It was clear he didn’t like her, had little to no respect for her, but he did want her. That was okay by her. She didn’t need words of love or promises of undying devotion. A relationship was not in the cards for them, at least not a normal one. They couldn’t even be considered friends with benefits, as they weren’t friends. The attraction was there, but it was unwelcome. Where did that leave them?
What Claire wanted was to feel alive again. Two years in limbo was long enough. A string of unsatisfactory lovers left her needing real relief and her own clever fingers didn’t do it for her. She was a widow approaching her fortieth birthday, but she wasn’t dead. She still needed a man, needed to be touched, taken long and hard until she spun away from the bleak reality that was her life.
Okay, maybe the furniture maze was a bit over the top, but it had gotten his attention. Her shoulders were still tender from where he’d slammed her against the door last night but she still would have gladly taken him between her thighs again tonight, clutching his broad shoulders as he took what he wanted from her. What did that say about her? She wondered how far she was willing to go to get what she wanted.
Travis thought he could turn her back into the sweet naïve girl she’d been. Could he? Could a few spankings, some discipline, thaw the heart of the brittle bitch she now considered herself to be? Somehow Claire didn’t think so, although it might be to her benefit to let him try. He was a marvelous lover and his dominance did turn her on, at least on some level. As much as tonight’s spanking hurt, she’d been wet the entire time. Surrendering to him as he worked the plug in her ass had been about the sexiest experience she’d ever had. Sure she and George used it on occasion, but he’d never forced her, never made her give her body over to his demands the way Travis did. It was scary how exciting she found that, how exhilarated she felt when she knew she was pushing his buttons, hard. Was she crazy? One did not push a man like Travis Forester and walk away unscathed. If she had half a brain in her head she would move out tomorrow, buy a new Hitachi wand and put an end to their relationship but for when they had to deal with each other on a business level. That might end up being quite often if he agreed to her proposition, and he better. While she might find his dominant attitude sexy as hell in the bedroom, she sure wasn’t going to put up with it from her trustee.
Getting out of bed, she marched naked to his bedroom and opened the door.
“What did you think about my business prospectus?” she demanded. Travis was obviously half asleep, but she didn’t care. He’d kept her waiting long enough.
“What?”
“You heard me. I want to know if you even read it over.”
“I read it,” he replied with a yawn.
“And?” she asked, moving next to the bed and glaring down at him.
“We’ll talk about it in the morning,” he informed her as his gaze crawled over her body.
“No, I want to talk about it now!”
“Too bad,” he snapped. His hand snaked out and grabbed her wrist, pulling her onto the bed beside him. Very quickly she was spooned to his front, one of his strong arms around her waist.
“I said we’ll talk in the morning. Now shut up and go to sleep.”
Claire struggled briefly until she decided she liked the feel of his big, warm body pressed to hers. She wiggled her ass against his groin until he moaned, then she smiled and closed her eyes.
“I hate you,” she sighed before falling into a deep, restful sleep.
At some point during the night they’d made love, no take that back she thought stretching languidly. They’d had sex. He’d slipped into her from behind, taking her deeply, slowly. His arm wrapped around her hip both holding her in place and allowing his fingers to tease her clit until she rocked against him. She blushed as she remembered wanting him to pick up speed, go faster and faster, but in typical Travis fashion, he refused. Instead he bit her ear lobe sharply and continued his incredible deep, measured thrusts. His whispered words made everything more intense and for the first time she realized how truly vulnerable she was to his brand of dominance.
“Naughty girls don’t get to pick how they get fucked. They take what they’re given and like it… or not,” he’d cooed in her ear.
“Travis, please,” she’d begged pitifully.
“Your reign of terror is over, Claire,” he promised darkly as he sank so deep within her it was almost painful and held her tightly against him.
Even that was stunning. She thought of a butterfly helplessly pinned, its fragile wings fluttering. That was exactly what her sex was doing, helplessly quivering around his cock. He controlled everything it seemed. Her heartbeat, her breath, every response was his to call forth or let slip away. It infuriated her, but she was powerless to stop. It was just too perfect.
He kept her there, perched on a precipice for what seemed like hours as he tortured her with her own need. A stroke or two to her swollen clit, a few fast thrusts would have freed her, but Travis was more stubborn than she’d given him credit for. It wasn’t until she was sure her heart was going to explode that he whispered the words she knew were coming.
“Are you going to be a good little girl from now on?” he demanded, his voice harsh with command.
Claire kept quiet, biting her lip in defiance even though her body was screaming for relief.
“Ah, maybe you need another spanking?” he suggested, touching the ultra-sensitive top of her clit lightly. “Believe me, baby, I can do this all night,” he drawled. “I’ve been dreaming about it for years. If you need me to roll you over and remind you who’s in charge, I can do that too,” he purred against her neck. “In fact, you just might be the kind of girl who needs a spanking every night before bed. It’s something to consider.”
All the time he was talking, he kept moving, sliding in and out of her so powerfully, yet so very controlled. She was lost and she knew it.
“Yes, I can clearly see that putting you to bed each night with a sweet, well-tended bottom might improve your behavior. I’ll give it some more thought, but for now…”
“Yes,” she screamed.
“Yes what, Claire?” he prodded gently.
“Yes, I’ll be good… I’ll… I’ll do what you say…” she rambled frantically “Only… I need…”
“I know what you need, sweetheart,” he replied, “probably better than you do.”
Two firm strokes to the tip of her clit and a few deep thrusts had her spinning away into oblivion. She barely felt his seed surging into her, barely registered his own groan of satisfaction. She was lost in a spiraling vortex of pleasure so sweet even her own cries seemed to come from far away. Trying to hang onto her anger was pointless. It no longer mattered that he’d reduced her to a mindless, spineless creature saturated in pure pleasure. She was a five-year-old child who’d just been given a big stick of cotton candy and plopped down on the merry-go-round.
They could argue in the morning, she’d decided as she snuggled into his arms, her body still vibrating with aftershocks.
Well, now it was morning!
Shoving her hair back, she studied Travis as he lay on his side facing her. Sleeping, he looked entirely harmless. She knew better.
Chapter Eleven
“Get up. It’s morning,” she snapped, shoving him hard in the shoulder and sending him flopping over onto his back.
“Jesus, Claire,” he yelled, bolting into a sitting position as she slipped from the bed and headed for the door. “Get back here.”
“No, I’m going to take a shower and then we’re going to talk,” she replied over her shoulder. “Meet me in the kitchen in twenty minutes or I’m going to start cooking,” she threatened, pausing in the doorway.
“What the fuck! All right, twenty minutes and don’t touch anything before I get there. I want to make sure you did a good job last night.”
“I may be a lot of things, Travis, but I’m not a liar,” she informed him before slamming the door behind her.
Swinging his leg
s over the side of the bed, Travis scrubbed his face with his hands, trying to wake up. God, last night had been incredible. Easily the best sex he’d ever had. He could almost feel her clenching around his cock so violently she damn near sucked the climax from him. Shivering, he got out of bed, walked to the bathroom and turned on his shower.
He was not at all surprised that she brought out his dominant nature. For years Claire had been pushing his buttons. The surprising thing was uncovering her obviously well-hidden submissive tendencies. For some reason it had never occurred to him that a true blue, died in the wool feminist who always wanted things her way would respond so passionately to a man’s control in the bedroom. Apparently, he’d fallen victim to the stereotype and what did that make him, other than dumb? Shaking his head, he got in the shower.
Travis didn’t bother to shave. It was Sunday and usually his day to do whatever the hell he wanted. Dressed in faded jeans, a black tee shirt and barefoot he headed toward the kitchen. He had no delusions about the woman who awaited him.
This morning the “I’ll be good” Claire would be gone as surely as a plume of smoke fades in the breeze. In her place would be the bossy, insistent woman who rattled his cage on a regular basis. Should he tell her he was going to approve her plans, or let her sweat? Let her sweat, he decided with a grin.
Hell, she was cooking he noted as he made his way around the mess in his living room. He could smell bacon… and coffee…and maybe something with a touch of cinnamon. Obviously bribery, but hey, he could be bribed now and then without turning into a complete wuss.
Entering the kitchen, he stared at Claire. Oddly enough she was also wearing faded jeans, a black tee-shirt and was barefoot, her hair pulled back into a ponytail. For a moment she squinted at him suspiciously before pointing to the bar stool.
“Sit,” she barked.
Sniffing the air appreciatively, he sat, his stomach growling.
“Is this a peace offering?” he asked when she placed a plate of French toast and bacon in front of him.
“If anyone should be proposing a peace offering, it should be you,” Claire sniffed, rolling her eyes. “After what you did…”
“I gave you what you wanted and obviously needed,” Travis defended himself as he poured syrup over his plate.
“That’s a matter of opinion,” she countered, fixing her plate and sitting down beside him. “In any case, I’d just as soon forget last night ever happened.”
“You can try,” Travis said with a grin as he snapped a piece of bacon in half with his teeth. “Just so you know, I have no intention of forgetting it and, in fact, intend to repeat it, or something similar as often as necessary.”
“Don’t you mean as often as possible?” she asked sarcastically, glancing at him from the corner of her eye.
“Have it your way, honey,” he conceded. “Give me the slightest provocation to correct you and I’m on it,” he promised.
“I know I provoke you. Do you want me to move out?”
“No,” he snapped back, fixing her with s stern gaze as he chewed. “I do, however, want your things placed back in storage ASAP.”
“Agreed. What about my business plan? You said you read it. What’s your opinion?”
“I…”
“And I might as well tell you that I’m going forward with it no matter what you think,” Claire burst out. “I really want this, Travis, and no one is going to stop me. I’m no business expert, but the need is there and even if I don’t make any money…”
Travis pressed his hand over her sticky lips and frowned. Claire stilled.
“See,” he pointed out, removing his hand. “That is exactly the kind of attitude that gets you into trouble. You didn’t even let me answer, just went off on a tangent about what you want. Now be quiet and let me talk.”
“But I want you to understand how important…”
“Shut up,” he ordered, leaning so close he could smell her maple scented breath. “Eat your breakfast. I’d like to enjoy mine in relative peace while it’s still warm.” Claire swiveled her stool back to the counter with a pout and Travis hid his smile. Ah, her obedience was a sweet thing.
When she finished eating, she jumped down and began cleaning up the kitchen as he helped himself to more bacon. Sipping his coffee, he took note of the work she’d obviously done last night. It also occurred to him as he watched her bending over in her snug jeans that he might have gone too easy on her. She should definitely be uncomfortable if he’d made a decent impression on her. It seemed to him that a woman who’d gotten a good spanking would prefer skirts or loose fitting clothes for a day or so and he filed that information away for future reference.
“Would you like more coffee?” she asked as she wiped off the counter after taking his plate.
“Please.”
“I’m going out on the terrace for a few minutes,” she stated as she refilled his cup.
Travis glowered at her for a moment before nodding. Stopping her from smoking was going to take some doing but he had no doubt with the right incentive and encouragement she could do it. They were going to discuss her habit.
“Meet me in my study when you’re done and we’ll go over everything.”
Claire nodded and slipped from the room.
***
Her hand shook as she stubbed out her second cigarette in a glass jar she’d placed out on the terrace last night. There was a lot riding on his decision and she had the sinking suspicion he was going to give her a hard time. It seemed all they’d done since George’s death was argue.
With a sigh she recalled the Travis from long ago, his tall athletic frame, his gorgeous smile. Oh how he’d tempted her back in the day and no one could have known how close she’d come to choosing him over George.
The two men were alike in many ways. Both of them were charming and fun to be with. The three of them had so many special times and she knew right from the beginning that her decision would affect all of their lives forever. In the end she’d chosen George even though she’d second guessed herself a hundred times before the wedding.
There was just something about Travis that frightened her a little. Inexperienced, she didn’t know the trill of fear that raced up her spine when he gave her a stern look was sexual in nature. Didn’t know that the slightly uncomfortable cramping she got in her tummy was a reaction to him grabbing her hand and yanking her close. To her it seemed a warning; watch out for this man, he can be dangerous.
At her age, it made sense to marry the one who felt nonthreatening. George, always gentle, always kind did his best to satisfy her. Even her climaxes were sweet and nothing at all like the shattering peaks Travis forced her to.
In many ways, Travis still frightened her. Not physically, although he was a powerful man, but on a different level. He could make her crave things, need things she’d shied away from for more years than she cared to remember.
Imagine him getting her to promise to be ‘a good girl.’ What the fuck! How did he know these things, what to say, how to touch her? Hell, one moment telling her to act her age and the next reducing her to a child, looking for approval and rewards from her what… Daddy… father figure… mentor? Just the thought of it gave her a headache and she realized she lit a third cigarette. In frustration, she flicked it away and watched in horror as it landed on the balcony below. Crap!
Leaning over the railing she had a ridiculous thought that if she lowered herself over and swung she might be able to land… no, they were more than twenty floors up for God’s sake. Running to the kitchen she got the broom and the Swiffer and hurried to her room. She foraged for a roll of packing tape. Laying them on the bed end to end she taped them together until they made a long, relatively sturdy pole. She raced back to the terrace holding it high over her head so she didn’t run into any sacked boxes.
She lowered the pole. Leaning as far as she could over the rail she heard the sliding door open. Instantly a strong hand was grasping the waist of her jeans and yanking her
back.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” he roared in outrage. “Have you lost your mind?” Snatching her makeshift pole from her hands, he tossed it down and glared at her.
“Um, I had a little mishap,” she sputtered, trying to inch away.
“What happened?” he demanded
“Well, I was having a smoke, thinking and I forgot I brought this jar out for my butts. I guess I sort of flicked one away. It landed down there,” she whispered, pointing to the terrace below.
“Get inside,” he ordered as he released her pants and pushed her toward the door.
Claire obeyed and watched as he leaned over and took a look shaking his head. He picked up the pole and rolled his eyes. Now that she thought about it, the length was obviously inadequate and she chewed her fingernail waiting to see what he would do.
Suddenly a gust of wind came up and the sky darkened. Travis leaned over again, picked up her pole and came inside, unwinding the tape.
“You are one lucky girl,” he informed her. “The wind took it.”
“Thank God,” she said, sagging in relief.
“You might not be saying that later when I get through with you.” Taking her arm, he led her to his office, stopping to stand the two wands in a corner. “Come along.”
“I didn’t mean it,” she insisted.
“I believe you, but that doesn’t change the facts.” Plopping her down on the leather couch, he released her and took a seat on the opposite end. On the stand beside him sat her folder. He picked it up.
Claire held her breath.
“I like it,” he told her, tapping the edge.
“What?” she gasped out.
“I like your plan. It looks like you’ve put a lot of thought into it and while there are a few things you didn’t consider, in general, it’s a sound business proposal. The money from the sale of your apartment hasn’t been invested yet as I was hoping you’d find some place you liked and I think it will be enough to buy the building and make the renovations, providing you’re careful. You’ll have to hire an architect and get estimates on the work, but all in all, I’m impressed.”
Widow on the Loose Page 10