Bunny and the Beast [Divine Creek Ranch 22] (Siren Publishing Everlasting Classic)

by Heather Rainier

“Ooooooh,” intoned someone in the crowd that had gathered, and others cringed as if in sympathy.

  Her mouth dropped open, and she reached back to cover her hot tush with both hands and looked around her. “Seriously?”

  “Very seriously, fiammetta,” he said and pointed at the bar where Samson sat watching, a studiously grim look on his face. Samson was definitely a sadist, but he had a soft spot for new subs, even mouthy, feisty ones. “And I wouldn’t pop off to him either, or he might put you over the bar so the whole club can see you and then deliver some extra swats. Here, take this to him,” he added, handing her the paddle.

  “Sh—oooot,” she groaned, rubbing her ass as she took the paddle from him and trudged to Samson.

  Joseph couldn’t see the look on her face, but the evil smile on Samson’s as he observed her slow approach told him that his friend was enjoying this every bit as much as he was.

  For someone who wasn’t well versed in the protocol of a club environment, she did fairly well, keeping her chin down as she held the leather paddle out to him, cradled in her hands.

  “What do you say, girl?” Samson asked in a gruff voice.

  “I’m very sorry, Sir. I promise I won’t try to braid your hair again, or be mouthy to you, or anything. I promise to stay clear away from you if that’s what you want, Sir.”

  “No, girl! Where would the fun be in that, at least for me? Turn yourself around now and bend over the stool. Good. Now hold still and relax. This is gonna sting.”

  The Dom glanced at Joseph, and he nodded with a smile. Samson shrugged and swung.

  Chapter Seven

  White-hot fire streaked across Bunny’s ass, and she nearly bit her tongue as she struggled to keep from verbalizing, settling for unintelligible howling as Samson allowed her to stand up from the stool he’d draped her over.

  He caught her arm as she danced in place on the balls of her feet, exclaiming, “Ooooooh!” and clutching her fiery butt. He’d managed to hit both cheeks with one stroke, and her poor derriere blazed with heat.

  “Careful, girl,” he said as he held her arm, supporting her until she had both feet under her.

  There was no teasing in her at all when her lower lip pooched out in a baby pout and tears flooded her eyes.

  “Now that is too damned adorable,” Samson said in his gravelly old big bear voice, and he put his brawny arms around her.

  Up until a few minutes ago, he’d been a virtual stranger to her. She’d introduced herself, and he’d nodded at her and then had gone right back to sipping his beer and staring off into space. He’d looked like a big ol’ teddy bear, and she’d determined right then that she would make him smile. But she’d quickly come to understand not all Doms handled sassiness the same way Joseph did. He’d gone easy on her. She should be furious. Samson had just set her ass on fire, but there she was, sniffling and snorting against his chest while he patted her back.

  “I think that’s enough aftercare, Samson,” Joseph muttered in a grumbly voice from behind her, and she grinned while her face was still hidden. She might enjoy listening to her Dom go a little territorial, but she knew better than to show it. She’d learned her lesson.

  Wait. What? My Dom? Everything was happening so fast. She put a bookmark on that thought to ponder later.

  Joseph cleared his throat. “Don’t you have a sub around here somewhere waiting to be beat on?”

  Samson released her so she could turn to Joseph, but he stroked the tendrils that had come loose from her bun during her spanking, and said, “You know damn good and well I don’t, Joseph. Is she yours?”

  Bunny’s cheeks grew even hotter as Joseph’s unreadable gaze searched hers, and then he said, “We’re negotiating that right now, Samson.”

  Samson turned her face to him and stroked her cheek with his callused thumb. “If you ever want someone to play with, little brat, you come and see me. Just no more playing with my hair or cheekiness, unless you want to feel my whip across your ass. I went easy on you this time,” he said with a wink as he patted her achy butt and then gave it a good squeeze.

  She squealed as she left his side and cuddled close to Joseph. “That was going easy on me…Sir?”

  Samson chuckled, a deep sound that rumbled in his chest. “You’ll find out when I deliver your birthday spanking.”

  It’s a good thing my birthday was last month!

  As they walked away, she whispered to Joseph, “Sir, would you point out all the other Doms so I can steer clear from now on? I wish you guys wore a T-shirt or something.”

  “A T-shirt?” he asked with a chuckle.

  Encouraged by his easy smile, she nodded. “Yeah, like something that says, ‘I Beat Sassy Girls and They Like It’ or something along those lines.”

  He paused and smiled down at her as he caressed her chin. “Did you like it?”

  With big eyes, she shook her head, secretly enjoying the simple, commanding touch of his finger on her chin.

  “Not at all?” he asked, arching an eyebrow as he searched her face.

  Honesty, remember?

  “Not from him, Sir.” From you? Totally different story, handsome.

  She followed him back to the elevated sitting area where they’d been earlier, her hand held snugly in his, taking notice of the club members who watched them with expressions ranging from pleased surprise to outright shock.

  Averting her eyes, she followed him up the short flight of steps. He indicated for her to take a seat, and she gasped and popped right back up when her inflamed posterior touched the cushion.

  “Come here to me, fiammetta.”

  Wondering what he intended to do next, she put her hand in his but pulled back when he patted his lap, frowning at him. She couldn’t believe he thought she was ready for more.

  “Easy, Bunny. No more spankings for you tonight. I just want to inspect the damage.”

  Ignoring the club members who were still looking their way with curiosity, she let him pull her over his lap again. This time he positioned her elbows and her knees so they rested on the cushions and she could at least look over her shoulder and watch what he was doing.

  “You were teary earlier,” he murmured as he tugged down her panties again.

  “I was embarrassed, and my God, that man has a strong swinging arm.”

  “You should see him wield a whip. He really did go easy on you. I know it’s not much consolation to hear that, but you’ll learn fast,” he stated as he ran a rough thumb gently over the welt across her butt. Heat expanded outward from his touch. “Your ivory skin marks beautifully.”

  She hissed as the heat in that stripe renewed itself, communicating to other parts as she watched him gaze at her ass. She bit down on the smart comment that came to mind.

  Joseph chuckled and flicked his gaze at her. “You’re learning fast, fiammetta. I hoped you would.” She rubbed at the tensing muscles in her neck, and he added, “Relax for a moment. Let me take care of this.”

  She laid her head on her crossed forearms, and her heart drummed in her ears. He spent a few minutes gently rubbing the muscles of her shoulders and her neck. Once the tension had eased up, he stopped, and she listened to the rustle of movement behind her and moaned when a cool sensation spread across her tender tush, soothing the burn.

  “This will help. You might still be able to see some redness from Samson’s mark tomorrow, but little else.”

  Even after the cream had been rubbed into her bottom, he continued to stroke her ass, and she closed her eyes, turning inward and enjoying his touch.

  Her inner angel told her she shouldn’t enjoy it. She hadn’t spent enough time with him, hadn’t made a formal agreement to be his to do anything he wanted with her. And furthermore, she was letting him do intimate, sadistic things to her when they hadn’t even slept together.

  Do I want that? Do I want to open that can of worms?

  Her inner devil looked up from her copy of Screw the Roses, Send Me the Thorns and nodded with glee while threatening h
er inner angel with a roll of duct tape.

  His fingertips trailed along her spine, making her back arch as if he held some hidden string controlling her, and then she shuddered as he slid them back in the other direction, to her bare butt once more.

  “You are beautiful, fiammetta. Every inch of you.” His fingertips dipped to slide along the sensitive under-curve of her ass, and her breath caught in her throat as her pussy clenched in response. He made a low sound of approval in his throat, and his fingers traced the cleft of her ass. “You’re wet for me, too.”

  She opened her mouth to say something smart but clamped it closed when he shifted just enough that her thighs spread a tiny bit. Fingertips traced to the top of her crack and then headed downward, his intention clear. Her cunt convulsed, aching with emptiness, and a long and embarrassingly loud moan escaped her as his fingers continued downward.

  His hand splayed across her back and held her down when she arched up. He tickled her pussy lips with a barely there, teasing touch, and she hid her face in her hands as she lifted her derriere to him, silently begging for more.

  “Mmm” was the only sound he made, but it was a sound of approval, and she wanted nothing more than for him to—

  “Oh please, yes.” She whimpered into her hands as he dipped two fingers between her lips. She was so slick she heard the wet sounds as he withdrew and plunged deeper, filling her tightly. “Joseph!”

  The orgasm welled forth, and she writhed in his lap, responding to each thrust of his fingers with bucking movements, greedily taking all he would give her. He worked her, and the orgasm grew stronger, as if it wasn’t finished with her. She raised her head to moan with ecstasy until the waves of the climax receded like a gently lapping current after a flash flood, leaving her weak and sated in its wake.

  The flush in her cheeks was so hot she imagined her whole face must be embarrassingly red. Joseph went back to stroking her and allowed her to catch her breath. Even after her heart no longer pounded against her breastbone, the last waves of ecstasy shimmered in her pussy. She lay there, limp.

  She might’ve dozed because she was brought back to awareness as he gently manhandled her into a curled-up position in his lap and reclined a bit with her in his arms.

  “Sweet, sweet fiammetta,” he whispered against her disheveled hair. The emotion in his voice registered through the haze in her brain.

  “What does that mean?” she whispered blearily.

  “Little flame,” he murmured before pressing a sweet kiss against her temple.

  “Not ‘flamin’ hot butt cheeks’? Because I think that sounds more like me.”

  She bounced on his chest as he laughed, and he smoothed back the hair framing her hot face and lifted her chin so she was looking up at him. Knowing she was the source of his smile and his laughter gave her a sense of accomplishment. He didn’t smile very often.

  “You are quite possibly the funniest, most charming, sassiest woman I’ve ever met.”

  “It’s a gift,” she replied with a weak smile, her head still resting limply on his chest. Her neck twinged, and she shifted. “Unfortunately, I can’t stay this way for much longer. It’s making my neck hurt.”

  He immediately shifted and helped her to sit up in his lap and gazed down at her, the worry filling his eyes. “I should’ve asked you about that before even letting you in the club. Are you in pain?”

  “Besides my butt?” His growl of impatience hastened her to continue. “It’s just an old injury. I’m not in any pain right now, but I’ve learned to take care so the muscle doesn’t spasm and actually become debilitating.”

  “You’ve hurt yourself climbing before, haven’t you? I should’ve known. Your occupation is much too dangerous—”

  “Shh,” she softly placated, reaching up to put her fingers on his lips. They were warm. “It’s not that. I’ve never been hurt climbing. It happened a long time ago. I’m overdue for a massage, which helps to keep it from flaring up, and I can’t lie sideways without proper support for very long. Sorry.”

  “No, I’m sorry. Things went faster tonight than I should’ve anticipated. That much can’t be denied. What can I do? How did it happen?”

  Carefully disregarding his question about the origin of the injury, she shook her head. “Nothing, I just needed to straighten up. I sleep with a special pillow, and if I have regular massages, I do fine…normally.”

  Joseph nodded as he gazed at her and waited.

  Shit. She really needed to work on her poker face.

  “It’s just an old injury.”

  Still seated in his lap while he stroked her thighs, she wiggled her bottom against his obvious erection. “Can I help you with that?”

  “Not until you and I have had a chance to talk about your issues. Besides,” he added, gesturing behind her, “I’m not sure you’re ready to have an audience.”

  Twisting her head, which made her grimace when her neck twinged again, she gasped when she realized he was right. Randall and Mona and Samson had joined them in the seating area. Evidently she’d really been out of it. She’d never heard them. “Oh. Um, well,” she said, carefully turning back to look at him, to catching him frowning. The Dom was too observant, and she had a feeling he wouldn’t give up until he knew the answers to all of his questions. “You’re right.”

  “The problem lies in the fact that I can’t leave just yet. But it will also give you and me a chance to talk. We can have some private time later…if you would be willing to stay. Ah, Jade,” he said, suddenly distracted, and Bunny did her best to stop the frown that flickered in her eyebrows. He’d see it, and her rump was done for the evening. Was he asking her to stay and talk with him after the club closed? Or was he asking her to spend the night?

  “Yes, Sir?” a soft voice said from behind a handsome older man dressed in black who had approached their area. Joseph nodded and Jade continued speaking. “I’d—I’d like to play, if it’s all right with you, Sir? Cecilia said I should check in with you first.”

  Joseph didn’t leave off caressing Bunny’s hip as he turned his gaze to the tall man. Something about the way the man carried himself, the way he held Jade’s hand in his grasp, told her that he was a Dom. The glint in his dark eyes indicated he was a confident man, used to getting what he wanted. Jade kept looking up at him as if she expected him to go poof and disappear, but then her brows furrowed as she watched Joseph’s hands on Bunny.

  Joseph said, “Blake, it’s good to see you again, my friend. Does she meet with your approval?”

  Blake glanced down at Jade, and a smile flickered before it disappeared. “She does, Joseph. It’s good to see you as well. She and I have talked and found some compatible needs.”

  “Has Jade been clear with you, communicating her limits?

  The Dom smirked as he looked down at Jade, and Bunny almost felt sorry for the young woman when she averted her eyes and blushed. “Not as much as I’d like, but I understand enough. I’ll be careful with her and return her to your company when we’re finished.”

  Great.

  A gasp sounded from somewhere in the group, probably Mona, and the clutching of Joseph’s hand on her hip was the only indicator she needed. “Oh my God. I’m so sorry, Sir. I swear I didn’t mean to say that out loud. Shit—”

  His hand over her mouth muffled the rest of what she would’ve said, and he growled. “Quiet.”

  Tension radiated through him as he continued his conversation with Blake. Mortified, she glanced up and spotted the amusement in Blake’s eyes as he nodded at Joseph. Just as quickly, the expression changed to censure as he glanced at her.

  “I know. Bad sub,” she murmured against Joseph’s hand, which muffled her words, and she lowered her head and closed her eyes, appalled at herself. She might be bratty, or whatever, but she wasn’t inherently mean. Joseph had responsibilities, of which she wasn’t one yet, and might not be if she didn’t learn to control her mouth. Jade was his responsibility and would probably continue to be until she f
ound the right Dom. A process she was currently impeding. “Sorry, sorry, sorry,” she whispered, thinking he would probably have no choice but to spank her again.

  Her inner angel scoffed and rolled her eyes. Might as well get used to that sensation, honey!

  Her inner devil swished her tail and nodded eagerly as she flashed her butt, ready for more licks from Joseph’s strong hand.

  “Shh,” Joseph said quietly as he removed his hand. “The others have gone. And you and I need to have a conversation, Miss Carrigan.”

  No fiammetta this time. You’ve really done it now.

  She rubbed her neck as she looked down at her knees. “You don’t have to tell me. That was unspeakably rude. I didn’t mean for anyone to hear me.”

  “Are you jealous?” he asked as he eased her onto the cushion he’d been resting his legs on while he’d held her so she faced him. The divide felt as if it was more than just a few inches.

  “No, Sir,” she responded automatically. Her inner angel went in search of the fire extinguisher again. “I don’t think I am. I honestly didn’t mean to say that. I was selfish.” She lifted her head to look into his eyes. “You said honesty was the most important thing to you. I was being selfish. I wanted…”

  His brows flickered. “Yes, I want your honesty. Finish what you were about to say.”

  Her cheeks grew hot, but she kept her eyes on his. “I’m selfish because I want to have you to myself. You were hard earlier, and I wanted to do…something for you. Whatever you wanted, and then I realized you had company…”

  “And now you’re frustrated?” At her nod, he chuckled. “That makes two of us, fiammetta.”

  She breathed a sigh of relief at hearing that sweet endearment, and she smiled. She was his little flame. As if her answer pleased him, he lifted her hands to his lips and kissed her fingers, a sweet gesture she thought happened only in romance novels.

  “Before I was interrupted, I suggested you might stay after the club closes so we can talk. Would you be willing?”

  “That depends on what you want to do.” Her pussy grew hot and achy as she waited for his reply.