by Leah Brooke
Jesus, she made him feel like a horny teenager.
The rush of pleasure seemed to come from deep inside his soul, his balls drawn up so tight it hurt. With a groan he couldn’t hold back, he came in hard bursts, the pleasure so intense it turned his knees to rubber.
His stomach clenched and his thighs shook with the effort to remain upright.
He wanted to throw his head back and revel in the sensation, but he couldn’t seem to take his eyes from the sight of Kelsey, who moaned as she swallowed on him, her mouth drawing every bit of pleasure from him.
He didn’t know how she knew how to do that, and didn’t want to imagine it, but her enthusiasm and desire to get the upper hand made her a dangerous and compelling lover. Gritting his teeth, he groaned again, tightening his hands in her hair.
Elated at the smug satisfaction and rebellion in her eyes, Gabriel cupped her cheek, withdrawing from her hot mouth. “Very good, my pet.”
He couldn’t resist calling her that, the glitter of lust and anger in her eyes impossible to resist. Lifting her to her feet, he ran a hand over her bottom. “I’ll use the other bathroom. When you’re dressed and ready, we’ll go downstairs to eat in the restaurant tonight.”
Her eyes widened adorably. “You’re going to leave me like this?”
Gabriel let his gaze rake over her, aware that she trembled with need. Lifting his gaze to meet hers, he held it, wanting nothing more than to sink into her.
“I told you that you’re going to have to learn to hold off your orgasm. You have to learn to wait when it suits me.”
He turned away, pausing when she caught his arm. Looking down at her, and thrilled at her soft touch, he raised a brow, falling deeper in love with her by the minute. “What is it, my pet?”
“But I was good. I did what you wanted.”
Hiding a smile at her blush, he nodded once. “Yes, you did. You pleased me very much.”
It took every ounce of willpower he possessed not to reach for her, but he knew that feeling the way he did now, if he touched her, he would be lost. He didn’t want to pressure her, and wanted to get this back on a sexual level until she was ready to handle more.
“This is part of it, Kelsey. If I want you to wait, you’re going to have to learn to wait. If I don’t allow you to come at all, you have to accept it.”
Glaring at him, she crossed her arms over her chest. “I hope you don’t expect me to like it.”
Gabriel laughed, delighted with everything about her. “Of course not. I told you that you wouldn’t like everything I do to you. Let’s see how well you can handle it.”
As he watched her walk away, he thought about the look she’d had in her eyes earlier.
Something was bothering her and he wanted to get to the bottom of it.
He’d have to distract, and probably anger her in order to get the answers he was looking for, and keeping her aroused would put her on edge enough to spark that temper of hers.
If she thought he’d allow her to keep her worries to herself, she didn’t know him at all, and certainly didn’t understand the kind of relationship he wanted with her.
She would, though, and soon.
Chapter Sixteen
Dressed in deep violet this time, and wearing the silver sandals Gabriel had left out for her, Kelsey sat in the deserted restaurant with him. The horseshoe shaped booth they occupied allowed them to sit close to each other, but at a slight angle, making it nearly impossible for her to avoid his gaze.
Each knowing look, each small smile of satisfaction, each lingering gaze of possessiveness heightened her arousal until it became nearly impossible to sit still.
Tapping her feet, she looked around at their elegant surroundings, acutely aware that he watched her closely.
Glancing at him, she leaned back in an attempt to appear relaxed, and tried to appear as sophisticated as the women he’d known in the past. “Do you really think a place like this will really do well?”
Smiling, Gabriel reached for her hand. “You’d be surprised at the number of people who embrace this lifestyle. This place is booked solid year around. Nick and Steve wanted to close the hotel while the condos go up, but then it’ll be open again. They didn’t want guests disturbed by the noise.” He ran the backs of his fingers down her arm, his gaze following the movement.
Shivering, she fought not to cross her arms over her chest to cover the fact that her nipples beaded. She’d never been with a man who touched her as often as Gabriel did, and wished she could touch him as often in return. Smoothing her damp palms over her lap, she looked toward the window. “I haven’t really heard any noise.”
“No. This week’s been pretty quiet. I’m sure Nick and Steve planned it that way, coming here when the majority of the noisy work had already finished. It also gave Julianna a chance to see some of the condos in person.” Playing with her fingers, he smiled. “Two weeks from now, the hotel opens again.”
Nodding, Kelsey smiled. “And everyone gets a chance to see the new condos. I’ll bet they have a sales staff here, along with pictures and mock-ups of the new units.”
Gabriel lifted her hand and studied her fingers, and with slow deliberation, placed a soft kiss on the tip of each one. “They’re hoping to have a model ready. Julianna’s in charge of decorating the units, of course.”
Kelsey nodded again, distracted by the feel of his hand wrapped around hers, and the warm of his lips sending ribbons of tingling sparks up her arm. Amused, and a little surprised that something so small could have such a huge effect on her, she couldn’t help wondering what he would think if he knew.
With desire flooding her veins, she found herself staring at his lips, wondering what it would feel like to be kissed by a man like Gabriel.
He’d kiss the way he did everything else. He’d pour everything into it and draw her into a vortex of emotion and sensation that she may never recover from.
She could only imagine what Gabriel could put into a kiss.
She could only imagine what he’d take from her.
She tingled everywhere just thinking about it.
Soft, but firm, his lips would take hers. He’d kiss her with a possessiveness she wouldn’t be able to resist, and draw her deeper and deeper into the erotic spell he’d woven around her.
With just a kiss, Gabriel could reach into her soul.
“Kelsey?”
Snapping back to the present with a start, she realized that his lips had been moving, but she hadn’t heard a word he’d said. Pulling her hands away, she reached for her glass of water, her face burning. “I’m sorry. My mind wandered.”
Struggling to remember what they’d been talking about, she looked around the restaurant, focusing on the servers across the room. Remembering their conversation, she kept her face averted, aware of his scrutiny.
“I’m sure when the guests here see the condos, they’ll be lining up to buy them.” Letting her gaze slide to his, she smiled. “You’re a good businessman, and I’m sure you’ve already decided it’s a good investment, or you never would have put your money into it.”
Gabriel regarded her steadily, a faint smile playing at his lips while his eyes danced with amusement. “I think, of all the properties I own, the condo here will be the one that gives me the most pleasure.”
A rush of warm flowed through her as she remembered his promise to bring her back here, but she didn’t want to presume anything and look like a fool. “I assumed your club would hold that distinction.” She hated thinking about his club and all the women he’d had there.
“It did—for a time.” Raising a hand, he signaled for the waiter. “I was so busy building my businesses that I didn’t have the time or desire to build a relationship. I always enjoyed sex, but preferred to dominate the women I bedded. It wasn’t easy to find someone who shared my preferences, especially with the limited time I had to pursue them. I also travelled quite a bit more than I do now.”
Once they’d placed their orders and the waiter l
eft, Kelsey reached for one of the breadsticks. “I find it hard to believe a man like you would ever settle down.”
He looked slightly surprised by that. “Oh? Don’t you think I could ever get lonely?”
Kelsey grunted. “You’re never alone.”
“You know as well as I do that you can be in a roomful of people and still be alone.” The warmth and concern in his eyes had her shifting restlessly in her seat, the ache for him growing stronger all the time. Smiling faintly, he gestured toward the empty restaurant. “Or you can be with just one person—one special person—and be completely fulfilled.”
Not knowing how to answer that, Kelsey decided to steer the conversation back to the island. It got increasingly difficult not to profess her love for him, and she had to consciously censor herself before speaking.
She wanted to blurt it out, and beg him to promise her that they would be all right.
She couldn’t, though. It was all up to her.
Despite his confidence in their future relationship, Kelsey wanted to be sure. With her feelings so wrapped up in him, a mistake could cost her dearly.
She took another sip of water to ease her dry throat, and forced a smile. “Do you really think a lot of people will be buying a condo instead of staying at the hotel?”
The knowledge that she wanted to redirect the conversation shone in Gabriel’s eyes, and to her relief, he let her get away with it. Smiling, he nodded and reached for his own glass.
“There’s already a waiting list for rooms here. Some men, like me, want a place to get away with someone important to them, and don’t want to worry about things like reservations. I never know when I can get away, and my plans can change at a moment’s notice. I value my free time very much and don’t want any obstacles in my way.”
Frowning slightly, he sat forward again. “Taking some time away from your responsibilities to relax and regroup is important. You don’t seem to do that at all. When was the last time you took a vacation?”
Pausing as the waiter arrived with their appetizers, Kelsey shook her head in amusement that the young man didn’t even glance in her direction. Propping her head on her hand, she looked up at him. “Hello. I’m Kelsey.”
The waiter stilled, his face becoming bright red as his gaze flew to Gabriel’s. “Sir?”
Gabriel chuckled, shaking his head as he reached for a fork. “Behave yourself, my pet. He’s obviously new here, and you’re rattling him.”
After the waiter left, Gabriel sat forward and slid his fingers into her brief top, the shock of his bold move making her jump. He slid the backs of his warm fingers over her nipple, his eyes daring her to defy him.
“That’s the kind of behavior that could embarrass a Master, and would almost assuredly earn a well-deserved punishment.”
Curious and only mildly apprehensive about another spanking, Kelsey leaned into his touch. “You’ve mentioned that before. I don’t get that at all. Why would talking to the waiter embarrass a Master? How am I supposed to understand all these rules?”
Gabriel appeared to take her question seriously. “Because I explain them to you. Your defiance shows that I have no control over my submissive, and makes me look like I can’t handle you. It also shows lack of respect on your part toward me.”
Surprised at that, Kelsey paused with a bite of mushroom halfway to her mouth. Ashamed of herself, she hung her head. “I never thought of that. I’m sorry. I didn’t realize how my behavior as a sub would reflect on you.”
Once again, she felt out of her element. With a sigh, she broke a breadstick in half. “Do you see what I mean? I’ll probably never get this, and would one day embarrass you or piss you off and that would be it.”
Gabriel shrugged, spearing a shrimp and touching it to her lips. “It’s up to your Master to teach you. And like I told you before, every Master and every arrangement are different. Don’t worry about it. You’re new at this, and I’m willing to make some allowances—to a point. You will, of course, be expected to pay for what you just did. It’s a lesson you won’t forget again soon.”
Considering that, and hiding a rush of excitement at his threat, Kelsey took a bite of her breadstick. “It sounds like some of the rules remain the same.”
“Such as showing respect.” Leaning back again, he shrugged. “A Master must earn it. Not all can, and not all submissives care enough to give it.”
Swallowing the lump in her throat, Kelsey set the rest of the breadstick on her plate and reached for her glass of wine. “What happens then?”
Gabriel’s eyes sharpened. “I’ve seen Masters walk away from their submissives, and vice versa. Some on both sides aren’t cut out for the lifestyle, and some just haven’t found the right person yet.”
Shocked that she worried that she might not be right for Gabriel, Kelsey shifted in her seat.
How could she know?
How could he know?
Alarmed at the emotional tug, and sense of loss as she imagined him walking out of her life, Kelsey looked away, afraid of what his sharp eyes might see.
Taking a sip of her wine, she met his hooded gaze, her heart beating a little faster. “It must be hard for a woman used to making her own decisions and living her own life to suddenly be under the thumb of a man who expects her to be a doormat.” Pausing, she lifted her glass again. “No matter how much she wants to be with him.”
Gabriel’s eyes sharpened. “Are you talking about us?”
“Maybe.” Blowing out a breath, she set the glass aside. “I just don’t know. I just can’t imagine being so…acquiescent. I’d never really thought about ever having a man in my life, but lately, I’ve been thinking about it.”
The brief flash of something in his eyes disappeared before she could decipher it. “Oh?”
Reaching for her wine again, she sat back as the waiter came to take their plates, not speaking until he left again. “I’d want a partner. I’d want a man who cared about my happiness, not just ordering me around. I’d want to be respected and have my opinions respected.”
“And you think that wouldn’t be possible in a relationship with me?”
Kelsey shrugged, wondering what it would be like to have a man she could talk to—a man she could share things with. “I don’t see how. I’d be expected to see to your needs and ignore my own.”
“Since we’ve been here, haven’t I seen to your needs?”
Frustrated that she couldn’t quite find the words she wanted, she slapped the table. “I can take care of myself. Fuck it. Forget I said anything.”
Taking her stinging hand in his, he turned her palm upward and touched his lips to it. “I know you can take care of yourself, and that’s a great relief to me—and a great source of pride. But, taking care of you satisfies me—no, more than that—fulfills a need in me. It’s more than just a sexual thing for me, Kelsey. Being in control is just part of it. It’s taking care of what belongs to me. It’s treasuring what’s most important to me. It’s trusting someone who trusts me, and creating a strong bond with another person—a woman I could see spending the rest of my life with. You, Kelsey. I think you and I could be very good for each other.”
God, when he talked like that, she could almost believe…
Taking a deep breath, she looked away, flattening a hand on her stomach as she blew it out. Running her fingers over the stem of her wine glass, she looked at him through her lashes.
“We’re so different. We come from two different worlds.” Forcing a laugh, she shook her head, blinking back tears. “You’d regret it within a month.”
And leave her even lonelier and emptier.
It struck her that she hadn’t really noticed the emptiness before meeting Gabriel, but the friendship that had developed between them, a friendship she’d tried to avoid, made her conscious of just what a solitary life she led.
She’d been content with her life.
Now, she wasn’t, and it was all because of him.
Despite her mood, the impatien
ce in Gabriel’s eyes as the waiter delivered their entrees amused Kelsey. Her amusement grew when the younger man appeared visibly shaken and hurried to leave as soon as possible.
Gabriel glanced up at her as he cut into his steak. “I suppose once we both stop dancing around each other and really begin to trust each other, we might just find out.”
Kelsey blinked. “You don’t think I trust you?”
Pausing with his fork halfway to his mouth, Gabriel shook his head. “Not completely, but that kind of trust takes time. I know that, and know what it involves. It’s frustrating that we only have a few more days before we leave here.”
With her body vibrating with arousal, Kelsey leaned toward him, her nipples beading even tighter under his heated gaze. “Then we’d better not waste a minute of it.” Rubbing her thighs together, she waited expectantly, her pulse leaping at his wicked smile.
Gabriel’s chuckle danced over her skin, his eyes glittering with intent and mischief. “You seem to forget, my pet, that I’m in charge here.”
Remembering the way his mouth had felt on him only hours earlier, and his intensity in the playroom, Kelsey smiled coyly, feeling playful and carefree.
“I know. Your imagination is incredible.” Propping her head on her hand, she eyed him curiously. “How do you come up with all these things?”
Laughing, Gabriel reached for her hand, enfolding it in his. “My love, I’ve lived this lifestyle for a long time and I’ve seen a lot of things, but you’ve inspired me to new heights. Let’s say, I have a vivid imagination.”
He reached out to stroke a nipple through the soft material covering her breasts. “Once, right after I first met you, I went back to my office for a meeting. In the middle of it, my thoughts drifted to you, and some of the things I wanted to do to you. I missed half of what my staff said to me and had to go back and look at my secretary’s notes later on. The thought of taming you has given me many sleepless nights.”
The idea that he’d thought of her, and that she’d been able to distract him from his work, delighted her. “Tame me?” Grinning, she cut into a ravioli. “Do you really think that’s possible?”
