by Mari Carr
Caitlyn was too independent, too strong-willed and opinionated to give total control of her life to a man. But her body, her sexual pleasure…that was something else.
The waiter asked if everything was to their liking and then he left them alone again.
Caitlyn picked up her fork and took a bite of the chorizo.
“The waiter is no longer here, Cait.”
She blinked a couple of times and then, slowly, she tugged the napkin off her lap, drew her dress back up and parted her legs.
Unable to resist, he reached down, running a single finger along her slit.
She gasped as he confirmed she was wet.
He flicked her clit, just once, enjoying the way her cheeks flushed even deeper.
“Pain or submission?”
She didn’t blink at the question. “Both.”
“Which is stronger?”
This time she did hesitate. “I…”
God. He saw her struggle to decide. She was beautiful. Perfect.
“It doesn’t matter,” he said, letting her off the hook. She’d told him exactly what he needed to know. She would submit to him, accept his commands. Just as she would respond to the pain. She’d never had a man take complete control of her, push her limits, force her out of her comfort zone.
Lucas intended to do all three. There was nothing sexier than a strong, intelligent woman’s submission.
She’d told him he could only have one night. He fully intended to claim much more than that. He was no stranger to people telling him no. Just as he knew exactly how to change their minds.
The bottom line.
“Eat your chorizo, Cait.”
She picked up her fork, stabbing a piece of the sausage and putting it into her mouth. He followed suit. The tension at the table was palpable. Thick.
Neither of them bothered to converse. Instead, he watched her as she waited for him to do something, wary as a young deer stalked by a mountain lion. She didn’t know when he was going to pounce. Only that he was.
Once they finished their chorizo, he took another sip of wine. Caitlyn reached for her glass as well, but he grasped her wrist, stopping her. “You’ve had enough for tonight.”
The corners of her lips tipped up in the perfect combination of grin and grimace. “I think more wine would make tonight a lot easier.”
He returned her smile, though he suspected she viewed it as threat more than comfort. “I don’t want tonight to be easy for you. You need to be challenged.”
His words must have tweaked the part of her that still resisted this part of her genetic makeup. “And you think you’re up to that task?”
Lucas reached out and took her nipple between his finger and thumb. He pinched it roughly. “Don’t taunt me or play the brat, Cait. I’m not like the other fools you’ve taken to your bed. You won’t goad me into doing your bidding.”
She groaned in response to his pinch and his strong words, her eyes closing as if the pain was her ultimate bliss. His cock thickened even more. He needed to take the edge off, find some semblance of relief or he was going to come in his pants like a fucking schoolboy.
“Get under the table,” he commanded.
Her eyes flew open, her gaze questioning.
“I want you on your knees. Between my thighs. You’re going to suck my cock until I come.”
Caitlyn threw a glance toward the door. She was worried about the waiter. Her hesitance had no place here. He would protect her, and it was time she learned that lesson.
“Do it now, Cait.”
She slipped from her chair with perfect grace. He parted his thighs, making room for her. For the briefest of moments, she didn’t move. He didn’t offer her any more instructions. Instead, he waited to see what she would do.
She started with his belt, unhooking it. Lucas took the buckle from her and slid the leather strap out completely as her hands rested on his thighs.
He couldn’t see her, as she’d lifted the tablecloth to his waist, so she could reach his belt. It was probably stupid to cut his vision off, as he relied on his eyes to gauge her emotions, her responses. However, despite her inexperience, Caitlyn’s confidence, her willingness to accept his commands, told him she was hungry for this.
She had her safe word, and he trusted she would use it if he pushed her too far, too fast.
He doubled the belt in half, lifted the tablecloth and laid it over his thigh. A symbol. A threat.
For a second, he considered lifting the tablecloth, wanting to see her reaction to the belt, but he realized vision wasn’t the only sense he could rely on.
Caitlyn released a quiet, “oh,” that solidified his belief that the woman kneeling between his legs was his sexual equal. The tone was pure arousal.
Which meant Caitlyn wasn’t the only novice in the room. He’d never found a sub who matched his own desires so perfectly.
She must have anticipated he had plans for the belt. He did. But that wasn’t going to happen here in the restaurant. That pleasure would have to wait until later.
“Cait.” He let his single word, the harsh tone as he spoke her name, remind her of her task.
She unbuttoned and unzipped his pants, her hand reaching in to tug out his cock. For the first time, Lucas was grateful for the tablecloth between them. There was no way he could school his emotions, hide how much this encounter was impacting him when she took his dick in her hand and stroked it slowly.
Lucas swallowed his groan when he felt her hot breath against the head, a split second before she took it into her mouth. His hands clenched into fists as he forced himself to keep them on the table. He’d intended this first encounter to be a slow exploration. A way to test her willingness to submit, to force her out of her comfort zone and to help him relieve a bit of pressure at the same time.
Now, however, it was taking every ounce of strength he had not to grip her hair in his hands, pulling her on his cock deeper, harder. He wanted to fuck her mouth, to claim her in no uncertain terms, to prove to her that one night would never be enough for them.
Caitlyn moved slowly—too fucking slowly—and Lucas closed his eyes, forced air into his lungs as he fought to center himself. To recover.
A reflection in the window caught his eye.
He’d been expecting this.
Lucas reached beneath the table as the waiter entered the room. He cupped her head in one hand, pushing his cock deeper into her mouth.
“My date is in the ladies’ room,” he said, letting Caitlyn know they were no longer alone. As he expected, she stiffened and stilled.
That wasn’t part of this plan. He closed his hand in her hair, using his firm hold on her long, soft tresses to guide her movements. He pulled her off his cock until only the head remained, then he pushed her back down on him.
She resisted his push and pull for one stroke. And then the beautiful, responsive woman submitted. Followed his lead, she gave him exactly what he’d silently demanded.
It was very likely the waiter knew exactly where his date was, but he kept his eyes on his task, clearing the plates and placing the next course in front of him with quick efficiency. Caitlyn sucked his cock in utter silence. An amazing feat considering the roaring white noise in his head that told him he wasn’t going to last much longer.
Lucas shook his head when the waiter asked if he wanted his wineglass topped up. Mercifully, the man finished his tasks and moved on.
Once he was out of the room, Lucas reached beneath the tablecloth, using both hands to ramp up the pace and the force as he took Caitlyn’s mouth.
She responded to the roughness, the utter claiming.
He was using her. He needed her. Had to fucking have her. On his terms.
“I’m going to come in your mouth,” he said harshly.
Lucas didn’t give her a chance to reply, though the way she moaned on his sensitive flesh told him she was ready.
He tightened his grip on her hair and pushed himself completely into her mouth. Caitlyn’s t
hroat opened as he slid straight to the back. It was exactly where he wanted to be. Come erupted as his balls constricted. He stiffened briefly, letting the sheer pleasure of this moment sweep through him.
Caitlyn didn’t seek to pull away, her lips still wrapped around his softening cock. Once he’d recovered, he gently released her hair.
“Come back to the table, Cait.”
As she slowly reemerged, Lucas tucked himself back into his pants, refastening them. He left the belt off for now.
He studied her flushed face, admiring the way she held his gaze. The way she looked at him with an almost confused expression.
God. She was on the verge of her own orgasm.
He pushed her skirt up and tugged her legs apart. “You want to come, Cait?”
She nodded, her hands reaching out for his arms. She gripped them tightly. “Please.”
Lucas was tempted to give in to her plea. There was nothing he wanted more than to see her come. But tonight was about pushing her limits, proving that he was capable of giving her more than she even knew she wanted.
Rather than drive his fingers into her hot, wet pussy, he dipped them into his water glass, pulling out a chunk of ice.
Caitlyn shook her head when his intentions became clear. “No, Lucas. Please. I need your fingers inside me. Fuck me with them. Hard.”
“Don’t tell me what to do, Cait.”
While she liked to pretend what she’d shared with Sammy was something like a D/s relationship, she was wrong.
“But—”
“Say one more word and this night ends here.” He prayed to God she didn’t push him on that threat.
Caitlyn opened her mouth, and then thankfully, she closed it again.
He rubbed the ice around her clit as she jerked, trying to move away from the extreme cold. “Hold still,” he commanded, and though he saw her struggle to obey, she stopped moving. A shudder racked her slim frame.
Lucas ran the ice along her slit, provoking another shiver. Then he pushed the ice cube inside her.
“Close your legs.”
She wanted to fight him. He could read the refusal on her lips. If she said no, Lucas wouldn’t hesitate to pull her over his lap and put his belt to good use. While his mind told him he needed to slow down, every other part of him demanded that he make his sub obey.
Mine.
The word kept sneaking into his subconscious.
Slowly, Caitlyn drew her legs together.
Lucas picked up his fork and gestured toward hers. “Eat your dinner.”
She broke off a bit of the jumbo crab cake with her fork, though it was obvious food was the last thing on her mind.
Just before she took the bite, he said, “Tell me when the ice has completely melted, so I can replace it.”
Caitlyn closed her eyes, and he wondered if she was praying. Then he wondered what she might pray for.
Patience? Strength? Lightning to strike him dead?
They ate in silence for a few minutes, but Lucas missed her voice. Missed talking to her. Typically, once his dates moved into the sexual phase, he didn’t bother with conversation, didn’t need or want it.
With Caitlyn, he wanted her submission, her body, and a peek inside her fascinating mind.
“How do you feel right now?”
“Horny.”
He laughed. Probably not the right response, given the way her eyes narrowed, but he didn’t care. Lucas spent too much of his time around humorless, serious people who wouldn’t get a joke if it bit them in the ass. People who looked at him with distrust or outright hate or even fear.
Caitlyn had a sarcastic wit that amused him more than he cared to admit.
“You think that’s funny?”
Lucas leaned closer, cupping the back of her neck in one hand. She responded to the strong grip, just as he’d anticipated. “I think you’re beautiful. Sexy. And yes. Funny.”
“Tonight would be a lot easier for me if you didn’t say nice things.”
“I already told you. I don’t want tonight to be easy for you.”
“Lucas.”
“Yes?”
“The ice has melted.”
He didn’t respond. Instead, he reached for another piece, pleased when she opened her legs without him prompting her to. This time, rather than simply slipping the ice in, he pushed two fingers with it. Her pussy clenched against them tightly.
It wouldn’t take him more than a dozen thrusts to bring her to orgasm. They both knew it.
Caitlyn opened her mouth, but he cut her off with his lips on hers.
Until that point, he’d resisted kissing her. It was a danger.
One that he stopped caring about the second her lips parted and her tongue touched his. Lucas curled his fingers inside her, pushing the ice around, running the cold cube along every surface.
Caitlyn gasped and tried to pull back, but he didn’t let her go. He kissed her harder, his tongue exploring her mouth the same way the ice traveled around her pussy.
She pushed at his shoulders, still intent on getting away. It was the first time she’d genuinely fought him. Her reaction to this kiss seemed to mirror his, but now that he’d taken a taste of her, he was throwing caution to the wind. He wanted more of her. All of her.
Lucas broke the connection of their lips briefly when she continued shoving him away. “Say your safe word or stop resisting.”
For a moment, he thought she was going to say her word. It left him unnerved. She’d dropped to her knees beneath the table and let him fuck her mouth without a single complaint. Now, he was merely kissing her, and she was close to freaking out, running away.
Lucas stilled, then placed one soft, quick kiss on her lips before moving away.
Caitlyn’s legs closed once more around the ice he’d left there. Lucas wiped his hand on his napkin and turned his attention back to his food, giving Caitlyn a chance to gather her wits.
“Explain,” he said after a few quiet minutes.
“I don’t think we should kiss anymore.” She hadn’t bothered to pick up her own fork. He’d spent a small fortune on tonight’s meal. Clearly the money had been wasted. Neither of them was enjoying the food, too intent on what came after.
And suddenly he understood; knew why she wanted to keep him from kissing her. She was wise to resist, yet Lucas didn’t like having limits set for him.
Caitlyn wanted to experience a night with a Dom, wanted to explore her submissiveness, yet she continued to try to call the shots.
And on top of that, she was still determined to keep him firmly in the villain category. She’d take what she wanted from him physically, trying to justify her actions as mere exploration. Emotionally, she would remain aloof, casting him in the role of bad guy. She wasn’t the first person to see him that way, but for some inexplicable reason, it bothered him that she did.
Lucas rose from the table, unwilling to put off the inevitable. He’d warned her before that he wouldn’t be controlled. She wouldn’t top him from the bottom. It was time to prove to her exactly what that meant.
She’d already put one condition on him, demanding they only take this one night. Now she was attempting to restrict his kisses. He put his belt back on, tucked his shirt in, moving slowly, methodically as he tried to calm down.
Caitlyn remained seated, watching him warily. She was smart enough to see she’d pushed the wrong button, wise enough to remain quiet as he struggled to control his emotions.
“Stand up, Cait. We’re leaving.”
She didn’t move. “You’re taking me home?”
He nodded. “Yes.”
She thought the date was over, thought she’d irritated him enough that he was calling the whole thing to a halt. He let her chew over that mistaken assumption for a couple minutes before reaching out to take her hand, drawing her up. He was relieved to see her disappointment.
“And when we get back to my home, you’re going to take off all your clothes and kneel in front of me.”
His words had the desired effect. Relief suffused her face at the knowledge the date wasn’t over. That look eased some of the lingering anger he felt. While she still wanted to resist this, she wanted it—wanted him—more.
Lucas paid their bill, assuring the waiter their early departure had nothing to do with the quality of the food. The ride back to his place was made in silence. He let it linger on purpose, letting the anticipation—maybe even Caitlyn’s trepidation and fear—grow.
The woman was too used to being in control. Of herself. Of her emotions. By taking kissing off the table, by putting the one-night time limit on this affair, she’d proven that she would submit to his demands only within the confines of her own desires.
He didn’t bend to anyone’s will. And he sure as shit didn’t intend to start tonight.
He saw Caitlyn’s anxiety increase when they pulled into the parking garage beneath his building. Lucas owned the large, luxury apartments on the waterfront and he’d claimed the penthouse for himself.
He turned off the car and got out, demanding she wait for him.
Crossing around the Jag, he opened the passenger door and took her hand, leading her to the elevator. He pushed in the code that would lead to his place, and again he let the silence remain.
“Lucas,” she started.
“Be quiet, Cait. I’ve told you what I want. If you’re unwilling to submit, then say the word and I’ll take you home.”
She bit her lower lip, but didn’t say anything more.
As the elevator doors slid open, they walked the short distance to his door. His was the only apartment on the floor. It provided him complete privacy, an oasis from the stress of his job, a retreat away from his parents, his colleagues, acquaintances and friends. This place was simply for him, and it was extremely rare for him to allow another to enter.
Once he opened the door, he stood aside as she walked inside. He watched Caitlyn’s eyes widen. He knew exactly how impressive his home was. He’d designed it that way. One whole wall of the living room was floor-to-ceiling glass, leaving an unhindered view of the city lights flickering on the water of the Inner Harbor. From up here, he could look down on the city and feel like he owned the world.