Cuffed & Claimed

by Lori King

  “That’s a cool collection of black and white photographs of Seattle in your hallway,” Sean said as he returned. The sound of his footsteps echoed on the dark, polished floorboards, only turning silent when he reached the white and brown patterned rug in front of the sofa. He sat beside her, not too close, but enough that her normally large two-seater felt more like economy size.

  “Thanks. They were taken by some of my students when I helped on the school newspaper.” Mercy reached for the plate of cannoli and offered them to Sean, along with a napkin. “One of them went on to study journalism at NYU.”

  The bottle of wine was almost gone as they discussed everything about Macarthur High, from Mrs. Randall’s penchant for rearranging the toilet tissue rolls in the bathrooms to the way Destiny would come on to any male teacher. Mercy had never laughed as hard as when he described two of his players, Jake and Leroy, trying to outdo each other with yoga poses only to look more like they were playing a crazy version of Twister.

  “How long have you lived here?” Sean reached for his second cannoli.

  “Nearly twelve months. I love this place. The neighbors are great.” Like Randy and Paula next door. Their little kiddo, Juliet, had just turned five and regularly came over to make cookies with Mercy. “And I’ve started redecorating. The living room and bedroom are done. The rest will happen in time.” She sipped her wine. “What about you? Do you rent?”

  He nodded. “Yeah, an apartment in Capital Hill. Sharing it with a friend. Typical guy pad. Big TV and sofa. No knick-knacks.” He bit into the pastry with a crunch.

  “But you have plates and cutlery, right?” Mercy teased and grabbed another of the crispy, ricotta-and-sugar-filled pastries, and took a bite. The rich ambrosia of flavors filled her mouth.

  “Sure, but don’t count on matching settings.” Sean gave a wry smile, but something in his voice, an underlying coldness, hinted at more.

  Mercy studied him as she took another bite.

  He caught her look and sighed. “I was in a relationship. It ended. Badly. I came home from work one day and found my girlfriend in bed with my best friend.” At Mercy’s gasp, he nodded. “She cleaned out the apartment and eventually hooked up with my buddy, too, but not before I broke the bastard’s jaw and went and got drunk.”

  “Jesus,” Mercy breathed out.

  “It was a year ago. That’s history. But I warn you, if you come over for dinner, we don’t have cloth napkins.” Sean looked down at the large square of brown linen resting on his knee. “But we do have paper towels.” He winked as he popped the last bite of his cannoli into his mouth.

  Mercy chuckled, pleased he’d shared his history but also that he could see the humor in his situation.

  “Since we’re airing relationship disasters, I broke up with a bully. Two months ago.”

  “A man threatened you?” Sean’s voice was steel-hard as his expression lost all trace of humor. His big body tensed, as if ready to attack against an unseen enemy.

  Oh, my. She’d awakened the beast.

  “Not physically,” she rushed to explain. “He was an emotional manipulator, putting me down so he could overlook his own shortcomings.” Snide jabs about her job became the norm. ‘If you were in a management positon like me, we could both afford that Vegas trip.’ If only she had known the full story. Management position, my ass. He was head team leader of six operators at a call center. He lived above his means by maxing out his credit cards. “The truth just took a little while to sink in.” Four months of dating proved long enough. “Thankfully I woke up in time.” A surprise visit from a debt collector at his condo soon saw the truth come out, and she took a walk.

  The stern set of Sean’s jaw relaxed as his gaze turned from piercing to watchful. “That must have been hard on you.” He lifted a hand and captured her chin, his grip reassuringly firm. “Any guy that needs to belittle a woman to feel better is no man at all.” The tip of his thumb brushed the bottom of her lip.

  A thrill of awareness—of his touch, the closeness of their bodies—raced through her. She couldn’t tear her gaze away from his. “That’s what I say.”

  He released her chin to flick back a wave of hair behind her ear. “Honey, you’re a temptation, you know that?”

  She gave a tiny strangled laugh. Considering he’d filled her nightly fantasies for the last week, she appreciated the irony. “Just to say, your image can keep a girl awake at night.”

  He lifted one brow as his lips twitched.

  Oh, God, did she really say that? Blame it on the wine.

  “Is that so?” He wrapped his hand around the back of her neck with that same wonderfully firm grip he’d used on her chin. She offered no resistance as he leaned closer, his chest brushing against her breasts. Raising her hands, she gripped his shoulders, feeling the hard muscles underneath his shirt. So, so strong.

  A protector. A warrior.

  “Gonna kiss you, Mercy.”

  “I’d like that,” she got out a second before his mouth landed on hers.

  Sean didn’t just kiss her. He teased at first, letting her feel the pressure of his mouth, then backing off to light nips on her lower lip, coaxing her to open up for him. Then his tongue pressed inside, tasting her, before he meshed his lips to hers, demanding more.

  She surrendered under his confident onslaught, her craving for his touch rising every second.

  His free hand moved under her sweater and up to cup her breast. His thumb brushed over her nipple, firing a jolt of pleasure straight to her core. She felt the tender bud pebble. Each caress of his thumb sent a delicious lick of need deep between her legs.

  “Feel that?” Sean traced the edge of his fingernail over her rock-hard nipple through the satin of her bra. She moaned, the sensation just enough pressure through her bra to tease. But the dark promise of how his nail would feel over her flesh without the satin in place was wickedly unfair. And didn’t that make the act even more sexy?

  Sean let go of her neck and, with both hands, reached behind her back and undid her bra. “You like having your nipples pinched, Mercy?” He didn’t give her time to think, squeezing and rolling the bud between his thumb and forefinger.

  Oh. Oh. Pain and…she gasped...pleasure flowed out from her nipple. She dug her fingers into his shoulders, ever harder and deeper as he increased the pressure of his touch.

  “I’ll take that as a yes.” Sean tugged on her hair, forcing her head back. “I like feeling your nails biting into my skin. Scratch me all you want.” His mouth slammed down on hers.

  Mercy closed her eyes and opened herself to Sean’s kiss. The competing sensations of him pinching her nipple, his grip on her hair and the devastating skill of his kiss threatened to overwhelm her.

  Mercy was done being cautious. She liked Sean. A lot. Wanted him just as much.

  Breaking off from their kiss, she leaned back, giving herself enough room to see his face. “I want you to stay.”

  He studied her, his gaze taking in her face, the rise and fall of her chest. “You sure?” He released her nipple and loosened his grip on her hair. “I’m a grown-up, Mercy. You can say no, and I’ll respect your decision.”

  “You’re right. I can say no.” She had never had a problem saying so before. “But I don’t want you to leave.”

  His hand twisted in her hair. “I like to be in charge in the bedroom. Can you handle that?”

  “In charge? Like telling me what to do?” The idea didn’t surprise her. Sean was an alpha.

  “That’s right.” His steady gaze underlined the importance of his words. “Nothing hard-core. I’d never force you to do anything you didn’t want. And no bondage—this first time.”

  Bondage? Her clit pulsed at this sudden declaration. She’d never tried anything like that before, but with Sean, the idea wasn’t scary. In fact, she kind of wanted him to push her.

  “I’m, ah, okay with trying, uh, new stuff.”

  God, that came out so tortured, but this was new to her.

&n
bsp; Sean released his grip on her hair. “Don’t move.” He picked up the plate of cannoli and walked to the kitchen.

  Mercy heard the fridge door open and close before he returned. In one smooth motion, he picked her up in his arms and headed toward the hallway. “Which door?”

  Mercy wound her arms around his neck. “First on the left.”

  Sean entered her bedroom and gently stood her on her feet. She had her sweater over her head and slid the loose straps of her bra down her arms by the time he had removed his shirt.

  She stopped and stared. The wide expanse of his chest looked darker in the soft light from her bedside lamp. But she’d have to be blind not to see the ridges of his abs and the faint dusting of hair over his chest. Before, she’d felt his hard chest, seeing it now…her fingers itched to explore more.

  Her gaze dropped lower and spied the hardness visible under his jeans.

  “You have beautiful breasts, Mercy.” Sean’s deep, rumbly voice sounded even lower, more masculine, in the soft gray and brown undertones of her bedroom. He advanced, each step sending her retreating until the back of her legs brushed the bed. Reaching out, he cupped her breasts, gently squeezing the flesh. “Nice and heavy in my hands.” He stepped closer and framed her face with both hands, and with a tenderness that stole her breath, he kissed her.

  She leaned in, her hands on his chest, and gave herself over to his skillful dominance.

  Ending their kiss, Sean undid her jeans. “Slide them off and let me see you.” He pulled back the top blanket and sheet on her bed.

  In truth, she would often shy away from total nakedness the first time in front of a guy, but with Sean, she didn’t feel that shyness. Stepping out of her jeans and panties, she dumped her clothes on the powder blue velvet chair in front of her wardrobe before lying on her bed.

  Sean pulled down his jeans and boxers, revealing the hard length of his cock. He stood there, letting her look her fill. Not in a boastful way, more a declaration of this is who he was.

  A man.

  He grabbed his wallet from his back jeans pocket and pulled out a condom. Dropping the wallet on the nightstand, he moved to sheathe himself.

  Mercy sat up on her knees. “Let me.” She wanted to do this for him, this act of intimacy.

  He moved up against the bed and handed her the foil packet.

  She removed the condom and gently guided it over his cock, reveling the way it bobbed at her first touch.

  Wrapping her hand around the base of his hardness, she lifted his balls in her other hand and gently squeezed the sack.

  His low, fierce groan seemed so loud in her bedroom. He grabbed her hands, forcing her to let go. “I won’t last if you keep that up, babe.” Cupping his hands under her arms, he pulled her farther up the bed. “Lie down and spread your legs. I want to see you.”

  His commanding tone sent a shiver over her skin. She complied, not questioning her need to follow his orders.

  Cool air flowed over the wetness between her legs. Sean pressed a knee into the bed, grabbed hold of her legs in each hand, and spread her further.

  Her eyes widened. She was so…exposed. Attempting to close her legs, Sean held her in place. “Stay still.” He climbed on the bed, his huge body framed between her thighs. “I want a taste.”

  Her clit throbbed at the very idea. She bit her lip and dug her fingers into the bottom sheet.

  Sean slid down the bed until his head and shoulders were between her legs. “Lock your hands together above your head, Mercy,” he ordered. His hands spread her pussy wide.

  “Okay.” She obeyed his order. But what would happen if she moved her arms?

  “Keep those hands together.” His warm breath fanned over her pussy.

  God, he must be so close. She clenched her butt cheeks, waiting for that moment when he touched her, tasted her.

  “I’ll try,” she whispered, pressing her head deeper into her pillow.

  “If not, I’ll have to punish you.”

  “What?” she cried a second before the tip of his tongue flicked over her clit. She jolted, but Sean’s forearms held her in place.

  “Punishment, Mercy. A spanking. Maybe on your ass.” He traced the outer folds of her pussy with his tongue. With each swirl, he drew ever closer to her clit, circling the tingling bundle of nerves. The warm need deep in her core grew hot, urgent. She gripped her hands tightly together and gritted her teeth against a plea for him to touch her clit. “Maybe on your pussy.” More licks—above the hood, on both sides, anywhere but right on the very place she craved his touch. Her whimpers went ignored until the merest brush of his tongue, so soft it was a cruel tease more than a caress, right there nearly sent her over. “Maybe on your clit.” He sucked the swollen bud between his lips.

  She cried out as a thunderclap of pleasure shot from her clit to her core in an unending wave. Her head thrashed from side to side as Sean suckled and licked until her limbs shook from the exquisite torment.

  Gulping in huge breaths of air, she sank into the bed and opened her eyes.

  When had she closed them? Lord only knew.

  Gently, so very gently, Sean kissed her still pulsing clit. Her soft answering cry was met with a deep chuckle. He moved over her and leaned down, pressing his lips to hers.

  She tasted herself on him—a saltiness that, strangely, didn’t seem weird, just…different.

  “Such a good girl.” Sean reached above her and pried her hands apart before easing her arms down in front of her. Looking at the indentations where her knuckles had pushed against the sides of her fingers, only then did she realize just how tight she’d gripped them together.

  “Got your breath back?” Sean moved over her, leaned on an elbow and placed a hand under one of her knees.

  She should have paid attention to the hungry, determined gleam in his eyes.

  “I, well,” she began, before he lifted her leg high and in one smooth motion, buried himself deep inside her. “Ahhhh.” Despite the slickness of her recent orgasm, the walls of her vagina burned as they stretched to accommodate his girth.

  “Damn, you’re a tight fit.” Sean clenched his jaw. He waited a few moments, letting her get her breath before he eased into a slow rhythm of strokes. “Wrap your legs around me.” She complied. “That’s it. Now hang on.”

  She slid her arms around him as he took all his weight on his elbows and quickened his pace. Harder. Faster. Deeper. Each driving thrust was an implacable show of his dominance.

  And her skin hummed with the need to accept more.

  Arousal heated her blood. She clenched herself around his hardness, wanting him to feel her like she did him.

  His hard curse filled the air. Yes. Perfect. She smiled, only realizing her mistake when he froze above her.

  “Oh, no. Mercy.” His voice, growly-rough with desire, sent a shiver down her spine. “That’s gonna cost you.” He adjusted his hips and began a series of shallow thrusts. The head of his cock bumped right near her g-spot. Hard enough to bring her to the threshold of a climax, but not pushing her over.

  No. No. No. “I’m sorry.” She tightened her legs around him, but he lifted himself higher on his elbows, making her lose her advantage. Oh, God, he wouldn’t do this, would he?

  He held still as the head of his cock nudged the tender area on the roof of her vagina.

  “Is that right?” Sean rested all his weight on one forearm and forced his hand between their bodies. “Not sure I believe you.” His finger grazed over her clit. The flurry of ripples whipped over the walls of her core, but only enough to drive her desperation higher.

  “I meant it. Honestly. I won’t try that again.” Tonight. That was a promise she could keep.

  His gaze narrowed, and she gulped. Seriously, could he read her mind? Maybe he was just a suspicious guy by nature?

  “I promise, Sean.” She lifted her chin and strained to kiss his mouth as he held himself away, only managing the briefest of contact.

  “You wanted all of me. That�
��s what you’ll get.” He plunged deep inside her, pushing her back into the mattress.

  Her mouth opened as the head of his cock dragged over her g-spot. Once, twice, too many times to count. Her head fell back into the pillow as a frantic hunger whipped through her body. She dug her nails into Sean’s back, dragging them down as she clawed at the last shreds of self-control she possessed.

  Sweat soaked Sean’s skin and hers. Her grip slipped on his body. She held on for dear life. If she fell now…

  “Look at me.”

  She blinked through the sweat stinging her eyes and gazed at Sean.

  He stilled for a moment. She opened her mouth a second before he lifted his hips and ground his cock against her g-spot.

  Her world erupted in a dizzying explosion of feeling. Her core convulsed in a chain of spasms, sending brilliant colors of ecstasy through every fiber of her body. Clinging to Sean, she hugged him tighter as his body stiffened before his bone-deep cry of satisfaction filled the air. Deep inside her, his cock shuddered with his release. She kissed his shoulder, his arm, wanting to share this moment with him.

  At last, he collapsed on top of her before rolling to his side, still joined with her.

  He reached out and smoothed her hair off her sweat-dampened forehead. “You’re beautiful, Mercy.” She watched his eyes move as he swept his gaze over her. “Flushed. Sweaty.” His voice deepened. “Taken.”

  Taken. And with his cock still inside her. There was something almost primal about his declaration that was like a big, protective hug for her soul and felt so, so wonderful.

  “You’re going to stay the night, right?” She bit her lip at the small note of uncertainty in her voice.

  “Absolutely.” Sean leaned in and kissed her gently. “But we need to go clean up. You take your master bath. I’ll use the main bathroom.”

  She sucked in a breath as he eased from her, enjoying the ripple of sensation of his cock against sensitive nerve endings. “Okay.” The bonus of staying under the sheets as he rose was catching sight of his naked ass as he walked out the door. The ancient Greeks couldn’t have sculptured a finer specimen of man.