by Cassie Ryan
And she was ashamed to admit that jealousy had stabbed through her at the touching scene.
“Kate,” Dex said softly, his deep voice carrying easily across the few feet separating them.
She slowly turned her head and met his gaze.
The weight of that gaze was substantial, but she tried to ignore the traitorous thrill of excitement that it caused.
“It’s good to see you again.” He stepped forward slowly, as if waiting for her to flinch away. But he surprised her when he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close, much like Brent had done with Sandra.
It was a tender, protective gesture, every bit as sweet as what she had seen on the security monitor.
Her jealousy eased a bit, but the hurt from the way he had left remained. Finally, she gave in to the strong pull between them and rested her head against his chest, breathing in his spicy, dark scent.
“Dex.” Brent’s deep voice broke into the cocoon of protection and well-being Kate had started to let herself get lost in. “Go ahead and stay here. You can go over any membership questions Kate might have. I’ve got a conference call with our London client in about twenty minutes.”
Our client?
Kate’s head snapped up, and she turned to look at Brent. “You’re the efficiency expert?” She was glad her voice came out sounding curious rather than accusing.
Brent gave her a large smile. “Yes. I hope Dex hasn’t made my job sound too dreary. It’s actually quite fascinating.” He winked as he stepped inside the elevator with Sandra and the doors shushed closed, blocking them from view.
She stiffened as anger flashed inside her chest.
But, no matter how it felt, he hadn’t lied to her.
He’d been up front that he could be recalled at any time. But when she had asked about Club Desire, he made it sound like he’d been here once or twice, and then added as almost an afterthought that he knew the owner.
Yet he actually worked for the owner, had helped design the club, and obviously spent a good deal of time here.
She sighed. While he hadn’t been fully forthcoming with her, he still hadn’t lied. He had answered her question honestly and even offered to talk to the owner on her behalf. He’d been under no obligation to share more with her, even if she wished he had.
Kate wanted to push away from Dex and wrap her anger and hurt around her like a protective blanket, but being in his arms felt too good to ruin with tantrum theatrics.
Her anger ebbed as she thought the situation through. The hurt, however, might take longer.
Dex eased away from her, just enough so he could capture her gaze. “I’m sorry I had to leave so quickly. And I’m sorry you had to see what happened with Min.” She saw in his gaze how sincere he was on both subjects, and how much anger and guilt he carried over the latter. She wondered why there would be guilt.
Kate swallowed hard and forced words through her tight lips. “I was sorry you had to leave so quickly, too. I had hoped for more time before you were recalled.”
There. That wasn’t too bad.
She hadn’t babbled about how she had wanted to see him again, and how much she wanted his hands on her, or gushed over how she had hoped to have more nights like the one they’d shared.
Just a simple statement that she hoped he couldn’t read too much into.
“Why don’t we sit?” He led her to the love seat where she and Sandra had sat while they were talking to Brent before he’d been paged.
Once more, she sank into the soft leather, but this time, Dex sat next to her, pulling her against him, as if he had every right to do so.
She thought about pulling back. Setting a boundary. But then she shook her head as she admitted that he did have that right.
She might logically try to deny it, but if Dex wanted her, she definitely wanted him. Both as a Dominant and as a man.
Kate tried to caution herself that she was reading too much into the situation.
Again.
And was only setting herself up for more heartache. But logic was apparently beyond her. Especially in the face of Dex’s strong presence beside her.
“Kate.”
She turned to look at him, and sucked in a breath at the desire she saw in his expression. “Yes, sir,” she said, before she could think better of using the honorific and giving him that position of power. Especially since she loved having him as her Dominant.
A slow smile curved his lips. “It’s good to see you here. I didn’t know how soon you were planning a trip to Phoenix.”
Warmth filled her chest that he seemed happy she was here.
“Where are you staying?” His voice reverberated deep inside her, reminding her of when he had massaged her G-spot until her eyes had nearly rolled back in her head. Kate basked in the warmth from his body and decided to enjoy the experience and analyze later.
“My grandmother left me her house here in Paradise Valley when she died.”
He nodded. “Is Rusty enjoying having a house to run around in?”
Kate frowned. She wondered how he knew she had brought Rusty. Normally people didn’t travel with their cats.
“I figured you wouldn’t be able to leave the little guy behind when he could have a house to run around in while you’re busy exploring the city.”
Kate nodded, feeling stupid that she had jumped to the conclusion that something was suspicious. Dex was already very good at reading her, and he knew how attached she was to Rusty. “There’s a large back patio door. And Grandma Hatcher had cats for many years, so there’s a tall cat tree right there. Rusty already claimed the highest platform so he can bird-watch.” She chuckled. “Cat TV.”
Dex slid one large hand across her shoulder to skim his fingers over her sensitive nape. She shivered as arousal speared through her.
She expected him to grab her hair and pull her head back since he seemed to love having his hands in her hair, and controlling her that way, but he only continued to gently tease the sensitive skin and slowly drive her crazy.
A few minutes later, when she was squirming in her seat and fisting her hands to keep from reaching for him, he leaned forward as if to catch her attention.
When she looked at him, his expression was soft and open. “Am I forgiven for leaving so abruptly?”
She searched her feelings, and while the hurt still stung, he’d made a good start to mend that rift. She nodded with a small smile.
“Not to push my luck, but could I ask for something? To show me your sincerity?” She smiled as she gave him her best mischievous look.
In a swift movement, he grabbed her hair, pulling her head back, and lowered his mouth to her throat. His rough kisses sent fire lancing through her and left her gasping. She would carry more marks from Dex, and she would wear them proudly.
The scrape of his stubble only added to the erotic maelstrom churning inside her.
When he finally leaned back, disappointment threatened, until he pulled her against him so he could capture her mouth in a rough kiss that thrilled her.
She wasn’t sure when Brent or someone else would come back to the office and catch them like this.
That only added to the excitement.
Kate wondered briefly if there were cameras in here. But then she shrugged as she realized that thought turned her on too.
She ran her hands over Dex’s muscular arms and shoulders and then wrapped her arms around his neck, tracing her fingers through the short, tight curly hair on his scalp. It was soft, and during their night together she found out it smelled like cedar.
He had laughed when she ran her nose over his hair to catch the scent again. She assumed it was shampoo or hair product, since the rest of him smelled dark and spicy.
She lost herself in the sensations he created inside her, running her hands over his chest and then down to his tight, toned stomach, and lower.
He nipped her bottom lip with his teeth when she cupped his hard cock through his dress slacks.
The pinpr
ick of pain only excited her more.
When Dex gentled his touch and slowly pulled back, she wanted to hold him in place and cry out from the loss.
He laughed as he looked down at her. “You look amazing with my marks all over your neck, your hair rumpled, and your lips swollen.”
She tried to smile, but was afraid she would throw herself at him and beg him to take her, which would not be acceptable for an independent woman.
She huffed out a breath, frustration churning through her.
When Dex only smiled, she smacked the heel of her hand against his chest. “Don’t laugh at me.”
He tweaked her nipple with his strong fingers, and she gasped.
“I wasn’t laughing at you, my beautiful Kate. I was just enjoying the view.” He paused, and she considered hitting him again.
“You enjoy being mine and wearing my marks, don’t you?”
Her clit throbbed and her nipples ached, begging to be touched again. She couldn’t lie, no matter how tempted she might be to do so. “Yes, sir. I love that you’ve marked me, and I will be sad when they fade.”
His tender smile melted her heart. “Then, my beautiful Kate, I’ll just have to mark you again. You may not know it yet, but you’re mine. My Kate.”
She thrilled at his words, excitement surging through her. “Yes, sir. I am gladly yours. And you are mine,” she dared to add.
Dex rolled her nipple gently between his fingers, plucking it just enough to make her wet between her thighs and pull a gasp from her.
“You started to ask me for something, Kate. To show you my sincerity. But I had to have my hands on you, and didn’t let you finish.” He flashed her a smile. The same smile that made her knees weak every time she saw it.
She sucked in a breath and blew it out slowly, trying to calm her raging hormones long enough to form a coherent sentence. “The other night was wonderful, but there was one thing we didn’t get to.”
He raised one dark brow in question. “What would that be? I thought we covered quite a bit of ground for one night.”
His heated gaze sizzled over her skin, and she shivered. “We definitely did,” she agreed. “But I want to taste you.”
The muscles in his arms jerked and then relaxed, making her realize he had nearly yanked her to him and lost himself in her again, but then stopped. After a few long seconds he released her hair and sat back, dropping his arms at his side. “I’m all yours, Kate.”
She sucked in a breath as excitement simmered in her stomach. She slid onto her knees on the floor beside him, then pushed Dex’s thighs apart so she could kneel between them.
He made no move to direct her actions, so she took full advantage of the freedom.
She leaned forward and pressed open-mouthed kisses against the hard ridge under the fly of his dress slacks. She lingered at each spot long enough to warm it with her hot breath, pulling a low moan from Dex.
She chuckled against him as she found the top of his zipper and slowly slid it open. It was quick work to unfasten the button and peel the soft, expensive material back so she had full access to his boxer briefs.
Dex reached for her, and she swatted his hands away and shook her head.
“We’re just getting started,” she told him, and glanced up from under her lashes to see the lust etched into the planes of his handsome face. “I set the pace for this.”
He sucked in a breath. “I did say I would show you my sincerity.” His jaw clenched and he laid his hands beside him on the love seat.
Surprised that he relinquished control so easily, she pulled down the front edge of the boxer briefs so his cock popped free.
This would work, but she wanted more. “These are going to have to come off.” She leaned back onto her shins and slid off each of his dress shoes, and then tugged at the leg of his slacks.
Dex took the hint and stood to take off his pants and underwear, laying them beside him on the love seat. He sat down again and she edged between his spread thighs, grasping his cock at the base in one hand and cupping his balls with the other.
His thighs tensed on either side of her, and his fingers tightened into fists beside him, as if to keep him from reaching for her.
Kate leaned forward slowly and blew a long stream of warm breath over the head of his cock. He made a sound of need in the back of his throat, and she couldn’t wait any longer.
She traced the tip of her tongue along the slit on the wide head of his cock to capture the pearl of moisture that had gathered there.
The salty-sweet flavor burst inside her mouth, and Dex jolted, as if her tentative touch had speared pleasure through him like an electric shock.
“Mmm.”
She couldn’t help the sound as she took his tip inside her mouth and laved the sensitive flesh with her tongue.
Dex blew out a harsh breath, and she could tell he battled against taking control. But she wanted to draw this out. To play out her fantasy for as long as she could.
Her newfound power thrilled her and made her core clench.
As much as she wanted to feel him explode down the back of her throat, she also wanted him inside her again.
Dex had become her own personal addiction, and the idea scared her a little.
She slowly took more and more of him until he bumped against the back of her throat.
Kate dropped the back of her tongue, opening her throat wide like she did when she yawned, to avoid her gag reflex. She took as much of him as she could.
He was thick, so she had to make sure she didn’t scrape the sensitive skin too much with her teeth. Although when she lightly grazed him, he moaned and arched his hips before he seemed to realize what he was doing, and relaxed back against his seat.
She gripped him firmly around the base and sucked him in and out of her mouth while stroking him, gently fondling his balls, and pressing against the sensitive spot just behind them where his testicles attached to his body.
Dex’s breathing became more and more labored until his eyes slipped closed, his thigh muscles twitching where they touched her sides.
As she set up a steady rhythm, she caught more hints of his salty-sweet flavor as they burst over her tongue.
He began to gently buck inside her mouth, and she adjusted her rhythm to match.
Whenever his balls began to tighten against his body, she slowly massaged them until they relaxed, to prolong their play as long as possible.
There was a wicked feminine power about turning on such a virile, strong man this much. Having control of his pleasure, and drawing it out.
Dex was breathing hard, nearly panting. Sweat had broken out on his forehead.
He looked amazingly sexy when he was aroused and on the edge of losing control.
She was wet and aching for him. Her clit throbbed and begged for attention, but she wouldn’t relinquish the pleasure she was giving Dex to worry about her own.
She could wait.
Was this what it was like for a Dominant? The rush and power of pleasuring someone else? No wonder it was a draw for a lot of men. And women, she admitted. But she enjoyed being a sub too much to become a Domme.
She did enjoy giving pleasure to Dex. But he was a special case.
Her own orgasm built deep inside her pelvis as tension coiled tighter and tighter.
But she was ready to taste Dex. To feel him explode down her throat.
She increased her rhythm, taking him harder with each stroke, even as he continued to buck his hips. She let go of his shaft, allowing him to thrust hard so she took him all the way to the base, and she squeezed him with her throat each time he delved deep.
Dex’s moans and gasps encouraged and thrilled her.
When her own orgasm seemed imminent, she reached around to grab his hips, guiding him as he continued to fuck her mouth.
He called out her name as he came, the heated liquid spilling inside her mouth as he slowed his thrusts and then collapsed back against his seat.
She exploded seconds later,
her core contracting in rhythmic squeezes as heated pleasure flowed through her. Her orgasm went on and on, a second wave hitting soon after the first, stealing her strength and ripping a scream from her throat.
She swallowed and then licked her lips, enjoying every bit of Dex’s essence.
She felt boneless and spent as Dex leaned forward and gently lifted her onto his lap.
She glanced up into his face and what she saw there stole her breath.
She didn’t dare name it, for fear she was wrong.
Dex ran his thumb across her bottom lip as he smiled down at her. “You’re so beautiful, Kate. Especially with your lips swollen, my marks on your neck, and your hair wonderfully rumpled and askew.”
He kept her gaze as he slowly lowered his mouth to hers.
Just before their lips met, emotion filled his eyes, and the sight made her gasp.
Then his eyes slid closed, as if she had seen too much and he wanted to guard against her seeing any more.
As he kissed her gently and tenderly, he stroked his hand over her back, the motion soothing and caressing rather than possessive and rough.
Her heart felt like it was ready to burst, and hot tears burned at the backs of her eyes, but she blinked them away before they could fall.
She couldn’t let herself believe what she thought she saw. It would leave her even more vulnerable than she already was to him.
Dex continued to run his hands over her, stripping her clothes away until she was completely bare.
She straddled his lap, her breasts pressed against his soft dress shirt.
Dex continued to kiss her, alternately giving her soul-stealing deep kisses and pressing his lips gently against her cheeks, eyelids, and nose.
She sighed, and he swallowed the soft sound.
After several minutes, she felt his cock begin to stiffen between them.
Before she knew it, she was softly grinding against him, tormenting them both.
Rather than grabbing her roughly and returning them to their sexual frenzy from earlier, Dex stroked her hair and traced his fingers down her spine, leaving a wake of erotic tremors dancing across her skin.
