“There’s my cue to leave,” Nathan said.
“There’ve been many that you’ve missed,” Connor replied.
“Oh. You wanted to be alone? Why didn’t you say so?” After shooting her a disarming grin, he finished his coffee. “Hope to see you Sunday, Lara.” Any further conversation was cut off when Connor showed Nathan out.
This time, the door was closed and locked with a decisive click.
He returned and moved aside the chair Nathan had been sitting in. Connor propped his hips on the edge of the desk with his legs spread. “Now, come here.” He pointed to a spot directly in front of him. “Let me greet you properly.”
She wanted to object. They hadn’t hammered out their agreement. Getting ensnared by him put her in a worse bargaining position. Then she told herself that it was too late. She was already captivated by him.
“Come here, sub.”
“I’m not your submissive.”
“Yet.”
Letting the objections die unspoken, she did as he requested.
“Good,” he approved. He put his hands on her hips and drew her a bit closer. “Kiss me.”
Lara wondered if she was capable of denying him anything.
He claimed her lips.
His first touch was a soft, sensual joining that demolished her resistance. It was sweet with the promise of tenderness.
Then, that accomplished, he threaded a hand through her hair so he could cradle her head while holding her captive. He plunged his tongue into her mouth, tasting, exploring, demanding her surrender.
Even if she wanted to withhold it, her body would betray her. She wanted him.
He tasted of determination as he all but fucked her with his tongue. Her knees weakened and she leaned into him for support. Since he hadn’t told her otherwise, she held onto him, grabbing handfuls of his silk suit. As always his support was absolute.
She was unable to breathe, unable to think. The only thing she recognized was her total capitulation to him. The more he gave, the more she wanted.
When he finally ended the kiss and drew away, she released him. She pressed her fingers to her mouth, not because he’d been too rough but because she wanted to remember the exquisite sensations.
“How’s your ass?”
“I’m sorry?”
“Any pain from yesterday’s spanking?”
The only thing she’d received from that was a restless night as the memories had tormented her. It had hurt, but in a way that had left her woozy for more. He was brilliant, she conceded. He only gave her enough to keep her curious. “I’m fine.”
“Show me.”
She knew it would be useless to ask him to repeat what he’d said or to question the order. Connor Donovan always meant what he said. She could argue with him, insisting that she wouldn’t do anything until they’d sorted out things between them. But what would that gain her?
A newly found devilish part of her personality drove her on. Each experience she’d had with him was hot.
“I’m waiting,” he prompted her.
Slowly, she turned. She pulled her hem up around her waist.
“Fuck me.” He sucked in a breath. “Panties over the garter straps. You dressed that way on purpose.”
Yes, she had.
On that long-ago trip to the lingerie store, she’d bought a black bra, garter belt and matching panties set. She’d added several pairs of stockings. Until this morning, they’d remained at the bottom of her lingerie drawer.
Connor’s reaction to her unusual boldness made her giddy.
He stroked her buttocks then skimmed the insides of her thighs, stopping just millimeters from her pussy.
Her breath caught.
“There’s not even a single mark. No reminders.”
“No physical marks.” She looked at him over her shoulder. “But I have plenty of memories.”
“Do you?”
His eyes were narrowed, and she felt the sensuality simmer between them.
“Shall I give you some more?”
When he’d said that he’d make her beg, she’d scoffed at the idea. But need was becoming its own, clawing thing. “Yes,” she whispered.
“Ask.”
“Mark me.”
In response, he growled then pulled down the bikini panties. His gruffness caught her off guard, turned her on.
She stepped out of the silk and lace underwear, and he wadded them into a ball which he stuffed into his pocket. “I may need to go shopping if you keep confiscating my underwear.”
“Feel free to bill any lingerie to me.”
With his thumb, he outlined the straps of her garter belt, igniting her skin, arousing her. In unspoken plea, she spread her legs.
Accepting her invitation, he pressed a finger to her clit then gently began to move back and forth.
She clenched her hands on the top of the desk.
“You’re so very responsive, little Lara.”
Until him, it had never been like this.
Deep inside, an orgasm took form. But before she could climax, he pulled back and slapped her right ass cheek, striking from the bottom up. There was pain, but so much more pleasure, and it heated her pussy. “Please…”
Connor leaned forward and bit the side of her neck.
“My God,” she cried out.
He put a hand across her mouth before slapping her left buttock. That one would leave a mark, she was sure.
By slow measures, the man was driving her mad. “Now, now, now…”
“Yes.” He plunged two fingers inside her, and he pumped them hard and fast.
Thrusting backward and grinding against him, she sought more. The combination of her scalding ass and the way he tormented her pushed her over the edge. She came, the explosion ripping through her. She screamed, but the sound was muffled by his palm.
He held her while she struggled to regain a normal breathing pattern. For a minute longer than she needed to, Lara stayed where she was.
She was starting to realize how much she enjoyed being in his arms. His strength soothed her. The last few years she’d been mostly alone, fighting constant battles with her father at work while having no one to lean on. Because of the situation between her parents, she couldn’t even turn to her mother for advice.
Connor was the first person who’d really offered help and support. She just wished the costs weren’t so high.
He helped Lara to stand, and he straightened her clothes. “Do you always dress like that?”
“Rarely.”
“I’m torn between telling you to do it every day and forbidding you from ever doing it again.”
That she had the power to arouse him made her breathless. “I wrinkled your jacket earlier,” she said, smoothing out the material.
“Small price,” he said, “for that kind of response to my kiss. Now, about the contract?”
Of course he brought it up when her thoughts were filled with him. “Are you going to give me my panties back?”
“No chance.” His grin was smug.
So she was supposed to negotiate while her pussy was damp? Would her next few years be spent this way?
After tucking her skirt beneath her, she resumed her seat.
Instead of sitting behind his desk, he took the chair Nathan had vacated. He sat back, index fingers pressed together, an inch or so in front of his face. “I assume you have a copy of the agreement in your briefcase?”
It would be easier to look at the pages together, but his proximity was distracting. Calling on her years of professional experience, she pulled out the document and flipped to the pages in question. She decided to start with the small things. “I understand that you don’t want my father to know the details of our arrangement—”
“Or the press or the general public,” he clarified.
“And I understand that you need your family to know since, I assume, they’re also on your board of directors.”
He nodded.
“I didn’t reali
ze you’d start telling people so early.”
“Just Nathan.”
“It’s important to me that my mother knows the truth.”
“Ah.” He tapped his fingers together. “Tell me why.”
“DNA.”
He looked at her over the tops of his hands.
“ESP is more like it,” she said wryly. “She knows everything about me.”
He laughed.
“It’s really not funny,” she insisted. “More than anything, it’s scary. What she doesn’t know, she guesses, and she’s right. I’m not sure, honestly, that I’ll be able to keep it secret. I’ve never really kept anything big from her.”
“I’d like to meet her first.”
“I had the impression you were anxious to get the contract signed.”
“We could see her this evening. Or over the weekend.”
His answer was more than she’d expected and less than she’d hoped. “She’ll be an ally.”
“If she agrees with the union. It could be that she wants her only child to be happy and to marry for love and not to sacrifice herself for the family business. Her ex-husband’s family business.”
That argument was probably valid, she conceded. Even Lara liked the idea of marrying for love. “I’d be willing to bet she’d support me. She’s also a member of the board. Hasn’t been to a meeting in over a year, but she retained her seat as part of the divorce settlement. If she’s on our side, she can be vocal as well as persuasive. The people my father appointed are also lifelong friends of hers.”
“I look forward to meeting her, then,” he reiterated.
She sighed.
“Next point?”
“Your addendum. Neither item A nor item B will hold up in court.”
“Probably not.”
“So why are they there?”
“Our signatures both matter. It shows we’ve discussed these things and that we both have the same understandings. I want you clear about my expectations. It will make our marriage happier.”
“About that…”
It appeared as if he was struggling to hold back a grin.
“Three years?”
“Longer is probably better. Company turnarounds often work on a five or ten year plan. Is that what you wanted to suggest?”
Suddenly three seemed wonderful. “That’s a long time to tie up our futures.” And a long time for her to be his submissive.
“In personal time, it is. In terms of business, successive quarters, mergers, acquisitions, sales, due diligence reports, it’s nothing.”
Which brought her to item B again. “Loyalty to you as a husband… I love my father. Our marriage will end, but he’s my father forever.”
“Turn to me. My shoulders are broad. You may see it as a conflict, but the truth is, this is for him, as well. There’s no more selfless act than to help save the business that matters so much to him.”
The paper was between them, and she met his gaze. “You make it sound easy.”
“It doesn’t have to be difficult. He’s cantankerous and perhaps overwhelmed.”
“Stubborn. Which makes you two a bit alike.”
“I think that was meant as an insult.” But there was no acrimony in his tone.
“It wasn’t meant that way.”
“I believe you.”
“As for my house, I’d like to keep it.”
“You could rent it out.”
“I’m not sure I want to put my belongings in storage for that long. And I’d hate to sell it. I shopped for it for years, and… It may seem ridiculous, but it’s mine. I want somewhere to go back to when this is over. Would you consider moving in with me?” The idea made her blood heat. She pictured him naked, enjoying Saturday breakfast, coming home after a business trip.
“I prefer to be downtown near the office.”
“I understand that, especially for a single man. And my yard is my respite from the world. I have enough room for you to be comfortable. Will you think about it, at least?”
“Lara—”
“For me?”
“Now who’s not fighting fair?”
“Thank you.” She leaned toward him and kissed his forehead.
His eyes widened for a moment before he schooled his reaction. But she’d had a glimpse. For all his gruffness, he did have a softer side. If she weren’t careful, she might start to fall for this man. Nothing could be more dangerous to her emotional and mental health.
“That’s it? No further objections?”
“The financials are fairly straightforward. I’ll get you mine. But we have to sort all of these things out.”
“Do you have plans this evening?”
“No.”
“Do you shower or bathe before bed?”
“Generally I take a bath to help me relax.” Which is why she had fallen in love with his soaker tub.
“Good. Call me before you climb into bed. Be naked.”
She looked at him, knew she was falling under his spell, taking another step toward being his submissive and not objecting to the journey. “Is there a reason?”
“Yes.”
“Care to enlighten me?” she asked when he allowed the silence to stretch.
“No.”
She needed to be careful, she realized, or else she’d give him anything he asked for.
“Let me know when you’ve set up that meeting with your mother so we can get our agreement over to your lawyer. I’m looking forward to talking to you tonight.”
Chapter Six
Just before ten, Connor’s phone rang.
He answered immediately, “Good evening, Lara.” Wife-to-be. Ridiculous how much he liked that thought.
“I…” She paused.
He waited.
“I had a bath.”
She had an amazing, appealing combination of innocence and boldness. Even before the marriage proposal, she’d intrigued him. With it, she’d snared him. “Tell me what you’re wearing.”
“A towel. Peach colored.”
The addition of the detail made him hard. He imagined the shade made her honeyed skin seem even more sun-kissed.
All evening, he’d been thinking of Lara, remembering the sight of her bent over his desk, his bed.
He’d dove into the building’s swimming pool soon after he’d gotten home. As he’d cut through the water with powerful strokes, he’d realized that he was thinking of the future. The thought had startled him. Since the loss of his father, he’d exercised to keep the grief at bay or to sort through the numerous difficulties he faced running a multinational company. “Where are you in your house?”
“My bedroom.”
“Drop the towel and lie on your bed. Face down so that you can put the phone next to you on speaker.” He wondered if she’d protest.
Moments later she murmured, “Yes, Sir.”
“You’re so wonderful, Lara.” He sat back against the living room sofa and reached for his glass of brandy. He took a sip while he listened to her movements. The sounds grew louder as she found the speaker button and he heard a faint whisper that might have been her towel falling to the floor.
In the past, he hadn’t thought a lot about getting married. Rather, it had been an abstract thought. The only thing he’d known for sure was that D/s would be a part of any union. But he’d had no idea how rewarding it would be. Having this woman, so smart, courageous, beautiful as his submissive? The reality was sublime.
“I’m in position, Sir,” she said.
“You’re right-handed?”
“I am.”
“I want you to use your left hand to part your labia. Then use your right to stroke your clit, make sure it’s exposed, meaning pull back the hood. I want you to feel this deeply.”
She moaned.
“Touch only the outside of your pussy.”
“This feels strange to be doing this with you, like…”
While she was searching for words, he instructed her, reassured her by saying, “Do as you
’re told, Lara. There’s no room for you to be embarrassed when you’re pleasing me. Imagine I’m there.”
“I wish you were. This was easier when you were doing it.”
“Some time when we’re together, I’ll watch you do it and give you some pointers.”
“You would?”
“Yeah. I will. Stroke yourself, little Lara. Now.”
Her soft moans told him she was doing as he said. Despite the fact he expected exactly that, he still found it gratifying. “A little faster.”
“Ah…”
She’d obviously shoved aside her hesitation and was focusing on what he’d asked of her. “That’s it.” His words were as approving as he was. “Imagine me spanking your ass, hard. With my hand, blazing across your skin.”
“Sir!”
“Don’t you dare put a finger in your cunt.”
She groaned. “I won’t.”
“I took off my belt earlier,” he continued, “and I thought about using it on you, starting just above the backs of your knees. You’d have marks from that, wouldn’t you?”
“Yes. Oh, yes. Oh…”
“No coming yet.” His cock throbbed. Ignoring it, focusing on her and only her, he took a sip of his brandy. “Faster, little Lara. Italian leather was made for your derrière. Are you grinding your pelvis against the sheets and making a mess of them? If not, you’d better be. I don’t like polite little orgasms. I want everything. No holding back. I don’t want you to be a lady in my bed. I want you to be a wanton submissive. Focus on bringing your Dom joy. And that comes from raunchy sex.”
“I… Sir… Oh, God, Connor…”
“Hold off,” he snapped. How far could he push her? And did he want to make her wait, maybe see if she climaxed despite his command? “Think about me, Lara.”
“I am. I am.”
“Pinch your clit.”
The sound of her breathing filled his ears and his senses. He pictured her thighs shaking, vividly imagined her thrusting her pubis against her hand. “Put two fingers inside your pussy. Do it now. And keep up the action on your clit. Use your thumb if you need to.”
For a full thirty seconds, he listened to her suffering, knowing she was close, hearing her fight it off. She made tiny, unfeminine grunts and her moans begged him for satisfaction. “Now,” he told her. “Come for me.”
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