To stay around Laura for any length of time meant he would just fall deeper for her. Her brattiness, her spirit, her generosity all called to him, so in truth he had run to protect his own heart, rather than hers. Michael’s warning had been a convenient get-out clause.
He pulled the cushion away from her now and wordlessly pulled her up and onto his lap. She stiffened at first and then clung to him. The blanket gave way, giving him a perfect view of her little pert breasts and he groaned under his breath, as his cock jumped to full alert again.
He never had this much of a problem controlling that part of his anatomy and sex was not what Laura needed right now. Was this just subdrop, or was there more to this? Only one way to find out.
“Talk to me, Laura, what’s this all about?”
She shook her head and clung harder, until his muscles protested from the strain.
“Easy, petal, I need to breathe, you know.” He dropped a kiss on her hair and ran a hand up and down her back in soothing circles, murmuring nonsense into her neck. Eventually she stopped crying and he tucked the blanket back round her shoulders.
“I’m sorry. I’m not normally such a watering pot. I just miss them so much.”
“Your parents?” he asked.
She nodded and hiccupped and he had to hide his grin. She looked adorable when she did that. With her hair all tousled from his hands, and her eyes red rimmed from crying, her face blotchy, she looked young and vulnerable. He wanted to wrap her up in his arms and protect her from everything, even him. She might crave the sweet kind of pain he could bring her, but that didn’t mean he had to give in to his baser desires.
“They’ll have been gone five years next week, you know.” She mumbled the words into his chest and he cupped her chin to make her look at him.
“I know, baby, I miss them too.” Her eyes widened at the endearment he hadn’t meant to utter, and he smiled and ran his thumb over her lips.
“You do?”
“Of course I do. They took me under their wing and were the only parents I ever knew. I was gutted when they died in that crash, and to think I could have lost you too…” He couldn’t bring himself to finish that sentence. He could still taste the horror of that day on his tongue, the ice-cold fear that had grabbed him on the way to the hospital. To his eternal shame his only thought had been for Laura. She had to be okay, she just had to, and when he had burst through that door to see her fragile self lying in that hospital bed, he had prayed his thanks to the universe. Only then had the true extent of the disaster dawned on him, and grief had set in.
“Then why did you leave after the funeral?” she asked.
“I was a fool, that’s why. I convinced myself that I was not good for you, and I made a stupid promise to Mike.”
“A promise? What promise?” She sat up a little straighter and he didn’t miss her slight wince.
“Let’s get you in the bath to soak those marks and then we’ll talk, I promise.”
She looked all set to argue, but he tightened his hold on her hair, and gave her the full force of his stare that had had more experienced subs than her tremble in front of him. She fought his dominance for all of a few seconds before she dropped her gaze to his chest and whispered her acquiescence.
“And we’ll talk about this, you, me, the whole dynamics of our relationship too, once you’ve had a soak and something to eat, and I’ve given you one of my renowned massages.”
Her gaze jerked back to his in surprise and he couldn’t hide his grin in response this time.
“Massage?”
“I’m told I’m very good, and like I said to Mike, us pervs do look after our subs.” He winked at her and she frowned.
“Don’t call yourself that. You’re no more a pervert than Mike is a saint. He had no right to talk to you like that in the club, no right at all.”
Her small frame shook in outrage and Slade could almost feel himself grow taller. Yeah, his sweet little Laura was most definitely a force to be reckoned with, and if, god willing, she agreed to be his sub, he would be the happiest Dom on this planet.
“Yes, well, Mike is Mike. He sees things in black and white. Always has and always will, and somewhere along the way he’s lost the ability to think outside the box completely. Not that it matters right now. If I dwell too much on that, I’ll be reorganizing his facial features, and considering he’s a cop, that may land me in all sorts of hot water.”
Laura giggled and he grinned back at her, ridiculously happy at that moment.
“Now up and bath, young lady.”
He helped her up and her face turned crimson when he untugged the blanket.
“You can’t get in the bath wrapped in that, and besides I’ve seen you naked.” He winked at her again and used the blanket to hide his raring erection from her, as she slid into the herbal waters with small moans of feminine appreciation.
“You could join me?”
Slade groaned at her hoarse whisper, and shut his eyes.
“That wouldn’t be wise, trust me, Laura. Now be a good little sub and soak. I’ll be downstairs rustling us up something to eat. Find me when you’re done. There’s a bathrobe on the back of the door for you to use.”
He indulged himself by dropping a kiss on her temple and then forced himself to walk away from temptation.
Chapter Five
Laura stayed in the bath, until the delicious smells wafting through the house made her stomach rumble. If the food tasted anything as good as it smelled, Slade was a fantastic cook. She grinned to herself and stretched. Whatever concoction he had put into the bath waters had indeed worked its magic. Laura couldn’t remember the last time she had felt this relaxed. Her grin widened when she stepped out of the bath and caught sight of the fading stripes decorating her butt cheeks. They would indeed leave bruises, and she traced the outline of one. Who’d have thought that seeing the mark Slade left on her body would make her feel so happy inside she was humming a silly tune to herself as she was drying off.
The thought stopped her dead. Happy—she was happy. Here with him, knowing that he was waiting for her downstairs, she did indeed feel happy. Even the upcoming anniversary of her parents’ death had lost some of its sting. She patted her long hair dry and wrapped herself into the bathrobe after seeing to the, by now rather urgent, demands of her bladder. The robe was too big for her, and it too smelled of Slade, so much so that she inhaled deeply.
Oh, she was a hopeless case, she really was. But the way he’d looked at her and held her had given her such hope. Surely he cared for her, even just a little bit, and if he did, then maybe they could make a go of this, whatever this might be.
She walked into the bedroom and looked around properly for the first time. Decorated in warm earthy tones it felt loved and lived in and her heart did a silly two-step. The walk-in wardrobe was full of Slade’s clothes, and everywhere she looked there were little glimpses into Slade.
The upturned paperback he’d been reading, left on the bedside table. A set of weights stacked against the wall. A used towel left scrunched up on the floor next to it. A lone tennis shoe with a hole in the sole.
It all gave the air of someone who lived here, really lived here, not just stopped by on a trip into town. And surely if this really was his town house then it must mean he was here to stay. No one kept a house just for the odd weekend visit, did they?
Laura padded out into the hallway and peered down the two flights of stairs. The kitchen was on the ground floor and she quietly navigated the many stairs, admiring his prints of original work on the walls. She stopped short on the first floor. Here, just outside the living room, was a framed child’s painting. Her heart beat faster and she traced the childlike flowers with a frown.
She remembered giving him this, years ago now, when he had been home from Uni on one of his visits with Mike. Her five-year-old self had carefully preserved one of the roses from the garden and had done her best to recreate the vivid colors of the flower, because it had been one of
Slade’s favorite rose bushes. It had been a surprise for him. Mike had laughed and tossed the painting in the air, but Slade had gone down on his haunches, cupped her cheek, and thanked her.
“I shall keep this always, little brat,” he’d said, and Laura could still feel the glow of happiness those words had given her.
To think that he had indeed kept it and it was on display in his house brought tears to her eyes. The pictures on the mantelpiece in the living room called her. Her parents were there, and numerous pictures of her as she was growing up, on her own, with her parents, and Slade and Michael. She didn’t even try to stop the tears from falling this time. Mike had taken all the pictures of her parents down after their death. He’d sold the house and the only belongings she still had from those days, were the ones she had managed to spirit away to her little student bed-sit at the time.
She’d only managed to save a handful of pictures.
“There you are. I was coming to check on you to make sure you hadn’t drowned yourself.” His deep baritone wrapped itself around her senses, and then he was there, enveloping her in his arms and resting his chin on her head. Without her heels she only fitted up to his shoulder.
“Those were happy times, weren’t they?” he murmured, and she smiled through her tears.
“Yes, they were. I had no idea you had so many of these. Mike got rid of all the photos after…after the accident.” Slade hugged her tighter and Laura took comfort in the reassuring contact.
“Yes, I heard about that. Lord knows what got into him, but I guess it was his way of coping with his grief. I’m sorry, Laura, I would have stopped him if I could, but he kept himself closed off from me too, and there wasn’t much I could do from a distance.” Slade sighed and turned her around in his arms until she faced him. He nudged her chin upward and she lost herself in the concern she saw in his amber eyes. “I wasn’t a very good friend to either one of you, I don’t think.”
Laura smiled to reassure him.
“You did what you thought right at the time, I guess. I should have done what I wanted to do.”
“Which was?” he asked.
“Chained myself to your suitcase, so you had to take me with you,” Laura said and peeked up at him from under her lashes. “I had the chain and padlock and everything, you know. But Mike found them and went ballistic. He locked me in my room and by the time he let me out you were miles away.”
“He fucking did what?” Slade’s annoyed growl trembled through her, and Laura clenched her thighs to alleviate the delicious tingle between them. That sound was the sexiest sound ever.
Slade stepped away from her and ran a hand through his hair, like he did when something irked him.
“I swear, cop or no cop, I’ll teach that bastard a lesson. Talk about screwing with our lives. I waited for you, you know. At the airport.” He glanced at her and her heart turned over at the sight of the faint flush staining his cheekbones. “Against my better judgment, I’d left you a note, and I thought maybe you’d take me up on it and come and find me.”
“What note?” Laura asked. “I never received a note.”
Slade pinched the bridge of his nose and glowered at the picture of a teenage Mike holding up the fish he’d caught with a triumphant smile.
“Jesus, of course you didn’t. If he locked you up, then you can be damn right he’d make sure you wouldn’t get any note from me. After all I would just pervert you.”
“What do you mean?” she asked.
He shook his head and took her hand.
“Let’s eat first. I made us a stir-fry and I need a fucking drink, too. There is so much I need to explain to you, it’s not even funny.”
As if on cue her tummy rumbled and broke the tension. They both laughed and Laura let him lead her downstairs, with only a moment’s hesitation when they passed a locked door. It had a keypad next to it and she stumbled when it dawned on her what this must be.
Slade caught her before she fell.
“Is that what I think it is?” She had to ask, and his grin grew positively sinful.
“Maybe you’ll find out later.” He tugged her along. “For now, let’s eat.”
* * * *
Slade reached under the table and adjusted his cock again. He’d never quite appreciated how erotic it would be to watch Laura eat. Her obvious enjoyment of the simple meal he’d prepared had robbed him of his appetite and he had long since given up the pretense of eating. The only thing he wanted to eat was her little pink pussy, and he groaned inwardly as she wrapped her tongue around her fork and licked up the last of the sauce clinging to the prongs.
Was she doing this on purpose? The robe had slipped off one shoulder, exposing her milky white skin and he got tantalizing glimpses of her cleavage every time she moved. She put the fork down now and leaned back in her chair with a contented moan that reminded him of a purring kitten.
Fuck. He was so hard he could pound concrete and despite his earlier self-help he was in serious danger of shooting his load in his pants.
“I’m so full, I can’t move, Slade. Where did you learn to cook like that?” She smiled at him and leant forward. The robe gaped open wider and a lock of her hair fell into her cleavage, just obscuring his view of her nipple. It played peekaboo with the silken strand and Slade had to clear his throat before he could answer. Laura smiled and twirled another lock of her hair round her finger. If he didn’t know better, he’d think the little brat was toying with him.
Two could play that game. He raised an eyebrow and simply looked at her, until she stopped fidgeting and looked unsure.
So unsure and downright worried he mentally kicked himself. They hadn’t had that conversation yet, so he could hardly pull the Dom card on her now. They weren’t in a scene right now.
He reached across the table and laced his fingers with hers and she relaxed again.
“About that talk,” he said and she drew in a sharp breath and then smiled at him. It was a shy smile, one that raised all of his protective instincts and made him want to claim her as his.
“Followed by the massage you promised me?” she asked and he grinned.
“Yes, followed by that. Did the bath help?”
She nodded, and he admired the blush staining her cheeks. It disappeared into her cleavage and his cock twitched in answer.
He adjusted himself again with his free hand and she squeezed his fingers.
“I can help you with that, Sir, if you’ll let me.”
Slade swallowed his tongue as she got up from her chair and sank to her knees in front of him. Eyes on the floor, head bent, knees spread, hands on her thighs, she was the perfect image of submission and he counted backward in his head to get his raging libido under control.
“Laura, you don’t have to do this.” He cupped her chin to make her look at him and the confusion in her beautiful eyes hurt to see. “And we still need to talk.”
“But I thought you wanted this? And we can talk later. You’re a Dom, a Master, according to Mistress Scarlett, and you did buy me.” She flinched at those words and he tightened his hold on her, sliding his hand to her neck. The touch seemed to reassure her and he smiled at her.
“I did, but I don’t want a slave, petal.”
He felt her muscles tense and he increased the pressure on her neck until her breathing steadied out again, even if she looked miserable as hell.
“You don’t want me?” Her voice was so small he had to strain to hear her and he shook his head.
“No, you misunderstand me, petal. I don’t want a slave. I’m not looking for that sort of responsibility. It’s too draining to live like that. And I don’t think you want that either. Somehow I can’t see my little brat giving up all control to me or anyone for that matter.” He nudged her chin up again and lowered his voice. “Look at me, petal.”
Her eyes snapped to his and he nodded his approval.
“Good girl. You’re so beautifully submissive and I would gladly take you on as my sub, if that’s what y
ou want.”
Her eyes widened and she bit her lip and he felt her slight nod, rather than saw it.
“Use our words, petal. Contrary to popular belief, Doms aren’t mind readers, and this is too important for me to guess at your reactions.”
“Yes, please.”
He hid his grin and frowned at her.
“I mean, Sir. Yes, please, Sir.”
“Very well then. Take your robe off and let me see you, and I should warn you now. When we’re in a scene, I expect instant obedience from you. You can be as bratty as you like, when we’re not playing. In fact, I love that sassy mouth of yours, but when I call you petal, that is your cue to behave. Understood?”
“Yes, Sir.”
Her firm and assured answer was music to his ears and he patted her head. He was itching to kiss her, to lose himself in her lush body, but this was about exerting his control. They had to start like they meant to go on and Laura would need a firm hand when they were playing. He’d sensed that about her from the moment he’d laid eyes on her again in the club. A heady rush of power went through him at the gift of her submission and he took a deep breath to get himself into the right headspace.
* * * *
Laura’s heart threatened to beat itself out of her chest, but there was no way she could not respond to his voice. It reached a part deep inside her soul, and she found herself utterly incapable of not responding to him. Shrugging out of her robe she folded it and put it on the chair she had been sitting on, before she assumed her position on the floor. The stone tiles were cold and uncomfortable under her bare knees, but for him she would endure any amount of discomfort. She couldn’t hide her wince however and Slade cupped her cheek again.
Auctioned to the Honorable Dom [The Spectrum Auctions 1] (Siren Publishing Allure) Page 4
