Page 4 of One to Keep


  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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  Sophie Oak

  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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  33

  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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  Sophie Oak

  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
e of her ass. Jen might be slender, but she had a perfectly plump ass. Made to take a spanking. Made to fuck. “And I’ll do this every

  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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  35

  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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  Sophie Oak

  “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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  37

  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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  Sophie Oak

  “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. Eventu
ally 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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  39

  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