“Will you kiss me first?”
“Lizabeth,” Jubal’s voice warned.
“Just one kiss, please,” she begged him.
“Damn girl, you’re just so hard for me to resist,” Jubal told her, and gave in to her request.
Lizabeth tried to lie next to him, but he said, “Uh, uh, little girl, that would be too much of a temptation. Just sit beside me.”
Lizabeth submitted and leaned into his side. Jubal nibbled at her full lips. She opened her mouth, eagerly accepting his tongue’s invasion.
“Mmmm, you taste so good, Lizabeth,” Jubal said during a pause in their sensual battle.
Lizabeth wished she had the power to overcome his resistance, but then realized that was part of the reason she was falling in love with him. His ability to resist her drew her to him on a basic level.
She gasped, as she felt his lean strong hand rub up her thigh beneath her nightie. She’d deliberately left her panties off, hoping he would make love to her.
She tore her mouth away from his. “What are you doing?” she whispered. “I thought you weren’t going to make love to me.”
“Trust me, love.”
Lizabeth remained silent, but she let him kiss her. What was he doing, if he didn’t mean to follow through? When she felt his finger press into her soft wet folds, she panted in and out, but tried to keep quiet. His heat reached for her. She wanted to throw caution to the wind and demand he love her.
Jubal’s oh-so-capable hands drove her insane. He fingered her clit with a vengeance, expertly giving equal attention to her clit and her wet cunt, until she was mindlessly thrashing beside him. Jubal kissed her forcefully to prevent her moaning out loud. When Lizabeth leaped over the edge, he swallowed the sound of her excruciatingly joyful explosion.
He continued to kiss her swollen lips until she floated back down to reality.
“Oh, Jubal, I love you.”
Lizabeth hadn’t realized she said the words until he said, “You love me?”
“What?”
“You said you love me. Or was that just an automatic response to your climax?”
“Well, I eh...”
“Well, Lizabeth, do you or don’t you?”
“Yes, Jubal, I do love you. I know you probably think I’m just a child...”
“Why would I think you’re just a child?” Jubal paused and then asked her, “Lizabeth, you are eighteen, aren’t you?”
“Well...” Lizabeth’s voice trailed off.
Jubal groaned. “Please tell me you’re not any younger than eighteen, Lizabeth?”
“No, no, I’m eighteen,” she assured him.
He sat up, bending his knees, gazing down at her in her half-laying, half-sitting position. Hurrying to her knees, she leaned toward him, sliding her arms around his neck. The last thing she wanted right now was distance of any kind between them.
“I want to be yours,” she told him truthfully at last.
Jubal put his elbows on his knees, and buried his head in his hands. “You sure know how to tempt a man, girl. How can we continue this unless you come clean about what you know?”
“You’re not going to tell him yet are you?” Lizabeth heard the panic in her own voice.
“What?” Jubal shook his head in disgust. “No, honey, this is something you need to come to terms with on your own.”
“What are we going to do?”
“Well, for one thing, we’ll have to cool it until you talk to him. Before anything else, you’re going to have to tell him you know the truth about your biological father. Were you planning to do that any time soon?”
“Next month, maybe,” she admitted.
“If we’re to have any kind of future, Lizabeth, you’ll have to own up to it. Can you do it?” Jubal asked.
“If it means being with you, eventually being your slave, I’ll do it.”
After hearing her words, Jubal leaned over her. “Oh, baby, do you mean it? Do you really want to train to be my slave?”
“God, yes!” Lizabeth insisted.
Jubal kissed her again and said, “We’ll have to discuss our expectations before we commit to you accepting my collar.”
“Your collar?”
“It’s just an expression, honey. When I allow you to accept my collar, then it means I accept you as my slave. Some Masters do give their slaves an actual collar.”
Just his words had Lizabeth shivering with delight. Oh, yes, she would do anything to become his slave, to serve him always. Lizabeth couldn’t quite believe she’d actually found him. Her lover. And soon to be her Master.
Jubal pulled her to him, and in whispered tones, they continued to discuss their expectations and desires.
Chapter 8
Jubal jerked awake when he heard the alarm go off somewhere in the house. Lizabeth had returned to her own room at about three in the morning. Feeling for his watch on the bedside table, he squinted his eyes to determine the time, five o’clock in the morning. Laying bets the alarm belonged to his brother, Jubal pushed his legs out from under the blankets. The sooner he spoke to Jonas and received his word that he would meet their father, the sooner Jubal could let Jonas know his intentions toward Lizabeth.
Well, that was as soon as Lizabeth came clean about what she knew, of course.
Wasting no time, he picked up his clothes from the end of the bed and dressed. He heard the rustling of clothes somewhere down the hall. He would meet Jonas in the kitchen. More than likely, the man would at least have a cup of coffee before he left for work, so Jubal would catch him while he was in the kitchen.
When he reached the front foyer, Jubal saw light beneath the kitchen door.
Good, they could have their discussion.
Jubal walked through the swinging kitchen door. “Jona...” Jubal began, but stopped, shocked.
Nikki’s silken robe-covered figure stood before the automatic coffeepot, filled cup in hand.
“Oh, I’m sorry.”
Nikki’s surprised gaze swung to him, but she said, “Nonsense, you’re family now, come on in, Jonas will be down after his shower.” She lifted her cup toward him. “Want some?”
“Yeah, thanks.”
“Have a seat, I’ll get you one.”
Jubal walked around the dining room table, pulling out a chair, and sat facing Nikki.
Nikki walked over and put the coffee-filled cup before him, setting one down at the head of the table in waits for Jonas. After retrieving her own, she took a seat across the table from him, sipping the hot brew as she kept her gaze on Jubal.
“So you’re going to try another attack this morning before he goes to work?” No one could blame Nikki of avoiding an issue.
“Yep, we really don’t have a lot of time. The old man’s days are numbered,” Jubal admitted.
“I don’t blame you. Be patient but persistent. I think deep down he wants to meet him, but don’t tell him I told you that.” Nikki gave a smile as if to let him know she understood his current dilemma.
Jubal returned her smile. “I hope you’re right.”
They sipped their coffee in companionable silence as they waited for Jonas to make his appearance. At least Jubal thought so.
“Jubal?”
“Yep?”
“What do you think about Lizabeth?”
He sputtered his coffee at her question. He wiped his hand across his mouth to staunch the coffee’s escape from his lips. “Uh...I...”
“It’s all right, Jubal, I’m not going to turn into a screaming mother.”
“Sorry?”
Nikki took another sip of her coffee before setting her cup on the table and tracing the rim with her right index finger, her expression thoughtful. “I heard the sound of voices earlier this morning...”
Oh, crap! She knew! What could he say? Did his brother know too? “Jonas?”
Nikki shook her head. “No, he doesn’t know. I know you could imagine what his reaction would be.”
“God, I’m sorry, I’ve scre
wed up everything, haven’t I?”
“No, you haven’t. But I have to say that if you hope to succeed with Jonas, you might want to put your feelings for Lizabeth aside until everything is resolved.”
Why wasn’t she yelling at him for messing with his brother’s daughter? There was something unusual going on here. Did she know Lizabeth wasn’t Jonas’ biological daughter? These were questions he would have to investigate once he’d fulfilled his father’s last wish.
What could he say? “I’ll do that.”
* * * *
Jubal decided to wait for Lizabeth to make her appearance, before he left to make his way back to the hospital in Lafayette. It would be a hard conversation. It wasn’t only the interchange with Nikki that had helped make up his mind. He knew Jonas suspected something. Their conversation this morning had been short and to the point.
Almost as soon as Jonas appeared, Nikki greeted her husband, wished both men a good day, and vanished, obviously wanting to give the men a chance to talk alone.
“Jubal, I know you want to try to convince me to go to Lafayette with you today, but I’m not ready yet. I’ll give you this much, arrange a meeting with Luke, Corey, and Carrie for this coming weekend. But I need more time before I make up my mind about Herbert.”
Jubal hadn’t been able to quash his disappointment. “Fine, but you do reali—”
Jonas held up a hand to cut him off. “I know what you’re going to say, he doesn’t have much time, but he’s had all these years to look me up and he never did. How do you think that makes me feel?”
Jubal swallowed any further protest. “I’ll be heading back to hospital today. Any message?”
Jonas gave Jubal a look that told him he was pressing his luck. Taking a long swig on his coffee, Jonas then looked Jubal directly in the eyes. “Did you enjoy meeting your nieces and nephews?”
“Ah...I...uh...” Jubal couldn’t believe how tongue-tied he felt.
His telling actions obviously gave Jonas what he was looking for. “Jubal you’re a grown man, you’ve been out in the world. I’m sure you know how some young girls can hero worship a man and think it’s something else.”
Jubal could tell what he was trying to say without coming right out with it. Jonas was warning Jubal away from Lizabeth. He’d had plans to delay his talk with Jonas, but maybe Jonas would never accept that his and Lizabeth’s feelings were real. They were very real to him. But did Lizabeth really love him or was what Jonas saying true?
When Jubal remained silent, Jonas continued, “You get what I’m saying, Jubal?”
“Yeah, I get it very well,” Jubal admitted. He may get what Jonas was saying, but wasn’t very happy about the inference that Lizabeth’s feelings were more infatuation than actual love.
Maybe Jonas’ mind could never be changed.
Finally Jonas came out with, “I want her to go to college and become her own woman, before she makes up her mind about a man, any man. I never want her to have to depend on anyone for her livelihood.”
And with that, the subject had been dropped; there was nothing else Jubal could say for the time being. Not until Lizabeth decided for herself that she would speak to Jonas about her knowledge of the fact that he was not her birth father.
Besides not wanting to deny his father’s dying wish, he also didn’t want to alienate his new found family. Jubal’s family loyalty warred with his loyalty to Lizabeth and their love.
Jubal sat on a couch in the living room, placed in just such a way that he could watch for Lizabeth when she came down before going off to school. Lizabeth, Nikki, and he were the only people left in the house. Nikki had popped her head in thirty minutes before to see if he needed another cup of coffee.
Any more caffeine to work him up and he’d be climbing the walls. So he declined the offer.
When he saw blue jean covered legs on the stairs, he straightened up like a high school geek waiting for his prom date.
Lizabeth smiled when she realized Jubal waited for her. He stood when she walked into the room.
“Mornin’,” Jubal greeted her.
When they sat, Lizabeth scooted over so she could climb onto Jubal’s lap.
“Lizabeth,” Jubal protested, “Your mom’s still in the house.”
Her mouth trailed down his face to his neck where she nibbled, her arms around his neck. Jubal reached for both her arms and tried to push her to a respectable distance. “Lizabeth,” he protested again.
“What?” Lizabeth returned, as she gazed into his face. She sounded disgruntled at his interruption.
“We have to talk.”
“About what?”
“Us. And other things, of course.”
Lizabeth smiled with a hint of seduction. “Mmmm, us, I like that subject.” She added a playful kiss for emphasis.
Jubal couldn’t help the smile that lifted the corners of his lips. “Yes, well, I’m in a shaky position here.”
“What kind of a shaky position?”
“I came here on a mission. To convince my half brother to see my father before he dies. Then I met you and everything got complicated.”
Lizabeth frowned at him. “So now you’re saying I’m a complication?”
“Don’t put words in my mouth, Lizabeth. What I meant was, because of the situation between you and Jonas, and him not being your biological father, I’m forced to keep my silence about us.”
“You want me to come clean about what I know.” It was a statement of fact.
“I’m not going to tell you what to do or force you to do anything you don’t want to do. But until you tell Jonas and Nikki that you know the truth, my hands are tied.”
Lizabeth’s frown darkened. “I’m not ready to talk to them about it yet.”
Jubal kissed the tip of her nose. “That’s it then. When you’re ready to speak to them, I’ll be right behind you, but until then you know I have to concentrate on the reason I came here in the first place.”
“Be patient with him and me,” she suggested. Lizabeth leaned forward until she half sat, half lay in his lap with her back toward the door.
She ran the tip of her right forefinger on her chest, right above her cleavage. What was she up to?
“I was hoping you would still be here when I came down.”
Jubal’s hypnotized gaze watched the light movements of her hand as she traced invisible circles on the bare skin of her breastbone. His heart pounded when she flicked open the next button on her cotton blouse. He should protest. Nikki could walk in any moment. But when she flicked open the next button, he realized she wore no bra. And that wasn’t the only thing. His heated eyes gazed at the chain stretched between her breasts and laying on her taut belly. She pushed aside the edges of her shirt to reveal the nipple clamps squeezing her nips. Jubal swallowed with difficulty. He felt his rod stiffen and push up against her lower back and hip.
“Lizabeth,” Jubal’s entreaty was said with an accompanied groan.
“What?” she asked with a wicked smile.
“You’re killing me.”
“Oh, am I?” Lizabeth grabbed his hand, which rested on her right hip, and placed it on her right breast.
Jubal’s hand flexed against his mind’s will.
“Mmmm,” she moaned in response. She kept her hand on his wrist and pushed his hand harder against her.
“We shouldn’t do this, Lizabeth,” he said with a hiss.
But even as he protested, Jubal flexed his hand again, relishing the feel of her tortured nipple imprisoned in the metal clamp. Pulling her to him for a carnal kiss, but with his left hand still kneading her right breast, Jubal’s passion fogged mind lost track of the time going by.
He no longer cared where they were or who might walk in on them. Lizabeth let out a low guttural groan as he ripped the nipple clamp off her swollen peak, so he could lift her higher to suck the succulent tip into his starving mouth.
The sound of a door slam upstairs jerked Jubal out of his sexual haze. He gazed down a
t the wanton picture Lizabeth made with her right nipple damp from Jubal’s oral onslaught. Her glazed eyes opened in question, she obviously wondered what happened to stop his seduction.
“Lizabeth, Nikki’s coming,” Jubal reminded her.
As she ripped the remaining clamp off her other nipple, she gasped and rushed to button up her gapping blouse. Raising her hips to stuff the nipple clamps into the pocket of her jeans, she then scooted off his lap. She’d seated herself next to him just in time for them to watch Nikki’s pantsuit clad figure walk down the stairs.
She looked to the side to take in the sight of the two of them seated side-by-side on the couch.
“Good morning, you two,” she called with a smile.
Both Jubal and Lizabeth returned her greeting.
“Aren’t you going to be late for school, Lizabeth?”
“Umm, yeah, I guess I should get going.” Lizabeth gazed back at Jubal as she answered her mother and then headed for the front door. There was no doubting her reluctance to leave Jubal’s side.
Obviously, Nikki didn’t miss it either. As soon as the door shut behind Lizabeth’s retreating figure, Nikki turned to look at Jubal.
Jubal opened his mouth to explain, but she held her hand up to stop him. “Don’t say anything, Jubal. If I were you I would concentrate on getting your brother to agree to see your father before you present him with another problem.”
Jubal couldn’t help himself; he was perplexed by her behavior. Why didn’t she yell and scream at him for messing with whom she believed was his niece?
Unless she knew already? “You know, don’t you?”
Nikki looked at him in surprise. “Are you asking me if I know of your interest in Lizabeth?”
“No, I figure that’s obvious.”
“Well, then what are you asking me?”
“You know she’s not Jonas’ biological daughter.”
“Who told you that?” Her tone turned sharp.
“Lizabeth.”
A look of disbelief followed his words. “Nooo, she doesn’t know yet!”
He nodded. “I’m afraid she does.”
“Oh, God!” She moved over to sink weakly into a nearby chair. “Who told her?”
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