by Avery Gale
Twenty minutes later, Kip was biting the insides of his cheeks so hard they were going to bleed. Damn, the woman wiggled and squirmed, rubbing herself against him until he was sure his cock was going to explode. “Baby, you’re killing me. Give a guy a break and hold still.”
“My mind won’t shut off.” As a Dom, he knew how to quiet the noise in her head. Dammit, she was supposed to be resting, not having wild monkey sex. “You’re the only one who has ever been able to make me forget everything else. The only one who can push the world back far enough I can just feel.”
He knew how hard she’d been trying to stay emotionally detached. This was the first real sign it wasn’t working. He fought the urge to pump his fist in the air at the small victory, but first, he was going to make her to tell him exactly what she wanted. “Tell, me what you want, baby—exactly what you want.” She turned to face him, her small hands stroked his chest. Her touch was quickly shredding his control. Shackling her wrists served two purposes. It stilled her movement, but the little bit of bondage also refocused her attention on his command. “You aren’t going to distract me, Cal. Tell me what you want. What will quiet those pesky voices in your head?”
Soft moonlight illuminated her face. Kip wanted to commit the picture to memory as he watched the soft beams of light dance over her delicate features. He could almost hear her inner struggle. Asking for what she wanted from him would begin rebuilding their bond, and Caila knew it. Kip moved her hands to the small of her back and secured them with one hand. Then he moved his free hand to her breast, cupping it before pinching the nipple hard enough to make her gasp. Even in the dim light, he saw her pulse pounding at the base of her slender throat. He heard the small catch in her breath when he tightened his grip on her wrists.
He’d been thrilled to discover how beautifully she responded to bondage, no matter what was used to hold her in place. He already had a box of new rope sitting in his closet—just waiting for their first scene in the playroom. But tonight, she needed to feel bound by his hands alone. “It wasn’t a question, baby. I gave you a direct order. What happens when you defy orders?” He knew she was deliberately being a brat, but he wasn’t going to take the bait. If she wanted a spanking, she was going to have to ask for it.
“I…I don’t…I don’t know.” Totally calling bullshit here, sweetheart. The little imp knew exactly what she wanted. It had taken some major cajoling, but he’d finally gotten Nate to show him the narrative portion of her membership application. She knew how closely pain and pleasure were linked in her mind, but admitted she was ashamed at how turned on she was by the idea of lying over her Dom’s knee. He’d be more than happy to push all those useless moral judgements out of her mind.
“You do know, and I want you to tell me. I can’t give you what you want unless you ask.” It was hard for him to push her, but from this point forward, he was determined to give her exactly what she needed—even if it killed him. And with ninety percent of his blood rushing to his cock, he might well die from oxygen deprivation.
He’d never brought a woman into his personal space. Not one of his previous sexual partners had ever seen the inside of his suite or the home he’d built out back. Yet he hadn’t hesitated to tuck Caila into his bed, and he couldn’t wait to show her his home. Something in his chest tightened when he thought about how right it seemed to be here with her. There was only one problem—condoms. He’d never needed them here, and he wasn’t looking forward to rummaging through his entire suite for leftover latex.
Fuck it, there was no time like the present to get this conversation out of the way. “While I’m waiting on you to find your courage, we’ll get this chat behind us. Not terribly romantic, but necessary.” He felt her tense and cursed himself for making her uncomfortable. She probably thought he was going to bolt again, but she couldn’t be more wrong. “Are you on birth control, Caila?” He wanted to smile at her surprised expression. Oh yeah, she’d definitely thought she was going to get the brush-off.
“Yes, and I haven’t…well, there hasn’t been anyone… Dammit to duck-billed dragons, this is embarrassing.”
Kip grasped her chin with his fingers, forcing her to look at him. “I don’t want you to ever feel embarrassed about telling me what you need or answering my questions. Embarrassment has no place in our relationship, baby. I don’t want any secrets between us.”
She watched him for long seconds before she finally saw whatever she’d been looking for and nodded. Taking a deep breath, she admitted, “Actually, I haven’t ever had sex with anyone else.” It took every ounce of his self-control hold back his surprise. There was no way he’d seen that one coming. What kind of numb-nuts went to college now days? Were they blind?
Pressing a kiss to her forehead, Kip smoothed the pale wheat colored strands of her hair back, tucking it behind her ear. “I can’t begin to tell you how happy it makes me to find out I’m the only man you’ve ever trusted with your body. I want you to know you’re the only woman who’s ever been in my bed.”
The surprised look on her face told him that his reputation made her skeptical. It was true he’d had more than his share of one-night stands. He wasn’t going to deny or defend his actions. There was no point in rehashing the past; the future was what interested him now. He’d learned a lot about women from his previous partners, and for that, he was grateful, because he was going to use every tidbit he’d garnered over the years to make sure Caila never left his bed.
Rolling her to her back, Kip blanketed her. He wanted her to feel completely bound, even though they hadn’t reached that level of trust yet—it was coming quickly. He planned to take her to the playroom as soon as possible. “I’ve never had sex without a condom, baby.” It was true. What he didn’t add was that he’d been tested six weeks ago, and since that time, their scene at the club was the only time he’d had sex. Not that he hadn’t had plenty of offers, but none of his usual friends with benefits had been remotely appealing. He hadn’t understood why until the call. When he’d heard she was found sleeping in her car in a freezing parking lot, the fog and confusion he’d experienced following their encounter at Mountain Mastery had dissipated between one heartbeat and the next.
“I’ve got current test results over in my desk.” He nodded to the oak desk at the other side of the room for emphasis. God in heaven, he could hardly wait to feel the tip of his cock nudging against her wet sex. Playing in her slick fold bare was going to become an addiction. He’d never felt anything as tempting, and his cock twitched with desire. Hell, he wasn’t even undressed yet, and she was already scorching hot. She was so slick he could smell the scent of her honey. The little minx was going to drive him out of his mind if she didn’t admit what she wanted soon.
“I’m clean, I swear.” She was trying desperately to lift her hips so he’d slip inside, but he wasn’t having it. Using his knees to spread her legs farther apart, Kip slid down her torso, letting the rough denim of his jeans and cotton shirt trail over her sensitive sex. He kept chanting to himself that it was more important to give her what she needed in the long term than to satisfy a mutual feeling of immediacy. Although plunging as deep as he could go held a certain appeal—hell, a lot of appeal.
Her groan of frustration when he moved away from her sweet pussy made him smile. Kissing a circle around her navel, he watched the muscles ripple under her pale skin. The moonlight made the silken flesh almost incandescent—it was another image he wanted to commit to memory. Someday, he’d take her picture tangled in his sheets, hair tousled from their lovemaking while shafts of silvery moonlight caressed her. The contrasts of light and dark highlighting her beauty in black and white would be stunning. He’d hang the portrait in the playroom so she’d never doubt how beautiful she was in his eyes.
Brushing his nose against the soft skin of her lower abdomen, he inhaled the light floral scent of the soap she’d used. She always smelled like a flower garden after a Spring rain, and it inevitably made his cock sit up and take notice. Hell, when he was a
teenager, he couldn’t walk through the backyard without popping a stiffy because there were flowers everywhere.
“Please.” Her soft plea was music to his ears and brought him back to the moment. At one time, he’d been a better than average photographer, but he hadn’t taken pictures in a long time. Blowing across her heated skin, he smiled as chill bumps chased the small puff of air. Oh, yeah, it was definitely time to pull his camera out of storage.
“Tell me, Cal. Tell me exactly what you want.” Her eyes widened, but he cut off her protest by sliding even farther down her body. “I can play with you for hours, baby. I’ll spin you up and then back away just before you come—and I’ll do it all night long unless you tell me what you want.” He knew she was fighting an internal battle. He could almost hear the internal dialogue playing out in her head. This was an important battle of wills, and he had no intention of losing.
Using his thumbs, he spread open the swollen folds, exposing the pink pearl of her clit. The little bundle of nerves was already peeking out from under its hood seeking his attention. “Your pretty pussy is so wet, baby. The next time I’m this close I’m going to have the lights on so I can admire your unique shade of pale rose.”
She shuddered under his touch, and he watched as new droplets of her sweet honey glistened in the silvery light. “But for now, I’m enjoying all this beauty in black and white. The contrasts as light plays over your skin makes me long to kiss every inch—and I will, soon. But I don’t think that’s what you were going to ask for, was it?” She’d better ask pretty damn fast, or I’m going to go out of my fucking mind.
“Please. I need to come.” Not good enough, baby, but we’re getting there.
“You know how this works, Cal. Spit it out, or we’ll just keep playing like this. Believe me, I’d much rather erase all those pesky worries from your mind in a more pleasurable way, but the ball’s in your court.” He could tell her she was fighting a losing battle, but she had to figure it out on her own. He could easily build the physical bond between them into something she’d crave, but that was a small piece of what he wanted. Caila’s sexual submission was something he knew he could earn, but he wanted it all. Kip wanted her heart, too—and it was going to be harder to claim.
Chapter Fifteen
Caila watched as Kip lowered his face between her spread legs, even though she knew he wasn’t going to give her the release she was seeking until she talked to him. Since when did he get to be so chatty? His eyes were alight with challenge; she didn’t doubt he could keep her at the edge of orgasm all night long. It might chase her troubled thoughts to the back of her consciousness, but her sanity would flee as well.
Her body was going to incinerate from the inside out if she didn’t come soon. Clinching her fists, she tried to fight the feeling of being lost at sea. The waves of blinding desire battered her, and she knew her ability to resist Kip Morgan was eroding quickly. She’d driven out of Pine Creek just over a month ago, determined to let go of the dream of winning his heart, but she’d soon learned the road to heartache and loneliness was paved with good intentions.
A month away from Pine Creek had dulled the pain, but it hadn’t come remotely close to erasing it. When Brandt called about her dad, she been terrified to return home…but she’d also been thrilled he’d given her an excuse. The last interview she’d had in Texas should have been her dream job. Instead, as she’d driven away, the black ribbon of highway seemed to stretch all the way to the horizon. Caila had pulled to the side of the road as a wave of homesickness so strong it had nearly paralyzed her erupted from the depths of her soul.
Looking around her, she’d seen nothing but wide-open space. No trees. No mountains. Just a straight strip of asphalt leading back into a town where piles of tumbleweeds filled empty corners. The woman who owned the bed and breakfast where she’d stayed had laughed when she’d seen Caila studying the stacks of dried weeds in confusion. “They roll in from miles around…damned annoying if you ask me.”
At first, Caila had assumed the woman was joking. Later, sitting on the back patio sipping glasses of wine, the woman had confessed it was one of the things about her home state that almost “drove her to distraction,” whatever that meant. “You see those lights over there, Caila? That town is almost twenty miles away. The only reason the curve of the damned Earth isn’t hiding it is because we’re on the second floor balcony. And those lights over there to the right? That’s the Raine’s ranch, and it’s at least as far, if not farther.”
The pretty inn owner looked over and grinned. “I’ll bet you can’t see that far at home. All those pretty trees and mountains must make you feel snug as a bug in a rug. I’m not sure I’d be able to live there, feeling all closed in and all. Just as I’m not sure you’ll ever be happy here. Not that I don’t want you to move here, because God knows I can always use another friend. But I’ve seen the sadness in your eyes, girl. You’re as homesick as anyone I’ve ever known.”
Caila had taken a big gulp of wine, hoping to hold back the tears burning the back of her eyes. Lynette patted her arm and leaned back to gaze up at the stars. “Don’t mind me. I really should keep quiet. Chad Raines was really looking forward to your interview, and now that he’s met you, I’ll bet he is pawing at the gate to get you on-board.” She paused for several seconds before turning her dark eyes toward Caila and adding, “But, honey, if you are gonna be miserable, there’s no amount of money in the world that’ll make this worthwhile.”
A sharp slap to the inside of her thigh brought Caila back to the moment. “What the hell? I’m going to kick your ass, Kip. That hurt, you ingrate.” The minute the words were out, Caila knew she’d screwed up, and it only took him seconds to prove her right. In a move so quick and effortless it shocked her, Caila felt herself being lifted and flipped over his lap as he settled on the edge of the bed. If she hadn’t known better, she would have sworn it was a move he’d choreographed and rehearsed, because it had been executed with infuriating ease.
“That’s no way to talk to your Dom, baby. Earlier, you were trying to provoke me deliberately, and we both know that’s topping from the bottom. But this is a whole new kettle of corn. You’re due a reminder about protocol, sweetheart, and I’m happy to give it to you. We’ll start with ten, and depending on how you handle it, I’m reserving the right to keep going until I think you’ve learned your lesson. What is your safe word, Caila?”
Holy shit, Kip wasn’t going to be dissuaded from punishing her. She knew him too well to hold out any hope of that. If she was honest with herself, she’d admit she had indeed been trying to push him to this point for the last half hour. But damn, she hadn’t meant to actually piss him off. She’d seen how that worked out for subs, and it was never pretty. “Tell me what your safe word is, Caila. Now!”
“Red, Sir.”
“Use it if you have to, but if you use it in another attempt to top from bottom, I’ll turn your punishment over to Nate and Taz.” Okay, now he was just being mean. The rat bastard knew full well she was intimidated by the men who ran Mountain Mastery with steel control and military precision. And they were both looking for a reason to punish her after they’d found her sleeping in her car. They’d made it abundantly clear if she endangered herself again they’d strap her to a spanking bench and give every Master in the club two swats with the paddle of their choice.
He rained swats down in a flurry so quick Caila gasped, trying to mentally calculate how many searing smacks he’d given her. Five? Maybe six? His large palm covered her ass, holding in the heat and making her squirm. When she realized how wet she was becoming, she wanted to curse her traitorous body, but the pain was quickly crossing the line between pain and pleasure, elevating Caila closer to that foggy area she’d heard subs talk about. What did they call it? Sub-space? That’s it. Oh, yeah, I like this. Her body was ramping up quickly. If she could just get her fingers wiggled under her…
“Are you fucking kidding me?” Kip’s sharp voice jolted her back out of
the fog as more swats pelted her tender backside. “Tell me you were not trying to steal an orgasm, brat.”
Steal? How can I steal something that’s mine? “They aren’t yours. Your orgasms belong to me, Caila.” Seriously? Does that mean he feels them, too? Because I kinda had my heart set on getting that rush for myself. He’s just fudging around. “Fudging? Dammit, Cal, you haven’t used that word for years. What’s wrong with you? And why the hell are you still chattering like a magpie?”
He picked her up so quickly she almost toppled over, and she screamed as the blood drained from her head. The pain was blurred her vision for a few seconds, and she fought the dizziness that followed. “Fuck.” She heard Kip’s curse, but by the time her vision cleared, he’d already pulled her onto his lap. She hissed when her tender skin hit the rough denim of his jeans, but he’d banded his arms so tightly around her she knew she wasn’t going anywhere. “Christ, baby, I’m so sorry. I got so caught up in the scene I didn’t think about how hanging upside down might affect your concussion.”
“Neither was I. But then…I wasn’t really thinking about anything to tell you the truth.” She could feel the tension radiating through his body. He was practically vibrating with worry and guilt. Caila knew this was her chance; she could sever the ties between them permanently by leveraging this against him. It would be so simple. And it would be so wrong.
Despite the fact it would be an easy out, she didn’t have the heart to hurt him, even though he’d hurt her more than once. Their chemistry had always been undeniable in her view, and it only added to her desire—making him her Achilles heel. Trying to shift so she could look into his eyes, she hissed again when the sharp pins and needles of pain moved over her tender ass. “I didn’t realize I was speaking out loud. Well, at least not at first.” She felt her cheeks start to burn and knew the blush was spreading up from her chest. This was one of the many reasons she cursed her fair complexion.
