Brand (The Donovan Dynasty)

by Sierra Cartwright

  “Having me undress you? Would you like that? Or would you prefer to strip for me?”

  “I…”

  “You can say yellow or red at any point,” he reminded her. “Or walk out the door.”

  While she decided, he put the paddle back on the wall.

  “I want the help, this time,” she said when he returned. “And I want to stay in my underwear.”

  “Let’s begin with your boots.” He offered his forearm for balance.

  She wrapped one hand around his wrist and removed her cowboy boots and socks. The couple inches of height that she lost felt suddenly significant. He seemed so much bigger and more powerful.

  He moved in front of her and unfastened the top button on her pants before lowering the zipper.

  “Ready?”

  She wiggled as he lowered the pants. She stepped out them, feeling exposed.

  “Gorgeous,” he said.

  “You keep saying things like that.”

  “To me, you are.”

  “I need to work out more.” Or avoid chocolate chip cookies. Maybe both.

  “There’s nothing more exquisite than a woman revealing herself,” he told her. “I appreciate everything. And I like women who have some curves. Turn around for me.”

  Surprising herself, she didn’t hesitate.

  “Spread your legs as wide as you can and grab your ankles.”

  Sofia thought she would feel ridiculous, bent over like that, but she didn’t.

  He walked around her, his footsteps loud, a bit ominous. Her pulse fluttered but she remained in place.

  “Good, now stand.”

  After she did, he unbuttoned the top buttons on her blouse. Then, his gaze fixed on her, he trailed his finger from the hollow of her throat, down her sternum then stopped where the fabric was still held together.

  Without saying a word, he continued until the blouse hung open.

  She shrugged and he pulled the material away from her, letting it float down to rest on top of her pants.

  “How does it feel?”

  Knowing he wouldn’t settle for a half-answer, she said, “Not as scary as I thought it might.” But she didn’t tell him that she’d been hoping, dreaming of him sexually dominating her.

  He traced the lacy outline of one bra cup then the other. Her nipples hardened and she wanted him to touch her. “Yes,” she whispered.

  “Yes, what?”

  She looked up at him. “Are you going to make me say it?”

  He gave her an annoying, frustrating grin. “I am.”

  Sofia would have preferred he make this easier for her, but she was glad he wasn’t. “Touch my breasts.”

  His gaze still on her, he lightly brushed the fingers of one hand inside her bra. With exquisite gentleness, he moved across her nipple.

  She gasped.

  “Tell me how you like the pressure.”

  “I do… I mean, it’s fine.”

  He brushed again. “More?”

  “Harder,” she said, realizing it was the first time she’d ever asked a man for what she wanted.

  Cade circled the tip with his finger before pressing hard.

  “That’s even better,” she admitted. The moment she started to close her eyes, he moved to the other side, repeating the motion. Her pussy tingled. Without conscious thought, she jutted her hips forward.

  “This is what I was referring to,” he told her as he placed a palm flat on her belly. “You’re communicating with me silently. If we had been in a sexual relationship for a long time and you trusted me, I’d give you what you’re asking for. As it is, I won’t violate our agreement.”

  She scowled. “You’re starting to annoy me.”

  “Good.”

  “Good?” She couldn’t tell if he was teasing her or being callous.

  When he spoke, she realized that neither guess had been correct. “It means you want more. So ask.”

  “All I know is I’m turned on.”

  “Remove the rest of your clothes.”

  Wordlessly, fingers trembling, she did, tossing her bra on top of her shirt, then pulling down her panties and using her toes to drop them on top of the pile.

  Sofia lowered her head but managed to resist the impulse to cover herself.

  “You’re exquisite. I want you to present yourself to me.”

  She cocked her head to the side in question.

  “Go stand in the circle with your legs apart.”

  Even minutes ago she might have balked at the command, but there was something reassuring and compelling in his tone that made her yearn to obey.

  “Hands behind your neck.”

  Aware of him watching her with great intensity, she moved into the circle and did what he’d instructed. With her hands behind her, her breasts were thrust forward. But because of what he said earlier about focus, she forced herself to look straight ahead, even as he walked around her. She was uncomfortable knowing that he could see all of her flaws, but when he stopped in front of her, his eyes were smoky with approval.

  All of a sudden she understood why a woman—a sub—might want to make this man happy.

  “How are you doing?”

  “Mostly green.”

  He grinned.

  Nervousness was banished. He’d seen her flaws and still desired her. That knowledge was intoxicating.

  He cupped each of her breasts and she sighed.

  “Sounds are okay, but I want you to remain in this position. Muscle fatigue is a reason to say yellow or red.”

  “Yes.”

  Still cupping her breasts, he flicked his thumbs across her nipples.

  Staying in place was more difficult than she could have imagined. Then he rolled each between a thumb and a forefinger and slowly increased the pressure.

  “Keep breathing,” he said. “And tell me when it’s too much.”

  She closed her eyes and enjoyed the sensation of him twisting, tugging then squeezing. As he did it harder, her breath came in little spurts and she felt herself starting to get damp.

  Right when she was tempted to say the word yellow, he backed off.

  “Ask me to touch your pussy, to give you an orgasm.”

  He’d shocked her so much that she almost broke position. “I might die if you don’t.”

  “Sofia, Sofia…” He held a finger in front of her mouth. “Suck it. Get it wet.” He didn’t argue or ask again. Instead, he waited for her compliance.

  A full thirty seconds ticked by, filled with shuddering thunder, relentless rain, sizzling lightning strikes, but he didn’t relent. Finally she opened her mouth.

  “Very, very good.”

  How could she deny him anything?

  He placed his finger in her mouth and she sucked on it, swirled her tongue around, got him wet.

  He made her do it longer than she’d expected, turning it into a completely erotic experience of its own.

  “Almost,” he said, even when her jaws were beginning to ache. He moved his finger around, plundering her mouth, making her think of a good, hard fucking.

  Without conscious thought, she moved her body, undulating slightly.

  “Oh yes,” he murmured, words approving.

  Until this moment, she’d never thought of herself as a sexy woman. It was an exhilarating feeling.

  “Stay in position,” he reminded her.

  She stayed where she was as he pulled out his finger. He slowly trailed it down, past her bellybutton, over her pubic mound. It became more and more difficult to follow his order. With each second, she understood more about what he had meant about transcendence. It took a lot of effort to follow such a simple command. She wanted to writhe, demand, grab his hand and thrust it between her legs.

  “Such excellent control.”

  “It’s because I’m gritting my teeth.”

  “Are you?” he asked, sounding completely unconcerned.

  Finally, finally, he stroked between her labia. Her knees buckled and she reached for him.


  “Position,” he reminded her.

  Madness.

  Then, with a bit more sharpness, he repeated, “Position, Sofia.”

  “But…”

  “Yellow, red, or get your ass back in position.”

  After gasping, both from the overwhelming need and the harsh demand in his tone, she did what he said.

  “Keep your hands in place while I play with your pretty little pussy.”

  Mortification raked at her.

  He teased her clit, smoothing his fingertip across it then flicking it from side to side. She had to lock her knees in order not to touch him. He circled, rubbed, abraded with his fingernail. With each stroke, no matter how hard or how soft, she got wetter.

  “I’m going to fuck you with my finger.”

  “Today?”

  “Brat.” He pinched one of her nipples and she yelped. “We move at my speed.”

  Frustrating her, he pulled away.

  “That’s cruel,” she protested.

  “Let me know when you’re ready to proceed.”

  She looked at him and saw his face was set in implacable lines. “I’m not sure I like this part of it.”

  “Which part?”

  Sofia was still aroused. “I just want you to touch me.”

  “Being a sub isn’t always easy. As I said, it takes a lot of focus.”

  “I’m learning.” Then, realizing he was waiting on her still, she added, “I won’t say anything else.”

  “Let’s start over.”

  The man frustrated her.

  “Take a breath. Shake out your arms.”

  She inhaled then she lowered her arms. He rubbed her skin, maintaining the connection between them.

  Sofia realized she’d never had a man spend this much time with her while she was naked. Most of the time, they hopped into bed with the lights off. At first Cade’s demands had seemed a bit unnatural, but she was starting to enjoy them.

  When she was ready, he cupped her breasts as he had earlier and teased her nipples until they were taut.

  Then he held his finger in front of her mouth.

  This time, she tasted her own essence. It was startling in its eroticism.

  As he had earlier, he drew his finger down her body. It was all she could do to keep her mouth shut and wait on him.

  It seemed to take him forever to touch her clit again. She sighed.

  “Ask me.”

  “Fuck me with your finger.” She looked at him. “Please?”

  “My pleasure.” He placed his finger in her, just a fraction of an inch. Then he pulled it out to torment her clit.

  Though she’d never admit it to him, it had been worth the wait.

  “I could play with you all afternoon.”

  “I would let you,” she said. She squeezed her internal muscles, searching for an orgasm that was so, so far out of reach.

  “My pace,” he reminded her.

  She had a feeling that she wouldn’t need to tell him whether she’d had an orgasm or not.

  He took his time, leisurely stroking then entering her again. She closed her eyes and gave herself over. Until now, she hadn’t been aware that she’d been fighting—herself as well as him.

  “That’s it.”

  His words became part of the hypnotic spell that he was weaving.

  She couldn’t believe she was standing naked in Cade Donovan’s barn while he pleasured her. Yet there was no denying the exquisite torture.

  “Play with your nipples.”

  She blinked away her confusion and did what he said. As she did, he increased the tempo, fingering her faster, deeper, going as far as his knuckle before pulling out.

  Sofia curled her toes into the wood beneath her, seeking stability that she couldn’t find. Even though he’d cautioned her to remain still, she jerked her hips.

  “Pinch yourself,” he ordered, voice guttural.

  “Cade!”

  “Do it.” He pressed his thumb on her clit.

  “Ow,” she protested.

  “Yellow?”

  “No, no.” It hurt, but in a way that brought her more pleasure.

  He inserted a second finger, forcing her apart, making her take more.

  “Twist your nipples,” he said.

  She was hyperaware of him standing so close, fully dressed, commanding her, tormenting her as the storm raged. Perspiration dotted her skin, and she’d never been more overwhelmed.

  “I want to hear you whimper.”

  She was lost somewhere inside her own mind. Overwhelmed yet seeking more.

  He crooked one of his fingers, finding that sensitive place in her, and he pushed against it.

  That, along with the ache in her clit and the pain in her nipples, made her fall forward as an orgasm washed over her.

  He was there, catching her, holding her up, pressing a kiss against her ear.

  Before she was aware of what he was doing, he’d scooped her from the ground and carried her to his chair. He sat and continued to hold her against his chest.

  Sofia stayed snuggled there for long seconds, until she heard the thud of his heartbeat, and felt soft cotton and hard muscles beneath her face.

  “Welcome to your first taste of a BDSM scene.”

  She leaned away from him and turned to look at him.

  “How was it?”

  “I’m still processing.”

  “Take as much time as you need.”

  “I’d like to put my clothes back on.” Now that the scene was over, it felt strange to be cradled, nude.

  He helped her up and kept a hand on her until he was sure she was steady.

  Cade didn’t look away while she dressed.

  She expected him to get ready to go, but if she’d learned anything in the last few minutes, it was that he rarely behaved as she anticipated.

  “Come back here.”

  Slowly following his order, she went to stand in front of him and the Dungeon Master chair.

  Even though she was fully dressed, wearing heeled boots and standing, she was still aware of the dynamic between them. He was every bit a Dom, and something deep down inside her responded to that.

  “Part of a scene is aftercare,” he explained. “Making sure you’re okay.”

  She nodded.

  “A lot of couples debrief, talk about the experience. What went right or wrong. What worked for them. How they’re feeling. Oftentimes something comes up mentally or emotionally that should be discussed.”

  “I’m fine,” she said, hoping the words would reassure him as well as herself. The truth was, she’d never been at a more fevered pitch. It had made her feel as if she’d been on a knife edge.

  She’d liked being naked, the way he’d looked at her and touched her, the paddling. The combination of his gentleness and gruffness had turned her on. After-effects from the orgasm still ricocheted through her. His seduction had been complete when she’d curled into him for comfort afterward.

  The whole thing had been more fulfilling than she could have imagined. It scared her to realize there would be no going back. She craved more. She wasn’t sure what the hell to do with that knowledge. All she knew was that being with him had changed her.

  “What did you enjoy?”

  She exhaled. “Do you ever stop?” Sofia might not say it aloud, but his determination to talk to her, draw her out, was part of his charm.

  Without responding, he tapped a finger on the arm of the chair.

  “It’s a lot to take in. I feel somewhat overwhelmed.”

  “In what way?”

  She blew a wisp of hair back from her face. “Do you have to stay in your role as a Dom? It has me a little discombobulated.”

  “That’s always my role. It was Saturday night when we talked, danced, kissed. I can’t separate it out from my personality. But we can talk inside the house if it’s more comfortable,” he agreed as he stood.

  Right now she wasn’t quite sure how to tell him that she was hoping he’d command her to crawl up onto h
is medical table and stay still while he secured her in place and did unimaginable things to her very willing body. Actually, she realized, he might not be surprised at all, but she was stunned.

  He gathered her electronics then moved past her to pull back the tarp and she couldn’t resist one last look at the medical table with its threatening-looking restraints.

  Chapter Five

  Pretending she didn’t feel feverish, Sofia went down the stairs.

  She had to step over the dog, and Loopy barely lifted her head. Sofia picked up her clipboard then kept walking until she reached the door. Since the rain was coming in, she stopped there.

  When Cade stepped off the staircase, Loopy roused herself and trotted after him.

  “Did you get everything you need here?” he asked when he joined her, as if she hadn’t just been naked while he’d fingered her to an orgasm. “Do you need any more pictures?”

  She’d taken hardly any, but she was pretty sure every detail was indelibly etched in her memory. “If you can just get me the dimensions, that will be fine. I know approximately how many square feet we need for a thousand people. Of course it depends on the setup we use, for example, round or banquet-style tables.” The return to reality felt abrupt. She’d been the one to ask him to step out of his Dom role, but she was still wrapped in her sensual delirium. “Once we have a sense of the actual number of attendees and the type of event you’re having, we’ll be able to make a judgment call. Alternatively, if you’re set on using the barn, we can make it work by limiting the people and having a less formal meal. Either way is fine.”

  Wind gusted and she took a step back.

  He reached out a hand to steady her and she realized that he was always polite, solicitous, even during the scene when he was unrelenting in his demands.

  “Wait here.”

  There was no way she was going to make it the few steps to the golf cart without getting drenched.

  He dashed out to the cart, Loopy chasing after him.

  The two hopped into the vehicle, with Loopy in the back.

  Cade drove into the barn and stopped next to her. He grabbed a towel from the floorboard and wiped off her seat. “Your chariot, ma’am.”