by Dakota Trace
“I know, which is why I am going to make this easy for you, by lifting the time limit on it.”
Hope flared in her chest. “You are? So reading until I fall asleep is acceptable?”
He chuckled. “No. You’ll be asleep before you read the first paragraph.” There was a rustling sound in her ear, as if he were shifting papers around. “You have a detachable shower head right?”
What the hell does my shower head have to do with anything? “Yeah.”
“Good. I want you to use it to make yourself come tonight.”
She nearly swallowed her tongue, but forced herself to breath normally. “But I’m not allowed to come without…”
“My permission.” He sighed. “Which is exactly what I’m giving you. It’s been weeks since you agreed to my rules, and since you haven’t asked, I’m going to tell you I want you to come tonight. I’m not a horrible Dom who is going to use your sexual needs against you – at least not yet.”
She bit her lip to stifle the moan that tried to escape at his veiled threat. With shaking fingers, she set her gown on the counter. “I didn’t say you were. But don’t you get your pleasure from being the one to do…well, that?”
“That?” She could almost see his grin through the phone. “Knowing that you’re using the water against that little pussy of yours, directing its spray to hit your clit until you come more than brings me pleasure. In fact, imagining you obeying will have me doing some of my own stroking tonight.”
Bastard. She bit back a moan as her mind supplied images of Kaleb stroking his cock. “I can’t believe you just…”
“Admitted that I jack off thinking about you?” She could hear the desire in his husky tone. “I do - frequently. You’re a very desirable woman, Alyce - one that I enjoy learning about more each and every day.”
Bracing one hand on the counter, she tried to drive out the tempting images of him masturbating from her mind. He just wasn’t playing fair tonight. “Dear Lord,” she muttered softly, then glanced up at her reflection in the mirror. Instead of the exhausted mom she expected to see, she instead witnessed the flushed cheeks and slumberous gaze of a woman on the verge of a sexual awakening - one that scared her to death. Taking a deep breath, she tried to stall it by redirecting the conversation from herself to him. “And exactly how is that fair, Sir? That you’re allowed to come whenever and I’m not?”
A sexy chuckle teased her ear. “You agreed to the rules, Alyce. If you wanted me to reserve my pleasure solely for you, you should’ve mentioned that during our negotiation.”
She rolled her eyes at her reflection. Like that has ever stopped a man before. “Really? I can’t see you allowing a sub to dictate when and where you come.”
“You might be surprised.” His voice hardened, leaving no doubt in her mind that he was now in complete Dom mode. “Now get that sexy ass of yours in the shower. I’m going to expect details tomorrow. I can’t wait to find out what you were thinking just before you climaxed. Good night, sweet Alyce.”
The click in her ear barely registered as the enormity of the task he set in front of her sunk in. How the hell was she supposed to make herself come, when nearly every fiber of her repressed inner self cried out that it was nothing more than the act of a harlot?
“Shit.” She slowly pulled her shirt over her head, before pushing down her lounging pants. “I guess I better figure it the hell out.” Logically, she knew that sexual pleasure was normal, natural, healthy - hell even expected. She just had to keep that in mind, and everything would be okay - wouldn’t it?
CHAPTER ELEVEN
“So there you are.” Kaleb stopped in the doorway of his kitchen. At the sink, where she’d been watching the kids, who were taking advantage of the warmer than normal winter day, run around his backyard, Alyce visibly stiffened. Then she glanced over her shoulder at him. Her guilty expression came as a surprise.
“I’m not hiding,” were the first words out of her mouth. “Since Anissa is doing okay, I decided to take a breather.” She shifted a bit, then sighed. “Your sister and husband seem nice, but I didn’t expect Ethan and Bella until they showed up.”
He pushed off the door frame to enter the kitchen. “Why not? They are my friends.” He came to a stop behind her, tempted to place his hands on her shoulders, but her defensive stance warned him about getting too close, too fast. For whatever reason his kitten was on edge - even more so than normal. After allowing her to come last night, he’d hoped that she would be more relaxed, more receptive to his plans once his guests left. He’d have to be covert, but the list of naughty things he could do to her delicious body under the guise of fooling around in his heated pool had grown - until he’d been forced to take his unruly cock in hand and beat it into submission.
She shrugged, then her shoulders slumped. Something was definitely going on with his little sub. “I don’t know. I never considered that you might have common outside interests, so it was a shock when they arrived.”
Giving into the urge, he slipped an arm under hers to wrap it around her waist. He tugged her back against him. She went rigid in his arms. “Relax, kitten.” He nuzzled her ear, savoring the faint shiver that shook her delicate frame. “We’re not doing anything to be ashamed of.” He didn’t add the yet that hovered on the tip of his tongue, but knew without a doubt that she probably could hear the promise in his tone. Lord how he wanted to do shameful, lust filled things to her. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d taken things this slow with a submissive he wanted. But then again, most of subs he met didn’t have the myriad issues his Alyce had.
“I…I should probably get back…Alfie and Karen have been great with Anissa, but ultimately she’s my responsibility.”
He tightened grip on her. “No.” He lightly nipped the shell of her ear. “This is the first time I’ve gotten you alone today.” He squeezed her denim-covered hip with his free hand. “It’s driving me crazy. I need to know…” His tongue darted out to sooth away the slight sting from his teeth.
“Know what?” her reply came out breathy, her breasts heaving in response to his not so subtle teasing.
He gave a low growl. “You know what, Alyce. I’ve been half hard all day thinking about it.” He rocked his hips against her soft ass, letting her feel exactly how she affected him. “What thought sent you over the edge last night?”
Instead of melting against him and giving him an answer sure to drive him crazy with lust, she gave a distressed whimper before trying to move away from him. To flee. The sinking in the pit of his stomach chased away his lust and had anger building in its place. He wasn’t about to let her run. Hadn’t she figured that out yet?
“Don’t even think it.” The warning slipped free of him, freezing her in place. He wouldn’t be surprised if she was holding her breath. “Take several deep breaths.” He ordered.
When she did, he felt the tension ease, but not completely leave her.
“Good girl. Now, tell me what about my request has upset you. You knew I would ask, correct?”
She nodded. “Yes, Sir.” When she didn’t elaborate, he sighed, then turned her in his arms to face him. Lifting her chin, he gazed down at her.
“If you’re worried I will think less of you, let me assure you nothing you tell me will shock me or change how I view you, kitten. You are a wonderful, beautiful, desirable woman.”
“I…” Tears gathered in her eyes and she tried to look away - which he refused to let her do. “But I didn’t.”
Surprise hit him hard. That was the last thing he’d expected her to say. He’d never had a sub refuse an orgasm. Or disobey a direct order. “Explain.”
“I…” her cheeks flushed red. “I tried, honestly, I did. I stayed in that damn shower until the water ran cold. I just couldn’t…” she shrugged her shoulders.
Understanding dawned on him. She’d tried to follow his instructions but hadn’t been… “Are you trying to say you were too worked up to come?”
“Yes, …er no.” S
he fumbled with her words, her frustration evident. “Damnit!” She tried to pull away again. “Let me go. I can’t do this. If I try to explain I’ll just disappoint you…and then I will feel even more like shit.”
He jerked her back up against him, too frustrated to savor her softness against his hardness. “Enough!”
She froze, her eyes wide. Her look of total uncertainty tugged at his heart strings. She was totally out of her depth and was trying to retreat from the unknown. He couldn’t allow that. So, he took a deep breath, then a second. She deserved more than a dominant who didn’t know his head from his ass or a hole in the ground. Patience, he warned himself, you need to have patience.
“Let me go. Please.” Her plea came out so soft he barely heard her.
“No.” He couldn’t help the steel that crept into his tone. “I know you’re scared. But you’ll never get over that fear if we don’t tackle it head on. Together.” Lifting her off her feet, he spun around and set her down on the counter of the breakfast bar behind them. It didn’t take much to nudge open her thighs so he could step in between them. As he settled against her, he ignored the way his body reacted to her closeness. This wasn’t about him, or his pleasure. It was all about her. She needed to understand he wouldn’t allow anything to interfere with the pleasure he would offer her - including her own hang-ups. Well, at least not anything but her daughter. Anissa would always come first. He’d never step between a momma and her cub. “Look at me, Alyce. I’m not about to have a conversation about why you couldn’t come for me, with your face buried in my chest.”
She shook her head, her dark red hair swaying, keeping her face hidden. “Oh, my god, this is so embarrassing.” She pushed weakly against his hold. “I don’t do these kind of things. I’m the good girl who always behaves. I not allowed to have these kind of thoughts, let alone act upon them.”
“Well, you will with me. “He narrowed his eyes thoughtfully. “Or do I need to warm your ass until you get out of your damned head? I will if I have to.”
* * * *
Alyce gave a very unladylike squeak at Kaleb’s threat. Even as much as she thought she might deserve a spanking for not obeying a direct order last night, she wasn’t about to let him dole out said punishment with her daughter not even a hundred yards from her location. “No, Sir!”
“I want your eyes on me. Now.”
His unyielding tone sent shivers down her spine. Somehow she knew she was perilously close to pissing off her dominant. And that wouldn’t be good. “Yes, Sir.” She forced her head up to meet his gaze. Instead of disappointment, or even anger, all she could read in their hazel depths was determination and concern. “You don’t look mad...” The words slipped free before she could check them.
“Why would I be angry?” He kept his arms loosely wrapped around her.
Her cheeks warmed and need to look away rode her hard, but she forced herself to maintain eye contact. “Well, you gave me a direct order, and I didn’t...”
He lifted a hand to brush his thumb over her cheekbone. Something inside her melted under the unexpected caress. “But you tried, correct?”
She nodded, then bit her lower lip. “Yeah...I mean yes, Sir.” She quickly corrected herself when he arched a brow at the first part of her response. “I don’t know what my problem is...I just can’t get past a certain point. I should’ve been upfront with you about my issue before agreeing to be your submissive.” She sighed. “While I have no problem with you taking your pleasure from me, Sir - if it ever gets to the point you want that from me, but if you’re expecting me to come on command or even climax at all with you...” She fidgeted, her nerves already drawn taunt. “I just don’t think I can...”
She yelped at the sudden pain radiating from the skin he’d pinched just above her waistband. Tears pricked at the back of her eyes. She felt like a child who’d just gotten her hand smacked for putting her hand in the cookie jar without permission. “Sir?”
He leaned in until their noses nearly touched. “I don’t ever want to hear you even suggest that I take my pleasure without ensuring yours again. Do you understand?”
She stared at him, shocked right down to her core. What kind of man was he? She’d never heard of man who didn’t want to come when having sex with his partner. Evidently she had a lot to learn about this man she’d decided to submit to.
“I said, do you understand?”
“Yes. I understand, Sir. At least I think I do.”
He gave a brief nod, then put some space between them. “I wish you would’ve told me you had issues with climaxing, Alyce, when we went over our limits. But I’m not discussing this in my kitchen where little ears could possibly overhear.” He straightened, then lifted her off the counter. “Wrap your legs around me.” She obeyed, but still couldn’t stop her sound of surprise, when he carried her out of the kitchen and toward the back of the house. Or stop the flood of embarrassment that washed over her when he carried her past Ethan, who was just leaving the guest bathroom. Embarrassment turned into mortification, when Kaleb asked the owner of New Beginnings to ‘have Bella keep an eye on Anissa while he gave his sub some of his undivided attention for the next half hour.’ She buried her face against his shoulder, unwilling to meet Ethan’s eyes. As if sensing her mood, Kaleb stroked his hand down her back - a comforting gesture.
It didn’t take long before she found herself in a light and airy room. She half expected him to take her to his bedroom, or something, but instead she found herself in what looked like an artist’s studio. The wide, floor to ceilings windows showcased the vibrant mountains to the west while letting in a glorious amount of sunshine. In the center of the room, was an art easel, one much like the ones that she’d remembered from her time in art class, while along the walls adjacent to the windows were work benches. Their scarred surfaces held a variety of art supplies along with mysterious looking tools that she had no idea what they were used for.
“You brought me to your work studio?” She gaped at him as he set her down.
“No, we just have to go through it to get to my playroom.” He took her hand to lead her to the door she hadn’t first noticed. Her heart leapt in her chest. Why the hell was he taking her to his playroom? The immediate possibilities that leapt to her mind weren’t all good. She almost wanted to drag her feet, but figured as a grown woman she could always halt anything she was uncomfortable with by using her safeword.
“Relax.” Kaleb flipped the light switch, and his playroom was flooded with light.
She couldn’t stop the gasp that escaped her. Totally different from his work space, the play area wasn’t even remotely what she was expecting. Sure it had a spanking bench in one corner, and a St. Andrews cross in the other, but where were the whips, the paddles, and other instruments of torture? And what was up with the masseuse table in the center of the room?
“Not what you were expecting, right?” Kaleb stepped behind her to rest his hands on her shoulders, after he’d softly shut the door behind them.
“No, Sir. I was expecting to see more impact items.”
His chest vibrated against her back, before he led her over toward the table. “Each personal playroom is specific to the dominant who owns it. While at New Beginnings you will see everything from paddles to violet wands, you’ll find my kink lies elsewhere.” He helped her up on the table, before gently pushing her back. “I do have several different kinds of paddles and floggers, but you’ll find I’m more a barehanded kind of dominant. I love a good old fashioned hand to ass spanking. One which you have most definitely earned after your stunt earlier...”
Panic mixed with anticipation inside her. “Because I said you could take your pleasure without mine, Sir.”
He gave her a stern look. “No, because you tried to run away from me. AGAIN.” He moved to the head of the padded table. “I don’t know why you keep trying, when you know I won’t let you hide from what is building between us.” He tapped her arm, his request obvious as he picked up a fur-lined c
uff with his other hand.
“You’re going to restrain me?” She licked her lips. “We don’t have time...”
He arched a brow at her. “For a full scene, no. But for what I have planned, yes. You gave me your trust weeks ago, now give me your wrist. I won’t abuse either.”
Shock flowed through her, before acceptance sank in. She had, and he’d proven time and time again, he wouldn’t betray it. She relaxed against the smooth vinyl under her, and offered him her right wrist.
“Good girl.”
His praise warmed a part of her that had been cold for so long. If something as minor as giving him her wrist made her feel warm, what would happen when she’d actually pleased him in a major way? A full inferno?
“What’s going on behind those eyes of yours, Alyce?”
She glanced up at him over her head, where he finished securing her second hand. “Things.”
When he leaned over her, all she could see was his torso, then his hands as he slowly began to unfasten the buttons of her flannel shirt. She inhaled sharply when he worked his way down, between her breasts, until he finally reached the hem. A muffled gasp soon followed when he parted the material to expose her bikini top. His rumble of approval sent a strong tingle to her pussy, especially when combined with the gentle caress of his hands as he cupped her breasts.
“Things is NOT an acceptable answer,” he warned as he gave her a good squeeze, before tugging the cups of her bikini top aside to tweak each nipple. The jolt of pleasure had her jerking against the cuffs. “However, since we’re short on time, I’ll let it slide - for now. We will be revisiting the issue later though. It will not be forgotten or forgiven.”
His warning was buried under the onslaught of sensations his fingers provoked as he continued to play with her nipples. Each drag of his fingertips across their hardened nubs kept her thoughts focused on him. The building pressure in her lower stomach warned her she would be in agony tonight when she went home, but as his submissive she couldn’t push his hands away, even if they had been free. An anguished whimper escaped her parted lips, when his lips fastened around one nub and sucked hard. More moisture poured from her aching sex to drench her suit bottoms. She tried to squirm but was trapped in place by his body and the restraints. Instead of scaring her, she found herself yearning for more. More touches, more intimacy, more submission. All she had to do was let him lead, and the thrill of that had her feeling very light headed.