stranger covers your mouth with a rag dipped in chloroform and you lose consciousness.”

  Travis reached back into the basket and pulled out straps. He began to tie one of her arms to the chair, tightly enough that she couldn’t escape while careful to make sure he didn’t cut off circulation. Shea startled when she felt the first strap then fought the bondage. He paused for a moment, waiting to see if she’d say the safe word. When she didn’t, he used his strength to capture her other arm, securing it to the chair.

  Shea continued to struggle. He stepped away, studying her. She certainly looked the part of a captured beauty. Her clothing was disheveled, her breathing coming faster and he imagined he could see the pulse in her neck racing.

  “Travis?” she asked, when she realized he wasn’t near her anymore.

  “Who’s Travis?” He purposely deepened his voice.

  She licked her lips nervously. “Who are you?”

  She was assuming the role, playing the game. He considered how marvelous she’d be on stage as the star of one of Emma’s shows, then dismissed the thought. He wasn’t like Jack. He didn’t crave the limelight and he’d be damned before he ever let another man see his lovely Shea like this. She was his. And his alone.

  “Who I am isn’t important.”

  She fought the bonds once more. “What do you want?”

  He chuckled, infusing the tone with threat. “I would think that was obvious.”

  “Please,” she said.

  For a moment, Travis wondered if she’d broken character. Her word sounded too much like a plea for more, not freedom.

  Time to move the game to the next level. He reached into the basket for one more item. As he glanced at the toys, he realized exactly how many of them he’d love to introduce Miss Sex is just Okay to. Hell, he wanted to use all of them on her. He walked toward the bathroom and heard Shea’s cry of distress. Did she think he was leaving or was she truly enmeshed in the fantasy?

  Opening the package on the rabbit vibrator, he washed it in the sink. He looked over his shoulder to see Shea had stilled. She was trying to listen, to guess what he was doing. No doubt his silence was driving her arousal even higher, her imagination running wild. He put batteries in the toy and tested it. It was long and curved, with multiple speeds. Shea wouldn’t know what hit her.

  He took a moment to adjust his cock in his pants, running his hand over it for some sort of relief. It was rock hard and aching for release. He didn’t dare take off his pants or he would be inside Shea within seconds. He wouldn’t fuck her tonight, and certainly not like this. Travis wasn’t sure what was holding him back, but something told him they needed tonight. Time to explore limits while figuring out their next step.

  Shea had said she wasn’t easy. He believed that. He also knew that sex would take them both to a place he wasn’t sure they should go. Better to play. To get to know each other while keeping things smaller, contained and controllable.

  He grimaced as he looked at his determined expression in the mirror. Control. What would it feel like to let go just once? He didn’t dare take the chance to find out.

  Shaking off his anxiety, he returned to the room. Shea was pressing her legs together, trying to find relief, but at the sound of his approach, she stopped moving.

  “I have money. If you let me go, I’ll give it all to you.” She was playing her part well.

  “I don’t need your money. I need your obedience.”

  She shook her head. “I’ll never give you that.”

  “That’s where you’re wrong.” He knelt before her, moving quickly in case she decided to fight back for real. Gripping her hips, he pulled her ass to the edge of the chair and pushed her legs apart.

  She gasped, trying to kick out. She landed a few solid blows as he grabbed more straps, securing her ankles outside the legs of the chair. The position left her open, vulnerable. She tried to push her ass away from him, but Travis grabbed pillows and shoved them against the back of the chair, holding her in the position he desired.

  “Are you comfortable?” he asked.

  “No.” Her response was loud, almost angry. She didn’t give him the safe word.

  Unable to resist, Travis ran his finger along her slit, confirming with touch what his eyes had already told him. She was drenched, her juices shiny on the inside of her thighs.

  She groaned at his light touch.

  “I’m going to keep you forever.” The words, part of the play, felt too genuine. He was getting as carried away with the fantasy as she was.

  “I’ll never give you what you want.”

  He admired her spunkiness in the face of obvious defeat. “You’re going to give me everything I want.”

  He lifted the vibrator to her opening. She froze. Without the bene
fit of vision, she was fighting to keep up.

  “What—”

  “Hush. No more talking or I’ll gag you as well.”

  Her face told him she wanted to resist. He pressed the vibrator in a few inches, letting her adjust to the girth, the unexpected invasion.

  Her head flew back, landing on the cushions. Her breathing was coming rapidly and Travis knew she was close. Briefly he wondered if he’d even have to turn the toy on to produce an orgasm.

  He kept pushing until the vibrator was lodged to the hilt. Shea breathed a quiet sigh of relief—until he put the clit stimulator in place.

  “Oh God,” she said, gasping. “Please.”

  There was no mistaking this plea. She wanted this. Wanted it badly. He turned the toy on and watched her body jerk with the stimulation.

  “Oh my God,” she repeated.

  Unable to stand it any longer, Travis unzipped his pants. Shea was oblivious to his actions, lost in her own arousal. He wanted her to see. Needed her to know the impact she was having on him and the beauty in watching another person come.

  He pulled off her blindfold. Shea blinked rapidly, trying to adjust to the sudden return of light. Then her eyes landed on him, stroking his cock.

  “Yes,” she hissed, her gaze never leaving his hand. She licked her lips hungrily and he went lightheaded with the need to push his flesh into her mouth. He tightened his grip on his cock and turned up the speed on her toy.

  Shea went into orbit, her climax causing her entire body to tremble. A few drops of pre-cum flowed from the head of his dick. He swiped at it with his finger, lifting it to Shea’s mouth.

  “Taste what you do to me,” he said, pushing his finger between her lips.

  She accepted the offering, sucking seductively even as her orgasm continued to rumble through her.

  When he pulled his finger free, he used the wet digit to circle the nipple of her left breast. She shuddered when he gripped the tight nub and squeezed. “I’m going to come on your chest, Shea.”

  She nodded, her eyes drifting shut, exhaustion claiming her. He refused to let her go.