His Mistress (13 page)

Jane pulled away from their kiss all too aware of her reluctance to do so. The fiery touch of his mouth against hers had sent desire spiraling downward until it she was slick with heat between her legs. His kiss had aroused her in ways she’d never experienced in her dreams. Everything about this man was a threat to her emotions, and yet she was unable to move away from the fire. For the first time, she realized that obtaining Tobias’ surrender could easily mean giving away some of her own secrets. It was a frightening thought, but she’d come too far now. There was no going back.

T
he hot sweetness of
Mystère’s
lips vanished the minute she retreated and turned away from him. It took every bit of willpower he possessed not to shout out his frustration. Her kiss had thrown him off balance far more than he’d expected. Fuck, it had done a lot more than that. He was teetering on the edge of
begging
her for the privilege of pleasuring her. The memory of her adjusting her garters and giving him a tantalizing view of her body created a tight knot in his throat.

While he’d submitted to several Ladies in
La Maison des Plaisirs Sombres
, none of them had captured his interest like this woman. Lady
Mystère
intrigued him. Excited him. There was an air of exclusivity and strength about her that made his body harden with a need that gnawed at him. Never in his life had he hungered for a woman like he did for her.

He wanted to explore every inch of her sweetly curved figure before settling himself between her lovely legs. And
Mystère
had beautifully plump, luscious legs. They would easily wrap around him as he pounded his body against hers. A groan of need started to roll upward out of him, but at the last second he managed to contain it.

Tobias fought to tighten his control over his senses. He wasn’t about to let this woman know just how much her body
or
her touch affected him. Jaw clenched with tension, he swallowed the knot of lust in his throat. Determined not to reveal how close he was to falling completely under her spell, Tobias kept his head bent and closed his eyes to focus his attention on his current state of discomfort.

The wood at the center of the x-shaped cross pressed into the small of his back, providing little support for his upper body. With a gentle movement he shifted his arms into a more comfortable position. He almost laughed at the thought. He’d never been so far from comfortable in his life.

The ache in his arms made him clasp his wrists together to ease the protest of the muscles in his shoulders and forearms. At least he had enough slack in his bindings for that minor comfort.
Mystère’s
creative use of lace restraints had amused him at first, but no longer.

It wasn’t just that she’d chosen lace straps. She’d tied the fragile bindings to the narrow strip of silk that loosely bound his wrists together. Not to mention the fact that it was his
best
silk tie. While he’d fully expected
Mystère
to bind him to the wood, he sure as hell hadn’t anticipated she’d use something as delicate as lace to hold him in place.

If his arms had been bound directly to the cross itself, he’d at least have strong leather straps and solid wood providing some support. The cost of easing his discomfort was his silk tie brushing lightly against his neck. It was like having an irritating fly darting across his skin. The overall result was a damned unpleasant position meant to create extreme discomfort.

The only reason the lace straps were still intact was his determination not to lower his arms until she granted him a reprieve. He could only hope it wouldn’t be too long in coming. He gritted his teeth. If there was anything he was capable of it was how to endure and never give way unless it was absolutely necessary. He’d learned that at a young age. It was the one thing that had always helped him manage the demons of his past, and the devils he confronted on a daily basis in the East End. He shifted his body again in an effort to find a more comfortable position.

“Careful, Tobias. I would not want our evening to end so quickly simply because you broke your restraints.” The chastisement revealed her amusement, and he grunted with irritation. He’d be damned if he was going to let this evening end without his cock being satisfied or ensuring she was satisfied as well.

“If I break these lace straps, my Lady, it will only be when
or if
you command me to do so. My needs are secondary to yours. I await your pleasure.”

He tightened his mouth as a muscle in his shoulder signaled a moderate level of pain in his brain. His cock was still aching for release, but his entire body was beginning to compete for a different kind of release as well. An escape from his bindings. No other Lady in
La Maison des Plaisirs Sombres
had ever invoked that sensation in him. She had him dancing on a high wire without a net waiting for her to alleviate his discomfort with just a word or touch.

“Is that determination or stubbornness I hear in your voice?”

“Only a desire to please you,
Mystère
.”

“You seem quite eager to do so,” she said with a soft laugh. Tired of dancing on the wire, he forced a laugh past his clenched teeth.

“I’m eager to use my tongue on those beautiful pink folds between your legs.” Even though she was several feet away from him, he still heard her sharply inhaled breath. It encouraged him. “I want to use my tongue to pleasure you until you scream my name. That is how I want to please you,
Mystère
.”

Slowly Tobias lifted his head to look at her. Desire flashed in her beautiful dark blue eyes, while her tongue wet her lips in what he knew was an unconscious reaction to his words. Was she wet now? He suppressed a groan. Christ Jesus, he wanted to fuck her. He wanted to pleasure her in a way no man ever had. Need tugged at him as he watched the desire on her masked features. He knew she was debating whether to give way to her own need.
Mystère’s
eyes narrowed beneath her burgundy mask.

Was she going to let him prove his desire to please her? Every inch of him wanted to hold his beautiful tormenter in his arms until his need was spent, and then he wanted to repeat the effort again and again until morning. Even then he was afraid it wouldn’t be enough. He discounted the thought. It had simply been too long since his cock had surrendered to the touch of a skilled Lady.

“You seem quite sure of yourself, Tobias.” Just the subtle inflection in her voice made him feel like the game had shifted back in her favor. He stiffened as he watched her approaching him.

“I’m certain of my ability to please you beyond measure, my Lady. If you release me now, I will gladly show you how much pleasure I can give you.”

“I have no reason to doubt you on that point, Tobias,” she said with a firm slap to his thigh. Red-hot heat stung the spot where her hand had smacked him. It was just enough punishment to catch his attention without causing him more than a second or two of discomfort. “You don’t seem to understand the rules, Tobias. You do
not
look at me unless I give you permission. Do you understand?”

“Yes, my Lady.”

The harsh warning made Tobias immediately drop his head and gaze. He’d deserved that punishment for his insolent manner, but damn if it hadn’t been worth it to see the way her mouth had parted with desire. It was impossible to see her face anymore, but he had an excellent view of her bodice and the way it clung to her body. In his head, he imagined what her rounded breasts would look like in his hands. A soft laugh whispered past her lips as she leaned forward to flick her tongue along the outer rim of his ear. Raw heat surged through him at the caress, until his steady breathing became harsh and ragged for not the first time this evening.

“You are a beautiful specimen of male, Tobias,” she whispered. Her teeth grazed his earlobe before biting down on the flesh to catch his attention.

Instinct and desire made him quickly turn his head to bury his face in the side of her neck. The warm, sultry scent he already recognized as hers and hers alone floated off her soft skin. Without thinking he captured a small amount of her flesh between his lips and gently sucked at her silky skin. He’d never tasted any woman so exotically sweet or tempting as this woman.

His playful gesture pulled a small gasp of surprise from her. In the next instant, she pinched him hard where his buttock met the back of the wood cross. He grimaced at the small punishment. It was no less than he deserved, and he was clearly trying her patience. But then nibbling at her flesh had brought him a tremendous amount of pleasure. That alone had been worth the pinch she’d given him. A quick glance at her neck showed only a faint mark where his lips had been. Good, he’d not hurt her.

“You are not allowed to take liberties simply because I find you pleasing to the eye.”

“I find you equally pleasing to look at, my Lady,
when
you allow me to gaze at you.” The impudent retort pulled a laugh from her.

“You’re as brazen as you are handsome.”

“I’m glad you find me pleasing, my Lady.” At his reply,
Mystère
laughed again.

“There is little
not
to find pleasing about you, Tobias.”

She stepped away from him, but not before she bent at the waist to study the spot where she’d pinched him. The sudden sensation of her soft mouth kissing the still tingling spot of skin sent a jolt of electricity into every muscle in his body. He couldn’t remember the last time a woman had tended to him with such tenderness. What would it be like if she were to kiss every inch of him? The answer made him swallow hard as she straightened, and he found himself staring at her bodice again.

Her fingers toyed with the buttons on the front of her gown before she slowly unbuttoned first one and then another of the black fasteners. As she undid the buttons, he realized her gown was actually a skirt and jacket. The shortwaisted coat had blended so seamlessly with her skirt it had given the appearance of a gown suitable for an evening soiree.

As the jacket fell open, the sight in front of him sucked the air out of his lungs. Her underbust corset was more revealing than anything he’d seen other Ladies wear, even Angélique. The corset cradled her plump breasts beautifully and exposed dark pink areolae. Delicious looking peaks of color that were made for sucking. He swallowed hard as he fought not to break free of his restraints and drag her into his arms.

Christ almighty, he’d never experienced this type of visceral lust before. If he didn’t take care, this woman would have him hanging on her every command. Self-preservation forced him to draw forth the pain and horror of the past in an effort to regain control of his base reactions to her. The memories barely pushed their way through the dark lust tightening its grip on him.

The mere thought of the past had
always
been enough to strengthen his will when he was with any Lady he served in
La Maison des Plaisirs Sombres
. But for the first time, the terrible memories weren’t strong enough to quiet his need. The realization scared the hell out of him. What the fuck was he doing here? He was playing with fire, and he knew better than to test the flames.

He realized now that he’d vastly underestimated
Mystère’s
abilities. Up until she’d grabbed his balls a short time ago, he’d been convinced he was the first slave she’d ever had. Now he wasn’t so sure. Even if she were a novice, she was born to seduce and bind men to her with nothing more than a softly spoken command.

Warm fingers brushed against his chest, and he drew in a harsh breath. His gaze still downcast as she’d ordered, Tobias watched her hand slide down toward his cock. The woman had kissed him, caressed him, and enticed him with her lush breasts and the delectable temptations hidden beneath her skirts. The memory of what lay beneath her skirts dried his mouth. A vivid image of soft, pink folds shaved smooth as a baby’s bottom filled his head and threatened to carry him into territory where he’d never ventured.

Between the images in his head and the way that damned corset framed her plump breasts he was reeling. He was ready to explode. Unable to prevent it, a groan parted his mouth. Sweet Jesus, she intended to drive him mad. With every caress and move, she’d shaped and molded the dark lust inside him as a potter did his clay. Now, her fingers slid across his stomach, his lust became an almost unquenchable thirst.

“Your arms must be growing tired, Tobias,” she said quietly as her hand stopped just above the apex of his thighs. The need for her to wrap her fingers around his cock made him shudder violently.

“Tired is a relative term, my Lady,” he bit out realizing that until this moment, the pain in his arms had been blocked by the desire keeping him rock hard. “Since you instructed me not to break my lace bindings, I must ensure they remain intact.”

“You
do know
that I will remove your restraints if you ask me too?” It was a soft observation, but it was a challenge as well.