by Sherri Hayes
When he turned around, he found Grace was watching him. Her brow was furrowed a bit and she was breathing a little harder than normal. Other than that, she remained still. Her legs were still spread and her hands were flat on the bed.
Alexander placed the toys on her nightstand next to her books. When Grace had told him she liked to read romance novels, he hadn’t given it much thought. Being in the military for ten years he’d known there were kinky romance novels out there, but for some reason he hadn’t pictured Grace reading them. Maybe it was because she was so shy. Then again, before Friday he hadn’t known she was a submissive.
He stood next to the bed, looking down at her. “How are you doing?”
“Good, Sir.”
“Are you ready to continue?” he asked.
There was still a bit of uncertainty behind her eyes, but she answered anyway. “Yes, Sir.”
“Place your hands above your head and press your palms against the headboard. I want those gorgeous tits of yours up in the air.”
Grace had to use her feet to scoot herself higher onto the bed in order to reach the headboard, which made him grin. The position naturally arched her back slightly, thrusting her breasts up.
He picked up the crop and used it first to nudge her legs apart. When she’d moved, she’d closed her legs a little more than he liked. She opened up, giving him a great view of her pussy. He took the time to really look at it for the first time. As of tonight that pussy belonged to him.
That thought did nothing to help the growing problem in his pants, but he had no desire to stop the train of his thoughts. He trailed the crop up the inside of one of her thighs, across her belly button, and then down the inside of the other thigh. Like a good little sub, she held perfectly still.
Alexander flicked his wrist twice, landing a single sting to each of her inner thighs. She closed her eyes and pressed her lips together.
He did it again, higher up. This time he saw the muscles of her sex clench. She liked that. He also noticed that most of the tension in her body had disappeared. Grace was in the moment and he wanted her to stay that way.
Running the tip of the crop over her clit caused a whimper to leave her throat. It wasn’t a sound of distress in the least. She was turned on and she wanted more.
All in good time.
Alexander took his time exploring her body with the crop. Everywhere he wanted to touch with his hands, his lips, he kissed with the crop instead, lingering where he wanted to linger. Grace had an amazing body. When he’d first met her she’d been too skinny, most likely from not eating the way she should. Between Beth’s efforts and his own, they’d managed to put some meat back on her bones, and he was enjoying the results.
When he got to her breasts, he circled them several times making sure to cover every inch before zeroing in on her nipples. She arched her back, silently begging for more as he teased her. When he lifted the crop and snapped it back against the tip, she moaned. The sound went straight to his cock.
Before he threw all common sense out the window and starting sucking on those pretty tits of hers, he returned the crop to the nightstand and reached for the dildo. He held it up at an angle she could see. “When was the last time you used this?”
Her eyes fluttered open and she blinked several times as if she were coming out of a fog. She probably was. He saw the muscles in her throat move as she swallowed. “It’s been a while, Sir.”
He nodded. “Open your mouth.”
She did as instructed and he placed the dildo between her lips. Grace didn’t need to be told what was expected of her. She began sucking and licking the dildo as if it were a real cock. If she kept it up, he was liable to come in his pants.
When he couldn’t take it anymore, Alexander removed the dildo from her mouth and placed it between her legs. He sat on the edge of the bed and pressed the head against the entrance of her pussy. With shallow movements, he began working it deeper. He was entranced by the way her body swallowed up the fake cock.
His plan had been to insert the dildo into her pussy, and then leave it there while he used the flogger and vibrator on her, but plans changed. He pulled the dildo halfway out before pushing it back in with a little more force. Grace’s reaction made him want to do it again, and again. She was doing her best not to move, but she wasn’t completely succeeding.
Her breathing became more labored and her fingers pressed against the headboard. He could tell she was close.
He teased her for several more minutes, alternating between deep hard thrusts and faster, shallower ones. She seemed to like the deeper, harder ones best, which was good to know. He looked forward to testing her reactions when it was him instead of a flexible piece of silicone.
Stretching, Alexander grabbed the bullet from the nightstand and turned it on. He placed it against her clit.
Grace’s mouth fell open and she tilted her head back. He thrust the dildo into her hard and fast several times and her hips came up off the bed. It was obvious she wasn’t thinking straight anymore. He was honestly surprised her hands were still on the headboard. It was no doubt the result of her previous training.
He turned the speed up on the bullet and that was all it took. An almost strangled sound erupted from deep within her throat as she came.
Alexander removed the bullet and the dildo, putting both on her nightstand before taking the blanket at the end of the bed and placing it over her. Forgetting about everything else, he lay down on the bed beside her and pulled her into his arms. He wanted to kiss her, but settled for brushing his lips against the top of her hair.
“You did good, gattina. You did good.”
Donation more $10, download any books in one month
Chapter 12
It took Grace a moment to realize she wasn’t alone and why. Her eyes had drifted closed after their scene and before she knew it, she was asleep. She’d felt safe, relaxed, and a little pleased with herself. Despite her fears, she’d done it. But more than that, she’d enjoyed it.
As soon as that realization popped into her head, guilt began to creep in. She knew it wasn’t logical. Kurt had told her to move on, to find another Dom, and she’d done that. He’d want her to be happy and she was. Mostly.
Grace couldn’t ask for a better man than Alexander to help her with this. The way he’d handled the scene was exactly what she’d needed.
Thinking about their scene had her blushing. He’d seen every inch of her, made her come. She could still smell a hint of sex in the air.
His arms tightened around her as he shifted his weight. The blanket covering her naked body slipped lower on one side, exposing one of her breasts.
She went to pulled it back into place, but he beat her to it. “Are you cold?”
The sound of his voice, the feel of his body next to hers, had her temperature rising again. She was far from cold. “No.”
“How are you feeling?” he asked as he ran a gentle finger from her elbow to her wrist. It was distracting.
She tried to ignore her body’s response. “A little sleepy, but good.”
“I wasn’t expecting you to conk out on me.” Grace could tell he was smiling. It helped lighten the mood.
“Sorry.”
“It’s fine. Just don’t make a habit of it.” He gave her a gentle squeeze, letting her know he was only giving her a hard time.
Neither of them moved as several minutes ticked by. It wasn’t awkward or uncomfortable. In fact, Grace felt more at ease than she had in a really long time. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” He brushed his thumb along the inside of her wrist. “Although, I should probably be the one thanking you.”
Grace didn’t agree, but decided to let it go. Alexander was happy. The scene had gone well. Great, even. She was now relatively sure she could accompany him to Serpent’s Kiss and not embarrass him or herself.
“We need to talk about the scene,” he said a while later. She’d been close to drifting off to sleep again. Being in h
is arms felt more right than anything had since her world fell apart.
“Okay.”
He seemed to sense she was waiting on him to start. “Was there anything you didn’t like?”
“No, not really.”
“That doesn’t sound definitive.”
He shifted again and she wondered if his leg was bothering him. She began to pull away.
“Where do you think you’re going?” His Dom voice was back, slightly deeper than his normal voice. It made her heart rate kick up a notch.
“You keep shifting your weight. I thought maybe your leg was hurting. I wanted to give you some space.” She saw his frown and knew he wasn’t pleased.
“Let me worry about my leg.” He tugged her back against his side. “You’re avoiding the question. Was there something about the scene you didn’t care for?”
“No. There wasn’t anything you did I didn’t like.” That was the truth. She’d loved it all. And she’d wanted more. That’s the part that had her feeling the guiltiest. If he’d wanted to have sex with her tonight she would have let him.
Alexander knew there was something she wasn’t telling him. “But?”
She glanced down at her hands where they rested in her lap. Honesty. “You didn’t touch me.”
When he didn’t respond, she looked up. He appeared to be amused.
“What?” she asked, confused.
“I used a crop on you and shoved a dildo inside your pussy.”
At that moment, she wanted to crawl under the covers. She’d never been good at talking about this stuff and Alexander wasn’t mincing words. “I know.”
He placed a finger under her chin and forced her to meet his gaze. “But you wanted my hands on you.”
She nodded.
Alexander cupped the side of her face, his fingers tickling the hairs at the base of her neck. He leaned in closer. She could feel his breath on her face. Was he going to kiss her?
“There are so many things I want to do to you, Grace. So many ways I want to touch you. But tonight wasn’t about that. Tonight was about you letting go of your fears and realizing that you are still a woman who has needs, wants, and desires. A woman that needed to see that she could let go again and trust that I would catch her.”
Grace felt the moisture prick her eyes and tried to hold back the tears. He’d seen her cry enough already.
He pressed his soft lips against hers for a brief moment before pulling back. “You need a bath, and then bed. You have work tomorrow.”
Without waiting for her to reply, he eased himself out of her bed. He held out his hand for her and she took it. The blanket fell away, leaving her naked in front of him.
Alexander didn’t even pretend he wasn’t looking. His gaze lingered on her breasts before he headed lower. If she’d ever wondered if he was attracted to her, she now had her answer. The look in his eyes told her everything she needed to know.
For a second, she thought he was going to kiss her again, but then he turned and led her into her bathroom. Grace had to admit she was disappointed. She’d wanted him to kiss her.
He drew her a bath and helped her into the tub. “Relax and enjoy your bath then get some sleep. I’ll make sure the house is locked up when I leave.”
She wasn’t sure why, but she’d been hoping he’d stay. It was silly. They both had work tomorrow and he had no clothes there. Plus, it wasn’t as if he was her boyfriend or anything. They weren’t dating. He was her Dom. It was an arrangement.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” She tried to smile, but it must have fallen flat because his frown was back.
“This doesn’t work if you lie to me.”
“I’m not.” His skeptical look had her backtracking. “I’m just not used to this kind of . . . arrangement.”
He leaned back again the doorframe and crossed his arms over his chest. “What kind of arrangement is that?”
“You being my Dom. Me being your submissive.”
“You’ve had a Dom before,” he said, obviously not understanding what she was getting at.
“Yes, but I was married to him.” She sighed, frustrated that she was having trouble explaining herself. “We were . . . I mean . . . it was just different, I guess.”
Alexander took a moment before answering. “Grace, I’m not sure what you think this arrangement is or isn’t, but maybe I need to spell it out for you. As my submissive, you belong to me. And as your Dom, I belong to you.”
Grace nodded. She knew that.
But he didn’t stop there. “I won’t be playing with anyone else while we’re together. I won’t be dating anyone else either.”
She felt her mouth fall open.
He pushed off the doorframe and turned to go. “Finish your bath and get some rest. I’ll text you in the morning and I expect you to text me back as soon as you’re able. Do you understand?”
“Yes, Sir.”
Alexander exited the bathroom, leaving her pondering what he’d said. Did that mean they were dating? Exclusive? She had no idea, and to be honest, she didn’t know how she felt about it. Not that she was planning on going out and dating anyone else, but dating implied there was an emotional element to their relationship.
Grace could hear him moving around downstairs, making sure her doors and windows were locked. The sound of the front door opening and then closing had her sliding down lower into her bath. Did Alexander want their arrangement to be more? It certainly sounded like that. The question became could she give him that if it was in fact what he wanted?
She didn’t know the answer and that frightened her even more than the thought of going to Serpent’s Kiss again, this time as Alexander’s submissive.
The water began to cool, so Grace got out and reached for a towel. She’d do her best—try to be the best sub she could be for him. Hopefully, that was enough.
***
Alexander sent Grace a text before he left for work asking if she’d slept well last night. He knew she was most likely busy at the café, but he expected her to get back to him before lunch. They’d texted back and forth during the day before and it never took her more than an hour or so to get back to him. He hoped what had happened last night between them didn’t change that.
To his surprise, his phone dinged as he was getting into his car.
Yes. – Grace
There was a pause.
I hit the snooze three times this morning. – Grace
He chuckled. Grace wasn’t exactly a morning person, but she was used to her schedule and she enjoyed her job. They’d talked about how she always had to hit snooze once in the mornings before she could drag herself out of bed. Three times meant she really hadn’t wanted to get up.
I’m glad you got some rest. – Alexander
Have a good day at work. I’ll pick you up at 6. – Alexander
When she didn’t respond right away, he went ahead and drove to work. Halfway there he heard her message come in. Unfortunately, he had to wait until he arrived at work to check it.
Okay. I’ll be ready. – Grace
His day went by quickly. There’d been a mountain of new folders on his desk that required his attention and at lunch he’d had to run to the post office. The state licensing board had sent him another form they needed to be filled out and sent in. He wanted the process of getting his license to practice in Missouri completed as soon as possible. That meant staying on top of whatever the licensing board required. He sure as hell didn’t want to be sitting at a desk for the rest of his days going over malpractice suits.
Jewel asked if he wanted to join her and some others for drinks again. He felt bad that he had to keep turning her down, but there was no way he was giving up the evening with Grace. He also didn’t think she’d feel comfortable tagging along with him while he hung out with his coworkers. The new terms of their relationship alone had her leery.
He hadn’t missed the look on her face when he’d told her there would be no one else as long as he was w
ith her. She’d lost a little color in her face and her jaw had dropped. Alexander had thought he’d been clear before about exactly what he expected, but apparently he’d not been clear enough. He didn’t want to scare her, but she needed to know he wasn’t going to be playing, or dating, anyone else as long as they were together.
Thinking about seeing Grace again had him whistling on his way to his vehicle. He got a few strange looks, but he didn’t care. In less than an hour he’d see Grace again and tonight he planned on pushing her boundaries a little more.
As promised, Grace was ready and waiting when he showed up at her house. She had her hair pulled back and a little makeup on. The makeup was new. And while she looked nice, he preferred her natural beauty.
“Shall we?” he said, offering her his arm.
She locked the door and hooked her arm through his.
It didn’t take long to get to the restaurant. They’d been there before and had both enjoyed the food. That was good since he was starving. He’d skipped lunch in favor of going to the post office.
“Good evening. Two?” the hostess asked.
Alexander nodded. “Yes, and a booth please, if you have it.”
She grinned and picked up two menus. “Right this way.”
The booth was along the wall in the center of the room. Not as private as he’d like, but he could work with it.
He motioned for Grace to have a seat. Instead of taking the seat opposite, he slid in beside her.
Grace scooted closer to the wall, making room for him. One they were both settled and the hostess had left them alone, he rested his hand on her knee as he picked up his menu. He was very glad she’d chosen to wear a skirt tonight.
She sucked in a breath.
“Problem?” he asked.
“No, Sir.”
“Good.” He smiled. “Hopefully you know what you want because I could eat a horse.”
Careful not to move her lower half, Grace picked up her menu.
When their server stopped by their table, he ordered their drinks and an appetizer, giving Grace a few more minutes to decide what she wanted. He was being good, keeping his hand still while she looked.
