by Desiree Holt
She wriggled on his lap and he realized with heated satisfaction that she was actually rubbing herself on his cock.
Yes!
He wanted to shout the word. Tonight he would definitely make Grace Delaney his. What came next…well, he’d worry about that tomorrow.
Her ass was a nice, warm pink, the flesh quivering, and she was hotter and wetter than ever. The spanking had been an impulse and a chancy one at that. He hadn’t meant to push her this far tonight, but holy crap, once he got started he couldn’t stop. In all his years as a Dom, albeit a low-key one, no woman had ever shredded his self-discipline the way Grace Delaney did. He needed to remember that he was the one in control. He had a responsibility to her to help her enjoy this, not frighten her away.
Turning her, within seconds, he had her on the bed on her knees, facing away from him, little moans drifting from her throat. He yanked the pillows forward to prop beneath her and support her. Seeing her helpless like this, hands manacled behind her, legs spread wide, drove him wild.
He pressed one fingertip again the inviting ring of her anus, rubbing it in circles, gentling her. “I promise not to hurt you,” he said. “I know this is new for you and I want you to enjoy it.”
Next, came the gel. He squeezed it onto her opening then pressed one finger inside, a little at a time. Carefully he spread the lubricant into her tissues, sliding back out then in again in a slow motion. More gel. More stroking of his finger in the hot tunnel. With each stroke of his finger in her ass his cock became even harder and throbbed more heavily, if that was even possible. God, he hoped he could at least wait until he was inside her and not squirt all over her smooth ass cheeks like some teenager with no control.
But the feel of that hot, dark tunnel was driving him wild.
He applied more gel, and this time, added a second finger to the first, scissoring them to stretch and soften the virgin hole that beckoned to him. Soft moans rolled from Grace’s lips, but he could tell they were sounds of pleasure, not pain. The more he worked her rectum, the louder and sounds became, until finally he was sure she was ready for him, softened enough to take his cock.
His hands shook as he grabbed a condom from the nightstand and sheathed himself.
“Here we go, darlin’,” he told her. “Take a big, deep breath.”
When she did, he pressed against her anus and pushed, slowly and steadily, until he was fully seated inside her before exploding and embarrassing himself.
Oh, God!
He closed his eyes and gritted his teeth, holding on to his control by a very fragile thread.
He pumped into her, slowly at first then faster and faster. He dug his fingers into her hips, holding her in place as he plundered that clasping, dark tunnel, the heat scorching him. The sight of her propped up by the pillows, hands manacled behind her, drove him even higher. He kept his torso straight, using his hands on her hips as leverage. Stabilized by the pillows, her body soon thrust against his, her ass hitting his thighs, as her orgasm spiraled through her.
“Not yet,” he gasped. “Do not come yet.”
“Please,” she begged. “Oh, please.”
Ben closed his eyes, focusing only on the tight grip she had on his cock. When he felt the tingling in his back and the tightening of his balls, he thrust harder, faster.
There it was.
Yes!
“Now,” he shouted. “Come now.”
They fell over the edge of the cliff together, her body jerking back against him as his cock pulsed over and over again in her rectum. Skin slapped against skin and her mewling sounds mingled with his hoarse cries. Lights burst behind his eyes, electricity crackling around him. He wanted to stay in the hot grip of that dark tunnel forever, swallowed up by it, connected to her in the most intimate way.
He thought he owned her? God! The truth was, she owned him.He pulled her as tightly to him as he could, feeling her muscles contract and spasm, until the last bit of cum had pulsed into the latex reservoir.Then it was done.Finished.He fumbled for the release on the handcuffs, freeing her wrists, then collapsed forward on her, catching his weight on his forearms. His heart hammered so hard he thought it would break his ribs. The music drifting from the stereo was a counterpoint to gasping breath as they struggled to drag air into their lungs.
Ben had no idea how long they lay there, limp and spent. He managed to rouse long enough to dispose of the condom, but the effort a shower would require seemed beyond both of them. He dragged the covers over them, curled his body around hers, and in seconds, they were both asleep.
* * * *
Grace woke in the morning, pleasantly sore in places she hadn’t known had nerves, her body humming with satisfaction. A warm male body was curled around her, one muscular arm lying against her stomach, one hand cupping a breast. Something hard and thick prodded at her rear, which was unusually tender. Like instant replay, the night’s activities came back to her, forcing a blush that rose through her entire body.
“Mornin’, sugar.”
The deep voice resonated against the nape of her neck, follow by the tiny lick of a tongue and a gentle nip.
Grace tried to bury her face in the pillow, but Ben slid his hand up to cup her chin, refusing to allow her to hide from him.
“Grace?” He nipped at her ear. “Don’t turn away from me. Last night was fantastic. I want you to embrace it, not regret it.”
She didn’t know what to say. Regret was the last word she’d use to describe it but she didn’t want Ben to think she was—
“Stop,” he said. “I know what you’re thinking.” He tugged at her body until she faced him. “What we did was good, Gracie. Outstanding. I know everything was new and beyond your experience, but you gave me the gift of yourself. That’s not something I’d abuse. Ever. You were magnificent.”
“I’ve never…” She could hardly get the words out, something she seemed to be experiencing more than ever these days.
“Been fucked in the ass?” He smiled at her. “I know that. It’s why it’s such a gift.” He smacked her lightly on her buttocks. “Right now, though, we need a shower. Badly. Then food.”
“Oh, my God.” She tried to sit up. “What time is it? I have to get to the office.”
“Grace, Grace, Grace.” He tugged her more tightly to him, drifting his hand along the curve of her hip, the swell of her buttocks. “Don’t look at the clock. Not today. How about, just for one day, you play hooky? Tell everyone to bag it and have fun.”
She had never missed a day of work in her uptight life, except when she was sick. She felt the weight of responsibility dragging on her, the ever-present schedule, the demands of clients and of her staff. Her body tensed as it all ran through her mind.
“Shut off your brain, sugar,” Ben crooned. “Just for today, go with the flow. Come on, Grace. The rodeo’s only in town for another four days. Let’s make the most of it.”
Her stomach knotted. Four days. She’d almost forgotten. And, of course, that would be the end of this. He’d made that very clear from the beginning. Last night he’d claimed her in a very possessive manner, but she realized she was his only until the last horse trailer pulled out of San Antonio.
But hadn’t that been what she wanted, too? The thought of a long-term relationship with someone like Ben, someone so masculine and sexual and overpowering, scared the pants off her. But after all her years of rigid discipline, didn’t she deserve a little fun? Just for one moment out of time?
Letting out a slow breath, feeling as if she was facing a visit to the principal’s office, she nodded her head. “A-All right. I will.”
His grin was so wide it nearly split his face. “You’ll do it? Hot damn.” He smacked her rear end lightly again. “Let’s get to it, then.”
The shower might have taken less time if they hadn’t decided to bathe each other. That led to some erotic playtime and, by the time Ben had finished bringing her to orgasm twice with his fingers, Grace wasn’t sure she’d be able to set foot outs
ide the suite. She was glad he had ordered a big breakfast for them. She usually had little more than a toasted bagel and coffee, but today she needed calories to replenish her body.
Showered and dressed, she dug out her cell phone and nervously called her office.
“You aren’t coming in?” Joyce sounded as startled as if Grace had told her she was going to dance naked in the street. “B-But you always check everything out before the weekend, and today’s Friday. And you have two appointments this afternoon. What shall I do with them?”
Grace ignored the tiny knot of apprehension in her stomach. Ben was right. She had good people working for her and she needed to use them. “Give one to Rita and the other to Jim. They’re both very capable of handling them.”
There was a pause at the other end of the conversation. “Grace, are you all right?” Then Joyce squeaked with excitement. “Oh, wait. It’s the hunk, isn’t it? All right!” Grace imagined her secretary pumping her fist in the air. “You go, girl. I’ll handle things here.”
Grace disconnected the call, curving her lips in a tiny smile. “My secretary must think I’m a repressed virgin,” she told Ben. “She practically told me to let it all hang out. Or don’t they use that expression anymore?”
Ben laughed. “It doesn’t matter. It fits the situation.” He lifted the cell phone from her hand and put it on the table next to the couch. “This stays here today. No work. Only play.”
“But what if someone calls?” she protested.
“That’s what they have voicemail for, sugar.” He guided her out of the door. “Fun, Grace. Remember?”
A new concept, but suddenly she felt as if a weight had lifted from her shoulders. She was going to do something naughty, something forbidden. She was going to spend the day having fun.
From the hotel, they took the stairs down to the famed Riverwalk. The day was perfect, just warm enough with puffy clouds in a brilliant blue sky and the sun hanging suspended like a giant golden ball. The breeze was just enough to counteract the heat from the sun. If they’d ordered up a special day, it couldn’t have been any better.
They strolled lazily along the walkway that wound in front of an eclectic mix of shops and restaurants. They took their time, mingling with the tourists, the residents and the business crowd lunching in the open air or entertaining a client in an exceptional setting. When Ben slipped his hand into hers and laced their fingers together, it gave her a giddy feeling.
Why don’t I ever do this? Oh, well, because who would I do it with?
Like with everything else in her life, she’d established a narrow routine and never varied from it.
Ben insisted on taking her into a western-wear shop and buying her two outfits that she didn’t think she’d ever wear again once he’d left. But he was so quietly in control it didn’t even occur to her to object or protest. She felt as if she was in an alternate universe and the real Grace Delaney was actually plodding away in her office, putting tiny numbers into tiny squares.
She blushed when he returned from the lingerie section with little scraps of silk that would barely cover her pussy and her breasts.
“B-Ben,” she stuttered, “you can’t…I mean…”
He winked at her. “Gotta have new panties to go under the new clothes, right?”
She was still blushing when she finally put the outfit on. The jeans, tighter than anything in her closet, fit her like a second skin, outlining every crevice of her body. Sheer blouses covered low-cut tank tops that left little to the imagination. When she moved the little pin to the outfit she had on, she felt a warmth spread through her and she wondered for a moment if she was actually glowing.
Ben grinned at her as she stared at herself in the mirror.
“Maybe I made a mistake here. I’ll be fighting other men off with a stick when they see you in these clothes.”
Her cheeks heated. “Ben, I really can’t go out in clothes like this,” she told him.
He cocked an eyebrow. “Why not? You’ll be the most gorgeous woman out there. Every female will want to scratch your eyes out, they’ll be so jealous.”
She laughed. “You make everything sound so…okay.”
Ignoring the obviously staring sales clerk, he cupped her face and kissed her breathless. “It is okay, Gracie. All of it.”
He insisted she wear one of the outfits and she couldn’t help stopping now and then in front of a shop, checking herself out in the window reflection as if she didn’t recognize herself.
Well, I don’t. But I think I like this new Grace better than I thought I would.
When they stopped for a drink at an outdoor café, she realized Ben’s prediction was completely accurate. The women who walked by, smart-looking women with expensively styled hair and impeccable makeup, stared daggers at her. Especially with Ben lounging in the chair next to her, a possessive arm around her shoulders.
Grace couldn’t remember the last time she’d felt so free, so loose. She couldn’t decide if it was the utterly erotic experience of the previous night, Ben’s possessive presence or the three margaritas she’d consumed. Or a combination of all three. But by the time they stopped for an early dinner, she was shocked to realize she hadn’t thought of the office once.
“I like to eat early on the nights I ride,” Ben told her. “I hope you don’t mind. And I eat light. But don’t let that stop you from ordering whatever you want.” He winked at her. “You’ll need your energy for later.”
She was chowing down on an enchilada platter at an outdoor table of a well-known Mexican restaurant when a nasal voice broke into her concentration.
“Why, Grace Delaney, is that you in that outrageous outfit?”
She nearly choked on her bite of food as she looked up at the tall blonde standing beside their table. Anita Sandler. Bitch of the world. A client Grace had inherited when the woman’s much-older husband had died and left her with more money than was sensible. Even the steep fee Grace charged wasn’t enough to make up for the constant headache the woman gave her.
She set down her fork and dabbed at her mouth with her napkin. “Hello, Anita. Nice to see you.”
Anita raked her gaze over every visible inch of Grace’s body. “That outfit’s a little out of your usual wardrobe, isn’t it?”
And could your voice be more catty?
“I picked it out myself,” Ben said, rising from his chair. “Gorgeous outfit for a gorgeous woman, don’t you think?” he held out his hand. “Ben Lowell.”
Grace watched Anita study every inch of the man in front of her, her eyes filled with predatory hunger.
“Well.” Her expression was one of disdain. “Aren’t you the surprise, Grace? I didn’t know you’d been keeping such a hunk so well-hidden.”
“Actually, I’m the one doing the hiding,” Ben said. “I like to keep Grace all to myself.” He touched the brim of his Stetson. “Nice to meet you. Don’t let us keep you from whatever you’re doing.”
Anita’s face turned a mottled shade of red. “Well. Nice to meet you, too. I guess.” She grabbed Ben’s hand again. “I insist Grace bring you to my next party.” She turned back to Grace. “I’ll make sure your invitation goes out.”
Right. She’ll probably add that I can only come if I bring Ben.
“Thanks for the invitation.” Ben gave her a polite smile. “We’ll think about it.”
Gathering her dignity around her, Anita tottered off on her wedge-heeled sandals, back stiff, head high as she tossed her hair.
Grace stared after her, open-mouthed. “I’ve never been to any of her parties, Ben.”
He chuckled. “I guessed as much. I’ve met more women like Anita than you can imagine. Man-eaters. You know what I say about them? Use ’em and lose ’em.”
She tilted her head. “And what do you say about me, Ben Lowell?”
A slow, lazy, almost predatory grin transformed his face. “I say you are the hottest woman I’ve ever taken to bed, and I can’t wait to do it again. That you’re special
and I’m the luckiest man alive that you chose me to step out of character with.”
She knew she was blushing but couldn’t help it. Ben reached across and lifted her free hand, taking it to his mouth where he pressed a light kiss on her knuckles. He didn’t say anything. The kiss said it all. Then he winked at her and went back to his food.
“Will I be able to get in tonight to see you ride? “Grace asked as they were lingering over coffee. “Are there still tickets left? The last time I looked they had a Sold Out sign up.”
“I’m taking you in with me tonight,” he told her. “Giving you a chance to see what it’s like backstage, so to speak.”
“Really?” She realized she was squeaking, but excitement coursed through her. The lure of the behind-the-scenes mystique was powerful.
Ben’s warm chuckle rumbled in his chest. “Yes, really. You just have to be very careful and do exactly what I tell you to.”
“No problem. Absolutely.” She clapped her hands together. “Oh, this is terrific. I feel as if I’m going to see the real Ben Lowell.”
His face was suddenly serious. “The real me is the one you were with last night, Grace. And the one with you today. The rodeo is just how I make my living these days.”
“To get enough money to buy that ranch,” she said, her voice sober.
He nodded. “That’s right. Just keep remembering that. Okay?”
“Okay.” She grinned impishly. “But I can still cheer for you, right?”
“I wouldn’t have it any other way.” He signaled for the check. “We’d better get going. I like to have plenty of time to check my rigging and see where I am in the order of competitors. And I need to spend some time with Hotshot, too. I made arrangements for him to be fed and watered, but he and I need our quiet time together.”
“You talk about him as if he’s human,” Grace commented as they made their way back to the stairs to street level.
“Sometimes I think he is. When I introduce you to him, you’ll see what I mean.”
Chapter Ten