Dominic’s dispassionate voice banished objections and dignity, firm beliefs and any reference to reality. He had only to speak in that soft, lazy tone, look at her with lust in the unfiltered blue of his eyes, expect obedience, and she was instantly wet, her nipples peaked, her sex pulsing in welcome.
Drained of all emotion, save a vast and unconstrained longing.
She stood.
He slowly swung round in his chair, spread his legs, watched in silence as she walked across the small space separating them. When she came to a stop before him, he looked up from under the dark fringe of his lashes and surveyed her breasts, his gaze fixed and cool. ‘You’re obscenely easy to arouse, Katherine. I’ve never seen anyone who needs sex as much as you. Your nipples are stiff in seconds.’ His gaze slowly lifted and a small moment of time unravelled. ‘Take off your T-shirt. I want to see my tits.’
As she pulled off her shirt, he put out his hand.
She dropped the T-shirt in his open palm; he let it fall to the carpet without taking his eyes off her.
‘Touch your nipples for me.’ His voice sharpened slightly. ‘Now, Katherine. Do it now.’
‘Sorry,’ she whispered, focused on the liquid heat shimmering between her legs, on the flutter of arousal spiking through her body.
‘Did you hear what I said?’ His voice was rough.
She moved then, prompted by the harshness of his tone. She took her nipples between her thumb and fingers, gently squeezed.
‘Harder.’
She tightened her grip, felt the tissue yield, shut her eyes against the spiralling pleasure streaking downwards, hot and lush, primitive in its untrammelled beauty. And softly moaned.
‘Harder,’ he ordered quietly.
She increased the pressure, compressed the sensitive flesh, felt searing desire leap inside her, gasped as white-hot lust flared through her body, wildly beat at her brain. Moved her to whisper, eyes shut, ‘I need you.’
‘Are you sure?’ he murmured. ‘Or can anyone fuck you when you’re this horny? Do you really care whose dick it is, baby?’ He leaned forward, grasped her wrists in a vice-like grip. ‘Do you?’ he growled.
His low growl, his savage grip required a response. Even distracted by a building hysteria, she understood. Breathless, fevered, she forced her eyes open, struggled to answer a question she hadn’t heard. Finally replied in blanket assent. ‘Whatever you want, Dominic.’
Aware of her dilemma, he smiled faintly, his hands fell away and he leaned back in his chair. ‘That’ll do,’ he said. He flicked one finger. ‘Resume.’
Incomprehensively, the single word was as potent as the hard thrust of a cock plunging deep inside her. She shuddered as a lurid jolt mauled her senses and her body slavishly opened, eager and willing.
‘Jesus, Katherine.’ His voice was soft as silk, amused. ‘Do you even know I’m here?’
‘How could I not?’ Her voice was low and lush, her heated gaze on the only man who made her helpless with longing, who could make her do anything for the pleasure he offered. Then she gripped her nipples, slowly pulled on them until they were stretched taut. ‘Could you help me?’ she said on a caught breath, turning left, then right, offering him an unlimited view. ‘I can’t … reach them with my mouth … but you could.’
She took note of his surging erection and, releasing her fingers, slid her hands under her breasts and lifted her pale flesh into high, plump mounds. ‘Just asking.’
Dominic smiled. ‘Fucking tease.’ He crooked a finger.
Smiling back, she moved between his legs. ‘Finally,’ she said.
‘I really am going to have to lock up your pussy. No question,’ he murmured, gazing up at her from under his half-lowered eyelids.
‘Maybe I’ll let you.’
‘No maybe about it. You like to fuck too much. We can’t have you out trolling for a one-night stand.’
‘I promise not to.’
He snorted. ‘Like I believe that.’
‘Maybe you have to.’
‘And maybe I don’t.’ He placed his large hands on either side of one breast, curled his fingers, captured her soft flesh, dipped his head. Just before his mouth touched her nipple, he glanced up and said, ‘They’re working on your chastity belt now.’
‘You can’t!’ She tried to jerk back.
His finger tightened. ‘Of course I can. I can do anything, Katherine.’ Then his mouth closed on her nipple and he made her forget everything but raw sensation, fevered need, orgasmic frenzy. In seconds she was panting, the throbbing between her legs turbulent, issues of authority and compliance forgotten with her blood on fire and orgasm hovering on the brink.
Then his hands slid away from her breast. He sat back and quietly said, ‘Turn around and put your hands behind you.’
She stood, stunned, insatiable lust beating at her brain.
‘Anytime, Katherine. You want to come, don’t you?’
No, she wanted vengeance and a slap-him-in-the-face retaliation for his asshole behaviour when she didn’t want to wait or play games. But vengeance could wait until after she’d climaxed, she decided pragmatically, so close to orgasm her pulse was pounding in her ears.
She turned.
‘We do get along, don’t we?’ he murmured sardonically, drawing the coiled chains from the bracelets. Binding the bracelets together, he placed his hands on her hips and swung her back round. ‘You can’t ever come unless I’m with you. Do you understand?’
She nodded, desire pulsing hot inside her.
‘I didn’t hear you, Katherine.’
‘I understand,’ she whispered, trying to keep from trembling.
‘One more thing. I’d like you to apologize for being disagreeable in front of Chris.’
Her eyes flared wide, hot with temper. ‘Fuck you.’
‘Not yet. Apologize first,’ he said gently.
‘No.’
‘Maybe I can change your mind.’ Untying her sweats, he slid them down her legs, lifted one foot, then the other, kicked away the puddle of fabric, then slipped a finger inside her.
‘That’s not fair.’ But her voice was a wisp of sound.
‘I’m not interested in being fair. I’m interested in an apology.’ He slipped in a second finger, gently stroked her slick flesh. ‘All you have to do is say you’re sorry and I’ll let you come.’
‘I’m not going to.’
He slid his other hand over her breast, lazily rubbed her nipple between his finger and thumb, until she was shuddering under his hands, drenching his fingers, panting in a little flurry of need. ‘You like that? Would you like to come or should I stop? What does winning mean now?’
‘I want to come.’
‘Who can do that for you?’
‘You can, Dominic. You can win the next hundred times if you let me come now. Please?’
‘Sure, baby. Just making sure you understand who does what to who in that yin–yang equation.’
Her eyes narrowed. Even near-orgasmic, her temper was in hot dispute.
He smiled. ‘Are we clear?’
A long, taut silence; he could feel her orgasm begin to ripple up his fingers. He pulled his fingers out, dropped his hand from her breast.
‘Should I put your sweats back on, uncuff you?’
She bit her lip, shook her head.
‘That’s what I thought. I don’t need a lengthy apology.’
‘I’m sorry.’
‘Thank you, baby.’ Coming to his feet, he unclasped the bracelets, eased her back onto the chair, knelt and lifted her legs on his shoulders. Slipping a hand under her bottom, he pulled her close, slid his fingers back inside, gently stroked her G-spot, dipped his head low and tenderly sucked her clit, the pressure of his mouth painstakingly attuned to her swiftly peaking climax. Having gained his objective in clarifying their relative positions, mollified and content, he took particular care to see that Katherine’s orgasm was drawn out for long, delirious, soul-stirring moments.
Patty looked up
at the frenzied scream, smiled and went back to her cooking. It was nice that Dominic had someone to play with instead of brooding in his room like he usually did when he was home. Maybe she should make steaks for dinner. If those two kept up their heavy-duty screwing schedule, they were going to need some red meat in their diets.
After Kate was once again composed, Dominic changed places with her, lifted her on his lap, saw to his climax and another for her, and held her close while they both reached a more tranquil state of mind. Then he said, ‘Break time? Feel like a swim?’
Kate’s head was resting on his shoulder, her arms draped over his shoulders. ‘I’ll watch you.’
‘You can read a magazine or watch TV. I’ll just do a few laps. Now, if you’re shy, shut your eyes when I carry you downstairs. I have clothes and robes down there.’
She sat up, gave him a hard stare. ‘Don’t you dare say Patty’s seen you nude before.’
Scooping her off his lap, he stood, holding her in his arms. ‘We met surfing. So that’s minimum clothes, but it’s clothes. Is that OK with you?’ He moved towards the door.
‘Have you slept with her?’
‘Uh-uh. She and Jack have always been together. They lived in my ratty apartment in Half Moon Bay for a few years, but that’s as close as we got to seeing each other nude. Satisfied?’ Opening the door, he turned to his right.
‘Since I can’t send people off to Greenland like you do, I suppose I don’t have a choice.’
He laughed. ‘You couldn’t get Patty that far north for love or money. She’s like you. She’s a whole lot of trouble. But she’s a damned good cook, so the trade-off’s worth it.’ Another smaller staircase at the end of the corridor led to the lower level. He took the stairs in a fast, smooth descent and entered a lighted room.
Kate nibbled on his earlobe. ‘Speaking of trouble and trade-offs, Mr Knight, I know what you’re talking about.’
He grinned. ‘At least it’s never dull, baby.’ He set her down in a small locker room with closet-sized lockers. ‘Clothes there.’ He pointed. ‘Some of the workout clothes are supposed to fit you. Swimsuits there.’ He pointed again. ‘Don’t feel you have to wear one if you don’t want to. No one uses the pool but me and the water is constantly recirculated and filtered a thousand different ways. I don’t like chlorine or chemicals.’ He lifted his brows. ‘What are you doing?’
She ran her finger down his arm. ‘Is this a turn-on for you too? Look how dark you are.’ Standing nude under the bright locker room lights, Dominic’s bronzed skin was even more conspicuous. ‘How pale I am. It reminds me of … do you read graphic novels?’
He grinned. ‘Am I your barbarian fantasy?’
She slid his hand between her legs, looked up and smiled. ‘My real-life fantasy.’
He pulled her close, eased two fingers inside her slippery heat. ‘I have this lurid urge to plunder and pillage when I look at your pale fragileness, baby. And it has nothing to do with fantasy. You’re so fucking small. It’s been tantalizing as hell from the first. Here, look.’ He half turned her so her back was to him, his fingers still deep inside. ‘See?’ His powerful arm slanted across her body, his hand resting on her pubis, his fingers cupping her sex, the two fingers inside her bringing a flush to her cheeks. His skin was shades darker, the black hair on his forearm, the network of veins in low relief faintly visible over his corded muscles in prurient contrast to her creamy skin.
Taking her chin in his other hand, he lifted her face to the mirrored wall. ‘Look at that.’ His tall, powerful body dwarfed hers, their skin tones unfiltered dark and light, the divergent images reeking of hunter and hunted, of liberties taken, of urgency and entitlement. ‘Look how small you are. You’re my unspoiled gift, my sweet relief.’ He smiled. ‘My flame-hot riot of need.’
Her heart grabbed at her ribs because his voice had dropped, as if he were talking to himself. But she knew how little he wished to hear about love so she smiled back, and brushed his arm with her fingertips. ‘The sensation of being overwhelmed by all this heavy-duty maleness turns me on too.’
‘It’s weird.’
‘But nice weird. I like that you’re stronger than me, bigger, taller … all muscle and mojo.’
He circled her with his arms. ‘I noticed the difference the first time I saw you. I felt’ – he blinked, grinned – ‘probably just lust. I’m not good at distinguishing much else.’
She exhaled softly. ‘You scared me that first day.’
‘Hey, remember who you’re talking to.’ He bent his head and nuzzled the back of her ear. ‘You felt something else too.’
She turned her head and smiled at him. ‘I wasn’t sure what. Or if I had a chance.’
Every woman who stood still long enough had a chance with him in those days. ‘I’m glad you decided to stay,’ he said politely, lifting his head. He drew in a small breath. ‘Sometimes I think of how close we came to never meeting and I start believing in fate. I never interview. But Max was busy and he was hot on hiring you so he insisted I fill in; he wanted me to see for myself how good you’d be for the company. And the reason I was late getting there was because I was thinking of blowing you off. Until Max called. Like he knew he had to nudge me.’
‘And then I said no to you and you freaked.’
‘I never like no. Although I was pretty sure I wasn’t going to get a no when I fucked you.’
She turned fully in his arms and looked up. ‘I might have had something to say about that.’
He grinned. ‘Did you?’
She rapped him on the chin. ‘Smug bastard.’
‘Your smug bastard. Get used to it.’ Although talk of feelings always had a finite time limit for him. Longer now than before, but it was still not his favourite subject. ‘Need some help finding clothes?’
‘Nah.’ She was learning to read his restless shifts; although what man liked to analyse his emotions?
He waved towards another doorway. ‘I’ll be out there.’ And he strode away nude and beautiful as a god.
Kate flipped through a closet of workout clothes, picked out green shorts and a T-shirt, dressed, then settled on a chaise by the pool and watched Dominic do laps in a smooth, easy crawl. She stopped counting laps after a hundred when he was still going strong and wandered over to the fly machine. Adjusting the seat and weights, she leisurely worked her pecs. The bracelets were loose enough not to be a problem. It felt good to lift. She’d started when Gramps bought her a Harley for her fourteenth birthday. He’d said, As soon as you can pick it up when it falls over, you can ride it. Within a month she could bench press 120 pounds. She kept free weights in her apartment in Boston, but this space was a weightlifter’s dream. She moved leisurely down the ranks of machines, testing them out, not killing herself, taking it easy.
Dominic was mentally running through his schedule while he swam. Swimming was his downtime, like meditation, his muscles programmed, his strokes streamlined, automatic, his breathing slow and even. His body moved with mechanical precision, his brain improvised and analysed. There was still a lot to do to prepare for Tuesday; he visualized landing in Rome and started the countdown again. He preferred not leaving anything to chance. He might take calculated risks, but he was never rash.
Kate was slowly working a leg press when Dominic came up a half hour later wearing a white terry cloth robe. ‘I’m going to take a quick shower. Do you want to come with me or should I see you upstairs?’
‘I’ll be up in a while.’
Leaning over, he gave her a kiss, then walked away and took the stairs at a run.
Fifteen minutes later, Dominic was showered, dressed in jeans and a faded relic-from-his-past Legalize Pot T-shirt, and was seated at his desk in his office downstairs, talking on the phone. At a knock on the open door, he swung round to find Patty standing there with a surprise visitor. Charlie was smiling at him like he was expecting her. And she’d dressed in female executive mode as if he cared. Her grey tailored designer suit was couture, her white s
ilk blouse open slightly too much, and she wore enough real jewellery to indicate that she didn’t have to work for a living. Which wasn’t too far off the mark, because he wasn’t sure she actually did much work.
So what the fuck was she doing here?
And how soon could he get rid of her?
But he waved Charlie in and pointed at the sofa and then to the phone in his hand. ‘Uh-uh, Kev, not till next week. No, Wednesday at the earliest.’ He looked at Patty and brought his free hand to his mouth, mimicking drinking from a cup.
Patty nodded and left.
‘Roscoe could help you in the meantime if you have any questions. Sure, we’ll be back on schedule after Wednesday.’ He gave Charlie a polite smile. ‘You got it, Kev.’ Setting the phone receiver in the cradle, he rose from his chair. Skirting the desk, his bare feet soundless on the carpet, he pulled up a chair from the table in the centre of the room and sat.
‘Some problem at the NGO?’ God, let her say yes because the alternative wasn’t anything he wanted to hear.
Charlie offered him a small, bashful smile that might have been effective ten years ago, although even then it would have been a stretch. She wasn’t the bashful type. ‘No, no problem, Dominic. I just wanted to show you the fourth quarter results. They just came in.’
Seriously? Since when did he oversee the NGO? He had people who did that. With a silent sigh, Dominic held out his hand. ‘Sure. I’ll take a quick look.’
‘You can see what we were planning on spending and the actual results. And the new compensation package is a separate document at the end.’
Dominic started flipping through the pages, looked up when Patty came in with coffee, said, ‘None for me,’ and went back to his reading. He asked a few questions, Charlie answered them inadequately and he returned to the earlier pages to look more closely at the graphs showing the expenditure differences from one quarter to the next.
When Kate walked in, Dominic looked up. ‘Hi, baby. Come sit.’ He patted his leg. ‘You remember Charlie. She brought over the fourth quarter results from Julia’s NGO.’