Grabbing the soap, he cleaned off the last of the dirt and sweat from crawling around in the tropical woods surrounding the target property, and then rinsed off. Turning off the water, he stepped out and dried himself with one of the fluffy, white towels provided. He hadn’t expected Brie to come back to the room after the way he’d left her, but his heart still sank when he opened the bathroom door and didn’t see her sitting there, waiting to rip him a new one. Just in case, he opened the doors separating their room from Amy’s, but there was no one there either.
Maybe Brie was still downstairs by the pool. Of course, that thought had his jealousy rising to the surface again, but he squashed it as fast as he could. Brie had never given him a reason not to trust her. When they’d first started playing and sleeping together, they’d agreed neither would see anyone else. If one of them wanted to, then they’d end their friends-with-benefits relationship and go back to being just friends. But Jase knew now that there was no going back. “Just friends” wasn’t going to cut it with him. If he couldn’t win her back, then he was going to have to walk away completely, because there was no way he was going to be able to watch her hook up with some asshole who wouldn’t deserve her . . . who wouldn’t know how to stoke her submission and give her what she needed.
Jase quickly threw on a pair of khaki shorts and a T-shirt. They were meeting in Carter’s suite, but first he wanted to run down to the pool and see if Brie was still there. Somewhere along the line, he’d fallen in love with her. He knew now that what he’d felt for Angie all those years wasn’t true love. Yes, he loved her, but he’d never been in love with her. If he had been, he never would have given her up to Ian so easily. He would have stayed and fought for her. She could’ve disappeared with him. He understood that now. He’d loved her enough to let her go, but with Brie . . . damn it, he didn’t want to let her go. He needed her like the air he breathed. He’d always made sure he’d stayed away for a day or two after they’d scened or spent the night together. Looking back, he’d tried to convince himself that it was so Brie wouldn’t get too attached to him, but that hadn’t been the real reason. He’d been afraid to get too attached to her. Despite his efforts, it hadn’t worked. He’d fallen for her—hook, line, and sinker—in a way he’d never imagined he could.
Taking the stairs down to the lobby again, he stepped out onto the lanai, his eyes searching for the sexy, tanned blonde in that incredible bikini. Brie wasn’t anywhere he could see, but at least those three assholes she’d been hanging out with earlier were now hitting on another group of women. A quick check of the lobby, restaurant, and bar was also a crap out. Hopefully, Brie was with Angie and Amy. Maybe they were all in Carter’s suite. Back in the lobby, one of the elevators opened up and he hopped on, riding it up to the fourth floor. Moments later, he was knocking on the door to Carter and Jordyn’s suite.
When Carter opened the door to the suite, Jase strode in. “So, what do we—”
His words were cut off as a fist impacted his mouth and jaw, pain blooming hard and fast as he ended up on his ass. Ian stood over him, his eyes flashing with rage. “Get up, twatwaffle, so I can hit you again.”
Rolling onto his side, Jase brought a hand to his chin and wiped away the blood flowing from his split lip. He ran his tongue over his teeth to make sure they were still all there. “What the fuck, Ian?” he growled as his anger began to rise to the surface again. “Thought you weren’t going to try to kick my ass until after this was over.”
“Try nothing. I’m definitely kicking your ass.” The man’s hands were clenched, the muscles in his forearms bulging. “And this has nothing to do with Angie—you’ll still get an ass kicking for that later. This is about you fucking up as a Dom. Did you not learn a damn thing during your training?
“What half-assed clubs did you take him to, Carter?”
The spy was leaning against the hotel room door, his arms and ankles crossed as he stared down at Jase with a mixture of amusement and disappointment in his gaze. “You can take a Dom to a club, but you can’t tie him up and flog sense into him . . . it’s frowned upon.”
Jase rolled to his feet, keeping distance between him and Ian. As much as he’d love to go punch-for-punch with the bastard, now wasn’t the time. Jake, Marco, and a third man, who had to be Ian’s brother Nick were relaxing in the suite’s living area, and the latter was sitting on the couch, grinning. “I know, technically, I’m not supposed to be here when you’re having a Dom powwow, but can I make some popcorn and watch? This looks like it’s going to be fun.”
“Shut up, Nick,” everyone but Jase barked.
“Shutting up.”
Ian pointed an angry finger at Jase. “What the hell was that downstairs? Brie’s your submissive. You just treated her like a piece of trash, and I highly doubt that was part of your contract with her.”
“We don’t have a contract.”
“What?” The man’s eyes narrowed. “You didn’t negotiate with her? You didn’t set parameters before you started fucking her?”
This time it was Jase’s turn to clench his fists. His voice became low and menacing. “Watch it, Sawyer.”
“Watch what, twatwaffle? Watch you make a mockery of the lifestyle? Watch you walk all over that woman and throw her away because you’re fucking jealous? You were a royal asshole down there, and trust me, I know royal when I see it. Your contract may not have been written and signed, but it’s damn clear to me you negotiated the terms of your relationship with her, and that means you have a contract, verbal as it may be. So, either man the fuck up and be her Dom—the one who’s supposed to treat her like she’s the most precious thing on this Earth—or walk away. Personally, I think you should man the fuck up—Brie’s a keeper. Protect her, respect her, and claim her, because you’re in love with her as much as she’s in love with you—anyone with a fucking brain can see that. And Nick, if you say one word, you’re next in line for an ass-kicking.”
Jase’s gaze flitted to the youngest man in the room, who, sure enough, had opened his mouth, probably to say something to the effect that his older brother didn’t have a brain. Ian hadn’t even needed to turn around to see him to know there was a snark coming. Wisely, Nick snapped his mouth shut again, while Marco and Jake chuckled.
Knowing everything Ian had said—well, mostly everything—was true, Jase took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Okay. I agree. I fucked up and was an asshole—”
“No! No!” Ian shouted. “Damn it! You’re not supposed to agree with me so fast. Shit. I only got one punch in. Disagree with me, twatwaffle, so I can put you back on your ass again.”
Rolling his eyes, Jase ignored him and continued. “But you’re wrong about her being in love with me.” He didn’t deny being in love with her, although he wasn’t going to hand over his man-card by admitting it either. “She made it very clear in the beginning she didn’t want anything more than friends with benefits.”
“Did she?” Carter asked, pushing off the door and striding over to sit in one of the recliners. “Or did she just agree to it when you said that was all you wanted?”
Thinking back, Jase recalled the conversation they’d had a few months ago after she’d closed Daddy-O’s for the night, and they were the only two left sitting in the bar. They’d been dancing around each other for a number of weeks. That night, though, Brie had broken through the walls he’d erected between them, thinking she wouldn’t be able to submit to him. Although he’d only been in the lifestyle about a year at that time, and never fully immersed, he’d come to crave certain elements of BDSM and didn’t think she would be willing to dabble in it with him. He’d been wrong.
C
HAPTER 15
Fourteen weeks ago . . .
S liding onto the barstool next to him, Brie gave Jase a saucy grin. “So . . . when are you going to kiss me and rock my world, stud?” she asked with a nonchalant air as if she were talking about the weather.
He choked on the swig of beer he’d just taken, sp
raying the bar she’d just cleaned. He then spent a good thirty seconds hacking and coughing, trying to get air back into his lungs. The whole time she’d sat there, pleased she’d caught him off guard. Wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, he reached across the bar with his other and grabbed the damp rag she’d been using earlier. When she couldn’t hold in her laughter any longer, he glared at her. “You planned that, didn’t you?”
“My timing’s always been spot on.”
“Really, now?” Damn, she was adorable. He wanted to kiss that smirk off her face so badly but, first, he had to tell her the way things were going to be. If she still wanted her world rocked after that, he’d be more than happy to oblige. He’d been craving her ever since he’d met her but for numerous reasons he hadn’t really hit on her past innocent flirting. Brie was the type of woman who deserved more than he could give her. But if she agreed to his terms, they could both have some fun while she was waiting on Mister Right.
“I’m all for rocking your world, Brie, but that’s all I can offer you. I don’t do long-term. If you’re looking for a friends-with-benefits thing, then I’m your man. But if you’re looking for a diamond ring, a white wedding gown, a bunch of rug rats, and forever, then I’m sorry, but that’s not for me.”
She paused to take a drink from her glass of wine. “Well, then, we’re good, because I don’t need all that. I’ve got far too much going on with running Daddy-O’s to deal with making a long-term relationship work. Friends with benefits is fine with me.”
Thank God. Standing, he pushed his stool away from the bar, then spun hers so she was facing him. Grasping her around the waist, he picked her up and plopped her down on a dry portion of the bar as a squeal pierced the air. “Jase! What are you doing?”
He pulled her knees apart and stepped between them, savoring how she immediately relaxed them against his hips. “What am I doing? I’m about to tell you a few things about me that you don’t already know. After that, if you don’t throw me out the door, I’m going to rock your world, just like you asked.”
“Oh, really?”
“Yes, really.” He couldn’t resist placing his hands on her thighs, spreading his fingers wide to give himself access to as much of her body as possible at one time. His gaze followed as his hands moved from her knee to her hips and back again. A gasp escaped her when his thumbs got awfully close to her denim covered crotch before reversing direction. He could feel the heat of her flesh through her jeans. If she was already this hot, he’d probably combust when they were skin to skin. Lifting his gaze, he looked her in the eye—he needed to see her immediate reaction. “Do you know what a Dom and submissive are, Brie?”
A flash of confusion was replaced by shock and then embarrassment on her pretty face as he waited for an answer. “Um . . . like . . . um . . . kinky stuff?”
“You tell me. What do you think?” His hands hadn’t stilled, but now he added a little squeeze each time they reached her hips.
“I think I better get down and let you leave.”
Uh-uh. That wasn’t happening—not yet. If she completely understood the world of BDSM—of dominance and submission—and didn’t want any part of it, then he’d respect her decision and walk out the door. But first, they were going to have a chat about what she thought the lifestyle was about and what it meant to him. He knew from personal experience how much the lifestyle was misinterpreted by those not in it.
He dug his thumbs into her inner thighs a scant inch below her pussy. She might be verbally saying no at the moment, but all the signs of her being turned on were there. Her pupils dilated, her breathing and pulse accelerated, her hips squirmed ever so slightly, and, unless he was mistaken, her body was already making itself ready for him. The faint aroma of feminine sex tickled his nose, and he ached to bend over, put his face in her crotch, and inhale deeply.
“Answer my question, Brie. What do you think a Dom and submissive are?”
“Look, I’m not into being smacked around and whimpering at your feet.”
His hands stilled. “Good, me either. That’s abuse and not what BDSM is about, babe—far from it. When I was first introduced to the lifestyle I had all the same misconceptions you probably have floating around in that pretty head of yours. I didn’t think it was for me at all, but a friend asked me to give it a chance. He thought I could benefit from it and he was right. While I’m not into some of the heavier and darker kinks, there are aspects of the lifestyle that I find appealing. If I swear on my mother’s and sister’s graves I won’t hurt you in any way—in fact . . .” He removed his hands from her legs and took three steps backward. “I won’t even touch you. Not until you ask me to again. Will you let me show you what kind of play I enjoy and what a sexual relationship with me will entail?”
Her eyes narrowed. “I—I don’t understand. How—”
“I’ll show you, but first I need to know you agree to follow my commands. I need you to tell me and show me that you trust me.” Pulling a chair out from under one of the tables, he spun it around and straddled the seat. “I’m going to sit right here and, without touching you, I’m going to get you off. Do you trust me?”
Brie’s mouth dropped open as she stared at him. Jase fought the urge to chuckle and smirk because that wouldn’t get the response he wanted. In fact, she just might throw him out the door if he did either of those things. Instead, he let his gaze roam her body, letting her feel the heat in his silent appraisal. Her black, V-necked T-shirt gave him an enticing view of her cleavage—one he’d been enjoying all night. Her snug jeans molded to her curves, and every time she’d bent over earlier while bartending his gaze had been pinned to her luscious derriere. He’d been practically drooling. Unfortunately, so had every other horny bastard in the place tonight. None of them mattered anymore, though, because Jase was the only one here now, and if he had his way, he’d be seeing a lot more of her body very soon. That is if she gave him the go-ahead.
“I’m waiting, Brie. I’m a very patient man, but I asked you a question and deserve an answer. This is the last time I’ll ask. I’m not forcing you to do anything you don’t want to. If this is something you don’t want to explore with me, then we’ll continue to be platonic friends.” His gaze met hers again, and he lowered his voice to a seductive timber. “Do you trust me?”
Her gaze dropped to the floor, and that sign of submissiveness thrilled him. Slowly her head dipped down, once, then twice. Jase sighed. “Rule number one, sweetheart, verbalize your answers to my questions. A simple nod of your pretty head can be misinterpreted in so many ways. I need to hear you say the words.”
Licking her lips, she hesitated a moment before saying, “Yes, I trust you. But I’m also nervous and confused.”
“Nervousness is fine, in fact, it helps build up the anticipation of what comes next, making it that much better. Look at me, Brie.” When she did, he asked, “But what are you confused about?”
“This . . . everything. I’ve never been with someone who wanted to sit across the room from me and order me to do things . . . sexual things. I mean, are you not interested in actually having sex with me?”
“Ha! Oh, sweetheart, you have no idea how interested I am, but I want something beyond sex even more. I want your trust . . . your submission. I want to watch you do my bidding until you explode from an orgasm unlike any you’ve ever felt before. I want to know my words and commands give you pleasure beyond your wildest dreams. I want to see how beautiful you are when you cum so I can imagine what it will feel like when I finally get my cock into your hot pussy and you shatter around me. I want to watch your skin flush, your eyelids grow heavy, and every inch of you quiver as you take your pleasure. I want to hear you scream my name as you tumble into total ecstasy and then beg me to fill you and take you even higher. I want you to experience something you’ve never felt before.”
With every word he uttered, her eyes became wider. A warm blush spread across her cheeks and the skin exposed by her V-necked shirt. Her hips squir
med and he knew she was wet and wanting, and her clit throbbed with need. She swallowed hard and moistened her suddenly dry lips, sucking the bottom one in between her teeth. When she finally answered him, her voice was husky and seductive. “Well . . . um . . . since you put it that way, I guess that answers my question.”
“It does. If anything I say or do makes you uncomfortable, just say the word red and we’ll stop immediately. You can tell me what doesn’t feel right, and I’ll see what I can do to make it better, okay? If it still doesn’t feel right, then we’ll move on to something else.”
“Red . . . yeah, okay. I’m good with that.”
While he wanted her to call him “Sir,” he felt it was better off starting simple. If all went well, there’d be plenty of time to add new rules to the mix. “Good. Then let’s start with you slowly taking your shirt off . . . let me see that black, lacy bra I’ve been getting peeks at all night.”
There was a moment’s hesitation as she glanced at the front door to make sure it was locked. He knew it was since he’d done it himself after locking the back sliding doors and drawing the blinds. No one would be walking in on them. Jase’s cock twitched as Brie’s fingers grasped the hem of her shirt, and, as instructed, she dragged it up her torso ever so slowly. She probably didn’t realize she was a submissive, but he’d learned to recognize the traits of one, and Brie fit almost all of them. While she didn’t let anyone walk all over her, she wanted to please people and, boy, was she pleasing him now.
The tanned skin of her abdomen teased him as it was revealed inch by inch. It made his mouth water, but he stayed perfectly still, his eyes being the only part of his body moving. Yeah, well, that wasn’t entirely true since his dick was making things a bit uncomfortable in his jeans. Jase shifted to give it more room as Brie’s lace covered breasts came into view. They were fucking gorgeous. Probably a D-cup, enough to fill his hands completely, just as he liked them. His fingers itched to touch them.
Salvaging His Soul Page 16
