by Elisa Adams
He shook his head. “No. And as far as I’m concerned, woman, you’re a loose cannon. You’re too impulsive. Never think of your own safety. I’m not sure you’ll ever be truly safe.”
She laughed at his comment, but at the same time a tear slipped down her cheek. “Really?”
“Yeah, so it looks like you’re going to be stuck with me for a long time. Maybe forever. Until you curb your impulsive urges, you’re going to have to deal with me being around.”
She took a small step closer to him, blinking her eyes. “I can’t change who I am. I’m afraid to tell you I’m always going to be a bit on the impulsive side.”
“Forever?” he asked, finally letting himself go enough to smile.
She sniffled. “I’m afraid so.”
He shook his head. “Then I guess you’re just going to have to deal with me hanging around. You know. Just to make sure you’re safe.”
She ran to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. He smoothed her curls down with the palm of his hand. “What is it you want from me, Merida? Whatever you want, you can have it. I’ll do anything for you. You know that, don’t you?”
“What do you want?” he repeated when she didn’t answer.
She pulled out of his arms and looked up at him with uncertain eyes. “More than you could ever give me.”
“Tell me. You might be surprised.”
She hesitated for only a second before blurting, “I want to tie you up, like you did with me.”
He gulped. Shit. Whose brilliant idea had it been to offer her anything she wanted, anyway?
* * * * *
Merida looped a scarf around the headboard, securing Royce’s arm above his head. His gaze followed her every move as she checked the knot before moving on to the other one. When she finished she scooted off the bed to admire her man—completely, beautifully naked, strapped to her wrought iron headboard like the best gift she’d ever received. She licked her lips in anticipation.
“Don’t do that,” Royce growled. She saw the intense arousal in his eyes, which set her mind at ease. She’d been afraid he’d say no, and after he’d agreed she’d been afraid he’d change his mind. Now she knew he wouldn’t. She smiled.
“Get out of your clothes and come over here, will you?” he asked. She laughed at his demands.
“Who is in charge here?”
“You are. For now.” He spoke the last two words with a distinct warning tone in his voice—one that sent quivers through her already soaked pussy. He’d already started planning his payback.
She couldn’t wait.
But now, she intended to enjoy her few minutes of being the one in complete control. She’d learned she didn’t mind giving over her control to him, at least in the sexual sense, but she liked the feeling of power that came with having a big, hard man tied to her bed, waiting to be pleased.
She lit one of the white candles on her bedside table, shaking the match out and dropping it onto the glass candle plate. Royce laughed. “Can the ambiance wait until next time? I’ve been without you too long. I feel like I’m going to explode.”
She toed off her shoes and kicked them under the bed. “The candle isn’t for atmosphere.” She unzipped her sundress and shimmied out of it, letting it drop to the floor. Her panties and bra followed before she raised one leg on the bed and peeled off her stocking. Royce’s breath hitched and she smiled to herself as she switched legs, slowly pulling the stocking down her leg. When both were off, she tossed them over her shoulder.
“Come here, beautiful,” Royce told her. Her smile widened as she climbed into the bed and straddled his hips, rubbing her drenched pussy over the head of his rock-hard cock before settling onto his stomach. He groaned. “Tease.”
“I seem to remember you teasing me not too long ago.” She lifted the candle from its holder and held it over his chest.
“What are you doing?” he asked, his eyes dark with lust.
“Having a little fun.” She tipped the candle, dribbling a line of hot wax over his chest.
He hissed, then moaned. “Fuck.”
“Soon,” she promised, tipping the candle again and dotting his chest with the wax. He arched his hips against her, his cock sliding against her ass. “What do you want now, vampire?”
“Ride me,” he begged. “Climb on top of me and let me fuck you. Now.”
She set the candle back in the holder and leaned over, blowing it out with an exaggerated breath. She heard Royce’s sharp intake of breath seconds before she heard the scarves snap. She turned her head toward him just in time to see him lunge up and reach for her. She tried to get off his lap, but he was too quick for her. He rolled her over and pinned her down beneath him on the mattress, his big body between her thighs and his cock against her slit. Her pussy dripped, fluids trailing down the insides of her thighs. She whimpered.
“Enough,” Royce told her, his voice harsh. “I need to be inside you. Now.”
He pushed his cock into her waiting cunt, all the way to the hilt in a single thrust. “I’m sorry, Merida, but after that display I’m not going to last long.”
She smiled up at him even as she felt the stirrings of orgasm start in her belly. “That’s okay. Neither am I.”
He lifted her hips to adjust her position, causing his pelvic bone to grind against her mound. Her body convulsed in a fast, intense orgasm that left her gasping for breath. Royce’s thrusts grew harsher, his breathing jagged, and his grip on her hips tightened. She wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face against his shoulder, inhaling his scent. Why had she ever thought walking away would be a good idea? It made no sense now, lying in his arms, holding him the way she’d longed to do since she’d walked away from him a few weeks ago.
Royce shuddered and stiffened above her, her name escaping his lips on a groan as he came. After a few minutes, he rolled to his side, his fingertips circling her still-peaked nipples. “I’m sorry.”
“For what?”
“For everything. For being an ass. I can’t guarantee that it won’t happen again, but I’ll try.”
She licked her lips and waited, wondering if he was saying what she thought he was saying. “Would you care to explain that a little more?”
He leaned close to her and breathed against her neck, his breath tickling her skin. “I…um. Hell, I don’t even know where to begin. It’s been four hundred years since I’ve had this discussion with anyone.”
She smiled, but kept it to herself. Could it possibly be what she’d been hoping for? “Sometimes the best way is to just say it.”
He nodded and muffled his face further into her neck. “Okay. You’re right. Merida, I love you. I meant it the first time, and I mean it even more now.”
“What was that?” she asked. “I couldn’t understand you with your face shoved against my shoulder.”
He heaved a sigh and looked up. “Witch.”
She shrugged. “I’m tough when I have to be. Say it, mister, or you’re going to have to find somewhere else to sleep.”
“I love you, Merida.” This time when he said it, he looked right into her eyes.
“I love you, too, you big idiot.” She nipped his jaw, laughing when he did the same to her.
“Forever?” he asked.
“Duh.” She leaned up and kissed him.
“Oh, I heard from Wil,” she told him when she broke the kiss.
“Yeah, me too. He sent me a postcard from Seattle, of all places.”
“That’s what I got, too.” Merida smiled.
“He hooked up with some busty blonde werewolf,” Royce said. “That’s not exactly hard to believe.”
“He didn’t mention anything about busty or blonde to me.”
“I’m not surprised.” Royce leaned in for a quick kiss. “He knows how jealous you get.”
“Get real.” She punched his arm. “So I guess he’s happy now, huh?”
“For the moment. I wouldn’t count on it lasting for too long, though. Wil isn’t very go
od at commitment.”
She laughed as Royce pulled her down for another kiss. “You never know,” she told him in between kisses. “Look what happened with us.”
“Yeah, amazing what a little Aparasei intervention will do.”
“Hey. Whatever works,” she told him before she rolled him onto his back. “Enough talk, Big Guy. I have other plans for you now.”
“Make all the plans you want. You’re going to be stuck with me for a long, long time.”
She smiled down at him, the annoying pain in the ass she never wanted to let go.
Finally, after all this time, she had him right where she wanted him.
Epilogue
Royce leaned against a tree, watching Merida run free in the clearing up ahead. When they’d come to the small glen and she’d seen the mountain lion, her eyes had sparkled. He’d been ready to get out of the heat, but she’d wanted it so much. He couldn’t bear to say no. The sun wasn’t that bright, at least not under the cover of the trees with his dark sunglasses and baseball cap. And watching her run in cat form made up for any discomfort the sunlight caused.
He couldn’t believe how easy it had been to accept her for what she truly was, once she’d proved to him how much she loved him. And how easily she’d wormed her way into his heart. He’d been closed off from his emotions for so long that it was taking some time to get used to, but she was getting through to him. Slowly, but she made a little more progress very day. He’d give her anything she wanted, as long as he got to spend the rest of his life with her. It had already been a year, and though the road could be rocky, he wouldn’t trade any of it for the world. They fought well, and they made up even better. Every time.
When his usual wanderlust hit after being in Florida with her for too long, they left together. They rented out the house and spent six months traveling the world and had finally come back to the States—North Carolina this time. They’d come to relax after the whirlwind trip around the world, but so far hadn’t managed much resting.
Merida started running toward him, her cat form shifting as she did so, and by the time she reached him, she stood in front of him in all her naked glory. “Hey, handsome. Wanna have some fun?”
He shook his head. “Not in the middle of the woods, in the middle of the day.”
“Danger is what’s going to make it fun.” She ran her hand along the hard ridge of his cock. “Please? I’ll let you tie me to the bed when we get back to the hotel.”
He laughed. She liked to be tied as much as he liked to tie her. “You’ll let me tie you up anyway, and we both know it.”
She sighed dramatically and shook her head. “Well, okay. We can leave if you insist. But if you flake out on me now we can’t use the whips and chains when we get back to the room.”
He immediately perked up, his cock tightening even more against the zipper of his pants. “Whips and chains? Really?”
“Well…I don’t really have chains.” She smiled. “Will handcuffs do?”
About the author:
Elisa Adams was born in Gloucester, Massachusetts. She continues to reside in the New England area with her workaholic husband, three children, and a quirky dog named Duchess. A full-time mom, she divides her free time between writing, reading, and spending time with family.
Elisa welcomes mail from readers. You can write to her c/o Ellora’s Cave Publishing at P.O. Box 787, Hudson, Ohio 44236-0787.
Also by Elisa Adams:
Demonic Obsession
Dream Stalker
Just Another Night
Midnight
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