“How are we alike?” she asked grudgingly.
Brian grinned at her, forcing her thighs apart with his knee and wedging his hips between. She struggled against him, but he easily subdued her. He loved that her bottom lip was thrust out in a sexy pout. His voice was deep and hypnotic, devilishly seductive.
“We both need to feel wicked and wild to find true pleasure. We both have a secret urge to break taboos, to bend the rules, to explore dark sensual realms. We both like to play rough and rowdy. We both enjoy a little bit of pain mixed in with our pleasure. We both love the nasty, the naughty,” his voice dropped further as he whispered near her ear, “the forbidden.”
She shivered, and he chuckled deep in his throat. He plunged his fingers into her quivering wet sheath and stroked her, raising one dark, mocking brow. They could both hear the sloshing sounds of her fluid, and she was panting beneath him. She moaned, and his grin widened as he taunted her, reaching deep inside her to coax even more fluid from her scalding sheath.
“That’s why, even now, when you would really like to wallop me for tricking you, you can’t stop your body from begging for my touch. Isn’t that true, my sweet, beautiful, naughty, cocksucking angel?
“Stop calling me that!” she screeched, trying to wrest her arms free from his grasp, and setting her breasts to bobbing again in the process.
“Don’t worry,” Brian said, with a wicked grin as he eyed her mouth watering breasts.“I won’t say it in front of anyone else. I know how embarrassed you would be if anyone else knew you were such a talented little cocksucker.”
He gave her trembling nipple another sharp tweak, amazed that she wasnât flinching from the rough treatment. Instead, she was arching toward him, unconsciously begging for more.
“Brian, you are a beast!â She was panting as she squirmed.“Stop calling me that name this minute, or I’ll never speak to you again!”
“I can’t help myself, angel. Teasing you brings me great pleasure.” His husky, wicked voice sent shivers of awareness down her spine as he leaned near her ear to whisper.“And you and I both know you wouldn’t want to deny me any pleasure, don’t we angel?” He scraped her nipple even harder with his whiskers, and Sarah moaned with delight.“Now admit itâ¦you love me and you love everything I do to you, don’t you?”
Sarah released a frustrated groan, refusing to answer him. She wasn’t about to give him the satisfaction of admitting her love at that moment. She thrashed about, trying to make him release her.
Instead, he switched hands and began tormenting her other nipple, taking his time as he stoked her desire from a steady glow to a raging inferno. She finally stopped struggling, whimpering as she surrendered to the sweet torture. When she heard him chuckle, she glared at him, growling with frustration.
“You know what else, my angel? I know your secret.”
“What secret?” she demanded, eying him nervously.
He gave her another wicked grin, his dimples cutting deep grooves in his cheeks.“I know that you love to be controlled by me, tortured by me, overpowered by me.”
He tightened his grip on her wrists to remind her of his dominance. His voice dropped low once again as he nipped mercilessly at her nipple, grinning when she arched her back.
“You love to submit yourself totally in order to fulfill my desires, however dark and forbidden they might be. You would be mortified if anyone other than me knew your secret, but you can’t keep it from me, angel. That’s why I love to tease and torment you. I know how much you love the things I do to you, and I know how much you love me.”
Sarah moaned, biting her lip with frustration. The worst part was knowing that he was right. She thrashed and bucked, mewling when she could neither win her release nor get him to suckle her breast. He added to her torment by nudging at her entrance with just the tip of his erection, barely parting her swollen folds.
“Admit it to me, my angel. Admit that you love me, and I’ll give you what you want.”
“What do you think I want,â Sarah asked through gritted teeth as she tilted her hips up in unspoken entreaty.
Brian gave a mocking chuckle and held himself poised at her entrance, so close yet so far from what she craved. His voice was sinfully seductive as he met her eye and raised a taunting brow.
âYou want,â his grin widened, âno, you need me to use you for my pleasure,â he said. He let the broad head of his erection caress the length of her slit, but he did not enter her.“You need me to fuck you roughly, because you know it pleases me as much as it pleases you. And it does please me Sarah … holding you down and driving my cock hard and fast into your soft, sweet pussy until you scream with pleasure.”
She felt the fiery heat of his breath as he whispered those words in her ear. She closed her eyes, imagining him doing just what he said. She couldn’t suppress her shiver of desire or her low moan.
He chuckled again, seeing her reaction.“Now, be a good girl, angel. Admit you love me, and Iâll give you what you need.â
Sarah blew out a frustrated breath and narrowed her eyes at him when he laughed in response. Her pride didn’t want her to give in. However, the rest of her body was clamoring to admit he was right so that she could once again experience heaven. He knew anyway. It was so blatantly obvious in his taunting grin and his sparkling green eyes. She held out as long as she could before she reluctantly answered.
“Okay, okay,” she finally gasped, “yes, I love you. I love you, you big brute!”
He growled his satisfaction and plunged into her. Nothing had ever felt so wonderful. She barely had time to gasp before he ravaged her nipple, tugging with his teeth and scraping with his whiskers until she was screaming her pleasure. All the while, he plundered her tender body, pounding into her with relentless repetition. Brian released her wrists, and she clutched him to her.
“Say it again,” he demanded.
“I love you,” she gasped.
“Again!”
“I love you!”
Brian rammed even deeper inside her, and she met each thrust, scraping her nails down his back in her excitement. He drove her over the edge, and they crashed together, groaning with their mutual fulfillment. It was wonderful. It was incredible. It was exactly what she needed, just as Brian had said.
They collapsed into a sweaty heap. Sarah savored the weight of Brian as he lay with his head between her breasts, panting from exertion.
Her body was sore and aching all over, but she had never felt happier. She threaded her fingers through his damp hair, stroking him lovingly. She was stunned by how well he understood her and how well he understood himself. He was right … she needed the things he did to her. She needed him to control and dominate her. She needed to bring him pleasure in order to find her own. She needed the way he made her body sing.
“You truly are devilish and wicked, Brian McKenzie,” she said with a sigh.“You’re a beast and a brute, and you’re incredibly naughty to torture me the way you do. But you’re right. I love you, just the way you are.”
He raised his head and gave her an unrepentant grin.“I love you too, my naughty angel. And don’t worry. Your secrets are safe with me.”
He looked so boyish and mischievous that Sarah couldn’t help but laugh.“I’ll bet you drove your parents crazy when you were growing up.”
“I did,” he agreed.“I wore them out. They had to spank me twice as often as Aidan and Liam combined. By the time I was sixteen, Pa had to admit that thrashing me wasn’t going to make me behave.”
Brian’s expression turned serious, and he gently stroked her cheek. His eyes shone with love for her.
“But I’ll behave for you, my angel. I might torment and tease you, but I’d never do anything to truly hurt you.” His lips firmed as he remembered the reward for her arrest.“I’d die before I let anyone hurt you. I’ll do whatever it takes to keep you safe and make you happy for the rest of your life.”
Sarah held his gaze, and she knew he was c
ompletely serious. He might torture and taunt her and drive her mindless with frustration, but in the end, he would always protect her and bring her pleasure. She knew that he loved her every bit as much as she loved him.
She raised a delicate brow, struggling to maintain a stern expression when she felt like laughing with joy.“You had better behave yourself, Brian McKenzie. I refuse to share you with any other women, so I’d better not find out you’ve been visiting any more prostitutes.”
“I give you my word,” Brian said solemnly, “I’ll never be with any woman but you.”
He stretched up to seal his vow. Just before his lips touched hers, a hint of the devil showed in his eyes, and he grinned.
“I promiseâ¦my beautiful, naughty, little cocksucking angel.”
“You beast,” she groaned, pulling him down for a kiss.
Chapter Eight
The next morning after breakfast, Sarah settled into a comfortable chair and resumed her sewing. As she worked, she kept thinking about the previous night. The way Brian had taunted and tormented her, purposefully provoking her was so different than other times when he had been sweet, tender and caring. She couldn’t figure out which side of him was the real Brian.
He had pushed her to do and say things she had never imagined she would do. Although he had praised her, and he obviously didn’t think less of her, she was still struggling to reconcile her behavior with what she considered to be the proper behavior of a lady.
She was shocked by how well Brian understood her. He had been gradually leading her to relax and explore with him. Each encounter they had was more exciting than the last as he tested her boundaries.
She knew that was what he was doing … testing her, challenging her to abandon her inhibitions, insisting that she yield control to him. She knew that he was purposely pushing her and that he wanted her total obedience. She was surprised by her own feelings about that.
She remembered the previous night, and how she had struggled against him. She had felt helpless and frustrated while she resisted. And yet, as soon as she submitted to his control, she had felt such relief. In fact, she had felt more powerful than ever. As soon as she capitulated, Brian had lavished her with pleasure. He had goaded her to admit what she needed from him. It was just as obvious to her that he needed her to submit to him, so that he could achieve his own fulfillment.
For the first time, she was beginning to understand that there was power in submission. It was her choice whether or not to yield. However, only her willingness to yield would grant him the ultimate pleasure and satisfaction. If she withheld her consent, his pleasure would be ruined.
Still, she was a bit worried at what he might demand of her next. Was she strong enough to meet his demands, whatever they might be? Did she trust him enough? He had promised not to hurt her, and she believed that he meant every word. But what if he hurt her by accident?
She wasn’t worried about physical injury. She trusted Brian never to harm her that way. In fact, he always took special care to inflict just the right amount of pain to be pleasurable without causing any permanent harm. Physically, she felt safe, and she was content to let him do as he wished with her body.
It was her emotions that worried her. Emotionally, she was getting in pretty deep with Brian. She loved him wholeheartedly, and she knew she would only love him more, the longer they were together. If he was just playing with her, and if his emotions weren’t really as engaged as she thought they were, she could be headed for a terrible heartbreak.
In the middle of the night, she had been convinced that he loved her just as she loved him. Thinking back on things in the cold light of day, she felt twinges of doubt. Remembering how he had tormented her, she hoped he wasn’t simply toying with her. She didn’t think he could be that cruel, but she really didn’t know him all that well. She was working on blind faith.
She was preoccupied with such thoughts, making the time fly as she continued her sewing. She was just finishing the last set of curtains when Liam walked in the door.
“Oh hi, Liam. Is it lunchtime already?”
“No, I ripped my breeches,” he said with a grimace. There was a long tear on the outside of his thigh.
“Did you cut yourself?” Sarah asked, setting her sewing aside.
“No, I just caught the cloth on a nail,” he said, walking toward his room.“I came to change clothes.”
“Bring the torn ones to me, and I’ll mend them for you,” she called after him.
When Liam returned, he handed her the torn breeches with a smile.“Thanks, Sarah. I appreciate you offering to fix them. I’m no good with a needle and thread.”
“I don’t mind at all,” she said, returning his smile.
Liam noticed something in her expression, and he tilted his head to one side, studying her. She seemed guarded.“Are you alright, Sarah? You look a bit troubled or worried. Have you had another memory?”
Sarah laughed to ease his concern.“No, nothing like that. I’m fine. I was just thinking about Brian.” A delicate blush colored her cheeks when she saw Liam’s grin.“I can’t quite decide whether he’s a devil or a saint.”
Liam laughed outright, shaking his head.“You’ll never be able to decide that, Sarah. Brian is definitely a mixture of both.”
“Tell me about him,” she said.“What was he like when you were growing up?”
“Hmmm,” Liam said, settling into the other chair.“Brian has always been a free spirit. A rebel. I don’t know if you’ll understand what I mean. Brian is like a combination of a really bad boy and a really good man. He’s both a devil and a saint, just like you said.”
Sarah frowned thoughtfully.“Can you give me some examples of what you mean?”
“Well, for one thing, it’s nearly impossible to make him do what he doesn’t want to do. He loves to break the rules every chance he can, just to prove he can. And you can’t use force to make him see reason. You have to use persuasion.”
Liam grinned at her, warming to his topic.“When we were growing up, Pa used to try to force him to behave, and he would rebel. But when Mama asked him sweetly and pointed out that it hurt her feelings when he misbehaved, he would immediately shape up. He couldn’t stand for Mama to be upset with him.”
Sarah remembered the story Brian had told her, and she smiled.“I think I’m beginning to understand.”
Liam nodded.“Brian’s always had a wild streak a mile wide, as Pa would say. He used to do things on purpose … things he knew were going to get him into trouble. I could swear sometimes, he liked to provoke Pa’s temper just to prove that he could. And he did the same with me and Aidan … still does as a matter of fact. He will pick and prod until we jump on him, punching and yelling. Then, he just laughs because he managed to make us so mad. It’s like a game for him.”
“That sounds like Brian,” Sarah said ruefully, thinking about how he had provoked her temper by calling her crude names.
“But the funny thing is, he’s only like that when he is seeking someone’s love or attention. Mama used to say he did it because he needed to release his pent up feelings. He’s never been very good at expressing his emotions, so he acts out. I think Mama always understood him better than anyone. She used to tell Pa that Brian had no choice but to be naughty sometimes. Whenever Pa would get really mad at Brian, Mama would remind him that he was only angry because the two of them were so much alike. She also said that even if it wasn’t in Brian’s nature to be naughty, being the middle child, it was the only way he could get the attention he needed.”
“What do you mean?” Sarah asked with a frown.
Liam shrugged.“Aidan was always so responsible, steady, and good. He never had any trouble winning our parents’ approval and praise.” Liam gave her a conspiratorial wink, “And of course, I got my share of attention, because I was the baby of the family. They always spoiled me rotten. I guess Brian must have felt like he had to misbehave in order to get his share of attention. I guess he figured that he might a
s well do whatever he wanted and to hell with the consequences.” Liam gave a low whistle.“Let me tell you, Brian’s devil-may-care attitude has gotten him into plenty of hot water with Pa over the years.”
“So your father and Brian aren’t close?”
Liam gave a laugh.“Oh don’t get me wrong, those two might fight like cats and dogs, but they love each other to pieces. They would both do anything for the other one. Everyone in the family adores Brian. You can’t help but love him.”
Sarah certainly couldn’t argue with that.“Do you think he resents you and Aidan because you competed for attention?” Sarah asked quietly.
Liam laughed at the suggestion.“No. He thinks the world of both of us. That cabin we built for Aidan was Brian’s idea. He wanted to surprise our brother.” Liam smiled at her.“Sarah, what you have to understand is that Brian is a true romantic at heart, although he doesn’t like others to know it. In fact, he’ll tease and torment you, drive you crazy with anger just to cover up his softer emotions. But underneath his bad boy exterior, he has the truest, most loving and sincere heart you will ever find.”
“Hmmm,” Sarah said with a thoughtful frown, “Now that I think about it, I can see what you mean. He likes to torment me, but he’s always doing the sweetest, most thoughtful things for me.”
“Just don’t let on to him that you have him figured out. It will only make him misbehave worse. There have been times when he teased and tormented me until I wanted to strangle him.” Liam looked at her and smiled.“Still, whenever I’m in trouble, there’s no one I’d rather have at my side than Brian.”
“So you trust him?” Sarah asked.
“I’d trust Brian with anything, whether it was my most prized possession or my life. He can’t stand to see anyone hurt. In fact, when we were boys, I remember one time in particular. Brian took the blame for something I had done, and Pa took him outside to tan his backside. I confessed to Mama and asked her to make Pa stop. I remember she just shook her head and sighed. She said I should leave it alone … that Brian would rather take a whipping himself than to see me get one.”
Naughty Angel: Brian's Bride (The McKenzie Series #2) Page 14