“I did before you left. Now, no.” He heard the hesitance and uncertainty in her voice. For all her brashness, Charleigh couldn’t lie very well.
“Tell that to me when you’re over my lap with a red ass and a soaked pussy.” He remembered her body’s responses well. He’d also seen the longing in her eyes. It matched what he felt. He wanted his Charleigh fighting for him, for their future. Unfortunately she seemed more inclined to fight with him at the moment.
“You have no right.” Charleigh gripped his pants.
He didn’t know if she hoped to prevent him from hauling her over his lap or was trying to gain leverage to get out of his hold. It wasn’t going to work either way. Especially not when he’d already felt the fire in her again. The woman needed to adjust. She belonged to him.
“You’re mine. Your body knows it. Your mind is a little slow to recognize the truth. I’ll help you see it.” And he’d enjoy every hot second of it. He didn’t expect the sex to make everything right suddenly, but he knew it would get her attention. He’d keep her with him and she’d see that nothing had changed.
“Too bad for you, my mind’s in charge,” she said firmly.
He chuckled as he carried her back into the house. Making a short stop in the office where he’d stayed while waiting for her to arrive, he grabbed a special toy out of the bags he’d left there. He had plans for her and for after the punishment. Without letting her see it, he carried her into the living room.
He dropped the toy onto one of the cushions of the black couch and then put her on her feet. Transferring one hand to her pants, he tugged at the closure. The sealing strip parted, the two smooth sides opening down to where strips were fused together. She stood there, seemingly stunned, until he pulled the pants downward, taking her panties with them. She turned and tried to bolt, but he held on, keeping her in front of him. Pushing the fabric over her hips and to her thighs, he grabbed her arm before she could try again and pulled her over his lap as he sat.
One arm rested in the small of her back holding her down while he smoothed his other hand over the taut globes of her ass. She had such a gorgeous butt. He still had the urge to reach out and grab it every time she walked close to him. She squirmed and tried to lever off his lap, but he simply held her where she was without saying a word until she finally rested across his lap.
“Get it over with, you bastard.” She turned her head at him and her lips curled in a definite snarl.
“Now, baby, you know that’s not how this goes. First we talk about everything you’re getting punished for and then we get to the punishment.” He patted her butt and let his hand trail between her legs. He was relieved to feel a little moisture there. Before he began spanking her, he wanted to increase those slick juices.
“You already told me the reason. I left and I tried to hit you. I’m not sorry for either of them.” She rolled her eyes before her head turned away from him.
“That’s definitely part of it and we’ll talk about it before the punishment, but there is a more important matter.” He let his fingers smooth between the smooth lips of her pussy. He let his fingers trail over the hood of her clit, but didn’t press. She still needed to give him some answers. “You went on a date last week when I explicitly told you not to.”
He felt her stiffen. Her back straightened and one of her hands grasped his leg. He didn’t know if she’d forgotten about that or if she thought he didn’t know. He’d known where she was since he arrived on the planet, especially since she’d decided to be difficult. He hadn’t liked it, but he wasn’t losing her to carelessness.
“I told you that you didn’t have any say about it. You told me I was free when you left.” Her tone threw a challenge at him. “Free means I don’t answer to you even if you don’t like it.”
“I know everything you did while I was gone. I know you dated some men shortly after I left, but no man became long term. After that you didn’t date again until I returned.” Jericho smiled. Luckily he hadn’t known about those first dates until long after they’d happened. He’d wanted to either lock her up or haul her ass off the planet to be with him once he discovered it, but he’d known it was too soon. He hadn’t accomplished what he’d set out to do.
“It was none of your business.” She thumped his calf with her palm.
“You’ve always been my business.” He smoothed his palm up to her buttocks and stroked it in circles.
“Not when you were out there making a life and thinking about not coming back.” She shook her head adamantly.
“I always planned to come back. I simply didn’t know if a life together here would be possible.” He’d always planned to be with her. He knew he’d made that clear, but she apparently didn’t fully believe it. He didn’t know how to prove it to her other than telling her and showing her that he wasn’t walking away.
“Yeah, right, you say that now.” She sounded doubtful and he knew he’d see a distinct twist to those beautiful lips if she faced him.
Time to get control of this conversation. She’d succeeded in distracting him once. Not again. It was time to do some distracting of his own. He drew his fingers down the crease of her buttocks, but didn’t press between them. He continued down until he found the plump, slick lips of her pussy. Nudging her legs a little wider, he pressed between them to trace around the entrance. Juices coated his fingers. He wanted to hear her cry his name again, but first there was one more question.
“How did you get involved with Tobias Sorensen?” He looked down at her, watching for some kind of reaction.
“I’m not involved with him. I haven’t met him. I don’t think anyone in the company has. As far as I know, he wants to try to set up some kind of small retreat and wanted to buy some of our wine, nuts and fruit. The first business meeting hasn’t even taken place.” She turned her head and frowned at him. He could see the confusion in her eyes.
He nodded, but that worried him even more than if she’d met Sorensen on the street. Jericho had heard the man talking about her as if he knew her and they had a relationship. Some of the things hadn’t jibed with what he knew of Charleigh. Was the man playing some kind of game to make another woman jealous? Jericho didn’t know, but he would feel better once Charleigh realized she was his. He could move her in with him. Sorensen would see that she wasn’t available.
“Good. Now on to your punishment.” He smiled. His fingers trailed down to flick her clit before drawing his hand from between her legs.
“If you’re waiting for an agreement—” Her words ended on a yelp as his palm landed on her bare ass.
“Not agreement, Charleigh, just your full attention.” He smoothed his hand over the spot where his palm had landed, feeling the heat beginning to rise beneath his hand.
She didn’t fight or wriggle to get off his lap. He knew if she really didn’t want this, she would. The first time he’d warmed her rear, she’d bitten him before she realized how hot the stinging swats made her.
He landed two solid swats before he let his hand wander over her thigh. He picked up the toy from the cushion at his side. The round head nudged the lips of her pussy and she gasped. Her body tensed. He slowly pushed the vibrator into her pussy and turned it on. He wanted to make sure she went wild with this spanking. She needed to remember how he could make her feel. Each response and concession almost seemed to be another tie that would make it harder for her to deny the feelings between them. Using his palm, he pressed the vibrator into her while he stroked her clit a few times. Her hips rocked against his leg.
Chapter Five
The vibrator wasn’t necessary. Charleigh knew it. He could have taken her to the heights with only his fingers. He didn’t fuck her with it. He kept it pressed deep. His fingers circled her clit. The toy thrummed inside her. The vibration and the slow rotation of those wonderful, magical fingers had her rocking her hips against them. She loved the way he touched her. Even when he was gently stroking or holding her, he claimed, his every caress a possessive statemen
t.
She knew he was reminding her of how her body always burned for his. It had always heeded his call, especially when he showed the more masterful side of his personality. Jericho had always been intense and domineering, but there was more to the man now. Her inner muscles clenched around the toy. Right now she couldn’t summon the indignation and anger she knew she should feel over the punishment. She could feel the slick heat of her juices on her thighs. The building ache tightened within her. Her nipples felt tight and ached to be touched.
“You like this, don’t you, baby?” His fingers trailed over her clit.
She drew in a sharp breath as a shaft of desire lanced through her. He flicked her clit. Her hips jerked and her thighs tightened around his arm. She moaned as the movement sent a sweet aching pleasure shooting straight through her. She ached to feel his cock driving deep, not the maddening, not-quite-enough pulse of the vibrator inside her pussy. The way her muscles tightened around the toy only made the desperate need worse.
His fingers left the swollen nub of her clit. Before she realized what he intended to do, two swats landed on her rear. The sting swept over both cheeks, followed by a tide of warmth. She stiffened and shuddered. Pleasure raced up her spine, but did little to relieve the tight ache or the desperate need building within her.
“You like being over my lap, don’t you?” His voice hardened and his palm patted her ass in warning.
She licked her lips, but couldn’t stop her hips from lifting against his hand. “Yes. I need you in me. Fuck me.”
He chuckled and she felt the vibration against her side. “You know you don’t get what you most want when I punish you, Charleigh. Have you forgotten every lesson I taught you? Because I haven’t. I’ve missed you and I’ve been waiting to taste you, I’ll make sure you find release.”
It wouldn’t be enough though. She’d come. Her body was too keyed up not to find pleasure, but she’d want more. She needed to feel his body pounding against hers and his arms holding her tight.
“Please…” She glanced up at him, hoping to get him to change his mind.
“No.” His hand landed sharply on her right buttock. “That little toy is keeping most of your juices locked in your pussy.”
“Jericho.” His name escaped on a moan. The images inspired by his words burned through her mind. Why did he have to torture her so much? It wasn’t as if she’d actually managed to hit him or leave the area.
“I’m going to enjoy licking up all that delicious cream and hearing you scream my name.” His hand swept between her legs again, pressing the dildo deep.
This time he didn’t tease her clit. He grasped the dildo, pulling it back before stroking the toy deep. Her hips rocked into the slow tormenting thrusts. Her breath rasped in her throat. She could feel the need rising and clawing at her insides.
He pushed the toy deep and again his hand left her pussy. When his palm landed on her ass, she lifted into the stinging thrill. Three more swats landed on the warm bare cheeks.
“That’s for trying to leave me.” His voice was calm, almost conversational. His hand fell again. She shivered as she hung on the edge of bliss. “That’s for taking a swing at me when you know that I’d never hurt you.”
He lifted her and put her on the couch in one swift move. He knelt on the floor and pushed her thighs wider. Pulling the toy out, his mouth fastened on her pussy. She heard a faint thunk and guessed that it was the dildo hitting the floor, but couldn’t care less. His tongue lapped at her pussy. Long strokes swept from her entrance all the way up over her clit. She bucked up into them, but they changed to stabbing digs as if he wanted to draw every bit of the juices from her pussy.
“Jericho!” Her hands fisted in his hair. She pulled him tighter to her pussy. Her entire body screamed for release.
He ate at her as if he couldn’t get enough. She lifted against his mouth. His thumb swept across her clit. She gasped. Her body shook as pleasure swept over her in a rolling wave. His tongue continued to work against and inside her, even as she reveled in the ecstasy. She rocked into the strokes, trying to prolong the pleasure. He lifted his head as she relaxed against the cushions.
He rose, standing between her thighs. He looked down at her. Her eyes traveled down his body to the thick ridge of his cock outlined by his pants. Her inner muscles clenched and need again rose inside of her at the thought of his cock driving into her, his hips pounding hers as he lost himself in the pleasure.
“Tonight, I’m going to fuck you hard, Charleigh. I’m—” His voice cut off abruptly as a shrill tone sounded through the room.
He looked at the link for the holo-com and frowned. It could have been sounding for a while now. She wouldn’t have noticed. His expression drew a smile from her, which she hid as he turned back around to her.
“You’re going to know you’re mine tonight, baby. You’ll feel my cock driving deep and filling you as you wanted when I had you across my lap. But first I’ll see which one of our relatives is interrupting us and then we’ll find a way to pass the rest of the day.” His eyes swept down her body significantly.
A shiver of anticipation curled through her. Hell, she knew exactly what he meant by that look. He was going to tease her throughout the day. He’d talked about it before when he’d “punished” her. Although he hadn’t been able to do it when they were dating, now he had her at his dubious mercy. She couldn’t find respite by going home. A shiver of anticipation slid down her back and straight to her pussy.
“Cover up before I activate this.” He walked over to it and looked back over his shoulder.
She pulled a blanket off the back of the couch and spread it over her. She looked on the floor for her shirt, but it was out of reach. She remained on the couch, although she really didn’t want to talk to anyone while wearing only a blanket. Jericho had already reached the small table. A push of the button activated the holo-com. The image of Jericho’s brother Rio flickered above the small table beneath the holo-com link. Jericho could have simply left the holo image off and used it as a simple com, but most considered it rude not to see as well as hear when speaking to someone.
“About time you answered, Jericho. We’ve been trying to reach you most of the morning.” Rio’s image scowled.
“This is the first time we’ve heard it, but we were out of the house for a little while.” Jericho shrugged. “Is something wrong?”
“Have you asked her yet about Sorensen?” Rio didn’t answer his brother directly. That caught Charleigh’s attention more than if he’d said something about an emergency or danger. The Larson brothers were tighter than any other siblings she knew. The lack of teasing or warm greeting stood out immediately.
“She told me she hasn’t even seen him. I don’t know where he saw her, but as far as she knows, she hasn’t met him.” Jericho looked back over his shoulder and scowled.
She hadn’t thought much about the question about Tobias Sorensen earlier, but now a thrill of fear went through her. She hadn’t known how Jericho had known she had a meeting scheduled with Tobias, but guessed that he’d mistakenly thought she was seeing the man. Now she knew it was more. That question had been more than territoriality because he considered her his.
“I told you that it was likely. The man may talk about her, but he didn’t know anything solid about her.” Rio shook his head and grimaced. “But confirmation wasn’t why I called you.”
“What’s going on, Jericho? Tobias Sorensen was saying something about me?” She straightened and clutched the blanket to her chest.
“I’ll tell you in a minute, baby. I want to find out what’s wrong first.” Jericho looked over at her, but quickly turned his attention back to his brother.
“Daniel called me early this morning. Probably as soon as he got into his office. It seems that Tobias Sorensen is having a major problem with the switch. He also knows she’s not in the city, that she never came home from work the day she left.” Rio’s tone hardened and though no emotion coated the words, she k
new he was angry.
Jericho became that way as well when he was really furious. Quiet, almost emotionless. When she’d first seen that side of him, that coldness had scared her, even though it wasn’t aimed at her. He’d been so in control, so emotionless, that she’d wondered if she really knew anything about him.
Charleigh saw Jericho’s fist clench and his shoulders rise as he took a slow breath. “He came to you?”
“To the station. Filed a missing person report. I let Nathan have the joy of telling him she was on a vacation.” Rio didn’t enlighten them any further. Charleigh knew that he was deliberately drawing this out.
“And? Don’t play games when it comes to her safety,” Jericho growled and looked as if he wanted to grab his brother by the neck.
“Nate added that everyone who actually knew her and talked to her knew about it. Mr. Sorensen turned so red, I thought one of those blood vessels was going to blow right in the office.” Rio’s lips curved up in a brief grin.
“Are you watching him?” Jericho didn’t relax even a little, although she couldn’t see his face.
“Of course. I have my men on him. It probably won’t take him long to learn where she is, Jericho,” Rio cautioned.
“I want warning if he comes this way.” Jericho’s tone deepened. “I’ll try to find another place to take her, but I don’t know of many places this private.”
“If by private you mean isolated and away from civilization, you’re probably right. I can’t believe your brother’s in on this. He’s supposed to be the law here, upholding the rules, not helping you break them.” She folded an arm across her chest and glared at Jericho’s back.
“If he didn’t help me, who’d help him if he ever needs it?” Jericho half turned and grinned at her.
“I don’t know. His partner Nate, since they’ll both be with the woman. They have declared for a triad marriage. But maybe he won’t fuck it up as you did and have to kidnap the woman he wants.” She raised an eyebrow.
Lover's Return Page 4
