Defensive Zone (The Dartmouth Cobras #2)

by Bianca Sommerland

  She groaned and pressed her face into her pillow. Asher didn't usually wake her up for sex—jumping her in the heat of the moment was more his style, but she wasn't about to complain. As long as he took it easy on her ass because . . . .

  Because Landon had hit her with a cane. Fifteen times. At the club. She was still at the club.

  And that wasn't Asher.

  Rolling and scooting up, she came face to face with Dean.

  "Sorry to wake you, sweetheart." His hooded eyes held a hint of amusement. "You snored right through the last coat, I figured you'd sleep through this one too."

  Still at the club and in his bed. After the night she'd had, how the hell had she fallen asleep at all? He had to be lying. "I zoned out for a bit, that's all. And I don't snore."

  "You're not loud. It's adorable actually, like sleeping next to a noisy kitten." Dean patted the bed beside him. "Now come here. I'm not finished."

  Noisy kitten? Bite me! She pursed her lips. "What if I don't want to?"

  Dean sat up and squared his shoulders. "Then I won't press the matter. It would be silly of you—this cream speeds up healing considerably—but you haven't agreed to be my sub yet—"

  Wait. What? "Yet? As in I will?"

  "As in we will discuss it."

  "Oh no we won't." She pushed up with one hand. "With what happened last night—"

  He pressed on her shoulder and forced her back down. "We will discuss it, Silver. After."

  She didn't bother asking 'After what?'. She knew. But really, why not discuss it now? Shouldn't take too long. "It's not happening. I've made my decision already. I don't want to be anyone's sub."

  At first, he didn't comment. He held up the little glass jar. When she sighed and rolled over, he resumed spreading the clear creamy stuff over her sore bottom. His soft touch was almost as soothing as the cream itself.

  Then he spoke, his tone rough and low. "It's actually not that bad. He didn't hold back much, but he didn't break the skin. The deeper bruises will be an unpleasant reminder for a few days—you might want a pillow for your office chair."

  Tears sheened her vision. She hid them in the pillow. Landon hadn't held back, and she hadn't wanted him to. But it hadn't made a difference.

  Screw him. If being a Dom is more important than being my friend, I don't need him.

  Her throat locked and she let out a little cough. No better. Losing Landon hurt worse than every lash of the cane combined. It would be hard not to have him in her life.

  You'll get over it.

  "What is it, Silver? No, stop hiding your face." Dean's hand curved around her shoulder and he pulled until she lifted up enough to look at him. "Tell me what you're thinking."

  Her chin quivered. She glared at the center of his chest.

  Dean let out a slow exhale through his teeth. "Fine. How about this—tell me why you went to the club last night."

  No harm in that. She shrugged and toyed with a loose thread on the black comforter. "I was curious. I figured maybe I just liked a bit of pain and if I could get a man like Carter, a man who wasn't—"

  His expression softened into a grin. "An 'uber Dom'?"

  "Yeah." She tugged at her bottom lip with her teeth. "If he could get me off with just a bit of pain, without all the other stuff, then that would explain why sex is better with you."

  Most men would have gotten all puffed up and smirky. But Dean's brow furrowed as he came down to her level, his head braced on his hand. "So you went through all that because you didn't want to be with me?"

  "No! It was to prove to myself that I didn't need to be with you. Or someone like you." She shook her head, absolutely positive he wouldn't get it. "I've been on my own for years, doing whatever I wanted, not answering to anyone. I enjoy my independence. I don't want to give it up."

  "Who says you have to?" He reached out and brushed her hair off her cheek. His hand hovered there for awhile, then rested lightly on the curve of her jaw. His thumb smoothed over her bottom lip. "What if all you need to give up is a bit of control, in moments like this. I already see you pulling back because you're afraid to let me get too close. What if you need me to stop letting you?"

  What if . . . ? No. This wasn't him just asking to be her Dom. He wanted more. She drew back. "I can't—"

  "But I can." He raked his fingers into her hair. "Don't. Move."

  Pure liquid heat spilled. She panted. This was exactly the reaction she was afraid of.

  He moved before she could react to her fear, grasping her wrists in one hand and drawing them high above her head. Fur lined cuffs snapped around them. "I'm going to take you now, love, and you will let me. While I have you, your focus will be on feeling everything I'm doing to you." His fingers slid from her wrist, down her arms, slowly, so slowly, awakening every nerve with his soft touch. "You will demand nothing." He pushed the blanket away from her naked body. "And you will hold nothing back."

  Nonono! She couldn't do what he asked. This wasn't about sex. Sex she could do. Hot rough sex with no strings attached. This, with him, wouldn't have strings. No, it would have goddamn shackles.

  He cut off her intended protest with a hand on her throat and his mouth over hers. The light pressure didn't cut of her air, but she gasped in the hot exhale from his lips and lost the will to fight. His tongue dipped in and she moaned as it teased a tender spot at the top of her mouth. He thrust deep, withdrew, and bit her bottom lip just hard enough to make her squirm. Tiny pain, the kind her body easily accepted as pleasure because it felt so fucking good.

  "There we go." He smiled against her lips and kissed her again. "Are you still afraid?"

  Yes. And no. Neither answer made any sense, so she simply gazed up at him, into his beautiful hazel eyes, at his tussled hair, at the tiny lines around his strong mouth. Everything about him was . . . familiar. Solid.

  Safe.

  Then she knew. Not in any way she could explain, but she arched up to kiss him and whispered, "No. I'm not afraid."

  "That's my good, brave girl." He slid his lips along her throat, nibbling and sucking as his hand stroked her side, closer and closer to her breast, but never touching it. His free hand delved into her hair and he used it to arch her neck, leaving her vulnerable to his teeth as he explored a trigger along the corded muscle and bit down hard.

  Her spine bowed and she whimpered. Her nipples ached with the need to be touched. Moisture slicked her pussy, so unbearably hot that she clenched her thighs for some shallow relief.

  "Please . . . ." She tossed her head from side to side as he licked and nipped the sharp angles of her collar bone. And moved lower at a languorous pace that was going to kill her. "Please just f—"

  His fingers left her hair and covered her lips. "Shh."

  He stroked down the center of her chest. Trailed the path with soft kisses. His stubble scrapped the sides of her breasts.

  Need grew into a desperate, living thing. Since he wouldn't touch her breasts or her pussy they absorbed every sensation. The muscles of her stomach twitched under his lips and her cunt clenched. His tongue traced a circle around her belly button and lower . . . lower . . .

  "It's easy to let a man fuck you, love. And I could have, several times this week. God knows I wanted to." His lips whispered over her flesh and goosebumps spread as the impact of his words hit her. Wanted to, but hadn't? Why? He answered as though he'd read her mind. "But you weren't ready to give me what I need. You are now. And it was worth the wait, dragonfly."

  Oh . . . oh! Her hips jutted up as he lapped over her smooth mound and slipped the tip of his tongue into the crease. Her mind scrambled for control and she rasped out, "dragonfly? Why dragonfly?"

  "The legends of the dragonfly mostly revolve around illusions, hovering over something deeper." His tongue dipped in again. "Something more. I believe that fits you perfectly."

  Absorbing his words through the erotic haze spreading over her was a challenge, but part of her managed. His little ways of making her feel special overwhelmed
her need to keep fighting. This man knew her, heart and soul. She moved to spread her thighs to let him in, but he held them shut between his shoulder and his hand.

  "Not yet, love." His tongue pressed in, almost reaching her clit before withdrawing. His mouth opened wide and he kissed her pussy lips like he'd kissed her mouth. His groan sent vibrations over her sensitized little nub and he held her down as her hips bucked. "Sweet. So fucking sweet."

  She closed her eyes and pressed her head back into the pillow as he released her. Her hands clawed at the sheets above her head, wanting to be free to tangle in his hair. He shifted until he was kneeling at the bottom of the bed. Curved his hands under her knees. And lowered as he drew them apart.

  Mouth and tongue and teeth covered her a second before she came. She screamed as pleasure tore through her, violent, merciless, slamming into her all over again before she could catch her breath. His tongue filled her, dragging out several more spasms, leaving her completely drained.

  Not the first time he'd used his mouth on her cunt, or made her come. Not the first time he'd tied her up and taken control. But for some reason, this was very very different. Which scared her to death. For the first time, she didn't even consider demanding he fuck her.

  But she did have one last request.

  * * * *

  "Let me hold you. Please, just . . . just for a minute . . . ?"

  Dean smiled and climbed up to the top of the bed to release her wrists. The restraints were good for getting past all her walls, but in time he hoped to teach her what else they were good for. Not now though. Now she needed something more than dominance and submission. More than pleasure.

  She needed to know he wasn't going anywhere.

  He laid still as she wrapped her arms around his neck and settled her head on his shoulder. His dick throbbed painfully, a result of denying himself any release all week, but he ignored it. The feeling of her warm breath on his skin, her messy hair tickling his neck and his cheek, of all her soft curves relaxed against him—hell, he'd ride out the pain for this.

  A little shift and a deep sigh told him she'd likely fallen asleep again. His lips curved and he brought his head up to kiss her hair.

  Her wide open eyes stared up at him. "I'm afraid."

  His brow furrowed and his stomach muscles clenched as he moved to sit up, but she pressed both hands down on his chest.

  "Listen, because I'll probably tell you I hate you again tomorrow. You're good at pissing me off." She let out a hollow laugh and shook her head. "But I'm afraid, really afraid because I have never let myself feel this way about anyone. I usually make a run for it when a man looks at me the way you are, right now. But you won't let me run away, will you?"

  "No." He slipped his hand alongside her throat, digging his fingers into the nape of her neck as he drew her down to taste her lips. "I won't."

  Her eyes fluttered shut. "Good. Because I can't promise I won't try."

  "Try all you want." He raked his fingers through her hair, then wound it around his fist. "You won't get far."

  "Mmm." She brought her lips down to his chin and nipped as his jaw with her tiny teeth. "So, if I agree to be your sub, does that mean I have to do whatever you say in the bedroom? I can't get . . . ." Her fingernails lightly scratched his chest and she sucked his earlobe between her lips. "Creative?"

  He groaned, loosening his grip on her hair as her knee bent over his thigh and she pressed her wet pussy against him. "I won't object to creativity."

  "Good." She crawled backwards, dragging her nails over his abdomen, and gave him an impish grin as she gave the head of his cock a chaste kiss. "Because I feel like I've been very selfish. May I make it up to you by sucking your dick, Master?"

  Cheeky little brat. He laced his fingers behind his head. "You may. But next time—ah, fuck!"

  His dick twitched as her hot lips covered it in one, smooth motion. He ground his teeth and watched her take him in all the way and hold him there. The pressure from her throat almost set him off and his balls tightened.

  "Yes! Ah!" He grunted as she lifted, swirling her tongue around and around before dropping again. The way her eyes rolled back as she savored him told him she enjoyed this almost as much as he did. He tried to distract himself by imagining scenes where he could use this to his advantage. A hard suck tore him from his thoughts of her kneeling, bound while he fucked her face. If he let this go on, he wouldn't last.

  He needed to take control. Of her and himself.

  "Slowly, Silver." He leaned up on one elbow and put his hand on the back of her head, holding her down when she took him in all the way. "Just like that. Fucking beautiful."

  She didn't try to fight him, simply swallowed and moved up at a torturously slow pace when he let her. Her tongue flicked the tip of his dick and she gazed up at him expectantly.

  "Again, and use your teeth—gently, on the way down. There's my good girl."

  Guiding her pace brought his pleasure to a tolerable level, and, if her wiggling hips were anything to go by, ramped hers up. He thrust up once, surprising her, and held his breath against the urge to come.

  "Enough now." He grinned when she automatically sat up and pouted at him. Time to rein her in a bit. "Is that pretty pussy still wet, baby?"

  A blush spread over her cheeks as she nodded.

  "I won't fuck you."

  She scowled. "What the fuck is wrong with you?"

  He arched a brow.

  "Sorry, Sir." She rolled her eyes. "Why won't you fuck me?"

  "Keep that up and I won't touch you again." He frowned until she lowered her eyes. "Now, go get a condom from your purse."

  The confused look she gave him before scrambling off the bed made him smile. Silver wasn't spoiled, not really, but she was pampered and accustomed to instant gratification. Denying her that would keep her off balance. And likely keep things interesting.

  She returned and perched on the edge of the bed, fidgeting with the small square package. Her rumpled hair covered her face, but he took note of the way she bit down on her swollen bottom lip, like she wanted to speak and was trying very hard not to.

  "What is it, Silver?"

  Her head shot up and her throat worked as she swallowed. "Why do we need this if you won't . . . ."

  "We will go together to get tested soon, but until then, I think it's a good idea to use protection when I'm inside you. Are you on birth control?"

  Her lips parted in a wide O, then snapped shut. She nodded.

  "Was there something else?"

  "You will be inside me?" She cringed as though she'd said something stupid. "I mean, I thought you didn't want to . . . ."

  "I don't want to fuck you, sweetheart." He lifted his hand to cup her cheek. "You've been fucked enough. Not to say I won't take you hard, but I won't just be using your body or let you use mine."

  Her whole body shook. The concept seemed to frighten her. But all she said was, "oh."

  "Cover me and come here." He let his hand drift down to her shoulder as she tore the package and rolled the condom over his dick. As soon as she stretched out on the bed, he pulled her against him so she lay on her side, in his arms, with no pressure on her poor bruised butt and no way to escape. His hands on her shoulders with his forearms braced against the length of her back caged her well, and by her rapid little pants, she knew it.

  "Dean . . . ." Her hands flattened on his chest as though she'd push him. Tears clung to her lashes. "Just do it. Just—"

  "Running already, pet?" He bowed to kiss her eyes, her cheeks, her lips, spreading the salty moisture. "Open for me. Take me inside you. Carefully. The cream may have numbed you for a bit, but it won't last."

  She gasped in a shaky breath and nodded. Her knee rose over his hip as she slid her hand down and took him in her fist. She shifted and brought him to her opening. Her eyes met his as she moved her hand and let him slide into her.

  "There we go." His words came out husky as he filled her to the hilt. So fucking slick and hot. Con
suming him. He groaned as her quivering body pressed closer, testing his endurance. Her feverish lips glided along his throat, right over his hammering pulse. He buried his face into her hair and inhaled the subtle fragrance of honey melon. He didn't speak again until he had himself in hand. "Now move with me, little one."

  For the first time since he'd known her, Silver's movements were hesitant. Unsure. She tipped her hips towards his, accepting him, but froze before he could drag himself out. This was unfamiliar to her and she didn't seem to know what to do.

  Transferring one hand to the opposite shoulder so his arm crossed her back, he dropped the other to her knee and drew it up to his waist. Grinding into her slowly, he bent down to whisper in her ear. "Just follow my lead."

  She whimpered and clenched down on him. "Like a dance?"

  He smiled. "Yes, just like a dance, my little dragonfly."

  Chapter Twenty

  Silver twirled around her office, laughing out loud. Perfect. Just perfect. All her plans for promoting the team had panned out so far. Already they'd sold more season tickets than any other season and she could take full credit. Three days of working crazy hours had paid off.

  Daddy is going to love this!

  Flipping open her day planner, she picked up a pen and put it in her mouth, chewing thoughtfully. The Cobras had a week long preseason road trip, so the photo shoot would have to be scheduled for next week . . . .

  A sound from the door brought her head up. Her face broke into a smile as Dean stepped into her office. Wearing the new tie she'd bought him. No more no-nonsense black and grey. Nothing extreme either, but forest green complimented his eyes. Which ran over her now with such raw desire she wanted to drag him into her office and get naked. They'd both been so busy they'd done nothing but talk on the phone since this past weekend.

  She missed him. She missed talking about the game while snuggling in bed, missed their debates over everything from politics to the plots of the movies they watched—military dramas which she surprisingly enjoyed. And the way he shut her up with a kiss when she gloated about making a good point . . .