by BJ Wane
With a jerky nod, he let her lead as he worked to get himself under control. The Dom side of him preferred to take charge by holding her head, rendering her helpless as he used her mouth. But the long-time friend and protector side still ruled with Tam and held him back.
“Go ahead.” He brushed his cockhead over her lips, spreading the pearly dribbles as she licked every inch of the mushroom cap before dipping under the rim to tease that sensitive area. His muscles went taut as he fought to hold back the pleasure.
Tightening his hand around the base, he hissed in a breath as she found his sweet spot. She closed her lips over him, bending her head forward to take several inches into her warm, wet mouth. He saw her jerk on her still bound hands and knew from the low groan that vibrated down his shaft she wanted to touch him, but that would not do. He was too far gone to hold back against the feel of both her mouth and hands.
Soft lips clung as she drew back with a hard suction that sent tingles racing up his spine, her tongue a constant swirl of stroking, tasting motion that drew ripples of hot pleasure licking up his shaft. Connor struggled to breathe and hold on, but as Tam shifted her legs behind him to coast one slender, bare foot across his buttocks, he yanked back and pumped his seed onto her quivering breasts. The room spun as he closed his eyes, threw his head back and released a low, guttural moan of body-clenching pleasure, his grip tightening to the point of discomfort.
Connor opened his eyes as his brain started to function again and the first thing he saw was Tam’s adoring, gray-eyed gaze. The second was her semen-splattered chest, white streaks marking the soft skin as she drew shuddering breaths that shook her breasts. The urge to lean down and kiss those swollen, slightly curved lips prompted him to lower his head. It was the brush of her breath against his mouth that jarred him into full awareness of where he was, what he’d done and with whom. Jesus. Shaken by the strength of the climax she’d pulled from him and the jeopardy he feared this night had put their relationship in, he jumped back and moved off her. With a hard thrust, he shoved his leg back into his jeans and pulled them up. Freeing her hands, he helped her up, wincing as she fell against him in a boneless heap, her sigh tickling his neck, the pinpoints of her nipples drilling into his bare chest.
“What the fuck am I going to do with you now, little one?” he muttered into her ear, wrapping his arms around her and holding her close to help steady both her and himself.
Tam held on for a moment before leaning back, holding onto his forearms. “I don’t know. Only you can answer that as I don’t think you really want my suggestion.”
“No,” he sighed, taking her hand, “I don’t.” After tossing the toys in a bin to be cleaned later, he snatched up her dress, shoes and his hat and tugged her toward the stairs with no other thought in mind than to step away from her for some much-needed contemplation time.
Luck was on his side for a change when he spotted Nan and Avery soaking in the hot tub as soon as he reached the lower floor. Perfect. “Come on. You can join your friends and relax while I get a drink.” And question my sanity in agreeing to scene with you. Opening the glass slider, they stepped onto the deck and out into the refreshing cool night air. Tossing her clothing on the bench, he slapped his hat back on, saying, “Ladies. Would you make room for Tam, please?”
“Sure.” Nan scooted over, unabashed in her nudity while Avery, sitting opposite her, shifted lower on the seat, as if the swirling, bubbly water would hide her full, bobbing breasts. Still new to the lifestyle, she appeared comfortable with her nudity when Master Grayson was by her side but turned shy whenever he left her alone without offering her the comfort of covering herself.
“Thank you.” Turning, he lifted Tam and swung her over, looking away from the hurt and confusion on her face as he grabbed a bottle of water from the outdoor cooler. Opening it, he handed it to her. “Drink all of that so you don’t get dehydrated. Get dressed and come find me when you’re ready and I’ll take you home.” He stalked back inside before he could do something stupid, like strip and join her.
“That man is blinder than a bat,” Nan muttered. “He’s so far gone over you he can’t see it. We should get him back out here by giving him a show he won’t be able to ignore.” With a wicked smile, she reached up and toyed with one pouty nipple until it pebbled under her finger.
Tamara shook her head, disappointment and denial crushing her hopes. She knew better than her friend Con was not ‘gone over her’, at least, not the way Tamara wanted him to be. Her body ached in the most delicious way and the hot, swirling water helped ease her tense muscles. But nothing could lessen her despair over ever getting past the brick wall of protective friend Con had erected between them. She couldn’t dispel the vision of his face hovering above hers, his lips so close to her mouth she felt the wisp of his breath. Her heart clutched as she recalled the startled horror in his eyes before he’d pulled back, as if the intimacy of sharing a possessive, man and woman kiss as opposed to the friendly peck they usually shared was something he couldn’t fathom or bring himself to do. God, that had hurt. “You’re wrong, Nan. Didn’t you notice how fast he ran from me now that he’s finished our scene? He’s not interested in more.”
“Besides,” Avery put in, shying away from Nan’s nipple play. “Master Grayson would tan my butt if I masturbated without his permission.”
“That’s why I intend to stay free of a monogamous relationship. When not in a scene, I can do as I please.” Nan cupped both breasts and rasped her rigid nipples with her thumbs, a sigh of pleasure parting her lips as the buds puckered even tighter. “I still say he’s fighting how much he wants you, Tamara.”
“I just want to go home.” Tamara refused to believe that or look into the playroom. She didn’t want to know what Con was doing, or how determined he was to put what just happened between them out of his mind. For her, there would be no forgetting the taste of him, the feel of his hands and mouth, the exalted high he had driven her to. Her nipples still throbbed from the tight clamps and soft vibrations and her pussy and rectum still spasmed with remembered pleasure.
Dropping her hands, Nan sat up straight, her drowsy look turning fierce. “Well, you’re not running inside to him to drive you. I’ll take you and his order be damned. Like you said, you’re not in a committed relationship.”
Avery frowned. “Uh, is that wise? From what I’ve learned, none of these guys will hesitate to punish you for disobeying a direct order.”
Wise or not, Tamara liked Nan’s idea better than seeking out Con. She was done running after that man, finished with hoping for something he would never be agreeable to. “Thanks, but Connor’s fought putting his hands on me since I returned. He won’t mind. And I don’t want to argue with him on the way out.”
Nan pointed to a stone path that wound alongside of the barn. “Dry off, get dressed and follow that around front to the parking lot. I’ll meet you at my car with our jackets.” She looked at Avery with a challenge. “If asked, I plan to tell Master Connor Tamara is still out here with you.”
Avery winced but nodded. “Okay, I’ll stay until you two have left. What are friends for, right?”
“Thanks, both of you.” Tamara waited until Nan dressed and slipped inside before forcing herself to leave the comfort of the heated, bubbly water. Goosebumps popped out all over her body as she snatched a large towel off the bench and hurried to get dry. Her skimpy dress wouldn’t be enough cover against the much cooler night air, which was even more of an incentive to move fast in getting out of here.
“I hope you don’t get into trouble with the sheriff,” she said, stepping to the side of the barn so no one could see her from inside as she struggled back into the stretchy, leather dress.
“If I do, it won’t be the first time. Besides, it’s for a good cause. I hope you and Master Connor work things out,” Avery replied with soft concern.
“Oh, we’ll manage to stay friends, and with any luck, someday I’ll get over this ridiculous, one-sided infatuation an
d we can stay close.” The way she was feeling now, with her heart aching as much as her well-used body, Tamara doubted her own words. But hope springs eternal and all that, she thought as she slipped on her shoes. “Thanks again, Avery.” With a wave, she dashed around the side of the building, shivering from the cold, her lips still aching for Connor’s aggressive assault, her body longing for the rough possession of his cock.
“Here.” Nan thrust her long sweater at her as soon as she came out the front doors, just seconds after Tamara reached her car. “Connor did ask about you but believed me when I said you were still out back. Let’s go.”
Sliding into the passenger seat, Tamara turned toward her friend as Nan drove down the narrow, tree-lined road leading back to the highway. “I’m sorry. You didn’t have to leave early on my account.”
Waving a hand between them, Nan hurried to reassure her. “I’m fine, Tamara. I already enjoyed Master Greg’s attention, so it’s not like I’m missing out. Besides, I talked you into exploring the club. I’m not about to ditch you when a pig-headed Dom walks away from you.”
Tamara felt the need to defend Con. “He made sure I was steady… you know, afterwards.”
“Well, duh. I never said he wasn’t a good Dom, just a pig-headed one.” Pulling in front of the Barton ranch house fifteen minutes later, she put the car in park and swiveled toward Tamara with an earnest suggestion. “Don’t give up on him, Tamara. Of all the guys I’ve known, Connor and Dan have always been the most foot-loose and fancy-free, always insisting monogamy and commitment weren’t for them. But look how fast Caden and Grayson fell.”
Tamara frowned. “Connor has been in a few long-term relationships, from what I’ve heard.”
“Sure, and I think Dan has also, but they didn’t last because they weren’t the right person. You are, for Connor, he’s just too stubborn to see it. Besides, you two have a bond I, and everyone else envies. That’s a hell of a lot more to go on than most relationships start with.”
“That’s just it, Nan. He doesn’t want to jeopardize our special connection, and I’m tired of going where I’m not welcome.” Reaching for the door handle, she swung it open and got out before Nan talked her into hoping for something she knew wouldn’t happen.
Nan looked toward the porch, her eyes turning sharp as she asked, “Who’s that?”
Tamara whirled so fast her long sweater swung open, revealing her risqué attire to Jeremy’s astonished gaze as he stood at the top of the steps, waiting for her.
Surprised disbelief turned to irritation as Tamara jerked her cover closed. “Jeremy? What the heck are you doing here?”
“What the heck are you wearing, and where have you been dressed like that?” he returned in an angry tone she’d never heard him use before as he stomped down the steps.
“Should I stay, Tamara?” Concern laced Nan’s voice.
“What?” Looking back at her friend, she dipped her head inside the car, whispering, “He’s my ex and no threat, I promise, other than to annoy me right out of feeling guilty for breaking up with him. Go on, I’ll be fine.”
“If you’re sure. Call me later.”
“I will, I promise.” Tamara waited until Nan drove away before facing Jeremy again, not caring for his belligerent stance of arms folded across his chest, his brown eyes glaring at her with accusation. “You have no business showing up here, unexpected and uninvited,” she snapped, weary of his refusal to accept the end of their engagement. “I’m sorry you came all this way for nothing, but I’m not inviting you in, Jeremy, and have nothing further to discuss with you.”
He stepped toward her, his sneer changing to a look of contriteness she recognized. “I’m sorry, baby. Seeing you looking so sexy threw me for a loop. I didn’t even know you owned a dress like that.”
“I didn’t until this past week, and that doesn’t matter.” She stepped around him as he made to reach for her. “Jeremy, please.” She sighed, wishing he didn’t keep forcing her to hurt him. “I do not love you and am not getting back with you or returning to Boise. I don’t know how to make it any clearer. Please go.” Looking around, she spotted the back end of what she assumed was a rental sticking out on the side of the house, relieved he had transportation and wouldn’t have to wait around for a ride.
“We’ll talk tomorrow,” he insisted, his mouth tightening. “I saw a motel as I came through that small town on my way here. I’ll get a room there and call you in the morning. You can show me around this place, as a friend, nothing more. I swear.”
She didn’t believe him and besides, she already had a male friend who had her tied up in knots, she didn’t need another. “No,” she returned sharply. Trotting up the stairs, she fished out her keys wishing Amy were still up to open the door. “Don’t call, don’t return here. Goodbye, for the last time, Jeremy.” She didn’t look back again as she let herself inside the lighted foyer, closing and locking the door behind her. Leaning against it, she waited until she heard his car start up and the tires crunching on the gravel drive before she pushed away with a sigh of relief.
Padding into the kitchen, she spotted Amy’s note propped up on the table. With Jason. I’ll see you in the morning. “Well, at least one of us is happy tonight,” Tamara muttered, pivoting toward the freezer. Grabbing a carton of ice cream, she settled at the table with spoon in hand and a heavy heart until she heard the approach of another vehicle. “Welcome to Grand Central Station,” she grumbled, swearing if that was Jeremy returning, she would threaten him with a restraining order, guilt or no guilt.
The Barn, thirty minutes earlier
Connor stayed outdoors after Grayson ushered Avery back inside. He could tell by the sheriff’s look he wasn’t happy with her subterfuge, but they both knew the blame belonged to Tam and Nan. Tam was the one who had disobeyed his instructions to come find him so he could take her home after she’d recuperated in the hot tub. He’d wanted that quiet, alone time with her to assure himself she was okay after that intense scene. Of the three, Nan knew the rules and the Doms best and she shouldn’t have aided and abetted her friend in disobeying them and then lied to him about it. It would be up to him to decide the experienced sub’s punishment, but not now, not tonight.
Leaning his forearms on the rail, his gaze shifted from the darkened trees up to the nighttime, star-studded sky. Tam’s hair was as inky black as the endless expanse above him and he used to love watching the way her long tresses would fly out behind her as she galloped across the fields, her body swaying in tune with her horse as her high-pitched laughter of sheer delight reached him on the wind. She’d been twelve when she had attempted her first jump over the fence separating their properties and he’d never forget the way his heart lodged in his throat as she tumbled off going over. He’d made a mad dash across the field, his hands trembling with worry only to find her laughing on the ground, looking up at him red-faced with exhilaration.
Just like that afternoon, tonight he didn’t know whether to throttle her for worrying him by taking off without giving him the chance to ensure they were still on good footing or hold her close until he could get his conflicting emotions sorted out.
“I see you’re brooding again.”
Connor replied to Caden without turning around. “Go away.”
“That’s original. You obviously weren’t happy with Tamara since you pawned her off after your scene, and yet you’re still pouting now that she’s gone instead of going after her like any self-respecting Dom would, and should do. Why don’t you give it up and go claim your girl?” Caden drawled with a hint of irritation. Moving up to the rail, his brother cocked his head as he peered down at Connor who refused to straighten from his contemplative position.
“She’s not my girl the same way Sydney is yours.”
Caden snorted rudely. “You’re so fucking pig-headed.”
Connor straightened and glared at him. “Damn it, Caden. She’s white picket fences and PTA meetings and I’m… this.” Frustrated, he thrust out an arm
toward the activities going on behind the sliding glass doors.
Remaining calm, Caden asked, “Why can’t she, and you be both?”
He flicked him a derisive look before turning back to the rail and bracing his hands on it. “Yeah, right. Can you see me tied down to one woman?”
“If she’s the right woman, then yes. But since you can’t, consider this and then answer that question yourself. It took me a while, but I managed to put two and two together. Last fall, your mood swings mimicked those of a woman going through menopause and started right after you ended things with Annie.”
“Yeah, so? She cheated on me, and I never made a secret of why we split,” he replied, wondering where Caden was going by dredging up old history.
“My memory must be better than yours, because I recall you were already showing less interest in her a few weeks before that, right about the time rumors of Tamara Barton’s engagement reached town.”
An annoying clutch gripped Connor’s abdomen. “What’s your point, Caden?”
Caden laughed and slapped him on the back. “Think about it, brother of mine. I think you’ve known for a while she’s the only one for you.”
Connor looked at Caden’s retreating back with a puzzled frown. What the hell was he talking about? But the longer he stood there, gazing out at nothing as he thought about what had gone through his head when he’d heard Tam was to get married, the more he realized how obtuse he’d been. His morose mood swings had started about that time, his discontent with playing here at the club had also begun soon after hearing about her engagement. And wouldn’t you know it? He’d been in a better mood and frame of mind ever since he’d learned she had returned home for good after ending her wedding plans. “Son of a bitch,” he swore.
When he couldn’t drum up any enthusiasm for seeking another sub and picturing Tam with another Dom pierced his gut with a stab of painful fury, he lost the final battle to hold himself in check. He’d been right to back away when she first showed signs of wanting more than friendship from him. She’d been too young ten years ago, barely twenty and in college, and he’d just started exploring his interest in the BDSM lifestyle. But he’d been wrong to push her away five years ago, a complete ass for taking out his fear of change and of losing their special connection on her in a way that sent her fleeing.
