"Punished?" She breathed out the word. He had mentioned punishment before, but always during a sexual situation.
"I told you, it's not like your books." His tone gave warning. "I don't do bedroom play."
"Wait a minute." She took a step back. "Hold on," she said, as she moved around the loveseat, placing it between them. "Ted is the asshole. All I did was go to lunch with a friend. Why are you looking at me with those cop eyes of yours?"
"Cop eyes?"
"Yes. When you get all protective and angry, you have cop eyes," she explained with an air of exasperation. She didn't expect the smile to creep into his eyes so quickly, or the deep laughter to bubble from his chest, but she was realizing most of what she found with Kendrick was what she least expected.
"Okay, I'll put away my cop eyes." He grinned. "But that doesn't change the fact that there will be rules. Some you might find unfair. And if you don't follow those rules, then yes, I will punish you. Discipline and obedience go together," he explained.
"Do I have a say in these rules?"
"To a degree. There are some—like this one in particular—in place for your safety, and although I will always hear you out, it doesn't mean you have veto power."
"And if I say no to this rule?"
"Do you want to say no to this rule?" His breath was heavy.
"Well…" she thought to herself for a moment, "no, not really. I know you think it’ll keep me safe. But if someone like Ted—”
“Ted. I’m talking specifically about Ted. He’s more dangerous than you seem to understand, Kelly.” His voice hardened.
“Okay, I get that. It’s just…I’m a grown woman. If Ted wants to hurl insults at me, or whatever, I can defend myself against him.”
Kendrick dragged in a deep breath, staring at her quietly for a long moment before he walked around the sofa and pulled her to him. The scent of his aftershave surrounded her. She sighed with the comfort it brought her.
"It's not that I don't want you to defend yourself. It’s simply not wanting you engaging in any situation that could harm you." He kissed the top of her head. His hands roamed over her back in a soothing motion. "I think it's time we talk."
She groaned.
"No, not a bad talk." He laughed.
"Did you eat yet? I can make us something." She pulled away from him.
He kissed the tip of her nose. The small sign of affection warmed her through to her toes, and she found herself grinning up at him.
"Didn't you just have lunch?" he asked with a humor-laced tone.
"Yeah." She shrugged. "Okay. How about some coffee, a beer?"
"I'll have water." He kissed her forehead. "You can finish the glass of wine I interrupted."
Once the coffee table had been cleared of her papers and the rest of the laundry had made its way into the basket beside the TV, Kelly sat on the couch with her bare feet tucked under her and a glass of wine balancing on her knee. Kendrick, however, insisted on sitting on the loveseat during their talk.
She had noticed the tightness in his jeans when he had held her, so she figured he was trying to keep his composure for the conversation at hand. She hoped he wouldn't try to be so controlled once they were done. She wanted his lips on her again, but not so chaste. She craved warm, deep kisses to her lips, neck, and breasts.
The idea of his mouth moving along her body forced her to reposition herself on the couch. She moved a bit, then smiled over at him. "So, you wanted to talk." She cleared her throat.
"The bag next to the desk over there…what's in it?" he asked, pointing to the Macy's bag.
"New t-shirts," she answered.
"Cleavage free?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Yes." She squirmed in her seat again. The man was causing more emotional arousal than should be allowed on a Sunday afternoon.
"I don't play in the bedroom and leave the kink behind. It's part of me. It's what I am all of the time." His tone suggested he was divulging some big secret to her. "That means if you're mine, you fall under my jurisdiction at all times. Twenty-four hours a day."
Grinning into her glass, she said, "Hence the rulemaking."
“What was that?” he asked, eyebrow arched.
“Nothing,” she said, hugging her knees to her chest. He was the first man in years to have the slightest idea of what he wanted in a relationship, and the first who was able to articulate it to her. She’d keep her snide comments to herself—for now.
“Well.” He put his water on the coffee table untouched. "I know we went over some of your sexual boundaries—" He had the audacity to pause in order to take in her blush.
That had been one awkward conversation—one she was glad to have had on the telephone.
"But we didn't talk about rules outside the bedroom. To be honest, I intended to go slower with you, to show you what you asked for, but I can't. It's all or nothing with me."
"Okay," she agreed, telling herself not to jump onto him and kiss him senseless. Since meeting him, she wanted nothing more than to be his, even without understanding what that entailed.
He shook his head. "Your impulsive nature will be the death of me."
"Your reasonable straight-forward approach to everything is exhausting. Take a chance, jump, leap." She slid down the couch until she was sitting as close to him as she could.
"You have to know what you're saying okay to. You can't just agree." He pointed a finger at her. "Especially with this—with us."
"Okay. So, tell me."
"First, tell me what it was like shopping today when you bought those new shirts." He jerked a thumb toward her purchases.
It had been exhilarating. At the register, the cashier kept glancing at her because of the stupidly-happy-n-giddy grin she'd had on her face. Knowing she was buying the shirts for him, at his direction, didn't just make her panties wet…it made her heart swell. Jessica had been kind enough to give Kelly a knowing smile, but not comment on it.
"It was nice." She downplayed the emotions she'd had.
"Nice?" He laughed. "That's it?"
"Well, I mean, it was different than other shopping trips. Is that what you’re talking about?" She felt the familiar sensation of heat creeping up her neck, heading for her face. Since meeting Kendrick, it seemed her cheeks were always on the blush setting. Ignoring the flame was the only course of action.
"Different how?" he pushed.
"It had more significance than other trips," she answered.
His expression softened.
"It sort of felt…I dunno…like you were there. You weren't there, where you? You weren't spying on me?" She let her feet drop to the floor and leaned closer to him.
He laughed heartily. "No. I wasn't there. I was working all morning, until George called." His hand brushed against her knee as he reached toward her face, sending a shiver through her when his fingertips gripped her chin.
"But I'm glad you felt that way." His soft voice shook her. Did he know how much his stare undid her? His eyes melding with hers made her ends unravel, and she wanted nothing more than to please him.
"So, what am I saying okay to?" she asked quietly when he made no move to kiss her.
He released her and sat back on the loveseat, and she tucked her feet beneath her. "I mean I know the rules regarding clothing."
"I want you to understand why, though. I love your body." His gaze swept over her with a grin. "Even in those sweats, you’re too hot to share, even visually with anyone else," he continued.
The blush was threatening to creep upward again.
"Simply put, I'm selfish, and I don't share. If we go play at the club, it would be different—"
"Why?" she interjected.
"Because it will be obvious you're mine, and there will be no touching by anyone else. When we are out at lunch, I don't like feeling other men's eyes devouring you."
"Some guys feel proud of their girlfriends when other men are attracted."
"I'm not one of them," he said simply. "I admit it's
selfish, but it's my preference. And when you're mine, my preference rules."
"Always? For everything?"
"Not everything. That's what we need to talk about. I know there are areas of your life I won't touch. Your career, your finances. Things like that. But for most things, I have the only say."
"For example?" She pulled a pillow into her lap and gripped it hard.
"Your orgasms," he answered matter-of-factly.
She swallowed. How could he talk so casually about something so intimate?
"They belong to me, which means unless you have my permission, you may not have one."
"The other night I didn't have to ask."
"We hadn't set up our boundaries yet."
"So…when we have sex, I have to ask?" She tried not to sound so damn vanilla, but she knew she was failing miserably. Orgasm control wasn't a new subject to her, but not one she had readily considered with Kendrick.
"If I haven't given you permission, yes. Same goes for masturbation. You'll need to ask before touching yourself."
She rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand. What was she getting herself into?
"Do you masturbate often?" he asked, resting his foot on his knee and folding his hands in his lap. He might as well be lounging by the pool, meanwhile her insides were going to explode all over the living room.
"Often enough, I suppose." She hoped her voice wasn't shaking as much as her nerves were.
"How often?" he pressed. "When was the last time?" he asked when she remained silent.
"Last night," she whispered. "Twice." Their late-night phone call about their sexual wants and boundaries had left her in much greater need of her vibrator than most nights.
"Impulsive and greedy." He grinned.
His cockeyed smile coupled with the way he stared at her sent heated arousal coursing straight to her core.
She cleared her throat. "Can we get back to the punishment thing?" Her voice squeaked slightly at the topic.
"That part is both easy and difficult. Easy: if you break a rule, you'll earn a punishment. The hard part will be taking it, because if you fight it, there will be more consequences." He eyed her for a moment. "I don't like punishments. I like obedience. I like submission. I like giving you pleasure and getting pleasure in return."
"So, if you don't like them, and I'm sure I won't like them…why don't we skip them?" she asked playfully.
He shook his head. "It's part of it all, the obedience and the submission. Consequences…you crave them." His words resonated inside her.
Consequences? She'd never had them before. Not really. She'd grown up an only child to two very successful parents.
Her father was a partner in his law firm, and her mother was a top seller at the real estate agency where she worked. Living in an upper-class suburb didn't present Kelly with very much opportunity to strike out in rebellion. The few times she'd found herself on the wrong side of her father's disapproving glare, she'd managed to escape with a heartfelt apology and a short-term grounding. Sitting at home with cable television, internet access, and a telephone wasn't exactly a dire situation for a teenage girl.
"I…well…" She didn't know how to respond.
"You crave the obedience too." He leaned over and pulled her legs out from under her and placed her feet back on the floor. His hands rested on her knees. "You enjoyed buying those shirts today because you were obeying me. You were acting in a way that pleased me." He pushed her knees apart and scooted his own legs between them.
"I can't explain it, so I'll have to agree with you." It made sense, the way he explained it. While she’d been shopping, she’d felt almost held by him.
"There will be times when you feel something that might scare you or confuse you." His words floated around her as his finger traced her jaw and tucked her hair back in place.
Most of what he said and did already confused her, but so far nothing scared her.
"When that happens, it’s important you tell me, don't lock it away." His tone hardened. "I can't help you work through it if I don't know it's happening. Do you understand?" His finger tilted her chin up again when her eyes dropped to his lips.
She wanted to kiss him. No man had ever taken such good care of her before the relationship had even started. Not one of them had offered to be her shoulder much less demand she lean on him.
"Say the words, Kelly."
"I understand," she whispered. "Can you kiss me now?" She found herself asking before she could stop herself.
"I really do need to do something about your impulsiveness." He laughed before leaning in and taking her lips with his.
Chapter 15
The kiss was meant to be short—a little something to reward her for being so good while he explained things. She was so open to him, to his demands and expectations, every second they sat near each other was another second he had to fight the urge to pull off her clothes and devour her.
The woman hadn't expected him to pop into her apartment. That was apparent by the sweats and pile of curls on top of her head, something she often did whenever she was lounging at home. The thick red curls never stayed put, though. A strand or two dangled in front of her face, constantly being tucked back. The action was so second nature, he doubted she noticed she did it anymore. But each time she pulled the hair back with her finger, he envied the fingertip that touched the silky skin of her face.
He wrapped his hand around the back of her neck, pulling her deeper into the kiss. She tasted of sweet wine. She gave a frustrated sigh when he broke the kiss.
"Now, what do you do if you see Ted?" he asked, his fingers playing with the straps of her tank top.
"I say nothing to him, walk away, and call you immediately." Her eyes sparkled with her answer, and her hands moved to his knees.
"Good." He dragged her bra straps down her arms, freeing her breasts from the cups. He peered down at her naked chest and whispered, "So damn good." He took a nipple in each hand and began to roll them between his fingers.
Her eyes closed at his actions, and her breath seemed to catch in her throat.
"Breathe, baby." Releasing her nipples, he held her breasts in the palms of his hands, letting his thumbs rub over her peaked nubs. "Do you like when I do that?"
"Yes," she replied, keeping her eyes closed.
"Do you want more?" He watched her features change.
Her lips parted. A thin layer of moisture left behind from her tongue ran along it. Imagining that same tongue running up his dick in much the same way made him ache to rush forward. Restraint was becoming more difficult the more time he spent with Kelly.
"Do you?" he repeated when she kept silent.
"Yes." Her answer came out on a heavy breath. She was barely holding her own restraint, and the frustration in her words only turned him on more.
His eyes remained locked on her face as he again took her nipples between his fingers. This time he squeezed with more pressure.
Her grimace of discomfort and the long intake of breath from the raging sensations pleased him. Wanting to give her more, he began to pull her breasts toward him.
She hissed and raised her shoulders but didn't try to back away from him or pull free.
"Damn. So good," he said through clenched teeth. Not letting go of her, he leaned forward and placed a warm kiss on her cheek. "I'm going to let go. It's going to burn like hell. You are not to touch them. Keep your hands exactly where they are. Do you understand?"
She nodded in response.
"Words, Kelly. I want words." He increased his hold.
"Yes, I understand!"
Without giving further warning, he released her nipples.
Her breasts bounced back, and she yelped at the sensation. Her fingernails dug into her leg, but she didn't make a move to rub away the pain. He swooped in and took her mouth hard against his, pushing her back against the couch with the force of it.
His fingers wrapped around the back of her neck as his tongue drove past her lips and fou
nd hers waiting for him. He moved from his position on the loveseat to nearly kneeling on the couch over her. Her hands remained obediently on her knees.
He groaned into her mouth at the realization.
Kelly's body responded to him beautifully. Beneath his hands, she went soft. But when his tongue touched hers, she matched his intensity without wavering. Although her hands stayed planted, her foot brushed up and down his leg, giving him the impression of what she wanted.
"Shit," she breathed when he broke off the kiss. Their eyes locked, her lips swollen from the voraciousness of his kiss.
"Yeah." He breathed his agreement.
He took her right hand from her knee as he stood and pulled her up from the couch. "Bedroom?" he asked.
"Down the hall, to the left,” she said.
He bent down, picking her up and tossing her over his shoulder. She landed with a grunt, and he adjusted her until she was properly settled before he shoved his way through the living room and headed down the hall.
Chapter 16
Kelly landed on her mattress with a bounce. Kendrick was quick to cover her with his body, capturing her mouth again in a possessive kiss.
Her hands were free to roam, and she aimed them for his face. She wanted to feel the strength in his jaw as he kissed her, the power of his arms as he leaned over her. Her hands roamed down his back toward his ass, where she slid them into his jeans.
A growl interrupted her exploration. "Hands over your head," he ordered between kisses on her neck. "Now," he added with a bite to her shoulder when she hesitated.
She pulled her hands away from his jeans and placed them over her head, holding them together. The feel of his strength beneath her hands was intoxicating—she wanted it, craved it, but her need to be obedient was stronger.
Following his instructions gave her a sense of power she hadn't experienced with any other man. His hands roamed her body freely, pulling, pinching, doing as he pleased, freeing her from the restraints she usually put on herself. She didn't need to overthink her actions or try to anticipate his wants, because he told her exactly what he wanted. Managing to fulfill her every desire at the same time.
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