Unraveled

  “Now I’m done shopping. Maybe I’ll sell my blood for extra cash.” She smirked at Knox in the mirror. “Or my body.”

  “That’ll earn you five bucks,” Zara said.

  Vivie smacked her. “Fine. I’ll put it back on the hanger. But I need to wallow in ice cream.”

  “And French fries,” Zara added.

  Knox sighed. “Ditch the dress and we’ll go to the food court.”

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  AFTER they’d been in the food court twenty minutes, Shiori said, “Where are the restrooms?”

  “Back behind the taco place,” Vivie said.

  “Thanks. Excuse me.”

  Knox couldn’t help but watch Shiori walk away. As his eyes tracked her calves to those fuck-me shoes she wore, he wondered how they’d line up if he fucked her against a wall.

  Zara snapped her fingers in front of his face.

  He looked at her. “What?”

  “You’ve got it bad for her. But watching you mentally stripping her in front of us is sorta gross, so can you tone it down?”

  “I’ll try.”

  “So Mom will be super-stoked you’ve got a girlfriend.”

  His gaze moved to Vivie, who was dipping her French fries in her chocolate shake. “We’re keeping this quiet, remember?”

  “Even from Mom? That’s bullshit. She worries about you, and this would make her so happy.”

  “Why would Mom worry about me?”

  “Because you’re thirty-six and you’ve never been married.”

  “That’s not that unusual,” Knox said, trying not to get defensive. “I was engaged once.”

  “That doesn’t count. You were, like, what? Twenty?”

  “I think it’s fine if you don’t want to get tied down,” Zara said.

  “Thank you, Zara.”

  “But don’t you want to find your soul mate? And let everyone share in your love and happiness by having a big wedding?” Vivie said with a dreamy sigh.

  “I think the princess gown infected you with the happily-ever-after virus.”

  Zara snickered.

  But Vivie wouldn’t let it go. “You don’t wanna have babies?”

  “Not especially.”

  “What?” Zara and Vivie exclaimed simultaneously. Then Vivie demanded, “Why not?”

  “Babies are loud and smelly and demanding. They suck every ounce of fun and free time from your life. So no, I don’t see myself strapping on a diaper bag anytime soon.” He grinned. “Besides, I’m old, remember? Wouldn’t want people mistaking my kid for my grandkid.”

  Shiori returned. “What did I miss?”

  “Nothing,” Knox said sharply, mostly to his sisters so they’d keep their opinions about brides and babies to themselves.

  “We should probably get going,” Vivie said. “Dad is cooking supper tonight.”

  Knox pointed to their snacks. “Better not tell him you already ate.”

  “Don’t worry. We’ll be hungry by the time we get home,” Zara said with a grin.

  In the mall parking lot, he slipped Vivie twenty bucks for gas and watched his sisters drive away.

  Shiori wrapped her arms around him. “They’re great.”

  “They keep my life interesting.” He gazed into her face. “What do you want to do now?”

  “Is go home and sleep an option?”

  He shook his head.

  “What do you want to do?”

  “Curl up with you on the couch and watch a movie.”

  “And if I fall asleep?”

  “I’d let you sleep.” He pushed a piece of hair behind her ear. “I don’t care as long as I get to be with you.” And just so she didn’t think he was clingy, he added, “But if you have other plans, that’s fine.”

  “I’d planned on working out at the dojo today.”

  “Me too.” He grinned. “But I’m sure you can come up with a way to get us both hot, sweating, and breathing hard—without a treadmill.”

  Shiori fisted her hand in his shirt and dragged his mouth to hers.

  Her kiss damn near had him dropping to his knees in the parking lot.

  She released his mouth, nipping his bottom lip before she backed off. “I’ll watch a movie with you, but Mistress rules apply. And we have to load up on junk food, because I require Junior Mints and black licorice with my popcorn.”

  “Whatever it takes to make you happy, ma’am.”

  “And I get to pick the movie.”

  Knox shook his head. “No can do. My TV, my movie.”

  “No horror.”

  “Agreed.”

  “No movies with car chases and explosions.”

  “Now you’re just wrecking my fun, She-Cat. But we ain’t watching a chick flick, either.”

  “As if I like that kind of mushy stuff.”

  He brushed his lips across hers. “Such a little liar you are. I’ll bet you’ve seen just about every romantic comedy released in the last ten years.”

  She wrinkled her nose. “Just because I saw them once doesn’t mean I need to watch them again and again.”

  He laughed. “Gotcha.”

  “How about sci-fi?”

  “Not a big fan.”

  “No martial arts,” they said at the same time.

  “It might be fun. Every time the stunt double does some impossible maneuver, whoever spots it first can make the other one remove an article of clothing.”

  Shiori poked him in the chest. “Then you’ll be naked pretty damn fast since you’ll only be wearing athletic shorts.”

  “True. We’re running out of choices. I’m not an art-house-film guy.”

  She nodded. “Movies based on real history are usually boring.”

  “Agreed. So that leaves us with animated or my old standby for movies.”

  “We are not watching porn.”

  “Don’t need to watch porn when I’ve got you in my bed,” he growled.

  “What movie?”

  “Pale Rider.”

  “Is that a . . . ?”

  “Western,” he supplied, “starring none other than the man himself, Clint Eastwood.”

  “I’ve never seen any of his films.”

  “Then it’s past time for you to behold the glory.”

  “All right.” She smiled at him—the devious smile that didn’t bode well. “But next time I get to pick.”

  “Nothing with subtitles,” he warned.

  Shiori tugged on his hand. “Snacks await.”

  When they reached the checkout at CVS, Shiori pulled out her credit card and he had to muscle her aside to keep her from paying.

  Back at his house, she changed into the casual clothes she’d picked up at the mall. He liked the slim fit of the designer sweatpants, but why any woman wanted to advertise Juicy on her ass escaped him. He stripped down to his boxer briefs since all his workout clothes were dirty.

  They’d settled in with bowls of popcorn, sodas, and candy, ready to watch Clint wreak havoc, when his phone rang. He quickly glanced at the caller ID, then wondered why Merrick would be calling him on a Sunday.

  “Hello?”

  “Knox. It’s Merrick. I hope you’re having a good weekend. We missed you last night.”

  “I wasn’t supposed to be there, was I?”

  Shiori looked at him, and he mouthed, Merrick.

  “No. I’m calling to ask if you’ll be around next weekend.”

  “I hadn’t planned that far ahead. Why?”

  “Master Mike has requested an hour of your time.”

  “You need to know now?”

  “Yes. Those private rooms fill up fast.”

  Knox opened his mouth to say yes—until he remembered Shiori’s demand to be present during the scenes he participated in. “Hang on a second.” He hit mute and faced her.

  “What?”

  He explained the situation and felt resentful when she demanded to talk to Merrick. Jesu
s. He hated how this felt like Shiori was his mommy.

  You willingly signed on for this.

  Reluctantly, he handed the phone over.

  Shiori unmuted the call. “Merrick. It’s Mistress B. I’m fine, thank you.” She sent Knox a hot look. “So far he’s done very well.”

  Why did her praise take the sting out of needing her permission to do what he’d been doing at the club for years?

  Because you are submissive. Try to accept it and quit fucking whining.

  “As far as Master Mike? Are he and his sub good with me observing? Yes, I’d appreciate it if you’d get confirmation on that. And from now on? As long as Knox is with me, he won’t be doing solo scenes with couples.” She laughed softly. “Very fit to be tied. But he agreed to the terms.” She paused. “No. We’re not to that stage. Thank you. Let Knox know what Master Mike decides.” She groaned. “Your Japanese sucks. Stick to English, Master Merrick. Goodbye.” She ended the call and handed his phone back. “Does Merrick always ask your permission about scenes?”

  “I told you I have a say in whose scenes I help out with.”

  “That makes me happy.” Then Shiori set both of their popcorn bowls aside and straddled him.

  Instant erection.

  “But you know what makes me really happy?”

  “What?”

  “That you deferred the situation to me.” She swept her thumb across his bottom lip. “If I punish you when you’ve broken a rule, then I should reward you when you uphold one.”

  “Okay. What’s my reward?”

  “You can either have my mouth on your nipples while I jack you off. Or your mouth on my nipples while I jack you off. Choose.”

  “I want my mouth on you.”

  That catlike smile curled her lips. “Excellent choice.” She stood and whipped off her shirt. “Ditch the underwear.”

  Knox had them on the floor in no time.

  She perched her ass on his thighs and circled her hand around the base. “You want lube?”

  “Just your hand.”

  “Can you reach me?”

  He tipped his head down and sucked on her nipple.

  “Guess that answers that,” she murmured.

  She hadn’t indicated he couldn’t use his hands, so he cupped her tits and drew circles beneath one nipple as he sucked on the other one.

  “Let’s test your stamina.”

  Fuck.

  Knox suspected test his stamina was code for cock and ball torture.

  Shiori stroked him so fast he wondered if he’d have friction burns on his shaft. Right when his balls were about to spew, she made her fingers into a cock ring and stopped him from coming. How she’d known the exact moment boggled his mind.

  Not that he was thinking clearly. His chest heaved, his jaw was tight, and he had to drop his face from her view or she’d see his frustration.

  Next she took his mouth in a sweet kiss he’d almost believe was somewhat apologetic if he hadn’t feared this reward was a double-edged sword.

  When she returned to sitting beside him and said, “Start the movie,” he wanted to ask, What the fuck? What about that hand job?

  Fifteen minutes later, after his cock had gone soft and he’d become invested in the movie, Shiori trailed her fingers down his chest to his groin and toyed with his flaccid cock. Which didn’t stay flaccid for long when she expertly started to work him over with those magic fucking fingers.

  At least she hadn’t gotten him close to orgasm that time before she stopped.

  He couldn’t even focus on the movie because she’d set her hand on the inside of his leg and he’d think, Here she goes again. But she’d just gently stroke his skin, not caring that his cock rallied for her attention at the slightest sign she might touch him.

  They didn’t speak beyond Shiori asking him to put his arm around her. At least he had that as a distraction, drawing circles on the ball of her shoulder or twining a section of her hair around his fingers.

  The next time she slipped her fingers between his legs, she just played with his balls. Rolling them, tugging on them, squeezing them, teasing them with a featherlight touch. Yeah, his dick had gotten hard. Mess with the berries and the twig wants in on the action. But again she left him hanging.

  The fourth go-around was exactly like the first.

  At that point it took every ounce of his control not to just walk to the bathroom and take care of matters himself. The whipping with the switch hadn’t been that bad. A few hard swats on his ass would be worth it if he could alleviate this ache.

  The fifth time she touched him, he let his head fall back against the cushion in total defeat.

  Then her lips were on his ear. “This time I’ll let you pick if you want to come or not.”

  “And if I choose to come, what happens then?”

  “Neither of us will have the satisfaction of knowing how long you could’ve lasted.”

  Of course she was challenging him. “I won’t come.”

  “Good man. Watch my hand jacking you. See how hot it looks.”

  He lifted his head and peeled his eyes open. His cock was an angry red, the head nearly purple. And her hand looked delicate wrapped around his girth.

  She pumped his meat in her tight fist faster and faster. Again her soft lips brushed his ear, sending goose bumps down the left side of his body. “You tell me when to stop. But don’t flinch, my beautiful sub. Let me get you right to the very edge, where you’re balancing on one foot and windmilling your arms to keep from plunging over . . . and then pull back.”

  Christ. He held out until that moment right before his balls lifted and he said hoarsely, “Stop. Just stop.”

  Once again her fingers became a cock ring.

  Maybe he had a sense of accomplishment when she murmured, “I’m