Unrestrained: Book 3 of the Unrestrained Series

by Lund, S. E.

Home... I like the sound of that. Not sure yet when I'll be home. We're working through the supper hour due to an emergency that came in and threw off our schedule. Michael wants to take the residents out for dinner and then I'll be home. Don't wait up if you're tired.

  I bit my bottom lip, upset that Sam was going to be having dinner with my fiancé instead of me. I wanted to ask Drake about it, but forced myself not to be small.

  I'll try to stay up, but if I'm not awake when you get home, wake me up so we can at least talk a bit. I miss you so much.

  Drake responded right away.

  I miss you too. Think of me kissing you, you lying in my arms. I'll wake you up for at least a bit of affection before bed. I love you.

  I smiled at that, my heart warming. Maybe he was over his jealousy from the previous day.

  I love you, too.

  Later, I glanced at my phone and saw that it was after six o'clock. I should eat, but I was still running on the fumes of my meal with Claire and wasn’t hungry. Instead, I made a bag of microwave popcorn and watched a movie on the movie channel. Pride and Prejudice, one of my favorites. It made me think of how Drake called me Ms. Bennet as a pet name after Dave Mills had called me that the first time I met Drake at my father's fundraiser in October. I was nothing like the sharp-witted Elizabeth Bennet, but it still pleased me that he often called me by that name.

  Filled with popcorn and tea, I went to bed early, and read a book about art history on my eReader, waiting for Drake to come home. It wasn't until after eleven that Drake arrived. He went to his office before he came to our bedroom, and he looked very tired, his eyes bleary.

  He came right over to the bed and bent down to kiss me. He smelled of beer and garlic.

  "You smell almost good enough to eat and drink," I said when he pulled away. "Where did you take your residents for dinner?"

  "This pub called The Butler's Pantry not far from the hospital. A lot of the staff go there when they get off shift. I had Guinness and bangers and mash, I think they call it. It's one of Michael's favorite places to eat after work. Reminds him of his days in London as a med student."

  I watched him undress and thought of Claire's comment about Drake finding someone in the medical field for a wife. If he had, they would have at least been in the same predicament – working late, erratic hours, shift work. I felt suddenly out of my league and bit my lip, trying not to let my sense of inadequacy come to the surface.

  "I ate some popcorn and drank Earl Grey Tea for supper."

  Drake turned to me and shook his head. "I'm so sorry," he said. "I felt bad going out for a meal when you were here all by yourself, but it's a bit of a tradition to take the residents out when you work them through supper. I had to go…"

  I shook my head, smoothed the coverlet, trying to sound sincere. "Don't even think of it. You're a staff member now. You have to follow the traditions. I was fine."

  I forced a big smile.

  Drake came over and sat on the bed beside me, dressed only in his boxer briefs. "No you weren't fine. You got by, but you weren't fine. I promise I won't neglect you this weekend. It's free and clear and I won't set foot in the hospital until Monday morning."

  I put my arms around Drake's neck and he pressed his forehead against mine.

  "I shouldn't kiss you because I probably taste like Guinness. But wait for me. I'll go brush my teeth."

  He left me on the bed and I put away my eReader and waited. I heard the water run as he brushed his teeth. He stood in the doorway to the en-suite bathroom and watched me as he brushed, white foam on his mouth.

  "How was your day?" he managed around the toothbrush.

  "Fine," I said. "Claire took me to lunch."

  "How did that go?"

  I shrugged. "The food was good. I ate too much. Sefton was there."

  Drake stopped brushing and frowned. "He had lunch with you?"

  I shook my head. "No," I said quickly. "He was there with his girlfriend."

  Drake harrumphed at that. "Awfully coincidental. Nairobi is a big city."

  "But the expat crowd is pretty incestuous, according to Claire."

  Drake shook his head and went back to the sink. After he finished rinsing, he came to bed and crawled under the covers, snuggling close to me.

  "And did he pester you? Or was he busy with his woman?"

  "He was so polite when he came up to speak to us, I almost thought he was a different person."

  "I may have to duel with him," Drake said, nuzzling my neck. "Rapiers at Dawn. Set him straight."

  "He was fine, Drake," I said. "I told him to lay off, and it seems that he has."

  "Good. But I'll still sharpen my sword."

  I gasped when his lips trailed along my collarbone. Maybe there was enough energy in Drake that we might actually have sex.

  Then he sighed heavily and laid his head on my shoulder, his arm around my waist, one thigh thrown over my legs. "I have to crash," he murmured.

  "I know," I said and stroked his hair. "You've had a long day."

  "I promise I'm all yours tomorrow night," he said again. "I feel so guilty leaving you alone all day."

  "Don't feel guilty," I said. "This is your life. I want to be a part of it, whatever tiny little sliver of it you give me."

  "Kate, you aren't merely a tiny little sliver in my life," he said, and rose up so that he was leaning over me. "You are my life. The surgery and teaching? They're my calling. I do both because neurosurgeons, especially those with a specialization in robotics, are in short supply. I'm needed. I feel like I can't say no when the need is so great."

  "My need is so great, too," I said, smiling, thinking of the last time we made love. "Maybe I'll have to find a substitute. One named Robert, perhaps."

  He frowned. "Robert?"

  "You know, B-O-B." I smiled. "Battery Operated Boyfriend."

  He shook his head and finally, his expression changed, but he was still guarded. "I always think of it as Big. For a minute, I thought you were serious and was wracking my brain for someone named Robert."

  "Drake, how could you even imagine?"

  "I can imagine a great deal, Kate. You have to remember Maureen left me for Chris."

  He bent down to kiss me before reaching over and turning off the bedside light. Then, he sighed heavily in the darkness. "I know it's hard, Kate. Bear with me. I'm doing the best I can. Things are really busy right now."

  "I know. I'm doing the best I can right now, too."

  We snuggled down together, him spooning up behind me, his arm around my waist, hand under my breast as he liked.

  Soon he was asleep, his breathing slow and steady. In contrast, I lay awake for a long time, wondering how long it would be before his schedule slacked off a bit so that we could spend some time together, he could make it home in time for dinner or he at least had enough energy to actually have sex.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  Drake woke me with kisses along the nape of my neck early in the morning. He lay behind me, his arm around me, fingers between my thighs stroking me, his body pressed against mine. His erection was hard against my back and his mouth moved over my bare shoulder, biting softly.

  I smiled, keeping my eyes closed, enjoying the sensations. I opened my mouth to speak but he stopped me.

  "Don't say anything," he whispered, rolling me over in bed. He took my hands in his, raising them above my head. "I need you. I need this," he said, his voice a bit shaky from lust. "I don't want you using Big, Bob or your fingers when you have me."

  He took the rope he'd bought the previous week and tied my hands to the headboard, and the feel of it tightening around my wrists did something to me and I went completely limp, my body relaxing as if I was freed from some burden. He took his black handkerchief and fastened it around my head, blindfolding me, and then left me alone on the bed.

  I waited, my heart pounding, my body warming at the thought he was going to do a quick scene with me before he left for the hospital – that he felt he needed to remind m
e that I was his and he was mine. He bent my knees, spread my thighs and propped my hips up with a pillow. Then, he began to stroke his erection against my flesh, teasing the entrance to my body, then rubbing the tip against my clit. I enjoyed the slow buildup of desire as he reached down and squeezed one of my breasts, tweaking the nipple. He bent forward and sucked, hard, his teeth grazing the hard bud, making my body arch with pleasure.

  "I want to try something," he said and left the bed for a moment. When he returned, he began sucking my nipples, and then I felt something cool and metallic enclosing one nipple.

  I gasped. A nipple clamp. I wasn't so sure I wanted to try them, but I took in a deep breath and waited, trusting Drake to know what I needed and wanted.

  While I focused on it, he sucked my other nipple and then I felt a clamp on it as well.

  "There," he said. "How does that feel? Not too painful? They're not very tight."

  "They're fine," I said, knowing that when he took them off was when I'd feel the most sensation as the blood returned and the nerves woke up. "I didn’t know you had any."

  "I picked them up on the way home one day. You enjoy my teeth so I thought you might enjoy these. Now, shh."

  He slid down my body, his tongue trailing across my belly and then between my thighs. I gasped when he flicked his tongue over my clit and my hips jerked involuntarily. While he licked me, he reached up and removed the nipple clamps, and in a few seconds, I knew why people used them – the feeling when the sensation returned was incredibly painful, but with his tongue between my thighs, sending jolts of pleasure through me, the two feelings seemed to magnify my arousal and I groaned when he slipped his fingers inside of me.

  He murmured against my clit, and then moved up to suck my nipples, giving each one some attention while he thrust his fingers inside of me. I writhed with desire, wanting him to enter me.

  Finally, he slipped inside of me, his hardness filling me, his fingers finding my clit and making me gasp.

  "That's what I love to hear," he said, moving into a better position so he could thrust more effectively. "You gasping with pleasure."

  He began thrusting, his fingers stroking my clit. Heat filled my body, desire spreading out from where his fingers were and down my legs, into my belly as my orgasm neared.

  He pulled off the blindfold and bent over me as he thrust. "Open your eyes when you come for me," he said roughly, exertion making him a bit breathless.

  I opened my eyes to watch him. His face was flushed, his hair falling into his eyes, his mouth open. "Tell me when you're going to come."

  I licked my lips and concentrated on the sensations that were building in me. "I'm going to…" I whispered as pleasure exploded deep inside, my body shuddering around his length.

  "Keep your eyes open," he commanded, and I tried, but could barely comply as my orgasm crested. I gasped, my body arcing from the white-hot pleasure that almost blinded me.

  Then, he began to thrust faster, harder, his hands grabbing my hips, pulling my body to meet his with each thrust. Soon, he was groaning as he came as well, ramming himself into me with each gasp.

  "Oh, God," he groaned. "So fucking good. Oh, God…"

  Then he collapsed on top of me, his arms on either side of mine, his hands covering mine, which were still tied above my head.

  "I'd like to take more time for this," he said, breathing deeply, his lips nuzzling my neck. "But I have to run. Next time, we'll have a much longer scene."

  We remained in that position for a few moments as he caught his breath, me smiling like the Cheshire Cat.

  I'd have to mention resorting to Big more often if that was the result…

  We showered together, washing each other with soapy hands, enjoying the tenderness. Then, he shampooed my hair, lathering it and running his fingers through it.

  "I could get hard again with those hands of yours touching me like that, Ms. Bennet," he said while I washed him, soapy hands slipping between his thighs to wash him thoroughly.

  "You don't have time," I said. "I want you home for a nice dinner and then maybe a bath. I want to play slave-girl again and lick you all over. I'll be so hungry for you, I'll want to wash every inch of you."

  "You talk like that and I won't be able to concentrate in the ER."

  "Keep that thought for later tonight. What would you like for supper?"

  "You mean, after I eat you?" he said, a wicked gleam in his eye. "I might like a nice piece of steak. We should christen that barbecue on the lanai."

  "Your wish is my command," I said and kissed his wet shoulder as he turned off the faucet.

  We dried off and while I brushed my hair, I watched his reflection in the mirror as he dressed, pulling on some clean boxer briefs and a pair of dark jeans and a deep blue shirt. He came back into the bathroom and while he brushed his teeth beside me, I admired how the blue of his shirt made his eyes even more noticeable, his black lashes still a bit clumped from the shower, his hair still wet and hanging in his eyes.

  "Enjoy yourself today," he said after he finished rinsing. He ran his fingers through his hair, watching my face in the mirror as I applied a small bit of mascara. "I hope he won't bother you."

  "I'll try," I said, sighing. "I won't let him. I'll think of coming home to you, enjoying you."

  He smiled softly and brushed hair from my cheek. Then he sighed as if he wasn't convinced.

  I followed him to the living room where he put his shoes on. I glanced outside and saw a black Mercedes parked in the driveway.

  "I got a rental," he said as he stood beside me. "I'm going to brave the streets of Nairobi myself." He bent down to kiss me, his lips lingering over mine, one hand on my waist. "You look so delicious, naked underneath that towel, your hair wet, I may have a hard time leaving you."

  I smiled. "I doubt that very much. You enjoy teaching too much to be distracted. I'm sure you have a few surgical patients with complicated cases to focus on."

  He nodded and took the doorknob in hand, hesitating as if he wanted to prolong our goodbye.

  "I'll be thinking of you all day," he said finally, his gaze moving over my face before focusing on my eyes. "Keep reminding yourself it's only for a few more weeks. Besides, you have the safari next weekend. That's something to look forward to."

  I leaned up and kissed him and then he left.

  I spent the day by myself, working on the canvas I had started, and once more, Drake was late getting home. He texted me with apologies and said an emergency came in late in the afternoon and he'd have to stay with Michael to take care of it.

  I said nothing as he crawled into bed beside me. He didn't snuggle in close, probably not wanting to wake me and I didn't say anything, not wanting to keep him up any later than he had to be. He had to go to work in the morning, despite having pulled ER call all weekend.

  One more day and one more night that I was alone.

  The next day, Drake promised he'd be home for dinner.

  "I told Michael if I didn't, you'd divorce me before we were even married," he said as he bent down to kiss me goodbye.

  "I'd never do that," I said. "Don't make me out to be the bad guy with Michael. If you need to stay, you need to stay. I know this isn't trivial."

  "I'll do my best to be home at six."

  "Do what you can," I said and tucked his hair behind his ear. "I'll be here either way, missing you."

  He kissed me warmly and then left.

  I had some time before Jomo arrived to take me to the Institute, so I had a leisurely breakfast and watched some news headlines before getting dressed in my usual art class attire – overalls and a t-shirt, my high tops and thick socks. I checked over my supplies in my art case and then headed outside to wait in the warm morning sun for Jomo to arrive.

  I smiled when I saw his taxi coming down the street, pleased to see a familiar face.

  "Hello, Miss," he said, smiling back as I entered the taxi and sat down. "Time for your class."

  We engaged in the usual small
talk on the way to the institute – the weather, the trials for the armed robbers who killed several people in an attack several months earlier, the upcoming elections in the USA. Jomo was well educated about world events and seemed particularly interested in American politics. I told him about my father and his hopes of obtaining a house seat in the fall.

  I said goodbye to Jomo, expecting him back at noon as usual and went to my class. We had a female model this time – an African woman with large curves and beautiful hair in braids that fell to her waist. She wasn't as athletic as the previous models, but she posed a particular challenge, getting her body proportions correct and showing the weight of her body in the different poses.

  When Sefton's class entered after the first break, I was too busy enjoying myself to care much, but when I saw him enter, he seemed to search the class out and finally his eyes came to rest squarely on me. The look he gave me was so intense, I couldn't help but think he had some ill intent towards me.

  He strode right over to my bench and stood much too close to me while I was busy trying to ignore him, removing my sketches from the newsprint pad, sharpening my pencils for our next longer study.

  "So, Katherine," he said, using my full name, emphasizing Katherine as if he knew that Drake used it when he was in scene with me. "I hear you're coming on the safari this weekend."

  I frowned, a shock going through me. I tried not to show my concern and merely continued sharpening one drawing pencil, my eyes focusing on the lead.

  "Yes, Claire's taking me."

  "Your doctor boyfriend couldn't take some time off?" he said, his voice sounding slightly mocking, as if he was trying to upset me despite his recent promise to be professional. "How sad for you."

  I glanced up at him, anger filling me. "He's got a very busy schedule, and is on call that weekend. He does really highly specialized robotic surgery and is in high demand."

  "Probably just as well. He'd be pretty bored on an artist safari, don't you think?"