Trying for a sexy exit, she swung one leg high and used the momentum to propel herself off his lap. The heels were still precarious, but she managed to stand and walk a few feet away.
Before she could turn, he spoke. “Stop there. Now bend over.”
With her back to him? Well, obviously. He did have a bit of an ass fetish—and she’d reaped a lot of pleasure from it. She bent forward from the waist, putting her hands to her knees like a bikini-clad woman on a cheesy old French postcard. For good measure, she hiked one hip higher than the other. The skirt was so short, he could probably see a huge amount of her behind. Who cared? They were alone.
“Move your legs apart.”
In the outrageous heels, she had to straighten first, move her feet apart, then bend over again.
Before she knew what was happening, Jake was on his knees behind her, pressing his face into her crotch from behind. His breath felt hotter than sin on her pussy, scorching her with each exhalation. Thank goodness she’d showered—she’d feel too self-conscious for this otherwise. When he moved his mouth back and forth, nudging his way deeper, the masculine stubble on his cheeks abraded her thighs in a way that set her heart racing. She’d fall over in a second.
Then a strong tongue reached out and pushed the crotch of her panties to the side, licking underneath. She moaned and reached for the bed. Too far. But if she moved, he’d stop. She knew that somehow. Bracing her hands on her knees again, she held on for balance.
Relentlessly, he licked deeper. Her panties were already soaked, but he kept licking, pushing his way into her body, retreating to flick the tip against her clit.
“Oh!” She bent over further, opening herself more. Her legs trembled with the effort of staying in such an awkward position, and she swayed back into his face.
He laughed against her pussy. She didn’t care. As undignified as the position was, the pleasure of his tongue made it all worthwhile.
A blast of cold air chilled her sex when he pulled away. With one finger, he snapped her panties against her crotch.
Her lower back cramped for a second when she stood. She reached out to him, but he took a step away.
“Let’s go.”
Her jaw dropped. How could he bring her to this point and then not satisfy her? “Don’t you want to…”
He scowled. “You can fuck me half blind, but you can’t say the word?”
If that’s what it took…She licked her lips. “Don’t you want to fuck me?” Her voice was breathless and a little wounded. Didn’t he want her?
“Not right now. Let’s go out to dinner first.”
Dressed like this? “You can’t be serious.”
He sighed. “You say that to me a lot, Kate. I don’t ever want to hear it again.”
She waved one hand, aimlessly indicating her jiggling breasts, her exposed legs. “I can’t go out like this.”
His answer was a raised eyebrow. “Don’t test me. I’ll drag you out if I have to.”
He had to be kidding. “I’m not built like a model, Jake. I’ll be too uncomfortable without a bra.” Not to mention without a decent amount of leg coverage.
One strong hand reached out and cupped her breast. His thumb rubbed back and forth over the nipple, and she bit her tongue to hold in the moan.
“No, you’re definitely not built like a model.” His lips lowered to her ear. “You won’t need a bra. You’ll have my hands holding you in.”
Her mouth went dry. Why couldn’t she think of anything to say?
Hot breath rushed over her earlobe. “I want every man in the restaurant to envy me, Kate. I want them all to look at you and get hard-ons. I want them to go home and jerk off, thinking about you—knowing I’m fucking you and they aren’t.”
What a fantasy. She’d never been the type to show off her cleavage before, preferring a man who wanted her mind more than her body. But Jake…Jake made her want to be a pure and total sex object. The kind of woman every man lusted over.
But this was too close to nakedness. If she couldn’t hold her head up proudly, she wouldn’t look sexy no matter what she wore.
Maybe she could cover up a bit so that no one noticed she wasn’t wearing a bra. Without moving, she spoke into his shoulder. “It’s chilly out. At least let me put a jacket on.” She’d pick a long one, to cover her legs a bit.
“All right.” He went to the closet and pulled out a pale blue silk blazer. Leave it to Jake to choose the sexiest coat in her wardrobe. The thing didn’t even have buttons to hold it closed.
He held it out, almost the perfect gentleman, and she slipped her arms into the sleeves. The brush of cool silk on her bare arms raised a few goose bumps. The simple jacket was too short to cover any more of her legs than the skimpy skirt did, but the peaked lapels made it look refined. Underneath, the camisole almost seemed elegant instead of trampy. Her legs were still bare, but most of her cleavage was concealed.
Yes, this was as much of a stretch for her as she dared. She tilted her head back and smiled up at him. “Thank you.”
He smiled back. “See? I can compromise sometimes.”
She reached out to take his arm, but he moved too fast. Without warning, he bent suddenly and groped under her skirt. Was he going to take her to bed after all?
His fingers stroked up her thighs, then down—taking her panties with them. Tearing fabric rent the silence. God, he’d torn off another pair of her underwear!
With an unrepentant grin, he tossed the ruined cloth over one shoulder. It didn’t make a sound when it hit the carpet.
Hands on hips, she glared at him. “Must you tear up all of my panties? You could have told me not to put them on in the first place, Jake.”
He put his hands over hers, then stroked down her backside. “Yeah, but this was more fun.”
Without underpants, she felt even more naked. The skirt was so short, she’d have to be careful not to flash anyone. At least she wouldn’t have to worry about panty lines. Still…who was he, to treat her this way? “Look, Jake. I don’t have an endless supply of underclothes. The next time you don’t want me to wear something, ask me to take it off.”
His wandering hand stilled. “Are you giving me an order?”
She didn’t want to fight with him, she really didn’t. “No. I’m making a request.”
He laughed.
Of all the rude, arrogant—
“I’ll think about it.”
That was the most consideration she was likely to get from Jake Monroe. How much longer was she willing to put up with this treatment?
A sharp slap on her behind made her gasp. In the precarious high heels, she had to clutch at his arm to keep from falling.
“That’s for taking so long to shower.”
A second slap heated her bottom even more. “That’s for arguing with me over your damned panties.”
Her ass lifted, craving another, and moisture pooled between the lips of her sex. Well, there was her answer. She’d put up with a lot to get this kind of treatment.
He gave her bottom a soft pat, then another. More of a caress than a punishment. “You want more, don’t you?”
Breathless, she nodded. “Please.” The word was a whisper.
“Not now, baby.” He stroked down over her ass, until his fingers met the hem of the skirt—not a far distance. “If you behave yourself during dinner, then maybe later.”
“How…how should I behave?” Was that little whimper really her voice? Her, a respected member of the District Attorney’s office, a self-made woman, timorously asking a man like Jake Monroe how she should behave?
His smile was somehow tender, as if he enjoyed her concern. “I’ll tell you later. And if you don’t listen…” The words trailed off. His fingers teased along the front of her thighs, edging the skirt higher. Then suddenly his hand left her, and he took her elbow to lead her out of the room.
“If I don’t listen?” she prompted.
“If you don’t listen, I’ll give you a hell of a lot mor
e than a spanking.”
Her clit tingled. God help her, she wanted more.
But if Jake thought he had the upper hand, he was mistaken. He might be giving the orders, but he needed her to play along. No matter what he did, how far he pushed her, she’d only give in when it suited her.
The real power would be hers.
Chapter Nine
She looked hotter than a supermodel, and he couldn’t keep his hands off of her. Reluctant to break contact for even a minute, he put the palm of his hand against her lower back when they walked across the parking lot toward the restaurant. A subtle mark of his possession.
Her fingers gripped his arm for balance. How the hell did she walk on those stilts? As long as they kept her clinging to him, he didn’t care. Ever since he’d run into her last night—such a surprise, seeing Kate after all those years—he’d felt second class next to her. But not tonight. Tonight he’d show her he was her equal.
And he didn’t need to dominate her to do it.
No, the domination was something else. Something more visceral. It might be a little twisted, but it was what he needed. What Kate needed. He’d never been more certain of anything in his life.
As they entered the restaurant, Kate pulled the lapels of her jacket together, but that didn’t do much to hide the luscious cleavage underneath. She might be wearing the sluttiest clothes outside of a Broadway strip club, but nothing could hide her essential elegance. From the sweep of her silky hair to the perfectly manicured red nails on her feet, every inch of this woman screamed quality.
Amazing that such a beautiful woman would hold her head up high and walk beside him into a restaurant. Even if she only held his arm for balance, it was still a public declaration of sorts.
The maitre d’ kept a stone face when he saw them.
Jake pressed a ten into the guy’s hand. “Monroe. A quiet table for two. Very quiet.”
A quick scan of the reservations sheet, and the bill disappeared without even a glance. “Of course, sir.”
Maybe he could have given him a one and saved some money. What the hell, he had a wad burning a hole in his pocket. The foreman had paid him double today, impressed with his work and wanting to make sure Jake showed up tomorrow. Might as well blow it all on showing Kate a good time. He just had to make sure he kept enough for the cover charge at the club he planned to take her to later.
They followed the maitre d’ through a crowded main room. The restaurant was dark and genteel, one of those places with aimless tinkly piano music and velvet-covered high-backed chairs. Half of the men in here were old, overweight, and balding—and their female companions looked like the type who got paid to smile into those paunchy faces.
“That’s so cool!” one of the bleached blonde bimbos trilled, elongating the “so” into several syllables. Whatever her escort had said, Jake was willing to bet it wasn’t the least bit cool.
In a small side room, five or six tables were spread around a central fireplace with a huge copper chimney. Since it wasn’t a very cold night, the fireplace was filled with a complicated floral arrangement. The flickering candles on each table cast more light than the dim sconces on the mahogany-paneled walls.
Only two other diners sat in the room—a pair of men in wrinkled white shirts, ties loosened and suit jackets slung over the extra chairs at their table. Looked like a working dinner. They had papers spread out amidst the bread basket and martini glasses, and one of them made notes with a small mechanical pencil while they talked.
The perfect audience for what Jake had planned.
The maitre d’ led them to a table almost halfway around the room. Jake surveyed the view while he held Kate’s chair for her.
Absolutely perfect. The fireplace would be enough of a screen for some privacy, but not so much privacy that he couldn’t show Kate off.
She looked up at him as he gently pushed in her chair, surprise in her eyes. “Thank you, Jake.”
Like he didn’t know common courtesy. Ignoring her comment, he brushed her hair back over her shoulder. “I’m glad you left it down.”
With a little smile, she turned away to take her menu from the hovering waiter. Jake sat down in the chair next to her.
When the waiter left, she turned partway toward him. “I thought you’d sit across from me.”
Time to start showing her what he had in store for the rest of the meal. Under the cover of the tablecloth, he put one hand on her knee and slowly slid it up the silky length of her leg. “Guess you thought wrong.”
Not the most brilliant comment he’d ever made, but with his hand on her bare thigh it was hard to think.
Under his fingers, her muscles went tight. “Please don’t.”
Her trembling little pleas set his blood on fire. “Why do you think I asked you to wear these clothes tonight, Kate?”
Her gaze lifted to his. This close, he could see the flickering flame of the candle reflected in her green eyes. “Asked? I thought it was an order.”
He skimmed lightly over her skin, feeling goose bumps raise under his fingertips. “You don’t mind either way, do you?”
“I suppose not.”
“Especially not when I have a hand this close to your cunt.”
She gasped as if she’d never heard the word before. What an innocent.
He followed the seam of her legs up to her pussy and tugged hard at the wiry hair. Her breath hitched, but she gave no other indication she felt the pain. “This is why I wanted you to wear these clothes.” He stared at the pale white globes of her breasts, barely covered by that scrap of a shirt, then lifted his gaze to her eyes. “Whenever I decide to touch you, I want you to be accessible to me.”
A blush fired her cheeks, but she didn’t answer.
With one finger, he pressed lower, wriggling down between her clenched thighs until he felt wet cream. Her chest rose and fell with rapid breaths.
The excitement of having his hand on her pussy—in public—sent a fierce current of arousal to his cock. He spoke casually, at normal volume, as if there was nothing unusual in what he said. “You belong to me tonight, Kate. You’re not allowed to protest.”
Her gaze seemed transfixed by the candle.
The growing pressure in his crotch made it impossible not to stroke her. He traced shallow, teasing circles in her wetness, playing with the moist lips of her sex. “When I touch you intimately, you will do nothing but enjoy it.”
The guys at the next table had stopped talking. They weren’t looking at him and Kate, but they sat like statues. Must have heard his demands. Excellent. “When I tell you to touch me in return, you’re going to do it.”
“Yes, Jake.”
Yes, Master. If he had to ask her to say the word, it wouldn’t mean as much. “Do you know why you’ll do it?”
Her brows furrowed and her eyes grew concerned, as though he’d asked her a trick question. “Because you asked me to?”
He shook his head. “Because you want to please me.” Deliberately, he gave her clit a quick scrape with his fingernail, mimicking the nip of his teeth. She bit her lip hard and closed her eyes. “Isn’t that right, Kate?”
She nodded so fiercely, her hair slid over her shoulders. What a beauty. And his, all his. At least for one more night.
He wouldn’t think beyond tonight.
It took an act of determination to pull his finger away from the wet heat of her pussy and put it against her lips.
Her eyes went wide.
“Lick,” he demanded.
The candlelight shone bright off of the wetness of her eyes. Was she crying? If she felt ashamed already, she’d never be able to handle what he had in store for the rest of the night.
Her tongue circled the tip of his finger, then pulled it inside. He didn’t dare look at the other table—didn’t want Kate to see those men just yet—but knowing they were watching, and guessing where his hand had been, made his cock swell to full hardness. When she pulled his forefinger into her mouth and suckled, he almo
st came in his pants. The sensation was too close to the mind-searing blow job she’d given him that afternoon. If he wasn’t careful, he’d end up the one begging for sex tonight.
He pulled his finger away, slipped his hand inside her jacket, down the front of her top, and rubbed the wetness over one hard, pebbled nipple. Little white teeth bit down on her lip.
“If I tell you to expose this lovely breast to another man, you’re going to do it.”
She licked her lips. “Maybe.”
He captured her nipple between two fingers and pinched hard. “I said you will.”
Her eyes closed in surrender. “Yes.”
“That’s more like it.”
He hadn’t kept his voice down at all. A quick glance at the other table found the men casting nervous glances their way, probably eager to see if he made Kate flash them.
A soft footstep, the tinkle of ice cubes against glass—he pulled his hand back from her breast a second before a lackey appeared to fill their water glasses, the waiter right behind him. “Are you ready to order?”
They hadn’t even looked at the menu. “Yes.”
He saw confusion and concern in Kate’s eyes, but she didn’t make a peep. Not even when he flipped open the menu and ordered the first two things he saw. “A Caesar salad with shrimp for the lady, and the grilled sea bass for me.”
“Would you care for something from the bar?”
Liquor would only dull his senses. “An iced tea for her, and a Pepsi for me.”
“Very good, sir.” The waiter took their menus and disappeared.
Jake slid his hand under the tablecloth again, onto the satin smoothness of Kate’s upper thigh. “That was good, baby. Just let me tell you what to eat tonight. Let me make all the decisions and do all the work. You relax and enjoy.”
“All right.” There was something in her tone, some hesitation, that told him she wasn’t fully committed. Not yet.
She reached out for her water glass.
He grabbed her wrist and held firm. “Now what did I just say?”
Startled green eyes looked up at him. She looked confused for just a second, then her expression cleared. “May I have a drink, Jake? I’m thirsty.”
Thief of Hearts Boxed Set Page 14
