Beating Hearts (A Contemporary and Paranormal Valentine Anthology)

by Krystal Shannan

  To her credit she didn’t jump, but her eyes grew wide for a second before she graced him with a small smile. “No, it’s empty.”

  He stayed there for a moment just staring at her. She was a bit younger than he originally thought, early twenties probably, which normally didn’t do a thing for him, but something about her blew his whistle. “Okay if I sit, or are you just here to drown your sorrows solo tonight?”

  She snorted, taking a sip of her drink. “You can have a seat. I’ll warn you though. I don’t know if I’ll make very good company.”

  He turned the chair around backwards, and straddled it, folding his inked arms across the top. “Let’s compare stories and see who’s had the worst night. Whoever wins, or in this case, is the biggest loser, buys the next round of drinks.”

  She eyed him, narrowing her lids at him. “You’re on.”

  He grinned, rubbing his palms together. “It is so on. I’m Duke by the way.” He extended his palm, which she shook. It wasn’t an I’m gonna squeeze the life out of you meet-and-greet, nor a limp fish shake either. Pretty perfect actually, especially accompanied by her blush.

  “I’m Anna.” She withdrew her hand, sweeping her bangs to the side. “I haven’t seen you around here, not that I’m real regular, but I would have noticed you.”

  “Why, Anna, are you flirting with me?”

  She took another drink and choked on it. She grabbed a napkin, laughing as she tried to get it down. “Ha. Not hardly. I wouldn’t have a clue how to flirt with you anyways.”

  “You make me sound like a toad. I’m a guy. You just flirt. It’s not rocket science, and you’re doing a great job so far.” His cock stood up and took notice when she rolled her eyes.

  “Oh, please, I’m sure you’re use to getting a girl into one of the rooms down the hall in eight seconds or less by a snap of your fingers.”

  She wasn’t far off, so he decided silence was golden.

  “And I bet your room here holds all your toys, and women fall at your feet, begging you to hurt them.”

  The wolfish grin that split his face was answer apparently enough, because she shook her head. He decided he needed some damage control, and quick. “So why are you here all by yourself tonight? A cute little thing like you surely isn’t alone on Valentine’s Day?”

  She made a face like she’d sucked on a bag full of lemons, and then she drained the rest of her beverage.

  “I was supposed to meet someone here tonight to negotiate play, but he canceled.”

  “He canceled? Why?”

  “His hair appointment ran late.”

  Duke made a face before he could hide it.

  “Yeah, I had the same reaction. Any guy spending more time than me, or money, on his hair isn’t exactly the kind of top I’m looking to play with. I’m actually glad he ditched me. It saved me time getting anxious over something that definitely would’ve been a flop.”

  “What a jackass.” It wasn’t eloquent, but Duke received what he wanted from it. She smiled, flashing lovely white teeth and her hair bounced when she shook her head.

  “It happens.”

  “His loss, my gain.” Her laugh did something inside his chest he definitely wanted more of.

  “We’ll just see about that. I don’t normally do pick-up play. I like to see someone scene before I allow them in my head.”

  “Very smart actually, a lot more girls should have that mindset.”

  “So what about you? Why are you here by your lonesome this romantic evening?”

  “I may have forgotten about Valentine’s Day until roughly three hours ago.”

  “Nice. Bet your forgetfulness went over well with your… Wife, girlfriend, lover? Yes, I’m fishing.”

  Duke grinned, liking her straightforward approach. “I would have said friend with benefits, but since she told me she was breaking up with me and she’d rather put out to her girlfriends, I could have been slightly off on the relationship-o-meter.”

  A snicker slipped free before she covered her mouth and nose. Her trying to stifle her reaction was charming, and he wondered if she giggled after she came. He leaned forward a bit, wanting to get closer to her in more ways than one.

  “So you’re that guy.”

  “That guy? I don’t think I like the sound of that guy.”

  “The one who forgets the holiday, or anniversary, or birthday—”

  “Hey, I’m pretty sure I’m allergic to it or something. It’s not intentional I assure you.” He took her wrist and laid her palm over his heart. “My thoughts are pure, mi lady.”

  Her nails dug into his flesh and she drew in a shallow breath. She felt it, too. Whatever connection they had was definitely mutual.

  “What would you like to drink, Anna?” He pressed her hand against his chest, making sure she felt how hard his heart beat against his ribs.

  “Cherry coke, no alcohol please.”

  He had been right earlier about her drink of choice. “Coming right up.” He flipped her hand over and kissed the inside of her wrist, then stood.

  It didn’t take him long to procure two cherry cokes.

  “Compliments of Oscar behind the bar, for the lovely lady on Valentine’s Day.”

  She looked over and smiled, toasting Oscar who was probably charming her from across the room. “That means you still owe me.”

  He wanted to sink his fingers in her hair and— “Huh?” He looked up at her face and she analyzed him just as much as he studied her.

  “You owe me. If Oscar bought my drink, than you still owe me for having the saddest Valentine’s Day story.”

  “Who said I had the saddest? You got stood up.”

  “You were dumped, and didn’t even know she could. Which means you were in a relationship for all of what? Two and a half seconds. That definitely wins.”

  “Shit. When you put it like that…” He swiped his hand through his spiky hair. “Well if your drink isn’t going to cover it, what do you like and I’ll see if I have anything to…offer you.”

  She took a sip of her drink through her straw, then grabbed the stem on her cherry sitting on top of the top of her exposed ice cubes. She bit into the fruit, sucking it off the stem into her mouth.

  He watched her mouth move, but when she finished he wanted more. He lifted the cherry from his glass, sucked the soft drink off of it, but left it intact, holding it out to her as if it were bait.

  She licked her top lip and leaned forward. When she could almost reach it he withdrew. She smiled and pressed farther. He moved it again, until it was definitely out of her reach. The point of no return had arrived. She’d either sit back and they could go back to idle chit chat or she could get on her knees and come to him.

  The wait seemed like it took hours, then as if in slow motion she slid from her chair, and for the first time he saw her black mini skirt and black thigh high boots as she knelt on the floor moving closer to him.

  “Would you like my cherry, Anna?”

  She laughed, sliding her palms along his thighs. She made a bite for it, but he pulled it out of the way just in time for her teeth to snap together. “I’m surprised you have any cherries left, Duke. You don’t seem the prudish type.”

  “I still have a few left for the right friend with benefits.” He offered the cherry again, finally letting her take it.

  She bit into the fruit and a drop of sugary juice gathered on her bottom lip, then trickled down her chin.

  Before she could lick it off, he did the honors, swooping in, licking the line of red sweetness from her creamy skin. The moan that slipped free was all the answer he needed.

  “Care to take this a bit more private, Anna?”

  The sweetest two words came from her mouth, giving him the best Valentine’s Day present he could remember.

  “Yes Sir.”

  He stood, pulling her to her feet. He grasped her hand and took her to his private playroom. He wanted to paint her body in dark red.

  Hopefully she’d be up for supplyi
ng the paint.

  Chapter Two

  Duke shut the door to his private room and inquired, “What were you hoping for tonight? You and Mr. Metrosexual hadn’t settled on anything yet. What were you going to ask for?”

  Anna stood close to the door, resembling a cross between a scared rabbit and a happy girl. He liked the face of both.

  “I’m not really sure. I had hoped he’d have some ideas and something would hit me just right—no pun intended.”

  Duke chuckled, definitely liking her attitude. “Ever done needles before?”

  Her head snapped around so fast the room probably spun. She stared at him hard. He tucked his thumbs in the belt loops of his jeans, legs apart, ink showing on his exposed forearms. He knew what he looked like, and knew he looked good.

  She must have liked what she saw since she moved closer, but she crossed her arms over her chest, keeping him at a distance. “My blood tests are current. No STDs or blood-borne diseases, but no, I’ve never played with needles.”

  He waited a few seconds. “Interested in popping that cherry?”

  Her eyebrows sunk low in the middle and he appreciated how she actually thought about it. Some girls were just as she described them earlier, very eager and ready to please, but they weren’t real good at negotiating.

  It’s what he normally went for, but tonight, her subtle defiance notched up his desire to dominate her.

  “Maybe. How many are we talking about? A handful or a boxful?”

  He shrugged, “Don’t know. I won’t be putting in any kind of elaborate Fibonacci pattern across your stomach if that’s what you’re asking. But for exactly how many, who knows. You may love it and want fifty of them and you may hate it and safe word after the first one. It can be fucking hot if you’re up to give it a go.”

  “Where would you want to stick them?”

  “What’s off limits?” One question normally answered a lot.

  “Not my face, my palms, nor the bottoms of my feet.” She didn’t hesitate which totally sexed him up. “My nipples and pussy are off limits, too. At least for now.”

  She blushed the prettiest shade of pink and he couldn’t stay off of her for a second longer.

  He grabbed her upper arms, yanking her forward. She eeked when she stumbled, but caught herself against his stomach, which he liked a whole lot.

  He buried a hand in her hair, tugging her head back to stare into her amber colored eyes. “What else is on your hard no list? Kissing?” He lifted her to her tip toes by her hair and she moaned, her eyelids fluttering. He barely touched his lips to hers, and she sucked in a breath.

  “Not a hard limit. Oral penetration is not only allowed, it’s encouraged.”

  “Mmmm…” was all he managed before he devoured her mouth. He licked past her lips, slipping inside to taste the cherry flavor still sweet on her tongue. He groaned low in his gut when her nails dug into his flesh again.

  “Unngghhh,” came from her when he tightened the grip he had on her hair.

  He tilted her head and fucked his tongue into her mouth, as if it were his dick. She whimpered when he pulled away. “Patience. So eager to rush to the finish line.”

  “Yes,” she answered with a smile.

  “Sex?”

  She looked at him, her eyes flaring with desire as she moved her palms up to rub across his nipples. “Maybe.”

  “I can work with that.” Without hesitation he grabbed her hand and walked across the empty middle of his play space. A hard point dangled from the ceiling and sometime soon he’d want to tie her, suspend her, but tonight he wanted to make her bleed.

  A large bed sat along the left wall with canopy rails without material. But he kept going until they stood beside a large empty rectangular table. The table sat perpendicular to his open closet door. “Normally, I’d chain you to the floor but since its Valentine’s Day, and I want you to choke on my cock, we’re going to go with alternative number two.”

  He left her by the table to grab a light-colored tarp from the closet to spread over the table.

  “Umm…maybe we should negotiate a bit more.”

  “Why would we need to go and do something like that?” He flashed his most innocent smile and she grinned.

  “That isn’t even a tiny bit believable.”

  “Sure it is.” He spread the plastic out on the table, and put another one on the floor. “Safeword, you have a preference?”

  “Standard red is fine.”

  “Works for me, but I’ll try to go easy on you. Maybe. While I finish grabbing what I need, get naked. I want you up on the table, head on this end.” He patted the end he wanted her on and headed toward the closet to grab gloves, a towel and several boxes of various-sized needles.

  “Why aren’t you going to do it?” The cavernous room almost swallowed her tiny voice.

  When he glanced over his shoulder at her, her posture had changed and she seemed shy and unsure. He wanted to beat the dipshit who dumped her. He went to her, twisting her around. She grunted as he shoved her torso flat onto the table, trapping her wrists behind her back. He flipped up her skirt, grinding his cock against her delectable ass. “All I can picture is this, right here, and the tiny little scrap of nothing pair of panties you have on is like a red flag in front of a bull. If I have to touch you to get your clothes off, I’m going to cuff your elbows behind your back, shove a gag in your mouth and fuck you so hard you’ll wear my bruises for days.”

  He grabbed her hair and she moaned when he yanked her up.

  “Understand?” he questioned right next to her ear, swiping her lobe with his tongue. He blew cool air across it until she trembled.

  “Yes Sir.”

  “Good girl.” He let her go, whacking her hard on the ass once just because he wanted to see his mark on her. He wasn’t even in the least bit interested in any type of committed relationship, but a night of blood, sweat and tears he could totally get on board with. As long as the first and last came from her.

  Once his handprint appeared he walked away toward the closet again. “You have two minutes to be on the table naked, or I’ll know you’re not into this as much as I want you to be. We can call it a night before either of us gets invested in it.”

  The rustle of clothing coming off tugged the corners of his lips up. He checked the first aid kit and made sure it had everything he needed. He set his cell phone with it in case of emergencies, and ditched his black t-shirt, killing two birds with one scatter gun. Primal wasn’t something he normal identified with, but the urge to lick and bite the pretty girl climbing on the table nearly overwhelmed him. He flexed his muscles until it hurt, trying to bleed some of his tension off before he went back to her.

  He grabbed a bottle of water off of a shelf, a few boxes of needles in various sizes, a sharps container, and a wine glass along with one special sterilized pack in case she was as interested as he suspected she might be. He also snagged a pair of black gloves and a couple condoms before heading back out to her.

  His jaw almost hit the floor with the perfect combination of innocent submission laid out before him. He ground his teeth together to keep from drooling.

  She stretched out on the table, gloriously bare. Her hands covered her breasts and the leg closest to him was bent at an angle, highlighting her small waist and long legs. As he moved closer goose bumps dotted her flesh. Her eyes were shut tight and she was a vision of the same shy beauty and innocent grace she’d exuded out in the bar area.

  She reminded him of a virgin sacrifice, and he couldn’t have been happier to pop her cherry in as many ways as she would allow.

  He set the supplies on the table at her feet then turned the heat up in the room. The move was partially for her and partially for him. A cold bottom wouldn’t enjoy everything going on because they were solely focused on shivering. But more importantly, a cold bottom didn’t bleed.

  She moaned and arched a bit off the plastic-covered surface, signaling the warm air had reached her.

  “
You’re welcome,” he quipped as he stepped beside her waist.

  “That’s awesome,” she moaned and squirmed a bit against the hard surface.

  He watched her for a few seconds, lost in the way she moved. “I want to cut you.”

  Her movements slowed and her eyelids blinked several times until she finally stared at him. “But…”

  Her knowing there was a but coming couldn’t have been sexier. “But…I don’t want to have to be gentle with you afterward. If I cut you, I’d have to go easy on you. I’d rather fuck the shit out of you instead.”

  A sweet curve of her lips brightened her entire face as she slowly smiled in understanding. “Then let’s get started shall we?” She scooted her foot along the plastic, trying to lay it flat.

  He stayed her progress and bent her knee again to keep her leg at a steeper angle. “I like it up. The blood will drip nicer along your leg this way. Plus, you’re fucking hot.”

  She watched him, focused on his face.

  He didn’t miss an opportunity to touch and explore her body. He ran his palm along her sternum, stopping on her stomach, feeling it quiver beneath his touch. He lifted her hands away from her breasts, placing them above her head on the table.

  “Lace your fingers together and don’t move them unless I give you permission.”

  She clasped her hands tightly together, sucking in a sharp breath as he covered her tits with his palms.

  They plumped as he squeezed them, and he teased her hard nipples until her whimpers and moans filled the space all around them. He had every intention of going easy before he really started to play, but she was even more responsive than he’d hoped for.

  His cock jumped as her hips rolled against the table. Seeing her bleed would make for one of the best February 14ths in the history of…ever.

  “I want you to trust me for the next few minutes, Anna. Let all of your worries and fears go.” He moved toward her legs, rubbing along her skin as if to rid her of negative something. He didn’t really believe in all the holistic mumbo jumbo, but with her it seemed right. “I’m gonna start easy and work my way up. If you like it, then…well we’ll see what happens.”