Damn, it was going to be hard to keep his hands off her tonight. But the next step in his battle plan didn’t involve sex. No, sexual chemistry wasn’t their problem.
Getting her to open up to him, trust him, give him all of her. . .those were the real issues holding them back.
If he could get her defenses down enough to show him her Little, then he knew her trust in him would grow. Then he’d show her that he could handle all of her. That he wanted all of her.
“I am not scared.”
“You can say it all you like. Doesn’t make it not true.”
“Urgh, and just because you say something doesn’t make it true, either,” she bit back.
“No, but the difference is, I don’t lie. To other people or myself.” They could spend all night arguing about this or he could show her a little truth right now. “Are you attracted to me, Eden?”
“What? No.”
Liar.
“No? Are you sure about that? You don’t lie awake thinking about me caressing you? Kissing you? Claiming you?”
“I have better things to do with my time.”
He leaned in without warning, taking her mouth with his. He ran his tongue over her lips, feeling her body tighten. She gasped in a breath as he slid his hand down her side. Soft, curvy, delicious. He pressed his tongue into her mouth, his movements small. Her body melted, all the tension draining away. Then he took the kiss a step further, deepening it.
Fuck. He wanted her. Badly.
Time to pull back.
He drew away, listening to her fast breaths, aware of his own heart racing. The effect she had on him was unlike anything he’d felt before.
“So that’s you not wanting me, hmm?”
“You’re insufferable.” There was no heat in her voice, though. Seemed kissing her breathless banked her temper. Good to know.
He reached up and cupped the side of her face. “So beautiful. You taste so sweet.”
“Why are you doing this? You can’t possibly be so hard up for a woman that you need to turn your attention on me.”
He stiffened. Oh no. He wasn’t allowing that.
He leaned in so their lips were nearly touching. “You listen to me, princess. Talk like that is going to result in you going over my knee and getting your bottom paddled. Understand?”
“W-what? Why?”
“I want you. Eden. The woman who has endless loyalty, secrets buried so deep even her own brothers don’t see them, and a beauty that could start wars. I want her. All of her.”
She let out a deep breath. He knew he couldn’t push her too much too fast. Easy. Slow.
“I need you to put me back in my chair. Please.” That hint of vulnerability in her voice tugged at him. He didn’t want to let her go but he needed to build her trust in him. So as much as he wanted to keep her plastered against him all night, he knew he needed to give her some space.
He turned and carried her to where they’d left her chair, placing her in it.
“Thank you,” she said quietly, subdued. He’d give her some space. For a bit. “I’m tired. I think I’ll go home now. Could you find Clint for me please?”
“Clint is staying in Russell, tonight, remember? I’m your ride home.”
What the hell had she been thinking?
She’d let Zeke kiss her.
Hell. She’d kissed him back. She’d kissed Zeke Jonas. The man who featured in all her dirtiest dreams. The man who gave her butterflies when she heard his voice. And when she’d kissed him. . .holy shit. She grew weak.
She tried to stay away from him as much as possible. This effect he had on her wasn’t healthy. It wasn’t anything she should try to encourage.
Zeke wasn’t for her. He was way out of her league. Gorgeous. Sexy. Strong. Rough. Stern. She could go on all day. He worked for her brother Kent’s security firm. He seemed to think she was a brat who needed a firm hand.
He knows about your Little. . .
He couldn’t know. No one knew. She guarded that secret closely. More closely than all the others. Because letting her Little free wasn’t an option. If her brothers knew, if any of the Littles who lived on Sanctuary knew, they’d try to include her in everything. More than they already did.
And that wasn’t happening.
It was bad enough knowing she was probably going to spend her life alone—there weren’t many men who wanted a woman with her limitations and then add her Little into the mix. . .it all seemed impossible.
Finding that perfect man. A Daddy Dom. A man who could see past all of her issues, not just the physical ones, that just wasn’t going to happen.
Zeke doesn’t seem to be turned off. . .
She peered at him discreetly as she sat in the passenger seat in his truck. But there weren’t any street lights on the road out to the ranch and it was impossible to see his features. Too bad, watching Zeke move was like watching the ocean. Mesmerizing. Soothing. Powerful.
Jesus, Eden. Cool it down.
She couldn’t believe she’d forgotten he was her ride home. Now she was stuck in the cab of his truck after he’d just kissed her. She still couldn’t believe that had happened.
Someone like Zeke could have anyone. His chiseled good looks, hard, muscular body, that dark hair and those smoky eyes. Women tripped over themselves when they saw him coming. If they actually spent time with him, they’d discover what a bossy, overbearing jerk he could be.
Like bossy isn’t good sometimes. . .like you don’t dream of him taking command of you in the bedroom.
He kissed you.
She didn’t get it. Why her?
“You need to shut off your brain, princess,” he said soothingly. “Or you’re never going to get to sleep tonight.”
Sleep? What was that? An elusive thing she got little of.
“Shut off my brain? How do I do that exactly?”
“I have a few ideas. You might not be ready for them yet.”
Do not ask. Do not ask.
“Like what?”
She got a hint of amusement from him but it was hard to tell when she couldn’t see his face clearly. “Like letting me take control of you tonight.”
Her air whooshed out of her lungs. Had he really just said that?
It was a risk, bringing that up. Maybe he should have just left well enough alone. Obviously, he’d given her a lot to think about. Perhaps he should just leave her to her thoughts.
Only, tonight was too good an opportunity to pass up. Clint had asked him to stay the night with her in the big house, telling Zeke he wasn’t comfortable leaving her on her own.
Zeke hadn’t told him that she was twenty-five, well past the age of needing a babysitter. Nor did he point out Sanctuary’s top of the line security system. Truth was, Eden needed someone close by, watching over her. Even if Clint didn’t know about her Little, her brother recognized that much.
So, Zeke was going to be alone in the house with her. Perfect time to push a bit more.
Would she go for it, though?
“Control of me?” She had twisted towards him and he had no doubts she was scowling at him. He turned into the long driveway leading to the big house. He rolled down the window and pressed in the code. The gates wouldn’t open until whoever was manning the security room tonight let them through. “I’m not giving you control of me, whatever the hell that means.”
“It means that tonight you let me make the decisions. You put yourself in my hands and trust me to take care of you.”
The gates opened and he drove through.
“No way, buddy. Whatever you’re thinking, I’m not into it. I’m not a submissive.”
Little liar.
He didn’t taunt her. He was trying to coax her into giving him control. Wresting it from her wasn’t the idea. That put a bad taste in his mouth. This was all about consent. Her giving him her submission. Him treating it like the amazing gift it was.
“What about your Little? Would she like a chance to come out? To have Daddy take car
e of her? Maybe brush her hair, play with her, cuddle her, bathe her and put her to bed? Wouldn’t she like that? Giving up control doesn’t have to be a bad thing, Eden.”
She took in a deep breath, let it out slowly. “It can be.”
“Why?”
“Because when you give up control, you lose who you are.”
“Or you gain more understanding of who you are. As long as you trust the person you’re gifting that to, you can be safe to be exactly you. Let all of you free.”
“And you’re saying I can trust you?” she asked as they pulled up in front of her house.
“You’d never have let yourself dance with me if you didn’t. You’d never have let me press you up against that tree and kiss you. You certainly wouldn’t let me drive you home after all that, let alone stay in the same house alone with me.”
“You’re staying here with me?”
He grunted. “Should have known Clint wouldn’t tell you that part. Bastard was probably trying to avoid an argument.”
“Clint loves a good argument and you know it. You’re not staying here with me.”
“Either I’m staying here or you’re staying at my place. And you can argue all you like, princess. Those are your two options.”
“Urgh, you’re such a bossy bastard.” She let out a low, annoyed noise. “And there is one thing you got wrong in your statement just before.”
He turned off the truck and undid his belt, turning towards her. “What’s that?”
“I didn’t let you do any of that. I didn’t have a choice.”
“Didn’t you?” he drawled. “Tell me, how far away were we from everyone else? You think they wouldn’t have heard you if you’d yelled? Hell, if you’d spoken loudly? You’re the princess of Sanctuary Ranch. All you had to do is call out and a hundred people would have come running to rescue you.”
“I don’t need rescuing.”
“Not from me, you don’t. And you know it. Because you trust me.”
Fuck. Shit. Goddamn it.
She couldn’t trust him. How could she trust him of all people?
Maybe because he was right. He sees you. The real you. Not the person you try to portray to everyone else. Not this secure, confident shell.
And that was terrifying. And freeing.
She licked her dry lips. She didn’t know what to do with this. With him. She’d worked so hard for her independence. Well, as much of it as she could get. She still lived under her brother’s roof, had to obey his rules. But she couldn’t claim to follow them to the letter.
Zeke reached over and clasped her hand in his.
“Show me your Little, baby girl,” he said in a low voice.
Oh God, those words. Baby girl. She’d heard her brothers call Charlie and Abby that. Saw the way the women melted. She hadn’t exactly understood the effect those words had.
Until now.
“I can’t,” she whispered.
“I promise I’ll take good care of her. Of you.” He ran his thumb over her knuckles and it was doing strange things to her, sending tingles over her skin.
“I don’t know how to let her out,” she admitted. Fuck. What was she doing?
“I’ll help you.”
She took in a low, slow breath trying to calm her racing heart. “It’s a bad idea.”
“Is it? I don’t think so. But then, there’s only one way of finding out.”
Shit. She shouldn’t do this. She needed to tell him no, go inside and pretend like he wasn’t completely ripping her apart. On the other hand, how many times had she longed for this, thought about it, dreamed of it? She never thought she would get this. Get him. Could she say no? Was she strong enough?
That would be no.
“One night,” she told him quickly before she could change her mind. “No promises.”
There was a beat of silence. Shit. Was he going to refuse?
“All right,” he said slowly. She let out the breath she hadn’t realized she was holding. Fuck. Was she really doing this? With him? “While we’re talking rules, we should make some boundaries clear. Will you let me undress you? Bathe you? Put you in your PJs?”
What? Crap. She didn’t think she’d have to think about all this. When he’d said he would take control. . .
“I thought. . .I mean, I figured you would be in charge of that.”
“Oh, believe me, I want to make all those decisions. But this first time, at least, we should negotiate. You haven’t done this before. I haven’t done this with someone who means as much to me as you do. So, this is different for both of us. I’m not even sure how old your Little is.”
Neither was she.
“Not that you have to stick with one age,” he mused. “But for tonight, we have to discover what you need from me.”
“Okay, I don’t. . .I don’t think I can be naked. Not. . .I just. . .” She’d never been naked in front of anyone before. Well, obviously not since she was a child.
There was silence and she had to fight the urge to fill it. “I don’t know if this is a good idea, Zeke. What if I hate it? What if you do? What if I can’t do any of this? What if I fail? What happens then? What happens tomorrow?”
He leaned over and placed his hand over her mouth. “You’re scared.”
Well, duh.
“You don’t need to be scared. I’m going to take care of everything. Of you. Tonight, is just going to be about fun and me taking care of you. No pressure, little girl. All you have to do is try to relax and let me worry about everything else.”
Have someone worry about everything? It sounded like freaking heaven. She just had no clue how to do any of that.
“Where is somewhere you’ve always wanted to visit?” he asked strangely.
She stared at him in confusion. “Um, Venice.”
“Venice. Good. That’s your safeword. If I push any boundaries that make you feel extremely uncomfortable, you’re going to say the word Venice, all right?”
You can do this, Eden. You want this. One night. One chance to experience what it would be like. Being a Little.
Being his.
“Yes.”
2
What had she agreed to? Was she insane? She had to be.
She stared at herself in the mirror above the sink in her bathroom. After the car accident when she was ten, Clint had her bedroom and bathroom completely remodeled. It would have been far easier to put her in one of the downstairs bedrooms, instead he’d put in a freaking elevator. Just for her. She shook her head. All that money spent just so she could come home to as much normalcy as possible.
At the time she hadn’t appreciated it. Now, she knew just how far he’d gone to try to make everything as easy on her as he could.
And had she ever thanked him?
Nope. Shit. Right now, she felt like a selfish bitch. What had she ever been to her family but a burden?
She sucked in a breath. She knew that wasn’t fair. Knew Clint and Kent didn’t think that. But sometimes she couldn’t help but feel that way. Sometimes in this house, on this ranch, it felt like she was being slowly suffocated by her guilt and worries.
That’s usually when she got in her car and drove. Fast. When she tried to race away from her demons by hanging out with people who were shallow.
It was stupid. And selfish in its own way, since she knew she worried her brothers.
But sometimes, it was the only way she could damn well breathe.
A knock on the door startled her. Okay, now wasn’t the time for self-reflection. Zeke-freaking-Jonas was waiting in her bedroom. Alone. What the hell had she been thinking?
Okay, calm down, it’s not like he’s going to go searching through your panty drawer or something.
She grinned. The thought of the huge ex-SEAL searching through her delicate, lace panties was hilarious.
“Baby? You all right?”
Warmth filled her at the endearment. It created a familiarity between them she wasn’t certain about. They’d spent so long buttin
g heads that this change in dynamics was weird.
Was she really going to do this? With him?
When are you going to get another chance? Who else would offer you this? Most of the men on this ranch saw her as a little sister. They treated her with care and affection but never anything more. Zeke was the only one who looked at her with heat in his gaze. Mostly, she figured that heat came from annoyance and anger. But the way he’d treated her tonight, that spoke of a deeper attraction.
Something more like what she felt for him. Because when she stopped lying to herself, she did want him. Desperately.
But tonight wasn’t about sex. No, it was about something far more intimate. Not that she’d had sex before. But this felt like she was revealing part of her soul.
Can you trust him with it?
“Eden, if you don’t answer me in the next fifteen seconds then I’m busting down this door, got me?”
His voice was filled with concern. And that cinched it. Maybe this was a stupid idea. Maybe she’d regret it horribly in the morning but right now she had the chance to experience something she never thought she would.
She wasn’t going to be a coward.
“I’m coming,” she called out. “Don’t you dare break my door, you Neanderthal.” She pushed her chair over and unlocked the door. It slid back into a cavity in the wall, making it easier for her to get through. Not that she usually bothered pulling it shut, let alone locking it.
She’d never had a reason to before.
Sure enough, Zeke was looming in the doorway. He braced his hands against the frame, glaring down at her.
“Why didn’t you answer me?” he barked.
“I was getting ready for bed.” She’d taken a nightgown into the bathroom with her. Luckily the dress she’d worn to the wedding didn’t have a zip or buttons so it had just slid off and she’d slipped into the nightgown.
He raised an eyebrow. “You couldn’t answer me while getting ready?” He looked frustrated as he stared down at her.
She shrugged. “Maybe I was brushing my teeth.”
He reached down and grasped hold of her chin, raising her face. “Don’t lie to me, Eden. You don’t have to tell me everything, but you can’t ever lie. Understand?”
Daring Daddy (Montana Daddies Book 5) Page 2