Carnal Beginnings: A dark romantic suspense (Carnal Series Book 1)

by Reily Garrett

  Adara rode one hand while his other pulled at, then turned the plug. Her hips rotated back and forth, the sobs and pleading only making his hunger burn hotter. The fine sheen of moisture covering her body added a surreal moment to the scene while the muscles in her hips clenched tight on a low moan.

  Her sexual appetite amazed him. He’d only started and her body prepared for release with her legs and stomach tightening in waves. Images of how he could drag out her pleasure with the most exquisite sensual torture flitted through his brain. He would take a lifetime pleasuring her.

  For an instant, he stopped, and her cry of frustration echoed in the still night. The shudder that ranged over her frame as he lightly nipped her back reverberated in his own body. Again, she cried out as her hand struck the mattress. “Julien, please!” Her body twisted and bucked, looking for release.

  He pulled away and waited for clarity to assert itself, glad she couldn’t see his smile.

  “What…Oh. Sir! Please, sir, continue.”

  Once more, he started the double assault. Each time her body jerked in his hand, his own need thrust against her hip with increasing urgency. When he felt her gathering for the oncoming storm, he pulled the plug out. All his senses noted details of her passion, the scent of sex, the tension around his fingers inserted in her sheath, and the ripples of her body bucking for more. She threw her head back. The scream echoed in his mind, the sight of her bunching the bedspread in her grasp while her entire body strained against the invisible animalistic torture, a delight he’d savor forever.

  He’d never witnessed such an incredible response. She shivered violently before collapsing. While she caught her breath, he reached over to the drawer of his nightstand and snatched up a condom. The damned thing seemed to shrink as he rolled it over his throbbing length.

  Without giving her a moment to regroup. “On your back, Adara. I want to see your face when your next orgasm takes you. Look at me. Don’t look away from my eyes.”

  “Again?”

  “Oh, yeah, sweetheart. Again. And then some more. I’ll never get my fill of you.” Unable to wait any longer, he helped her roll over.

  With a glazed look, she briefly cupped his cheek in her palm.

  With his knee, he spread her thighs open. Still, his body’s urgent demand wouldn’t take precedence over his capacity for gentleness. He bent her knees before settling between her legs. A light preliminary touch, a gentle kiss, his bestial instincts roared for completion and drove him to the point of madness.

  With one smooth thrust, he plunged into her depth, stretching her until she gasped. Her fingers seized the bedcovers, twisting, churning.

  “Ahh, you’re too big. It won’t fit.”

  With the arching of her back came the return of his sanity. “Easy, sweetheart, wait a sec. You’ll stretch to take all of me.” He lowered his chest to pillow her breasts, brushing back and forth until she moaned. So sweet, her heat squeezed his shaft with a reinforced grip. He took several deep breaths to calm the tempest overtaking him. Compassion overcame the need to slam deep inside with all his strength.

  His fingers dug into her hips, holding her impaled until her body adjusted to his invasion. With infinite patience, he withdrew, dragging the head of his shaft against her most sensitive nerve bundle before smoothly thrusting back in.

  A slow withdraw helped him regain his center and focus on Adara while a deep breath and readjusting his position allowed deeper penetration. With one hand first on her hip to hold her in place, he readjusted to circle her clit with the pad of his thumb. The grip of her legs tightening around his waist…feral instincts asking for more.

  “Oh please, sir, again.”

  “Mine,” he growled.

  “Yes, yours. Always yours.”

  With infinite patience, he sheathed himself to the hilt, then took another deep breath to slow his body’s response to the inconceivable heat. He’d never been inside an inferno. Circular motions and thrusting up with her hips let him know her body needed more.

  Her crystal-clear gaze seared a path to his soul, restructuring, changing him in ways he couldn’t fathom. Breaths mingled, a sharing of soul and spirit. When he surged deeper into her body, her widened eyes rolled upward on a gasp.

  “Eyes on me, Adara.”

  She moaned when he pulled out.

  Her fragile look of hope and desire told him all he needed to know. With silent language as old as time, he let her know he saw to the depths of her soul, the terrors she hid from the world as well as the dreams yet to come. He welcomed them all, would hold and nurture her back to the fullness of life. All the while, he’d introduce her to pleasures she’d never imagined.

  Inch by excruciating inch he filled her, watching her face, the look of wonder reflected in her eyes. Unshed tears, excitement, hope, but mostly he saw—love. The last proved his undoing. Steady thrusts pushed her farther up the bed, still he didn’t ease his pace or momentum. Her cries of pleasure drove him faster, harder, with all the force his thighs could deliver.

  He felt her stomach muscles bunching again, her breath coming in short pants—she was on the precipice.

  “Now, Adara, come for me.”

  A light clap on her ass punctuated her screaming his name. He wanted to hold out longer, ease back, and bring her to the brink again as she flew to heaven, but her tight body pulsing around his cock proved more than he could handle. Her spasms milked him, sucked him in deeper, squeezing until he felt his balls tighten in painful spasm. His arms shook with the effort of his restraint. There was no more waiting. With a final thrust, he seated himself, his shaft hitting her womb, his body surging, pushing her forward. Her name, hoarse on his lips as his hot seed jettisoned from his body.

  She didn’t grumble when he collapsed on top of her, instead, pulled him tight so that his weight pressed her into the mattress. Minutes later, he withdrew to move to her side and gather her in his arms. Her warm breath on his neck did nothing to slow his heart rate. Easing the condom off and knotting it, he dropped it on the floor by the bed.

  Afterward, she lay in his arms like a contented feline, snuggled close.

  “You okay, sweetheart?” It would’ve been nice to be gentler with her. Deep inside he was afraid he’d hurt her, yet her body commanded him as surely as his voice commanded her.

  “I’m fine.” With light teasing strokes, she traced circular patterns on his chest.

  “How do you feel?”

  “To be honest, I didn’t think it was going to fit. Actually, I think I felt the tip of you in the back of my throat…”

  Not for a very long time to come, babe. Her giggle skittered up his spine, curling in his chest to nestle securely around his heart. Nothing had ever felt so right.

  “One size fits all, sweetheart. One size fits all.”

  “Can I stay here? In your arms? All night?”

  “That’s why you’re here, Adara. We need to discuss what spooked you at the club.” They had talked briefly, but reinforcing that conversation when she felt safe and secure might let her process more.

  Silence met him.

  “Adara?” He knew the voice would elicit an answer.

  “Um, seeing all those whips. You’ve seen the scars on my body. Some of those whips looked like the ones my uncle used. I don’t ever want to be beaten like that again.”

  “And so you won’t.”

  “Do you ever use them on women?”

  He wanted more time before delving into that aspect of the BDSM world yet had to be honest. “Adara, what your uncle did, repeatedly…consisted of abuse, not consensual. There’s a big difference. I’ve never left scars on a woman and I’ve never indulged in impact play without first having detailed discussions and consent.”

  She sucked in a breath and stilled.

  “Adara, BDSM isn’t about hitting. Impact play done on a lower scale can be very arousing. For instance, how did you feel when I smacked your ass tonight?”

  After a pause she said, “I think it mad
e me come. Does that make me a masochist?”

  “Heavens no. A masochist loves the pain, needs the pain. You don’t.”

  “But…if I’d known you were going to do that, it might have freaked me out.”

  “Sounds like a need for desensitization.”

  “If I say yes, does that mean you’re gonna beat me?”

  “I am never going to beat you, Adara. If I spank you, even if I discipline you, it won’t be in the same context as what you’ve experienced. Tomorrow’s Saturday—we’ll go back to the club so you can talk to some subs and see what you think. Get their take. Okay?”

  “Subs?”

  “Submissives. People, who give up control—well, for many reasons, but one in particular—to relax. It takes a strong person to do that. You have to have complete confidence in your partner and know he’ll have your best interests at heart. It frees you from responsibilities. Most people not in the scene fixate on the physical aspect, the sex, bondage, etc. However, the mental aspect is a major part. It’s not about giving up who and what you are, dreams and ambitions. The point is not to turn you into a mindless robot or a sex slave.”

  “Is that what you want from me? To be your sub?”

  “It’s something I’d like to explore with you. We’ll talk more tomorrow. It’s late now, you need sleep.”

  It was much later when her breathing slowed and evened out into slumber. He held her cuddled on his shoulder, her hand resting over his heart. She still didn’t realize she held all the power. She even held his heart. Along their road together, she had become a necessary part of his life.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  If last night Julien rocked her world, today he revealed the rest of it. Saturday proved to be one of the most exciting days of her life. Of all the things she’d done with her parents, skydiving had never made their list. Julien took her to a local jump club.

  The private hangar housing the Cessna ten seater was spacious and clean with a small glass-walled office occupying one corner of the back west wall. Frequent travel with her parents had involved a similar-looking hangar. Though smaller, this area reminded her of their well-kept space, free of dust, oil stains, hydraulic-fluid spots, and spider webs.

  “Um, Julien? What are you doing?” As she watched, he removed and unfolded a chute. The bag he tossed aside boasted his name embroidered on the top. Despite the understanding that his actions were somehow safety-oriented, she couldn’t fathom the reasoning. After all, he’d unlocked a cabinet to get his equipment.

  He spread the rig out and stood between the sets of lines, explaining the routine.

  “Just checking our gear. It’s why we came a little early. This step can never be skipped, and since I didn’t get to it last night, well, this’ll just take a few minutes. Bear with me.” She watched as he bent over and picked up two sets of lines in each hand. They drifted through the cage of his fingers as he walked toward the nylon canopy.

  Suddenly, he stopped cold. His body stiffened. On closer inspection of one line, he dropped it and snarled, “Damn. Guess I shouldn’t be surprised. This line is damaged. It’s been cut three-quarters the way through.” Disgust laced his voice. “I’ll grab another one.”

  The storage space off to one side included locked cabinets where he opened one labeled tandem. Again, he pulled out another bag and was easing down the lines when his brothers arrived. Each deposited their bags by the Cessna.

  “Figures you’d be the dawdler.” Conner frowned and rubbed his scruffy chin before adding. “You had planned on Adara going solo?”

  “No. Just taking a minute to follow a hunch.” Julien finished with the tandem chute and directed Conner’s attention to the damaged line on his personal equipment. “And I was right. We’ve had a visitor.”

  “Damn. Your secret admirer is fast.” Marc introduced his girlfriend before adding. “That first step would’ve been a bitch.”

  Conner stepped closer to inspect Julien’s damaged line. A snort of disgust and shake of his head preceded him pulling on a pair of leather gloves and picking up the lines. “I’ll take care of this guys, you all go ahead.”

  Marc and Nate stepped closer to examine the damage. Tension radiated from one to the other.

  “Did you guys check your chutes last night?” Julien’s level gaze landed on Nate and Marc in turn.

  “No.” In unison.

  “Alyssa and I checked ours this morning.” Marc pulled his girlfriend in for a hug.

  “I repacked mine before leaving this morning,” Nate added.

  Tandem sky diving added a new layer, a new dimension to Adara’s worldview. Tethered to Julien in free fall, she possessed the world, at three thousand feet. If someone had told her a week ago she’d not only be jumping from a perfectly functioning airplane but also living with the man of her dreams, she would have called them insane.

  The first seconds of plummeting toward the Earth included terror. With her eyes closed tight, the shock of cold air against her face jolted her on such a warm day. A brief form of insanity must have infused her mind. At this height, whatever happens will be out of my control, so I might as well get a last look at the world.

  The view snatched her breath more than the force of the wind in her face. The steady whistle of it blasting over her soft leather frap hat and goggles would replay in her dreams.

  Julien’s strong arms wrapped her tight in his embrace while the farmhouses below resembled small, irregular dots. Neat little oblong shapes separated by several large ponds delineated the various crops, like something seen on a wall calendar.

  Morning sun peeked over the edge of the world, the waves of light crawling in bands across the ground in indiscernible increments. Everything light touched, she owned, if only for the small space of time. It was a treasure where memories were conceived and she never wanted it to end.

  When Julien slipped his hand inside her jumpsuit to roam freely over her breast and tug at her nipple, fire and ice exploded throughout her body, excitement and fear collided. She thanked God they faced away from the others.

  Exhaustion from little sleep heightened the edginess felt with Julien’s proximity. The fact arousal could override her thrill of free fall declared her heart in serious jeopardy. Renewed lust maintained a continuous low buzz of excitement and kept her emotions stirred. Cold rushing wind snatched her growl when he withdrew.

  The sudden uptake as the chute opened made her question her mental health, but Julien held her secure. Despite earlier bravado, she held her hands out straight when the ground rushed at them at break-neck speed as if she could break her fall. He’d cautioned her to keep her feet up until he signaled to drop them, thus avoiding the tangle of arms and legs incurred by novice jumpers.

  Five other jumpers had blasted out of the Cessna after them, Marc and his sub Alyssa among them. Alyssa jumped from a static line, something she could do the next time.

  After securing their gear, they enjoyed simple conversation at a small restaurant where they sat and watched waves lap at the shore. She’d never been so famished.

  Shock and awe consumed her with the normalcy of her new life. The brothers took everything in stride—just another day.

  From snippets of overheard conversation, Alyssa practiced business law in a local firm. Intelligent, strong-minded, and witty were the first impressions that had come to mind after introductions. The attorney could be a good resource and a quiet conversation might yield much-needed information, since she wasn’t in the least bit subdued, no hesitancy or fear in her countenance when interacting with her Dominant. The woman’s effervescence offered hope. Marc and Alyssa related in a manner much the same way Julien treated Adara.

  Both Marc and Nate engaged her in chit chat about her future while revealing aspects of their own character through brotherly antics. The word family came to mind again and again. The camaraderie rivaled the memory of what she’d shared with her parents. When Nate, Marc and Alyssa left, Julien pulled her onto his lap.

  “How’re
you feeling, sweetheart?”

  “Incredible. Like I’ve flown with the angels.”

  “Looks like the eight-year-old variant of yourself would like to give you a hug…you’re the angel.”

  “How about you?”

  His heavy-lidded gaze settled on her mouth, yet his words weren’t what she expected. “At peace.” He hugged her tight as if afraid she’d fly away. “The only time I’ve felt this peaceful…St. Lucia.”

  “What were you doing there—vacation?”

  “Uh, no.” He grimaced. “I just needed to make peace with my soul.” His brows drew together as he briefly shook his head. The sudden change in demeanor revealed his impromptu utterance a mistake.

  Without saying more, he’d closed her out again, not baring the intimate parts of his soul and keeping his heart out of reach.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Walking back into Julien’s house paralleled a life so foreign yet so natural. Nika greeted them at the door, then sprinted out.

  Amid a low growl and burst of speed, the black and gold shepherd made a beeline for the back yard. Seconds later, her snarls rent the air.

  “Adara, stay here, I’ll be right back.” Julien snatched his gun from the kitchen drawer and slipped out the back door.

  Adrenaline scored her veins. If their stalker possessed the balls to intrude in the light of day, he either held a lot of skill or nerve, or both. Fingering the locket around her neck didn’t alleviate the anxiety building within.

  Small dunes framed the generous, well-tended lawn. The floor-to-ceiling glass allowed her to watch Julien’s stiff strides toward the area where Nika stood. The shepherd sniffed at a small lump on the ground where grass met sand, growling then moving off to track her unseen quarry. When Julien reached the mass, his gaze swept the path to the beach before settling back to a small mound. Minutes later, Nika returned and sat by his side.