Thief of Hearts Boxed Set

by Doreen DeSalvo

  “Wasn’t it just a little…” He didn’t finish.

  “A little what?”

  He bent her backwards over his arm and looked down at her face. God, he was strong. With just one arm, he held her weight effortlessly. “A little exciting.”

  Could he read her that easily? Or did he just know more about human sexual response than she did? She swallowed. To cover her nervousness, she toyed with the hair on his chest and lowered her gaze to her fingers. “A little.”

  With his free hand, he brushed her hair back from her face. “Then let me give you more. Okay?”

  Her fingers couldn’t stop foraging in his chest hair. “You’re asking my permission?”

  His smile looked a little…strained. Fake, maybe. “I guess I am. Just this once.”

  He wouldn’t hurt her…not seriously, at any rate. Like the biting of her breasts, of her lip, he’d just hurt her enough to give her that odd blend of pain and pleasure. To drive her crazy.

  She wanted to be crazy tonight—wanted to be a different woman than the uptight person she’d been all her life. She wanted to be the kind of woman he’d fantasized about all those years in his lonely cell. “All right.”

  Jake laid her down on the bed, settling her head on the pillow like she was fragile and precious. Without a word he stood up, crossed to her closet, and took down a handful of scarves from the wooden rack next to the door.

  When he knelt next to her on the bed, his smile looked teasing. With a little flourish, he draped one scarf over her chest, pulling the silk across her breasts. Her nipples peaked against the cool brush of the cloth. The scarf trailed down her belly, over her thighs.

  He rubbed his cheek against her pubic hair. “You have the silkiest pussy hair.” His voice rumbled against her thigh.

  The compliment was so earthy, so male…he made her feel so desirable. She ran her fingers through his hair again. He should definitely let it grow a few inches. Just enough for her to be able to tangle her fingers in it when he went down on her.

  Ah, that sounded like heaven.

  But he lifted his head and pulled the scarf back up, over her belly, over her breasts, along one arm. The tickling material went over one wrist. He smiled down at her and gently lifted her hand over her head, as if she was a doll he posed for his amusement. Then he lifted the other.

  The scarf slid along her arms, tickling her. She tried to pull away from the tormenting fabric, but her hands were stuck overhead. She frowned. Her wrists…he’d tied her wrists! Tied them to the headboard.

  “Jake…”

  His hands stroked down her arms to cup her breasts. “Hmm?”

  That handsome face looked teasing, with a little smile on his lips and a glitter in his eyes.

  “I’ve never…” She couldn’t say it. He’d just make fun of her.

  His fingers pinched her nipples, just a little. Just enough to make her gasp. He bent to her breast and took one nipple deep into his mouth, sucking hard. When he released her he brushed his cheek over her breast, gently abrading her with his faint trace of whiskers.

  “But you’ll do it for me.” He said it like a command.

  Yes! her body screamed. Her mind wasn’t so sure. “I suppose so.”

  He lifted his head and brought his face close to hers, pressing his forehead to her forehead in a tender, lover-like gesture. “If you want me to untie you, just say…Alcatraz.”

  She laughed. “Alcatraz?”

  Jake pulled back and smiled down at her. “The more outrageous the word, the more likely you are to remember it.”

  He had entirely too much practice at this kind of thing. How many other women had he tied up? She wasn’t about to let him know she couldn’t keep up with them. “Alcatraz,” she repeated.

  He froze, eyes narrowed, mouth a thin, unsmiling line. “Was that a trial run?”

  God, he could go from smiling to angry in no time flat. “Yes, it was a trial run. The next time I say it, you’ll have to untie me.”

  His expression didn’t lighten. Could she trust him? She took a breath to say the word again—but no…She didn’t want to know if she could trust him or not.

  She just wanted to be wild.

  Chapter Five

  “I want to make you scream,” Jake whispered.

  She was close to screaming already. His hands tormented her. He kept running them over her body, slow and soft, his gaze following. Over her collarbones, down her arms, then back again, over her aching breasts—not lingering long enough to satisfy. As if he wanted to stroke her all night. As if he couldn’t decide what to do with her next.

  She couldn’t even enjoy his teasing. Enjoy? He was driving her crazy. She’d expected something kinky, not this gentle touching. Was he afraid to get kinky with her? Maybe he didn’t think she could take it.

  His movements were too light, too soft. She lifted herself up against his hands, but the scarf held her down. She couldn’t get any leverage. “Jake…”

  His gaze met hers—wicked and teasing. “Hmm?”

  How could she tell him she wanted him to do more to her? He might think she was criticizing him. She knew how defensive he could get. “You said…no more vanilla.”

  One of those big, strong hands wrapped around the front of her neck. She felt a beat of pressure against her throat—his thumb.

  “If you knew what I want to do to you, Kate…”

  She twisted a little, rubbing her leg against his. “Do it. Do everything you want.” I won’t say no.

  Teasing hot breath filled her ear. Then a wet lick on the edge, a gentle bite on the lobe. She shivered.

  Another bite, this time on her neck, right under her ear. Now a lick. A soft, sucking kiss, hard enough to raise heat to her skin.

  He alternated bites, licks, and kisses around the front of her neck to the other ear. Hard enough to mark her with hickeys. She’d have to wear a scarf for a few days.

  He pulled away and traced across her neck with one finger. “I branded you.”

  “I can imagine.”

  “Did it hurt?”

  He looked merely curious. Did he want her to say it hurt, or that it didn’t? “Not much.”

  His head dropped to her breasts, and he suckled hard on one. So hard that it almost hurt. When her entire breast felt swollen and aching, he let go and scored her nipple lightly, brushing the edge of his teeth across the hard point. The little hint of pain made her body throb.

  She gasped. Oh, if only she could hold his head there.

  “Did that hurt?” His deep voice rumbled through her breast.

  “A little. But…” But not enough. “I…I want more.”

  He nipped the side of her breast, and she trembled. One warm hand cupped her breast, thumb stroking, while he sucked hard on the other. His hand soothed one breast…his mouth stung the other, sucking her so hard, hard against his teeth.

  Pain…pleasure…she couldn’t focus. But she wrapped her hands around the scarf and lifted her chest, trying to get closer.

  He pulled away and studied the lower half of her body. “I should tie you down more. You can still move your legs.”

  “All right.”

  He glared at her. “You couldn’t stop me if you wanted to.”

  “If I said no—”

  “I’d ignore you.” He cupped her sex with his hand. She arched into his hand, felt his fingers move through her wet, slick flesh. “This is mine. Your body is mine. Whatever I want, you’re going to give it to me.”

  She could stop him. All she had to do was say the word.

  Alcatraz. She didn’t even want to think it. A wild woman would never dream of stopping a man like Jake. “Yes.”

  His eyes flared. “You don’t even know what I want.”

  The hint of danger in his eyes made her heart race. She loved this feeling—out of control. Wild. Wanted. “Whatever it is…I want it, too.”

  “You have no idea what you’re asking for.”

  “Show me.”

  His hand
s ran up her torso, cupped her breasts. “When you’re all alone at night in this big bed, do you imagine a man touching you like this?”

  “Sometimes.”

  “Did you ever imagine a man tying you down?”

  “No.”

  His hands slid up her arms to the scarf. Was he going to untie her? She didn’t want him to. Not yet. “But that doesn’t mean I don’t like it.”

  He frowned at that. Didn’t he want her to like it? Maybe it was more exciting for him if he could imagine he was forcing her. She’d never wanted that before…but she’d always wanted a dangerous man. A man who’d take control, a man who could force pleasure on her.

  “How often do you—” He broke off and seemed to struggle for words. “How often do you satisfy yourself?”

  Now this was getting personal.

  What a ridiculous thought. She was lying here naked, her wrists tied, and talking about masturbation was too personal? “I don’t keep track. It varies.”

  He bent low, his head against her chest. She felt his arm moving…heard him rummaging around in her nightstand. When he raised his head and shifted to lie beside her, she saw a long, pink object in his hand.

  Her vibrator.

  She felt her face heat, for some stupid reason.

  “Do you always use this?” He sounded curious, nothing more.

  “Yes.” Her voice came out a whisper.

  The vibrator hummed to life. He stroked it across her breast, over her nipple. After the way he’d sucked and bitten her, the faint vibrations felt like a mere tickling. He moved it lower, down her stomach, a smooth, tingling vibration. She lifted her hips a little, and he pressed it lengthwise between her legs.

  She closed her eyes as he moved the vibrator up and down, sending glorious sensation through her clit. So good. She’d come any second.

  He pulled it away. She cried out at the loss. Her arms strained against the ties, her hips turning toward him.

  With one strong push on her hips, he turned her onto her side. She felt his body curl around her back, felt one hand grab her breast and lightly pinch the nipple. She pressed forward into his hand…then back against his chest.

  And the vibrator slid down her ass…between her legs again. Oh, yes. She lifted her knee, giving him more room. The vibrator slid along her pussy, back and forth, moving easily through all that wetness. She was dripping. His hand left her breast and grabbed her hip, moving her in rhythm with the sliding motion of the vibrator.

  “Is this how you use it?” His breath was hot on her neck, as hot as his chest felt pressing against her back.

  She could barely catch her breath to answer him. “No.”

  “No?”

  “No, I…”

  The vibrator slowed to a standstill, and she shifted her hips to keep the rhythm going. He held her waist tight, stopping her. With that restraining hand on her hip and his body hard against her back, she couldn’t move.

  “How do you use it?” he asked.

  Her face flamed. Thank God he couldn’t see from behind her. “I put it inside.”

  Suddenly the vibrator slid back, further back, until she felt the tip pressing against her ass. Pressing…oh God, pressing inside her ass.

  She gasped and tried to move away, but Jake pulled on her hip, fingers digging into her flesh as the vibrator pressed into her tight hole.

  He barely pushed an inch into her, but God, it felt like the whole thing. The strange penetration, the tightness, the burning sensation, made her whimper.

  “Like this?”

  “No.” She sounded pathetic, moaning the word.

  “Shhh.” His breath was hot in her ear. “You said you’d take anything I wanted to give you.”

  Yes, she would. And she’d even let him pretend he was forcing her. “It’s too big.”

  “You can take it, baby. You can take it for me.”

  She whimpered and moved back and forth, nudging the vibrator just a little. It didn’t hurt so much now. The gentle humming stimulated her just enough to make her want more. To make her want to climax.

  His breath came in hard pants against the back of her neck. “You like it, don’t you?”

  Did he want her to say yes, or no? She didn’t speak, just moaned.

  The wet glide of his tongue on the back of her neck made her jump back against the vibrator. “I know you like it. You’re pushing it further inside.”

  Pain seared her, and she cried out at the harsh feeling—he’d twisted the vibrator, pushed it in more.

  “Now it hurts again, doesn’t it?”

  She could barely catch her breath. “Do you…do you want to hurt me, Jake?”

  “Yes.” Teeth nipped the back of her neck. “I want to make you scream. Remember?”

  She’d thought he wanted her to scream with passion, not pain. Right now, with the vibrator spearing her tender asshole, she felt both at the same time.

  He pulled out the vibrator, leaving her sore and tingling…and feeling strangely empty. She heard the vibrator drop onto the hardwood floor, hitting so hard that it turned off.

  Jake pressed his cock along the crease of her ass, rubbing his full length against her. “I want you to know how it feels to want something so bad, it hurts.”

  God, she wanted him inside. “I know how it feels,” she gasped. “I want you so bad…”

  His hand found her hip again, pulled her tight against his hot cock. “How bad? Bad enough to beg?”

  Definitely. “Make me come, Jake. Please.”

  “Do you want me bad enough to give me anything I want?”

  “Yes, yes.”

  He bit the slope of her shoulder. “Bad enough to take me in the ass?”

  What? She shook her head. His cock was huge. She’d never be able to—

  “I knew you wouldn’t.” He sounded disappointed…and oddly satisfied at the same time. “I knew you could never want me.”

  He gasped, as if he couldn’t believe what he’d said. “I mean—I knew you could never want what I want.”

  She barely heard anything after his slip. She should have known—she’d worked with enough ex-cons. The anger, the self-loathing…it was all so familiar. Jake wanted her, but he didn’t believe that she could truly want him.

  Could she ever convince him? Maybe if she could touch him…stroke him…pull him tightly against her. If she could take his cock into her mouth and give him selfless pleasure.

  With her hands tied, she couldn’t even hold him. Words would have to do.

  “I want whatever you want, Jake.” She took a deep breath. “Take me…however you want to take me.”

  He rolled her to her back and loomed over her, glaring down into her face. “You’re lying.”

  “No, Jake. Feel how wet I am.”

  His hand moved between her legs, stroking and rubbing. “Any man would do this,” he ground out. “Even a piece of plastic would do this to you.”

  She shook her head. “Only you. I haven’t…” Well, this might convince him. “I haven’t been with a man in over three years.”

  He slowed his hand to a cold, tormenting rhythm. Deliberately trying to frustrate her. Damn him.

  “So I’m the lucky one.”

  His hand took all of her attention. She nodded mutely.

  One hard fingertip flicked her clit, back and forth, and she moaned. “Why me?”

  “I…” His fingers lifted away. She whimpered.

  “Why me?” he demanded.

  If she answered, maybe he’d stroke her again. “Because I thought you needed me.”

  His fingers moved idly, just one little tormenting touch. “So I’m a pity fuck.”

  “No! No, that’s not it at all.” She shunted her hips, trying to move against his hand.

  “You’re dying to come, aren’t you?”

  His face looked so cold, staring down at her while his fingers grazed her lightly…far too lightly. She had to close her eyes. “Yes.”

  “It hurts, doesn’t it? To want to come this
bad?”

  She nodded. “You’re killing me.”

  He pressed his cock to the side of her thigh, driving it hard against her. “Now you know how I feel. To want someone so bad, it hurts.”

  “I know,” she gasped. “And nothing…nothing you do could make me stop wanting you.”

  His hand left her completely. What—

  Her eyes met his. Oh God, she shouldn’t have said that. He looked furious, angrier than she’d ever seen him. “You think you know all about me.”

  She was tied up, helpless. Defenseless. “No, I just…I know you won’t hurt me, that’s all.”

  “I’ve already hurt you.”

  “I liked it.” Understatement.

  “And if I did something you didn’t like, you’d use the safe word.”

  “I won’t.”

  His eyes glittered. “Are you willing to prove it?”

  She still had the safe word. She could stop him if she really wanted to. If he tried to do anything crazy, like putting that massive cock anywhere near her behind. “Yes.”

  He rolled her to her stomach, and the scarves pulled tight. She whimpered.

  “What’s wrong?” His hot breath tickled her ear.

  “My wrists. The scarves are twisted.”

  He gripped her hips and pushed her up the bed. Now the pressure was off, but her heart beat fast. He’d just proven how vulnerable she was. If he didn’t honor the safe word—

  He would. Why bother giving it to her if he wasn’t going to let her use it?

  Teeth nipped the slope of her ass, and she lifted her hips automatically. “You know what I want, Kate. Are you going to try to stop me?”

  “Not yet.” An honest answer, at least.

  “I wonder how far you’ll let me go.” The barest hint of emphasis on the word let—as if he might not stop when she asked him to. She shivered. This was exactly what she’d wanted—an uninhibited man, one who’d push her to the brink but not over it.

  A wet hot slide went up one cheek of her ass—his tongue, for God’s sake.

  “Not all of the sex in prison is forced, Kate. Did you know that?”

  She’d never given it any thought. “No.”

  “Some of the guys got off on anal penetration. Both giving and receiving.”

  Why on earth was he telling her this?