by M. A. Innes
That matter-of-fact way he talked about things made it hard to feel bad. “You’re going to...”
The rest of the sentence was lost in my brain, but he seemed to understand what I was trying to ask, because his eyes sparkled with desire and one hand moved around to grab my ass again. “I might. That’s one punishment I might use to remind a naughty boy that he has to obey his master.”
Fuck.
His heated expression took on a wicked look. “But there are so many ways I can punish my angel. So many things that would help you remember who you belonged to. Who do you belong to, Angel?”
“You.”
It was a fantasy come true, and part of me wanted to look around for the proof that it was just a dream, but the hand on my ass and the press of his cock on mine were just too real. He was everything I’d ever wanted. Commanding, honest desire just radiated from him, and he was completely focused on me. It was insane.
“That’s right.” He leaned in and gave me a tender kiss, his lips pressing against mine for just seconds, but it was enough to send my entire body flying. My second kiss. “You belong to me.”
It was incredible. Beautiful and naughty at the same time. Just like him.
“Yes, Master.”
Fuck.
I loved saying that. It made everything tingle, and my cock ached to be touched. Hudson just gave me a look like he was picturing me naked and begging and leaned in, kissing my jaw. Third kiss. His voice came out deep. “Your punishments belong to me.”
I got another kiss farther back toward my ear. Fourth one. “Your pleasure belongs to me.”
All I could do was whimper as he reached my ear. I felt his tongue trace around the outside shell before he tugged on the lobe with his teeth. It was like a shower of sparks went through me. “Your pain belongs to me.”
I whimpered again, but he loved it. He chuckled low and squeezed my ass. “That’s right, my little pain slut. I’ve got so many wonderful things to do to you.”
His teeth scraped along my neck, not biting but just giving a hint of the pain that he could show me. I made needy little noises and felt his tongue flick out to lick where his teeth had just teased. It was like he knew every secret button to push me even higher.
“My dirty angel is so needy, so sensitive. I should feel terrible for making you wait.” He pulled his head back but left his hard cock pressed tightly against mine. “I don’t, though. I like knowing you’re going to be hard and needy, just waiting to be allowed to come.”
God, the stuff he said.
It took a minute for the words to actually penetrate my brain. I didn’t get to come?
Hudson laughed and shook his head. “That sexy pout won’t work on me.”
I wasn’t pouting. “But—”
“You want to please me, don’t you?”
Stupid trick question in a sexy voice; he was fighting dirty. “Yes, but—”
“I want you erect and aching while we eat. We’re going to talk, and I’m going to get to know you, but I’m also going to make sure you stay nice and hard. And with those baggy jeans, I’m going to have to keep making sure that sexy cock of yours doesn’t get soft.” The look on his face let me know just how hands-on his checking was going to get.
“Now, climb in. I’m starving, and I bet you are too.” It took me a second to follow the abrupt change in the conversation, and it made me want to throw myself at him and whine. If we’d been anywhere else but the parking lot, I probably would have.
“Food. Dinner.” Yes, I was hungry, but the need for food was greatly outweighed by the need for other things.
Dirty things.
“That’s right; I’m going to take my boy out for a date.” His hand came back up to cup my face.
Hudson knew some of the crazy things that bounced around in my head, and he still wanted to date me. It was...mind-blowing. He honestly didn’t think less of me for it, and it didn’t seem to change how he saw me. I’d never thought I could find someone who’d tease me like he had at the bar, but then want to go out with me in public.
Teasing the slut in a dirty bar was one thing, but then completely changing gears to take that same slut out on a real date was another.
“Thank you.”
I wasn’t sure he understood what I was trying to say, but he gave me a tender smile and kissed my forehead. “Oh, Angel, you never have to thank me for seeing the real you. I think you are damned near perfect.”
****
The drive to the restaurant was surprisingly normal. I wasn’t sure what to make of it.
Hudson was just so...nice...and normal. He talked about random stuff he’d heard on the radio and asked easy get-to-know-you kinds of questions, like what movies I had seen and what books I had read lately.
When I said I hadn’t found the time to do a lot of pleasure reading lately, he snorted and shook his head like he didn’t believe me. “You double majored in English and history and have all kinds of fun, sexy things running through your head. I just can’t believe you don’t have a pile of those sexy romance novels hidden under your bed or on your phone.”
Those didn’t count.
“But...but they...I...” I was a moron who couldn’t make words.
Hudson smiled like he understood how hard it was and reached over to take my hand. It was surprisingly intimate, even though it was such a simple touch. “But you aren’t supposed to talk about those or admit you read them?”
I nodded. It seemed like the safest response, because words and I didn’t mix very well when Hudson was around. He squeezed my hand. “Now I really am more of a visual guy than a reader.” He wiggled his eyebrows up and down and gave me a wicked grin. “But when things were less hectic at work, I read a few good ones. I’ll have to admit, my favorites were the sexy ones where the naughty little sub gets spanked.”
My mouth dropped open. Nothing would come out.
Hudson just laughed and let go of my hand long enough to reach up and close my mouth. “Now tell me about something you read.”
He wanted words?
I had to tell him about what I read?
Street lights and passing cars lit up Hudson’s face and I could see he was serious, curious even. I just wasn’t sure how to start. I’d never talked about my books with anyone. Porn, people understood. Me reading erotic romance novels, not so much.
I didn’t watch much porn. I understood the appeal for some people, but I liked getting inside people’s heads. I liked hearing why they liked something, and most porn wasn’t big on talking. I never got to hear why the guy getting spanked liked it. That was the part I really wanted, because that was the part I didn’t understand.
The books at least tried to go into their heads and explain what was turning them on. I kept hoping one day it would click and an author would be able to explain me. I’d open a book and see myself on the pages, so I could point to it and have that ah-ha moment. So far, it hadn’t happened yet.
I should have just told him I’d read War and Peace recently.
His hand squeezed mine and he started caressing me with his fingers. “Was it a romance or just something fun and sexy?”
Okay, I might be able to do it this way. “Both.”
He nodded. “So, plot but lots of sex too?”
“Yes.” Relief poured through me. Now it felt more like we were doing it together and not just me sharing my crazy with him, praying he wouldn’t see how screwed up my head was.
“Was it a big bear of a guy and a little twink?”
“No.” I managed to shake my head that time.
“Was it a Daddy Dom and his boy?”
My mouth might have dropped open again.
“What?” He grinned and seemed to enjoy surprising me. “Those can be hot.”
“No.” It came out a little squeaky, but my cock jerked in my pants. The images running through my head were just too good.
“Hmm, I think someone’s read a few of those before.”
Lots of those. The t
ender Dom taking care of his boy was sexy and pulled me in, but it wasn’t something I fantasized about in real life, so it was easier to maintain some distance from the story. That didn’t mean I was going to admit to people that I’d read stuff like that.
But Hudson wasn’t just anyone.
My nod was a bit shakier that time, and my voice came out a little high-pitched. “Sometimes I have.”
It wasn’t one word, and I’d actually managed to answer the question, so I was proud of myself. I just had to keep repeating over and over in my head that Hudson hadn’t made fun of me for anything yet, and he’d honestly seemed to understand.
It was still difficult.
He nodded like it wasn’t a big deal and went back to quizzing me on my most recent book. Like the conversation was perfectly normal. “Was it a businessman and his naughty twink secretary?”
“No.” But Hudson was getting closer.
He must have sensed that, because as we turned, his face was lit up by headlights, and he had a wicked grin on his face. “A twink businessman and his rugged secretary?”
Now that sounded good.
“Colder.”
That just seemed to spur him on, showing his competitive side. “A sexy businessman and a naughty twink client?”
I gave a hesitant nod. That was pretty close. It was a smoking hot financial advisor, and his newest customer was a sassy young guy who’d just inherited millions. Not the most original plot, but at least there was one, and the sex was off-the-charts incredible. So that made up for a lot.
“Was he just a little bit bad or was he a complete brat?”
The excited leer on his face as he parked made me smile. “Brat.”
He turned off the car as we sat in the restaurant parking lot and turned toward me, the seat belt straining across his broad chest. “Sexy brats get spanked.”
The words were stuck in my throat and came out sounding a little choked. “Yes...lots...”
“Do you know who else gets spanked?”
Damn.
The word popped out before my brain could even process what Hudson had said. I was blaming it on the fact that there wasn’t much blood left in my brain. “Who?”
Hudson’s eyes were filled with desire and something powerful that made my stomach turn. “Smart, sexy college guys who love bending over and knowing every eye in the room is on them. Sweet boys who need a sexy master to take control of them.”
I was wrong when I thought I couldn’t get any more turned on.
Chapter 7
Hudson
It’d taken a few minutes, but Randall’s mind seemed to finally be working again. I probably should have felt a little bit remorseful for turning his brain to butter, but he was just too cute and too sexy when he got all nervous and excited.
By the time we’d headed into the restaurant, he’d lost some of the disheveled I’m-so-turned-on-I-can’t-think look, but it wasn’t until we’d been seated at our booth that his reactions started returning to normal. If we’d been heading into the bar, I would have kept his need flying, but since we were at a more family-friendly restaurant, I had to keep reminding myself to behave.
Behaving wasn’t as much fun.
But it would help me get to know him more. “How were your classes this week?”
He blinked at me several times, like the conversation in his head was a lot different from the one we were having out loud and it wasn’t quite connecting. As I started browsing over the menu, giving him time to process the question, he finally nodded absently.
Before I could clarify and see if that was actually his answer, he started to talk. “They were good. The lectures aren’t that difficult to follow. The real work comes when we have papers to write. Those are the long, crazy weeks.”
“But you’re enjoying it?” Randall seemed to love history and English, but something about the way he talked about them was slightly disconnected.
He shrugged and started playing with the menu half-heartedly. “It’s not bad. And I like the subjects.”
That wasn’t much of an endorsement. “What do you plan on doing after you graduate?” Maybe if I understood his plans, the whole thing would make more sense.
“After my doctorate program?” He looked up and cocked his head. “Probably teach. That’s what my parents think would be best.”
It still seemed like an odd way to talk about his future. “What do you think? Does teaching sound fun?”
His brows came together, and his shoulders jerked in a half-shrug. “Maybe? I’m sure it won’t be that bad.”
I’d never met a teacher who went into it thinking it wouldn’t be that bad. They were usually a passionate bunch. Several of the employees down at the warehouse had spouses who were teachers, and men or women, they were usually outspoken about their job. Love it or hate it, it was never that watered down.
“So it was your family’s idea for you to teach?”
He nodded and started browsing through the burgers listed on the menu. “Business wasn’t my thing, so they thought it would be a good idea.”
They knew there weren’t just two options, right?
Not wanting to step into a mess I didn’t understand, I steered away from the discussion. “What looks good?”
“A burger.”
Laughing, I nudged his foot with mine. “What kind looks good?”
He looked up and smiled. “They all do.”
“Did you miss lunch too?”
His expression turned more thoughtful, and he looked like the conversation was finally starting to make sense. I would have loved to have heard what was going through his mind, but he wasn’t ready to start sharing that with me. Not yet, anyway.
“Was work that crazy for you again today? Do you normally work this many hours?”
“No, I’m usually more of a nine-to-five paper pusher with the occasional work taken home. But we have a vacancy that seems to be impossible to get someone to fill, so I’m having to work two jobs. It’s a small company, and there just aren’t that many people who can do the job until someone else gets hired.” As long as we could get someone in that position soon, I wouldn’t go crazy. The long hours were starting to catch up with me, though.
“Isn’t there someone you can ask to step in and help?” Randall set the menu down and started fiddling with his napkin. “Even on a temporary basis?”
“Not really. My dad ran things before I stepped in, and asking him for help seems wrong. He’s retired and having a good time. I’m not going to ruin that. I don’t think it’s going to take much longer to get someone in there.” I crossed my fingers and gave Randall a smile. “Then it will be back to regular hours.”
Once I caught up. And got Wes a bonus. And did my duties at the party. Then everything could get back to normal.
He gave me a look like he didn’t believe me, which was smart of him, but dropped the subject. “I think the bacon one sounds good, what about you?”
I thought my arteries would shoot me, and my pants probably wouldn’t fit tomorrow. The age difference wasn’t going to drive me crazy, but there were some places where it would definitely show. “I think something a little less heartburn-inducing might be a good idea for me.”
Randall grinned. “But it sounds so good.”
The restaurant had an eclectic menu and most of it looked delicious, but I had enough going on that I wasn’t going to keep myself up because of stupid decisions. “And I bet the seasoned fries and a milkshake do too?”
He nodded, and his smile made him look like a kid in a candy store. “That’s even better. My mother likes to eat healthy, so we didn’t have anything like this growing up. Most kids their freshman year were overwhelmed by the classes and studying, but I was in awe of the food.”
I could just see a stunned young Randall wandering around the dining hall, trying to figure out what to eat first. He would have been adorable. “Ice cream three meals a day?”
“Who lets people do that?” Randall seemed like he stil
l couldn’t believe it. “They have a machine in the dining hall that serves it all the time.”
He glanced away and got a shy look on his face. “It took me a while to talk myself into it.”
It was easy to picture the conflicted boy walking by the ice cream, desperately wanting it, but not letting himself have it. I was betting that he was downplaying how hard it had been to get it the first time. “I’m glad you let yourself have it. Everyone needs to figure out for themselves what they like and what makes them happy.”
Randall peeked up, and I could tell he knew I wasn’t just talking about the food. Giving me a thoughtful look, he took a deep breath. “I’m starting to understand that.”
So cute.
“It’s not something you have to figure out on your own.” We were definitely going too fast, but I just couldn’t help it. And to be honest, I didn’t see a reason to slow down. I alternated between wanting to wrap him up in my arms and bending him over my lap. Both would have been preferable.
He blushed faintly, and it was like the understanding confused him. He mumbled a low, “Thank you.”
It was time for another topic. He looked like he needed some space to clear his head. “You mentioned your family, do you see them often?”
Maybe that wasn’t as easy a topic as I thought, because his face got a pinched look, and he sighed. “They love me.”
There was a big “but” coming after that statement. I hadn’t meant for it to be a difficult subject.
“They just...always think they know best. And they’re kind of overwhelming.”
I wasn’t sure if he meant the normal overbearing parent kind of behavior or something else. “Do they know you’re gay?”
He nodded. “That wasn’t a big surprise.” Randall looked down at himself, then back up to me. “I look so manly and all.”
“You look perfect.” Had his parents given him some kind of complex?
Randall gave me a slightly sad smile and nodded. “My dad just pictured having a son to take over the family business. He was a football player in high school that went on to do big things and was...disappointed, I guess, that I was different than he expected.”
