“You’re wet,” he said. His voice went low and hot. “I bet you taste good.”
Why don’t you find out? But she didn’t dare utter those words. In this world, she belonged to him. She was not the aggressor. She needed only to relax and he would care for her.
His finger delved between her folds, teasing the sensitive flesh. Her palms tingled as she kept them pressed against the table; her hands started to sweat. Even so, she didn’t move them lest her disobedience cause her Master to stop touching her.
She wanted to squirm and to moan and to beg, but she said nothing and kept her ass planted against the vinyl. He didn’t look at her, but she knew she had his attention. God knew that he had hers.
Moisture beaded her forehead and she bit her lower lip as a moan threatened to escape from her throat.
“You will not come,” he said as his finger diddled her clit. “Not until I tell you.”
She wanted to protest the very idea of being brought to orgasm in the middle of a crowded bar, but she couldn’t get words to form.
Excitement built in her pussy as he stroked her faster and faster. She sucked in a breath and her eyes fluttered closed.
“Open your eyes,” he said. “Look at me.”
She turned dazed eyes to him.
“You are so beautiful,” he said. “I can’t wait to see you come.”
Her breath quickened and her heart pounded furiously. Pleasure coiled tighter and tighter. She could let go at any second.
“Put your arms around me.”
Claire gladly lifted her palms off the table and wrapped her arms around her Master. Doing so shifted her position slightly, but it didn’t affect her Master’s expert pleasuring of her clit.
He moved closer as if accepting her hug. She was startled when he leaned down and lightly bit her left nipple through her dress. Whoa! Pleasure-pain zapped straight to her cunt.
He nuzzled his way up her neck. “Look at me.”
She drew back far enough so she could lock eyes with him. Her entire body thrummed with need. Oh, God. She teetered on the edge. She wanted to beg for release, but even more, she wanted his permission.
Oh, hell. It was true. She craved his dominion. She wanted to submit to him. It felt right. And oh-so-good.
“Belle,” he whispered, keeping his gaze on hers, “I want you to come.”
He leaned down and bit her nipple again. The intensity of that action pushed her over.
Endless waves of bliss crashed through her. Her arms tightened around his shoulders as she swallowed her cries of completion. Her whole body shuddered as he cupped her mound; her pussy convulsed and wept against his hand.
He gave her a few moments to recover, but he had made her shatter in more ways than one. She felt swallowed up by the emotions rioting through her still trembling body. She felt so vulnerable right now, and more than a little worried about her ease with this stranger.
“Come here,” he said as he pulled her onto his lap. He kissed her—a sweet, brief press against her lips. “How do you feel?”
“Incredible.” Orgasmic tremors still rocked her pussy. “Thank you, Master.”
He smiled. “Ma fleur, we have only begun our journey together.” He pushed her hair behind her ears. “Are you ready for the next part?”
“Yes, Master.”
With her still clutched in his grasp, he scooted off the bench. As he stood up, he scooped her into his arms and carried her out of the bar.
Chapter 5
HER MASTER CARRIED her through the lobby. Claire felt her cheeks heat with embarrassment as they gained the attention of guests and staff. They’ve probably seen everything. She looked at him, feeling unaccountably shy.
He was smiling. “You look so lovely when you blush.”
“I’ve never been literally swept off my feet.”
“It is my honor to carry you.”
His courtly words charmed her and she returned his smile.
He walked past the bank of elevators which took guests to the upper floors. As he headed toward the main hallway, her eyes widened. For a panicked moment, she thought he might take her to a public dungeon. Not only was she not ready to show others these new truths she was discovering about herself, she was afraid she might run into someone from Bad Boy.
Instead, he rounded a corner and walked down a short hallway. Within minutes they arrived at a single elevator. A guard stood on duty, his brawny arms crossed as he watched their approach.
No words were exchanged. The guard nodded to her Master and pushed the button. The shining gold doors parted and he carried her inside.
Dipping her toward the panel, he said, “Push the red button.”
“I hope nothing explodes,” she murmured as she punched the unnumbered circle.
He laughed as he righted her, bestowing a kiss on her collarbone. Then, slowly, he lowered her to the floor. Their clothes were thin barriers, hiding neither her turgid nipples nor his hard-on. She realized that before the night was over, he would strip off more than her clothes.
He would strip her defenses.
Claire felt the sculpted muscles and delicious heat of his chest as she pressed against him. Her heels scraped against the marble; the only other sound was their intermingled breaths.
“See the railing?” he asked.
Claire looked at the gold rail. It separated the polished wood lining the lower half of the car from the upper mirrors.
“Yes, Master.”
“Go to the railing, hold onto it, and then lean down and bare your ass.”
Her heart revved as she moved away from him, from his warmth and his safety. She wondered how far he would try to push her in this game of theirs. And she wondered how far she could go. She had disappointed Phillip so badly. You’re not cut out for this, Claire. You’re too vanilla.
Then why was she so turned on? Why was she staying here, instead of running away?
I need this.
Claire stopped a half foot from the bar and leaned over, dragging her dress over her ass. Then she wrapped clammy fingers wrapped around the cold metal and waited.
In the mirror she saw the fear and need in her own gaze. She saw him, too. His mask couldn’t hide his hunger for her. The air seemed to thicken with tension, with heat, with expectation. Her heart stuttered as desire built low and heavy in her belly. He leaned over and pressed another glowing button on the panel.
The elevator slowed to a stop.
Her stomach dove to her toes as she realized that she was trapped with him in a twelve by twelve box. A ready-made cage. She couldn’t escape from him—or from her own desires.
His eyes flicked to hers in the mirror. “Look at the floor.”
She did as he demanded, though she preferred to watch him. She wanted to know what he planned. The thought of not knowing what he would do next was both thrill and frustration.
“I told you that a Master always listens to his submissive. We play these games for pleasure, but also to address certain emotional needs. Needs that can only be met when we give each other absolute trust.”
She felt him move behind her. Licking her lips nervously, she sucked in an unsteady breath. She hadn’t realized that a connection between two people could be like this—beyond mere sex, beyond even mere relationship. Phillip’s abuse had been disguised; he hadn’t cared about her pleasure. Already this man had proven he was different.
And Lucius? For an aching moment, she wished he was behind her. She wished he would dominate her. That he would love her. But that would never happen. She wanted more than he could give. Better to never know his kiss or his touch than to have it for a short while and spend her days yearning for more.
“Sometimes, the situations get intense,” continued her Master. “An experienced Dom will push you past that point where you believe your boundaries lie. You may think you cannot another demand, another punishment, another sensual torture, but I assure you, Belle, that you can.”
Claire’s breathing was uneven and
her arms tingled from their stretched position. Whatever she’d gotten herself into with this man, she wanted it. But to hand over her trust along with her body for one night of playing together—that, she wasn’t sure she could do.
“If you feel that anything I do to you is approaching your breaking point, say yellow. Do you understand?”
“Yes, Master.”
“If anything I ask is beyond your endurance, you say red. Do you understand?”
“Yes, Master.”
“You are in my domain. I own you. You will do what I say when I say it or I will punish you.” One finger dragged down her buttock. “You are mine to do with as I wish and you will remain mine until dawn. Do you understand?”
“Yes, Master.”
Oh, God. He was going to play with her all night? She had to be at a breakfast meeting at eight a.m. But she didn’t want sleep as much as she wanted to be here, with him.
“Good.” He pulled down her dress. “Stand up.”
She let go of the railing and straightened. Her arms and legs prickled uncomfortably. She looked into the mirror and found her Master staring at her.
“Did I tell you stop looking at the floor?”
Her heart turned over in her chest. Her belly clenched with dread as she returned her gaze to the floor. “I’m sorry.”
“That’s two infractions.”
Shit. What had she done to get a second demerit? Her thoughts raced, and then it came to her: She hadn’t called him Master. Claire realized he’d been gentle with her so far. His explanation of safe words had been a warning that things between them were going to get intense. She hated that she had disappointed him. Fear curled in her stomach. What would he do to her?
“You must be punished,” he said softly. “Bend over and hold your ankles.”
Heart pounding, Claire did exactly as he said. Once again, he flipped up her dress. What was he—
He smacked her ass hard with his open palm.
Ouch! She swallowed her cry of outrage.
He smacked her again. Fuck! That hurt! Yet, her pussy clenched and moisture seeped from the folds. He landed a third blow. The sting vibrated to her very core. Oh, God. She kept her gaze on the floor and pressed her lips together.
He spanked her twice more, leaving her ass raw. Tears fell onto the floor between her heels. Her throat knotted as she tried to drag in shuddering breaths. Her body couldn’t decide on between pleasure and pain, so it went with both. The sensations confused her.
“Stand up.”
She straightened. Her legs hurt and her ass throbbed, but kept her arms at her sides and her gaze on the floor.
“Turn around and look at me.”
She didn’t want to, but she didn’t want another spanking, either. Slowly, she faced him and dragged her gaze to his face. His eyes didn’t reveal any emotion and the damned mask hid his expression.
“Close your eyes.”
For a moment, she considered screaming red and ending this crazy night. Screw him and his head trips. Then her stubborn nature re-asserted itself. He wouldn’t break her, damn it.
She closed her eyes. It was, she realized, a sign of trust. She was giving him permission to do as he liked. Not because he wanted it, but because she wanted it. For the first time, she understood that control rested in her hands as the submissive.
He cupped her face and brushed his lips across hers. “You took your punishment well. I’m proud of you.”
The dread and disappointment winding through her like poisonous snakes dissipated in an instant. She had pleased him!
He held her hand then he pushed the button that released the elevator. In moments, the doors opened and he led her into a marble foyer.
Obviously, they were in one of the ultra-luxurious penthouse suites. If paying fifty-thousand dollars for a one-day slave wasn’t enough of a hint about his finances, then the size and luxury of the suite stated it loudly.
Only one lamp glowed in the living room. The rest of the suite was dark. Even the curtains were closed. He led her past the big, blocky furniture and toward a spiral staircase.
“Hold onto the rail,” he said as he let go of her hand. “In those heels, you could trip on the stairs.”
He started up first and she followed him. At the top was a single door, which he opened. The room beyond was pitch-black. Generally, Claire wasn’t afraid of the dark or of confined spaces, but she was still nervous about entering that utter blackness.
Nervously, she licked her lips. “Is that your bedroom?”
“It’s my dungeon.”
Her fingers, which were still curled around the top of the railing, gripped the cool metal. “I’ve only been in one,” she said. “But I didn’t stay very long.”
Phillip had taken her to a public dungeon once and the experience had scared the hell out of her. That had also been the end of their relationship. If she was so vanilla, why did her fantasies always put her on her knees at the feet of a strong male? Her heart pounded. What do I really want?
“Are you scared?” her Master asked.
She nodded.
“Are you willing to face your fears?”
That was the million-dollar question. Letting go of the rail, she sucked in a steadying breath.
Then she walked into the room.
After a few steps, her knees smacked into something low and wooden. She stopped, leaning down to rub her protesting kneecaps. Her Master entered the room. She heard the slid of a drawer, the scrap of a matchstick, and then light flickered in the darkness.
On a side table, he lit several candles. Their low flames didn’t penetrate very far into the large room, but she could see several pieces of strange furniture. On the wall nearest the candle was a series of floggers and riding crops.
Her Master walked to her and cupped her face. “You are brave and strong and spirited.”
“Thank you, Master.” Her gaze flicked down to the item that had so painfully stalled her progress.
“It’s a spanking table,” he explained. “See how this part is lower than the large surface? That’s where you kneel as you lay down. Your waist is supported by this narrow piece of straight wood and your torso drapes across the angled tabletop.”
Claire considered the table. For a moment, she imagined herself splayed against it in the way he described. Her bare skin would press against the black leather. Her ass would be angled just right for penetration, too. Her heart stuttered as she considered that scenario. And would he spank her? Would he use the flat of his hand or choose one of those floggers? Her stomach squeezed.
“You’re interested in the table,” he said softly. “I think you want to lay on it, ma fleur. Yes, it would be a treat to strap your ankles and your wrists to the table. You would look so beautiful shackled to it, so open and vulnerable to my every whim.”
Desire fluttered through her. Yes, she wanted to experience the pleasure to be had on the spanking table. She would take the whipping, damn it. She wanted to be worthy of him, to show her Master that she could take his punishments and earn her pleasures.
“Do you want the table, Belle?”
Claire’s legs wiggled like Jell-O. Her body quivered at the sensual promise in his words. She would conquer the doubts and worries still plaguing her. As of now, she was leaving behind the idea that she would walk away from this man. She was his. At least for tonight.
Claire dropped to her knees, lowering her head as she gazed at the tips of his shoes. Her heart pounded furiously as she said, “Yes, Master.”
Chapter 6
WHEN CLAIRE SUNK to the floor and offered her obedience, Lucius admitted to himself the truth: He was in love with her.
He’d lusted after Claire since the day he’d hired her. He flirted with her outrageously, but she ignored him. Anytime he tested the waters, she rolled her eyes and pretended not to notice his attempts to impress her.
God! Just one flutter of her eyelashes or sensual curve of her lips and she would’ve been handcuffed and on her knee
s in ten seconds flat.
Instead, she quit.
His ego didn’t appreciate the brush-offs. Claire was the only woman who ever told him no. Rather, she had never given him the opportunity to expand the parameters of their relationship. He respected her boundaries. He respected her.
He wondered if she responded to him now because she believed him a stranger or if some part of her recognized who he really was—and that she could trust him. He hoped that was case, especially since he was putting more than just trust on the line tonight.
He was betting his heart.
For a long moment, he stared at the crown of her head. The rasp of her rapid breathing infiltrated his jumbled thoughts. Should he continue? Or should he admit who he was?
If he told her now, he would break her trust forever. Whoever had tried to dominate her before had not given her control of the situation. He needed to know more about that relationship and how it had affected Claire.
One night wasn’t going to be enough.
He wanted much, much longer with his beautiful Claire. He wanted … forever.
His heart raced as both love and lust wound through him. He would give her what she craved. He only hoped she would still want him after he took off the mask.
“I want you on my table,” he said, keeping his voice low and raspy. “I want you naked and writhing and begging.”
He heard her excited inhalation of breath and noted her trembling shoulders. Anticipation and excitement raced through him.
“Stand up, Claire.”
She wobbled to a standing position and kept her gaze on the floor. God, she was beautiful. His cock was hard and aching, pressing almost painfully against the zipper of his pants. He couldn’t wait until she earned her reward … until they would both be worthy of exquisite pleasure.
CLAIRE KEPT HER gaze on the floor. She was so nervous she felt her stomach quiver with nausea. And yet, submitting to her Master had created a state of arousal that went beyond mere sexual stimulation. She had never enjoyed the way Phillip made her feel. She realized now that Phillip had tried to master her only to please himself. This man’s demands created answering needs within her. She wanted to please him. She wanted to obey him. And in doing so, she found freedom.
First Taste: A Collection of Hot Alpha Doms Page 10