Knight's Game

  He looked at her with visible unease and when he finally spoke, his voice was so soft she had to lean in slightly to hear him. ‘I thought I knew what wanting someone meant. Being with them, doing things together, liking the same people, the same activities, never arguing. I didn’t know it could be like this, like it is with you.’ He took a breath before he went on. ‘Julia was my best friend, my companion. You’re my obsession, my craziness, my waking dream. So if you’re wondering how I feel? I’m here. When I could be a thousand other places.’ A muscle twitched along his jaw. ‘What I don’t know is how long these feelings will last. Whether this – us – will last. Whether we’ll feel the same way about each other at the same time – tomorrow, next week, whenever. That’s all unknown and I don’t deal well with unknowns. Also, you’re very young. You haven’t lived much, experienced much, while I’ve stretched the limits of excess, lived an unchecked and incorrigible life. And while I’m not completely altruistic, your innocence is a consideration. That I might be taking advantage of that innocence is a consideration. You should have choices. And I’m not sure I want to give you those choices.’

  ‘Done now?’

  He shrugged. ‘I guess.’

  ‘OK. A couple of things. First, I don’t love you kindly, like some Jane Austen heroine who’s going to pine away if you leave. I’ll find someone else. Everyone does. But right now, right this minute, I love you like I’m on fire, or in the eye of a hurricane; I love you wildly, maybe even violently. I’m not a Bets, whatever her deal is. Don’t get me wrong, I’d miss you like hell. I did last time. But I wouldn’t have come after you. I just wouldn’t. If you don’t want me, I figure it’s your loss.’ She grinned. ‘Arrogant bitch, hey? But then you know about arrogance, don’t you?’

  ‘Probably.’ He smiled faintly. ‘It sounds as if you’ve got this pretty well covered?’

  ‘I’ve been thinking about telling you for a while. And watching all those women tonight wanting you to notice them, talk to them, give them a smile made it super clear that if you didn’t want me, I couldn’t make you.’ Her lashes dipped slightly. ‘See, maybe I’m pragmatic too.’

  As for the second thing,’ she said matter-of-factly, ‘I figure we have, what, three, four more days to enjoy ourselves. So I’m willing to put aside the loving stuff if you tell me what you’re going to do for me’ – she fluttered her lashes in flirtatious parody – ‘right this minute?’

  He laughed, rolled up, grabbed her and swung her back on top of his long, lean, powerful body. ‘I’ve got a few things in mind,’ he murmured. ‘Interested?’

  ‘Hell, yeah. I’m like you. I prefer fucking to talking.’ She grinned. ‘But I just wanted to clear the air, reconcile the tumult in my brain, put out that long-burning fuse before the powder blows. And now,’ she purred playfully, ‘are you going to entertain me?’

  ‘We’ll do our best, baby.’ He gave her a quick kiss, lifted her away, dropped her on the bed. ‘Be right back,’ he said, feeling like he could climb ten mountains and still keep going, feeling invincible. ‘By the way, I’m in a possessive mood,’ he added over his shoulder. ‘Just sayin’.’

  ‘Sounds intriguing.’

  ‘Glad to hear it. Because you don’t have a choice.’

  When he walked back into the bedroom, Kate put up her arm and grinned. ‘Just stand there. I can come just looking at you.’ Dominic had taken off his sweater and, wearing only black jeans, he was the kind of broad-shouldered, hard-muscled eye candy that could bring on spontaneous orgasms.

  He held out his cupped hands to show her what he had and kept walking. ‘You’re going to come even better with these.’ Reaching the bed, he sat beside her. ‘Here are the accessories for the evening.’ He tipped his palms and dropped several items on the bed. ‘You can rate them for me later.’

  ‘Jeez, I don’t know if I should be excited or nervous.’

  Ignoring her comment, he gestured at the tumbled pile on the bed. ‘Need a rundown?’

  She took a small breath. ‘Just those.’ She pointed at the three pieces of jewellery. The silk scarf, soft brush, rubber dildo and lube didn’t need explanation. The two bracelets just looked like bracelets, the pearl necklace was equally innocuous.

  He picked up one of the three-quarter-inch-wide gold cuff bracelets, snapped open the hinge, gave a half-twist to the diamond clasp, and gently drew out a four-inch gold chain. Repeating the process with the second bracelet, he screwed the two diamond clasps together, stretched out the now eight-inch chain, folded the hinges to close the bracelets and held up a pair of very expensive handcuffs. He smiled faintly. ‘Function clear?’

  She ran her finger inside one bracelet and glanced up. ‘Vanity or arrogance?’ Property of Dominic Knight was engraved in a large font. Return for Reward was in a smaller script but easily visible too. ‘Is the reward for the return of the bracelets or me?’

  He shrugged. ‘I’m just protecting my interests,’ he said ambiguously, rather than answer. ‘I told you I was possessive.’

  ‘Jesus, do you mind? That’s a mile or so past possessive.’

  ‘It’s never been a problem for you before.’ His voice was deliberately bland.

  ‘I’ve never seen this degree of presumption before.’

  ‘I’ll keep it in mind.’

  ‘And I’ll keep in mind that I get to say no.’

  ‘If you want to.’ He smiled. ‘Maybe you won’t.’

  He said that way too confidently. ‘So tell me, Mr Property of … how many of these have you bought before?’

  ‘There’s no before, baby. Just these. That’s it. You’re my holy grail.’

  A faint lift of her brows. ‘You’ll forgive me if I don’t believe you.’

  ‘You’re forgiven. But it’s the truth.’ In the past, he had been supplied with marketplace equipment for his sexual amusements, just like he had been supplied with women. He’d never before bought anything himself.

  Briefly silenced by the frankness of his tone, she stole a look at him while strange, quixotic emotions washed over her, some beautiful, some exciting, the scent of him suddenly filling her senses. She felt her skin prickle, her palms dampen and, vaguely uncomfortable with the compromises her body was so quickly making, gestured at the necklace. ‘Leaving our differences aside, what’s that for?’

  Picking up the thin gold chain, he ran his fingers down a pendant comprised of five pearls separated by smaller pearls, then twisted the pendant to demonstrate its flexibility. He smiled. ‘These pearls are for your virgin ass.’

  She shook her head furiously. ‘Uh-uh. Save those for someone else.’

  ‘But I had them made for you.’

  ‘Return them then.’ She glared at him. ‘That’s definitely a no. You’re mistaking me for one of your paid ladies.’

  ‘Not likely, baby,’ he said with a grin. ‘They don’t talk back.’ Then he gave her one of his looks – the kind of look that suggested she must have been locked away in a convent for the past twenty years without a pearl necklace because even there they knew about virgin asses. ‘You should try it,’ he said smooth as silk. ‘You might like it. Remember, I’ve heard you say no before just prior to screaming the house down with a climax.’

  ‘Don’t look so smug.’ But her heart was beginning to pound because that was a real cocky smile. ‘This is way different.’

  He stared at her. ‘I could make you do it. You like me to make you do things.’

  The deep tenor of his voice, the heated memory in his words was ramping up her libido. She could feel herself getting wet. ‘Jesus, don’t look at me like that,’ she said, trying not to sound breathless. ‘I don’t want to, OK? There’s plenty of other things I like to do.’

  He grinned, thinking how lucky he was to have her, how goddamn fuckable she was. ‘Open your mind, baby.’

  ‘I’ll do that just as soon as you open your mind about your feelings. Comprende?’ Flipping him the bird, she catapulted out of bed and ran for the bathroom. ‘Or whenever w
e get off the topic of my virgin ass,’ she yelled, slamming the bathroom door and locking it.

  A few seconds later he was pounding on the bathroom door. But it wasn’t loud and violent; it was a low, steady pounding, like jungle drums beating a message through the dark, hissing jungle. Like he knew the message would get through. Like he knew it was just a matter of time before she opened the door.

  When she finally did, he was standing there.

  ‘Hey.’ He smiled, slow and sexy and knowing.

  The small sound vibrated through her body.

  ‘Compromise?’

  She nodded.

  He held out his hand and she went to him.

  He drew her to the bed where they sat, his warm fingers twined with hers, their side-by-side poses like American Gothic, bedroom version.

  She let out a small breath and he glanced at her.

  ‘You first,’ she said.

  ‘Give me five minutes with the pearls.’

  ‘Then I get five minutes with what I want?’

  He nodded.

  ‘You’re not going to ask what?’

  ‘Should I?’

  ‘It’s not sex.’

  He sat there a moment. ‘I don’t suppose I have to wonder what it is?’

  ‘Not if you were listening when I jumped out of bed.’

  ‘Oh, what the hell,’ he said with amusement. ‘How hard can it be?’

  But he made it clear that his five minutes didn’t include anything other than the pearls. Because, although he didn’t mention it, he had to make sure that Katherine was so sexed up, so wet and horny, so aching with need and near climax that she wouldn’t back out.

  He had her stand between his legs where he slowly undressed her, lifting off her blouse, unzipping her jeans, slipping them and the lacy wisp of panties down her hips and legs. ‘Now this uncomfortable bra,’ he said with a smile, reaching behind her and unclasping the hooks. ‘My long-suffering tits need consoling.’

  She softly exhaled as her breasts were freed and gently stretched her spine.

  ‘You really don’t like bras, do you?’

  ‘No more than you’d like your dick strangled in a jockstrap.’

  He laughed. ‘So I should be more understanding?’

  ‘My boobs would appreciate it.’

  ‘Spoilsport,’ he murmured, his mouth twitching. ‘But I suppose I should apologize to my tits.’ Taking her by the waist, he pulled her closer. ‘I’ll kiss them all better,’ he whispered, sitting up straighter so his breath warmed her nipple, then the warmth of his tongue followed and, wrapping his hands around her breast, he tugged her lower, took her nipple into his mouth and sucked for long, endless moments. Until her breasts felt swollen and engorged and every small suction of his mouth, no matter how gentle, slid down her quivering nerve endings, heated and delicious, to the deep, powerful ache pulsing between her legs.

  Kate groaned, moved her hips in frenzied need, laced her fingers through Dominic’s hair, clutching his head to her breast, wanting more, wanting him deep inside her. But he slid the dildo into her dewy cleft instead and she whimpered in craving, in disappointment, overwhelmed by sensation, feeling punished and pleasured in equal measure.

  But seconds short of her orgasm, when she could already feel herself starting to peak, he dropped his hands and sat back. ‘Intermission, baby,’ he said calmly. ‘Act Two coming up.’

  ‘I’m going to kill you,’ she hissed, reaching down for the dildo.

  He stopped her. ‘Kill me later,’ he said, grabbing her wrists, pulling them together over her stomach, holding them immobile in one hand. ‘When it’s your turn.’ Reaching for a gold bracelet, he snapped first one then the other on her wrists, checking that the chain was clasped together before releasing her. ‘Prologue to Act Two, baby. Does being my captive turn you on? It sure as hell does me. And your nipples are really huge with all that sucking.’ He reached up and stroked the swollen crests. ‘Feel good?’ he said unnecessarily as she groaned softly.

  She was warm and tingling everywhere with the dildo buried deep, feverish and flushed and so damned close to being where she wanted to be she could almost measure the finite distance to carnal release. But that breath-held satisfaction eluded her, quivering just out of reach, the wild craving shuddering through her body, agonizing, intoxicating, beyond any former memory of need.

  But Dominic was in control as usual.

  Once her breathing calmed, he pushed the dildo deeper, then deeper still, carefully monitoring her response, her moans, whimpers, how she moved her hips into his thrust, how the mounting tension was building in her body. ‘Having fun?’ he asked, a small smile playing across his mouth.

  She didn’t hear him at first, so he stilled his hand.

  Her eyes widened in surprise.

  ‘I was wondering if everything was fine so far,’ he said gently, circling the nub of her clitoris with his index finger.

  Her whole body jerked, pleasure swamped her senses and she moaned softly.

  ‘You want to come, don’t you?’ he murmured, pressing her pulsing clit in little perfectly placed tap, tap, taps.

  Instantly, the first pre-orgasmic ripples spread through her belly, slid up her spine, tightened her sex and she pressed into his hand.

  ‘Not yet, baby,’ Dominic said, placing a restraining hand on her hip. ‘You’re not quite ready.’

  ‘I can’t wait,’ she breathed, shivering with desire.

  ‘Of course you can.’

  And he pulled the dildo out.

  She squealed in frustration, glared at him, said through her teeth, ‘You sonofabitch.’

  He smiled. ‘True, but we won’t let that get in our way.’ Coming up off the bed, he kissed her tenderly in apology, whispered, ‘It gets better, baby.’ He held her close, her naked body pressed to his, her cuffed hands a potent reminder of her submission, of his control, of the riveting dynamic that held them both in thrall. Sliding his hand downwards, he pulled her bound hands up and framed his denim-covered dick with her fingers. ‘Rub me,’ he said, taut and low. ‘Hard.’ Lowering his mouth again, he slowly slid his tongue past her lips, shifted his hips forward and kissed her slowly, deeply.

  Softly panting into his mouth, desperate for release, she traced the length of his erection with her fingers as ordered, rubbed her palms over the rigid swell of his dick. Inhaled his soft groan, and deliberately bit his tongue. Just to remind him that she had a say in this game.

  Swallowing the taste of blood, he drew back, held her challenging gaze. ‘Are we doing this rough, baby? Just asking.’

  ‘I’d like to just do it,’ she hissed, ‘sometime this fucking year.’

  He broke into a grin. ‘Will you ever learn patience?’

  ‘About the same time you learn there’s a word called love.’

  He went utterly still.

  She laughed. ‘Jesus, Dominic, is it really that fucking scary? You can always change your mind, you know.’

  His voice went soft. ‘You like to jerk my chain, don’t you?’

  ‘You’re jerking mine. I want to come and you’re giving me shit.’

  ‘Then let’s get to it, baby.’ He picked her up and seated her on the bed.

  She looked up. ‘Don’t forget, I get my five minutes.’

  ‘I haven’t forgotten.’ His smile was wicked. ‘Right after me.’ Taking her shackled wrists, he slid his other hand down her back, eased her down on the bed. Then he rolled her on her side so she was facing him, placed her cuffed hands across her waist, put a pillow under her head and surveyed her with a faint smile. ‘Very nice, baby. Are you comfortable? Everything good?’

  ‘You’re having fun, aren’t you?’

  He grinned. ‘Not yet, but I’m guessing I will.’

  ‘Don’t forget, there’s a time limit.’

  ‘Don’t worry, you won’t have to wait a year.’

  ‘That’s not what I meant.’

  ‘You’re not really in the position to give orders, baby.’ H
e gave her a lazy wink. ‘I’ll be doing that.’

  Instantly, her nerve endings began to twitch, an insistent throbbing pulsed inside her, as if Dominic had only to look at her with that casual absolutism her body perceived as the sweetest of tyrannies and she melted.

  He smiled. ‘You’re going to thank me soon, baby. I can tell.’

  She tried to ignore the rippling pleasure warming her senses and was both horrified and aroused at the casual power he exerted over her. ‘I may not,’ she said, trying to speak in a normal tone, ‘depending what you do.’

  ‘Don’t worry, baby,’ he said pleasantly, watching the flush pink her cheeks. ‘You will.’ Dropping to his knees beside the bed, he gently kissed her, then sat back and looked at her for a moment, his mouth slightly pursed.

  Her breathing picked up. He was making her nervous. ‘It better not hurt,’ she warned.

  The silence stretched and she was about to tell him no way, when Dominic blinked. ‘You look amazing, baby,’ he said softly. ‘And I won’t hurt you. I’d never do that.’ He brushed her cheek with his fingers. ‘We’ll try some conventional foreplay first. Take it easy. You OK with that?’

  Her heart was racing; she bit her lip.

  He didn’t move, although one eyebrow lifted faintly.

  ‘OK,’ she whispered.

  His smile was improbably sweet and a bit relieved. ‘Thank you.’ Then his mouth quirked into his more familiar killer smile. ‘You can thank me later.’ Picking up the dildo, he slid his finger down her slick sex and glanced up. ‘I guess we can save the lube for later.’

  She took a breath before she answered, the imprint of his gliding finger still shivering through her body. ‘Is that a problem?’

  He looked amused. ‘Certainly not. It’s one of your many charms, baby.’ Sliding the dildo into her sleek cleft, he waited for her to catch her breath and open her eyes before he moved his hand. Then he slowly drew the dildo out, pushed it in again, watching her as she softly moaned and rode the rhythm – in and out, side to side, deliberately focusing on her G-spot for lingering moments. Very soon, she was panting again. ‘So far, so good?’ He raised her chin with one finger, held her gaze and gave her a smart-ass grin. ‘Nod if you don’t feel like talking.’