His Mistress

by Monica Burns

  The sensual touch made him grunt with need. Christ, if she didn’t take him in hand soon, he was apt to unwillingly disobey her command and spill his seed without any assistance whatsoever. His chest tightened at the thought. He’d be damned if he’d lose control until she said he could. With what little bit of will power he still possessed, Tobias growled his determination to stand his ground. Mystère stroked his cheek and forced him to look at her again.

  “I don’t think I told you how pleased I am that you saved your seed for me,” she whispered as her mouth curved in a slight smile.

  “It was my honor to do as you commanded, my Lady.”

  “And if I continued to deny you your release, what then, Tobias?”

  “I would continue to serve you, my Lady,” he said through clenched teeth.

  Bloody hell, why did he think the woman intended to make him beg for the release his body was shouting for. His mouth went dry as he watched a smile slowly curved her lips. She was a siren beckoning him to follow her into the abyss. Suddenly, he wanted to find his release inside her, not by her hand or his. Every muscle in his body twisted into tight coils of anticipation at the thought. A second later, her fingers wrapped around his cock, and despite his desire for her, thinking became impossible.

  “Are you ready to spill your seed, Tobias?”

  “If it pleases you, my Lady, but might I not give you pleasure at the same time?” He rasped uncertain how he’d managed to speak.

  “At the moment, I think it will give me greater pleasure to simply milk you.”

  Her hand wrapped more tightly around him, and he groaned. With an unhurried stroke that threatened to blind him with raw need, Mystère began to pump his cock. Her caresses were leisurely, and he was certain she intended to extend this exquisite torture as much as possible. Unable to help himself, Tobias thrust his hips forward to rock himself against her fingers.

  “From your reaction, it appears you enjoy my touch, Tobias.”

  “Christ Jesus, yes, my Lady.”

  He barely considered the ramifications of revealing how much he enjoyed her hand on him. Every part of him was focused solely on the force building in his sacs. The friction of her fingers against him was hot and fiery. The sensation tugged him toward a release he’d been seeking for far too long. Deep in the back of his mind, the voice of reason shouted over the raging lust filling his body and reminded him to avoid damaging his fragile restraints.

  As he rocked the lower half of his body against her hand, her scent filled his nostrils. She smelled wonderful. God, if only she would allow him to pleasure her. He’d see to it that it would be something she’d never forget. The imagery of thrusting into her softness with her legs wrapped around him only served to heighten the desire expanding inside him at an exponential rate. A low groan rolled up out of his chest to pour out of his throat in a loud roar.

  The lust inside him peaked, and his head snapped backward as he violently thrust his hips forward into her hand one last time. In a blinding flash of pleasure, he came hard. With each throb he spilled his seed, while his body shook from the violence of his release. A red mist cluttered his senses as he dragged in deep breaths of air, his chest burning as though he’d run a great distance.

  As he pulled himself back from the brink of his release, he noted Mystère had miraculously made a handkerchief appear out of nowhere to capture his seed. Without a word, she cleaned him with the edges of the material then stepped away to dispose of the handkerchief. The moment she walked away, he found himself overwhelmed with the need to have her near him.

  The violence of his release slowly eased out of Tobias, and he looked up to find one of his lace restraints was torn. He grimaced at the sight. He would need to take care not rip it completely. His gaze shifted to where Mystère stood in front of a wash table near a large wardrobe. The soft sound of water splashing in the large water basin said she was rinsing his slick essence from her hands.

  Free for the moment to watch her without the possibility of penalty, Tobias studied her as one might a work of art. His gaze swept downward to the curve of her waist and where her skirt billowed outward. Her dark hair brushed against her back like brown silk. The lust she’d drawn from his body only a moment ago took hold of him once more as he contemplated the temptation hidden beneath her wide skirts. In his mind’s eye, he knew exactly how he would pleasure her.

  He’d make her cry out just like he had, and then he’d do it again until they were both satiated. As he saw her about to turn back to him, he quickly dropped his head knowing that by looking at her he was defying her orders. He wanted to please her, not make her unhappy.

  “My Lady,” he rasped. “I am grateful for your attention to my needs.”

  “It gave me a great deal of pleasure to take care of you, Tobias.” she said softly as she returned to his side. “And despite a small tear, you even managed to avoid breaking your restraints. It demonstrates the extent of your self-control.”

  There was an undefinable emotion in her voice that made him think she regretted not allowing him to bed her. Once more images of him filling her with his cock flooded his head. Almost immediately, he began to harden. It would be only a minute or two before he’d be able to satisfy her as she’d satisfied him.

  “Allow me to satisfy you as well, my Lady,” he said quiet confidence.

  She didn’t respond to his request. Instead she turned away. Although his gaze remained downcast, he watched her bend down to pick up her jacket. Frustration blistered its way through him as he watched her pull on the burgundy waistcoat. Fuck, she’d covered her beautiful breasts. One hand on her waist and the other at her throat, Tobias knew she was contemplating his offer. Even though he couldn’t see her face, he was certain she was frowning as she considered his words. The deep breath she drew in made his heart sink.

  “I don’t think that’s possible.” Doubt riddled her words as she turned to face him. Long, beautiful fingers made short work of buttoning her jacket, and he sensed her uncertainty. It merely strengthened his desire to convince her to let him pleasure her.

  “It is possible, my Lady.” Tobias’ body tightened with desire, his cock already halfway to becoming fully erect again. “Let me worship your body with my hands and mouth. Let me satisfy you as no other man has done before.”

  “A bold promise.” There was a hint of breathlessness in her voice, but laughter as well. Tobias chafed at her amusement.

  “You’ve asked me not to lie to you, my Lady. I am not lying when I say that I know how to pleasure you.” His harsh response caused silence to stretch between them for a long moment.

  “I want more than the promise of pleasure, Tobias,” she said in a voice that had lost all trace of amusement. “I want complete submission.”

  An icy finger scraped down Tobias’ spine, and the ground shifted beneath his feet as he considered her words. In the past, he’d heard similar words from the Ladies he’d sought his release with. But Mystère’s words held a far deeper meaning than any Lady he’d ever submitted to before. Fear twisted and knotted his gut until he no longer felt the pain in his arms.

  She was asking for a part of him he’d never shared with anyone, and he had no intention of doing so now. When he didn’t answer, Mystère closed the distance between them. Her touch gentle, she undid his lace straps then gently pulled his arms downward until his bound hands hung loosely in front of him. The fingers that had gripped him moments ago made short work of the silk tie wrapped around his wrists.

  “You may remove the restraints from your legs and dress, Tobias,” she said quietly as she turned away.

  It was a signal their play had ended for the evening. Dumbfounded, Tobias’ arm snaked out to stop her from walking away from him. The moment his fingers wrapped around her arm to hold her in place he knew he’d erred. Mystère jerked her head to look at him over her shoulder, her sapphire eyes stormy with anger. He quickly released her and bent his head.

  § § §

  Jane took a q
uick step back from Tobias and glared at his bowed head. The man had fought her every step of the way this evening, and now he had the audacity to protest her decision to end their evening. Even before she’d come to La Maison des Plaisirs Sombres this evening, Jane had accepted the fact that Tobias would not surrender tonight. But she’d been hopeful he would show some sign of yielding to her care. He hadn’t.

  From the moment they’d entered the room, he’d merely played at succumbing to her commands. The knowledge left her with a great sense of disappointment. Jane closed her eyes at the unwelcome and foolish sensation. What had she expected? The beginnings of an understanding that would ease the awkwardness of marrying a man she barely knew? The possibility of a marriage that would bring them mutual pleasure in the bedroom?

  It was not as if she were asking him to love her. In the back of her head, her subconscious awoke and laughed at her. She crushed the sound. Love would only make her a slave to Tobias, and she refused to let that happen. The sound of Tobias clearing his throat made her focus her gaze on his bent head.

  “Forgive me, my Lady, I meant no disrespect. I had only thought to pleasure you as you have me.”

  The sincerity of Tobias’ apology pleased her, but beneath the regret she heard the inflexible note in his voice. Renewed frustration rose inside Jane. Securing Tobias’ surrender required time and patience. That she’d lost sight of that in the past few moments made her wince. A more skilled Lady would not have made such a simple error. Self-doubt reared its head once more as she struggled with a growing sense of inadequacy. Her gaze slowly focused on Tobias once more, and she tightened her lips with determination.

  “I told you what was required to earn the privilege of satisfying me, Tobias. You answered my command with your silence.”

  “I am yielding to you now, my Lady,” he bit out.

  “With great reluctance.”

  Even with his head bowed and his weariness evident, he still projected the strength of an undefeated knight after a hard battle. She wanted to feel herself wrapped in that steely strength knowing she’d tamed the demons driving him to defy her. Jane sighed as she closed the distance between them. Her hands cupping his cheeks, she raised his head so she could read his expression.

  His dark hair had fallen across his damp forehead, and she brushed it aside. He truly was beautiful, and she wanted him. She wanted him with a fierce craving that made her long to give way to his request. It was impossible to do so. If she gave in, he’d make use of that the next time they were together, and she would do everything in her power to have him in this room again.

  Tobias turned his head to kiss the palm of her hand. His tongue grazed her skin in a heated kiss that made every nerve in her body explode with desire. Need clutched at her until she ached to give way to him and order him to carry her to the bed.

  The thought made her flinch, and she immediately put several feet between them. If she gave in to her own need for pleasure, she had no doubt he’d believe himself the winner of their battle. He might never return to this room with her again, and she intended to do everything in her power to ensure that he returned.

  A low growl of protest rumbled past his lips. It confirmed her suspicions. He was not ready to surrender. It would take time, and tonight he had to learn who was in control in this room.

  “You say you’re yielding to me now, Tobias, but you could have done so at any point in our time together this evening,” said softly.

  “If I’ve made you unhappy—”

  “I’m not unhappy with you Tobias. In fact, you performed quite admirably tonight, but that’s the problem. It was a performance.”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he snarled.

  Jane heard the sudden note of panic in his voice, and her heart skipped a beat at the sound. It was a sign she’d touched something deep inside him. Possibly a place no other woman had reached before. She stepped forward and slid her hand into his thick, wavy locks to gently tug his head up. As she looked into his mahogany colored eyes, a savagery glittered there that indicated how determined he was to guard himself. As she studied the depth of anguish in his gaze, Jane wanted to weep. Whatever dark secrets he held close to his soul, they filled him with an incredible amount of pain.

  “What did I tell you about lying, Tobias?” she said softly. “The only things allowed in this room are honesty and the acceptance that I’m here to care for you and your pleasure.”

  “That should be the other way around, I think.” His voice was like ice cracking on a lake.

  “No,” she whispered and brushed his cheek with her lips. “Caring for you gives me pleasure, and it’s my responsibility to ensure that I care for you both physically and emotionally. I can’t do that if you refuse to bend to my will.”

  “If you’re looking for me to act the part of some weak-willed fool, that’s not going to happen,” he bit out fiercely.

  “You are as pigheaded as they come, Tobias.” Jane released her grip on his hair with a slight shove of disgust. “I want a man who’s strong enough to surrender to me and only me. I don’t just want it. I expect it.”

  “What you’re asking…” Tobias’ voice trailed off as he swiftly bent to untie the lace around his ankles. He threw them aside in a vicious movement, the muscles beneath his bare skin rippling with a raw, powerful beauty. She swallowed hard as he straightened to meet her gaze dead on. “You’re asking for more than I have to give.”

  “Then there’s no more to say, is there?”

  Defeat sliced through Jane as she turned and walked toward the door. She’d hoped to prove Angélique wrong, but her friend had been right. Tobias wasn’t about to surrender to any woman. The disappointment of his refusal cut deep. She hadn’t realized until now how much she wanted Tobias to choose to bend to her will. As her hand grasped doorknob, she heard him expel a loud whoosh of air.

  “Wait.”

  It was more of a command than a request. Jane stiffened slightly at his abrupt, authoritative tone, but released her grip on the knob and turned around. Tobias faced her in all his naked glory, proud, defiant, stubborn, and yet strangely vulnerable all at the same instant. It was his vulnerability she wanted. That was the man she wanted to reach. The man she wanted to free from whatever demons held him hostage. The thought was a breathtaking one, and she ignored the internal question as why she was so compelled to save him. When he didn’t speak, Jane arched her eyebrows at him in a silent demand.

  “You’re asking for my trust.” His gaze dropped downward, and Jane immediately knew it was out of respect, as well as a need to protect himself from showing his inner turmoil.

  “Yes, that’s exactly what I’m asking for,” Jane said with a slow nod of her head.

  “I’m not sure…I can do that.”

  Tobias’ face and voice were devoid of emotion. If he’d been a stone statue he could not have been any less still. The urge to go to him tugged at Jane, but she didn’t move. Instinct told her they were at a critical juncture. She needed to tread lightly if she were to achieve her goal. She clasped her hands in front of her.

  “Trust is the only thing that will work between us, Tobias. Without it, there’s no point in going forward.” He didn’t reply, and she squeezed her hands together until her fingers stung in protest. Quickly swallowing the knot in her throat, she drew in a quick breath of air. “If you’re willing to trust me, Tobias, then be here a week from tonight standing there stripped to your bare skin waiting for me.”

  Jane gestured toward the section of the room where a pulley hung from the ceiling and its ropes dangled all the way to the floor. Without any further instructions, she wheeled around on her heel and left the room. The door softly snapping closed behind her, Jane pressed her hand against the wall as she struggled to quiet the butterflies in her stomach. Laughter echoed in the hall behind her, and feeling herself suddenly vulnerable, Jane darted along the corridor until she reached Angélique’s private quarters.

  Bernadette was quick to a
nswer her knock and offer Jane a welcoming smile. Jane barely acknowledged the woman’s greeting as she entered the suite and hurried into the dressing room Angélique had provided her. The moment Jane close the door behind her, she tugged the silk ties of her mask apart and jerked the burgundy domino from her face. Dear God, what had she done? Trembling, she crossed the carpet to sink down onto a green lounge sofa. Hands clasped in front of her in an effort to calm herself, Jane closed her eyes.

  Angélique’s training had given her the skills to make a man submit, but this was not what she’d expected. The confidence she’d placed in her abilities had left her blind to the ramifications of agreeing to Tobias’ offer to serve her. Her heart pounding, she drew in a deep breath and exhaled it slowly in an effort to stop her body from shaking so badly. She’d barely regained some semblance of composure when the dressing room door opened with a rush of air.

  Jane jerked with alarm as Angélique swept into the room with a quiet rustle of black silk. Concern furrowed the Frenchwoman’s brow as she hurried forward to take Jane’s hand in hers.

  “What is it, Jane. What has happened?”

  “It’s Tobias.” Jane shook her head as she tried to put her thoughts into words. “He…he…did as you said he would. He made it a game of submitting.”

  “Oh ma chérie, I was afraid this would happen.”

  “No, you don’t understand,” Jane said with a shake of her head. “I reached something in him tonight.”

  “What do you mean?” Angélique asked with a frown of puzzlement.

  “I told him a strong man would surrender to me and would trust me to care for him.” Jane noticed her hands had stopped trembling as she remembered how Tobias had commanded her not to leave. “He balked at my condition, but he didn’t refuse either.”

  “And did you come to an agreement?”