by Chloe Lang
“Is everyone in this town trying to set up my mother?” she asked with a laugh. If her mother did start seeing the elder Dr. Champion, wouldn’t that be a good thing? Of course it would.
“Wilde does have more than its share of matchmakers, honey.” With his own cup of java in one hand and a satchel in the other, Seth sat down next to her. She felt the familiar shiver that rolled through her whenever he was so close. He sat the satchel to the side and took a drink from his cup. She wondered what might be in the satchel but, when he grabbed her hand, quickly forgot about it. A spark shot up her arm from where he held her fingers in his.
What were they talking about? How could one touch make her forget everything? Matchmakers and her mother. That’s right. “I can see that. Everyone seems to be in on the plan with my mother and Dr. Champion.”
He removed his hand, and she instantly missed his touch. “Michael told me privately that he and Jessie planned on getting her to stay at the Wilde Mansion tonight. Said she needed to hang with her own generation for a night or two. Good idea, don’t you think?” He gazed at her with his mesmerizing eyes.
She shrugged. “Maybe I should head over there, too.”
“Not a chance, Charly.” Seth’s tone didn’t leave room for her to argue. “The killer is still out there. You are here until he’s found.”
“Haven’t you ever heard of unsolved murders? This might never be resolved, Seth. Do you expect me to be your prisoner from now on?” She’d been staying at his house for five days. He’d been so good to her, making sure she was comfortable, recovering, and safe. She felt like her old self because of him.
“If that’s what it takes, then yes.”
She sighed, imagining what it would be like to stay with him here into her old age. Not her dream future, that was for certain. Seth hadn’t made a single move to even kiss her. It was driving her crazy. Sure, her mother had been with her at his house but, as promised, had given her and Seth plenty of time alone. She’d gone to bed early every night. But nothing more than him checking her vitals came. No kiss. No embrace. Nothing.
“I’m well, Seth.” Time to cut her loses, though her heart was protesting in her chest. She didn’t need to be able to read minds to know he wasn’t into her. If he had been, he would’ve kissed her again. She’d been foolish to think his kiss in the hospital was anything more than an expression of sympathy. He might actually care for her, but only as a friend, nothing more. “I can go somewhere else. You don’t have to house me any longer. I can go to one of your brothers’ places. They can take over the duties as my bodyguard.”
He frowned and cupped her chin. Her shiver ramped up into a bundle of trembles. She waited for him to say something, but he didn’t.
She was about to pull away when he leaned in and planted a full-on, possessive kiss on her lips. Oh my God! This is no sympathy kiss.
As his tongue slipped past her lips, Charly’s heart came alive in her chest, pounding hard and fast. Seth’s arm came around her back, and he pulled her so tight her breasts pressed against his chest. His manly power made her feel safe, tiny, and so very feminine. In the back of her mind a warning shot went off. Sure, she’d wanted to spend time with Seth to convince him to come around and let go of old hurts, but this? Was she willing to go through with this and risk everything?
Even though her toes curled from the sensations he was igniting inside her with only his kiss, she needed to hit the brakes. Her hands shot up between them, and she pushed against his frame.
He released her mouth and stared at her with a frown. “What’s wrong?”
“I can’t do this, Seth. I’m not a yo-yo.”
He grinned, which strangely made her weak in the knees. “What the hell does that mean?” he asked with a laugh.
“A week ago you didn’t give a damn about me. I get shot and now you want me. I don’t need your sympathy, cowboy. I’m a full-grown woman who can stand on her own two feet.” Though at present, she wasn’t sure about that given his kiss had turned her legs into overcooked spaghetti noodles.
“I see.” His tone told her he wasn’t buying it. “What’s your safe word, Charly?”
“What?” Her nerves went into overdrive. Surely he’s not wanting to—
“Your safe word. Now!”
“I–I don’t remember,” she confessed. Her head was spinning with a million thoughts, but what word she’d chosen with the other Strong brothers failed to come to the forefront of her consciousness.
“Choose one for us,” he commanded.
“Umm. Right now?” she asked, trying to stall.
“Yes, sub. Right now.”
Though she was trying to slow things down with Seth, he wasn’t having any of it. He’d taken the reins, and she couldn’t find it in her to take them back. She’d only been with him once, with Drake and Dax. Now, she had a chance to be with him alone. Every instinct inside her screamed for that to happen.
“I’m waiting, sub, and I don’t like to wait.” He tugged on her hair.
She scanned her brain for the word she’d chosen before. Then it came to her. “I’ve used the colors of a traffic light before.”
“That’ll work, sub. Describe your state now, using the colors.”
“Okay, Seth. I’m—”
He tugged harder on her hair, jerking her head back.
“What did I do wrong?” she asked, though her body was already warming up to his demands.
He smiled and cupped her chin. “You will address me as ‘Sir,’ sub.”
“Yes, Sir.”
“And your state is...?”
“Green, Sir.”
“Good. You will follow my every command during this training, understand?”
“Yes, Sir.” Everything inside her wanted to be with him, feel him, surrender to him. Turning back was no longer possible for her. In too deep and hoping her fantasy would become a reality, she lowered her eyes, hoping he would be pleased by her act of submission.
“You told me you felt like a yo-yo. Well, that’s exactly how you’ve treated me. You bat those gorgeous eyes at me, making my cock get rock hard. Then I kiss you and you try to push me away. I’m not good with receiving mixed messages, sub.”
She thought about telling him he might not be good at receiving them but he was certainly good at sending them. Better to bite my tongue off before I say that to this Dom.
“So, I must punish you for teasing me,” he stated flatly.
Trepidation inched through her, but past her anxiety was a deep-seated craving.
Seth continued, “What kind of punishment should I give you?”
He wasn’t asking her, and it was clear he already knew what kind of punishment he wanted to give her. Still, he was having fun drawing it out, making her wait and shiver.
His hand touched her shoulder and squeezed. “The first thing that I want to happen is for you to strip for me, sub. That’ll help me make up my mind. Do a good job and I might not make you suffer too much.”
“Yes, Sir,” Charly choked out. “I’ll do my best.”
He gently stroked her hair. “I know you will. Now, stand up and give me a show.”
She instantly obeyed, rising to her feet while he remained on the sofa.
Looking down at what she wore made her cringe. While she was in the hospital, her mom and Jessie had gone shopping to replace her wardrobe, which had burned in the fire. They’d bought her plenty of clothing, but only basic items. She was still in the flannel pajamas they’d selected. There wasn’t anything sexy about them. How in the world was she going to give her cowboy Dom a striptease in these?
“You’re making me wait again, sub.” His eyelids narrowed into a clear warning that he was losing patience. “Not good. Not good at all.”
I’ve got to work with what I have. Think sexy. Be sexy. Tingles danced over her skin as she lowered her flannel pants to her knees and then pulled them back up again. His eyes zeroed in between her thighs. She had slipped on some pale-pink panties and a bra after
her bath this morning. They had some sexiness to them, definitely more than her oversized pj’s. She thought about ripping the flannel off, but thought better of it. Think burlesque, Charly. Getting a man on the edge of his seat had more to do with the tease than anything else, she believed. With that in mind, she unbuttoned the top half of her pj’s as slowly as possible, which wasn’t hard since her hands were shaking.
She glanced at Seth. His fingers were curling and uncurling, from fist to open hand and back again. She was getting to him, which got to her. Her body was tingling and getting really warm.
She opened the flannel top to reveal her bra to his fixed stare, and then she closed it fast. His nostrils were flaring, and she could see the bulge in his jeans growing. Wiggling her hips slightly, she once again slipped down her PJ bottoms, but this time stepping out of them, leaving her lower half covered by only her panties.
Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw Seth lick his manly lips. Now, even her sex began to tingle. Again, she flashed him her bra, and again, she closed her top around her breasts.
“Nice tease, sub,” he growled. “Very nice indeed.”
His words went deep into her, igniting a ton of sensations. She felt dampness between her legs, which spurred her to take off the top and throw it into his lap. His smile was her reward.
Standing in front of him in only her bra and panties, with Seth fully clothed in a T-shirt, jeans, and boots, put her at quite the disadvantage. She didn’t care. Being exposed and vulnerable with him only added to her desire.
His eyebrows shot up. “Are you done, sub? Am I going to have to rip off your underwear for you?”
Though the idea of him doing just that was quite exciting, she wanted to finish what she’d started. “No, Sir.”
She unfastened her bra and lowered it down her arms. When it fell to the ground, she covered her mounds with her hands. Then she looked up at him, seeing the impact her striptease was having on him. He had moved forward on the sofa and was literally sitting on the edge of his seat, which made her giggle.
“Something funny, sub?” he asked with a grin.
She shook her head and removed her hands from her breasts, allowing him full view of the upper half of her naked body.
“Very nice, pet. Those are the most gorgeous tits I’ve ever seen. And your nipples are like little berries. I can’t wait to suck on them. Now, what about those panties?”
“These, Sir?” Charly asked, trying to continue the illusion she had any skill at stripping.
He nodded, and then his demeanor changed from observer to director, and a sexy, dangerous one at that. “Take them off, now.”
She didn’t go slow, willing to obey his every word. Instead, she was out of the pale-pink fabric in a flash.
“Get on your tiptoes, sub.”
Again, she obeyed, but wasn’t sure why he’d asked her to do that.
He stood up and walked behind her. “Stay on your toes, pet.”
When she felt his hands cup her ass, a tremble rolled through her and her sex got even wetter. His control and force stoked a roaring fire inside her. From the moment she’d met him outside the chapel on the night of Jessie’s rehearsal, she sensed he could blow the doors off her most secret places. Can I close them once he’s done with me? She didn’t think so, but refusing him anything at this moment wasn’t even conceivable.
“Time for your punishment, sub.” He lifted her up in his arms, and she leaned into him.
She found it odd when he carried her to one of the breakfast table chairs. He pulled it out with his foot and sat down, keeping hold of her. Then he shifted her body across his lap facedown with her ass sticking up. In that position, she could feel his cock through his jeans. Instinctively, she ground her pussy into him.
His hand came down on her naked ass, delivering a delightful sting. “No you don’t, sub. I’m in charge here, not you. Understand?”
“Yes, Sir.”
“What state are you in?”
“Green, Sir.”
“Excellent. Now, for your punishment. You know you deserve this.”
She nodded, ready to feel him slap her bare bottom again. Her heartbeat raced in her chest.
Without warning, he slapped her ass again, this time with a little more bite. Slap. Slap. Slap. Her backside began to warm up, and she chewed on her lower lip, fighting back tears.
“What’s your state, baby?” Seth patted her ass gently with his open hand.
“G–Green, S–Sir.”
“I have more for you, pet. You think you can handle it?”
“Yes, Sir,” she answered, wanting to please him.
“That’s my baby,” he said with obvious pride, making her even wetter. Then he slapped her ass, delivering several sensational smacks that sent her into a trancelike state. His smacks landed on different spots on her bottom, warming all her flesh.
Tears rolled down her cheeks.
Seth pressed his lips to her ass. “Beautiful,” he whispered.
Even more than his slaps, his tender kiss on her ass caused her pussy to ache and her clit to throb. Every nerve ending in her body sparked like a bonfire. Her mind remained in that dizzy, warm space he’d created for her. Gone were all her worries. The only things left inside her were desire, want, passion.
Seth’s hand came between her legs and pressed on her puffy folds. It was explosive, calling forth something deep and hidden inside her. His thumb pressed gently on her clit, causing her to gasp.
“Come for me, baby,” he commanded, sending his fingers into her channel. “I can feel your emotion, your pleasure. Let yourself fall.”
With only his hands, he was able to push her over the edge and into ecstasy. Her womb convulsed, and she screamed, “Yes! God, yes!”
Seth pulled her body close and kissed her hair. “Close your eyes, sub.”
As the clock ticked away, her tremors slowly began to subside, but only a little.
“I’m going to apply some cream to your ass, but keep your eyes closed, understand?” Seth’s tone rumbled deep in his chest and filled her with awe.
“Yes, Sir.” She wondered if she had fallen victim to his sexy, commanding tone. Or did he have deeper feelings for her beyond his Dominant initial lust?
She felt his large hands cup her ass, making her shiver, and then the silky cream he rubbed on her stinging flesh, which cooled the burn nicely.
“What state are you in, pet?”
“Green, Sir.”
“Good.” He gently pulled her arms behind her. “Clasp your fingers together.”
She obeyed and felt something cold and metallic encircle her wrists. Handcuffs.
He lifted her off his lap and to her feet. “Open your eyes.”
She obeyed him and saw the satchel on the table with some of its contents spilling out. There was a tube of lubricant, some condoms, and a butt plug.
Oh God! Does he mean to use that on me, too?
Seth stood up and moved behind her. He reached around her and pinched her nipples, making them throb and her body burn. He went back to the table and reached under it. Then he pulled out what looked like a metal bar with leather loops on either end of it.
He knelt down in front of her. “Spread your legs, sub.”
As delicious surrender exploded inside her, she complied.
Seth attached the loops to each of her ankles, requiring her to spread her legs even wider, about a foot and a half apart. Her pussy got even wetter.
Seth stood, looking her up and down. His scan seemed to be a mix of investigation, admiration, and lust. As he circled Charly, his fingers grazed every inch of her body, and her trembles intensified.
“I want to put a butt plug in that perfect ass.”
He grabbed up the tube of lubricant and then moved behind her again. She heard him pop the lid open, followed by a squeezing sound. His fingers slicked up her ass’s entrance. She looked at the black plug he meant to put in her ass. It looked enormous, and her nerves went into overdrive.
> “What state?”
She confessed, “Yellow, Sir.”
“Honest. Very good, sub.” He removed his fingers. “Tell me why.”
“That toy looks too big for my bottom, Sir. I’m a little apprehensive.”
“A very normal response. Trust me, the plug will fit inside your ass. It will stretch you, pet, but the pain will soon become pleasure. And with your legs wide, you actually will have to clench down a bit to keep it in place, which I want you to do.” He gently rubbed her back, softening her worries. “I know what I’m doing. Surrender to me. You won’t regret it. Once the plug is firmly inside you, I am going to fuck that tight, gorgeous cunt. The sensations you will experience are going to overwhelm you completely.”
Charly’s nipples and clit throbbed. The combination of his words and his caresses made her hungry for the pleasure he promised.
“What state are you in?” he asked.
“Green, Sir. I’m green.” She could hear the desire and hunger in her own voice.
He nodded, apparently satisfied with her response. She remained quiet and calm on the outside, hoping to meet his expectations. Her insides were another story, booming with excitement and nervousness. She felt delectably antsy as he kissed the middle of her back.
She desired a certain forever, one with Seth and all his brothers, including Heath. Her detour through Wilde had changed her in so many ways. Actually, the Strongs had shown her so much. She needed all six of her cowboys.
“Where is your head, pet? You’re drifting.”
“Yes, Sir. I am,” she admitted.
“Stay with me, pet. Don’t worry.”
“Yes, Sir.”
“You can’t imagine how much you mean to me.” He cupped her ass.
She shivered from the words he spoke and the feel of his hands on her flesh. “Seth, I care for you, too.”
“I know what I’m doing. I will never harm you.” He probed her ass with his lubricated fingers. “This space we create together is not about anger or working out issues. This is about feeling, getting lost in pleasure. Understand?”
Her eyes filled with happy tears. “I think so, Sir.”
“Good.” He continued claiming her backside with his long, manly fingers. Her body and mind swirled as the intensity grew inside her.