by Jeffe Kennedy, Christine d’Abo, Elise Logan, Emily-Ryan Davis, Jodie Griffin
He fingered a lock of her hair. “Anything. Would it help if I gave you mine, first?”
Her eyes widened. “You have limits?”
His laugh came out like a snort. “Hell yeah, I have limits. And what that means is if there’s something on my hard-limit list you wanted to try, you’re out of luck. No other partners. No age play. No knives. No needles. No blood play. No scat.”
She choked. “Excuse me? No scat?”
He shrugged. “Some people engage in play that includes urine and feces. I don’t judge, but that’s not my thing.”
“Or mine!”
He grinned. “Also good to know. How about I tell you what I do like, and you can tell me what does and doesn’t appeal to you.” He didn’t wait for an answer. “Oral sex.”
She raised a brow, a flash of humor in her eyes. “Didn’t we already cover that? Because I’m pretty sure I did that to you yesterday.”
“We didn’t discuss me going down on you.”
Her pulse fluttered wildly in her neck. “Not a limit.”
“Vaginal sex.”
She rolled her eyes. “Not a limit.”
“Anal sex.”
She froze like a deer in the headlights. “No, I don’t think...no.”
“Kitten, it’s okay. If that’s a limit for you, we don’t do it.” Admittedly, it was a disappointing limit because it was something he enjoyed, but he was a big boy and he’d get over it. Hell, she could always change her mind. And if she didn’t, there were so many other things he could do to her.
She relaxed slightly, her breath easing out in a small gust. “Okay.”
“Being tied up?”
Heat surged into her eyes and her nipples hardened under her sweater. He clenched his hands against the steering wheel to keep from reaching out to touch her.
“Not a limit.”
Thank God for that. “How about—”
“Hey, that sign said Jeremys Run Overlook. Can we stop?”
“Sure. It’s one of my favorite views. My family came here a lot when I was a kid, and my parents have pictures of me at different ages in front of the sign.” He pulled off the road and onto the overlook. They were the only ones there and, in fact, had only seen a handful of other cars so far on the drive. For December, it wasn’t too bad. Colder than home, but that was expected in the mountains. He helped Becca with her jacket, then reached in the car and grabbed his camera and the tripod. By the time he got everything, she stood at the walled edge of the overlook.
* * *
Becca stared down into the canyon. “This is gorgeous. A little eerie. It’s so quiet, and the trees look almost skeletal.”
“It’s definitely different than I’m used to seeing it, but it has a beauty all its own,” Jeremy said, fiddling with his camera. “Sit on the wall and face me, kitten.”
She turned and sat, pushing her sunglasses up onto the top of her head. She grinned happily at him. “Hi.”
He looked up from the camera and stared at her. Just stared, making her turn to look behind her. “What?”
“You’re incredibly beautiful. And I still can’t believe you’re here with me.”
God, he was sweet. “I can’t believe I’m here either,” she said and it was the truth. She’d wanted him, but it wasn’t until she signed up for this year’s mitzvah that she allowed herself to wonder if it was even a possibility. The fact that she now knew they were going to wind up naked together was even more unbelievable. It wasn’t a matter of if, it was a matter of when, and understanding that made her ridiculously hot for him. Hotter than she’d been last night when he’d had his hands all over her.
He fiddled with the camera some more, then jogged over and sat down next to her, slinging an arm around her shoulder. “Smile, kitten. I have it on a timer.”
She gave a photo smile and leaned into him, relaxing once she saw the shutter flash.
He didn’t get up, instead dragged her onto his lap so she was straddling him, her legs hanging over the edge of the wall on the other side. The position put her crotch flush up against his erection, and she groaned, grabbing his shoulders for balance.
He laughed, but it died in his throat as she wiggled, trying to get closer to his heat. His fingers scraped against her scalp as he grabbed a fistful of her hair, tugging her head back. It didn’t hurt, not even when he kissed her neck, biting gently into her skin. Instead, fire raced through her veins and she squirmed against him.
“Jesus, kitten, you feel good. If it wasn’t dead of winter, I’d fuck you right here, out in the open, with the water rushing by below us and wind whispering through the trees. You’d be in a skirt with nothing on under it, and I’d unzip my pants and pull you close so I could slide my cock inside you.” As he spoke, he rocked her back and forth over the hard ridge of his erection. “And since we’re out in the open, you’d have to be extra quiet so no one knew I was fucking you.”
She squeezed her eyes shut against the images he planted in her head. Her face flushing as he held her down so he could thrust up into her in tiny increments. His hands biting into her hips as he kissed her, his tongue mimicking what his body was doing. Him whispering dirty words to her. Against her will, a small whimper escaped and he laughed, the sound low and wickedly hot.
“The idea turns you on, doesn’t it?”
She couldn’t lie to him, or to herself. “Yes.”
“Me too.”
His hand slid under her jacket, tunneling under her sweater. She shivered, but she wasn’t sure if it was from the coolness of his hand or the fact that he was angling it closer and closer to her breast.
“Look at me, kitten.”
She did, and he locked eyes with her. Then his large hand cupped her breast, and with two fingers, he pinched her nipple and rolled it. Hard. Her eyes fluttered shut at the bite of pain that wound its way down to her core, making the contact with his erection exquisite torture. “Oh, God.”
With her feet hanging over the ledge, she had very little leverage. He had the control, and he used it. As he rocked against her, a car pulled into the far end of the overlook. Her heart sped up, but he kept the motion going, pinching her nipple harder, his erection and her jeans rubbing against her clit. “Come for me, kitten. Right now.”
To her absolute shock she did, a scream trying to break free. She clenched her teeth against it, not wanting the sound to carry to the car that had started moving again, coasting past them. She didn’t look behind her, didn’t want to know if anyone was witnessing her flying apart.
He tucked her head into his chest, holding her close as the car pulled back out of the overlook.
When her breathing returned to somewhat normal and she stopped shaking so much, she eased back from him, her face flooding with heat. “I...um...wow.”
He grinned crookedly, but even his cheeks were tinged pink. Not too surprising. He was still hard beneath her. “Couldn’t let this opportunity pass by, not after what we’d just been talking about. I hadn’t intended on letting you come nearly that soon.”
She wrinkled her nose. “Letting me?”
“Part of my rules, kitten. You get to come only when I say you do, and I plan to drive you to the brink of madness before I make that happen again. You’ll hate it but you’ll love it at the same time. Trust me.” He lifted her off his lap and set her feet back down on the ground.
Her knees were a bit wobbly, but he steadied her as he stood, then smacked her across the ass. She yelped.
He laughed, tweaking her nose. “Come on. Time to get back on the road so we get to the cabin before the sun goes down.”
They got into the car and she took her jacket off again. She was hot and bothered, even though she’d had an orgasm. God, what an orgasm. And he hadn’t even been inside her. She forced her mind away from that and back to the camera.
“Can I see the shot you took with the timer?”
“Shots, plural. And sure. There should be about ten of them.” He got to the right screen and showed her which button to press, then handed her the camera.
Slowly, she flipped through the pictures, her heart beating faster at each one. They were sexy as hell, the look in his eyes intense, the smile on her face truly happy. Two of them were blurry, when he’d pulled her onto his lap. And on the very last one, she gasped. “Oh!”
Chapter Seven
She turned the camera toward him and when Jeremy saw the photograph, he felt the jolt straight to his already aching cock. The timer had snapped the shot while he’d had her head pulled back and his teeth set against her throat. It looked primal and wild, the controlling nature of it vivid against Shenandoah’s stark winter backdrop. Her jeans were pulled tight against her ass, his one hand half on it and half already under her jacket.
That picture was going on his nightstand.
She turned it back to herself and stared at it, quiet. He let her look her fill as he pulled back out onto the road, headed toward their cabin in the woods. He imagined he knew some of what was going on in her head. The pose was thoroughly possessive on his part, unquestionably submissive on hers, and she hadn’t quite come to grips with that idea yet.
When the miles rolled by and she was still quiet, he grew concerned. “Becca?”
“Sorry.” She smiled easily at him. “Sometimes I drift off into my own little world.”
The tension in his gut loosened. He didn’t ask her to explain, but decided to go the teasing route. “A daydreamer, huh? Who keeps the rest of your class from doing the same?”
“Hah. I’ll have you know I have total control over my classroom. Well, mostly. I do have a few kids who drift off into their own heads, but since I’m the same way, it doesn’t bother me. I can redirect them as needed.”
“I could’ve used a teacher like you when I was a kid. I got in trouble a lot for not paying attention.” He looked over at her, at her slender yet curvy body. “But if they’d looked like you, I’d have gotten into a whole different kind of trouble.”
It was obvious to him she really didn’t know how beautiful she was. While he was probably biased to some degree, he’d heard other guys on his squad say the same. In cruder terms, yeah, and he’d given them hell for it, but they’d seen her appeal, too. And then he’d made her off-limits as a ride-along to anyone but him. He’d taken shit for that, but whatever.
She laughed even as she waved the comment away. “You turned out pretty well, all things considered.”
He snorted. “My mother’s relieved, I’ll tell you that. She spent a lot of time at the principal’s office for me. After ten years as a cop, I think she’s finally realized I’m firmly on this side of the law, and not the other.”
She chuckled, then fell silent. The last ten minutes of their drive passed quickly and soon after stopping to pick up the key, he was pulling onto the lane that led to their small, semi-isolated cabin.
The Skyland area of the park had several motel-like connected cabins, but he preferred the solitude of this private one. He’d stayed here before, and small as it was, it was perfect for his needs, even with a pleasantly unexpected guest. The full-sized bed would be tight, but that just meant he’d have her close all night long. After five years of impotent wanting, and then leaving her last night when she’d begged him not to go, he was ready.
He stopped the car and she got out, practically vibrating with energy. Christ, he couldn’t wait to channel that into screaming orgasms for both of them. First things first, though. They needed to unpack and get their stuff inside.
“This is incredible,” she said, her eyes dancing. She grabbed her bag and climbed the stairs to the cabin, right behind him. He opened the door and stepped inside. She followed him in and stopped dead in her tracks. “Oh, wow.”
It was rustic but cozy, and someone had turned on the heat and opened the curtains. The wide window faced the deck and the canyon beyond, and it looked almost as though the cabin was situated at the very edge. Not quite, but the view was spectacular. He opened the door to the deck and tugged Becca outside with him. He’d wondered on the way here if they’d see any other cabins from theirs now that leaves were off the trees, but it was still mostly secluded, with only a vague outline of another cabin in the distance.
“I know I said this before, but wow.” She leaned against the railing, her arms propped on the edge. “Incredible view.”
He was sure the pose was innocent, because she didn’t have a game-playing bone in her body, but it was still an invitation he couldn’t pass up. He stepped behind her, grasped her hips and rubbed his erection against her ass and leaned over her, speaking softly in her ear. “Yes, it is. And I’m not talking about the canyon.”
She straightened up quickly and accidentally caught him in the cheek with her head, exactly where that dirtbag had hit him yesterday. He saw stars and tried to bite back the curse, but he wasn’t successful. “Shit.”
She whirled, dismay in her eyes. “Oh, God. I’m sorry!” She reached out to touch his cheek, but it was tender and even he didn’t want to touch it. He brought his hand up to block her.
Her eyes went round and she flinched, backing up until she hit the corner of the deck.
Goddamn son of a bitch, I’m going to kill him. He dropped his arm, his hands out wide at his side, all thoughts of his own pain gone in the face of her reaction. And damn myself, for forgetting. “Just me, kitten. Easy.”
“Don’t you think I know that?” Her chest heaved and her eyes flashed both ire and frustration. “Give me a minute.”
He stayed right where he was, giving her the space she needed. It didn’t take long, but it felt like an hour as the seconds ticked by into minutes. Finally she blinked, a self-disgusted look settling over her face.
“You okay, kitten?”
“I don’t know what to say.”
“So don’t say anything. Not now, anyway. How about we go get the rest of our stuff from the car, and go from there?”
She nodded and pushed away from the railing, stopping in front of him. She hesitated briefly but leaned forward and placed a butterfly kiss against his injured cheek. “I didn’t mean to hurt you. You just startled me.”
They grabbed the rest of the things from the trunk, including one bag he made sure he carried himself. He didn’t want her opening it or stressing out about it, but he’d brought a small bag of toys with him, things he’d love to use on her if the situation arose. He wasn’t planning on it, exactly, but he wanted to be prepared.
When they had everything in the cabin and had the food stowed away, he turned to her. “So, what would you like to do first?”
* * *
You. I’d like to do you first. The erotic thought flashed through her brain even though, not ten minutes ago, she’d flinched as if he was going to backhand her. It wasn’t him, though. She had no fear of Jeremy at all, and her reaction had come out of nowhere. Damn Sam and what he’d turned her into. Enough. She was taking her life back, and she was doing it now. “How about a walk before it gets too dark? It was a long drive. Maybe we could stretch our legs.”
He looped his camera around his neck. “Sounds perfect.”
“Wait, before we go. I made something for you.” She’d worked on it, not knowing if she’d ever give it to him, but now she was glad she had. “A Christmas gift. I forgot to give it to you yesterday.”
“Aw, hell, kitten. I don’t have anything for you.”
Was he kidding? “You brought me here with you. That’s all the gift I need. Besides,” she said dryly, “Christmas isn’t my holiday.”
He tweaked her nose. “Okay, elf-girl. If you say so.”
She reached into the bag she’d brought with her then handed him a small, wrapped bundle.
He opened it, grinning. “Love it, kitten. Thank you.” He took the knitted scarf out of the box and looped it over his shoulders. It was blue and green, the exact colors his eyes turned. And they turned greener, now. “We could have fun with this.”
They left the cabin and he locked the door behind them. He reached for her hand and she took it, happy to have this small connection with him. They followed a path that led down past the row of connected cabins they’d driven by earlier, walking hand in hand with Jeremy stroking her skin with his thumb. The touch was both mesmerizing and enticing at the same time. When they stopped to look through a break in the trees, he flipped his new scarf over her head and around her shoulders and tugged her close, kissing her breathless.
He broke the kiss and swept a loose piece of hair behind her ear. “Hi there.”
She wondered if she looked as dazed as she felt. “Hi.”
He grinned. “So what do you think of Shenandoah so far?”
“It’s gorgeous. I don’t think I’ve ever been anywhere this quiet.”
“It really is. I think it’s the lack of leaves or something. Plus, not too many people here this time of year. Maybe if we’re lucky, we’ll get to see some wildlife.” Right as he finished his words, a herd of deer darted out of the woods and ran across the trail about fifty feet in front of them.
She grinned even as she jumped at the unexpected show. “Ask and ye shall receive?”
He laughed, but his face turned serious and intense. “Ah, kitten. If only that were true in all things, I’d ask for a whole fucking lot more than that.”
Without consciously thinking about it, she moved directly in front of him, placing her hand against his chest, looking up at his handsome face. “Give it a try.”
His eyes went hot like molten lava. “You’re playing with fire, babe. You may not be willing to give me all I want.”
Willing? Yes. Able? Maybe. “You’ll never force me anywhere I don’t want to go. You’ve told me that more than once, and you’ve told me all I have to do is say red to make things stop. I’m telling you I believe you.” His eyes flashed with satisfaction, and she continued. “I want you to show me what you mean when you say things like in my world. I want to know what it’s like for a woman who surrenders to you.”