Freed

by Stacey Kennedy

  As she stared so deeply at him, his heart reached for her. The woman with him tonight wasn’t the Mary that kept him at a distance. Possibly he’d broken her barrier tonight. He also wondered how long it would last.

  He cupped more warm water, then dragged his fingers through her hair. Her breasts were all real, hanging in a teardrop shape over the corset. He ached to suck one into his mouth and nibble it. The corset blocked his view of her midsection, yet he wasn’t blind to how stunning she looked in it.

  When he lifted his focus, he noticed her heated eyes on him. Her hands traveled over his shoulder as her touch turned intimate. Her stare even more so. There, in her gaze, he saw signs of submission.

  Something heated passed in the air between them; then Mary squirmed lower on his legs and wrapped her hands around his cock. Within a single breath, he hardened in her hands. Placing his arms along the sides of the tub, he watched her play with his cock, her hands working over him. In the emotion crossing her face, he understood her purpose.

  Gratefulness.

  Worshipping the cock that had satisfied her.

  He groaned as she stroked him in an up-and-down motion. Her gaze never left his, and he certainly never looked away from her. If he didn’t know better, he’d almost say that the strong Mary was pushing against his mastery—proving to him that as much as he owned her, she also owned him. Yet that would mean he had more of her soul than he thought.

  This woman confused him.

  In his touch, she was happy and content. She didn’t fight their connection. She was just in the moment. She was with her Dom. One second she was so far away from him; the next she was practically handing him her soul.

  The twinkle in her eyes was playful and damn near the most angelic thing he’d seen in his life. He nearly allowed himself to believe she was staking her claim, but he refused to let hope flare. He arched a brow at her. “What game are you playing, darlin’?”

  “No game, sir,” she whispered.

  How she said sir made him rock hard in her hands. It wasn’t simply a word, it meant something. She said it in the way he had longed to hear a submissive say it. That she belonged to him, and that she was grateful for it. That together, things were exactly as they should be.

  With a smirk, she released his cock and slid back onto his lap. She squirmed against him, rubbing her mound over his hard shaft. Delighted by the sensation, he groaned, bringing his hands to her bottom and rubbing her against him.

  “Your hard cock needs me, sir,” she whispered.

  His chest constricted yet again at how she said sir. So emotion-packed it sucked the air from his lungs. Pressing her hands on his shoulders, she angled her hips and then took him inside her. A harsh groan ripped from his lips as his head fell back against the tub. “Damn, you feel good.” He squeezed her buttocks and placed his hands on her hips, helping her gain speed. Each time she lowered, his cock hardened further within her tight channel. The added water had him shutting his eyes, reveling in the splendid ride.

  He braced his feet against the other end of the tub, helping her move faster…harder. Her lips fell open with her moans, though her gaze stayed solely focused on him.

  Her silent message of gratitude was clear.

  The respect for her Dom evident.

  She squeezed her inner muscles around his shaft on each thrust down and he nearly saw stars. With the water splashing around them, she rode him hard with purpose to make him come, and to get herself off.

  Though in the determined set of her features he knew she wasn’t coming for herself; she was coming to give him a better ride. To make her cunt tight, to use the water as extra lubrication, and he was nearly there…right ready to explode inside her. He grasped her heavy breasts in his hands and squeezed them, then let go, watching them bounce.

  She tossed her head back, showing off the long line of her neck. “I’m going to—”

  “Please me.” He grasped her head in his hands, taking her mouth roughly. Her breath was harsh against his mouth as he helped her fuck him roughly, passionately.

  When she came, she moaned against his lips and he devoured each and every one. He wrapped an arm around her back and then shifted up from underneath, sending water to crash over the sides of the tub.

  Heat and need flared up his spine, pooling hot desire into his groin. Her sex convulsed around him, so damn tight. With little warning and pure euphoria, his cum pulsed from his cock and he rode her hard, roaring out his pleasure.

  His body jerked and trembled, as he held her tight against him, leaving no space between their bodies. Not allowing her to avoid him. He needed the closeness of it, for as long as she’d allow. She finally stopped quivering, as did he, and she lifted her head. He tangled his fingers in her hair as she stared at him with that same look of submission that he’d do anything to keep.

  Anything to protect.

  Anything to own.

  He smiled. “Glad you came tonight?”

  She laughed, the sweetest sound to his ears. “In all meanings of the word, I most definitely am.”

  Chapter Twelve

  Candles were on every flat surface, and with all the lights off in the hotel room, Mary admired Elliott, as the orange hue from the flames of the gas fireplace lit up the side of his face. After their bath, he’d placed a blanket down on the ground in front of the fireplace, along with a bunch of pillows.

  Mary lay on her side with her head resting on her hand, with just about every type of Thai food she knew of on the blanket between her and Elliott. She grabbed a spring roll from one of the white boxes, looking to him as she ate.

  For the past couple hours all they’d been doing was talking, and he seemed so comfortable lying there with her. She liked that about him. He could seem at ease wearing a suit, but he could look just as relaxed naked, with only a white sheet covering his waist.

  His body was layered with muscles, though to her his large frame was why he exuded strength. She didn’t doubt that if she were wrapped in his arms, nothing could get to her. That he could and would protect her.

  She recalled a time when someone else made her feel that way, too.

  As she finished off the spring roll, Elliott said, “Tell me about your children.”

  “Well, they are the best,” she said with a laugh.

  He chuckled and then winked. “I can’t imagine them being anything else, if they’re yours.” He grabbed a sugar-cane shrimp, and before he ate it, he continued. “Do you see them often?”

  “As often as I can,” she replied, missing them with a slight ache in her heart. “They are busy kids, experiencing life. As you know, Cassie lives in New York. My youngest son, Christian, is traveling, and the oldest, Calvin, is at Harvard for business. I know every mother says it, but they really are great kids.”

  Elliott smiled.

  She regarded him, realizing with heavy guilt that their conversations had been very one-sided. Something she intended to fix now. “Do you have children?”

  He shook his head, as the warm light detailed the gorgeous lines of his sculpted face. “I did want children, but it was never in my cards.” She noted a sad edge to his gaze as he ate another shrimp. Then it faded away as he went on. “Now that your kids have moved out, what do you do with your time?”

  She glanced down to the mango-avocado rolls, hating the answer she had to give. Meeting Elliott, a new person in her life, had made her see how boring her life had become. Everyone she knew had got used to her hermit lifestyle, she supposed. “Well, work, of course.”

  “Yes, but what do you like to do? What do you enjoy doing if you have a day off?”

  “Days off, what’s that?” She laughed.

  His soft chuckle followed.

  She shifted her arm against the pillow and said, “I do see my sister every week for dinner, and Dmitri and Presley, as you know. Other than that, if I’m not visiting with my children, I love hot baths, a good book, or a movie.”

  One brow arched. “How about on the weeke
nds?”

  “I’m always at the lake house.”

  “Alone?”

  “Yes, alone.” She knew what he was getting at. “I know it might seem odd to you for me to live such a quiet life, but I’m okay with spending my weekends alone. The kids come down every once in a while, and if not, I’m good with being by myself.”

  He frowned. “You’re too personable to be spending so much time alone, darlin’. Others are missing out, not having you in their lives.”

  She grinned, feeling her cheeks warm at his compliment, and eagerly decided to get this conversation off her. “What about you, what do you do?”

  “My sister lives in Vegas and we get together often.” He grabbed his wineglass off the end table and took a sip before he continued. “You know about the play parties, and I have quite a few friends within the BDSM community and out of it, whom I spend time with. I like keeping busy going to charity events, friends’ parties, just being social.”

  Mary smiled, though her chest tightened. She used to love that, too. “Sounds lovely.”

  He returned his wineglass to the table and then he brushed his fingers across her cheek, tucking her hair behind her ear. “But those events are just things to keep me busy. This, a quiet life with one woman, is all I’ve ever wanted. To grow old with someone and start a new journey in life once I’m retired. Traveling and simply enjoying the rest of my life surrounded by the people I love is how I hope to spend my days.”

  Her throat thickened at the emotion rushing across his features. God, she saw the longing there. He meant what he said, that was clear cut. Truth was, she had wanted that type of life, too. She had loved being social and attending fancy affairs, but she also relished the knowledge that she had a special man to come home to—one whom she could talk to for hours and just enjoy a quiet life with.

  Mary had thought she’d found that in Charles.

  She believed they’d grow old together.

  With her stomach roiling, she moved away from Elliott’s hand and reached for another spring roll. She took a bite, putting a pause in the conversation, collecting herself. So many hopes and dreams she had when she married Charles. She had wanted to retire at fifty-five and travel the world with him. She wanted to sit around at the lake house and watch her grandchildren play. She had wanted forever with Charles.

  Ice coated her veins, as she realized now, in this moment, she hadn’t thought of the future in so long. She couldn’t even imagine retiring; what would she do with all her time? What did she even want to do? Did she really want to spend all day at the lake house alone for the remainder of her years?

  “I do like to travel as often as I can,” he said, clearly changing the subject for her benefit.

  She took a bite of the spring roll. “I used to love traveling.”

  “Used to?” He regarded her intently. “What made you stop loving it?”

  She froze under his potent stare. His questions were gentle, but also straight to the point. Somewhat embarrassed to admit it to herself, she knew she couldn’t give him a solid answer for why she didn’t travel anymore or why she stayed in her house and avoided new adventures. She knew all of that, because she didn’t have an answer to give. “I should go somewhere, shouldn’t I?”

  Elliott agreed with a nod. “Perhaps you should take Cassie with you. You could make it a girls’ trip.”

  Then you also wouldn’t be going alone. The unspoken message was clear in his hard stare.

  Mary couldn’t deny the gentle care Elliott gave. His focus seemed intent on showing her the things she loved and ensuring she did them. Sweet. “Cassie would love that. Though I might have my hands full, she is exceptionally fun.”

  His smirk was quick, as was his wink. “I wonder who she gets that from.”

  —

  Elliott watched Mary laugh, and her smile stopped his world from moving. The inner light beaming in the depths of her eyes kicked up his heart rate. This woman was beautiful—so laid back, so happy, so at ease, so much how he hadn’t seen Mary until now. This woman was the one who had been lost. And he was pretty sure he could spend every evening just like this, hearing the soft laughter she gave.

  She is yours.

  He believed it right down to his bones, and was never so sure of anything in his life.

  He glanced at her face and saw her smile fade. He imagined his expression said it all, that his mind was nowhere near thoughts of traveling any longer. In one second, his cock went from soft to hard, and his attention went from watching her mouth for the words that came out to imagining those lips pressed against his in a heated assault.

  He lifted his gaze to her eyes, which had darkened. Christ, how his body pulsed to devour this woman for as long as she’d allow. He looked away to move the Thai boxes off the blanket under them, hearing the hitch of her breath, knowing her body had awakened and her mind had freed for him.

  Tonight he had planned for her to experience something that he assumed she had forgotten. Just two people being together and enjoying each other’s company. He wanted her to smile, to laugh, to be comfortable, and she had done all those things.

  Elliott still ached to be deep inside her. He craved to feel the way she submitted so beautifully to him. He yearned to see that connection between them, the one so perfect that it had haunted him. He wanted that all for himself.

  Holding her gaze, he moved toward her and she lay back, resting her head on the pillow. He slid a hand down her thigh, feeling her soft, delicate skin before he slid between her thighs, closing his body against hers.

  He cursed the corset that was still damp from their bath, yet as she slid her feet along the backs of his thighs, the touch of skin against skin captured his mind. When his cock met her folds, he discovered her wet and ready for him. He smiled, unable to hide the fact that he enjoyed that she became so aroused, so quickly, for him, all because his look had told her he wanted her now.

  Without pause, he dragged a hand down her silky thigh and cupped her bottom, dropping his mouth to hers. He kissed her with passion, with tongues tangling in a sensual embrace, and she stayed right in rhythm with him. When her breath along his face quickened, he grunted and entered her with a fluid stroke.

  All wet. All warm. All tight.

  His eyes naturally shut with the sheer force of the pleasure tingling through his veins. He lowered his head into her neck, sliding his cock inside her all the way to the hilt, and groaning with each perfect glide. Only when her loud gasp drifted across him in a blistering heat wave did he open his eyes.

  When he rose up on his hands, he found her eyelids hooded and mouth parted. He squeezed her bottom, angling her up to him, enjoying how vulnerable she felt under him. How perfect she seemed right there.

  He shifted his hips in and out, relishing the way her tight heat squeezed him. He tangled his free hand into her hair, cupping her nape and holding her to him, resting his mouth right by her ear. Her sensual moans poured out around him, brushing across his desires. He drew in her flowery scent, mixed with musky arousal, and thrust harder…deeper.

  “I’m right here, Mary.” His cock slid so easily in and out of her soaked sex. “Right here to hold you. To make love to what is mine tonight. To take what I want from you.”

  “Yes. Sir.” Her voice hitched on every word.

  Closing his fist in her hair, he glanced into her eyes. She stared back at him with heated features, entirely fixated on him. On only him. “To take you hard.” He increased his force, and skin smacked against skin. Her cunt squeezed his shaft, forcing a growl deep from his chest. “Or to take you soft.” He slowed his thrusts, moving gently to carry out his words.

  Her eyes were so dark, so lost in pleasure, as she angled up, meeting him thrust for thrust. “Yes, sir.”

  Darlin’, be mine.

  He thrust with gentle, quick movements, feeling her increasing moisture around his cock. “In my command. Under my touch.” Her sex squeezed at him, begging to milk his cum from him and demanding to deliver a
hard thrust that would send her flying, too. “Mine to please in whatever manner that suits me.”

  He couldn’t look away from her, trapped by what he so wanted to be his. “This is for you, too—because you deserve a man to want you like I do.” He groaned as her inner muscles convulsed, nearly making him cross-eyed. He had to force his voice out. “To be cherished. To be made to feel as good as you do now.”

  “Elliott,” she whispered.

  He faltered in his speed as he saw that look. A peace formed in her features that only showed itself for a split second, but that lasted forever in Elliott’s mind. A sweet expression so special it froze time, and the same balmy sensation swelled in Elliott’s chest.

  He’d longed for this, the feeling that his dominance meant something. That it made a woman happier. That she fully accepted his Dominance, not just a Dominant’s touch. There was a fine line that declared a difference, but it was a powerful fine line.

  Mary continued to show him the difference, even if for only a second.

  Overtaken by the heady emotion, he sealed his mouth over hers, breathing in her soft moan. Christ, this woman kissed like she belonged to him. She handed him her soul in her kiss. Every last bit she could offer she gave, and he wanted to absorb it all.

  Breaking the kiss, he kept his mouth close to hers and pumped his hips in and out, hard and fast, leaving her no other choice than to request her orgasm. Mary’s eyes slowly widened, as if in shock by the power of the sensations. Then she whispered, so soft and tender, “Sir, may I come for you?”

  Passion slammed into Elliott’s chest that was both unexpected and wonderful. His muscles tightened in pure possession. Sir, may I come for you… Such simple words, yet the meaning was anything but simple.

  He heard the longing in her voice. The sadness that her submission had been forgotten, and the peace she found muttering those words. He saw how much she needed him, how connected they were, and in his hold, he wanted her to stay there forever.

  “Darlin’,” he drawled, as his cock swelled, growing harder with his rising climax. “Come anytime and I’ll come with you.”