by Cynthia Dane
“Thanks, I guess.”
“Hey, if you need anything… like someone’s ass kicked, ahem, let me know. Between what you did for me and what you’re doing for Kathryn… and I guess being such a good friend to my dear sister-in-law… I feel like I’ve completely slept on you. Um, you know what I mean by that.”
Kinda. Sounded either innocuous or some code Jasmine would never be let in on.
“Anyway, tootles. I’ve gotta be going.”
Before she could jet off into the distance, however, Jasmine asked her one pertinent question. “You didn’t happen to go to Hong Kong recently, did you?”
“Oh, I go here… I go there…” The smirk on her glistening face was more than telling.
I knew it. Jasmine wasn’t always on the up and up, but at least there was one relationship she knew about before half of high society. Granted, they probably didn’t care about it as much as she did, but it was a start.
***
“I love you,” Ethan said that night, cuddling up next to her in bed. “Whatever goes on tomorrow, know that.”
Jasmine didn’t think twice about letting him put the collar around her neck before she went to sleep. When she woke up, she would belong to Ethan, wholly and unequivocally. Monica’s words echoed in her head as she drifted off to dreamland. “I think you might be surprised at how much you really do trust him if you, well, trust him.” Jasmine would trust her fiancé. If she couldn’t trust him, then what was she doing marrying him?
Saturday would be very interesting… and hopefully a ton of mindless fun. Jasmine needed it before she went into full wedding gear.
Chapter 7
Jasmine awoke to more than Ethan wrapped snugly around her.
Great. Off to a great start. She didn’t know whether to push him off or let him have his way with her, but Ethan was already gently thrusting against her with one hand on her stomach and his mouth on the white of her throat.
“Good morning,” he murmured, the rough of his morning fuzz and raspy throat waking Jasmine up. “I hope you’re feeling well. It’s quite the day we have ahead of us.”
Jasmine’s fingers touched the collar still around her neck. It’s today, isn’t it? Was she allowed to speak? This early in the morning, she better be. “I’m feeling fine. Although, if I may say so, sir, you’d be stoking a fire you don’t want burning you if you try to feel me up too much before I have the chance to go to the bathroom.”
Ethan rolled away from her. “Not if I go first.”
“And say goodbye to that nice morning wood, sir?”
His hand brushed against her leg. “I’ll save it for later.”
Jasmine had no idea how their day would begin. So while she waited for Ethan to finish in the bathroom, she rolled around in bed, trying not to overthink what was expected of her that day. Relax. It’s going to be fun. This will probably be our last weekend together before the wedding. A message awaited her on her phone from Selena. Someone found out she had bachelorette party duties and was running by a million ideas, each one of them ending with, “I dunno how I would pay for that though. Ahem.”
Ethan got on his phone the moment he emerged from the bathroom. Jasmine recognized the way he talked to Belinda, who worked weekends because those were the two days Ethan was almost always home – she and Harold usually took Tuesday and Wednesday off instead. Can’t take Monday off because Mr. Billionaire needs help on his way to work Monday morning. Jasmine laughed to herself. The day she realized why Ethan almost always spent Monday and Tuesday nights at the penthouse was the day she saw him in a new lazy light.
“Blueberries or strawberries?” he asked Jasmine.
“Strawberries, please.”
So she got a side of strawberries for the breakfast brought to their room. Which they ate in bed, because why not?
It didn’t feel like they were in a scene yet. Ethan had little demands, and spent most of his breakfast flirting with Jasmine as she gradually woke up to the sun streaming across their bed. Ethan told her that he was glad she ordered strawberries, because then he could do this.
“Oh, I see,” Jasmine said, a strawberry tickling her leg as Ethan slowly drew it up to her knee. “You’re supposed to be eating that, sir.”
He brought it up to her lips. “I’d rather watch you eat it.”
She did so, slowly, so sensually that she was afraid Ethan would push her down onto the bed and upturn their half-eaten breakfast. He would. She would probably like it, although she would rather he save his energy for other pursuits later on. I would definitely appreciate it more.
“What do you want to do today?” Ethan asked her, after he put his plate off to the side and started working on Jasmine’s food with her. “We have time to kill until we need to be downtown to get ready for the dinner.”
“Dunno, sir. Thought you were calling all the shots today.”
He smiled, fingers crawling beneath her T-shirt and rubbing her skin. “I was hoping you would say that. Nevertheless, there’s some leeway today. Would you like to go for a drive?”
“Are you driving?”
“Of course.”
Jasmine smiled back at him. “You haven’t driven me around in way too long.”
“Between winter and my business, there haven’t been very many opportunities. Come on. Let’s get you dressed for the first half of our day.”
Jasmine wasn’t shocked when Ethan took over and picked out a dress for her to wear. He’s spending more time in my closet than I do. He eventually emerged with a soft pink sundress and a canary yellow sweater. The man was not the best at coordinating, but by the time Jasmine was dressed, she had to say it didn’t look too bad. Luckily, Ethan allowed her to pick out her shoes, and she chose some cheery white platform sandals.
Ethan informed the staff that they were going out for the day and would either be back very late or not until the next day. Either way, they wouldn’t need dinner.
Jasmine spun around in the bright morning sunlight as Ethan approached the long line of garages and stared at his collection of Italian sports cars. Normally he only drove the Lamborghini that was his pride and joy, but today he eyed the Maserati.
“Come over here and model on these hoods for me,” he called to Jasmine. Ethan was a sight in a black suit jacket… and dark denim jeans. Had he ever left the house wearing nothing but jeans since he started dating Jasmine? “I don’t want to pick a car that you don’t look great in.”
Jasmine didn’t care much for the Maserati – bit silly looking for her tastes. So she slid along that hood and then gracefully placed herself on the Lamborghini. When Ethan continued to dither between the two, Jasmine started rubbing her chest against the hood of her favorite car and pulling up her pink skirt. Just in case he hadn’t taken the hint yet.
“All right. We’ll take the Lambo. Go ahead and get in. I unlocked it.”
They were off the property and heading farther into the Hills before Jasmine had the chance to change her mind.
Ethan wasn’t a reckless driver, but he liked to go a little over the speed limit and easy on the breaks around the wide curves. The hood came down shortly after they left the garage, so Jasmine pulled her hair back into a tight ponytail in order to enjoy the cool spring breeze washing over her cheeks. Ethan revved the engine as they reached the top of Cornerstone Hill, the central piece of property in the cumulative Hills. Few estates were located up here, although there were signs of prospective buyers and developers.
“Do you remember the first time we came here?” Ethan asked, putting the car into park as they looked over a bright green valley dotted with floral colors and water.
“Of course I remember.” Jasmine took his hand on top of the center armrest. “It was the first time you took me to your home.”
“Yes. I had never taken one of my girlfriends there before. Belinda almost had a heart attack when I told her you were coming.”
Come I did that night. Ethan had given her a thorough inaugural to his most private chambers.
That was the night I realized I was falling in love with him. Jasmine had never been in love like that before, and it scared her witless. “I also gave you a blowjob up here.”
“Where haven’t you given me a blowjob?”
“I dunno, sir, it’s all you ever asked for during those first few weeks.” Jasmine couldn’t help it: she laughed, and not because her hair tickled her skin. “I remember after I signed your contract and started working for you… all I wondered was when you were going to have sex with me again.”
“Really? I don’t recall how long it took me to get inside you again.”
“Bullshit! It was a while! You can’t tell me you weren’t thinking of this.” She jerked her thumbs at herself. “Even when you were rubbing one out. Come on.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I never even touched myself that whole time.”
“All right, now I know that’s bullshit. You come at least once a day, and if you don’t, we call the doctor.”
Ethan leaned back in his seat, hands interlocking behind his head. God, he looks like such a douchebag. A hot douchebag, with his Armani sunglasses and jacket, perfectly fitted jeans that were the right amount of loose in the crotch, and a single navy blue T-shirt that was made of the softest cotton. Jasmine ran her fingers along it now, happy to personally know that Ethan was just hot, not a douchebag.
“Not every day. That sounds exhausting.”
“Then you should go to a doctor, sir.” Jasmine lived to feel him put his arm around her, with this warm breeze still touching her skin and the warmer sunlight making her feel so in love that her heart fluttered. “Because I read that a man should come at least once a day for optimum health.”
She ran her hand down his abdomen, feeling not only the strength of his muscles but the top of his jeans. How about we recreate that day you first took me for a drive? This was even the same car. That was a big deal, because most of the men Jasmine now knew changed cars multiple times a year. Ethan was loyal to everything and everyone, including his sports cars. He only bought a new model if it was updated enough to his liking. This was the same man who hadn’t yet bothered to buy his own plane and had a “small house” compared to other wealthy fuckers. I love it about him. He’s practical even though he’s so rich now. Well, as practical as it got in that world.
“Now, now,” Ethan said, plucking her hand off his crotch. “Don’t get handsy, my flower. There’s plenty of time for that later.”
“Do you promise?”
“Is this what you want?” Suddenly Ethan was looming over her, hand grazing her chin as he tipped her lips up toward his. “Are you not getting enough affection right now?”
Jasmine felt his breath against her mouth. Kiss me, damnit. She didn’t dare instigate it herself. Not today. “Thought we might celebrate that first day we came up here, sir.”
“You know what I remember?” His fingertips stroked her cheek before disappearing into her hair. “Me offering to give you something back and you saying no.”
“Ethan…”
“Lean back, my flower. It’s time for me to finally give back.”
Jasmine snapped back, eyes wide open. “Huh?”
“You heard me.” Ethan tapped the steering wheel with hasty fingers. What’s he gonna do with those? “Or are you going to disobey? Have you gotten so complacent today that you’ve forgotten what we’re doing?”
The collar felt tight around Jasmine’s throat. “I’m sorry, sir. Of course, I’ll do whatever you want.”
“Then why are you hesitating? Go on. Lean back against the door and give yourself over to me.” The sharp look emanating from his eyes was enough to make Jasmine quiver right there in her leather seat. Ethan had the same thought as her. “Last time I got you all over my desk.” His fingers tapped harder. “Now I want you all over my car.”
Jasmine gasped when he launched from his seat and pushed her in the corner between seat and door. Something dug into her back, and she couldn’t figure out what. She also didn’t care. “Sir…”
He kissed her, for the first real time that day, his lips hitting her like a brick to the head. Jasmine was quick to wrap her hand around his neck and fall into the hypnotic rhythms of making out in the front seat of a car. Naturally, that wasn’t the only rhythm taking her over. She also felt him rub her thigh beneath her skirt, his thumbs pressing hard, harder into her flesh as they marched toward the red silk underwear he chose for her to wear earlier that day.
“I knew you wanted it,” he whispered in her ear. Jasmine was already a troia, a word she learned from spending half a day in Bonita’s presence. “You’re getting wetter the longer we sit here. Do you want me to do it?” He lightly smacked her thigh, and Jasmine whimpered in time for him to kiss her again. Harder. Her head almost hit the rest behind her. Taking a powerful kiss from him takes a lot of effort. And I’ve got a lot of effort right now.
“Please,” she whispered back at him. The breeze was cooling, wasn’t it? Or maybe it was making her cool in the sunlight. We’re in public. Kinda. Technically. Was Ethan seriously going to pleasure her somewhere anyone could drive up and see? I think I would die. From pleasure? From mortification? Jasmine could not tell. “Do it.”
“Tell me,” Ethan said, his smirk only matched by the teasing that now commenced between her legs. He wants to kill me. Of course he did. He wanted her so eager that she wouldn’t say no to anything. It was already bad enough her legs spread wide – or as wide as they could get – in the front seat of his Lamborghini. “Did you learn any good words when you were in Italy? I want to hear what you learned.”
Had he been reading her mind again? “Nothing in particular, sir.”
“Let me give you a brief lesson.” Ethan’s kisses were getting heavier. “Ogni volta che ti bacio dimentico dove sono.” His voice growled on her lips. “Do you know what that means?”
Jasmine shook her head. Ethan’s fingers pushed against her slit. “No, sir.”
“It means that every time I kiss you, I forget we’re in this car and that anything around us matters. Now, do you want me to further forget where the fuck I am?”
“Yes, sir.”
His lips lingered on her throat, teeth tugging on her collar as one finger pushed aside her lingerie and dipped into her arousal. “I have no idea where the fuck I am. All I know is that it’s warm around my finger.”
All Jasmine knew was that she was getting fingered in a Lamborghini. Always a first time for everything.
If she thought anything would be gentle this early in the day, then she was sorely mistaken. Ethan lived to do nothing but pleasure her right now, although most of that pleasure probably transferred to him and turned him into a vessel of Jasmine’s worth. Because it wasn’t enough for him to stick one finger in her and watch her writhe and gasp in his car. The bastard – the wonderful, devilishly handsome bastard – had to go and stick another one in there. He meant some business.
“You’re gonna make me come, sir,” she said.
“You think that’s not what I want?” His fingers were so deep that Jasmine couldn’t help but welcome him into her, one arm curling around his body while the other held her against the car door. “You would be so wrong. Fuck my fingers and come. Now.”
How could she disobey such a curt order? Jasmine threw herself into what he did to her, hips raising off the seat and then crashing back down again with every thrust. It took about another twenty seconds before a heavy wave of orgasm overcame her and sent her shaking against the leather seat of the Lamborghini.
“See?” Ethan pulled his fingers from her, letting their wetness drip on her thigh. My underwear’s soaked now. Was that going to be her fate today? Walking around with wet lingerie because her Dom thought it was hot? “You did want it.”
“I know, sir.” She was still breathless, but Jasmine was good at not betraying how much so. “I hope that’s not all today.”
Ethan sat back, pulling a handkerchief from his pocket to wipe his fingers with
. “Hardly. Now close your legs before the wind dries you out. We’ve got a long drive into town.”
***
They spent most of the afternoon downtown, walking hand-in-hand when they weren’t in some shop looking for new decorations for their homes or having lunch in an outdoor café that let Jasmine feel that breeze in a new light.
Ethan was a perfect gentleman outside of making his girlfriend come in front of God and most definitely country. He didn’t let her carry anything but her purse, unafraid to be seen with more than one shopping bag that soon disappeared into his car. Jasmine had no qualms pouring him drinks at lunch, and he in turn engaged her in conversations that made her forget they were technically in a scene for a while. Is this what Monica was talking about? Forgetting the kink aspect and doing what feels natural? The only thing that had changed from this moment to what they usually did when out for a day was the heavy air of what they were about.
Jasmine never forgot she wore her collar. Ethan wasn’t just her fiancé. He was her Dom today, and she had to do whatever he wanted, and anticipate things he didn’t even know he yet wanted. She was constantly brushing his jacket clean so he looked presentable wherever they went. Jasmine was pretty sure a professional photographer from a paper caught a shot of them, but she didn’t care. So what if they showed up in the society pages out on a date?
People complimented her collar. Granted, most of those people had no idea what it symbolized, but Jasmine still blushed to hear how beautiful it was. Ethan thanked them on Jasmine’s behalf, who was so flummoxed that Ethan had to lead her away from every situation.
This whole time, she thought about how much she wanted to please him.
They were getting married in over six weeks. Pretty soon, Jasmine would be Mrs. Cole, one of the most envious positions around. Surely, Ethan understood this. No matter how many times he said he wanted to be with her above all other women, Jasmine still worried that he wasn’t pleased enough with her. Funny how that thought only came to her when she had the collar on. Maybe she was more natural at this whole sub thing than she thought.
