by Cassie Ryan
He would bet if he used her bathroom he would find a tidy medicine cabinet and linen closet but a disheveled vanity, where things would be arrayed in front of her and she could just grab and go as needed.
Rusty startled him when the cat jumped up on the windowsill and settled in to watch the outside world. That was probably the feline’s normal perch while Kate was working in the recliner.
Dex started to smile at the purring tabby and then stopped himself. He would not let his sister talk him into adopting a cat. He wasn’t home enough. Even though the little buggers were independent and he enjoyed their company, as she pointed out every time he saw her, without much success.
Kate walked into the room, and all thoughts of anything but her vanished. She wore a flowing moss-colored green robe that made her green eyes stand out. A sash held the robe closed, and the silky garment was long enough to brush the tops of her bare feet.
Her long, black hair flowed over her shoulders, making her even more beautiful. He still couldn’t believe a Dom had cut off Kate’s hair. The man should have had more punishment from Ralston than just a fine that went to The Dungeon and not to Kate. Yet not even that would make up for what the asshole had done.
He ran his gaze over Kate again, taking in the entire package, and swallowed hard as desire punched him in the gut. His cock was now so hard it was uncomfortable. There would be no way for him to stand without her seeing the results of her entrance into the room.
He wasn’t in high school, he reminded himself. And they had met inside a BDSM club, so she wouldn’t be surprised if she caused a reaction in him.
He stood and faced her.
Her gaze immediately zeroed in on his straining erection. He loved the sinful smile that she wore just before she raised her gaze to his face.
Dex remained silent, holding back an answering smile the best he could. He wasn’t going to raise the subject, so to speak, if she wasn’t. “You make quite an entrance.” He gestured toward the bed, ignoring the elephant in the room that they both knew was there. “Why don’t you lie on your stomach so I can look at those marks?”
Chapter 10
Kate swallowed hard as she took in the unmistakable outline of Master Dex’s very thick erection. She wasn’t sure why it had caught her off guard. After all, they had very good chemistry, and Master Dex had shown her in the VIP lounge that he was affected by her as well.
She’d been kissed before by men who thought of her only as a willing body, but Master Dex had kissed her like she was a beautiful, desirable woman.
She definitely knew the difference.
When he hadn’t pressed for sex, or gotten off in some other way during their scene, she thought he would have taken care of that at home like most of her Doms when she didn’t agree to intercourse. But then again, Master Dex seemed like a man with a high libido. Even if he had taken care of himself when he got home, he could be ready again.
The thought sent a spurt of excitement and anticipation through her. She would have to drop the robe for him to look over all of her marks, and there was no reason she couldn’t do a little tempting in the process. Doing that with a Dom was definitely playing with fire, but with Master Dex, she looked forward to getting burned. A smile curved her lips as she thought about Dex’s hungry gaze roaming over her.
Even though she normally refused intercourse with any Dom until they had gotten to know each other, she felt like she and Master Dex had already done that. Between their time in the VIP lounge, their scene, and then dinner at Norms, she had a pretty good idea who Dex really was. She already trusted him. And she was more than ready for the next step.
Hmmm.
Bringing herself back to what he had just said, she pushed her long hair over one shoulder and stepped close to her bed. She turned to face Master Dex and watched his expression carefully as she untied the sash of her robe. The silky material parted to reveal her naked breasts and belly. Master Dex’s gaze intensified, making him look like he wanted to devour her on the spot.
A rush of pleasure spilled through her at his reaction. “Did you need to see any of the smaller marks on the front of my body where a few of the flogger’s strands hit?” She opened the robe, holding it wide as his gaze took in every detail. She thought she heard a small growl in the back of his throat as he stepped forward.
When he stood in front of her, he knelt on one knee so he could take a closer look without bending over.
He was so tall that he seemed to always be compensating for it. She wondered if he had loved or hated that growing up.
Dex reached out to touch her and stopped with his hand just inches from her skin, leaving her jumpy and having to resist leaning forward to feel his warm hand against her. After a long moment, she realized he was asking permission to touch her. He was honoring the limits she’d outlined, as well as being respectful of her in every way.
Warmth settled in her chest that had everything to do with a growing attachment to the man before her.
She would have to be very careful around Dex. He was already getting past her safeguards, and she could see how he could easily burrow deeper until she was lost. He was an amazing Dom, and from what she knew so far, a good man in general. But that would make it all the easier to lose her heart down the line if she didn’t guard it carefully.
She looked into his intense gaze and her skin warmed at what she saw there. “I trust you,” she added, which earned her a sexy smile. He took his time, inspecting every mark he found. Slowly running his finger along some on her mons, hip, and belly, which had the worst bruising but didn’t hurt at all.
Each touch of his slightly roughened fingertip sent sizzling awareness through her, revving her body until she was oversensitized and ready to throw herself into his arms—Dom or not.
It would be a total violation of sub protocol, but they weren’t in a scene, and as he’d said, this was her personal space. But even so, a punishment from Master Dex wouldn’t be a hardship.
She knew he wouldn’t use impact play since she was already recovering from an intense session, but all of the other possible scenarios spilled through her mind, both intriguing her and making her nipples harden to tight, sensitive points.
As if Dex could sense the change, he glanced at her very hard nipples and then farther up to meet her gaze. “I was right, Kate. You have amazing breasts.” Rather than tweak her nipple like he had in the VIP lounge, he ran that wonderfully callused fingertip around her areola, circling the nipple and making it even more rigid, while sending sparks of arousal shooting through her.
“Thank you…” She tried to add “Dex” without the honorific, but it didn’t sound right. The habit of adding “Master” before a Dom’s name was well ingrained. She could think of him as Dex, but saying it out loud would take getting used to.
He licked his lips and she grew wetter between her thighs, all internal struggles about what to call him now irrelevant. She decided to try the next step in tempting him. She inched forward, pulling her shoulders back so her breasts jutted out very near Master Dex’s mouth.
His gaze had become a laser beam that seared from her face down to her very hard nipples.
“I don’t see any bad marks on those lovely breasts, Kate,” he teased her. “But I do enjoy this view.”
She sighed, frustration spinning through her that he hadn’t taken one of her aching tips into his mouth.
“Are you sure?” she asked, although she already knew the answer. “I remember a few of the lashes coming around the sides of my breasts that felt pretty intense at the time.”
Dex’s nostrils flared as if he could smell her increased arousal.
He chuckled before speaking. “You’re wicked, Kate. I normally love that in a woman, both on and off the dungeon floor, but we need to concentrate on your bruises right now.”
Kate bit back her impatience. She’d finally found a Dom she really wanted in her bed on the first night they met, and he was being honorable about it. Later she might appreciate
the respect he was showing her. At least she would if she weren’t still horny and dying to have him inside her.
She needed to be careful. Right now, Dex seemed too good to be true, and she had always taken the stance that anything that seemed that way usually was.
He leaned closer to glance at some of the more prominent bruises on her mons and the front of her hip. He looked like he was going to reach out and trace them with his finger, and a flash of disappointment bit at her when he straightened instead. “Those don’t look bad. They should be gone in a few days.”
She swallowed and closed her eyes tight, sad that the marks would be gone soon.
Hoping to prod him into touching her as she wanted, but still feeling her way around this “outside The Dungeon” dynamic with her new Dom, she quickly dropped the robe. Cooler air hit her sensitized sin, and gooseflesh marched over her as she watched Master Dex’s expression.
Even though she had held open her robe for him to inspect his handiwork, when his eyes dilated and he took a deep breath, a hot thrill zinged through her.
“You’re stunning.” His sexy smile sent the telltale heat searing into her cheeks. “I brought something specially made to ease discomfort and speed healing from impact play.” He held it up for her to see, and she wondered why she hadn’t noticed him carrying it before.
Because you were too busy drooling over him, her inner voice accused.
Oblivious to her internal dialogue, Dex captured her with his focused gaze. “I don’t want to ruin your bedspread. This stuff is great, but it can stain lighter fabrics. Why don’t you pull that down so it’s out of the way?”
Kate tried her best to stay cool and not look as impatient as she felt. She had no problem pulling down the comforter. As he pointed out, it would keep her cream-colored comforter from getting ruined, but the thought of him massaging her while she lay naked on her bed made her pulse jump and tight arousal pool in her belly.
She folded back the comforter and then folded it again until she could easily take it off the bed and drape it across her recliner.
She glanced up into Master Dex’s handsome face before she crawled onto the bed and lay on her stomach, her right cheek against her pillow so she could still see him.
He immediately moved closer to the bed and leaned over her, silently inspecting her back, ass, and thighs for a minute or so. The first light touch against her skin startled her, making her jerk.
“Is that painful?” he asked, the deep vibration of his voice sending sparks of need through her belly…and lower.
“No,” she answered truthfully. “That last one you touched is slightly tender, which is about where they usually are at this stage. The ones at the base of my nape and on my right shoulder blade are the only really bad ones.”
“Hmm,” was Dex’s only response as he gently touched the spots she’d mentioned.
They were painful to the touch, and unlike the others, they continued to hurt even when they weren’t being touched in any way.
“Those two spots are right over bones, so that’s most likely why they took more abuse than everywhere else. Have you ever had this happen before?”
She tried to shake her head, but realized it would be difficult with her cheek against the pillow. “The last time I had a good flogging, the Dom kept the lashes much lower, only coming up to my waist.”
He gently traced the spot on her shoulder blade and she winced. “What about the other times you were flogged? None of those caused this reaction?”
“No, but they all used only the thicker type of tails. Probably why I enjoyed yours more. I really liked the thinner ones. No one had ever used a combination flogger on me before, or a purely sting-type flogger. I loved both of those. And most of them concentrated on my lower back and ass.”
Master Dex rested a gentle hand on the top of her head, gently massaging her scalp for a moment. “Neither of these looks dangerous, so I don’t think an ER trip is necessary unless you want to go. If so, I’m happy to drive you. I want to make sure you’re taken care of.”
His mention of the ER surprised her. “Have you ever had to take someone to the ER after impact play?” She was purely curious. She couldn’t see Master Dex ever pushing a sub to a point that would leave marks that bad.
“A few times.” His voice had an underlying thread of long-ago emotion.
She smiled. Dex truly cared about people, and it showed in everything he did and said.
“Never one of my subs, but there are people who have certain places that are much more sensitive, and if a Dom doesn’t pay attention, they can get bad pretty quickly. I’m surprised I didn’t notice these were getting so painful for you.”
She could tell he was angry with himself, but it wasn’t his fault, and she wanted to make sure he knew it. “They weren’t this uncomfortable during our session, and it wasn’t too much, or I would’ve dropped the scarf. I loved it.” She raised her head to try to look up at him, but he was too tall for her to do it comfortably.
When he noticed what she was trying to do, he sat on the edge of the bed and looked down at her so she could meet his gaze out of her peripheral vision.
“It wasn’t until a few hours after I got home that they really started to bother me. I admit I’m pretty stubborn—especially about going to the doctor—but if it had gotten to a point that worried me, I would’ve gone to the ER myself.”
He made a small sound of frustration. “If you’re injured that badly from one of our sessions, you tell me immediately. If you get home and you notice something is wrong, call 911. If you’re trying to talk yourself out of getting it checked out, call me right away. Understood?”
“Yes, sir,” she answered, since it was definitely said in his Dom tone, and she knew a response was expected.
He ran one warm finger over her cheek. “I take the well-being of my subs very seriously. Your safety comes first, then your pleasure. Both are my responsibility.”
“Yes, sir.”
He leaned over and brushed a kiss across her cheek, his warm breath against her skin sending skitters of awareness through her entire body. “I’d like to put some of this liniment on you. It’s very soothing and healing for this kind of injury.”
“Injury?” She pushed up onto her forearms and turned to face him, bristling at his description. “You didn’t injure me.”
Dex held up his hands, palms out. “Whoa there. While flogging is enjoyable for some, it is still something impacting the skin, and causing damage—in the form of bruising—which the body needs to heal.”
She huffed out a breath, seeing his point, but not wanting to admit it. “You’re right, of course,” she said with a sigh. “I just don’t like the idea of this being an injury when it felt so amazing.”
He gave a single nod. “It’s not the best analogy, but it’s similar to people who are serious ballet dancers or gymnasts. They inflict injuries on their bodies each time they perform or practice, and yet they love it, so they don’t stop. After a while, they don’t even notice the pain. The endorphins and the enjoyment makes it all worth it.”
Dex brushed a kiss across her forehead, leaving a trail of heat that she felt down to her toes. “There’s nothing wrong with enjoying impact play, Kate, and you have no need to be ashamed of it. People love many things that are much more destructive to their bodies than this. But you do need to be very aware of the healing process, and take care of yourself.”
She heard him unscrew the top of the liniment jar and then he shifted closer. “Lie flat and relax. I’ll try to be careful around your painful spots, but let me know if you need me to stop or skip those. The witch hazel and lavender in this are both very helpful.”
She dropped down so her breasts were pressed against the sheet again, her right cheek against her pillow, her arms around it.
The first soft touch of Dex’s hand surprised her. The liniment glided on silky smooth, while the gentle scents of vanilla and lavender, mixed with others she didn’t recognize, filled the air
. It wasn’t an unpleasant smell, but she nearly laughed at the fact that now she would associate it with this very hot and virile Dom.
“Am I tickling you?” he asked with amusement in his deep voice.
“No. I was just thinking that whenever I smell something similar to this it’s going to remind me of you. The sexy, badass Dom doesn’t seem to pair well with lavender and vanilla.” She laughed as he pinched her arm playfully.
“There are a lot of remedies out there that smell horrible, so this one is heavenly in comparison.” He dabbed on more of the concoction and rubbed it into her skin in gentle circles, his large hands warm and mesmerizing. She lost herself to the decadent and relaxing sensations of Dex’s attention to her shoulders, back, and ass. He was very thorough, and as he moved on to the next section, the places he had already massaged felt relaxed and slightly tingly.
Once he was done rubbing the liniment into the tender skin on her ass, he veered off to work on the back of her thigh.
He gave his complete attention to every inch of the backs of her legs with the wonderful salve. Because some of the tails of the flogger had snaked around to the inside of her thighs since she’d been standing with her legs spread, Dex pushed her thighs apart and made sure the sensitive skin there was taken care of too. Every nerve ending went on high alert, and her pussy clenched, begging to be filled.
A low moan escaped before she could stop it.
“I had thirteen orgasms not too long ago, and all I can think about is having more. Well, that, and having you inside me.”
Dex paused in his ministrations. “You had a specific limit around intercourse, Kate. Especially outside of The Dungeon, without prior discussion and approval. I don’t want to blur that line for you. This was important for your healing. It wasn’t a way to get you to agree to sex before you’re ready.”