by Susan Arden
“That’s it, baby. Let me fuck your mouth. Own you.” Grunting, he pummeled his length into me, pumping his hips faster and faster until I felt his hamstrings stiffen. He shuddered once, shooting his release into my mouth as he rocked his hips. He slowed, shuddered, and then stopped, his breathing labored as a spasm rippled over his body. He pulled his cock from my mouth and held my cheeks still gazing at me intently. “I need you. But we have some pressing business to deal with first.”
“Graham,” I moaned, sinking down onto my heels.
With the pad of his thumb, he traced my bottom lip before he lifted and zipped his pants. “I’m still going to fuck you to the point of screaming.”
I didn’t understand. He was still fully, painfully erect from what I could tell, but he’d just had an orgasm. “What do you want?”
“You.” He pulled me up, and guided me toward the sofa. “You’re coming with me, aren’t you?”
“To New York?” I asked hoarsely, staring into his eyes that looked vulnerable for an instant before he blinked, locking all emotions away.
He nodded curtly. “I want you with me.” His muscular arm encircled my waist, cradling me against his hard chest. Hooking his finger under my chin, he raised my face until I couldn’t escape his gaze ready to consume the thoughts in my head.
Up against his body, enfolded within his arms, I struggled to answer. A boatload of problems existed. Yet, within his arms, it was like the ride in his private elevator up to his penthouse…The world around me diminished.
“I don’t know. Honestly, it has nothing to do with you. My family is less than pleased.”
“They told you about me?” His grip tightened around me. “Jesus Christ.”
“It’s not like that.” I wasn’t prepared for another grill session. Besides not wanting to hurt him, I didn’t relish making Laura and Luke appear like a pair of small-minded gossips.
He exhaled a short, bitter laugh. “I can only imagine what was said. None of it positive insofar as coming away with me.”
“Not really. More like they were concerned about me living with you in an apartment. I told them you have other staff, and I’d be working with the people in your offices. There’s a possibility of me studying there. It is New York, for God’s sake.”
“Well, I don’t have any staff that are live-ins. I haven’t ever considered it. You’re the first to have that pleasure. But teaching or studying yoga in New York, would you like that?”
“I suppose.” I lifted my shoulders, then dropped them in resignation. “I don’t know what I want. I thought I did, when we were alone.”
We stood in front of the leather sofa as he rubbed his hands up my arms and then rested them on my shoulders. The weight was oddly comforting.
“Eliza, I’m not who the press makes me out to be. I’m here because you came to South Beach.”
“Why would you do that? Because of the car? You could have called,” I suggested, mystified as to why it would matter to him what I actually did. He had a million other things on his to-do list. Oh yeah. I’d taken Luke’s advice and researched who Graham was via my cell phone. His name and company were splashed all over the headlines, and not only in Miami. He had international press coverage for his business endeavors, none which interested me other than noting the dizzying array of pages he and his company occupied on the search engine. The person who lived in a box—me—only now realized he was more than some rich dude. He was an icon.
The way he stared down at me, ready to devour me, made me aware he was an icon with a craving.
“Really?” he stated dryly. “I doubt you would have picked up.”
I rubbed my chin on his hand curled over my shoulder. “So, answer the real question. Why did you come all this way?”
CHAPTER FIVE
“Eliza, you interest me. What you do and where you go interests me. I know most of the club owners, or at least they know me. I have a driver tonight since I didn’t know what condition I’d find you in. For your sake in deciding if you can handle what I’m offering you, I’ll attempt to convey the extent of how troubled I am by your behavior in disregarding one simple direction. I gave you my word on this matter.”
“What exactly do you mean?” I felt the blood draining from my face.
He shook his head slightly and chuckled. “I promised you I’d deliver if you didn’t follow my instructions, and here I am. So, now it’s time to give you another taste of what it’d be like if we live together. You’ll have the benefit of a lesson.” His steely voice came out low, and he spoke with the utmost assurance.
My eyes widened. “Lesson? You’re going to deliver one right here…right now?”
“Baby, where you’re concerned, I’m all about the here and now.” His arms tightened around me, and he drew me closer. “You’re important to me. I guarantee, I’ll drop whatever I’ve got going on to make certain you get what you need.”
“But the list. It’s virtually blank.” My mouth went dry.
“We haven’t officially entered into an agreement. We’re feeling each other out. This is your chance to explore what I intend will take place between us when you disobey. Better to be prepared and know what to expect if you consent to live with me. Wouldn’t you agree?”
I glanced away from his gorgeous face after his nostrils flared, giving him the appearance of a predator considering which route to take. The stubble over his square jaw made his arresting features impossible to ignore.
I murmured, “You know only a fool could say no.”
“Still fighting to the very end? So be it. It’s time to learn a little discipline.” He hauled me against him. As he lowered to the sofa, he brought me down with him, and without waiting, he guided and bent my body over his lap.
“Here? In this office? Graham, you’re joking.” I arched upward, glancing back over my shoulder. Gathering from his expression and his hand lightly caressing my backside, oh I knew he wasn’t kidding around.
“Would you prefer downstairs?” He lifted the hem of my dress, forcing it over my hips.
“Like this? Not exactly.”
“Lovely, and you’re right. You should only be bare-bottomed for my pleasure. Don’t you agree?”
I felt the heat and hardness of his body, and the power of hands and words. I shivered, moaning, “Yes.”
“Let’s begin,” he growled, taking hold of my panties and with a snap of his wrist, he ripped them off my hips. I squirmed over his lap, afraid a waiter with a bottle of champagne would come charging through the door any second.
“The door,” I whispered. “It’s not locked. We can’t.”
He laughed, the same arrogant chuckle, and blatantly ignored my plea. “What did I promise would happen if you disobeyed me?”
“I thought you meant New York.” I was buying time but made the mistake of rubbing against his hard-on, and jerked almost upright, gasping.
“Stop moving.” He pressed my shoulder downward, while his other hand skimmed over my ass and across my thighs. “If this was New York, I’d be smack in the middle of showing you exactly how to behave.”
This was beyond hot. Beyond tense. My ass bared in the office of God knows who with the threat of some waiter barreling through the doorway. I felt another swipe of his hand across my bottom, liquefying my insides into pure lust. “What are you waiting for? Just do it.”
“Do you trust me?” he asked in a quiet voice.
I glanced back, our eyes connecting. “Yes. I do.”
“Good. Trust is a two-way street.” Slowly, his hand rubbed over my bottom. I closed my eyes, dissolving into the sensation of Graham unlocking me, savoring the erotic feel of his fingers spreading my ass cheeks. He trailed his fingers intimately, pressing lower and deeper between my legs.
“Please,” I moaned, pushing my hips to meet his touch.
“Look at me, Eliza,” he commanded. A muscle twitched along his jaw as I stared back at him, his finger grazing my sex. With his dark eyes locked onto mine, I reali
zed he had the power to erode the walls I’d erected. He was coming for me, and my heart raced, wanting whatever he had in store.
“This boils down to one question,” he said and abruptly stopped touching me between my legs. Without warning, he lifted me upright on his lap so we were eye level. The only sound in the room was the muted music from downstairs and our breathing. “Are you sure this is the type of relationship you want?” he asked.
At that moment, I understood. If I said no, this would be over. He’d walk me back downstairs, and that would be the end. He sought a one-word answer to a complex question which would forever change my life.
Unwavering, I held his gaze and replied, “Yes. Abso-fucking-lutely.”
“Brilliant response.” His eyes softened, flickering with vulnerability, and just for a second he revealed himself and that floored me. He blinked and inhaled, curling his lips in a smirk, eclipsing what I’d seen behind the arrogance he now wore—yet even if it were a mirage to see him exposed, I was captivated. He pulled me to him and growled, “I’ll give us what we both deserve.”
“God, I hope this isn’t some game to you, Graham.”
“I’m not playing with you,” he replied, searching my face. “I’m more than serious.”
I closed my eyes, giving in to the sensation of being hot, swollen, and growing unbearably wet and needy. He twisted his hand in my hair, tugging roughly.
“Focus. On. Me.” He spoke through gritted teeth.
The pain lancing my scalp got my attention. “Always,” I answered as though my response were already ingrained on the tip of my tongue.
“That’s right, Eliza. Each and every time we’re together. I want your eyes on me.” He wedged open my legs. “You need to be fucked, don’t you?”
Speechless, I stared at him and his hand dove between my legs. He traced the seam of my pussy, sliding his finger around my pierced clit in a teasing slow circle. I flexed my hips, and he thrust his finger into me. Instead of answering him, I whimpered from the pain of his hand fisting my hair and the sudden surprise of him driving his finger into me, hard and rough.
“So wet and stubborn,” he said in a low, deep voice, removing his finger and pinching my clit. “This is what you need, baby. Your body is telling me. Bent over my lap and submitting to me tonight. Do you understand that at first I’ll help you?”
“Yeah,” I moaned, pushing back against his fingers toggling my clit.
“You want this. Fuck, I want this. And Eliza, this isn’t all one-sided. You have power as well.”
I knew what he wanted to hear. Swallowing, I raked my teeth over my bottom lip, coming unglued from his heated stare. “Okay,” I murmured.
“Okay? That’s not an answer.” His fingers tightened on my clit. He pulled me down, turning me back over on his lap, and then parting my legs with his hands.
I wondered how far this would go when his finger glided arduously between my legs. Not once, but again and again he skimmed over my slick flesh as I clenched my jaw, gripping on to the leather arm rest. He touched me in feather-soft swipes over my pussy. I squirmed, wanting to beg for more. He rubbed a finger over my entrance, torching my hunger for more. A lot more. I dug my fingers into the arm of the sofa as he tormented me to the point of desperation.
“Please,” I begged.
“Better tell me, or I’ll keep you here, doing no more than this, all night long.”
I sucked in a sharp gulp of air. The space around us seemed to crackle with erotic energy. “Touch me. Spank me, then fuck me.”
He plunged his finger into me, delivering as he promised. Hard thrusts and rapid pumps and I rocked against his hand. “That’s it, baby. Perfect. Now, in turn, I’ll define what’s going to happen. Tonight, I’m going spank that lovely ass of yours. If you tell me you can’t take what I’m doing…If you wish to discontinue, then all you have to do is tell me. Then, and only then, will I stop. That will be the end, and I’ll take you back downstairs. But if you allow me complete control, when I’m finished spanking you, I’ll reward you and fuck you hard like you want and deserve.”
I shuddered out a breath. “God, yes.” The space between my legs throbbed, stealing all my thoughts except for one: how exquisite his hands were in feeding my hunger.
Graham stopped fingering me and moved his hand, stroking down my legs in one long, languid massage. He repeated the motion, not once but several times. His breath caressed my skin with each firm stroke of his hand, sending electrical pulses scattering over my body.
“I could fuck you all night. Make you ride me until we’re both exhausted. After I spank your ass and color your skin a beautiful shade of pink.”
He repositioned my hips roughly over his lap, grazing me against his cock straining the zipper of his pants. I could barely breathe from the heat of his palm and his ability to offer me exactly what I wanted. I pressed my head against the armrest, giving in to the erotic sensation he manufactured.
“Yes. Please,” I replied when his fingers traced the over the line of my bottom, squeezing and pulling apart my ass cheeks until I couldn’t take it another second. His hands, large and incredibly adept, continued to knead between my thighs, stroking over my bottom, leaving me shivering. What was he waiting for?
The space between my legs ached for his touch. Frustrated, I groaned loudly and tried to buck when he held me pinned to his lap with his cock nudging my mound. “Enough!” I pleaded.
“Don’t think so. This is for being obstinate and worrying me.” His palm lifted, and he sharply slapped my ass cheek.
I jerked and screeched, “Ow!” I didn’t expect his hand to move as quickly or as forcefully.
“Hush, Eliza.”
Was he serious? I inhaled, my body clenching, and again he delivered another hard-handed smack to my ass. No more caresses. His palm came down several times in the same spot, delivering stinging spanks. The skin all over my bottom burned hotter and hotter with each swat.
“Please. My ass is on fire.”
Graham laughed, deep and dark. “Good. Then perhaps when you’re told to do something, remembering the instruction won’t take so much effort for either one of us. This is about teaching you control. Discipline is about getting your attention. You’ve been disrespectful. Punishment simply hurts. What I’m doing is intimately instructing you. Do you.” Spank! “See how.” Spank! “This works?” Spank! Spank! Spank!
I was too stunned to answer him. To punctuate his words, he smacked me, delivering another round of hard, fast, and stinging wallops. Each one harder than the last.
I bit my lip to quell the swell of tears along my eyelids. My bottom stung, and I didn’t know if I wanted to smack him back or beg him to keep going.
“Eliza,” he said slowly. “Answer me.”
Gulping, I brought my hands up to my face and pushed aside my bangs. My fingers trembled across my skin. I had to get my shit together. No way in hell was I going to sound ready to burst from a couple of spanks. I’d been through much worse and never cried out. Never begged. But with Graham, his lightest touch had me ready to shatter. I had no place to hide, no way to disengage from life and especially not from him.
His voice came out low. “Baby, do you want to stop?”
I latched on to the sound of his deep voice and gripped the edge of sofa, shutting my eyes. “No,” I mumbled.
“I need to hear that you understand why we’re doing this.”
I nodded, unable to look at him and let him see me this undone. I cleared my scratchy throat. “Fine. Yes. I understand you’re trying to teach me…control.”
“Eliza…that’s it.” He brushed his fingers across my ass cheek, and his breath warmed the area he’d spanked. “Open your thighs. I want to see your pussy. See if you enjoy this or not.”
I forgot all else at the sound of his voice coupled with the skimming of his hand over my ass, stroking his finger between my legs. Hungry for more, I arched upward from the pleasure he now delivered. I couldn’t hide that I was slick and s
ensitive and rocking against his hand without shame. “Please, I can’t take more teasing.”
“Control, Eliza.” Graham stopped stroking me and I writhed, almost snarling in frustration. “You’re so ready. Your pussy is drenched. Baby, I knew you’d like this.” He adjusted me on his lap, grazing me with his hard-on. I moved my hand, squeezing my palm over his erection. He caught my fingers as I slid the tips along his length. Glancing backward, I encountered his dark eyes, unsure if I could handle the firestorm simmering in their depths.
He leaned over me and our gazes locked. “Rule number one. You don’t move unless directed. Place your lovely hand back on the armrest. It might be easier if you remember the rules, unless you enjoy how I discipline you.”
I swallowed and slowly moved my arm, hyper aware that I was turned on by what we were doing. How would I learn to control or how to behave if I enjoyed what he delivered when I broke the rules?
“I’ll remember,” I said, but was unsure of my own conviction.
“Will you? You sound unconvinced.” The flare in his tone pricked my ears.
Oh. Crap. I hoped he didn’t think I’d just thrown down some discipline gauntlet. He brushed his hand over my hip, kneading my bottom. He raised his hand and swatted my ass cheek harder this time. So hard I was sure the biting imprint of his palm wouldn’t fade once he’d finished. Tonight, I’d leave here with my ass bruised and marked.
Again, he spanked me, and I bit back a request for less force. Forget what I’d thought earlier. This freaking hurt. My skin was on fire, worse than a fleeting scorch, and he was unrelenting. I was certain he held his hand higher each time he delivered a smack with more force than the last. There were so many, I lost count and panted trying to keep from pressing my face into the leather sofa cushion. The burn spread in all directions—the fiery sensation hijacked my thoughts, nerves snapped under my skin, and I gasped for air. God, this so confirmed that I knew jackshit. I fisted my palms, ready to holler Graham’s name and shamelessly beg him to stop.