TheOneandOnly

by Tori Carson

  Sean’s right hand left her bottom a second before he gave her a stinging swat on her right cheek. His hand immediately caressed the ache into a delicious heat. Then two swats came, one on each cheek. Again it stung, but his hands turned it into something altogether different.

  “You like that, don’t you, Michelle?” he purred as his hands worked magic along her skin.

  “Mmhmm.” She could stay there forever with his hands on her body. His soft voice drifting over her, telling her she was beautiful and such a good girl. More swats heated her ass and sent her clit throbbing. His fingers began plundering her pussy, sending her into an erotic haze of pleasure and pain.

  No pattern emerged—or her brain was too muddled to find one. Sometimes it would be one swat, sometimes four or five before he soothed her. She didn’t care. He made it all pleasurable.

  “Such sweet surrender, baby. This is the gift you give me. The gift I want from you alone. You’re so wet, Michelle. I need to be inside you.”

  “Yes, mmm, more.” Alarms were clanging in her mind. She’d been on the verge of calling him Master. What the hell was happening to her? She’d read too many books or something. She rallied to get her wits back about her as Sean slid her legs onto the bed. She heard something, she wasn’t sure what—then Sean’s arm slid under her hips and pulled her ass into the air.

  His cock was at her opening. “You belong to me, Michelle,” he announced as he pushed into her. “Your body is mine to control, to do my bidding. I decide when you come. You can only come with my permission. Do you understand, Michelle?”

  Reality and her fantasies merged. How many times had she fantasized he’d declared she belonged to him and him alone? She’d dreamed he would demand her body obey him. “Yes, all yours.”

  He kept one hand wrapped around her waist while his other pinched and pulled her nipples. He didn’t even pretend to be gentle. His assault was rough and just what she wanted. She now understood the meaning of “hurts so good”. Again and again, he pounded into her, taking her higher. “Please, Sean, I need to come.”

  He pulled his hand away from her breast and slapped her ass. “Ask me. I already know what you need. Now ask permission.”

  Oh God, his voice almost sent her over the edge. She was panting, trying to control the fire burning through her. “Please, may I come? I’m begging. Please.”

  His right hand left her body and she held her breath waiting for another swat or for his touch along her breast. She needed his touch. Missed it. Then she felt his hand along the base of her spine and his thumb invaded her ass.

  “Yes, baby, you may come for me.”

  His cock and thumb glided in and out of her in perfect time. The sensations were all-consuming as the orgasm exploded through her. Her muscles tightened and spasmed around his cock until he came right after her. The pulsing of his dick buried deep inside her sent delicious aftershocks bursting along her nerve endings.

  Sean still held her by the waist, but her arms lost the fight and her torso collapsed onto the bed. She heard him chuckle as he pulled out, turned her over and slid back inside her. “The night is still young, Michelle, and I need more.” Impossibly, his shaft moving inside her started her arousal building all over again. Just that fast, she was hungry for his touch.

  Chapter Six

  Sean woke to an empty bed. What the fuck? He looked around the room and found Michelle’s purse lying on the floor by the bathroom. He fell back onto the bed. She wouldn’t have gone anywhere without her bag. Wiping his hand down his face, he admitted he had it bad for Michelle. It didn’t matter that he was way too old for her and that they’d only just started truly seeing each other. She was the “the one”. He just had to find a way to make her see it too.

  A few times last night he felt she was about to call him Master. Maybe his love-sopped brain was making him hear things, but he was certain she was falling for him just as fast as he was falling for her. He got out of bed, cleaned up a bit, pulled on a pair of jeans and went looking for her.

  The smell of food was a heavenly beacon telling him exactly where to look. As he came to the archway, he saw Michelle wearing one of his button-down shirts, open and swaying in the breeze as she danced to the music emanating from the earbuds attached to the phone sitting in her breast pocket. When she moved to the stove to flip something in one of the skillets, he glanced at the clock. Five-fifteen. What an unholy hour!

  It didn’t matter. He’d become an earlier riser if it meant seeing this show each morning.

  Once her back was to him, he silently went and took a seat on one of the stools at the island. It took only a moment for her to notice him. In mid-spin, she saw him sitting there. A huge smile broke across her face in welcome.

  “Good morning.” She took one of the buds from her ear.

  “Yes, it is. My best ever, I think. What are you making? It smells wonderful.”

  “I know you prefer a light meal in the morning, but I’m a big breakfast girl. I can make you some oatmeal if you’d prefer. I’ve got a full day, though.” She shook her head. “No breaks. So I either eat now or starve all day. I’ve got hash browns about ready, two eggs nearly done, bacon is waiting and the toast is about to go.” She shrugged. “But if you’d rather, I’ll boil water for oatmeal.”

  He smiled. She breathed life into his home and into him. Both had been missing for so damn long. “We’ll skip the oatmeal and go for the real breakfast.”

  “Perfect. Would you butter the toast and I’ll finish up the rest?”

  “I can handle that. What’s your schedule today?” He’d assumed she had class Tuesdays and Thursdays. Damn, he’d wanted to spend the day with her. Who was he kidding? He wanted to spend every day with her.

  “Monday, Wednesday and Friday, I have class from nine to one and work one to five.” She made a plate for Sean then started on her eggs. “I assumed over-medium would work. I should have asked. Would you rather have something else?”

  “Nope, you nailed it.” He took the plate she offered him, set it on the island, then went to butter the toast.

  “I’m scheduled for the same days at the diner, midnight to noon.”

  “I thought you’d quit.” He also thought they’d passed this hurdle already. To keep himself for saying more—something he’d regret—he went to the fridge and pulled out the orange juice. He filled two glasses with ice and took them to the island.

  “I wanted to talk to you before I did that. Are you sure you want me to? Maybe it would be better if I kept my jobs. It would cause a lot less hassle for you at the club and we could still see each other on Sundays. And maybe we could find a few hours on Tuesday and Thursdays, depending on what you have going on and how much homework I have.”

  “Why are you doing this? I feel like we take one step back for every two forward.” He was holding his emotions in check—barely.

  Michelle pulled out the other earbud and killed the music. She put her hand over his and sat next to him at the island. “Sean, I’m just giving you a chance to back out. Once I officially quit, I’m pretty much locked in. We both know that. I’m giving you one last opportunity to slow this down or change directions before you’re stuck with me.”

  “Quit. Make the calls right now.” He could breathe again, knowing that she wasn’t trying to run away from him.

  She kissed him on the cheek. “I will, I promise. But I need to wait for the sun to come up at least.”

  “Yeah. Why are we up before the sun? It’s painfully obvious I need to improve my technique if after a night of loving you can roll out of bed a few hours later looking this amazing.” She did too. Absolutely beautiful.

  “There’s not a damn thing wrong with your prowess in the bedroom, and you know it. I feel more alive this morning than I have in…ever.” She rested her head on his shoulder.

  He put his arm around her and pulled her against his chest. He rested his chin on the top of her head and just held her for a few moments. When she pulled away, her hair snagged
in his whiskers, keeping a small part of them linked together.

  “Eat up, bossy man. I’m going to have to take off soon.”

  “I thought you went to USC. It’s not ten minutes from here.”

  “My apartment is about five or six miles from here, then school is another three and I have to shower and change. I’ve been wearing those same clothes off and on since Friday morning. They’re going straight in the washer.”

  “Michelle.” He put his fork down and stared at her. “You didn’t sleep before your shift at the diner on Friday, did you? Son of a bitch! You were up more like forty-two hours, weren’t you?”

  “Yeah.” She shrugged. “I’ve done it before and each time I vow it will be the last. Hopefully this time it will be. Quit staring at me and eat.”

  “Oh, subbie, I guarantee it will be the last time you ever do that again. This is great, by the way. Thank you.” He wanted to turn her over his knee and paddle her ass all over again for that stunt. If he’d had any idea she’d been up so long, he never would have allowed her to work that night. She’d kept quiet on purpose.

  Michelle ate a few more bites, then drank some juice. “Thanks for getting up with me,. You didn’t have to.”

  “Did you really think I’d let you walk?” No way in hell was he allowing that either.

  “We were up pretty late last night. If I didn’t have class I’d still be crashed. Sean, seriously, I enjoy walking. It’s about my only form of exercise and I like it. It gives me a few minutes of peace and quiet—usually the only I get all day.”

  “That’s too bad. It’s not happening. We can go jogging in the mornings or on Sunday and Monday evenings. There’s an exercise room on the other side of the house too. If you want a workout, you’re welcome to use it. Although I think our activities last night counted as cardio.”

  “Sure, if I sleep over, going for a morning walk would be great. I don’t think I could keep up with you on a run.”

  “I rather like you sharing my home. Is there a reason why you’d rather not stay here?” She was a private person and she probably wanted her space, but damn it, he wanted her here. She brightened his home and made him smile all the time. Hell, he was dreading being away from her while she was at school.

  He finished his breakfast and took his plate to the sink.

  She shrugged. “No, not really. You have a beautiful home and I love spending time with you, but aren’t you afraid you’ll get sick of me invading your personal space?”

  “I don’t think you have much to worry about. We can take it a few days at a time if you’d be more comfortable.” If anyone had told him six months ago he’d be inviting a woman to share his home so quickly, he’d have told them they were nuts. He was pushing her hard and moving way too fast, yet in some ways it wasn’t fast enough. The change she’d made to his life in such a short period was nothing but miraculous. He felt like he was coming out of a cloud into a bright, sunny day.

  “That’ll work.”

  * * * * *

  Michelle sat at the reception desk in the business office on campus. She kept looking at her cell phone, considering texting Sean. It was pathetic how she couldn’t stop thinking of him. The last couple of days had been crazy and the sex was—well, phenomenal. Screw it. She was going to be herself and if that didn’t work for Sean—well, it was best to find out now.

  I miss you. Her stomach roiled as she hit send. Was she being pushy? Clingy? Damn it, why’d she send it?

  Ping! She looked down and saw it was from Sean. Oh of course it was from Sean—she hadn’t been texting anyone else. Still, the response came awfully fast. She wondered what he’d texted back, but wasn’t ready to open it. What if he was in a meeting or something and she’d interrupted? Considering how fast she’d received the reply, it might be an auto-message.

  Okay, enough torture. She slid her finger across the screen and opened the message. Squinting both eyes and peeking through one, she read, I’ve been thinking about you all day and counting the minutes until five.

  She squeaked and did a small under-the-desk fist pump.

  What are your plans? Was that prying? If she was going to stay at his house, then she should know what his plans were…shouldn’t she? Feeling your way through a new relationship sucked in so many ways.

  I thought I’d take you to dinner then we’d swing by the club and I’d finish the tour. Are you up for that?

  The club was closed Sunday and Monday so it would only be the two of them…hopefully. Her imagination was off and running. Sure, she texted back, wondering exactly what she’d agreed to. Their leisurely shower had been anything but relaxing. She was still a little sore. Not that she minded though—it was a physical reminder of what they’d shared.

  Michelle touched the collar around her neck. She probably should have taken it off. While in many ways it looked like a necklace, she knew it wasn’t. Her tummy bunched a little every time she thought about belonging to Sean. He was leading her down a path she never dreamed she’d actually take. Sure, she enjoyed reading about Dominance and submission, but to live it was something else entirely. A mix of scary and sexy as hell. She was growing very attached to Sean. These few hours away from him had brought that point home.

  Still, going back to the club was a little daunting. She’d seen more flesh in that one night than she had in her life. Sean had helped her deal with some of her jealousy issues. She’d never met a man willing to communicate as openly as Sean. It probably helped that he was comfortable in his own skin. She wondered if all Doms were like that. No, they couldn’t be, or there’d be women lined up around the block to get into the club.

  It was slow at work. There weren’t many appointments and she was able to get a lot of her homework done. She decided it was time to call the diner and bar and tell them she was quitting. She’d already called friends and gotten her shifts covered for the rest of the week. They’d have someone hired to replace her by then. It would have been better if she could’ve given them a full two weeks, but Sean would lose his mind if she did that. Who was she kidding? She’d rather spend time with him.

  At five, her cell phone pinged. I’m in the visitor’s parking. She was halfway down the stairs before the church bells down the street finished chiming. It was easy to spot him leaning against the fender of his car, much like when he’d waited for her at the diner. God, that seemed a lifetime ago—not just a few days. He looked up and smiled. Dropping his cell phone into his pocket, he took a few steps to meet her, then wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tight.

  “You feel so good in my arms.” Sean nuzzled her neck. “I missed you today.” He opened the back and tossed in her backpack before opening her door. “We need to stop by Aiden’s office, then we’ll grab a bite. Do you have any preferences?”

  “I like you nibbling on my neck and…lower.” She’d already turned pink, but seeing that smile was worth it.

  Taking her hand in his, he gave it a kiss. “I’m so glad, because I can’t seem to get enough of you.”

  “Thanks for picking me up. You’re spoiling me.”

  “None of that. I’ve been thinking of you all day. I haven’t gotten much accomplished other than looking at the clock every three or four minutes and thinking ‘damn, time is moving slowly’.” He chuckled.

  “Same here. I had such trouble focusing I barely finished my exam in time.”

  “I was afraid to text and have it chime at an inappropriate moment.”

  Michelle laughed. “Me too. I had no idea what you were working on today and I didn’t want to appear…needy, clingy, pushy. You know, all the things women are often accused of being.”

  “Text any time you want. Since I’m the boss, it’s not a problem, and I like to know you’re thinking about me.” Sean reassured her as he pulled into a parking lot of a beautiful antebellum home that had been converted into a law office. “Aiden needs some papers signed so he can set up the account in your name. I think he said he needed a copy of your driver’s lice
nse—that kinda thing.”

  Her heart started hammering in her chest. “Sean, I don’t want to do this. I don’t want your money.”

  “We’ve been through this. It protects us both. Let’s go talk to Aiden, but bottom-line, Michelle, you’ve quit your jobs and you need a parachute. That’s all this is.”

  “All right. I’ll hear him out, but this is under protest.” She didn’t like this even a little bit.

  Aiden explained in detail that it was up to her to access the account. If the money hadn’t been removed within one year’s time, it reverted to Sean. Knowing that allowed her to sign the documents with a clean conscience. She knew she wouldn’t take his money, so as long as it made its way back to him there wasn’t a problem.

  Once the paperwork was completed and she’d signed the multiple documents, Aiden said his piece. “No offense intended, miss, but Sean’s been my friend a long time and I need to make sure he understands. Buddy, if you sign this, she can take the money and run. There’s nothing stopping her from cleaning out the account at any time and neither one of us could stop it.”

  “Where do I sign?”

  Aiden gave her a suspicious look. She raised her shoulders. “I told him not to do this. He won’t listen to me either.”

  “He’s always been a stubborn son of a gun, but he usually has more sense when it comes to money,” Aiden bemoaned while Sean signed his portion of the papers. “It was nice meeting you and I certainly hope I see you again.”

  The double meaning behind his statement wasn’t lost on Michelle. “You too.” She considered reassuring him, but what was the point? Only time would make it clear she wasn’t a gold-digger.

  Once back in the car, Sean turned to Michelle. “Thank you for humoring me. I hope Aiden didn’t upset you with his nervous-Nelly routine.”

  “I’m glad he’s watching out for you.”

  “It’s good to have that done. There’s one last thing. Are you on the Pill?”

  Egads, he wasn’t going to like the answer. “When I remember to take them.”