She didn’t move, her body listening to him with a schizophrenic tension, and unreliable wildness, panting yes, yes, yes to all he wanted while her mind was screaming no!
‘You always hesitate, Katherine. I don’t understand,’ he sardonically murmured. ‘We both know you want to fuck. You can’t get enough. Are you tired of fucking me? Is that it?’
Every soft-spoken word jolted through her, every deliberate insolence was a controlled threat that aroused, inflamed, tantalized – made her think of what it felt like to fuck him, how he felt deep inside her, how he made her feel when she climaxed. She looked up, met his gaze, ‘No, I’m not tired of fucking you.’
He smiled. ‘I’m pleased to hear it. I could do you twenty-four seven if you’d let me.’
A very small smile in return. ‘Sorry.’
‘That’s what I thought.’ He tapped the blue plastic pod. ‘But we really should discuss this. Personally, I’m in some crazy baby zone. Come closer and convince me I’m wrong.’ It wasn’t all about sex, but what it was about eluded him. Perhaps it was buried too deep under the emotional debris of his life.
She came to her feet, drew in a small, shaky breath, urgent desire swelling inside her with a kind of primitive ferocity. Good judgement was flying out the window. ‘What if I’m in the same crazy zone?’
‘That could be dangerous,’ he murmured, turning his chair as she drew near. ‘One of us should be sane.’
She moved between his legs, leaned in, took his face between her hands and kissed him with tantalizing deference, offering herself to him. ‘You’re older,’ she said against his lips. ‘You be the sane one.’
‘Maybe we need a referee.’ He pulled her tight against his thighs as she stood upright, ignoring the devil-to-pay impasse, the danger, willing to take the risk. ‘Because I’m flipping out and thinking baby. Especially with your tits that close.’
‘This close?’ she whispered, bending.
His mouth closed around her nipple and they both felt the rush, the indescribable, spiking rush that always took them by surprise. The amazing pleasure that was new each time, staggering, electrifying.
Baffling, he thought. Lethal.
Awesome, she thought, and pushed against his mouth.
He sucked her until she was frantic, until he wasn’t far behind, until they were both breathing hard and he was wondering, sofa or chair? Would he actually make it to either one with his orgasm pushing him so hard?
She might have said something, although if she had, she had no recollection.
He wasn’t sure whether he heard it or thought it, but he suddenly spat out her nipple, sat back and grabbed the plastic pod from the table. Snapping the lid up with his thumb, he took out a pill and, with his heart ricocheting off his ribs, muttered, ‘Open up.’
When she did, he shoved the pill into her mouth, handed her his coffee cup. ‘Drink, swallow or I won’t fuck you.’
She drank instantly, so grateful for his intervention, tears sprang to her eyes.
‘Hey, hey, don’t cry.’ Taking the cup from her, he set it down, pulled her onto his lap and held her close, ‘I won’t let that happen again. It was my fault, not yours.’
‘Not all of it,’ she whispered, looking up, fear and desperation still glowing in her eyes. ‘I’m helpless to stop myself.’
‘We both are.’ He wiped away a single tear sliding down her cheek. ‘But I’m older,’ he said with a smile. ‘It’s up to me to be the sane one. Right?’
‘OK.’
He laughed softly. ‘So if the crisis is big enough, you’ll fall in line.’
But she didn’t smile. She said gravely, ‘We can’t let that happen again.’
‘It won’t.’ But, he wondered what the hell he’d do tomorrow if the craziness didn’t go away. He thought about sending her home. Thought about not fucking her tomorrow, immediately nipped that particular train of thought in the bud.
He told himself he’d been frantic because he’d been waiting all night.
He told himself he wasn’t used to waiting for anything.
Then she whispered, ‘Please, Dominic.’ She touched the knot on his sweats. ‘If it’s all right with you, I mean, if you’re not too freaked out.’
‘Never with you, baby.’ And speculation gave way to a more familiar lust.
He opened the knot for her, lifted her enough to drag his sweats down his hips, adjusted the sweetest houseguest he’d ever had on the head of his dick and uttered a low animal sound as she slowly consumed him.
Once she was resting on his thighs and thoroughly impaled, her impatience, momentarily assuaged with her drug of choice buried deep within her, she whispered, ‘I’m sorry, but I need you twenty-four seven too.’
He felt his cock swell inside her, felt the flame-hot surge slide up his spine, felt his adrenalin kick up a notch and explode in his brain. ‘We’ll take care of that,’ he said on a forced breath, needing to answer her. ‘I promise.’
‘It’s frightening to be this obsessed,’ she whispered, briefly resting her forehead against his before sitting back with a sigh.
‘And insatiable,’ he said with a smile.
And overwhelmed with affection. Deeply felt, terrifying to them both.
‘We should be more sensible,’ Kate said.
‘I agree.’
They’d both always considered their level-headed intellects their greatest assets.
‘Irrational desire is …’
‘Irrational,’ he finished. ‘We’ll deal with it.’
‘You make it sound easy when I’m panic-stricken or maybe sad, no, mostly sad.’
He felt every nerve prickle. He went quiet. Then he blinked and said, ‘Don’t be sad. It’s not a death sentence. We’ll figure something out. OK?’
She nodded because her throat had closed up.
He touched her cheek with the pad of his finger. ‘You’re lovely, this is lovely, you make me happy. No more tears. Only good times for you and me. Now pay attention,’ he said with a small smile, changing the subject in the way he knew best. ‘Now, hush. Do you feel that?’ He moved his hips so he touched all her soft, moist flesh, carefully, slowly, lazily, as if he had all the time in the world when they both knew they didn’t. ‘How about this?’ he flexed his hips upwards, ‘Better now?’
She shivered with delight, whimpered, moving her hips restlessly, asking for more.
She came the first time in under two minutes. No surprise. What was a surprise was the fact that he came with her the second time because he couldn’t wait. He was like a kid fucking for the first time, his heart pounding, his blood surging, ready to explode in seconds.
Her high thin scream was like getting a personal best at the Olympics, like winning a gold medal. Her happiness washed over him in a warm, white glow, illuminated him from inside, offered him a momentary glimpse into a world he’d never known.
Lying quiescent in his arms, her head resting on his shoulder, her body momentarily sated, her unquenchable need for him temporarily quenched, she was wildly happy, foolishly lovesick. He was too perfect, she wanted him too much, it was madness on a grand scale.
All too soon, or inevitably, the orgasmic splendour dimmed and the real world returned with a vengeance – reminding Dominic of who he was, who she was, and why they were here. Abruptly lifting Kate from his lap, Dominic set her on her feet, handed her a cloth napkin from the table, took one for himself, used it, pulled his sweats up, tied a quick slip knot. Then he rose, picked up her robe, helped her on with it, grabbed her birth control from the table and slid it into her robe pocket. ‘You’d better take care of this,’ he said brusquely. ‘I’m not operating with a full deck on this issue.’
He needed time to bring his life back to normal, to let the crazy die down. To return to the fun and games instead of this bullshit earnestness. It was the last thing he wanted: major emotional upheavals he could do without. A goddamn relationship with a woman wasn’t in the cards. He knew better. He knew how much misery it c
ould bring if things went wrong.
He dipped his head so their eyes were level. ‘Are you OK with that?’
She nodded, unnerved by his sudden coolness.
He held out his hand. ‘Come see your new toy.’
She quickly took his hand, wanting to please him, to erase his cool, clipped tone. She’d never wanted to please a man before; it was unnerving. On the other hand, she was addicted to his touch, to the pleasure he offered, to the brand new world of carnal desire he’d revealed to her. And her insatiable appetite for the incomparable Dominic Knight, for the sweet, wild joy of fucking him took precedence over any unnerving doubts.
When they entered the bedroom moments later, Kate stopped, wide-eyed. ‘How large a staff do you have here?’ The flowers were all new, masses of purple iris, dramatic contrast to the brilliant colours in the room. The bed was pristinely made, piles of fresh white towels had been placed on a table at the foot of the bed, their clothes from yesterday removed.
‘I’m not sure.’ He glanced down at her. ‘Would you like me to ask?’
She sniffed. ‘Very funny, Mr Plutocrat.’
He shrugged. ‘It’s adequate, that’s all I know. Leo does the hiring.’
‘Are they all ninjas? You never see a soul.’
‘I didn’t think you wanted people around. If you do, just say the word.’
‘How accommodating you are.’
‘That’s the idea, Katherine.’ He smiled for the first time since his arctic freeze. ‘Adjust, adapt’ – his brows flickered, humour warmed his gaze – ‘oblige you in all things.’
‘So you’re done being grumpy?’
He looked surprised. ‘Was I grumpy?’
‘Yes, you scared me.’
‘Sorry,’ he said as though he didn’t quite understand but was willing to accommodate her.
‘Thank you.’ She drew in a small, shaky breath, her eyes huge, liquid. ‘Because when you’re unhappy, I’m unhappy.’
‘Jesus, don’t cry anymore,’ he whispered. Lifting her in his arms, he bent low and kissed her softly, then not so softly, his kiss deepening, taking what he wanted, plundering, pillaging, devouring her, open-mouthed and impassioned.
Giddy with happiness, she clung to him and kissed him back, hard, hard, hard – her world sunshine bright again because she could tell he wanted her as much as she wanted him.
When he finally raised his mouth, he said, ‘I’m sorry if I made you unhappy. I don’t want you unhappy. Tell me if you are and I’ll fix it somehow.’ His blue gaze was very close, touched with concern, his voice the kind you’d use to coax a kitten in from the cold. ‘There’s nothing I can’t fix. OK?’
She nodded.
He blew out a breath. ‘Good.’ He scanned the room as though seeing it for the first time, preoccupied with how best to keep Katherine happy. A novel position for him here at the Garden House where generally only his pleasure mattered, where he’d only brought women who were disposable. Where he’d never brought a woman who mattered to him. The word ‘mattered’ made the hair on the back of his neck stand up. But he ignored the sensation, shook it away. He had better things to do. ‘Now, I’m just asking,’ he said gently, carrying her to the bed. ‘If you don’t want to play, that’s fine with me. We’ll do something else. Do you like cribbage, chess, baccarat? Or we could watch some movies.’
A little tic of surprise. ‘You have a theatre here?’
‘A small one. Would you like to see a movie?’
She shook her head.
He seated her on the bed as if she were made of glass, kissed her cheek, then drew up a cushioned chair and sat. ‘This is a new experience for me,’ he said with a small smile, sliding into a lounging pose as if he had all the time in the world. ‘You tell me what you want to do and we’ll do it.’
‘You’re sure you’re not mad at me any more?’ God, he was gorgeous sprawled on the chair, half undressed, his sweats low on his hips, his broad shoulders resting back against the black and white silk upholstery.
‘I never was mad at you.’ He ran his hands over his hair in a small restive gesture. ‘I was mad at myself. I don’t like to lose control like that. I don’t like to make mistakes. Especially life-altering ones like that.’
‘Oh, good – then it wasn’t something I did.’
He smiled. ‘Not directly.’
‘So I really can ask for anything?’
‘I told you before, I have vast resources at my command and now at yours,’ he added with a dip of his head. ‘Surprise me.’
‘Show me my new toy.’
He laughed out loud, amused at his misguided notions. He should have known that money meant nothing to Katherine. ‘You are so fucking adorable,’ he said. ‘You make the world all blue skies and sunshine.’
‘Back at you,’ she said with a buoyant grin. ‘For five more days if you’re keeping track.’
They both knew better; they both knew it was only play – the future untouchable. They also knew these few days were the cherry on the sundae of life and worth savouring.
Shoving himself out of the chair, Dominic came to his feet, a wide grin radiating his happiness. ‘I have something else to make you smile. Don’t move. I’ll be back in five seconds.’
Playfully goading, Kate sang out, ‘One-one thousand, two-one thousand, three-one thousand, four-one thousand, five—’
Dominic slapped a small shagreen-covered box into her lap and grinned.
‘You’re fast. I’m impressed.’
‘You should be.’ He nodded. ‘Open it. It’s something you’ll like.’
‘You know that, do you?’
‘I do.’
‘Because?’
He knew how to answer that question and that squinty-eyed look. ‘Because I know what you like.’
She smiled. ‘You are so smooth. I’m in awe.’
‘Let me show you some new awesome wonders, Miss Hart,’ he said softly, his smile lush with promise. ‘Open it.’
She did, then looked up at him.
‘For your own personal use. Want me to show you?’
‘Now that I have this I won’t need you any more.’
‘I’m more versatile, babe. You need me. But you’ll enjoy this too.’ He took the dildo from the nest of white velvet and tossed the box aside. ‘Are you warm enough?’
‘Incredibly warm. In fact, I’m getting hot.’
He laughed. ‘Why do I even ask? I hardly have to do anything and you’re primed to go.’
‘It’s not me, it’s you. You’re drop-dead beautiful and I like your face too.’
He chuckled. ‘Thanks, I think. But I know what you mean. I’m going with kismet or karma or that long shot that turned into a win for us because this thing we got going – this fucking craving – is crazy. Good crazy. But definitely not business as usual.’
‘I wouldn’t know about business as usual.’
A direct hit, typical Miss Hart. ‘Good thing I’m here then,’ he said soft as silk. ‘Because I can show you. Take off your robe and bra.’
‘Why don’t you?’
He hesitated for a fraction of a second, then smiled. ‘My pleasure.’ Opening his fingers, he let go of the leather strap he was holding and Katherine’s new toy dropped to the bed. Reaching out, he untied her robe, pulled out the birth control pills from her robe pocket, set them on the bedside table. ‘We don’t want those going through the laundry. Sit up a little, there – that’s it.’ Sliding her robe down her arms, he pulled it out from under her, unclasped her bra and cast both items away.
‘Someone has to pick those up.’ She saw that small startle reflex that never failed to disarm her flicker in his gaze – his shield against the world slipping for a second, the trappings of power briefly faltering.
Then he rolled his eyes, turned, picked up both items from the carpet, swung around, holding them out. ‘Any place special you want them?’ he drawled.
‘Besides up your ass?’
‘Or yours?’
&n
bsp; It felt like a slap, a hot, sexy slap in just the right spot. ‘Sorry, should I say, sorry? I should, shouldn’t I?’
‘Damn right you should.’
‘Or,’ she purred.
‘Or I’ll see that you learn better manners.’
A small heated glance. ‘How would you do that – exactly?’
He laughed. ‘You’re one horny babe, Katherine.’
‘Is that good or bad?’
‘Both. Although I’ll probably end up screwing myself to death. At least my sister will be happy. She gets all my money.’
‘We might be happy in the interim.’
‘True.’ A lift of his dark brows. ‘So is this a death match?’
‘I’d prefer not, if you don’t mind. Just make me happy. You know how to do that.’
Happy. Such a strange word in relation to raw, profligate sex. Unique to Miss Hart and honest-to-God true. A thought he locked away the second it surfaced. ‘Let’s start with your new toy,’ he said casually, picking up the dildo, focusing his attention on more relevant issues. ‘Take note, the straps are deerskin for softness and warmth on the skin, the dildo is stainless steel for hygienic reasons, the size hopefully adequate to satisfy you.’ He winked. ‘You may thank me later in your own personal way.’
‘Maybe I won’t want to when I can climax with’ – she nodded – ‘that.’
‘I’m not worried,’ he said with an impudent grin and held out his hand. ‘Come. Stand up.’ After helping her down from the bed, he knelt before her, nudged her thighs. ‘Spread your legs a little.’
Her body instantly recognized his tone of voice and sent out arousal signals to each and every sexual receptor, putting her on high alert and drenching her sex.
He looked up, smiled. ‘Really? I only have to touch you?’
‘Consider it a compliment.’