by Evelyn Adams
“You don’t want to stay in here?”
Her forehead creased down the center, and I let go of the door for a moment to step closer to her. Her eyes were wide and uncharacteristically unsure. I could see the pulse racing at the base of her throat.
“Want has nothing to do with it,” I said, invading her space until she had to decide whether to take a step back or press her body against mine.
I felt her breasts skim my chest, her nipples hard peaks under the delicate silk and lace. She wanted me. She wanted this. However it may have started out, it wasn’t about the money or the challenge anymore. This thing—whatever we decided to call it—was already about much more than that. I smoothed my thumb over the line in her forehead and watched her brown eyes go dark.
“I want to strip off your clothes, stretch your naked body out on the St. Andrew’s Cross and take a leather-tipped cat to your ass until you’re so wet, your thighs glisten. I want to suck your nipples so hard they stretch to tight peaks, perfect for me to attach clips to and then I want to work your belly and thighs over with the flogger until every inch of your skin comes to life. I want to pull the clips off with my teeth and suckle your aching nipples while I finger fuck you to your third or fourth orgasm. I want to make you come so many times you get hoarse from screaming my name.”
Her eyes were dilated, and I could see her chest rise and fall with each shallow breath she took. She licked her lips and only my resolve not to let her top from the bottom kept me from tugging it between my teeth and catching her needy little cries with my mouth while I gave us both what we needed.
“Why don’t you?” Her voice trembled but the set of her shoulders was more of a dare than a submission. “We seem to spend a lot more time talking than naked.”
“It’s going to stay that way until you understand—really understand—that you have all the power in this exchange. None of this means anything until you can actually surrender to me. Not for money and not on a dare. Not because you’re weak. I know you’re not. You need to have power to give it. Because you trust me to take the power you give me and use it for both of our pleasure.” I ran a hand through my hair, not bothering to hide my frustration. My cock was so hard it ached. Painting the picture for her with my words had affected me as much, if not more. I wanted her with a hunger that bordered on desperation. But I knew from experience anything other than genuine surrender would leave me less satisfied than if I never touched her.
“I’m scared.”
“I know, beautiful. That’s part of the point. Anything real that exposes that much of your soul is scary, but it’s also worth it. I’m not going to push. Not yet. Not until you’re certain you can be honest with both of us.” I cupped her face, loving the way she turned in to my touch, resting her cheek against my palm. “We’ll get there. Don’t worry.”
“I was just...” She let the rest of what she’d been about to say fall away.
I tipped up her chin, forcing her to meet my gaze. “Just what, Alexandra?”
“Never mind. I’m curious; that’s all.”
“That’s honest. What are you curious about?” My cock throbbed against the zipper of my too-tight slacks. I swear to God, I was tempted to step out for a moment to jerk off and relieve some of the pressure so I could actually think clearly. But I had a feeling nothing would change the state of my cock as long as Alex was in my house.
“About the flogger.” She swallowed, and I forced my focus to stay on her eyes and not her gorgeous lips. “I’ve never had anyone who actually knew what they were doing use a flogger. On me.”
Fuck me.
“And you’ve decided I do?” I called on every bit of training I had to keep from letting my emotions influence what she was telling me. Which was fucking impossible, given how much I wanted what I thought she was offering me.
“With the way you’ve been able to mind fuck me using nothing more than your voice, a tie and some tea? Yes, I’m pretty sure you know your way around a flogger. I can’t promise I’ll be any good at submitting, but I can promise to be honest with you and to try. I want to try.”
I debated for a fraction of a second as I watched the emotions play across her beautiful face. This woman pushed me past the point of reason. My limits didn’t seem to matter where she was concerned. It was the glimpse of curiosity and, even more, the hope I saw in her expression that made the decision for me. I took a step back and let my gaze trace a path from her face to her toes and back again. By the time I reached her eyes again, her lips were parted and her cheeks flushed.
“Strip, Alexandra.”
I’D DONE MORE THAN POKE the sleeping tiger this time. I’d opened his jaws and put my tastiest bits inside his mouth, and I couldn’t find the self-preservation to regret any of it.
As I reached for the buttons on my blouse, I had to fight to keep my hands from shaking. Taking off my clothes was supposed to be the easy part. I’d already done it for him once before so why did I feel so nervous?
“Start with your shoes, Alexandra.” Erik studied me from a few steps away, his arms crossed in front of him, making the neckline of his pale-gray shirt gap.
He hadn’t worn a tie—just the dress shirt and charcoal slacks—and under other circumstances, I’d relish the glimpse of his chest the open collar gave me. Or I would if my brain wasn’t stuttering over his words. Taking off my shoes should be the simplest thing in the world. Hell, you can do that kind of thing in front of anyone, but my mind was already spinning ahead to what came after.
I’d spent more than my fair share of time naked in front of men but it had always been with an element of performance. I stripped to entice, starting with my blouse and ending with my shoes and with each piece I removed, my power grew. Standing naked or mostly naked in my heels while I watched the man in front of me wrestle with lack of blood flow to his brain was something I was very comfortable with. Taking off my shoes and then my clothes wouldn’t be stripping; it would be baring myself. Making myself vulnerable instead of being the one gaining the upper hand with each stitch of clothing.
“Use your safe word if you want to stop. Otherwise, take off your shoes. Now.” Erik pinned me with his gaze, holding me in place with nothing more than his command and his eyes glued to mine. I had no doubt he knew exactly what he was doing to me and that’s exactly why he was doing it.
No way was I going to use my safe word over a pair of shoes. I toed off my pumps, grimacing as I dropped four inches in height.
“Good girl.”
I rolled my eyes at him as I curled my toes into the incredibly soft carpet. Instead of the behave or I’ll punish you bullshit I expected, he laughed, a deep, throaty chuckle that warmed me from the inside.
“Skirt.” He relaxed his stance and waited for me to comply. As if there were any doubt.
I reached around to the small of my back to unzip the skirt and felt the fabric of my blouse drag over my aching breasts. Even covered in lace, they were so sensitive I was afraid by the time Erik actually got around to touching me, I might self-combust. I wanted this—wanted him so much; it made it difficult to breathe. Shimmying the skirt over my hips, I let it drop to the floor and stepped out of it.
“Leave it,” he said when I started to bend to pick it up.
I had no trouble obeying that command. Without my panties—even crazier, without my shoes—I felt bare. Exposed. Vulnerable.
“Thank you for trusting me.” He took a step toward me and my pulse kicked up a notch. Or a hundred.
When he reached for the buttons on my blouse, I could barely hear over the whooshing of my heartbeat hammering in my ear. With fingers steadier than mine, Erik made quick work of the blouse, sliding the silk over my shoulders without ever really touching me.
“Turn around.”
I did, grateful for a chance to hide, if just for a moment. With every moment we spent together in that room and every inch of my skin he bared, this thing between us became more real. I wasn’t pretending to submit or to make my
self vulnerable. I was willingly surrendering control to him. I closed my eyes for a moment, afraid the honesty would overwhelm me. I didn’t want to quit but I didn’t know how to keep going, so I waited for him to tell me what to do.
His fingers brushed my back as he unfastened the clasp on my bra. So desperate for his touch, I had to fight the urge to curl into him, to demand his hands on my skin. But this time wasn’t about demanding. It was about giving and accepting, about learning my limits and about trust and honesty, so I stilled myself with uncharacteristic patience and waited for the scrap of lace to fall away, leaving me completely exposed.
Goose bumps pebbled my flesh, and my nipples tightened to impossibly hard peaks, but I stayed still, frozen in place, waiting for Erik’s next instruction. He moved away from me, and I didn’t turn around. I didn’t trust myself to—not and be able to maintain any semblance of control. I heard the slide of a drawer and my mind shot to the nipple clamps he’d pocketed from my studio. The ones I’d never had the nerve to try with anyone before.
My body was strung tight as a bow, and I felt myself tremble. He’d see it, see the tremors moving through me in anticipation of his touch, and he’d know he was the cause, but there wasn’t a thing I could do about it. Unless I was willing to end things, I had no choice but to wait for him to show me what he wanted from me. He gathered my hair together in a thick ponytail before sectioning it and making quick work of plaiting it. I felt him tug the end and heard the snap of an elastic band and then he stepped back again, letting the braid fall against my back.
“Turn around.”
The low command should be nothing, the easiest thing in the world, but when I turned, I’d be facing him. He’d be able to look into my eyes and then there really wouldn’t be anywhere to hide. I inhaled, hating the way my breath fluttered and loving it at the same time. I turned.
“My God, you’re beautiful.” Erik said the words as if they were more than a compliment, as if they were something deeper, something sacred. He tipped my chin up with his fingers, forcing me to meet his gaze.
I fought the urge to blink. To try to hide. And then my gaze met his and I fell into his whiskey-colored eyes, lost myself in the honest appreciation I saw and the surety that whatever happened, this man wouldn’t let me fall. He was strong enough to hold me when I needed it.
“I don’t know what to do.” I paused, not sure how to explain my feelings.
“It’s okay, sweetheart. I do.”
The certainty in his response washed over me, and I let out a shaky breath. This man. This man was strong enough to master me. I didn’t know if I was strong enough to let go, but I wanted to be.
“I’m going to give you a choice. I wouldn’t normally, but nothing about this is normal for me.”
He reached forward and cupped my cheek, the tenderness made more powerful by the fact that I was naked in front of him. Bared for our mutual pleasure.
“Usually we’d have worked our way up to the flogger. By the time we got there, I’d know exactly what you needed. Since this is our starting point, you can decide whether you want to be bound or whether you trust yourself to be able to hold still.” He searched my face, and I swallowed, but didn’t hide. “Choose, beautiful.” His thumb brushed my bottom lip and my mouth parted in anticipation.
I didn’t have to think about it. It wasn’t even close. Despite the amount of time I spent tied up, I’d never really been bound before. I’d never given over that kind of control to anyone. I wanted to give it to him.
“Bind me. Please.”
THIS WOMAN PUSHED every boundary I had. Every time I thought I knew what I was doing, she knocked me sideways. In the beginning, it had been like playing chess, anticipating her reactions and trying to outmaneuver her. And I’d loved it, loved the challenge of trying to figure out how to make her feel or watching her give in to the pleasure. This was so much more.
The more I pushed for her honesty and surrender, the more I had to give of my own. It was as if we were scaling a cliff together, each of us pushing the other on as the ledge narrowed in front of us. Instead of calling uncle, she kept walking closer to the razor slice of the edge, leaving me no choice but to follow or be left behind. No way in hell would I let that happen. I would be the one to hold her when she flew. I’d be the one to keep her safe and pray she didn’t steal my heart in the process.
Taking her hand, I led her over to the fixed ring in the corner of the room. I’d thought about positioning her on the cross but I wanted access to all of her. The ring gave me that. She was noticeably shorter without her heels and her hand felt small and delicate in my much larger one. All of it added to the contrast between us. Rough—soft. Large—small. Naked—clothed. It should have included vulnerable and in control but I had a feeling that would never be the case with Alex. The best I could hope for was both of us vulnerable.
“Arms up, sweetheart.”
She hesitated, and for a moment the uncertainty was etched on her beautiful face. She wanted this—she’d been the one to ask for it—but she was scared too. Of the experience or herself? Both maybe. It didn’t matter. I could take care of her. I wanted to take care of her. Wrapping my hands around her ribcage, I slid my palms over her skin, skimming the sides of her breasts and pressing higher until she raised her arms. I ran my hands up her arms, urging her hands higher until her palms met above her head and I could cuff her wrists with my hands.
I wanted to touch her everywhere, to run my hands over every inch of her skin and feel her tremble under my fingertips. I’d waited this long; I could wait a few moments more. But just a few.
“Stay still,” I said, holding her gaze as I let go of her wrists and reached for the cable attached to the ring.
Focusing on the task in front of me instead of watching the way her gorgeous breasts moved as she inhaled, I fastened a wide padded Velcro cuff to each wrist and clipped them together to the cable, leaving a bit of slack.
“Still with me?”
She nodded, her lips parted and her eyes wide.
“Good.” I took a few steps away and grabbed a spreader bar and a soft suede flogger from the cabinet. “Feet shoulder width apart.” It was the reason I’d left slack in the line. When I had her completely bound, I wanted her stretched tight and still standing but supported by the cable so she didn’t have to think about anything but the kiss of the leather against her skin.
Keeping her gaze fixed to the leather toy, Alex took a tentative step, spreading her legs a few inches.
“That’s not what I told you,” I said, clicking the bar in my hands a notch wider. I set the flogger to the side and held the bar in front of me. “I’ll keep going until you comply, beautiful. It extends to four feet.”
I tipped my head as if it didn’t matter either way to me. It did. I wanted her submission voluntarily given, not under threat of punishment. Not this time anyway.
I didn’t have to wait long. She widened her stance and I dropped to my knees in front of her, which put her sweet sex in front of my face and re-ordered my priorities. I blew across her bare mound and watched the muscles in her legs tighten as she strained to stay still.
“Don’t you dare move.” I looked up at her from my position between her spread legs and waited for her to nod her agreement.
I fastened the cuffs on the bar to her ankles with a speed that would have done an Indy pit crew proud and then I gripped her hips with my hands and gave in to what I’d been wanting to do since the first moment I held her in my arms. Spreading her labia with my thumbs, I wrapped my lips around her swollen clit and sucked hard. Her legs tensed and her back bowed as if she’d been shocked. I heard the clink and rattle as she pulled against the cable holding her arms. I kept up a steady pulsing pressure, drawing her clit into my mouth and teasing her with the scrape of my teeth against her tender flesh.
“Please. God. Fuck. Erik. Fuck.”
The words fell from her lips in a steady stream as her body tensed and writhed under my hands and mouth. I
hadn’t intended to go straight for the orgasm. I’d meant to do a slow buildup, to make her beg for me to take her over the edge. But like every plan I’d made where Alex was concerned, she’d blown right through it. I’d just meant to take a taste but her response to my touch made it impossible for me to stop. Not until I made her come.
Tightening my grip on her hip with one hand because I needed the anchor this time, I slid two fingers through her slick folds and teased her opening. She was so fucking wet. Knowing I was the one who made her body respond was the fucking greatest thing ever. My cock was so hard it ached and each needy little cry made me that much harder.
“Please. Oh God. Please.”
She rocked her hips forward as much as the bonds would let her. Grinning, my lips still pressed to her clit, I gave her what she needed. I thrust two fingers deep inside her and curled them toward the front of her body while I kept a steady pressure on her clit with my lips and tongue. It took moments, as if she’d been hanging on the edge for days—the same edge I was hanging on—waiting for me to touch her, and then she was coming, her body shaking as her pussy pulsed and tightened around my fingers.
Resting my forehead against the soft swell of her stomach, I pressed a kiss to her bare mound and gave us both a minute to catch our breath.
“That was unexpected,” she said, and I smiled at the truth in her words. “I can’t believe I finished so fast.”
Standing on legs shakier than I was comfortable admitting, I nuzzled her neck and pressed a kiss behind her ear.
“Oh, beautiful,” I said, reaching for the flogger. “We’re not even close to finished.”
MY BODY STILL trembled with the aftershocks of my climax as Erik circled me, looking like a lion ready to pounce. Which made me the stupid gazelle, tied up and at the big cat’s mercy. Except Eric wasn’t a lion, and I’d asked for this. I wanted this. His mouth on my clit shot to the top of my favorite things list. Honestly, I’d expected to have to beg before he’d let me come, and I would have. I do just about anything to get him to touch me, to put his mouth on me again. His cock inside me.
