Bliss (20 page)

“Of course, a leather strap wouldn’t be a good idea for suspension. You’d want to have a heavy chain, plus a heavy-duty hook attached to the ceiling.”

She tried to ignore the shimmering heat washing through her at the thought of J.M. attaching her wrists to a chain above her head, then pulling it upward until she hung from her wrists, her feet dangling below her. Then J.M. would have his wild way with her. Tearing the clothes from her body. Touching her everywhere. Then forcing her to submit to him. She would struggle and scream . . . enjoying every minute of it.

“For more ideas, you can check out the dungeon. We’re doing a demo over there in about an hour.”

She nodded, feeling like a bobblehead doll. “Thank you.”

She turned away and walked along the aisle, knowing exactly what fantasy she’d like to act out next.

J.M. sipped his beer as he watched Kara finish her last bite of lasagna, then put down her knife and fork. He’d love just to sweep her away from here and take her back to his room and spend the afternoon making love. They’d had a lot of time with other people and precious little time alone. Even now, not only were they lunching with Grace and Quinn, but Jeff, Trent, and Lou had joined them. If he was ever going to convince her that he was the right man for her, he needed more time with just the two of them. He knew he couldn’t convince her to spend the whole afternoon together, since she had conference sessions she wanted to attend, but maybe he could find a way to spirit her away for a little while.

Kara placed her cloth napkin on the table and finished the last sip of her white wine, then turned to J.M.

“I was thinking of heading back a bit early.” She smiled. “What about you?”

J.M. grinned. It seemed the lady wanted some time alone, too.

Grace turned from her conversation with Jeff. “I’m almost finished, Kara. Want me to join you?”

“No, it’s okay, Grace. I want to talk to J.M. about research for my article.” She patted Grace on the shoulder. “You stay and enjoy your conversation with the guys.”

His heart clenched. It was great that she wanted to keep this just the two of them, but the thought that it was just to pick his brain about Tantra for her article didn’t make him feel particularly wanted. At least, not for the right reasons.

He drew out her chair, then retrieved her coat from the hook along the wall and held the garment out for her. Once he had his own coat on, they opened the door to the blustery weather outside. The walk back to the hotel took only a few minutes, then they stepped into the warm lobby.

“I need to put my coat away and collect my conference bag. Want to come up to my room for a bit?” she asked.

“Of course.”

They rode the elevator to her floor, then walked to her room. Once inside, he took her coat and hung it in the closet, then hung up his. When he turned to face her again, she slid her hands around his shoulders and kissed him. Her soft, full lips on his sent his hormones into a spiral. He slipped his tongue into her mouth and swirled, tasting a hint of white wine.

Her hands stroked over his chest, then to his waist. She walked backward, tugging him along by the belt.

“We have a little time before the afternoon sessions start. I know you like to be slow and thorough, but do you think you can manage a quickie?”

Chapter Seventeen

J.M.’s fingers found the button on the back of her skirt and released it, then slid the zipper down.

“Try me.”

He pushed her skirt over her hips, then let it fall to the floor. She tugged open his belt and freed the zipper. His pants fell with a clunk. He nuzzled her neck, loving the feel of her soft skin against his lips. Loving the soft murmur of approval in her throat even more.

He backed her toward the bed, but she shook her head.

“That way,” she suggested, pointing to the wall beside the dresser.

He grinned and nodded. He backed her against the wall and stroked over her hips, then under her blouse. With her back pressed firmly against the wall, he cupped her breasts, delighted to feel her hardened nipples press into his palms through the lace of her bra. He stroked around behind her and unfastened it. In a quick movement, he grasped the hem of her blouse and pulled it over her head, ignoring the buttons down the front entirely. Her bra straps dropped from her shoulders and the bra clung tenuously to her gorgeous full breasts. He drew the garment away, then gazed at the dusky rose nipples so beautifully puckered.

“Lovely,” he said as he ran his fingertips over one hard bead. He leaned forward and licked it, then sucked it into his mouth.

He felt her hand stroke over his erection, then glide into his navy briefs. When her soft hand encircled him, he thought he’d lose it right there.

God, he wanted her. Quick would definitely not be a problem.

Her breast pulled free of his mouth as she slid downward. She knelt in front of him and gazed lovingly at his hard cock. She kissed the tip.

“Oh, yeah, sweetheart,” he murmured.

She smiled, then opened her mouth to swallow his cock head inside. The incredible warmth made his groin ache with need. Her tongue swirled around him, then she dove downward, swallowing most of his shaft. She bobbed up and down, and it felt as if he was making love to her mouth. His cock throbbed with need.

He grabbed her shoulders and drew her upward again, then captured her sweet lips with his. Her tongue invaded his mouth with enthusiasm.

She pushed her underwear to the floor, then kicked it aside.

“Push me against the wall,” she murmured. “
Take
me.”

Ah, so she wanted to be dominated. He grabbed her wrists and pressed them over her head, then pressed his body tight to hers, crushing her to the wall. He clutched her wrists in one of his hands while his other slid down her body, squeezing first one breast, then the other. He continued to her belly, then glided between her legs, finding the moistness there. He grabbed his cock and pressed it to her opening.

“I’m going to
take
you now.”

He captured her lips and thrust his tongue into her in quick, insistent jabs. She moaned into his mouth.

He drove forward, thrusting his cock into her in one long, hard stroke. Watching the look of pure rapture on her sweet face, he drew back and plunged into her again.

“You are helpless to me.” He drove into her again.

She moaned, her eyelids dropping closed. With her cheeks flushed crimson and her long, dark eyelashes fanning across her cheeks, she looked like a wanton angel.

He thrust into her again, loving the feel of her hot body surrounding his aching cock. He was so close. He could hold it . . . he prided himself on holding back his ejaculations . . . but he wanted to fill her with his seed. It felt almost primal. A need to conquer his mate and make her his . . . body and soul.

“I’m . . . oh . . . going to . . .”

He thrust deeper. Faster.

“Yes . . .” She arched against him, then began to moan.

“Open your eyes. Look at me,” he insisted.

He wanted to see her. Her eyelids opened and she gazed at him, her sapphire eyes dark with desire.

“Oh—” Her wrists jerked forward against his hands and her whole body stiffened.

He thrust again and again, watching the ecstasy blossom on her angelic features. At her soft gasps, then long, rapturous moan, he felt his own climax erupt into her, followed by an earth-shattering orgasm. He moaned in absolute bliss.

She dropped forward against him and rested her head against his shoulder. He released her wrists and she wrapped her arms around his waist.

Right now, he felt incredibly close to her. In fact, he felt like the most important person in the world to her. And it was a wonderful feeling.

She nuzzled his neck, then drew back and gazed at him.

“Thank you. That was great.”

He grinned. “Anytime.”

She laughed, a soft, wispy, intensely feminine sound that stole his breath away. If she decided to walk away from him, it would leave him totally empty inside.

He couldn’t let that happen. He had to convince her how much he loved her . . . and how much she loved him. Because she did love him. He could feel it. If only she would allow herself to connect with those feelings.

He captured her lips and kissed her deeply . . . passionately . . . showing all the love welling up in him.

Kara slipped from J.M.’s hold, breathless, and glanced around at her scattered clothing.

Oh God oh God oh God!
The way he’d kissed her . . . the intensity of it . . . She was afraid that any minute now he’d tell her he loved her.

She gathered up her clothing and scurried into the bathroom. She closed the door and leaned back against it, trying to catch her breath . . . to calm her erratic heartbeat with long, deep breaths.

She was allowing him to get too close. She was allowing
herself
to get too close.

Okay, she’d come to a lot of important realizations about herself since she’d met J.M. She understood that she avoided intense relationships for fear they’d tear her heart to shreds. She couldn’t stand the thought of giving her whole heart away to someone who would leave her, but plunging headlong into the most intense relationship of her life wasn’t the answer. It was all happening too fast. She needed to take a little time to center herself, maybe find a good therapist to help her sort things out.

If she just put a little distance between them . . .

A knock sounded on the door.

“Kara, is everything all right?”

Her heart thundered in her chest. “Um . . . yeah. Just a second.”

She tugged on her clothes, then pulled open the door.

J.M.’s warm hand covered hers. “I can tell you’re overthinking things.” He leaned forward and kissed her temple. “Just surrender to the moment and enjoy the present. Let me help.”

Kara took a deep, steadying breath. J.M. was right. She had no idea whether or not they’d have a future together. But suddenly that didn’t matter anymore—all that mattered was the here and now.

J.M. grabbed a couple of juice bottles from the fridge and sat down at the table. About ten minutes later, Kara returned, fully clothed, and sat across from him. She poured some juice into a glass and took a sip, then gazed at him.

“I’ve been thinking about the sexual fantasies we’ve been acting out and I thought up another one I’d like to try.”

“Really?” He smiled. “And what would that be?”

“I . . . thought it would be fun if . . .” She blushed, then took a sip of her juice. “Well, if you were to . . . kidnap me. You know, hold me captive and . . . maybe chain me up.”

“Take you against your will?”

Her cheeks flushed hotter as she gazed down at her juice, then nodded.

“I think that would be . . . very exciting.” In fact, his cock already stood at attention.

She smiled and shifted around the table toward him, then wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. He drew her into his lap and deepened the kiss, reveling in their closeness.

When their lips parted, she smiled at him. “Thank you for helping me with all these fantasies. I really appreciate it.”

“You don’t have to thank me. You know I’m enjoying it, too.”

She nodded. “Well, I really have to be getting back to the conference.”

She stood up and grabbed her conference bag from the dresser.

“So, will you ask Quinn about it?”

J.M.’s heart sank. “Quinn?”

“About the kidnapping fantasy. I was hoping you two could surprise me with where and how you snatch me away.”

His emotions raw, he wanted to ask why she wanted Quinn there, why he wasn’t enough for her, but the shining excitement in her eyes at the prospect of the two of them kidnapping her for a night of forced seduction sent his cock throbbing, which dulled his brain far too much for cognizant thought.

Kara jerked from sleep as a hand wrapped over her mouth. Adrenaline shot through her, sending her heartbeat thundering.

“There’s no point in struggling. You cannot escape.”

J.M.’s voice. Her fear turned to excitement.
Her fantasy!

“Do you understand?”

She nodded.

“Now I’m going to have to gag you so you don’t scream.”

He pressed a ball into her mouth. A strap wrapped around her face and he fastened it at the back of her head.

The feel of the rubber ball pushed into her mouth was very sexy. He fidgeted behind her and suddenly a cloth slipped over her eyes. She felt his fingers play over her hair as he tied the cloth at the back of her head.

He stood up and hoisted her over his shoulder, her body draped over him and one of his arms draped carelessly over the backs of her thighs. He carried her across the room.

Was he carrying her into the hall? Surely someone would see them. But within moments, he laid her on a bed.

Someone took hold of her ankles.
Quinn!

A strap encircled her ankle, then she heard a click. She tugged her ankle, but it wouldn’t move. He pulled her other ankle to the left, pulling her legs wide apart, then wrapped a strap around it. She heard a click, then he released her. She tried to pull her legs together, but the straps prevented her.

“Don’t bother struggling.”

She started at the feel of Quinn’s breath on her ear.

“You are our prisoner,” J.M. said.

A hand caressed her breast and her nipple instantly pebbled.

Someone leaned toward her ear.

“Your safe word is ‘cat,’ ” J.M. murmured in her ear. “If you can’t speak, for any number of reasons”—he tapped the ball in her mouth—“then snap your fingers or slap your hand on something three times. Like this.” He took her left hand and thumped it on the bed, then he moved away.

One man grabbed the hem of her nightshirt and tugged it over her head. She sucked in air at the sudden feel of cool air on her naked body.

“Well, isn’t that convenient. No panties.”

A second later, each man took one of her wrists and pulled it upward, away from her body. Straps encircled them, followed by clicks. Now she lay totally naked and spread-eagle on the bed. She couldn’t see them, but she could feel their hot gazes.