by Leah Brooke
Not physically, at least.
She feared the way he made her feel—feared the rippling waves of alarm created by his threatening but silky tone that ignited her senses.
Furious at herself for being one of the undoubtedly countless women that fell under his spell, Kelsey clenched her jaw, fisting her hands at her sides and struggling to hold back tears.
Turning to face him fully, she crossed her arms over her chest. “Tell me something. How would you do that? What kind of women put up with that stuff?”
And why the hell did she want so badly to be one of them?
She couldn’t shake the feeling that there had to be more to his lifestyle than she imagined, and that he’d begun to show her bits and pieces of it.
Gabriel’s eyes hardened. “By stuff, I assume you’re talking about a woman giving herself to me? That’s something you’re going to have to find out for yourself.”
Fighting back a jealousy she had no right to feel, Kelsey turned away and closed her eyes as images of Gabriel touching other women—naked, beautiful women—raced through her mind. She shouldn’t care that he’d been with other women. She shouldn’t care that he found pleasure in women who could submit to him the way he wanted.
Shaken by her own mixed feelings, she shrugged and stared out the doors to the ocean. “I don’t understand what you want from me.”
Aware of the tense silence behind her, and feeling Gabriel’s sharp gaze, Kelsey stepped out onto the balcony for air. “I’m out of my element here…and with you.”
She didn’t think he moved, but knew she had his undivided attention.
To her surprise, Gabriel moved in behind her, his footsteps nearly silent on the marble floor.
But she felt him.
Turning, she took a step back and met his gaze, holding her breath.
Staring into her eyes with his dark, hooded ones, Gabriel smiled, a sad, tender smile that made it hard to breathe.
“Desire and fear—a powerful combination. An arousing one. It’s also a highly unpredictable one.”
Each word stroked her arousal, his deep, intimate voice as seductive as a caress.
“You think you know me, but you don’t. Just because you can convince other women to give in to you, that doesn’t mean I will. Or can.”
His smile widened, the smug satisfaction in it fueling her anger. “You only attack when you’re feeling vulnerable. You do want me, but you’re afraid. I understand that, Kelsey.”
She feared he didn’t understand just how much she wanted him, or how much the strength of that need scared her. She was afraid he didn’t know just how important he’d become to her, or how much she feared losing that. “Please, Gabriel. You don’t understand! How can you be so calm about this?”
Staring down at her with hooded eyes, he reached out to tuck her blowing hair behind her ear. “I understand more than you can imagine. I think you’re the one who doesn’t understand—me, yourself, or what you and I can be to each other. I wouldn’t be any good to you if I got upset every time I encountered an obstacle, and I sure as hell wouldn’t be as successful. Why don’t you go take a shower, or better yet, a hot bath, and we’ll sit here, have a drink, and talk?”
She didn’t trust the gleam in his eyes. “Talk? Just talk?”
“Just talk.” He held out his arms as if that would make him appear less threatening, but she didn’t think anything would do that. “Trust me. I want you to be more comfortable with me than you obviously are.”
Kelsey sucked in a breath, frozen in place when he reached out a finger and traced the upper curve of her breast above the silky material.
Other than the light stroke of his finger, he didn’t touch her, but she felt the effects of his light caress everywhere. “We have a lot to talk about, don’t you think? We can talk about why you’re so afraid of men, and you can ask me the kind of questions I know you’re dying to ask.”
Her nipples beaded so tightly they ached, making even the slide of the material against them almost unbearable. “You’ll answer questions about your lifestyle?”
“Of course.” Glancing up, he smiled, a smile filled with secrets. “I want you to be comfortable with me, Kelsey.”
He dropped his hand to his side, his smile tender. “Why don’t we both get showered and changed into something more suitable. A tuxedo with sand in it isn’t very comfortable, and I’m sure you’ll feel better when you get cleaned up. I’ll order some wine.”
With a smile, he turned away. “I’ll get you another outfit. I bought you quite a few and I’m dying to see you in all of them. I really do like dressing you. I like taking care of you, even if it’s only temporary.”
Bending close, he brushed his lips over hers in a soft caress, and lifted his head to stare into her eyes. “I’ll just have to see what I can do to convince you to make it permanent.”
Chapter Four
“These outfits are stupid. You can’t even call them clothes. Two skimpy pieces of material. Nick and Steve should be shot.”
Gabriel hid a smile at her indignation, letting his gaze sweep over her. He wanted to laugh out loud at her look of confusion and desire in her eyes, a look he suspected had a lot to do with the way the material felt against her breasts and bottom, and the amount of skin it revealed. “I think they’re perfect.”
Even though she glared at him, she couldn’t hide the hunger in her eyes and the emotion she probably thought he couldn’t see. Her defensiveness rose with her arousal, the vulnerability created by her need and the awareness of the amount of soft skin showing unsettling her. In defense, she lashed out, and probably didn’t realize how fluid her movements had become, or that she kept arching her back, thrusting her breasts out in what he believed to be an unintentional invitation.
She looked stunning in the outfit he’d had made for her, the outfits required for women who visited the island something he and Nick had designed together.
Smiling, he let his gaze rake over her, his attention lingering on her beaded nipples. “You look beautiful, and I’m sure you feel sexy as hell in it. It’s the ideal thing for a submissive to wear. Sexy, easy access, and always a threat of being revealed. It keeps a woman on edge.”
He was on edge himself, his cock hard and demanding as every movement she made gave him a flash of velvety skin. The brief glimpses he’d gotten of her heart-shaped ass and soft curls covering her mound tormented him and made his hands itch to touch her.
Dressed in one of the sarongs and brief tops, this one made of soft, pale green cotton that emphasized the green in her beautiful eyes, she looked good enough to eat.
His mouth watered for a taste of her, and the thought of burying his face between her creamy thighs and eliciting cries of shocked pleasure from her had his cock lengthening and thickening almost painfully.
Patience, Gabriel.
Her long hair, still wet from her shower, hung down her back in a thick, dark curtain, one that would lighten to honey blonde when it dried. Even now it started to curl around her face, and he found himself fascinated by the waves that became more prominent as her hair dried.
She usually wore it pulled back into a tight ponytail, a look that had sparked fantasies of wrapping his fist around it and guiding her to her knees.
The thought of seeing her with that ponytail secured with her head forced back, perhaps with an anal hook, on her knees, and with her legs spread wide had kept him awake countless hours.
He’d thought about her for months, wanted her for months. Each time he saw her, he became more convinced that she would be the kind of woman he should stay away from.
He couldn’t, though. Like an addict, he wanted more.
She could change his life. She would change his life.
In many ways, she already had.
His emotions had gotten involved, and the thought of taking her, taming the passion he knew he would find inside her, gradually become more explicit, until he could almost taste her.
He wanted to guide he
He wanted to make her his.
The irresistible combination of brash rudeness she used as a defense mechanism, loneliness and vulnerability was nothing more than a challenge to him at first, a challenge any Dom worth his salt would revel in.
As he got to know her, it became something more—something deeper. He found her so overwhelming and so arousing to his senses that he couldn’t stay away from her, torturing himself at every opportunity.
She still challenged him on many levels, but her sadness and loneliness made him desperately want to be the man to heal her. He wanted her to see what an incredibly desirable woman she was, and that she could love.
One day, he’d looked across the small coffee shop, watching her as she waited on customers, and knew he’d somehow fallen in love with her.
Bit by bit, she’d stolen his heart, and he hadn’t even realized it until it was too late to get it back.
Nick, Steve, and Julianna’s wedding gave him the perfect opportunity to focus her attention on him. He wanted to prove to her that he was man enough to handle her, and that she had nothing to fear from him.
He’d wanted to ease her into the lifestyle, but he didn’t have much time for more than a crash course, one that he hoped would prove to her that they could be the perfect couple.
Kelsey was a woman who didn’t give up control easily, another challenge that only made him want her more.
He wanted to tear down her defenses and show her that she could be vulnerable with him. He wanted her to see that he was just as vulnerable with her, and that only by letting their defenses down would they be able to have the loving and exciting relationship they both needed.
He would be balancing on a thin edge, convincing her that she had the power to hurt him, while retaining the control needed to satisfy both of them.
Emotionally, she brought him to his knees, but sexually…hell, he could only imagine the passion he would unleash. She would be pure dynamite, and he knew it would take every ounce of control he possessed to handle her.
Hiding a smile, he let his gaze rake over her. He’d known it would happen one day. He’d known he’d find a woman he wanted to Master for the rest of his life, but had assumed it would be a submissive, a woman who’d already accepted the lifestyle.
Of course, he’d never done anything the easy way.
He had to fall in love with a woman who liked to be in control in relationships, and who had trust issues.
As she surrendered to him, he’d fall deeper in love with her every day.
He knew that, and accepted it.
He was going into this with his eyes wide open, knowing that she had the power to hurt him no woman had ever had.
Letting her see that he cared for her and desired her, but not overwhelming her with emotion would be a hell of a balancing act, but he had no other choice.
He was in this for keeps and had to play it just right or risk losing her forever.
He went to the table and poured her a glass of wine, pretending not to notice that she stiffened each time he moved. “Let’s sit down and talk. Maybe that will help you relax.”
She frowned now, careful not to let their fingers touch as she accepted the glass of wine he held out to her. “Relax? How the hell can I relax around someone like you?” She looked away again, something she did with annoying—and fascinating—frequency.
Pouring his own glass of wine, he glanced at her and smiled, hoping to appear nonthreatening. “Someone like me?”
Her hand trembled as she took a sip from her glass, her beaded nipples and the hunger in her eyes telling him that fear had nothing to do with it. Frowning into her glass, she shrugged. “You know what I mean.”
Moving to the opposite end of the plush, white sofa with his own glass of wine, Gabriel lowered himself onto it, turning slightly toward her. He hoped that putting distance between them would give her a sense of security and enable him to move on to the next step.
His cock stirred under her stare, the apprehension and desire in her eyes telling him that his instincts about her were right.
She kept glancing at the bulge in his soft, cotton pants, and at his chest, her interest arousing as hell, and a good sign for the conversation he had planned for tonight.
Smiling, he inclined his head. “I know what you mean.” Taking a sip of wine, he watched her over the rim, mesmerized by the sight of the long leg she kept trying to cover up.
He had to get her to talk, and hoped that a few glasses of wine would loosen her tongue. “You think that men who prefer to dominate a woman are cruel. Have you had any experience with a man like that?”
Kelsey clenched her jaw and looked away. “Yes.”
Fury swelled inside him. “Are you saying you were raped?”
Kelsey smiled and shook her head. “No. Nothing like that. It scared me more than anything. He didn’t actually hurt me. It was the son of the people who took me in their foster home. He thought every girl wanted him and snuck into my room one night. Two black eyes and a bloody nose later, he hobbled out.”
Staring down at his glass, Gabriel kept all emotion out of his voice, so furious, he wanted to punch through a wall. “What was his name?” Clenching his fist in anticipation, he mentally calculated how much pain he could cause, and for how long.
Kelsey laughed and threw back her head, her eyes full of misery and a glimmer of gratitude. “What are you going to do—beat him up? I already did.”
Gabriel clenched his jaw, and set his glass down on the low coffee table before he snapped the stem.
“Good for you. I’m proud of you.” Regarding her steadily, Gabriel picked up his glass again. “And since then, you’ve been a control freak.”
“I guess. I never really thought about it.” Kelsey smiled, a smug smile Gabriel didn’t buy for a minute. “I do know that I have no plans to ever be a shrinking violet.”
Amused at the image of such an independent woman being so docile, Gabriel laughed softly. “So you like dominating men, do you?”
Kelsey laughed, throwing her head back. “Yep. Got my own whips and chains and all that other stuff. Christ, you sound like Julianna.” Shaking her head, she met his gaze. “I just don’t let them push me around. The few men I’ve been with have known that I wasn’t about to change my life for them. If they didn’t like the way I did things, then they knew where the door was.” Frowning, she stared down into her glass. “It took me a long time to find myself, and I didn’t want to lose that.”
“And still something’s missing?”
Kelsey took another sip of her wine, frowning down into the empty glass. “Yes.” Lifting her head, she blew out a breath. “I’ve always fantasized about being overwhelmed in the bedroom. You know—sex, but more. More intense, not just a quickie and it’s over.”
Gabriel smiled, hiding a wince when his cock jumped. “I know.”
Kelsey got up and went to the French doors and looked out, as if she found it easier to talk without looking at him, something he would have to work on. “It all sounds good in theory, and fine for fantasies, but I just can’t imagine being so defenseless. I’ve been thinking about it more since Julianna told me that you’re a Dom, and I have to say, I’m intrigued. But too scared to do anything about it.”
With a jerky movement, she gulped down the rest of her wine. “There. You wanted honesty. Now you know why what you want from me is impossible.” Turning to look at him over her shoulder, she laughed bitterly. “Hell—if that’s even what you want. You’ve been coming to the coffee shop for months, sitting there for hours, but never asking me out.”
Lifting a brow, Gabriel got to his feet and took several steps toward her, moving slowly so as not to alarm her. “Would you have accepted?”
“Not a chance.”
Grinning, Gabriel inclined his head again. “That’s why I never asked. I wanted you to get to know me. If you hadn’t, you never would have come here with me.”
Turning to face him fully, she shook her head, her eyes not quite focused. “Gabriel, I really have no idea what you want from me. I told you the truth about myself because I want you to understand that I’m not playing games, but I don’t want you to consider this week a waste of time. I’m attracted to you. I can’t deny that, but the rest…”
Gabriel smiled, wanting nothing more than to fold her in his arms and comfort her, but now wasn’t the time.
“I don’t consider one minute of my time with you a waste. I consider each one precious.” Taking her glass, he moved back to the low table and spread some cheese on a cracker. He didn’t want her to get drunk, and he hoped a little of the finger food he’d ordered would absorb some of the alcohol.
Offering it to her, he hid a smile at the way she somehow managed to take it without letting their fingers touch, promising himself that one day soon, she would crave his touch as much as he craved hers.
“I want you, Kelsey, and I fully intend to have you.”
Handing her another half glass of wine and another cracker, he gestured for her to sit on the sofa, careful not to touch her.
Soon.
Expecting the look of panic, he met it, shaking his head. “I’m not going to attack you, Kelsey. I won’t touch you until you’re ready.”
Curling onto the sofa, Kelsey looked up at him through her lashes, her eyes greener than ever. “What if I can’t?”
Shrugging, Gabriel refilled his own glass and took a seat again, attempting to appear relaxed, when he was anything but. “We’ll see. I think you and I could find a great deal of happiness together.”
Staring into her glass, she finished chewing her cracker, the tip of her tongue appearing to lick away a crumb and making his cock throb. Taking another small sip of her wine, she tilted her head to the side, her eyes narrowing. “I would make a mess of things, and afterwards, we wouldn’t even be friends anymore. I’m afraid of that. You probably won’t believe this, but you’ve become a very important part of my life. I’d hate to lose that.”
Gabriel shifted, grateful that he’d worn loose pants. He knew she’d never appreciate being thought of as adorable, but when she tilted her head that way, and she looked at him with those compelling green eyes, he wanted to gather her close and cuddle her.
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