“I’ll have more, please.” Clem frowned, but took the plate.
“This isn’t the watered down whiskey you pretend to drink at The Red Petticoat,” he warned. “You’ll get drunk.”
“So what,” she sniped, nibbling on a piece of cheese. “It will make it easier for you to have your wicked way with me.”
“I thought you weren’t going to let me touch you for a thousand dollars?” Grinning he refilled her glass, again about half way.
“You will anyway. There’s not much I can do about it,” Clem replied, taking the drink from him.
“You think I’d rape you?” he demanded.
“No, not rape exactly,” Clem replied, popping a grape into her mouth. “After all, you have paid for me, or you will at some point. I don’t have much say. A deal is a deal. Besides, you have a way of making me…”
“Making you what?” he asked, peering at her closely.
Clem looked away, unable to meet his eyes.
“Answer me,” he demanded softly.
“A way of making me want you to do those things to me,” she whispered with a defeated sigh before raising her head and glaring at him. “I suppose that makes you happy?”
“It does indeed,” Jasper responded, smiling. “I’m grateful to know I’m not the only one emotionally involved.”
“It’s not emotional, it’s physical. It’s a natural response, like chemistry. Nothing to get all worked up about,” she insisted, draining her glass.
“So, you have no feelings for me whatsoever?”
“Well, I sort of like you, some of the time. When you’re not being bossy and overbearing,” she drawled, holding up her glass. He ignored her request for more wine.
“Just to make sure I understand you correctly, you’re saying this is strictly a business arrangement? You have no intention of marrying me or furthering our relationship to anything more meaningful than me as procurer of goods, said goods being the use of your body?”
Clementine could see he was truly upset, but there was no point in complicating things. Maybe after she accomplished what she now thought of as her mission in life, finding her father’s murderer, she may reconsider, but for now it was best to keep things on a professional level.
“You are correct on both points. I have no intention of marrying you,” she replied crisply.
“I see.” Very calmly he rose, took her wrist and pulled her to her feet. Striding to the stairs he pulled her after him.
“Wait,” she called, stumbling. Jasper stopped and swept her up into his arms, climbing toward the much darker gallery.
“What is it?” he snapped.
“I wanted more wine,” she pouted.
“This isn’t about what you want,” he stated. “It’s about what I want, and I intend to collect my money’s worth. After all, you’re a very expensive whore.”
Before she could stop herself, her hand snaked out and slapped his cheek, the sound echoing through the cavernous house.
“That’s going to cost you, my dear.”
***
Jasper strode through the door of his room and tossed Clem onto his bed.
“Don’t move,” he snarled. Moving around the room, he lit several lamps while keeping an eye on her. Pulling off his tie, he unbuttoned his shirt but left it on, hanging open. Clem gasped when he unbuckled his leather belt, whisked it from his trousers and tossed in on the bed. He smiled.
From his armoire he removed an assortment of silken ropes, a string of beads and a bottle. It amused him when Clem tried to read the writing on the label. It was in Arabic.
“What are those things for?” she asked, biting her lip but not moving from where she’d landed.
“For my pleasure,” he answered, approaching the bed. “Remember, tonight is about me,” he whispered. Leaning closer, he gently brushed the golden hair from her cheek. “If you’re a good girl, you may enjoy it yourself. If you’re naughty… well, let’s just say you won’t be comfortable lying on your back for another man for quite some time. Get up.”
He didn’t help her, just watched her scoot to the edge of the huge bed and slide off the side to the floor. She trembled. It only made him more determined and he smiled darkly as his cock lengthened. She thought she was a whore, the silly girl. Thought she had what it took to please a man, many men. In reality, she was as innocent as a babe in the woods. Come morning she’d know the difference.
“Bend over the bed,” he commanded harshly.
Clementine turned away from him and slowly bent forward. She wasn’t tall enough so he grasped her hips and lifted her into the position he wanted, her legs dangling off the side of the bed. With one hand planted firmly between her shoulders he lifted her skirts.
Her drawers were already ripped from his inquisitive fingers on their ride from town, and with a quick yank, they shredded and fell away from her. She was gorgeous; her snow white bottom was framed by the underside of the red petticoat and the black stockings clinging to her thighs. Almost gleefully he swatted her behind, hard, and watched his handprint appear.
It brought him pleasure to mark her, even in this small temporary way. He slapped her again thinking of the sting on his cheek as he’d carried her upstairs and again as he remembered his anger as she walked downstairs arm in arm with that old man.
Sitting on the bed, he snaked his arm around her waist and pulled her to his hip, spanking her again and again. To her credit she didn’t cry out until he lost count of the handprints staining her cheeks.
“Jasper, please,” she sobbed out.
“What do you want?” he asked, pausing.
“Um… I’m sorry,” she cried, turning to look at him over her shoulder. He doubted his expression was reassuring.
“For what?” he demanded. “What are you sorry for, Crystal?” He drawled her Gem name out as though it were a foul word.
“I-I don’t know, for whatever I’ve done to make you so angry,” she sniffed.
“You’ll have to be more specific,” he snapped, slapping her again.
“I can’t,” she yelled. “I don’t know what I’ve done. It wasn’t a secret,” she screamed at him as tears ran down her cheeks. “You knew what I was, what I am. You knew I was going to take men to my room and why! What did you expect?” she sobbed, her shoulders shaking as she collapsed on the bed.
Jasper raised his hand and froze. Everything she said was the God awful truth. He wasn’t spanking her because of anything she’d done. She hadn’t deceived him, hadn’t lied. She never pretended to be anything other than what she was. No, he was spanking her because of what he’d done, fallen in love with her.
Her pain would not lessen his. If he took his belt to her as he intended, her screams echoing in his room would haunt him forever and it wouldn’t change the ache in his chest or the fever in his blood. Worst of all, it wouldn’t make her love him.
Pulling her from the bed, he moved her between his knees and held her close to his chest for many long moments. Jasper took off his shirt and used it to dry her face, avoiding looking into her accusing brown eyes as best he could. When her hiccups subsided, he turned her around and undid her dress, letting it drop to the floor. With gentle hands, he untied the red petticoat that marked her as surely as his hand had. Bending down, he removed her shoes.
Her corset came next until she stood before him clothed in only her black stockings and scarlet bottom. Rising, he pulled the few pins from her hair and smoothed the silky mass down her back. It almost, but not quite, hid his shame.
Turning her in his arms, he tipped her chin up and kissed her eyelids, cheeks and lips.
“I won’t hurt you again tonight,” he assured her in a whisper. “At least not on purpose, but I will take you in any way I want. It’s a fair exchange, don’t you think?”
Wide-eyed she shivered and nodded. He knew she was thinking about the money; he was thinking about his heart.
“Whatever I ask you to do, please don’t fight me,” he requested, nibbling on he
r shoulder. “For some reason I have a short fuse with you despite my best intentions.”
“I won’t,” she promised. “I’m sorry I slapped you.”
“You’ve paid for that,” he assured her. “Now, be still and mind me.” Lifting her onto the bed, he placed her in the middle. “Spread your arms and legs,” he instructed. He could see the worry in her eyes, but she did exactly as he asked. Taking the soft ropes, he encircled her wrists and bound them to the headboard. “I won’t bind your ankles unless I have to,” he told her as his eyes took in the spectacular sight of her rapidly rising and falling breasts.
Lying beside her, he trailed his thumb across her bottom lip.
“Suck,” he ordered. He barely surpressed a groan when she obeyed, drawing him into her mouth, her tongue wetting him before she sucked, tentatively at first and then with much more strength. Popping his digit free, he trailed it across her collarbone, tracing each hollow and vein until they led him to her breasts. “These are lovely, you know,” he remarked as he stroked each one in turn. A few plucks of her berry nipples had them at attention and he bent to kiss them. Clementine arched into his mouth and he licked, but refused to suckle.
“Be still,” he whispered before blowing gently on them. He nibbled, he nipped, licked and let his warm breath bathe them but he would not do what she wanted most. Her heels drummed against the bed, and still he teased. “Stop kicking your feet or I’ll bind you,” he warned, hiding his smile in a kiss to her ribcage.
He continued to torment her as his hand strayed lower, rubbing her abdomen right above her pelvis. Skirting her slit, he stroked her thighs until she snapped her legs together. Tsking, he rose and picked up the other ropes, securing her ankles to the corner posts of his bed. “I warned you,” he scolded. “Now you’ll behave won’t you?”
“Yes,” she cried, “only…”
“Only what?” he inquired resuming his place next to her.
“Nothing,” she sniffed. “Forget I mentioned it.”
“No, tell me. Was there something you wanted?”
“You know damn well I want you to suck my nipple you evil man,” she hissed, her face flaming with embarrassment.
“You mean like this?” he asked before lowering his head and drawing her peak between his lips. Gradually he increased his suction, laving the tight bud until it lengthened in his mouth.
“Oh, God, yes,” she cried out, arching her back and offering more.
“Maybe later,” he laughed after releasing her with a nip. “Right now I want to play with this little pearl,” he informed her, edging his long finger between her lower lips. “Yes, this definitely wants attention too and I’m more than happy to oblige,” he crooned against her peak as he sought out her clit and circled it. “Let’s see if you’re still dry, my darling,” he suggested, moving his hand lower and slowly probing her opening. “Oh yes, this is nice and slippery,” he praised. “I’m definitely going to want to play here tonight,” he sighed.
Even though she arched her hips invitingly, he abstained from entering her and ignored her sob of frustration. Moving back to her clit he tapped it firmly in reproach.
“Don’t be a greedy little lady,” he cautioned. “I’ll get to everything in my own time, in my own way, even this,” he informed her, slipping his hand beyond her pussy and pressing between her cheeks. “No, don’t clench,” he advised as he nestled deeper until he was firmly at her anal opening. I’d hate to have to spank you again tonight.”
“You said you wouldn’t hurt me again,” she reminded him.
“I also said I would take you in any way I want,” he countered. “If you fight me I’ll have no choice but to discipline you.”
“Spanking hurts,” she cried.
“Then don’t require it by naughty behavior,” he stated simply. “Now, getting back to the business at hand,” he drawled, letting his finger glide over both openings and pause on her pulsing clit. “I believe I’ll take my pleasure now. I’m quite needy and you’re so open and available. It seems a shame to waste this position and I can’t keep you tied up forever, much as the idea has its appeal.”
Rising, he sat and tugged off his boots, stripped his pants and climbed up from the bottom of the massive bed until he was between her widely spread legs. Slipping his hands under her sore bottom, and with very little fuss he positioned his hard cock at her opening and slowly eased inside. She cried out, clamping tightly around him and it was so pleasurable he almost hated to do what he had to do next.
“Stop that,” he ordered, squeezing her sore cheeks firmly. “I don’t want to hurt you and you can’t prevent me from entering you anyway, so make it easy on yourself. I’m going to fuck you, after all, this is about my pleasure and it’s what I want. I’m going to ride you long and hard until my balls tighten and my body explodes in ecstasy. Then I’m going to let that sweet little pussy milk every drop of my seed until it’s deep, deep inside you,” he growled as he began to move.
“But I don’t have my thing,” she gasped, shivering at his words.
“You mean you could get pregnant?” he demanded.
“Yes.”
“Excellent. Maybe I’ll tie your legs over your head when I’m done to keep it there, right where it belongs, nice and warm at the entrance to your womb,” he groaned as he plunged into her.
“You wouldn’t.”
“Unfortunately, my darling, I would. You see, desperate times call for desperate measures. Now be a good girl and let me,” he insisted, squeezing her well-spanked cheeks. Almost immediately she relaxed her muscles and he slid home, bumping her cervix in painful warning. “Don’t do that again,” he advised. “I’m sure I can go much deeper than you’d like.”
Jasper felt her resistance melt away and with complete disregard for anything but his own pleasure he rode her. She might manage to find pleasure in his actions, but he’d be damned if he helped her, not yet anyway. This little girl needed to understand deep burning desire, the need he had for her, and the best way to do that was to make it her own.
When he felt her start to contract around him, he forced himself to stop and ground his teeth in frustration. Figures she would be so responsive. When she sagged in his hands he began again, coming quickly before she could catch up. He held her tight against him as he flooded her with his passion, preventing her from finding relief grinding against him. It diminished his pleasure a bit, but would be worth it in the long run when she was begging and pleading for release. Maybe he would grant it, maybe he wouldn’t. It would depend on her behavior.
Pulling from her body, he rose and untied her wrists and ankles. Taking a pillow, he stuffed it under her bottom elevating her ass.
“Don’t you move an inch,” he warned before striding naked from the room.
Chapter Ten
Jasper returned shortly with two glasses and some watered down Sangria. Clementine was standing, jumping up and down and using his shirt to clean away his come. “What in heavens name are you doing?” he asked bemused.
“You rented me for the night, not for nine months,” she snapped, shooting his shirt at him.
“A good point,” he replied, raising a glass to her in salute. “However, should you find you’re carrying my child, we’ll be married right away.”
“You can’t make me marry you,” she insisted, planting her hand on her hips, challenging him.
Jasper shook his head. “I never should have spanked you earlier,” he admitted in disgust. “Now, when you really deserve it for your sassy mouth and arrogant attitude, I find I cannot do it again.”
“So you’ll never spank me again?” she asked, obviously delighted.
“I didn’t say that, fancy pants,” he chided, “but from this point on it will only be when you truly deserve it and not when I’m angry or hurt.”
“Have I hurt you?” she asked, slowly moving closer to him and taking the glass from his hand.
“You have,” he admitted truthfully. “I want you for my own, Clementine Mc
Kay. I think I’ve made that clear.”
“I’m sorry,” she whispered, gently touching his arm. “Maybe when I’ve settled my business I can…”
“Are you still… no, never mind. I don’t want to know. It will only make me angry and I have much more pleasurable things in mind for tonight. Drink your wine.”
Clem obeyed gladly.
“Get up on the bed and lie on your tummy,” he instructed, giving her a boost.
“Are you going to show me what it’s like from behind?” she asked, sighing as she stretched out on his comfortable bed.
“You’re always in such a hurry,” he scolded, brushing her hair to one side and baring her back. Taking the bottle from the bedside stand he poured oil into his cupped palm.
“I know,” she sighed. “It’s my only character flaw.”
“Your only character flaw?” he laughed as he dribbled the oil between her shoulder blades and down her back.
“Well, one of them, perhaps my biggest,” she admitted with a squeal as the oil hit her skin.
“Miss McKay, I would need a tablet to list your character flaws,” he informed her, as he trailed oil over her bottom.
“Really, and just what’s so wrong with me?” she demanded indignantly, her head popping up.
“You’re, stubborn, opinionated, and extremely sassy.”
“Please, go on,” she drawled. “I’m sure that’s only a footnote to the book you could write regarding my inadequacies.”
“I never said you were inadequate,” he replied as he began to massage her shoulders. “In fact, in many ways you’re damn near perfect,” he admitted. “For instance, I love the way you smell.”
“That’s just perfume,” she snorted before letting a sigh of pleasure escape.
“No, it’s not. You have your own unique scent, and taste for the matter.”
“Jasper,” she groaned in mortification, sinking deeper into the bed.
“It’s true, and you’re intelligent, perhaps too intelligent for your own good, as in too big for your own britches,” he continued, moving down her spine with his strong fingers. “Your skin is perhaps the softest I’ve ever stroked, your hair lights up a room, and I even love your little nose, which is slightly turned up by the way, most likely from poking it where it doesn’t belong.”
Crystal's Calamity (The Red Petticoat Saloon) Page 9
