by Tara Rose
He squeezed her hands. “You’ve been through more than anyone should have to deal with. And I understand how scared you are right now. At least, I think I do. After my parents were killed, I threw myself into school just to keep the ghosts at bay. I did nothing else. I’ve barely dated. You should know that.”
He took a deep breath and his expression grew guarded. “And, there’s something else I need to tell you. You’ve been nothing but open and honest with me, and I want to be the same with you. How much do you know about your siblings’ lifestyles? Specifically I mean Rafe, Luke, and Ria?”
She bit back the smile that threatened. “I know they live BDSM lifestyles. They’ve told me about it, but I don’t pretend to be an expert. I know next to nothing.”
He nodded. “Good. Because I’m in it, too. I’m a Dom. I don’t have a sub, and I can’t really say I’ve ever had one long term. It’s been more of a hit and miss thing with me.”
“Thank you for telling me.”
“Thank you for not running away when I did.”
She couldn’t help but laugh. “Why would I do that?”
He looked slightly confused. “Well most women who’ve been abused are a bit wary of it if they don’t understand it.”
“I understand the difference. Julie and I have talked about it, and Garrett and I talked a bit last night as well.”
“Oh, okay. Good. That’s good. And I’m here if you have any other questions. Any at all. Just ask them.”
“Thank you. I promise that I will.”
Their wine and appetizer arrived, and Teresa thought she’d never tasted anything so good that wasn’t homemade. She could get very used to this. They made small talk about the upcoming celebration next month to mark the anniversary of the tornado, and as Teresa drank a second glass of wine, she finally began to relax and shed the guilt and anxiety she’d felt earlier.
Both men knew about the other one, and both had told her they were Doms. Everything was out in the open, exactly as she’d hoped it would be. She had nothing to fear from either of them, and this dinner was going very well so far. Carson was easy to talk to, he was nice to look at, and he had a surprisingly witty sense of humor.
He had her laughing at jokes about some of the things they’d come across at the police station, starting with the time Claude Busler, who owned Busler’s Department Store, had once called to complain about Thayer Denning’s license plate.
“Are you kidding?”
Carson shook his head. “Not even close. When Thayer first bought that car about five years ago and drove it around town with the Dr. Bod plate, Claude called our station no less than a dozen times to say it was obscene and we should make him change it.”
“Obscene? Did he think it meant something sexual?”
“Apparently so. We couldn’t convince him that it was because of Thayer’s PhD, and that he was only trying to advertise the gym.”
“Maybe I don’t want to work at Busler’s after all?”
Carson frowned in confusion, and then Teresa remembered she hadn’t told him about applying for a job. She did, and he nodded. “I think you’ll be fine. Claude’s a strange old bird but he’s harmless.”
Carson asked if she wanted dessert, and Teresa suggested they split one. She’d eaten her fill but everything here was so good that she hated to pass up something sweet. They settled on lady finger cookies with ricotta cream, and Teresa couldn’t help moaning as she tasted it.
“You sound like you’re in the throes.”
“The throes?” She knew exactly what he meant, but his comment made her blush and then giggle. “Well, they do taste really, really good.”
“But are they better than orgasms?”
She nearly choked on her food. “Um…well…no, not really.”
His grin made her pussy wet and sent shivers up and down her spine. He was obviously enjoying watching her reaction, but not in a cruel way. She squirmed in her seat, unable to take her gaze off his handsome face. There was just enough of a shadow on his chin to make her wonder what it would feel like to rub her nipples across it. His eyes looked so blue right now—as dark as sapphires.
“Oh good. Otherwise I’d have to wonder how skilled Garrett is.”
Teresa didn’t know what to say. She averted her gaze for a second, just to try and collect her thoughts. Carson touched her face gently. “I am so sorry. I should not have said that. I don’t know why I did.”
She looked into his eyes, and when she realized his contrition was sincere, she let out the breath she’d been holding. “It’s okay. I’ve never been in this situation before. I don’t know what to say or do.”
“You don’t have to say or do anything. That was my jealousy rearing its ugly head. I seem to have no filters tonight, so I’m just going to say this because I have to get it out.” He took her hands. “I think you’re the prettiest girl I’ve ever met, and there’s something about you that tugs at my heart. I want to protect you from every bad thing in your life, and help you build the new one that I know you want so badly. And yes, I’m jealous that Garrett spent the night with you, but not because we’re still kids in high school.”
Teresa couldn’t look away from his gaze. She squeezed his hands just to make sure this was real.
“I’m jealous because I want to make love to you. I want to hold you in my arms and wipe away your tears, and make everything right in your life.”
They stared at each other for so long that all noise and awareness of everyone else in the restaurant faded away, and there was only Carson and those incredibly blue eyes of his. When their server brought the check, the spell was broken and Teresa had to blink several times just to clear her thoughts.
She’d never heard such an honest, tender declaration in her life. And she wanted him, too. She’d known that the moment she walked into the police station Saturday night and looked into his eyes for the first time. This was crazy.
How could she do this? Then again, was there really any harm in it? She wasn’t playing one man against the other, and they weren’t playing her either. Everything was out in the open, just like she wanted it. They were all adults.
Her parents weren’t here. Rosa wasn’t here. And Teresa didn’t give a crap if she got the third degree in the morning.
But what if they kicked her out? They would do it. They’d kicked out Ria, but at least Ria had a place to go. Then again, she could move in with Peppi if she had to. Luke wouldn’t object to that.
As she slid into the passenger seat in Carson’s car, she turned to face him. He didn’t start the car right away. Instead he turned toward her as well. “Please say something. Anything. Even if it’s ‘no.’”
She smiled. “I was going over all the reasons in my mind why I should spend the night with you.”
The obvious relief on his face tugged at her heart. “Oh thank God. I thought you were upset.”
“Not at all. And I was also thinking of how to handle the repercussions if my parents kicked me out.”
Carson frowned. “Would they really do that? Knowing what you’ve been through? You have no job.”
“I know. And yes, they would. But Peppi is living above Luke’s Bar by herself now. I’m sure she and Luke would give me a place to stay.”
“You might be better off there.”
“I would be. That’s true.”
He brushed a finger along her face and Teresa shivered. “So what happens now?” His voice was soft and full of the promise of passion. “Where do I take you? Home, or to my place?”
This was it. All she had to do was say it. Teresa gazed into his eyes, already knowing this was what she’d hoped would happen tonight. She felt bold and sexy, just as she had last night. “Your place,” she whispered. “I want to spend the night with you.”
Chapter Eleven
Carson drove down Honey Locust Lane, which had always been one of Teresa’s favorite streets. The blossoming pear trees that lined each side of the road gave the illusion they were driving u
nder a canopy of white flowers as they made their way toward a charming bungalow near the end of the street.
He pulled into the garage and opened the passenger door for her, then led her across the backyard and inside the back door of his house. It smelled clean, as Garrett’s had, but instead of sage this one boasted a faint scent of vanilla. That surprised her as much as finding both homes clean had done, but she didn’t have time to analyze it because Carson put his arms around her from behind and pulled her close.
His erection pressed against her ass, forcing a soft moan from her throat. Carson nuzzled her neck and then kissed her hair. “Would you like the house tour first, or should we just go upstairs to my room?”
“Let’s go to your room.”
He chuckled softly. “I was hoping you’d say that.” He took his arms from around her and then picked her up as if she weighed nothing. Teresa clutched her tiny purse and stared into his eyes as he walked her to the front of the house and then up the stairs. She’d never been carried anywhere, and certainly not up a flight of stairs. It was romantic, and at the same time it sent shivers up and down her spine because she could only imagine the strength it took.
Once they were in his room, he laid her gently on the bed and then sat next to her. “I hate to break the stride here, but first things first. May I assume you and Garrett used condoms?”
Teresa nodded. “Yes, we did. I have no STDs. I’ve been tested.”
“All right. I don’t either.” He ran his fingers through her hair, which she found incredibly sexy. “One more nosy question about last night. Was there play involved, or only sex?”
“He spanked me and paddled me a bit. I asked him to.”
Carson raised his brows, and the same grin that had made her pussy wet in the restaurant spread across his face. “I see. And what did you think?”
“I loved it. It was exciting, and I hadn’t expected to feel that way about it.”
“Well then, is there anything special you’d like to try tonight?”
She bit her lip and tried to focus her thoughts. There were about a million things she’d love to try but her mind was reeling with so many possibilities that it was hard to pick just one. “How about tying me up?” Had she actually just said that? Teresa put a hand to her mouth and giggled. The wine had helped her relax quite a bit, but she wasn’t drunk. She knew exactly what was going on, and what she wanted.
“All right. Wait here a second. I’ll be right back.” He rose, and then pointed toward a door at the far end of the room. “Oh, and the bathroom is through there if you need it.”
When Carson returned, he carried a black bag and sported a grin that had her writhing in anticipation.
“What’s in there?”
“One guess. I keep my toys down in the basement. Maybe later I’ll show you my mini dungeon.”
“That would be wonderful. Is it like Maddox’s club?”
“It’s similar but much smaller and not quite as elaborate.” He sat on the edge of the bed and reached into his bag, pulling out leather cuffs with buckles and rings. “These won’t hurt, but you need a safeword, regardless. Let’s use ‘red.’ It’s easy to remember and most people associate the color with a stop sign.”
“All right.”
He took out several lengths of chain. “May I attach the cuffs to the bed posts as well? I think we’ll just do your wrists for now, to see how you react to being restrained.”
“That sounds like fun.” Fun? Cartoons were fun. This sounded like every fantasy she’d ever had. Teresa could hardly breathe as he fitted the cuffs around her wrists. She was still fully dressed and so was he, but she wasn’t going to stop him for a silly detail like clothing being in the way.
He spread her arms and threaded the chain through the rings in the cuffs, then attached the ends to rings on his headboard that she hadn’t noticed before. It appeared he had his room set up for play as well as the dungeon he’d mentioned. How intriguing.
“Are you all right?”
“Yes,” she whispered.
He brushed a finger along her face, and then he traced a line into her cleavage and down her abdomen, stopping just short of her pussy. He ran his hands up her legs, again not quite reaching between them. Teresa moaned softly and moved her hips on the bed, watching his face.
“You’re so pretty,” he said, his voice almost reverent. “I’d love to see you in a red corset and nothing else. With laces up the front that I could untie with my teeth.”
“Oh God…”
“I’ll take you to Tye Me Up tomorrow. I’m sure they have something like that. And of course you’d need red come-fuck-me pumps to go with it.”
Teresa giggled. “Come what me what?”
He smiled. “Come-fuck-me pumps. You know. Shoes that were most definitely not meant to be worn outdoors.”
“Oh, that sounds decadent.”
“Then consider it done.” Carson reached inside her dress and grasped her breasts through her bra. Teresa gasped, shivering at his touch. It was such a dominant gesture, but the look on his face was tender and loving, not cruel or lecherous. “Thank you for the trust you’ve placed in me tonight.”
She didn’t answer him. She couldn’t. He reached behind and unhooked her bra, then pushed it up and took one nipple into his mouth, sucking and licking it until Teresa couldn’t stop moaning or pushing her hips up toward him. He spent long, luscious moments alternating breasts, and by the time he uncuffed one wrist to slip both the dress straps and bra strap off that arm, her pussy was soaked and her clit throbbed.
He did the same to the other one, cuffing her again after each arm, and then he slid the bra out from underneath her and pulled the dress down. He gazed at her body, clad only in panties now, for so long that Teresa thought she’d go out of her mind with desire.
Finally, he reached into his bag and brought out a bowl filled with ice cubes. He placed it on the nightstand, and then he brought out a couple of candles and a lighter.
“You carry around ice?”
He chuckled. “I went to the kitchen as well. Are you game for this? You have your safeword, and I trust you’ll use it, right?”
“Yes. Yes I will. What are you going to do to me?”
“Think fire and ice.” He pulled out a long, black piece of silk. “But to best experience this, you need to focus on the sensations, not on what my hands are doing. Is it all right if I blindfold you?”
“Oh…” She’d never considered that, but it might be fun. “Okay.”
“Let’s test it out and then if you don’t like it, we won’t use it.” He placed it around her eyes and tied it loosely behind her head, and then he brushed his hands across her breasts and played with her nipples. “What do you think?”
Had his voice always been that deep and commanding, or did the blindfold enhance it? She swore she could hear sounds in the room she hadn’t noticed before, and she definitely caught the scent of not only his cologne, but she also thought she could smell the ice cubes. “I love it.”
“Good girl.” He licked her nipples, and then she heard the lighter ignite. The next sensation had to be candle wax because it was warm, but not as hot as she’d imagined it would be. “These are special candles. They are specifically designed for this so the wax won’t burn you. Are you okay?”
“Yes. I like it.”
“Tell me what you think of this.” She gasped as an ice cube was brushed over the spot where the wax had fallen onto her left breast, just above the nipple. He rubbed the ice quickly over the nipple itself, and Teresa shivered.
“That’s exquisite.”
“I’m so glad you like it.” She could hear the smile in his voice, and it made her feel proud to know she could give him that kind of pleasure with such a simple acquiescence. He continued dripping wax onto both breasts, followed by ice, and when the warmth landed directly on her left nipple, she drew in a sharp breath. It was unexpected but not unpleasant, and when he followed it up with the ice, tiny jolts of electri
city shot straight to her clit.
“Now for the real fun,” he said, his voice full of humor. “Stay very still. I’m going to scrape the cooled wax off. It’s a dull, flat blade but I don’t want to accidentally cut you.”
Teresa held her breath but it was difficult not to move as he scraped the wax off with the edge of what felt like a knife. The sensation was just uncomfortable enough to send endorphins racing through her body, just as they had when Garrett had paddled and spanked her. She’d never expected anything like that, and she loved it. She wanted more. Would he drip the wax and use the ice on any other area of her body? Should she ask him to?
“Um, may I ask a question?”
He stopped scraping. “Of course you may.”
“Are we done with the candles and ice cubes?”
“Why do you ask?” Every tiny nuance in his voice was accentuated with the blindfold on, and Teresa loved that because she was able to use the natural instincts she had to interpret his tone. His question had been teasing, and she didn’t think she’d have caught that without the blindfold on.
“Because I loved it so much.”
“I’m glad to know you did.” He brushed a hand across her panties and she moaned. “But you know, a Dom gives you what you need, not necessarily what you want. So I think we’ll try something else here.” She heard movement, and then his tongue was teasing her pussy and clit through the wet fabric of her panties. Teresa moaned loudly, arching her hips toward his face.
It ended way too soon, and he chuckled softly as he returned to scraping off the wax. He was going to tease her, and that realization sent her arousal to crazy heights. By the time he had all the wax off, she was so close to an orgasm that she knew if he teased her with his tongue again, she’d come before he ever got her panties off.
He kissed her on the mouth, moving to lie on top of her, and Teresa groaned, pushing her hips toward his bulge. How she wished she could wrap her arms around him, but being able to put only her legs around him was exquisite as well. When he released her mouth, he moved off her, and then he slid off her panties and spread her legs. She thought he was going to touch her or lick her, but instead she heard him go into the bag again. She turned her head toward the sound which immediately made her feel silly since she couldn’t see a thing.
