He clicked his tongue against his teeth. “How old are you again?”
“I’ll be thirty in December, and you know it, because I know you googled me.”
“Yes, I did. That makes you a few years younger than I am. And in my opinion, it makes you old enough to make your own decisions. Why are your parents determined to make them for you, and why are you letting them?”
“I’m not letting them. I’m here, aren’t I?”
“And you left your cell phone at my house so you could dodge calls from your parents, right?”
His words shocked her to the core. “How did you know that?”
“I’m right, aren’t I?”
She nodded. “It goes back to my wild and wicked days. My parents have never been very good parents, really. Father was always too busy with work and whatever mistress he had on the side at the time. Mother was busy with charity work and screwing whichever gardener we employed at the time. We had a nanny that kept us on a pretty tight leash.”
She leaned over and kissed him gently. “And it was nothing like the leash you put on me, I can guarantee it.”
“That’s good to hear.” He kissed her back. “Now, continue.”
“When I went to college, I sorta broke away from everything. I studied art history and got my degree, in between my partying and friends. I did so much partying it took me almost six years to get that degree.”
“Yes, I read that. It was after you graduated that you went a little wild.”
“It’s a good thing the lights are off so you can’t see me blush,” she said softly. “Yes, I went wild. I came into my trust fund at age twenty-five, and I used it to travel everywhere I could think of. Anna came with me, and we had a great time. We partied and raised hell all over Europe and Asia, and then we hit the Caribbean and South America.”
The room was silent for a few minutes, and then she sighed. “Of course, two rich girls raising hell and getting naked in public attracts attention. My parents were ‘ashamed and embarrassed’ when various videos and photos would show up on gossip programs or in tabloids and magazines. Somehow it was me getting naked and not Anna.”
They both laughed. “She has better sense than I do, I think.”
“That doesn’t explain why your parents are intent on controlling your life.”
“Well, I’m an Alexander. I have a responsibility to uphold the good name, and if I won’t do it, then by God, he’ll find a way to rein me in.”
“With Henry Isaacs?”
Clarissa shrugged. “The first in a long line of suitors. I scared most of them away by telling them about my tats and piercings and explaining I’d had a girlfriend at one point. I think they were afraid my past would come back to haunt them. Henry’s the only one who has stuck around. It makes me wonder if he needs money or something.”
“You had a girlfriend?” He sat up a little straighter.
“I burned all the videos from that time, so you’re out of luck.”
He snapped his fingers and shook his head. “Damn it.” He winked at her. “So, why are you staying in New York if you don’t want to get married? Why give up the travel and partying?”
“Well, Anna got married, and it seemed like everyone else who wanted to tag along was only after my money. So I came home to live for a few months and just sorta stayed. That was when my father started pushing ‘appropriate’ men in my face.”
She cleared her throat and started to speak in an imitation of a man’s voice. “Time to get married, time to settle down and have children. You have responsibilities to your family. You can have those tats removed, you know, and the holes from the piercings will grow back together.”
“Do they know about them all?”
“Oh yes, they do. My mother was mortified when she realized I had pierced nipples, not to mention a ring in my pussy. I think she cried for days about what a horrid daughter I was and how people talked about me being a slut.”
He pushed her backward, and she landed on the pillows. She inhaled sharply when his fingers invaded her pussy. “We need to put several more rings in here. Two or three on each side of your labia and I will be able to lace it together. That would be pretty.”
“Kinky, I like that.”
“Me too.” He leaned over and captured a nipple in his mouth, sucking greedily before letting it pop free. “I would like to talk about us.”
“Us?”
“Yes. I haven’t had a collared sub in years, and as far as I’m concerned, you’re a candidate for the position.”
Her heart raced out of control, and she clutched the bedspread next to her. “What exactly are you proposing?”
“You know we’re going to Laughlin this weekend?” When she nodded, he continued. “I have a house out there, in the middle of nowhere. I like to go there to get away. I propose when we get there, we play some heavy games, discuss BDSM and what would be expected of you, and of me, in our relationship.”
“Go on.”
“If we decide to make things permanent, Rissa, you’d have to surrender yourself to me in every way. I would control your body and mind sexually. You would accede to all my wishes in physical matters and in our private life together.”
There was another comfortable silence while she contemplated his words. “You’re talking about me moving to Las Vegas, into your house?”
“Yes.”
“Would I have to wear a collar?”
“Yes, a sign that I own you.”
Excitement mixed with fear at his words. “My parents want to own me, and so does Henry.”
“There are different types of ownership. They want to change you, to mold you into what they want. I want you to be the same fun-loving woman that’s lying naked before me. I want us to take a journey together, led by me, yes, but participated in by both of us. I can promise you, I don’t expect you to join the country club and pop out babies. The last thing I want is a clone of your mother and mine.”
He held up a finger. “That came out harsh. I’m sorry. I love my mother, but she’s much like yours, except for the fact she married my father, a broke archaeologist she met on a dig at Mesa Verde. She tried, and failed, to break out of the mold.”
Clarissa sat up and toyed with another piece of pizza. “I had no idea Nadine Tremont was your mother. It floored me, because it doesn’t say it anywhere in your bios.”
“My parents divorced when I was twelve. I wanted to stay out here, with my father, and my mother agreed. When I opened the casino, she asked that I keep our relationship silent. She’s embarrassed by the fact she has a son that runs a ‘gambling establishment,’ where ‘hookers’ might frequent. Her words, not mine.”
Clarissa scooted closer and put her head in his lap. “It seems everyone already knew, though. Well, everyone except me.”
His touch was light against her face. “What do you say, Clarissa? Shall we take this to stage two?”
She didn’t even have to think twice about her decision. “Throttle up, Maddox, or should I call you Master now?”
His seductive smile made her groan. “Maddox, for now. It’s your last night as a free, unattached woman. When we get to my house in Laughlin tomorrow, you surrender yourself to me totally, agreed?”
“Agreed.”
“Good. Now, I’d like to discuss this girlfriend you had. Are you sure there are no videos or photos of the two of you eating each other? A sixty-nine maybe?”
She pushed at his chest even as he gathered her close, spreading kisses over her cheeks. She tried to get away, and they wrestled, sending the mostly empty pizza box onto the floor and overturning the glasses full of soda that had been resting on the tray nearby.
Clarissa gasped in mock horror, then pointed to his groin. “Will you look at that! You can get it up three times a night. I think you’re a keeper.”
“I’ll show you a keeper.” She tried to scramble off the bed, but he held her close, flipping her onto her stomach before climbing on top of her. He straddled her, his erect
ion planted firmly in the crack of her ass. Her pussy throbbed with need, and she bucked her hips as much as she could with him resting on top of her. “Now, let’s see if you can take it more than once a night, shall we?”
“Bring it on, baby. I’m more than ready.”
Desert Surrender
Chapter Nine
Clarissa stretched, then yelped when Maddox’s hand came down on her bare ass.
“Ouch!” She fluffed out her hair and turned to him with an innocent smile. “What exactly was that for?”
“General purposes. You’ve made me late for work, and I’m never late for work.”
“Obviously you are now, so that statement is patently false.” She turned and sat on the marble bathroom counter. “Want to play some more before you go to the sawmill, darling?”
His lips were soft against hers for a brief minute before he pulled back and looked down. “Close your legs. That sight is much too inviting, and I really do need to get things done before we leave today.”
“Too bad.” She leaned back against the mirror, drawing her legs up onto the counter and spreading them wide. She stroked her slit, then slipped her fingers inside, rubbing her clit. “Oh, that feels good.”
“Enjoy it while you can, little one. When we get in the car for Henderson, that pussy becomes mine, and mine alone. You will play with it when I say, come when I say, do exactly as I say.”
Clarissa raised her free hand to her breast, teasing her nipple. “Sounds wonderful.”
“Shall we test your ability to follow orders? Come for me. Now.”
She moved her fingers faster, her clit drawing tight in response.
“When I say right now, that’s what I mean. Come now.”
“I’m almost there.”
“Not good enough. Do it right now.” The hard tone of his voice made her shiver, and she pinched her clit, peaking instantly.
“Maddox! Oh fuck! Need. Your…dick.” She continued to rub, intent on another orgasm while he watched. “No!” she screamed out as he grasped her wrist and pulled her hand away.
“I said come, and you did. You don’t have permission for another one. And you will learn to come exactly when I say, not a minute after, exactly at that time.” Her body quivered as he stared at her. “Do you understand me?”
No one had ever talked to her like that before, and it produced an exhilaration that made her senses soar. “Yes.”
“Yes, Master.”
“Yes, Master.” Heavens above, what was she doing? She swore no one would ever have control over her, and yet here she was, allowing him to tell her what to do. And she liked it. A lot.
“I will know, Clarissa, if you violate my order. If that happens, I’ll stop the car on the way to Laughlin, put you over the hood, take off my belt. Do I need to continue?”
She shook her head violently. There was no doubt in her mind he would do exactly as he said, despite his earlier insistence about not doing things in public because of his gaming license. Somehow he’d find a way to spank her on the side of the road. Problem was, she would probably encourage it and enjoy it very much.
“Good. Now, I have work to do, and you can hardly wear the dress you had on last night all day long. Charge some clothes at the boutique. Tell them to put it on my account. Then you have the day to play. Be back here at three, and we’ll go to Henderson, close up the house, and leave from there.”
“Yes, Master.” He cupped her neck, guided her head toward his. She moaned into his mouth as he kissed her gently. “Go by the front desk sometime today. They’ll give you a key to the elevator and the room.”
“Aye, aye, Captain.” She tried to hide her smile as he shook his head. He turned for the door, calling out behind him, “Three o’clock.”
She heard the front door open and close, then leaned against the mirror, closing her eyes as her hand absentmindedly disappeared between her legs. Just one more. She’d stroke herself to the image of her bent over the car, him behind her, his belt doubled over in his hands. She’d never been spanked, never had the fantasy of being spanked, and yet when Maddox proposed it, she wanted to do it, right then and there.
What did that say? Was it because of the action he proposed or because it was him? She knew the answer to that without hesitation. It was him. All him. Her fingers found her clit and tugged gently. One more wouldn’t hurt. And he’d never know. She stroked the still-buzzing pulse of her pussy, gasping when his voice rang out.
“I see how you are. It seems we need to start your lessons now.” She saw him leaning against the doorjamb, studying her. “What did I tell you?”
“I’m sorry, Maddox, I…”
He held up his index finger. “No, you’re never sorry. Maybe disappointed you got caught, but never sorry.” He straightened himself, his hands going to his belt buckle. “Stand up and bend over.”
“You said—”
“Now, Clarissa.”
Her heart seemed to skip a beat as she studied him, standing there in dark slacks and a light green shirt and dark tie. He pulled the belt from the loops in one swift movement, then doubled it over in his hands. “I’m waiting.”
She inched off the countertop, then turned and braced her hands against the marble. He advanced behind her, his reflection in the mirror making her gasp. He looked menacing with the belt in his hand. He also looked so damn sexy she thought her juices would wet the floor.
“I can’t believe you disobeyed me so quickly. Why did you do that?”
“Because, I…” She licked her lips and then looked down at the marble.
“Look at me.” She glanced back up. He grabbed her hair and drew her head back toward him. She kept her gaze trained on him in the mirror. “I’m not one of those Doms you’ve read about who likes lowered gazes. I like to see my sub’s face and eyes when she talks to me. Now, answer the question.”
“Because, I…”—she moaned softly—“got excited when you mentioned spanking me. I didn’t want to wait. I’m sor—”
“No, you say, ‘I’ll do better next time, Master.’ Never say you’re sorry when you disobey an order. That word is reserved for accidents only, and this situation doesn’t warrant that. If you were sorry, you wouldn’t have done it in the first place.”
A blush crept up her face. She once again felt like a child caught with her hand in the cookie jar. “I’ll do better next time, Master.”
“Very good.” He ran the leather up her thigh, and she shook with need. “And since you want this belt so much, you can’t have it. Not yet.”
“Master?” Good Lord, what was happening to her? She felt like a puddle of goo right now, ready to sink to the floor and do anything he wanted. If she thought it would do any good, she’d beg for a spanking; she wanted it so badly.
“Don’t worry, you’ll get it later, when I deem the time right. Now, what are you not going to do when I leave?”
“Not play with my pussy.” She shot him a sly grin. “Truthfully, I’ll probably check the door to make sure you’ve really left.”
She watched a smile play across his lips. Then he stepped back and threaded his belt back through the loops. There was a huge part of her that hated that sight. She wanted to taste the leather, see what it felt like. The clink of the buckle made her look down; then she looked back up to see him studying her. “Three o’clock, missy.”
“Missy?”
“Your new name, short for Miss Smarty Pants.”
“I already have four names. What’s wrong, can’t you remember one of those?”
Without answering, he turned toward the door. “Three o’clock.” The door opened and closed, the sound seeming to reverberate as it hadn’t the last time. Clarissa stayed in place, her hands on the counter. She took several deep breaths to try and calm her nerves, which were on edge, waiting for him to come back; then she looked up, gasping when she saw Maddox’s reflection in the mirror.
“Good girl.” And then he turned and left, and a huge smile broke over her face. She’d de
finitely passed some sort of test, even if she’d missed a few of the questions in the process.
* * * * *
Clarissa held out her credit card. When the young woman wouldn’t take it, she jiggled it in front of her face.
“I apologize, Ms. Alexander, we’re under strict instructions from Mr. Perry that all your purchases are to go on his account. I can’t accept your credit card.”
“Oh, well, isn’t it nice of him to let everyone know we’re screwing.” She smoothed her hand down her new sundress.
The woman let out a laugh, then put a hand in front of her face to hide a smile.
“If you call the tabloids to report this, make sure they pay you. They usually give tipsters at least a Benjamin for information on me. In this case, I’d ask for two, since you have confirmation from me. ‘A source close to Ms. Alexander said she sucked Mr. Perry’s cock last night, and it was delicious.’ Sorry, we didn’t take pictures.” She picked up the bag containing the dress she’d worn last night and glanced inside. The two linen shirts she’d bought were nestled in paper. She’d also bought two T-shirts with the Moonglow logo on them—a crescent moon nestled in the center of the shirt with sequined stars twinkling around it. She planned to use part of her free time today to mail one of them to Anna as a token thank-you for putting up with her angry father.
Thinking of him made her wonder about her phone, sitting at Maddox’s house. How many missed calls were on it now? How many messages from her parents, her father’s anger rising with each one, her mother’s mock crying in despair about the shame Clarissa brought to the family with her actions?
She could almost hear her mother now. Really, Clarissa, I don’t care who his mother is. He’s a casino owner. He’s just not up to our standards.
Clarissa winked at the obviously shocked clerk, then headed out the door. She would retrieve Maddox’s car from the valet, find the nearest post office, and mail Anna’s package. Then she’d do what she did best. Find a mall and do some shopping. Or maybe she should find a tattoo parlor, get a moon inked on her ass or her pussy. She dismissed that idea immediately. Too much healing time, and she wanted her body ready for Maddox to play with while they were in the desert.
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