His Sweet Kitten (Return To The McKenzies Book 1)

by Lynn Coppersmith

  “I didn’t throw myself at you, you big jackass! I tried to leave,” Leslie cried, trying to wriggle free of his hold without success. “You wouldn’t let me go, just like now.”

  “You don’t get it, do you?” Gabe bent down until they were nose to nose and roared at her. “You should never have come in the first place, damn it! I had planned to marry Lena, not you. I never wanted you. This whole sorry mess is your fault.”

  “It’s just as much your fault as it is mine. You’re the one who refused to let me go. Why weren’t you thinking of Lena’s feelings then? You’re the one who ripped my clothes off and fucked me like some crazed animal.”

  Her words hit a nerve, and he snarled at her, “And you were begging for it, weren’t you, kitten? I tried to stop before things went too far, but you begged me not to. Have you forgotten that?”

  It was Leslie’s turn to flinch. When she blushed with shame, it only made her angrier. “And what a mistake that was! I had no idea that I would be stuck with you for life. Well, I’m not begging for it anymore. In fact, I don’t want you to ever touch me again. Get your damn hands off me, Gabe Faulkner! Why don’t you go and see if your precious Lena wants you, because I certainly don’t?”

  She struggled with all her strength, but Gabe refused to release her. When she became even more frantic, he lifted her and tossed her onto the bed. Before she could scramble away, he pinned her down and gripped her jaw.

  His eyes were glowing with rage, and his voice was a menacing growl. “I’ve had it with your childish games. There’s no way to undo our past mistakes. We both had to pay the price. Thanks to you, I couldn’t choose the wife I wanted, but I damn sure intend to enjoy the one I’ve got. Don’t tell me to keep my hands off you, because you’re mine, kitten. Every single inch of you belongs to me. You’ve made your bed, and now, you’re going to lie in it.”

  He crushed her lips in a punishing kiss. She squealed and squirmed, but he ignored her and kept kissing her with brutal ferocity. When she tried to scratch his face, he pinned both of her wrists above her head and deepened the kiss. His lips were bruising and savage, forcing her to yield.

  Leslie had never seen him so enraged, and his anger fed her own. There was no gentleness or tenderness. His mouth simply ravished hers. She tried to resist, tried to turn her face to the side. He dug his fingers into her jaw and held her in place. She thrashed her arms and legs, trying to squirm out of his hold. He held her down easily, throwing one leg over hers and tightening his hold on her wrists to emphasize her helplessness. She was pinned beneath him and could do nothing but accept whatever he chose to dish out.

  She struggled even harder, bucking and thrashing. She fought until her muscles were aching and her heart was pounding in her chest. Still, he continued to easily hold her down and plunder her mouth. She began to panic, finding it more and more difficult to draw breath.

  She made a mewling sound low in her throat, and Gabe instantly eased his grip on her jaw slightly. He still ravaged her mouth, demanding that she surrender, but his hold became firm rather than bruising. She held out as long as she could before she whimpered and began to return his kiss. When he sensed her capitulation, he growled, sucking greedily on her tongue and probing her mouth until she softened beneath him.

  He finally released her mouth, and they stared at each other. They were both panting with arousal. His eyes dropped to her quivering bosom, and he narrowed his eyes.

  “Are you ready to stop struggling and admit that your body belongs to me, to enjoy anytime and any way I choose?”

  Leslie swallowed hard and nodded. “Yes,” she murmured.

  His eyes flared with heat. “Good. Now, stretch your arms above your head, grip the headboard, and don’t let go,” he ordered gruffly.

  Once Leslie had complied, he rose onto his knees, straddling her hips. He grabbed the neckline of her chemise in both hands and yanked viciously. The soft cotton parted to her navel with a rending tear. The sound was incredibly erotic, and Leslie shivered with arousal. Her nipples tightened painfully.

  Gabe paused, taking in the view. Leslie was stretched out before him, holding tightly to the edge of the headboard just as he had commanded. While he enjoyed tying her up, making her restrain herself in this way was surprisingly satisfying, especially after she had defied him.

  Leslie could see the possessive gleam in his eyes. It was thrilling, knowing that she had provoked such a primal need in him to claim her as his own. It suddenly felt so right, so necessary, to be meekly offering her body to him like some carnal olive branch.

  He gave an arrogant huff and cupped both breasts in his heated palms. As he firmly kneaded the soft flesh, he met her startled stare. “You’re mine,” he growled.

  “Yes,” she whispered.

  He pulled one nipple into his mouth and suckled harder than he ever had before. Leslie cried out, arching helplessly toward him. He tortured her with powerful sucks and sharp scrapes of his teeth. He took out every ounce of his frustration and anger on the tender peak.

  Her nipples were already sore from all the attention he had given them over the past few days. This new level of ferocity was excruciating, and Leslie gripped the headboard until her fingers ached and her knuckles turned white. Every painful draw on her nipple sent a jolt of hunger into the pit of her belly. She squirmed and gasped, rubbing her thighs together to appease the growing ache in her loins. With every twisting pull of his teeth, she grew hotter and wetter, and she moaned and writhed beneath him.

  Gabe was ruthless, taunting her until she could barely breathe. He could sense her growing desperation, and it drove him even wilder. He was determined that she would never question his claim over her body again. He forced a leg between her clenched thighs and rubbed his knee firmly over her clit. His rough breeches scraped her vulnerable clit, making her squeal with both pain and delight. He continued the torture until she was whimpering and bucking her hips, trying to grind against him. He knew she was on the brink of her orgasm when he abruptly stopped and gave her nipple an especially hard tug before he released it.

  Leslie sobbed, shaking her head from side to side. “No, please. Please let me come,” she cried. “Please!”

  “Oh, no. Not yet,” Gabe growled. “You don’t get to come until I give you permission. Now, give me your other nipple. Offer it up to me, even though you know that what I’m going to do to it will hurt like hell.”

  She eagerly arched her back with a needy sob, twisting slightly to bring her other breast near his mouth. He devoured her offering with another savage snarl at the same time he renewed his assault on her clit. The more harshly he tormented her, the more desperate she became. He continued to feast on her breast until it was just as throbbing and raw as the first one. Leslie could feel her pulse pounding painfully in both nipples when he finally released the aching nub. Every racing heartbeat caused an excruciating throb in her clit.

  She held her breath as he stared at her breasts with proprietary smugness. He ran his thumb over the bruised and battered peaks. The corners of his mouth quirked when she moaned and arched her back, obviously eager for more. He met her gaze, and his eyes bored into hers.

  “You’re mine,” he repeated.

  Leslie nodded. “Yes,” she whispered softly. “Please, Gabe.”

  Gabe pulled the remaining shreds of her chemise off and tossed them to the floor. Then, he untied the drawstring on her drawers and impatiently yanked them downward. Leslie lifted her hips, eager to help him. He pulled them the rest of the way off and discarded them, too.

  “Open your legs and present your pussy to me,” he growled. He watched as she spread her knees. “Wider. I want to get a good look at what’s mine.”

  Leslie spread her thighs as wide apart as possible and watched Gabe’s face as he studied her body. She was panting with excitement, causing her breasts to rise and fall rapidly. Her nipples were throbbing and swollen, hardened to points from his mouth. She could feel slick moisture coating her inner thighs, and her c
lit was painfully engorged.

  Gabe ran his fingers down the length of her slit and coated them in her fluid. Then, he circled her pounding clit, pinching it harshly as she whimpered and squirmed. He shocked her when he smacked her hard, directly over her clit. She screamed and bucked, and he met her eye and frowned a warning. When he spoke, his voice was a low, menacing growl.

  “Don’t move a muscle, kitten. You deserve to be punished for defying me. You will remain perfectly still while I spank this very naughty pussy that belongs to me.”

  Leslie’s eyes opened wide, and she shivered. Her thighs were trembling with the effort it took to keep them splayed, but she did so. She was both scared and aroused by what he intended to do to her.

  Gabe took his time, spanking her inner thighs until they were rosy pink and burning. He worked his way progressively closer to her core, while Leslie sobbed quietly. She never moved, though, and he noticed that a steady stream of moisture was trickling from her slit.

  He began spanking her pussy with sharp, stinging smacks. She bit her bottom lip and moaned. It felt like her flesh was on fire, and the burn settled deep into her tissues, making them ache and swell. She felt desperately empty, and each firm swat only increased her hunger. The last few smacks were the hardest. Gabe landed five very harsh slaps directly on her clit. Leslie screamed and cried, but she managed to stay still for the punishment.

  Gabe surveyed the results. She was trembling and coated in sweat. Her entire inner thighs were pink and warm to the touch. Her pussy was dark red, swollen, and obviously sore. His eyes flared with possessive heat as he noted how engorged her clit was and how wet and open her folds were. He met her eye and raised a mocking brow.

  “You said you never want me to touch you again? Should I believe your words or your body? Because it looks to me like your body is begging to be fucked again, kitten.”

  Tears were streaming down Leslie’s cheeks, but she held his gaze and raised her chin. “I think we both said some things we didn’t mean,” she murmured. “You said you never wanted me.” Her eyes dropped to the bulge of his swollen erection in his britches. “But your body looks like it wants me pretty bad, bad enough that you’re willing to force me, if necessary.”

  Her words struck a nerve, and she saw regret flash in his eyes. Gabe took a deep breath and released it as a groan, rubbing his hands over his face. He backed away from her, sat down, and leaned back against one of the bedposts at the foot of the bed. He eyed her naked body, still stretched out before him.

  Seeing the evidence of his untamed ferocity, a wave of guilt washed over him. He had been poised to rut on his wife like some wild beast, to force her if she’d been unwilling. No doubt, he had scared her by holding her down, ripping her clothes off, and torturing her. No matter how angry he had been, it didn’t excuse his behavior. He groaned again and shook his head.

  “What are we going to do with each other, kitten? How are we going to make this marriage work, when we can’t seem to stop fighting?”

  “May I please let go of this headboard now?” Leslie asked quietly.

  Gabe sighed, feeling even guiltier. “Yeah. Sorry.” Seeing the uncertainty in her eyes, he held out a hand to her. “It’s okay, kitten. I promise I won’t hurt you anymore. Come here.”

  She crawled to him and straddled his waist. Leslie snuggled into his chest, sighing when he hugged her close and dropped a kiss onto the top of her head. As usual, being in his arms felt incredibly safe, and she basked in the moment. But there was unfinished business between them, and Leslie knew they needed to address it. If they were going to have any chance to find happiness together, someone would have to take the first step. She took a deep breath for courage and released it on a sigh.

  “I don’t think we can make this marriage work without being honest with each other, Gabe.” She sat up straight and met his eye. “I knew you were planning to marry Lena. I overheard her talking about you at the store the day I came to your farm. She was bragging to some other girls that you were probably going to propose to her. Then, I overheard you talking with Pa when I got home, and I knew it was true.”

  Leslie looked down and twisted her hands miserably. “That’s why I snuck out that night and came to you. I thought I could talk with you and tell you how I felt. I didn’t want you to marry her, because…” She heaved another deep sigh and met his eye. “…because I love you, Gabe.”

  His whole body stiffened, and he got a pained look in his eyes. “Kitten, I…” He grimaced and swallowed hard before continuing. “I just don’t feel…I mean, I—”

  “Shh, it’s okay,” she murmured, smoothing the frown lines from his forehead with soft fingertips. “I know that you don’t love me the same way. I’ve known that for a long time.”

  Leslie looked down and frowned. “That’s why I know what I did was selfish and wrong. I wasn’t thinking about what you wanted, only about what I wanted. I knew you were in love with Lena and not me. I’m truly sorry, Gabe. I didn’t mean to ruin your chance for happiness. I just meant to talk with you. I didn’t know how things were going to turn out that night, but it was my fault, regardless. I can understand why you hate me.”

  “Hey, now.” Gabe swallowed hard and cupped her cheek in his palm. “I don’t hate you. I could never hate you, kitten.”

  Tears welled in Leslie’s eyes, but she blinked them back and gave him a watery smile. “Well, I wouldn’t blame you if you did. Do you think you will ever be able to forgive me?”

  As Gabe stared into her beautiful, hopeful eyes, he swallowed the lump in his throat. He realized how much Leslie had matured. She hadn’t been any more selfish than he had, but she had the courage to admit her feelings and her mistakes and to ask forgiveness. He felt humbled.

  He brushed her hair behind her ear and kissed her forehead. “I’ve already forgiven you, kitten. I promise I won’t ever mention it again, but only on one condition.”

  “What’s that?” she murmured.

  He lifted her chin and met her gaze. “You have to let me apologize, too.”

  “For what?”

  Gabe cleared his throat and lifted her hand. He kissed the back of her knuckles softly. He might not be able to give her the love she craved, but he could at least tell her the truth.

  “For not being honest with you. Before you even showed up that night, I was already having second thoughts about marrying Lena.”

  Leslie’s eyes widened. “You were?”

  Gabe nodded. “I wasn’t in love with her. In fact, I had already decided that she and I weren’t a good match, and I had decided to end things with her. I shouldn’t have let you believe that you had ruined things with her. I was angry at you for your impulsive behavior in sneaking out alone at night, but I shouldn’t have made you think that you had ruined my chance to marry Lena.” Gabe sighed and met her eye with a rueful smile.

  “And while I’m being totally honest, I may as well admit that I was mostly angry with myself for what happened that night. I had no business pulling your britches down and spanking your bare bottom. If I hadn’t done that, things wouldn’t have gotten so out of hand. I knew it was wrong, even when I was doing it. I wasn’t your father or your brother or your husband. I had no right to discipline you, but I couldn’t resist. I had fantasized about spanking you so many times that, when I was faced with the opportunity to do it, I just couldn’t resist.”

  Leslie gasped softly, and her lips parted in surprise. “Gabe Faulkner! Just how many fantasies did you have about me before we were married?”

  Gabe’s eyes dropped to her breasts, and he grinned shyly. “More than you can possibly imagine, kitten. I felt guilty as hell for having them, but I couldn’t help it.” His grin widened. “That’s the best thing about marrying you. I don’t have to feel guilty anymore for lusting after you.”

  Leslie noticed the hard ridge of his erection pressing against his britches, and she blushed hotly. The thought of him fantasizing about her made her pulse pound with excitement. She nibbled
her bottom lip and toyed with the buttons on his shirt.

  “Speaking of which,” she murmured, sending him a flirtatious glance from beneath her lashes. “You have me all excited and naked. Don’t you want to finish what you started, Gabe?”

  “Didn’t I frighten you when I held you down like that and tortured you?”

  “Of course not. You could never frighten me,” she murmured, toying with the hair at his nape. “If you want to know the truth, it excited me.”

  Gabe’s heart raced, and his cock was throbbing painfully with his own excitement. “Are you sure I wasn’t too rough for you?” He glanced at her bruised nipples. “I got carried away. I know that I must have caused you considerable pain.”

  “In case you didn’t notice, I liked it. A lot.”

  She arched her back, lifting her breasts up to invite more of his attention. The change in her position also ground her groin against his, and Gabe sucked in a breath. He cupped her generous breasts in his palms, frowning thoughtfully as if he were considering her words. He squeezed the lush orbs, lightly pinching their sore tips. When she moaned, he searched her eyes.

  He twisted her nipples more harshly as he watched for her reaction. Given how bruised they already were from his early savagery, he knew what he was doing must be excruciating. Leslie hissed and winced, but then she met his eye boldly and caressed the backs of his hands in encouragement.

  He raised a brow and studied her face with interest as he twisted even harder. “You really do enjoy receiving pain, don’t you, kitten? You don’t just tolerate it; you like it.”

  Leslie nodded. “I love everything you do to me, Gabe. But I especially love it when you take control like that.” Her cheeks burned from her admission, but she forced herself to hold his gaze and continue. “For some reason, when you force me to submit to you like that, it thrills me. And when you cause me pain, it somehow sweetens the pleasure that always follows.”