Tempered by Her

by Lynn Burke

  “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  She shrugged a shoulder. “You’re a Risso. I’m guessing you can buy pretty much whatever you want. My parents? No such luck. We ate them out of house and home.”

  “How many siblings do you have?”

  “Two of each. Both sisters are older and married, and my twin brothers will graduate this year.”

  The waiter interrupted, asking if we wanted dessert.

  “Two espressos and we’ll share the Tiramisu,” I said without looking up at him.

  “Very well, sir.”

  “What if I didn’t like Tiramisu,” Raquel asked as the waiter strode away, her brow arched, a sweet smile lifting her lips.

  “You have to.”

  “Oh I do, do I?”

  I sat back and placed my hands on my thighs. “You’re perfect in every other way, so I had to assume you’d love my favorite dessert.”

  She laughed and glancing away, shook her head. “And yet another assumption. I’m hardly perfect.”

  “Seem to be so far.”

  Teeth clamping down on her bottom lip, her gleeful eyes seemed to toy with revealing a deep, dark secret.

  “Tell me.”

  Her face flushed as she glanced away and smoothed back her hair. “Tell you what?”

  “The thoughts making you squirm in your seat. The secret of what makes you less than perfect in your eyes.”

  Her head whipped toward me. “How did you—”

  “You’re an easy read.”

  She blew a puff of air between her lips and looked at her wine glass. “Lovely.”

  “Tell me.”

  She shook her head.

  “Raquel.” It took a few seconds, but she obeyed my unspoken request to meet my gaze. Hot pleasure fed my inner Dom, and I leaned forward, fuckin’ starved for more. “Tell me.”

  Chapter Eight

  Never once had I considered telling the truth about my mind’s sinful nature to a person I knew. Sure, I chatted online with cyber buds about it while on the internet at the library, but kept it at that lest my father and mother ever found out.

  I stared into Zane’s intense eyes, jitters having a party in my stomach and quickening my breath. According to gossip, he lived what I read about. What I dreamed about. Telling him probably wouldn’t be the best idea, but he tempted me like no other. I wanted to tell him. See what he thought after knowing the truth—hear his thoughts, taste a smidgeon of what he could offer.

  Just keep it at information, Raquel. Save the experience for later.

  Clearing my throat, I tore my attention from his eyes and focused on the large piece of Tiramisu our waiter had placed between us during the silent interlude. “I’m not as innocent as you think.”

  Zane didn’t move a muscle. Didn’t seem to breathe. “So you know exactly what I meant every time I cornered you in your office, whispered naughty things in your ear, and flushed your face like it is now?”

  I swallowed, my stomach fluttering, knowing my reply would escape breathless. “Not in deed, but the words, yes.”

  “Words.”

  He didn’t voice it as a question, but his tone required an answer I felt compelled to give. “I’ve read a few books.” Stinkin’ dry mouth … I had to try swallowing again. Didn’t work. “Steamy romances.” Still avoiding his gaze, I reached for my espresso, needing moisture to return to my tongue.

  “Fifty Shades type stuff?” he asked.

  I sipped, put the cup back down, and dared a quick peek at him through my lashes. Leaning forward and body tensed as though teetering on a steep cliff, he stared. He held a heat in his eyes that made my sex clench and nipples harden.

  My heartbeat thrummed double time. “I … um … started, but didn’t finish because it wasn’t real.”

  His brow furrowed. “What do you mean wasn’t real?”

  “He didn’t care for her like a real Dom would.”

  Zane’s breath caught, and he sat back. “Well fuck me sideways. So you do know a thing or two, you naughty little girl.”

  Face hot as the hell I feared burning in, I bit down on my bottom lip.

  “You sneak those books into your ereader, don’t you? Devour them while curled up in your bed.”

  I forced myself to nod.

  He leaned forward, pushing aside the plate of dessert. “Do you ever touch yourself?” His whisper scorched every inch of my body. “Trace a finger through the wetness of your pussy?”

  Holy… I shifted on the cushioned chair, the apex of my thighs alive and throbbing as I struggled to draw breath.

  “Ah.” Zane sat back again. “You do.” His cocky, sexy as all get-out grin appeared. “Who do you think about when you touch yourself, Raquel?”

  A gulp sounded, but it took a second to realize it came from my throat. “You.”

  Moisture soaked my panties as his smile dissolved and he gave me that look. The one I thought of on a daily basis. The one I imagined while doing exactly as he’d said.

  “Goddamnit.” He didn’t sound very happy, but his heat-filled expression was pure hunger and lust, not anger. “Here I am trying to do the right thing, trying to be good for you, and you drop a fuckin’ bomb like that.”

  “I’m sorry?”

  A slow smile grew, one as deadly as the desire in his eyes. “Don’t be.”

  “I spilled my secret.” My voice shook from the uncontrollable jitters wracking my insides. “Your turn.”

  “Ask away, gorgeous.” He held out his arms. “I’m an open book.”

  I nodded, and went for it, even though I’d experienced enough from him to know it to be true. “Office gossip says you’re a Dominant.”

  “I am.” Zane owned what he was with confidence, no hesitation, no guilt on his face as his hands returned to rest on his thighs.

  Curiosity threatened to kill me, or at least send me to hell, but I wanted—needed—more. “Have you ever gone to a BDSM club? Watched or played out scenes?”

  “Yes.”

  “What’s” —I licked my lip— “what’s it like?”

  His brow rose, and he glanced at my wine glass. “Are you tipsy?”

  “No. I’ve only had half a glass in two hours. Why?”

  “Because I don’t want alcohol involved in this conversation.”

  “You’ve had two glasses.”

  “And it’d take another three or four for me to even feel it.” He studied my face a few moments in silence, but a guilty conscious kept me from prompting him to answer my avoided question. “If you really want to know what the lifestyle is like, I’ll take you to Chantelle’s. Let you see for yourself.”

  My head whipped around as I searched for acquaintances, someone I might know, someone who would overhear our conversation and report back to my parents.

  “No one can hear us, Raquel. Tell me what you want.”

  Zane’s eyes bore into me, catching my breath. I’d had no intention of any such conversation, any such suggestion, but there it was. Sin on a platter. Temptation unlike any hot chocolate or chocolate frosted donut Dunk’s could offer. “You’re serious?”

  “Very.”

  Definitely should have been named Eve. I bit the inside of my lip, hard enough to make me wince. While I longed to do exactly as he suggested, I couldn’t get caught going to such an establishment. A dangerous thought entered my mind, and I spewed it out before giving it a second thought. “What about your place?”

  A cat-in-the-cream-bowl smirk lifted a corner of his lips. “Raquel Hawkins. Was that a proposition?”

  “N-no. I mean, I don’t mean sex. I meant … stink.” Thoughts and feelings a jumbled mess, I snapped my jaw shut while contemplating how to explain. “Can you show me what it’s like to be a sub?”

  He cursed under his breath. “I can’t do that and keep my hands to myself.”

  “Then don’t.” My words escaped unfiltered, without thought of consequence. “Just … no sex.”

  He stilled like a tiger tensed to pounce. “Def
ine sex.”

  Heat flushed my entire body, but if I wanted to learn about the lifestyle, get it out of my system before finding a nice guy to settle down with, I needed to overcome my embarrassment. “Penetration. Keeping my virginity intact.”

  Zane stood without another word, pulled a couple hundreds from his pocket, and tossed them on the table. He held out his hand. “I’ll show you whatever you want, take you however far you’re willing to go, but you’re not allowed to hate me in the morning.”

  Heart threatening to erupt in my chest, I twined my fingers through his.

  “You also have to promise me one thing,” he said, pulling me to my feet.

  “What’s that?” I squeaked.

  “Dinner with me tomorrow night.”

  I managed a nod.

  Chapter Nine

  Christ.

  I didn’t know how in all of hades I’d be able to keep from fucking every orifice in Raquel’s body. She wanted to see and experience my life, and my fuckin’ cock had sprung to life the second she’d said “Dom” all in-awe like with a hint of desire behind it. No doubt about it, the woman would make a fuckin’ hotter than hell sub.

  Thoughts of what I longed to do to her body flooded my mind, and there was no talking my cock down. I’d have to take care of him before touching her virgin skin.

  Fuck.

  My hands grasped the steering wheel in a white-knuckled grip, my teeth clenched. I needed to lay ground rules before getting home, so I forced my mouth open. “Do you know what a safe word is?”

  “Yes.” Her whisper betrayed her nervousness.

  “We’ll go with the traffic light. If at any time you’re uncomfortable and want to stop, say red. Understand?”

  “Yes.”

  “Green is good to go, yellow means you’re unsure and want to slow down.”

  “Okay.”

  “What’s your safe word, Raquel?”

  “Red.”

  My fingers relaxed their hold on the steering wheel. “If you so much as whisper that word, I’ll stop immediately. I won’t push you beyond whatever limits you set. Give me your trust, and I’ll prove my worth by keeping my promises.”

  “Thank you.”

  I’d never gotten out of Boston so fuckin’ fast in my life. We rode in silence, but my mind raced like mad. Topping her even without fucking wouldn’t stop me from getting into her head. And once inside there, I doubted my control wouldn’t waiver.

  Bad idea, you selfish prick. Bad idea.

  The thoughts didn’t make me turn back toward Boston though.

  I pulled into the underground parking garage of my condo complex and tried not to sprint around to open her door. Same as at the restaurant, Raquel twined her fingers through mine, and I bit down on the inside of my cheek to make sure I wasn’t dreaming.

  No penetration didn’t mean I couldn’t bury my face between her thighs and lap the sweet honey coating her pussy like I did almost every night in my dreams.

  But waiting … waiting was half the fun. I tugged my tie from my neck. The elevator dinged, announcing our arrival at the tenth floor. I led her down the hallway and opened the door to my place. Soft light from a lamp by the far windows overlooking Boston in the distance welcomed us, but I didn’t give Raquel time to glance around the open concept living space and its upscale furnishings.

  I removed her glasses and tucked them in my suit coat pocket. Her breath caught as I stepped behind her to wrap my tie around her head and cover her eyes. My gaze riveted on the pulsing artery in her neck. “Do you have any hard limits other than penetration?” I asked, my voice strained as I shrugged out of my overcoat and rounded to face her.

  “I don’t know,” she whispered. “I know it’s sick that I want to see your hand prints on me, but—”

  I claimed her lips, her admission of desiring pain nearly knocking my locked knees from beneath me. Same as the first time we kissed, all hell broke loose between my ears and I swore the world thought it was the fuckin’ fourth.

  Pulling away from her mouth returned a sense of reality, and I pulled her closer to whisper in her ear. “I’m going to make you fly. Watch your skin flush with desire. I want you to feel, gorgeous, nothing else. I promise I’ll keep you safe.”

  She followed like a meek little lamb to the slaughter, trembling yet willing as I led her through the living room to my bedroom where I flicked on my lights. I took her purse and set it on my dresser before gently removing the coat off her shoulders. She didn’t speak a word.

  “Sit here until I return,” I said, leading her to the bed.

  “Where are you going?”

  “First thing about being a sub is that you need to trust me. If something frightens you or pushes your boundaries, use your safe word. I promise to stop. Beyond that, you don’t get to speak unless I tell you to. Understand?”

  After a brief hesitation, she nodded.

  “Sit. I’ll only be a minute.”

  Perched on the edge, she grasped the comforter on either side of her thighs.

  I turned without a word and draped my suit coat over my valet stand before shutting myself in the bathroom. Sink on full force, it hopefully drowned out whatever noise escaped my lips while taking care of my aching balls. I came in record time, head tipped back and teeth clenched against the shout wanting to escape.

  Two minutes later, I found Raquel kneeling in the center of my bed, hands on her lap, head bowed, her high heels placed side by side on the floor at the bed’s foot. She hadn’t obeyed my first command, but fuck me, I didn’t give a shit.

  I’d planned on taking her over my knee and reddening every inch of her ass and thighs, but seeing her in such a submissive pose in the middle of my bed had me drooling for a taste. “Take off your blouse.”

  She started at my voice, but lifted shaking hands to do as told. With each button slipped free, my arousal returned, and the blue silk sliding off her bare shoulders and revealing a see-through white lace bra and puckered rosy nipples brought a groan to my lips.

  “Lay back.” I strode forward as she straightened her legs and complied, the sounds of her quickened breaths heating my blood.

  Fuckin’ Raquel Hawkins, sweet innocent, was on my bed, the darkness beneath her knee-length skirt sending my saliva glands into hyper-drive. I slipped leather ties around her wrists and tied her tight to my headboard. She chewed on her lower lip, chest rising and falling enough to make me think she might call out her safe word, but she kept silent.

  I kicked off my shoes and climbed onto the bed, pushing up her pencil skirt with agonizing slowness over nylon-clad legs while settling on my haunches between them.

  Thigh highs. I swallowed. Fuckin’A.

  A sweep of my thumbs from inner to outer thighs, and she lifted her ass, allowing me to push the skirt to her waist. So much for my assumption about granny panties. White lace matching her bra and a scrap of silk hid her virgin curls from me. I leaned down, breathing in the sweet, musky scent of her arousal. “I’m going to taste you, Raquel.”

  She gasped, her hands flexing in their restraints.

  “You’re not allowed to come until I tell you to.”

  “W-what?”

  I reached up and pinched her nipple, earning another gasp, a groan of pleasure on its heels as she writhed on the bed. “The proper response would be, yes, Sir.”

  She licked her lips again and whispered, “Yes, Sir.”

  “Yes, Sir, what?”

  “I won’t come until you tell me to.” She half-breathed, half-moaned the words.

  I slipped a finger beneath the side of her panties and pulled them aside, baring her damp blonde curls and glistening pussy. “Fucking perfect, just like I knew you’d be.”

  A whimper sounded from between her parted lips.

  Stretching out and making myself at home, I settled in to feast. The first sweep of my tongue arched her off the bed.

  “Oh, God.” Her head lolled to the side.

  She tasted better than Italian sweet cr
eam, and I dove in for another lick. Panted breaths reached my ears. I reveled in the torture, in the knowing she lay at my mercy. Mine for the plundering.

  I latched onto her erect clit and suckled. Her hips rose, and she cried out, a sound I knew preceded a woman’s orgasm. I bit her inner thigh with enough force to leave a mark and keep her from falling over the edge.

  “No coming.”

  She moaned a complaint, lower lip between her teeth.

  I returned to my task of driving her fuckin’ insane as she’d been doing to me for months, biting or pinching her smooth skin every so often to bring her back from the brink of release. I ground my hips into the mattress, imagining it was her tight heat cradling me rather than my tighty-whities and slacks I’d kept on.

  No penetration meant I kept my fingers to myself even though I wanted to push them into her wetness. Sweat sheened her forehead, her chest, before I relented to her cries for mercy.

  “Go ahead, gorgeous.” I sucked on her clit again and circled a fingertip around her forbidden entrance. Alternating sucking and flicking with my tongue, I continued to massage and tease her opening with my finger as she bucked her hips.

  “Oh God. Zane!” She let out a guttural cry like a wild animal, savage and throaty enough I almost came along with her. Delving downward, I lapped up the wetness squirting from her pussy.

  Fucking perfect in every way.

  She shuddered one last time, and her legs fell limp beside me. Body flushed, chest glistening with sweat, blonde hair a tangled mess across my pillow, she appeared a goddess, an angel sent from heaven to rescue my damned soul.

  I sat up, wondering if she’d had her fill. Crawling forward over her body, I released one restraint from her wrist and moved to untie the other.

  “Mmm.” She leaned up and pressed her face into my chest. “Good God.” She inhaled a deep breath. “You smell good.”

  I dropped the other leather strap and lowered my body, moving downward and allowing her to feel my aching length as it slid across her belly. She grabbed my arms as I nestled my cock between her legs, holding me in place against her.

  Dangerous place to be if not for the clothes I’d been wise enough to keep on.