Chapter Twenty
I don’t want her to leave.
She doesn’t want to leave.
Her eyes tell the tale—their bourbon-hued depth defies her and shows the truth. She glances downward and then toward the blue sweater I hold.
She doesn’t move, even when I take a step toward her.
I don’t ask her to leave again. I simply stand three feet away from her, the sweater dangling from my hand.
Stalemate.
She has two choices. She can take the sweater and leave, or she can stay, effectively giving up control over this situation. Already I know which side will win, and I know what it will cost her.
She opens her mouth, and I finally close the distance between us, dropping the sweater and again gripping her shoulders.
“No more games, Skye,” I whisper darkly. “Give in to me tonight, and I promise you more pleasure than you’ve ever known.”
“No more games,” she whispers.
I kiss her. Hard.
Harder and deeper than ever. Her own ache and hunger pour into me through the kiss. I feel every bit of it, and it mirrors my own. I break the kiss and then scrape my teeth over her jawline and down her bare shoulder. Her nipples are still hard and wanting, and this time I take one between my lips and gently kiss it.
I strengthen my hold on her, remaining gentle with the nipple, even though I want to bite down. Hard.
My cock pulses in time with my heart, and I have to force myself to go slowly. I tease her other nipple with my fingers while I continue to suck at the first, gradually increasing the pull. She gasps and threads her fingers through my hair as I bob against her breast. I finally release the first nipple, glide my lips over to the second, and clamp my mouth around it. No teasing this time. I full-on suck it. Hard. A low moan emerges in her throat, and she pulls at my hair.
I groan without meaning to.
“Is your pussy wet for me?” I say against her flesh.
“God, yes.”
“I can smell how much you want me.”
The fragrant aroma wafts around us, has my cock straining. I’m like a horny kid with her. I release the nipple. Inhale. Exhale. Regain control over my body.
Then I slide my hands down her abdomen, pushing the dress off her to the floor. She stands only in her black panties. I lower my head and inhale. Deeply.
She has the scent of a goddess. But she’s not a goddess. She’s Eve. She’s Delilah. She’s a temptress like no other woman I’ve known. She has no idea how much inner strength I required to hand her that sweater, to tell her to leave.
Because my God, I want her. I want to do everything to her.
I inhale again and then slide her panties over her hips.
They land within the circle of the dress.
She’s naked.
Naked and wet and completely at my mercy.
Perfect.
I trail my tongue over the top of her vulva, which is freshly shaven and smooth this time. I spread her thighs and flick my tongue over her clit, savoring the brief taste of her. She inhales sharply and I tilt my head, meeting her gaze.
“Bedroom,” I rasp. Then I stand and pull her—naked while I’m still fully clothed in my tux—to the bedroom.
I leave her standing by the bed and walk to my highboy. I open a drawer and pull out a black silk blindfold.
Tonight it begins.
The education of Skye Manning.
The submission of Skye Manning.
I return to the bed, place the cool silk over her eyes, and tie it around her head, taking care not to tug on her beautiful hair.
She opens her mouth, and I wait. I wait for her to tell me to stop. I will always stop if she wants me to, but she doesn’t want me to. Already I feel this.
She closes her mouth, and I smile, knowing she can’t see my expression.
“Don’t speak,” I say. “Just enjoy.”
“Enjoy what?”
I hold back the urge to give her a light smack to the breast for her disobedience. “I told you not to speak.”
She presses her lips together.
“Because I’ve taken your sight,” I say, “your other senses will be enhanced. You won’t see what I do to you, but you’ll smell it, taste it, hear it.”
“What if—”
“Skye,” I say, forcing my voice to sound gentler than I actually feel, “if you speak again, I’ll punish you.”
She rips the blindfold off her eyes. “I didn’t sign up to be beaten.”
I expect resistance. Actually want it. Skye’s strength and take-charge attitude are part of what attract me to her, and it will make the end that much sweeter. For both of us.
“Who said anything about being beaten? What kind of man do you think I am?”
“You said you’d punish me. What other kind of punishment is there?”
I meet her gaze. “You’re about to find out.”
Chapter Twenty-One
She shudders, and her nipples and areolas tighten further.
I suck in a breath.
Watching her reaction to my words, my actions, thrills and sends sparks skittering over my flesh.
Her mind is working. I can almost see the cogs turning in her brain. She’s thinking about punishment, and she’s not sure if she’ll like it or hate it.
She’s wrong on both counts.
She’s going to love it.
“Are… Are you going to hurt me?” she asks.
“Only if you want me to.” I slip the blindfold onto her eyes once more. “Keep it on this time.”
“But are you—”
“Punishment doesn’t have to hurt, Skye. At least not physically.”
“So you’re still going to…?”
“Punish you? Oh yes.”
Shivers rack her body. “How—”
“No more talking,” I command. “You’re used to being in control, Skye, so I’m trying to be lenient. But I have my limits.”
She opens her mouth—
“Do you want to be gagged?”
She shakes her head vehemently.
I lower my head and nip at her soft earlobe. “The first thing I noticed about you was your sexy mouth. The second thing was your amazing rack. But the third thing, Skye, was what truly drew me to you. Do you know what it is?”