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had rented the little studio to her when she’d taken the waitressing job there. Jen turned the corner of the alley that led into the parking lot, and Stef jogged to catch up. He wouldn’t let her close the door on
him.
She stopped at the bottom of the stairs and turned. She fairly
vibrated with rage. “What are you doing, Stef?”
That was an awfully good question, and he didn’t have much of an
answer. He came up with the safest one he could find. “Protecting
you.”
She rolled those green eyes. In the moonlight her skin looked like
fine porcelain. “From what? Max said all the bad guys are dead.”
He groped for an answer to that. “But the bikers are still around.
Until they know the hit is off Zane, they’ll still look for him.”
She walked straight up to him and shoved a finger into his chest.
“Then go protect Zane. I don’t need your protection, Stef. I don’t
want it, and I don’t want you.”
“Liar.” She’d always wanted him. She’d thrown herself at him. He
just hadn’t thought it was a good idea to catch her.
She shook her head. “Nope. After the stunt you pulled tonight, I
have zero desire to have anything to do with you. As a matter of fact, I should thank your perverted ass. Thank you, Stef. Thank you for
finally showing me what an asshole you are. It totally frees me up to
find someone who can actually get it up around me.”
He actually saw red. It swam in front of his eyes like a mist,
clouding everything, making the world seem a little unreal.
She just kept talking. “I think that tomorrow I’m going to do what
Callie didn’t manage to do. I’m going to find myself some hot tourist
and fuck the hell out of him. I’ve wasted a year and a half hoping you
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would actually see me. That’s not going to happen because you can’t
fuck a woman who doesn’t kiss your feet. Can you, King Stefan?”
He tried to breathe deeply. “Stop. Jennifer, if you stop now, I
might be able to walk away.”
“If there’s one thing I am sure of it’s your ability to walk away
from me.” She turned on her heels. “Go back home, Stef. I’m done
with you.”
He reached out and grabbed her, hauling her back by her wrist.
She stumbled, but he caught her.
“What are you doing?” She yelled the question as she tried to get
her balance back.
Stef was done talking. Talking didn’t mean anything to her. He’d
tried to explain. He’d tried to stay away. He’d tried to be her friend.
She wouldn’t stop pushing. He planted his shoulder in her midsection
and had her in a fireman’s hold before she could move.
Her hands beat on his back. He welcomed the sensation.
“Put me down, you jackass!”
He climbed the stairs toward her apartment with no thought but
getting her inside and showing her just how fast he could get it up
around her. He could handle the accusation that he was an asshole.
That was a simple, documented fact. But he was always hard around
her. Fuck, half the time he couldn’t breathe when she was around.
And he knew he couldn’t think. How could he be expected to when
all the blood in his body shifted to his cock the minute she walked in a room?
He reached out and opened the door. It opened without the need of
a key.
“Damn it, Jennifer. Anyone could walk in here.”
“Yeah, I’m getting that now.” She pounded on his back. She tried
kicking her legs, but he had a good hold on those. “Let me down,
Stef.”
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He set her on her feet and shut the door. He had her in a neat little
cage now. She wouldn’t be able to get away from him. She stumbled,
trying to put some distance between them.
“Get out.”
He looked around and quickly found what he needed. She had a
pile of folded laundry in a hamper on a table in the small kitchen area.
Delicates. He selected a tiny pink thong. It would look lovely between the cheeks of her ass. He had another use in mind.
“OMG, you are such a perv,” she ranted on. “You’re going to
steal my panties? You ignore me for over a year, and then you steal
my undies?”
“We can do this the easy way or the hard way.” He heard his Dom
voice turn on. It was low and seemed to come from a place deep
inside his chest. It felt good to lose control, like a drug running
through his system, lighting up his every nerve.
She finally stopped, and her eyes widened. “What are you talking
about?”
Good girl. She was finally getting it. That little hint of fear in her eyes hardened his already rock-hard cock to painful proportions. If he didn’t get out of his pants soon, they might split on him. “Give me
your hands so I can tie you up.”
There it was, that little hitch in her breath that had nothing to do
with fear. Despite it, she shook her head. “No. No, Stef. That’s a bad idea.”
“Yes,” he agreed. “But it’s going to happen. Easy way or hard
way, Jennifer. It’s your choice.”
Her throat moved up and down as she swallowed. Her eyes darted
around the room, and her chest heaved. She closed her eyes for a
moment, and when she opened them the fear was gone, replaced with
a glint of challenge. “Oh, I think it’s going to be very hard, Master
Stefan.”
He’d always known she would be fun to play with, but he wasn’t
playing now. This was serious. “Safe word. Pick one now.”
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She didn’t prevaricate or pretend to misunderstand. She spat out
her chosen word as though she’d always had it in her back pocket,
just waiting to use. “Impressionist.”
“Excellent.” What he was about to do to her was so far away from
gauzy and slightly surreal. It would be rough and hard. “You can run,
if you like.”
“Fuck you, Stef.” She turned and ran for her bathroom.
He was on her before she’d gotten three steps. He grabbed her
around the waist and eased her to the floor. Using his weight to pin
her down, he bound her hands in the silky thong and flipped her over.
“God, you’re good at that.” There was no mistaking the
admiration in her tone. It was another thing he loved about her. Her
perversion seemed to match his own. If only he could trust her to
know her own heart at such a young age.
He put a hand on her lips. “No. No talking.”
“That might be hard for me.”
“Then let me make it easy.” He got off her and quickly swung her
up. He sat on her lumpy couch and had her over his lap in a second.
He pulled at the denim of her miniskirt. She wore a pair of cotton
panties. They were easy to rip off her.
“Damn it, Stef. I just bought those.”
He brought his hand down on the fleshy part of her ass. “No
cussing.”
She gasped and went still under him. “You spanked me.”
He brought his hand down again, loving the way her ass got pink.
“Yes, love, what did you expect?” Another slap, right on the pretty
creas
time you disobey me.”
“Every time,” she agreed with a husky moan.
His hand came down again. “That’s one for cussing. And one for
questioning me.”
“I didn’t question you.”
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Smack. “And another for arguing. And ten for giving me hell all night long.”
He spanked her, sparing her not at all. His hand came down in
short arcs, delivering his punishment all over her cheeks. He could
feel her crying, but not once did she ask him to stop or scream out her safe word. She simply held on to his legs as though seeking more
connection. They were partners in play and pleasure. When he was
done he admired his work. Her ass was hot pink, and he could smell
her arousal. He slipped a finger between her cheeks and let it slide
toward her pussy. She was coated in cream.
He set her on her feet and unbound her hands. Her face was as red
as her cheeks. “Clothes off, Jennifer. Then sit in my lap.”
She was still for a moment. “You hurt me.”
“No. I tortured you a little. If I had really hurt you, you would
have said your safe word. You would have fought me.” He held his
hand up, showing her the juice glistening on his fingers. He brought
them to his mouth and sucked them inside, tasting her for the first
time. He sucked every ounce of her tangy cream off his fingers. “That
pussy of yours is throbbing, isn’t it? Do you know how delicious you
taste? Do you know what a meal I could make of you?”
“You’ll be the death of me, Stef.”
Her hands went to the hem of her shirt. She pulled it over her head
and tossed it aside. They would go over proper procedure later, but
for now he wanted her against him more than he wanted to follow
protocol. She wasn’t wearing a bra. Stef stared at her perfectly formed breasts. They were small, but adorable. They would fit perfectly in the palm of his hand. Her nipples were brown and pink and tight with
arousal. She shimmied out of her skirt and panties and placed herself
on his lap. Her arms went around his neck.
“You’re beautiful, love.” He pushed her hair back. Why had he
waited? It felt so right to have her in his arms. His anxiety had fled, leaving only a sense of joyous anticipation. Jennifer was naked, her
breath warm against his neck. This was where he needed to be.
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“I feel beautiful when you look at me like that.” She cuddled
close, all of her previous worry seemingly gone.
“Give me your mouth.”
She turned her face up obediently. Stef brought his lips down on
hers and kissed her the way he’d wanted to from the moment he’d met
her. He devoured her. His mouth ate at hers hungrily, tongue invading
the moment she opened her lips. He swept in and tangled their
tongues together in a lustful dance. He wanted her like he hadn’t
wanted anyone before. All the gorgeous submissives he’d claimed
before couldn’t hold a candle to the way she moved him.
Before he knew it he was on top of her, spreading her legs and
making a place for himself at her silky pussy. He didn’t hold his
weight off her. He wanted to sink into her and lose himself.
He let his hands find her breasts, and his mouth followed close
behind. He popped a pink nipple in his mouth and sucked, delighting
in the way she groaned and moved beneath him. His hips pumped
against hers.
“Stef.” She moaned his name again and again.
“Do you want me, love?” He needed to hear her say it.
“So much.” Her eyes pleaded with him.
His hands went to the fly of his pants. He knew he should get off
her. He should take control—of her, of himself. He tore open his
pants and shoved them and his boxers down. His cock sprang free.
“Wow,” Jen said in a breathy little voice that did amazing things
for his ego. Her small hand came out and touched him. He stared at
the sight. He had always been fascinated with her hands. He loved
how they moved across a canvas as she stroked a painting to life.
Now they ran across his cock, making him feel more alive than he had
in years.
“Stef, I’m on the pill. I’m clean.”
It was all he needed. He’d had a physical and hadn’t ever had sex
without a condom before. He wanted her with nothing in between
them. He pushed her hands away and lined his cock up with her
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soaked pussy. He pulled her legs around his hips to open her up and
started to push his way in.
Tight. She was so tight around him. She was a vise on his cock.
He had to move carefully, advancing and retreating in a maddening
dance. He wanted so badly to shove himself in balls deep, but he
wouldn’t hurt her for the world.
“It feels so good, Stef.” Her nails had found the bare skin of his
ass and sank in, urging him on.
“It feels right,” he heard himself say. He shoved against her and
sighed as he finally was as deep as he could go. Every inch of his
cock was surrounded by hot, delicious pussy. He held himself steady,
allowing her to accept him. The muscles of her cunt quivered around
his dick.
Jen’s throaty plea cut through the silence. “If you don’t move
soon, I’m going to die.”
He was more than willing to give her what she wanted. Stef pulled
out until just the head of his cock rested in her pussy and then
slammed back in. And he was off. All thoughts besides fucking her
were blasted from his brain. She was everything in that moment. He
was surrounded with her. The touch of her skin. The smell of their
fucking. The sound of her breath as she pushed against him, fighting
for her orgasm. It was primal and out of control and perfect. She was
everything he’d ever wanted. His perfect mate.
“Oh, Stef. Stef. It feels so…I…” She stopped trying to talk. Every
muscle in her body seemed to tighten, and she cried out. Her legs
clamped down on his hips, her pelvis thrust up.
Stef followed her. He let himself go. He pounded away at her until
his balls drew up, and it was impossible to stave off the inevitable. He came in long, glorious jets of cum. He pumped into her, delivering
every ounce he had in his body.
He fell forward, shocked at how his heart was still pounding. This
was supposed to be his quiet time, but he wasn’t satisfied. He wanted
something more, something he’d never had before.
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“I love you.” Her words were whispered as her fingers sank into
his hair. He felt her lips on his head.
Still, he wanted more. There was something else he was missing,
something that would complete the scene they had just played out.
His heart stopped as he realized what he wanted. The words were
right there on his lips, practically dripping from his tongue. Foreign words. I love you. He’d never said them before. He needed to say them to her.
He held back and let himself rest on her breasts. Eventually her
breathing slowed and steadied into the rhythm of sleep. She rested,
her arms wrapped around him.
Stef lay there, unwilling to wake her, but his mind raced all night.
What the hell had he done?
In the morning he was waiting for her. He’d untangled himself
and gotten dressed again. He’d sat at her tiny table and scolded
himself in every way imaginable. She wasn’t ready for a relationship.
She was too young for him. He wanted too much from her. He didn’t
have the right to demand that she settle down, and he wouldn’t,
couldn’t, settle for less from her.
He’d played out the scenarios in his head. He’d thought about
simply starting a D/s relationship. That would be the easiest way to
keep her close. They could have their own separate lives and come
together for play. It was the way he’d handled his relationships for a very long time.
He’d watched her sleep, and he knew he wouldn’t be able to keep
it there. He would have her moved into the estate and under his thumb
before she knew what was happening. It was his nature.
He could see clearly the way it would go. They would be happy
for a while, but then she would need more. She would grow and
change and leave him behind. It would be just like…
He didn’t want to think about his father right now. This was about
Stef and Jennifer. His own parents were simply an object lesson as to
why an older man should not marry a much younger woman.
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Jennifer stirred, twisting as though seeking something in her sleep.
She obviously didn’t find it, and she went up on one elbow to look
around the room. There was slight panic in her eyes, and then she
softened as she saw him.
“Hey, good morning,” she said in a sleepy voice that went straight
to his cock.
He wanted to strip down and climb back on the couch with her.
He would push her legs apart again and be where he always wanted to
be—inside her.
“We need to talk,” he forced himself to say. If he gave in now, it
would be disastrous for both of them. She had a whole career ahead of
her. She didn’t need a man in her life who would try to take over.
She sat up, clutching the quilt he’d pulled over her. “Do we have
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