Knight's Game

by C. C. Gibbs

  ‘They might come in any minute.’

  ‘Not unless you call them. Would you like some company?’

  ‘God, no.’ But perversely, a lustful jolt shuddered through her and she clenched her thighs.

  ‘Really, Katherine,’ he said with a faint smile. ‘You’re getting wet, aren’t you? Does the thought of performing in public appeal to you?’

  ‘Absolutely not!’

  ‘Should I check?’

  ‘No, stay away,’ she said tensely.

  ‘Me? Stay away?’ His voice was soft with insolence. ‘Would you prefer Johnny Chen? I’m sure he’d be happy to fuck you, although I don’t think you’d enjoy him. I’m guessing he’d come in two seconds and then what would you do?’

  ‘And I suppose you wouldn’t?’ She knew it was stupid even as she said it, but Dominic’s unfettered arrogance never failed to get a rise out of her.

  ‘If you’re going to be argumentative, at least be reasonable,’ he said amiably. ‘No, I wouldn’t come in two seconds, as you well know. So take off your blouse.’ He smiled. ‘Pretty please?’

  She blew out a breath. ‘I don’t know how you can always be so restrained, when I’m falling apart.’ The silent subtext acted as a personal point of order against Dominic’s corrupting power, a reminder to her own seething libido that she disapproved of utter submission. That she’d left Dominic to avoid relinquishing her freedom.

  ‘I like that in you,’ he said pleasantly, immune to issues of power when he wielded incomparable authority. ‘I like your irrepressible passion. Please don’t change.’

  She sighed, smiled faintly. ‘As if I could.’

  ‘Lucky me,’ he said. ‘You’re not wearing a bra,’ he added in a cooler tone, jealous of every man who came near her. ‘You must have made Johnny Chen very happy.’

  ‘Not everyone’s like you, Dominic.’

  ‘Any man likes big tits,’ he murmured. ‘You must have given Johnny a hard-on a dozen times a day. Whenever you’re ready, Katherine.’ He opened his sports jacket slightly to expose his prominent erection. Maybe power wasn’t irrelevant after all. Maybe the thought of Johnny Chen looking at her tits required payback.

  She dragged in a breath, flushed rosy pink.

  ‘You can have this as soon as you get undressed.’ His voice was blunt, exacting.

  ‘I shouldn’t.’ An automatic response when Dominic spoke as though he owned the world and everyone in it.

  ‘Just so we’re clear, Katherine. I only play this game because you like it.’

  ‘You do too.’

  He shrugged faintly. ‘I don’t dislike it but I like lots of things. It doesn’t have to be this.’

  ‘So I could choose something else?’ An impudent twitch of her lips. ‘I could tell you what to do?’

  ‘Perhaps.’ Had Johnny Chen seen that impudent grin? Had she been playful or flirtatious with him?

  ‘That sounds like perhaps not,’ she said with a flicker of a smile.

  ‘Did he touch you?’

  A look of surprise. ‘You mean Johnny?’

  ‘Unless there were more men you’d like to tell me about,’ he said gruffly, the blue of his eyes suddenly chill.

  ‘Stop it, Dominic. Right now.’

  ‘Did anyone touch you?’ he asked, ignoring her, jealous for the first time in his life, recognizing the emotion for the first time with Katherine. Not entirely sure he knew how to deal with it civilly.

  ‘You don’t own me, Dominic,’ she replied quietly. ‘We’ve been through this before. If that’s what you want, I’m leaving.’

  ‘Not tonight you’re not. It’s too dangerous.’

  ‘Jesus, Dominic,’ she muttered. ‘You haven’t changed one single bit. I’m here whether I want to be or not? You’re in charge of every goddamn thing. Fucking orders every second.’

  ‘And you’re still fighting me every inch of the way,’ he retorted brusquely. ‘So tell me which one of us hasn’t changed?’ He shut his eyes for a second, slid down on his spine, then blew out a breath and looked at her from under his long lashes. ‘I told myself I wouldn’t do this – piss you off, argue, lose my temper. But I’m jealous of every man who looks at you. Every. Single. One. I wish I didn’t give a damn. I wish it didn’t matter to me. I wish you weren’t in my thoughts and dreams every minute of the day and night. So don’t tell me to stop feeling the way I do,’ he growled. ‘I can’t.’

  ‘And you wish you could.’ She grimaced. ‘I know the feeling.’

  ‘We are truly fucked,’ Dominic said with a sigh. ‘On the other hand, you’re here, I can see you and touch you’ – he smiled – ‘maybe. So things could be worse.’ He slid upright again. ‘At least I don’t feel like drinking every minute. That’s good.’

  ‘And I don’t feel like crying every minute.’ Kate smiled back. ‘That’s a relief. Still,’ she said with a little flutter of her fingers, ‘do you think the sex is worth all the angst?’

  ‘You’re kidding, right? The sex is fantastic. Fuck the angst.’ The warmth in his eyes could have illuminated Singapore for a decade. ‘You make the world liveable, Katherine. And at the risk of pissing you off again, I should know ’cause I’ve seen it all. Look,’ he said gently, ‘we’re not going to solve the riddles of the universe tonight, or maybe ever. All I know is I’m happy when I’m with you and miserable when I’m not. That’s gotta mean something.’

  ‘I suppose,’ Kate murmured. ‘I’ve never felt so rotten before either.’

  ‘Twenty-four/seven.’

  She gave him a wobbly smile. ‘You got that right.’

  ‘So fuck it. Who cares if we’re clueless about the reasons why. How about I make you happy now?’

  ‘And I’ll make you happy back.’

  ‘Sounds like a plan.’

  He was suddenly tired of talking, but then he had a one-track mind when it came to Katherine. And his flight across the world to get here had only increased the anticipation of touching her, tasting her, possessing her. ‘It’s been a long month for both of us,’ he said, rising from his chair in a smooth, supple, deceptively easy motion considering his size, height and the depth of the chair. ‘It’s about time we had some fun.’ Closing the distance between them in three strides, he lifted the table with the silver coffee service aside while her heart drummed in her ears, the hard, steady pulsing between her legs beat a wild, welcoming tattoo and her frenzied carnal cravings reminded her that it had been a very long month.

  Shrugging out of his jacket, he dropped it on the white marble floor and gracefully knelt at her feet. ‘Let me help you with your buttons, then with another orgasm. After that we can debate our options.’ Without waiting for a reply, he gently spread her legs, leaned forward and unclasped the first pearl button on her blouse.

  Issues of submission and independence, of temptation and willingness were no longer relevant. Dominic was impossible to resist. As always, as ever, for any woman he chose to favour. And at the moment, with lust hammering her brain, with sharp-set desire ravishing her body, she was willing to do anything to feel him inside her. She reached for the zipper on her slacks.

  He stopped her hand. ‘I’ll do that. I’ve played this film in my head a thousand times the past few weeks.’ He slid the second button free, then the third, his slender fingers deft and quick. After he opened the fourth button, he unclasped the hook on her waistband, slid the zipper down, freed her blouse tails from her slacks and slowly opened the plain white linen as if he were unveiling the Venus de Milo, the Mona Lisa and all the wonders of the world.

  He exhaled softly as her pale flesh was fully revealed, remembering how her skin felt – the silken warmth, the softness – and how she always responded to his touch with eagerness, wild for sensation … for him. The déjà vu triggers were almost overwhelming. He sucked in a shaky breath.

  ‘Are you remembering?’ she whispered, as though she could read his mind, as though they were watching the same movie, listening to the same song.

  He lo
oked up, nodded. ‘I’ve replayed every breath, every heartbeat, every good thing that happened to us.’

  ‘Along with every mind-blowing orgasm,’ she said with a small smile.

  ‘Oh, yeah, those most of all. So you’re not going anywhere this time.’

  ‘Is that a fact?’

  ‘Fucking A. Hell can do without me for a while. And I’m going to make you feel so good you won’t even think about leaving.’

  ‘What if I have to work?’

  ‘You don’t have to work.’

  ‘What if I want to work?’

  ‘Then I’ll see what I can do about working you,’ he said with a grin.

  ‘Sex fiend.’

  ‘Uh-uh. I just try to keep up, babe. You’re the one who sets the wicked pace.’

  ‘I hope you’re not looking for an apology.’

  ‘No way. I’m thanking my lucky stars you fell into my life. And now that you have, I’m locking the door behind you.’

  ‘So I’m your captive?’

  ‘Something like that. You’re also the best thing that’s happened to me in a very long time and I’m not stupid enough to let you go.’

  ‘What if I want to go?’

  He smiled. ‘Then I wouldn’t be doing my job.’ His smile faded. ‘Look, if and when that happens, we’ll talk about it.’

  ‘If I didn’t want you so badly, I’d take serious issue with your views.’

  ‘Then I’ll count my blessings and stay hard for you. How about that?’

  She sniffed. ‘You’re impossible. But I want you anyway.’

  ‘I think we’ve both played that card before. But we’re working with a new deck now, baby – new times, better times. We’re not going to screw this one up. So let’s see what we can do about making each other feel good for the foreseeable future. OK?’ He smiled. ‘Gimme a yes.’

  ‘Yes, sir,’ she said, smiling back.

  He grinned. ‘There you go, baby. You’re playin’ my song.’

  He slid the blouse off her shoulders, down her arms, over her hands, pulled it aside and let it drop from his fingers. ‘Now, what do we have here?’ he whispered.

  His erection answered first, surging higher.

  She took notice. ‘He likes me,’ she murmured.

  ‘Oh, yeah.’ He held her gaze, his flame hot. ‘He’s missed you – and these,’ he murmured, sliding a fingertip over the pale swell of her breasts. Her sumptuous tits were more beautiful than he’d remembered, ripe, plump, ostentatious, her nipples already hard and peaked, waiting to be kissed. He gently touched first one taut crest then the other, the pad of his finger feather light – a grazing caress, delicate.

  Riveting. She sucked in a breath, moaned, spiking pleasure melting downwards in a warm, blissful flood.

  He was instantly overcome with jealousy at the familiar sound, at her hair-trigger arousal, at her lack of restraint. ‘No one’s seen these since Hong Kong, right?’ His dark brows were angled in a frown. ‘Humour me, baby. This is a whole new world for me.’

  ‘I should say no,’ she whispered, wishing she could, wishing some other man could make her feel this explosive lust and free her from her inconvenient, insatiable, burning desire for the elusive Dominic Knight.

  His anger instantly drained away, his gut-tightening jealousy faded. ‘No, you shouldn’t,’ he said gently, his fingertip gossamer light on her nipple. ‘Because I want these to be mine.’ Then he cupped her chin, raised her face so their eyes met, so he saw her smouldering desire and she his unflinching resolve. ‘Tell me they’re mine,’ he said quietly. ‘And I’ll let you come.’

  ‘Sorry, too late.’ Her green gaze was playful, the flush of arousal pinking her skin. ‘I don’t think I actually need you.’

  He laughed. ‘God damn, I’ve missed you, baby. Who else but you makes me irrelevant? Then again,’ he said softly, bending his head, giving her a quick glance from under his lashes, ‘maybe I can change your mind.’ His mouth closed gently over the tender tip of her nipple and he set about showing her who needed whom.

  As the warmth of his mouth drew in her nipple, she felt her body open in welcome, as though he had to only make that first small overture, delicately touch her sensitive crest with the tip of his tongue, and every combustible sexual nerve she possessed instantly ignited. Although it was one of his many gifts and accomplishments – his incredible tactile finesse. Whether hands, or mouth or his perfect dick, he handled himself with a kind of professional artistry. And if she wasn’t feeling the delicious heat sliding downwards from his mouth to her quivering, throbbing sex, she might take issue with what was clearly the catchphrase here: experience is the best teacher.

  But he was nibbling now, his teeth leaving little jolts in their wake that tingled at first, then stung, then ravished her senses and stole her reason and reminded her so violently of the nipple clips in Hong Kong, she cried out in a frenzy of need.

  He lifted his head, the air suddenly cool on her nipple. ‘Soon, baby. Try to relax.’

  ‘I can’t!’

  ‘Sure you can.’ He touched her cheek. ‘Try.’ Then he dipped his head and gently bit her other nipple.

  It was no contest; it never was.

  Because he could make her feel so fine it didn’t matter if she was needy or self-willed, free or not when the pleasure was so flat-out awesome and wondrous.

  As for his advantage in terms of experience, he understood it only worked to a point with Kate’s hot-blooded libido. So he carefully gauged her response as he teased first one nipple then the other, as he deftly brought her up to the explosive brink before releasing the pressure of his mouth, letting her hysteria slowly wane. Then beginning again, sucking gently at first then not gently at all, masterfully restoking her arousal.

  Saturated with prodigal sensation, wallowing in bliss, dizzy with pleasure, Kate forgave Dominic all his transgressions. Forgave him for all her weeks of misery because only he had the gift to make her feel this good: glowing, insatiable, deeply in love. She didn’t even care that he flinched at the word love. She was beyond reason and logic, her body tingling, pulsing, melting inside, slick, liquid, desperate. ‘Dominic, please,’ she said on a suffocated breath, pushing his head away. ‘You win. I want you, I need you. Now, this instant.’

  He took her face between his hands, his gaze close. ‘We need each other, baby. Give me a few seconds. OK?’

  She nodded, or tried, his fingers unyielding.

  ‘I don’t want to miss this. So hang on. Please?’

  She loved him contrite, although she loved him every possible way. ‘Maybe, probably, hurry …’

  His fingers slid away from her face and he pulled off her shoes, slacks and panties in one fell swoop. Coming to his feet, he picked her up as though she were weightless, carried her to a chaise where he deposited her with a super polite, ‘I’ll be right with you.’

  He stripped off his clothes with astonishing speed, she thought grudgingly, her resentment at all that swift efficiency honed in countless situations just like this momentarily distracting her from her impatient desire. Then he took the condom he’d pulled from his pants pocket and put between his teeth, ripped the foil open and rolled it down his erection like a fucking professional, she thought petulantly, further irritated enough to snipe, ‘You’re good at that.’

  He looked up at the umbrage in her tone. ‘At what?’

  ‘Putting on that condom.’

  ‘Is there some reason I shouldn’t be? Don’t answer that. I don’t have time to argue.’ Suddenly he was towering over her. ‘Would you like to spread your legs or should I do it? You’re not the only one in a hurry.’

  ‘Do I have a choice?’

  He suddenly laughed. ‘You don’t really want a choice do you?’

  ‘I suppose not with that really fabulous dick about to make me happy.’

  ‘Smart girl.’ He put one knee on the chaise, she opened her thighs and a moment later, he was positioning himself between her legs. ‘A word of warning. This firs
t time isn’t going to break any records for endurance. As soon as you start coming, I’m right behind you.’ He didn’t wait for an answer; she was panting and so slick with longing, condom or not, he glided in with only the slightest resistance.

  She climaxed almost instantly, he caught the wave like the surfer he was and after an oppressive thirty-six days, the brute force of their tempestuous orgasms, the heavy-duty, explosive jolts to their nervous systems, the sheer, blinding pleasure left them momentarily stunned.

  Was it possible to actually feel an out-of-body experience? Empirical evidence was making Dominic a believer.

  Was it possible to fall hopelessly, head-over-heels in love again, with a man who didn’t want to be loved, because of an outrageously grandiose orgasm, Kate wondered?

  The mind-boggling affirmation was direct, razor-sharp and terrifying to them both.

  He should withdraw, he thought with alarm – to Paris or beyond.

  She should politely say thank you, as if none of this was out of the ordinary, she nervously reflected, and take the first plane home.

  But neither moved because the sensational pleasure was still of cosmic proportions.

  ‘I’m losing it,’ he said half under his breath, his eyes slits as though to contain the raging turbulence within.

  ‘We should … stop,’ she said, gasping.

  ‘Later.’

  ‘When?’ Someone had to be rational.

  ‘Talk to me in a year.’

  She went rigid in his arms despite the heady mix of devout and zealous ardour warming her senses. ‘No!’

  ‘Yes,’ he growled.

  ‘No, no, no—’

  He covered her mouth with his, defiant of reason, heedless to all but hotspur desire, his ravaging kiss ignoring her resistance, the brute force marking her with an inexplicable stamp of ownership – like Attila the Hun with a new concubine.

  As rash as he, she capitulated with indecent speed, gave herself up to his plundering mouth and tongue, wanting what he wanted, wanting more. Wanting his love; wanting what she could never have.

  As her resistance melted away and she responded with her familiar tempestuous passion, met his fevered kisses, impulsively bit his lip in her frenzy, he bit her back with the same reckless fervour. They were both out of control, their nerve endings on fire, their cravings so intense they could taste them, their need for each other irrepressible.