Command (19 page)

Clearly this had not been one of his more brilliant ideas. He’d thought that bringing her out here would spark her interest and help her get over any perceived fear. They’d talk about bondage, what the equipment was for, what might happen in a future scene.

But when she’d stepped up onto the platform and stretched her arms along the top section of the cross, it’d been as if his brain circuits no longer connected. Ever since she’d exited the plane, he’d imagined her spread in that position, waiting for him. The reality had surpassed any expectation. And she’d been fully dressed.

He had it bad for this woman.

It wasn’t just her feminine curves, it was the whole damn package. Confidence. Brains. Ability and willingness to challenge his thinking.

Now if he could convince her to thumb her nose at Julien and Bonds and come be his sex slave, life would be perfect.

Reality, unfortunately, was much more complex.

Including the fact that Julien had put them at odds with each other. She’d clearly been tasked with getting him back to California and into the company’s marketing and PR efforts, and that wasn’t happening. “Shall we?”

He grabbed her coat and held it for her, then they picked up their drinks. She took a long gulp before they left the dungeon. Obviously she was as affected as he was.

Inside, Shadow was waiting, and the scent of Italian sauce wafted toward them.

“This could be what heaven smells like,” she said.

They regained their easy camaraderie as he pulled the pan from the oven and added another sprinkle of cheese on top.

While she replenished their wine, he tossed together a salad to accompany the pasta. He marveled at how easy she was to be with, how seamlessly they worked together.

Over dinner, they discussed the plan for Bonds, via Molly, to have a greater impact on people’s lives, and strategized a way to present it to Julien since the man had zero tolerance for endless slide shows. He demanded that his employees give him something interactive to look at and consider. Problem was, he already knew everything there was to know about Molly.

“The hologram,” she said. “Shadow or…something new, I don’t know…” Aria scowled as she sorted through the idea. “The hologram can show Julien what it can do. What if… You use a hologram of Julien…” She took a breath. “I know, I know the hologram doesn’t work. So, instead, do a projection, sort of like what you do in here with the landscapes. Wait. This is too complicated. Make him a cartoon, a computer generated image.”

“CGI…” He loved the way her brain worked, enjoyed listening to her talk things out, presenting an idea only to discard, or expand on it, all in the space of a couple of seconds. “Yeah. That’s possible.”

“So we have CGI version of Julien. He can give the presentation himself, as if he’s talking to the press of a group of potential investors.”

“Synthesizing his voice is a bigger challenge than you might imagine. There’s a reason movie studios have actors read the lines and then synchronize them.”

“Are you kidding me? The man never shuts up. You have enough words for the computers at Bonds to put something together.”

“This is risky. Maybe beyond my skillset.”

“I’ve seen your skillset, remember? It’s pretty impressive.”

“With computers.”

“What?” She paused with the fork halfway to her mouth. “That’s what I was talking about.” Her cheeky grin said otherwise.

“Let’s continue to brainstorm.”

They finished dinner, cleaned up the kitchen together, then when she asked if he wanted more wine, he replied, “I don’t have more than one drink if I’m going to play with a sub.” He didn’t intend to push, but he was going to make it clear she had a choice.

“In that case, let’s skip the wine.” Her voice was low, seductive.

In that moment, he’d do anything to please her. He knew she had no idea of the amount of power she held over him. “Did you bring anything else to wear?”

“Like lingerie? Heels? No. I had no idea I’d need anything like that. Best I can do is thermal pajamas. Or yoga pants.”

“Yoga pants? Do you mean hug-your-butt pants?”

“I’ll wear them tomorrow.”

“Not if we’re working, you won’t.”

They returned to the dungeon, and he brought out a space heater that he placed a few feet behind the cross.

She took off her coat and hung it on a peg on the wall. He put his next to it.

“How do you feel about getting your first flogging tonight?” He took her into his arms.

“Nervous. Like we’re out on a first date—or maybe a blind date,” she confessed. “Not sure what to expect.”

He grinned, wanting to alleviate her anxiety. With a more experienced sub or if he followed a higher protocol, he might weave a different headspace. But he appreciated that he was the first man to dominate her. “I hope I can do better than grope you in the backseat of a car.”

“I’m sure you can.”

He kissed her until she raised onto her tiptoes and leaned into him completely, then continued until she was breathless. When he looked into her eyes, he saw that whatever awkwardness she’d been feeling was gone.

Intimacy, he realized.

That kiss had brought it all back for both of them, creating a platform to build from. With her, he was seeing a relationship in a different way than he ever had before.

Grant pulled up her sweater then tugged it over her head in a smooth, easy move, baring her skin to his gaze, his touch.

He skimmed his knuckles down her throat and paused at the small hollow.

She parted her lips slightly and kept her gaze on his.

He reached behind her to unfasten her bra.

“You’ve done that before,” she whispered.

“Maybe I learned a thing or two in the backseat of a car.” Grant brushed a thumb over one of her nipples. “How do they feel?”

“Not at all sore.”

“Maybe a pair of lightweight clamps then.” He teased her flesh until her nipples were completely hard and she groaned with pleasure. Her responses were like an aphrodisiac to him. The more she gave, the more he wanted. “Why don’t you finish undressing while I set up the play area?”

He started toward the storage area then paused. “Better yet, I’d prefer you help me.” Typically he handled all the preparation for a scene. He found the acts meditative, allowing him time to think through the nuances of his plan. But at the club he’d seen other Doms instruct their subs to set up the toys. Suddenly he realized the benefit. Her participation would force her to be more involved and keep them interacting so he could get her in the right mindset before he secured the first cuff. “There’s a wheeled cart in the storage closet. Fetch it.”

She hesitated only a second before doing as he said. “There’s a lot of equipment in there. I don’t know what most of it is, but my imagination is urging me to take a guess,” she said when she returned.

“If we don’t get to use it all when you’re here, it’ll be incentive for you to return.” And he meant it.

She didn’t respond.

He didn’t want to think of her leaving, but she would—probably soon. Even in this short amount of time, he’d grown accustomed to having her around. While he liked it, he was enough of a realist to know it couldn’t last. His tastes were demanding, and living in such an out-of-the-way location didn’t work for a lot of people. And he had no intention of leaving New Mexico behind.

Refocusing his attention, he removed the purple flogger from the cupboard and handed it to her. “Hang it right there.” He indicated a metal hook on the side of the cart.

After seeing a similar set-up at a club Kennedy had taken him to in Boston, Grant had decided he needed to order one online. There were individual compartments for condoms, trays for clamps and lube, as well as several hooks that accommodated multiple spanking implements.

“This is heavier than I thought,” she said, as she put the flogger in place.

“Try it out.”

He watched her test the weight then flick it back and forth. Then she switched hands.

“How do you not get carpal tunnel from this thing?”

“Let’s try for flogger’s elbow.”

She grinned. “I’ll bet you know about that.”

He considered which set of nipple clamps he wanted. The Japanese clovers would remain tight and in place. The alligators had a nice bite. They might come off when he tormented her breasts, which might be an added advantage.

Unable to choose, he instructed her to put both sets in the tray. He skipped over the blindfold for this night’s introductory scene, but selected four soft cuffs.

Then, because she had a pensive frown burrowed between her eyebrows, he put a thumb beneath her chin and captured her lips for a deep, deep kiss.

Instantly she responded, wrapping her arms around his neck. This woman…
His.
He pulled her in closer so he could stroke her back and savor their connection.

“Grant…”

He put his palm flat on her buttocks, drawing her in, letting her feel his erection and more, the effect she had on him.

In his arms she became soft, trusting.

“I need…” she murmured against his mouth.

“Take it,” he encouraged. He moved their positions a little, jutting out his leg and offering support.

With a soft whimper, she rubbed her crotch against his leg.

“That’s it. That’s my sub.” Grant had never had anything like this before, anyone like
her.
Her softness combined with her strength, might be his undoing.

He held her while she ground her pussy against his thigh. “That’s it,” he encouraged.

Her whimpers gave way to moans, and his cock throbbed, rising against his jeans. He captured her mouth again, devouring her as she rode him, their breaths becoming ragged.

She turned her head to the side, and he took more of her weight as she rubbed her pussy on him.

This was as sexy as it got. “Come all over me, Aria.”

She screamed his name, the word wrapped in a sigh.

Aria’s body sagged, and he was there for her, stroking her hair, reassuring her, telling her how much he loved hearing his name as she climaxed.

“I…”

“Yeah,” he agreed. Understood. Words weren’t needed. “Thank you,” he said.

She put a hand on his chest and used it for leverage to ease back. “Generally I get out of my clothes before I have an orgasm.”

“Speaking of…”

Her body was relaxed, and desire painted her eyes a deeper shade of green. Her earlier feelings—whether they’d been caused by awkwardness or apprehension—had clearly vanished.

“I’m anxious to have you on the cross.” He reached for the top button of her jeans. “Since the floor is cold, but mostly because I’d find it the stuff of fantasies, you’re welcome to leave your boots on.”

“You
are
kinky,” she said.

“Even more than I had realized,” he agreed.

She moved to the chair to finish stripping, but she slipped back into the boots.

“Julien was right.” He perused her, devoured her with his gaze. “You could rule the world in those things.”

“At this moment, I’m only interested in you.” She walked toward him, posture erect, hair flowing down her back, one hand on her hip.

“Have mercy. I’m only a red-blooded male. I don’t stand a chance.”

She paused long enough to trail her fingertips down his arm before walking to the middle of the room to climb onto the platform.

He stood in place, riveted by the sight of her legs, her ass, her confident strut.

“Which way do you want me, Sir?” she asked over her shoulder.

What was the question?

If there’d ever been a better time to be a Dom, he didn’t remember it. “Face it,” he said. “So I can turn that ass of yours red.”

A dozen different thoughts and emotions warred inside Aria as she turned to face the cross. All of a sudden, she understood what he’d talked about previously, when they’d looked at the portrait. Waiting was difficult and revealed true strength.

The reality of being in the dungeon, naked and bound, knowing he planned to beat her, plowed into her.

But he’d obviously been reading her cues, and he’d responded to them perfectly.

It wasn’t just physically. It was verbally too. She wasn’t sure she’d ever had a man be this in tune with her before. And it all created trust and intimacy, making her feel safe.

She heard the cart move over the uneven floor, and he didn’t stop until he was in front of her. Aria realized that, in the future, she’d measure every man against him, not just in terms of breathtaking good looks, but also courtesy, humor, caring and, heaven help her, kink. Was it possible to go back after this? Would she even want to?

“Make yourself comfortable.”

She pressed her body against the padding and spread her arms and legs apart. Her pulse started to race, so she drew a couple of steadying breaths.

“Wrists or ankles first?” He picked a cuff from the cart.

“Whatever you please, Sir,” she answered.

His nod of approval made her glad she’d remembered the response.

He started with her wrists, wrapping them in cuffs then securing them to an eyebolt. She realized it would have been just as easy for him to stand behind her and do this, so she appreciated that he was letting her watch him.

Her brain told her the restraints were secure, but she couldn’t help but test them anyway. She could move her arms barely an inch.

After securing her ankles—not easy, she imagined, with the boots—he stepped back. “This image of you… I’ll never forget it.”

Their gazes held for a moment before he gave her a curt nod. Then he moved behind her to stroke her back and shoulders. She wondered how he always managed to surprise her.

Tension she hadn’t been aware of seeped from her body as her muscles relaxed.

He vigorously rubbed her buttocks then her thighs, warming her body.

“It’s doubtful I’d leave any bruises,” he said, “but this will add insurance.”

Only then did he move to the cart to pick up the flogger.

“What will you say if it gets to be too much?”

“Holy shit?”

He put the butt of the flogger beneath her chin and forced her head back a little.

“Even though I’ll be watching your responses, I won’t be able to see your expression.” His eyebrows were set in a scowl. “You have a responsibility to me, to yourself, to our scene, to communicate.”