by R. Brennan
Evernight Publishing
www.evernightpublishing.com
Copyright© 2013 R. Brennan
ISBN: 978-1-77130-409-2
Cover Artist: Sour Cherry Designs
Editor: JS Cook
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews.
This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, and places are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
DEDICATION
For my "Pen Sisters". You've all taught me so much about myself, the writing craft, and about friendship. I'm so grateful to have each and every one of you in my life. Fiji or bust!
A LEAP OF FAITH
Roses and Thorns, 1
R. Brennan
Copyright © 2013
Faith couldn’t wipe the Cheshire cat grin from her face on the entire elevator ride to Richard’s Manhattan apartment. They had plans to see each other on Saturday, their first time together since Christmas, so his summons via text message a little over an hour ago had taken her by complete, albeit pleasant, surprise.
I miss my girl. Come see me, Faith. Dress nice. No panties, no hose. I’m waiting.
The elevator bell chimed her arrival on the twenty-eighth floor before the polished brass doors slid apart to reveal the familiar, opulent foyer and Richard’s front door. As she did every time she arrived there, Faith marveled at how it was the only flat on the entire floor, and conjured a million reasons why she had no business being there. Richard Halstead was way out of her league.
Before her confidence could deflate further, she stepped into the foyer, her high heels sinking into the lush carpeting. When she reached the door she hesitated, taking a quick check of her appearance to ensure the body-hugging, black strapless number hadn’t slipped to reveal more than she intended. Just enough to tempt without screaming desperation. She adjusted the gold and pearl padlock necklace Richard had given her as a training collar, ensuring it sat properly around her throat.
Talking a deep breath, she swiped damp palms on her wool coat and rapped lightly on the apartment door.
A deep rumbling bark answered from the other side.
Hercules.
In spite of her inherent dislike of all things dog, Faith giggled. Richard’s massive Saint Bernard adored her, which made him her favorite canine of all time. She’d even gotten used to his drooping, drool-filled jowls.
Moments later, the door swung open.
Richard stood on the other side in all his dark, knee-melting glory. A bright, white-toothed grin flashed beneath a pair of mesmerizing green eyes. “Right on time, as always. Good girl.”
She licked moisture onto her dry lips and stepped inside, giving the crown of Hercules’ massive head a scratch, more to wipe the sudden dampness from her palms than to greet the giant dog.
The amazing view offered by floor-to-ceiling windows lining the living room wall drew her gaze. The Christmas decorations and the giant tree had been packed away for another year, but Rockefeller Center’s world famous skating rink still operated.
Richard helped her out of her coat, hanging it in the closet beside the door. “Did you have to cancel plans?”
Her teeth let loose of her bottom lip long enough to answer. “No.” She pasted on a sophisticated smile. “Shockingly, despite my hectic social calendar, I somehow had the evening free.”
His chuckle slid down her spine like warm honey. “To my great fortune.” He looked her over from top to toe and nodded. “You look amazing. Black suits you, Faith. Come on in. Make yourself comfortable.”
He turned and moved away, stepping into the living room.
Cheeks flushed, Faith followed. “Thank you, Sir.”
Richard continued on to the bar, pulling two rocks glasses from a high shelf. He filled them each halfway with an amber liquid from one of three crystal decanters. Grabbing the glasses, he came about, moving back to where she stood. He offered her one. When she took it, he settled on the leather sofa and patted the cushion beside him. “Sit with me.”
The soft-spoken command was undeniable, but oh so subtle, setting loose a swarm of butterflies in her stomach. She planted her bottom on the sofa and took a calming sip from the glass. Scotch burned a trail of fire down her throat.
“I feel it’s time for you and I to take the next step in our relationship, Faith.”
Faith set the glass of firewater on the coffee table. “Next step, Sir?”
Richard nodded, grinning at her over his tumbler. “If you are to learn to be my submissive, you need to learn to trust me.”
She arched a brow. “What makes you think I don’t?”
“Oh, I’m sure you think you do.” He sipped from his glass and placed it beside hers before rising from the sofa. “Wait here. I’ll be right back.”
Faith moved back in her seat to allow him room to step between her legs and the table.
He crossed the living room and disappeared down the hallway off the kitchen.
Twisting nervous fingers together in her lap, Faith’s gaze shifted to Hercules. “Is he always so mysterious?”
The Saint Bernard lifted his giant head and stared blankly at her.
She poked her tongue out at him. “Thanks for the help, pal.”
“What are you two plotting?” Richard came around the corner into the living room.
Faith zeroed in on the strip of black fabric and the studded collar he carried in his hands.
Richard stood over her, his eyes dark and delicious. “Stand up, my dear. It’s time to play a game.”
Gnawing on her lower lip, Faith got to her feet. Her eyes were drawn to his as if commanded, yet he hadn’t spoken.
“Turn about. We need to exchange this play collar for your fancy one.”
With her back to him, Richard removed the necklace he’d given her for Christmas and replaced it with the same black leather collar she’d worn their first time together. Her cheeks heated as the memories of that night rushed to the forefront of her mind.
Richard buckled the collar at her nape and Faith let her hair fall back around her shoulders, already feeling the effects of the new adornment in her state of mind. Wearing it had a way of making her feel more submissive, more like a possession. His possession. She ate up the exciting sensation with the vigor of a starved lioness.
“This is where the trust part comes in.” Richard placed the blindfold over her eyes and fastened it with a knot, plunging Faith into complete darkness. “Safe word time, Faith. You remember what a safe word is?”
His voice was soft at her ear, sending shivers of excitement through her. “Yes, Sir.” Standing ramrod straight, her hands gripped her thighs nervously.
“Your safe word tonight, my pet, is red.” He took her by the shoulders, pivoting her back around to face him. His scent, musky and all male, teased her nostrils. “Tell me what your safe word is, Faith.”
“Red, Sir.”
“Good girl.” He slowly traced his fingertips down her arm, raising gooseflesh. Grasping her wrist, he lifted her hand and placed her palm over the strong, steady beat of his heart. “Come with me.” Keeping his warm hand over hers, Richard backed up, leading her away from the sofa. He came to a halt. “Take off your shoes.”
Using him for leverage, Faith lifted her foot and slipped the stiletto from her heel. She repeated the process for the other shoe.
When she’d finished, Richard started moving again, backing away. Her feet touched cool floor tiles.
The kitchen.
“Have you eaten?”
Faith shook her head. “No, Sir. I was still at work when I got your message.”
“I took the liberty of ordering dinner from Oceana.”
Takeout. That certainly made sense. Richard had already confessed to being a connoisseur of white foam containers.
He weaved his way through the kitchen.
Faith followed his lead, heart hammering in her chest. She felt carpeting beneath her feet again. Had he circled back to the living room?
Richard stopped. He released her hand and leaned in, absorbing the distance between them. His whisper came low and husky in her ear, puckering her nipples. “Hands and knees, pet. It’s time for dinner.”
Curiosity danced with fear as Faith lowered to her knees, leaned forward and pressed her palms to the carpet. It took effort of will to keep her breathing even as she waited in the inky black silence, ears attuned to any sign of what Richard might be up to. Her skin tingled in anticipation of his touch. With no panties to absorb her arousal, moisture had begun to slick her inner thighs.
“Open your mouth.” His voice came from above her.
Faith had a pretty good idea of what she was about to be “eating”. Excitement surged through her. She opened wide and poked out her tongue, more than ready for the salty-sweet taste of his cock.
Cold smoothness touched her tongue. Disappointment prickled the back of her neck. Too cold to be him. Chocolate?
“Bite,” Richard commanded.
She obeyed, her teeth sinking into the offering. Faith recognized the tastes and textures of the chocolate-covered strawberry. She swallowed the morsel, and smiled in the direction of Richard’s voice. “Thank you, Sir.”
“Would you like more?”
Her more carnal urges clawed their way to the surface, but she pressed them back into the darkest corner of her psyche. “If you wish, Sir.”
“Oh, no, little one. Not what I wish. Pay attention when your dominant speaks to you. I asked if you wanted more.”
Faith wrinkled her nose. The dissatisfaction in his tone stung. She wasn’t hungry for what he fed her. Not for any food. Say it, coward.
“I’d prefer something else, Sir.” She had to force the words past her lips.
“You don’t say?” A grin painted his tone. “And what might that be, my sweet Faith?”
She warred with herself while chowing down on her bottom lip. Shy Faith never won any prizes; why not let horny Faith have a turn? She gathered up every ounce of her courage. “Your hard cock, of course, Sir.”
He chuckled.
God, she loved his laugh.
“Of course.”
A shuffle of movement came from a few feet away. A chair creaked. The clank of a glass rang out. Liquid pouring.
The dining room.
“In due time, my sweet Faith. We’re going to have dinner first. I hope you like surf and turf.”
The ensuing silence alerted her to his desire for a response. “Yes, Sir, I do.”
“Wonderful. Your meal is in a two-sided dog dish on the floor directly in front of you. The filet is medium rare and paired with succulent lobster tail. Both items are cut into bite-sized pieces on the left side of the dish. I’ve coupled it with a Pinot Noir I picked up a few months ago. That is in the dish on the right. It’s going to be an eventful night, Faith, so I suggest you have something to eat while you can. I’d hate for your tummy to rumble louder than your screams of pleasure later on.”
Silverware scraped against porcelain.
“Go on. Show me what a good little kitty you are.”
Faith alternated between arousal and embarrassment as she considered her next move. Role-play wasn’t an entirely new game, but her ex, Sebastian, had only asked her to dress up like a nurse once, never another species. Could she play the part of pampered pet?
Anxious to please Richard, she lowered her head toward the floor. Her nose touched warm, bumpy wetness. As delicately as possible, Faith grabbed a hunk of juicy steak with her teeth and began to chew. The tender filet was cooked to perfection. She swallowed the mouthful and dipped down for another bite.
“Good girl.”
She shivered at his praise and snatched a bite-size piece of lobster meat. Submerging herself in the role he set out for her, Faith purred at the succulent taste explosion brought forth by the perfectly cooked seafood.
“You told me over Christmas you did IT work for an insurance company here in Manhattan. How has that been going?”
Faith swallowed a mouthful of buttery sweet lobster. “Well enough, I guess. It’s nothing exciting for sure, but the pay is fair and my boss seems to like me. I can’t complain, really.” Truth was, she hated her job, and wished almost daily for the chance to earn a living doing what she loved—architectural design. She’d been taking night classes trying to earn her degree, but could really only handle two classes each semester. At that rate, she’d earn her degree at about age forty. And, that didn’t include the internship she’d need to complete to get her architect’s seal. But, lamenting her life decisions wasn’t something Faith was interested in doing at the moment. There were far more interesting diversions in progress. She finally had Richard’s undivided attention again after far too long an absence, and she wasn’t about to squander a second of it. “How was your trip to London last week? Did you get everything accomplished that you needed to?”
“I’m flattered you thought to ask. Yes, it went splendidly. I managed to get the final estimates to headquarters before the bid deadlines despite a few small frustrations. The weather was horrid, but that’s London.”
She smiled and bent her head toward the right side of the bowl, poking her tongue out to test for the wine’s location. The scent of roses drifted past her nose. Faith lapped at the bowl of Pinot Noir the way she’d seen Hercules do, all the while hoping she splattered much less of it on the floor when she did it than the dog. The distinct flavor of black cherries danced across her taste buds.
A low growl rumbled from Richard’s direction, freezing Faith in place. Had she done something wrong?
“No, don’t stop. I didn’t mean to startle you, pet, you just make an amazingly sexy and compliant pussycat. You impress me at every turn, Faith.”
Heat swirled in her stomach. “Thank you, Sir.” Unsure of what else to say and not wanting to gush like a love-starved schoolgirl, she returned to lapping at the delicious Pinot Noir.
“Tell me about your relationships, Faith? Was your last boyfriend a dominant man? Or a born pleaser like you?”
Faith frowned as Sebastian sprang to mind. The cheating bastard was pompous, but she wouldn’t classify him as a dominant. “No, Sir. He was definitely not a pleaser. More of a snake.” Her shoulders lifted in a shrug. “Our sex life was pretty vanilla. We met at a gallery opening. I should have known what a loser he was. He didn’t have anything to move when he decided we should ‘take the next step’ and live together. In my apartment.”
Listening to the sound of Richard eating his dinner a few feet away left Faith feeling more like a pet as the minutes ticked by. She sampled more of the wine, lulled by the sound of his steady breathing and the clink of his silverware across his plate.
When she’d had her fill of the expertly prepared meal, she leaned back, resting her bottom on her heels. A bit of the wine dribbled down her chin and dripped into the cleavage of her dress. Her nubs tightened to twin diamonds. “Done, Sir.”
Shuffling sounds.
“Not quite.” His voice had moved, coming from directly in front of her. Close. “You haven’t had your dessert. I hope you saved room.”
The tell-tale zip of Richard’s pants told Faith exactly what dessert would be. Grinning beneath her blindfold, she opened wide.
Richard tsked at her. “Greedy, greedy. I see trust isn’t the only thing you need to learn. Patience needs to become part of your training as well. Hands behind your back, Faith.”
Keeping her mouth open and tongue out, she tucked her arms behind her, and wrapped
her fingers around her elbows. She tilted her head back, squirming with a need to taste him. The moisture between her thighs had grown and now slid with wanton abandon from her soaked pussy to her puckered anus. She wouldn’t be surprised if she’d created a wet spot on his carpet. For a brief moment, she wondered if her excessive wetness would be a punishable transgression, and if so, what Richard’s chosen penalty might be. At least he couldn’t fault her for breaking character.
Something stiff and fleshy slapped her outstretched tongue, hijacking Faith’s full attention with lightning speed. The teasing meat stick hit her again, this time sliding across her open mouth from right to left.
She leaned with the movement, trying to catch it with her eager tongue, but moved too slow. Faith let out a tortured moan.
“Nuh-uh. Hold still, now. No cheating.”
A grunt of frustration slipped from her as she straightened. She held herself rigid, mouth still wide open like a starving hatchling.
Strong hands grabbed hold of her kneecaps, startling her. Richard jerked her legs apart until she knelt in an exposed V position. His voice arrived close to her ear, sending a chill through her. “When I ask you to kneel for me, this is how you are to do it. I want you to display your desire. Show your need with the pride of a submissive. Do you understand me, Faith?”
Her body ached for his touch. The brush of his hand, the caress of a breast. Anything. She’d even welcome the slap of his paddle if it meant he’d touch her again. “Yes, Sir.” Her voice was little more than a hoarse whisper.
“That’s my girl.” He slid a finger along her wet opening. Half a breath later, she heard his lips smack together, as if he’d just finished eating barbeque ribs. “Sweet nectar.” His hand returned to probe her slit. A finger entered her.
A gasp of pleasure tore from Faith’s throat, contorting into a whimper when he withdrew from her quivering pussy.