“Why don’t you drop to your knees for me,” he suggested, testing her.
She sank to the ground and put her hands on her thighs. “Like this?”
Oh yeah, just like that.
“Part your lips.”
When she did as he requested, and he saw the sweet little sub on her knees, her mouth slightly open, it was all he could do to stifle the groan rising up from his throat. He drew another quick breath to center himself.
“Now give me the famous S-shape pose.”
She chewed her bottom lip and frowned. “I’m not exactly sure how.” She shot him a challenging look, one that made him want to step into the role reserved for the dungeon and teach her something about discipline.
“You studied the poses for this shoot, didn’t you?”
“Yes, but I’m not exactly sure what you want me to do. I believe I’m going to need your direction.” He caught the glint in her eye. There was nothing professional in the way she was looking at him. Heat charged through him, his body aching to show her that real control came in the form of surrender. “Maybe you should bend me into the position you want.”
Oh yeah, he planned on bending her all right. In fact, he planned to do a lot of things to her, and bending was just the beginning.
Kaden let his camera dangle around his neck and moved closer. He put his hands on her arms, and despite the warmth in the late day, he felt a shiver move through her. Dropping to his knees, he shifted her slightly, turning her so she would sit at a forty-five degree angle to the camera. Once he had her positioned properly, he shifted his camera, pressed against her back, and inched her up slightly so her ass wasn’t resting on her calves.
“Now arch into me,” he said, putting his mouth close to her ear. “And stick out your chest so your body is in the shape of an S.”
Instead of following his instructions, she shifted until one breast rubbed up against his arm. When he felt her hard nipple scrape over his bicep, fire raged inside him, and not even the cool water on his legs could tamp down the heat.
“What are you doing, Janie?” he growled into her ear.
She angled her head until her eyes met his. “I’m just trying to get the pose right.” She wiggled until her entire breast was rubbing up against him. Apparently, his sweet pinup girl liked to play games. Damned if he didn’t have a few of his own to teach her.
Moisture broke out on his skin, and his body came alive. His cock grew thicker, and it took every ounce of strength he possessed to rein himself in. He hadn’t felt this excited, this challenged, in a long time.
He hardened his tone. “Is that right? Because it looks to me like you’re not really trying at all. In fact, I think you’re misbehaving on purpose, and such disobedient behavior needs to be disciplined.”
Her body trembled, his words giving him the reaction he was hoping for. Oh yeah, she was just the girl he needed. Everything in his gut told him so. It also told him that taking this strong-minded, bold and flamboyant girl to her knees was going to be as rewarding as it was challenging—for her, as well.
Her body stiffened. “Disciplined?” she asked, a mixture of nervousness and curiosity in her big cat eyes.
Instead of answering, he said, “We’re losing light. We’ll finish what we started tomorrow. I’ll pick you up at seven sharp.” He stroked her neck with the rough pad of his thumb, then toyed with the knot on her halter strap.
“Tomorrow?” she asked, sounding breathless. “Tomorrow is Saturday, and we don’t have another shoot.” She frowned. “Do we?”
“No.” He slid his fingers under the strap, running his fingers along her skin. “We don’t.”
A confused look came over her face. “Then why are you picking me up?”
He pitched his voice low, and in a tone reserved for the dungeon, he said, “To teach you a thing or two about proper behavior.”
Chapter Two
Janie paced inside her condo, her nerves on complete edge. She pulled back the curtain for the hundredth time, keeping an eye out for Kaden’s vehicle, even though she had no idea what he drove.
“What is the matter with you?” Maria asked. “I’ve never seen you like this before.”
She turned to face her friend and wiped her damp hands on the floral dress covering her vintage bikini. “I know. It’s because I don’t know what’s really going on. The last thing Kaden told me after the shoot was to wear my pinup costume tonight, but from the way he was talking and the things he was saying, I didn’t get the impression that we were doing another shoot.”
“Then what are you doing?”
Janie gave a slow shake of her head. “I don’t know.”
“Well, let’s think about it.” Maria took a sip of her soda, then placed it onto the coffee table. “You seduced him, right?” When Janie nodded, Maria continued with, “And he knows you want him?”
“I’m pretty sure.”
Maria blinked. “Pretty sure?”
Janie gave her a wide-eyed look and a sketchy nod.
Shaking her head, Maria said, “So you came on strong, and then he tells you he wants to teach you how to properly behave, correct?”
“Yeah.”
She grinned. “Have you ever been spanked, Janie?”
As Janie thought about that, her heart rose into her throat. “What are you talking about?” Then her mouth formed a surprised little “o”. “Do you mean spanking as in, BDSM?”
Maria casually rolled one shoulder. “My guess is that he likes to be the aggressor, and he wants to teach his little pinup girl a thing or two about discipline.” She stretched out on the sofa and tucked her feet under the accent pillow. “I envy you, because I think he has some very kinky things in store for your tonight.”
“But you know I like to be the one in charge.” Janie twisted her hands together and paced around the room. She’d read her share of romance novels and erotica. She’d even gone as far as to do a little surfing on the internet about it, just for curiosity sake, of course, but in everything she’d read, one thing stood out. Trust between the participants. The thought of allowing someone to take control of her, either in or out of the bedroom, frightened her. But thoughts of her father and brother and their emotional abuse rushed in, reminding her how scared and vulnerable they’d made her feel. When she’d left home, she closed herself off and had sworn never to be put in that position again.
Maria’s face softened, her eyes full of understanding. As her roommate and best friend for the past three years, Maria would know what was going on inside Janie’s head. She jumped up from the sofa and gave Janie a comforting hug. “Come on, I’m sure you don’t have anything to worry about. I just know you’re going to have a fabulous night.”
“I don’t know, Maria…”
“Stop fretting, you’ll give yourself wrinkles.” Her eyes moved over Janie’s face. “Yup, there’s a new one. It’s damn ugly, too,” she teased. Despite the situation, Janie couldn’t help but smile. “Everything is going to be fine,” Maria assured her. “Besides, for all I know, maybe he really is planning on taking you back to his place to play video games.”
Janie gave a slow shake of her head and paced back to the window. “I don’t think so. I think we all pegged him wrong.”
“He’s not a nerdy gamer?”
“I think he’s been flying under the radar and keeping a low profile.” She thought about the command in his tone and the way her body had reacted when he’d touched her. Oh yeah, there was definitely something about this guy that frightened her as much as it intrigued her.
The sound of a vehicle pulling into the driveway caught her attention. She ran to the hallway mirror to check her lipstick, then gave herself a once-over. “Do I look okay?” she asked Maria as she pressed her lips together to smooth her cherry red lipstick.
“You’re gorgeous. Now relax and go have some fun.”
A moment later, the doorbell rang, and she exhaled slowly to get herself under control before she opened it. Maria pulled back t
he curtain to get a glimpse of him on their stoop as Janie made her way into the foyer.
“Kaden,” she said when she pulled the door open and found him standing there, looking so damn sexy in his jeans and button down dress shirt that it took two locked knees to keep herself upright. Most times, his hair fell into his face, but tonight, with it slicked back, it gave her an unobstructed view of his features. She took in the hard angles of his jaw and the intensity in his gray eyes.
“Janie,” he said, his tone deeper than she remembered it.
“Let me just grab my purse,” she said, hoping her voice didn’t sound as shaky as she felt. She darted into the living room, to where Maria was standing, her mouth hanging open.
“Holy shit, Janie,” she whispered. “He’s fucking hot. Hotter than any guy you’ve ever been out with.”
“I know.”
“Now I really am jealous.”
A nervous, yet excited giggle climbed into Janie’s throat, and she pressed her fingers to her lips to hush her friend. “Shhh…”
“I’m waiting up,” Maria said. “I want to hear all the details.”
Janie hurried back to the front foyer where Kaden stood waiting for her. Her hands trembled, and it took all her effort to keep her gaze on his face and off the bulge his jeans hugged so nicely.
My God he is hot.
His shirt accentuated broad shoulders, tight abdominals, and a body that had her thighs quivering. But not only was he hot, he looked rugged and dangerous, more lethal than any MMA fighter.
How did she not see this before? But she already knew the answer to that question. Kaden worked in sweats and was always on the other side of the camera. And those few times she saw him out of the office, at lunch or running in the park, he’d been in sweats then, too.
Her mind raced as she stared at him in frank appreciation, taking in his athletic physique and handsome features. One part of her couldn’t help but think she wasn’t mixing it up at all, considering he was good-looking and well built, just like the guys she usually went out with. Another part of her, the part that said this guy was different from the others, whispered that she just might be getting in over her head with him.
“You look beautiful.” He slipped his hand around her waist to guide her outside. A warm summer breeze washed over her flushed skin, and when they reached his car—a Porsche—he stopped her before she could open her door.
“Janie.” His deep, rich tone played a mysterious alchemy on her soul. She turned to him and realized how close he was standing. His scent reached her nostrils, and as she breathed it in, heat moved through her. “Yes.”
His eyes locked onto hers. “There’s no need to be nervous.”
God, she really was nervous. No guy had ever made her feel like this before. What the heck was it about Kaden that turned her into a quivering mess?
She squared her shoulders. “I’m not nervous.”
He gave her a smile, the hard angles of his face softening. Instead of calling her on her lie, he said, “I just want you to know you have nothing to worry about.” He rubbed his thumb over her cheek. “You’re in good hands, I promise.”
The warmth in his tone, combined with the gentleness in his touch, eased her nervousness. “Okay,” she said. Her discomfort began to ebb away, and she pulled herself together, taking back control of the situation and of Kaden. Although everything inside warned that he wasn’t a man to give anything—especially his control—up lightly.
He opened the car door for her, but instead of getting in, she turned to him, wanting answers. “Where are we going?” she asked. “You told me to bring my set costume, so I assumed you wanted to do another shoot.”
“We’re going to my place,” he answered slowly, a sexy grin playing on his mouth. “And you should never assume anything.”
She took in the gleam in his eyes, the confidence in his tone, and had the sneaking suspicion that they were going to play games all right, but not one of them involved a gaming console.
“Your place?”
“Yes, does that make you nervous.”
“No, should it?” She’d gone to men’s homes before, and he had a good reputation around the set. Everyone seemed to like him, and she didn’t get the vibe that she was in any danger.
“Why don’t you text your roommate the address and number.”
“Really?” She pulled out her phone.
He took it from her. “Maria right?”
“Yeah.”
His fingers flew over the screen then he handed it back. “I’d never want you to feel anything but safe with me.”
Wow, was he for real? She slipped into his car and buckled herself in as he circled the front and climbed into the driver’s seat. The engine purred to life, and a few moments later, they were pulling into traffic. As he skillfully maneuvered the Porsche, she wondered how he could afford such an expensive vehicle on a cameraman’s salary. He drove to the Upper East Side, a very affluent area of Manhattan, and once again, she found herself curious about Kaden Ward and how he could afford such luxury.
Her phone pinged, and she pulled it from her purse, expecting a response from Maria. When she read the message, her stomach turned over.
“Everything okay?” Kaden asked, shooting her a sidelong glance, concern softening his voice.
Determined not to allow Simon to spoil her evening, Janie powered down her phone and dropped it back into her purse, making a mental note to change her number first thing tomorrow. “Just someone I’d rather not talk to.”
He looked at her carefully, and when he opened his mouth like he was going to press, she cut him off and asked about his work as a cameraman, turning the conversation back around to him.
They made small talk about their work on the set, but her words dissolved when he drove pass numerous cars lining the street and turned into a driveway that led to a beautiful, stone-faced mansion. He popped the garage door from the car and drove inside, parking his car between a Hummer and a Lotus.
Baffled, she took in the luxurious vehicles. “You live here?”
He nodded as he shifted the vehicle into park.
Good God, she was just a simple mountain girl from Kansas, one whose family made a living from selling moonshine. She never knew of such luxury. She wondered if he might be involved in something illegal.
Before she could ask, he turned the car off. “Come on. There’s someone I want you to meet.”
She gave him a quizzical look, feeling way out of her element as she slowly released her safety belt. “You live here with someone else?”
“Yeah.”
She put her hand to her forehead and recalled her conversation with Maria. Could Kaden really be into kink? “Tell me you’re not married,” she said, because no way, no how was she going to join in a threesome with another woman.
Another man, however…
He laughed. “No, I’m not married.”
He opened his door and circled the car to meet her. Still grinning, he captured her hand and led her inside the house. Honestly the place was gorgeous, but it did lack a female touch, which gave her a bit of comfort and told her he probably wasn’t lying about his marital status. He guided her through the massive, airy entrance and into what appeared to be a den. Chocolate leather sofas, separated by a square coffee table, faced each other in the middle of the room. On one wall there was a wet bar, and at the back of the room, she saw a beautiful, dark wood desk with a plush leather chair. Behind it stood a massive, floor-to-ceiling bookshelf.
“Make yourself comfortable,” Kaden said.
She walked around the desk and looked over the hardcovers, taking in the rows of books on photography, as well as the numerous textbooks on computer science and coding. What an eclectic combination.
“Have you read all these?” she asked, running her hand over the bindings.
Kaden stepped up behind her, his breath hot on her neck when he said, “Not all of them. The ones on photography are mine. The computer textbooks are Tate’
s.”
She turned to face him. “Tate?” she asked, but when a movement behind him caught her attention, she looked past his shoulders.
Kaden turned around. “Speak of the devil.”
“I was running a bit late,” Tate said, an apologetic look on his face as he knotted the towel around his waist. “Sorry, just give me a minute to get changed, then we can head downstairs.” He turned his focus to Janie, and the smile he gave her was so welcoming, so genuinely warm, it instantly put her at ease. “You must be Janie. I’ve heard a lot about you.”
She thought about the character she played on Devious Women and how the papers couldn’t seem to separate the scheming Samantha Carmichael from the real Janie Monroe. “Don’t believe everything you read in the paper,” she said.
“I never do.” He looked at Kaden, and it occurred to Janie what he meant.
“Oh, you…” She felt a little surprised, maybe even a little flattered that Kaden had discussed her with his friend. “And here I’ve not heard a thing about you, Tate.”
“Don’t worry, you will,” Kaden assured her.
She turned back to Tate and took in his features. With his cropped, sun-kissed hair, translucent blue eyes, and a smaller frame than Kaden’s, the two seemed opposite in almost every way. What kind of a relationship did these two have?
“I’ll be right back,” Tate said. He disappeared from the doorway.
Janie glanced at Kaden. “So you two are roommates?”
“Yes, but we’re more than that.”
“Lovers?” she asked, not that she had a problem with that, but she did wonder how she fit into the equation.
A wide smile split Kaden’s mouth. “No, not lovers. But we do share everything.”
Janie gulped, something in the way he said “everything” catching her attention. “Everything?”
The smile fell from his mouth, and not a hint of teasing remained when he said, “Yes, everything.”
“Oh,” she said for lack of anything else. Did she fall into the category of everything? Her stomach fluttered as her mind conjured sexy images of her between those two gorgeous men. “What’s downstairs?” she asked.
Every Which Way Page 21
