by Sara Brookes
After he’d checked the stalls to ensure they were alone, he pulled her into an empty one and locked the door. He brushed away a few strands of hair that had fallen into her face. “I agree, we won’t know. So, with that in mind, I think we should take things a little further. We’re not in the warehouse—yet. But I am exactly who I want to be, Allison. Especially whenever you’re around.” He withdrew a package from his pocket. Gleaming silver foil sparked under the overhead lights. “Here, this is for you.”
“What is it?”
“Open it and find out.”
His mischievous smile gave nothing away. Could it be the collar he’d spoken about? She tested the weight in her hand. No, it was too flimsy and too light to be the kind of collar she suspected he’d want to wrap around her throat. Something about the wrapping paper was off as well. It was too fancy. He’d present the collar in a silk-lined box, similar to the cuffs.
“If you don’t open it soon, I’ll have to open it for you. Though, since I’m impatient, maybe that’s better.” He reached for the package, but she jerked it out of his reach. The expensive paper parted, falling away to reveal its contents. Fine white silk glided against her skin. When she lifted the sleeve to examine the contents more closely, she found two clover-shaped silver clamps.
She didn’t need three guesses to figure out what he had in mind. “Making good on that promise?”
“Of course. Didn’t think I’d forgotten, did you?” He reached out, palming the two clamps. “Change your shirt. I’ll take care of these in a moment.”
“You’re incorrigible.”
He dipped his mouth to hers, capturing her lips for a soul-searing kiss. “Admit it, you love every minute of it. Shirt. Off. Now. Or I take it off my way.”
She tugged at the hem of her tee, whisking it over her head. Before she lowered her arms, he reached out and traced the underside of her breasts with one finger. The light contact caused her to shiver. Even through the padded material of her bra, she felt his sizzling touch. Her breath caught as he traced a pattern.
“That is completely perfect and absolutely you.”
Startled, she remembered what bra she’d chosen to wear when she’d woken up this morning. His light touch traced the outline of the Superman logo laser-cut into the fabric at the top of the bra cup. Dear God. Mortified, she shrugged off the strap as he chuckled.
At least he was amused.
Standing before him completely bared, she opened her eyes. The blue had darkened considerably, indicating his arousal level was nearly as high as hers. As his hand closed around her breasts, cupping them, his lips brushed against hers. “You’ve really never let anyone in, have you?”
“I couldn’t.”
His tongue dipped between her lips, curling into her mouth to brush against her teeth. Euphoria lifting her higher, she sucked on his tongue, drawing it deeply into her mouth. God, he was a good kisser. One day, she wanted to explore if she could come just by his kisses.
“Why? Tell me why you felt you couldn’t.”
She swallowed, forcing herself to concentrate, even though his hands were doing magical things to her breasts. “I didn’t want to lose myself. Lose my identity. I thought if I explored this need to submit to someone, I’d forget if I did it for them or myself. In some kind of odd way, you’ve shown me more of myself in a month than I’ve known in my entire lifetime. I thought I was comfortable with myself before. Now? Holy cow, was I ever wrong.”
“I intend to show you more. So much more.” His mouth crushed over hers, sweeping her away. Her body quivered against his as he overpowered her. Everything about this man screamed for her to surrender to his will. And oh how she wanted to. Again and again and again. She would never ever be able to experience sex in the same way again.
He pulled away, a sly smile teasing the corners of his mouth as he moved down her body. That talented mouth of his found one of her nipples, teasing and sucking until the hard tip jutted away from her body. He showed the same attention to the other nipple, circling his tongue around it before sucking it into his mouth.
“These are so fucking pretty.” He changed course, rubbing her nipple against the roof of his mouth to suckle her. Each slow tug on her nipple caused an answering flutter deep inside her pussy. A loud pop sounded when he broke suction. Now his finger trailed through the wetness, heat blossoming between her legs in answer. “Breathe easy for me. Slow and steady. Use the breathing to help with the pain.”
“Pain?”
“These will hurt when I first secure them.” He held up one of the clamps, twisting a center screw to show her how it functioned. “Use your breathing to help adjust and filter away any discomfort.”
Uneasy now, she switched her weight between her feet as she tried to find a comfortable position to stand. She fought against the thread of doubt threading slowly through her gut. “What if I don’t like this?”
Patrick stroked his thumb in a slow circle around her nipple. “What is your safeword, Allison?”
“Unicorn.”
“Good. If you reach a point where you think you can’t handle it anymore, use your safeword. I’ll stop whatever it is that is bothering you and we’ll talk about what you’re feeling. But I promise you’ll enjoy this pain.”
She doubted she would. Pain wasn’t something she purposefully went looking for. Ever. That wasn’t something that was going to change anytime soon.
His fingers skimmed over the swell of her breasts, the skin beneath his touch already trembling in anticipation. Heat cupped her breast, molding her flesh. With a start, she realized the heat was from his palm. He stroked her flesh, his skin gliding effortlessly against hers. Pleasure seemed to follow wherever he touched as he began massaging, first one breast, then the other.
“Look at me, Allison.” When she did, the intensity shining in the depths of those blue eyes caused her to shiver. “Did you know these magnificent breasts were one of the first things I noticed about you? Every time after that, all I could think about was seeing them unbound and at my disposal. Just as they are right now.”
Pleasure rushed to her core, spreading tension through her body. He gently pinched her nipples, which caused her to arch into his touch. Her breasts started to ache, desperate for more.
“Breathe deep.” She did, wincing as he tightened a clamp around the hardened nub. The pinching grew stronger and her breathing quickened. “Remind me what you’ll say if it’s too much for you.”
“Unicorn.”
“Do you need to say it?”
“No.” She released the breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. The pain lessened somewhat when she did. As she inhaled and exhaled again, she realized the pain hadn’t increased. If anything, it had nearly diminished.
Opening her eyes, she found his gaze holding steady on her. His hand moved, the pinch increasing as he tightened the clamp. The pinching morphed to a dull throb that echoed through her body. With a start, she realized every breath only made her more aware of the clamp, her aching clit and her very wet pussy. No fraking way.
A wry smile turned up the corners of his mouth. “Watching a sub accept a gift from her Dom never gets old.”
She didn’t understand how it was possible, but she wanted him to continue. She wanted him to tighten the clamp again. She wanted him to affix the second clamp in place. No, not wanted—needed.
His grin widened. Did he know how much she wanted him to do that? Not possible. No way.
The pain of the second clamp caused her to hiss. Instead of eradicating the arousal spreading through her, it sharpened her need. Fascinated with the sensation, she focused, using slow and steady breaths to work through the worst of the discomfort.
Looking down, she watched him tighten the second clamp in place, moaning as he moved his hands away. Her excitement overwhelmed the ache completely. The slight weight of the clips dragged on her nipples, making her more aware of them than ever before.
Patrick moved closer, his lips a hairsbreadth aw
ay from her mouth. He hooked a finger through the small opening at the bottom of one of the clamps, tugging. Pain flourished, causing her to gasp into his mouth as he encouraged it with each tug. “This is new for you, isn’t it, Allison? You’re trying to figure out why you’re very much turned-on by the hurt. You’re not sure if you should be excited or offended because you’re getting off on the sting of my clamps.”
“Yes, I shouldn’t…”
“Shouldn’t what?”
“I…can’t think. Shit.” She blew out a defeated breath. “All I know right now is that I don’t want you to stop.”
“I hadn’t planned on it.” He pushed against her, the crisp fabric of his shirt scraping against her distended nipples. Pain blossomed, making her breasts feel tight and heavy. Her skin felt stretched, as if she’d burst at the seams at any moment. He made a few adjustments that tightened the clamps again. The powerful ache swelled and then ebbed. This experience was as thrilling as it was uncomfortable.
“Exquisite.” He brushed his hand across the upper swell of her breasts. “Soon you’ll be thanking me whenever I put you in these. After you beg me to wear them, of course.”
His hand moved, lifting to lightly collar her throat. Her eyes widened when she felt the slickness between her legs increase. Christ, I’m really getting off on this. Here she stood, half-dressed in a stall, wearing nipple clamps with Patrick’s hand collaring her throat, and had never wanted anything more than to come.
Just as she was about to ask for that very thing, Patrick’s hand brushed down her arm. His deliberate smile made her want him even more. “Button the shirt and fasten it all the way to your throat. Then you’re going to calmly and patiently walk through the restaurant. Look at no one else, no eye contact. Act as if this is something you do every day. Meet me at the front door. Understand? You’re going to proudly show off these glorious tits of yours tonight.”
She nodded, lust-drunk as she lifted the shirt onto her shoulders. Her fingers fumbled the decorative buttons a few times, but he patiently guided her fingers to each and every loop. Her body seemed to be on fire, her insides coiling so tightly she could barely breathe.
“Off you go.” He pushed her out of the stall, side-stepping to leave her alone in the small room.
As she exited the narrow stall, she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. Her lips and face were flushed pink with arousal. Her hair had been tousled when she’d removed her shirt. She moved forward, lifting her hand to her face. She stopped mid-air, the movement of her arm brushing against the clamp. Standing straight, she caught the dusky tint of her nipples under the sheer white fabric. The thin silver of the clamps gleamed through the fabric as well, their place—and intent—unmistakable.
She’d never felt so…wanton. The woman staring back at her was a remarkable contrast to the panicked girl in the movie theater mirror such a short time ago. She finally fit in her skin thanks to Patrick. For the first time in her life, she felt as though she was a woman. A sensuous, sexy woman who wasn’t simply one of the guys.
Gathering her courage, she stepped out into the short hallway. Patrick stood across the restaurant at the exit, waiting for her. His gaze found hers as soon as she moved into the main eating area and he tilted his head. His gaze looked her over slowly, the powerful heat of his stare making her feel beautiful and sensual. His lips curled, signaling that he liked seeing her so exposed in public wearing his brand. He liked claiming her.
She kept her gaze on his as she walked forward, gaining strength with each step she made. The kitchen door swung open as she approached. When someone stepped into the walkway in front of her, she nearly lost her courage. The woman’s emerald gaze lowered to Allison’s breasts as she wiped her hands on the dirty apron wrapped around her slender waist. Allison waited for shame to wash over her, but the telling flush of embarrassment never came. Her body was sensitized to what Patrick had done, what he continued to do even though he was across the room. The brunette lifted her gaze again, a slight smile turning up the corners of her lips. It was then Allison noted the name elegantly stitched on the left breast pocket of the woman’s black smock.
Genevieve.
The owner of the restaurant stepped closer, the strong aroma of various oils saturating the air around Allison. “Aren’t you a pretty one? Patrick should bring you out to Twenty Six sometime to show you off.” The woman’s gaze dipped again. “He does such superb work. It’s a shame he keeps it all to himself. Please do tell him I said hello.”
Allison blinked as the woman moved away to greet some of her customers.
Patrick held the door open as Allison approached, quiet murmurings pressing against her back. Fortified by her inner strength, she didn’t care what they assumed she was doing. She only cared about what Patrick thought. From the heat swimming in his gaze, she’d done exactly what he’d intended.
“Genevieve will, no doubt, find great amusement in the fact you’ll be punished for talking to her. I did say only look at me.”
Her heart tripped. “Punished? I didn’t—”
“Don’t worry.” His hand cupped the side of her face. “No hitting, remember? Punishment can take on many forms. Most of which I excel at.”
She waited for another command, but he simply gestured to her right. They walked side by side, heading for the warehouse. Every step she took reminded her of the jewelry compressing her nipples. They were alone on the sidewalk this late at night, but she wouldn’t have cared if a parade was marching down Main Street. She was his.
She was still wondering what he had in store for her when he touched her arm. “Care to join me for a cup of coffee?”
Hell of a time to want coffee. She’d thought he’d want to take her back to the warehouse and explore their power exchange relationship further. Instead…coffee? It didn’t make a lot of sense, but then again, he seemed to enjoy throwing her off kilter. The dizzying byplay was intoxicating. He was a powerful hurricane that had blown into her life so suddenly, the only thing she could do was wait for the tempest to pass.
As they crossed the street and made a right, she realized he was leading her to Perfect Shot. Light spilled out of the window, a soft glow amid the darkness of night. Tension built in her shoulders, faltering some of that confidence. Why were the lights on in the middle of the night?
As if he sensed her unease, he stepped into her, drawing his knuckles across her cheek. “Relax. We’ll have dinner with your friends in a few nights. For now, how about some coffee with mine? Nothing to it.”
“I won’t be wearing something this damn sheer or have on clamps while dining with my friends. Or will I?”
“No. You won’t.” He dropped his hand to hers, encouraging her to come into the store with him. “That’s because your friends wouldn’t appreciate the view as much as my friends will. Scoot.”
Allison froze in the doorway when she found two pairs of men’s eyes staring at her. Ryan she recognized from the coffee house. By default, she assumed the other man was Dade. “Where’s Elena?”
Patrick pushed her into the store, locking the door behind him. “Unfortunately, she had to miss this because she’s stuck with a client.” Allison’s eyebrows rose. “A meeting with an unruly client from her architecture firm.”
“Oh.”
Smiling, he scooped up a pillow from a chair, holding her hand tightly as they moved around the chairs where Ryan and Dade were seated. He dropped the pillow on the floor as he situated himself in another chair. “Why don’t you give those feet a rest, sweet sub?”
She quickly glanced at the other men for some hint of what was happening here. They both sat there—Ryan in a white shirt with jeans and Dade in unrelieved black—their faces blank, their postures completely at ease. They were so damn calm, it was nearly unnerving. Since Patrick possessed the same attitude most of the time, she assumed it was a mark of a very well-trained Dom.
Assured by the fact she was surrounded by so much power and control, she lowered to the pillow, folding
her legs to the side. As she rested her head against Patrick’s thigh, his hand pushed through her hair.
“Been awhile since you’ve brought a sub to meet us this way.”
“Been awhile since I’ve wanted to share a sub this beautiful. She’s spoiled though.”
Dade snorted softly. “As any good submissive should be.”
Patrick worked a slow pattern, varying the pressure of his touch but always keeping some kind of contact with her. She fell into a lucid state where she was aware of nothing but where Patrick touched her. His hand cupped her skull, his fingers catching in the collar of her shirt.
He shifted forward, undoing the buttons with deft fingers. After releasing a few, he sat back, tugging gently on the neck of her shirt. The fabric fell off her shoulders to slide down and expose her breasts. She shivered at the temperature change, drawing closer to Patrick’s leg. His hand pressed against her head, a comforting touch that relaxed her once more.
The quiet cadence of the men’s discussion faded into the background. Nothing mattered to her. Nothing but Patrick’s anchoring touch.
She felt desired.
She wasn’t a thing or just something to get Patrick off.
She was…beautiful.
Sexy.
Powerful.
Time seemed to still. Someone shifted, moving closer to push a finger carefully under her chin. Ryan crouched before her, wearing an amused expression. He studied her quietly, his fingers traveling lower to tease the hollow of her throat. She inhaled sharply as pleasure surged through her, resonating from where his contact moved to her breasts. His careful strokes caused her nipples to tighten against the clamps, the pain more arousing than anything she’d experienced before.
His hand fell away as he stood. “She’s magnificent.”
Ryan moved to the side as Dade crouched before her. He too studied her with the same examining gaze as Ryan. His hand fit around her breast, cupping it so his palm pressed against the clip circling her nipple.
His fingers fit under her jaw, tugging her face toward his. She thought for a second he intended to kiss her, but his cheek brushed against hers, his breath warm against her ear. “Take care of him, sub.”