Lover's Return (5 page)

“If you’re waiting for an agreement—” Her words ended on a yelp as his palm landed on her bare ass.

“Not agreement, Charleigh, just your full attention.” He smoothed his hand over the spot where his palm had landed, feeling the heat beginning to rise beneath his hand.

She didn’t fight or wriggle to get off his lap. He knew if she really didn’t want this, she would. The first time he’d warmed her rear, she’d bitten him before she realized how hot the stinging swats made her.

He landed two solid swats before he let his hand wander over her thigh. He picked up the toy from the cushion at his side. The round head nudged the lips of her pussy and she gasped. Her body tensed. He slowly pushed the vibrator into her pussy and turned it on. He wanted to make sure she went wild with this spanking. She needed to remember how he could make her feel. Each response and concession almost seemed to be another tie that would make it harder for her to deny the feelings between them. Using his palm, he pressed the vibrator into her while he stroked her clit a few times. Her hips rocked against his leg.

Chapter Five

The vibrator wasn’t necessary. Charleigh knew it. He could have taken her to the heights with only his fingers. He didn’t fuck her with it. He kept it pressed deep. His fingers circled her clit. The toy thrummed inside her. The vibration and the slow rotation of those wonderful, magical fingers had her rocking her hips against them. She loved the way he touched her. Even when he was gently stroking or holding her, he claimed, his every caress a possessive statement.

She knew he was reminding her of how her body always burned for his. It had always heeded his call, especially when he showed the more masterful side of his personality. Jericho had always been intense and domineering, but there was more to the man now. Her inner muscles clenched around the toy. Right now she couldn’t summon the indignation and anger she knew she should feel over the punishment. She could feel the slick heat of her juices on her thighs. The building ache tightened within her. Her nipples felt tight and ached to be touched.

“You like this, don’t you, baby?” His fingers trailed over her clit.

She drew in a sharp breath as a shaft of desire lanced through her. He flicked her clit. Her hips jerked and her thighs tightened around his arm. She moaned as the movement sent a sweet aching pleasure shooting straight through her. She ached to feel his cock driving deep, not the maddening, not-quite-enough pulse of the vibrator inside her pussy. The way her muscles tightened around the toy only made the desperate need worse.

His fingers left the swollen nub of her clit. Before she realized what he intended to do, two swats landed on her rear. The sting swept over both cheeks, followed by a tide of warmth. She stiffened and shuddered. Pleasure raced up her spine, but did little to relieve the tight ache or the desperate need building within her.

“You like being over my lap, don’t you?” His voice hardened and his palm patted her ass in warning.

She licked her lips, but couldn’t stop her hips from lifting against his hand. “Yes. I need you in me. Fuck me.”

He chuckled and she felt the vibration against her side. “You know you don’t get what you most want when I punish you, Charleigh. Have you forgotten every lesson I taught you? Because I haven’t. I’ve missed you and I’ve been waiting to taste you, I’ll make sure you find release.”

It wouldn’t be enough though. She’d come. Her body was too keyed up not to find pleasure, but she’d want more. She needed to feel his body pounding against hers and his arms holding her tight.

“Please…” She glanced up at him, hoping to get him to change his mind.

“No.” His hand landed sharply on her right buttock. “That little toy is keeping most of your juices locked in your pussy.”

“Jericho.” His name escaped on a moan. The images inspired by his words burned through her mind. Why did he have to torture her so much? It wasn’t as if she’d actually managed to hit him or leave the area.

“I’m going to enjoy licking up all that delicious cream and hearing you scream my name.” His hand swept between her legs again, pressing the dildo deep.

This time he didn’t tease her clit. He grasped the dildo, pulling it back before stroking the toy deep. Her hips rocked into the slow tormenting thrusts. Her breath rasped in her throat. She could feel the need rising and clawing at her insides.

He pushed the toy deep and again his hand left her pussy. When his palm landed on her ass, she lifted into the stinging thrill. Three more swats landed on the warm bare cheeks.

“That’s for trying to leave me.” His voice was calm, almost conversational. His hand fell again. She shivered as she hung on the edge of bliss. “That’s for taking a swing at me when you know that I’d never hurt you.”

He lifted her and put her on the couch in one swift move. He knelt on the floor and pushed her thighs wider. Pulling the toy out, his mouth fastened on her pussy. She heard a faint thunk and guessed that it was the dildo hitting the floor, but couldn’t care less. His tongue lapped at her pussy. Long strokes swept from her entrance all the way up over her clit. She bucked up into them, but they changed to stabbing digs as if he wanted to draw every bit of the juices from her pussy.

“Jericho!” Her hands fisted in his hair. She pulled him tighter to her pussy. Her entire body screamed for release.

He ate at her as if he couldn’t get enough. She lifted against his mouth. His thumb swept across her clit. She gasped. Her body shook as pleasure swept over her in a rolling wave. His tongue continued to work against and inside her, even as she reveled in the ecstasy. She rocked into the strokes, trying to prolong the pleasure. He lifted his head as she relaxed against the cushions.

He rose, standing between her thighs. He looked down at her. Her eyes traveled down his body to the thick ridge of his cock outlined by his pants. Her inner muscles clenched and need again rose inside of her at the thought of his cock driving into her, his hips pounding hers as he lost himself in the pleasure.

“Tonight, I’m going to fuck you hard, Charleigh. I’m—” His voice cut off abruptly as a shrill tone sounded through the room.

He looked at the link for the holo-com and frowned. It could have been sounding for a while now. She wouldn’t have noticed. His expression drew a smile from her, which she hid as he turned back around to her.

“You’re going to know you’re mine tonight, baby. You’ll feel my cock driving deep and filling you as you wanted when I had you across my lap. But first I’ll see which one of our relatives is interrupting us and then we’ll find a way to pass the rest of the day.” His eyes swept down her body significantly.

A shiver of anticipation curled through her. Hell, she knew exactly what he meant by that look. He was going to tease her throughout the day. He’d talked about it before when he’d “punished” her. Although he hadn’t been able to do it when they were dating, now he had her at his dubious mercy. She couldn’t find respite by going home. A shiver of anticipation slid down her back and straight to her pussy.

“Cover up before I activate this.” He walked over to it and looked back over his shoulder.

She pulled a blanket off the back of the couch and spread it over her. She looked on the floor for her shirt, but it was out of reach. She remained on the couch, although she really didn’t want to talk to anyone while wearing only a blanket. Jericho had already reached the small table. A push of the button activated the holo-com. The image of Jericho’s brother Rio flickered above the small table beneath the holo-com link. Jericho could have simply left the holo image off and used it as a simple com, but most considered it rude not to see as well as hear when speaking to someone.

“About time you answered, Jericho. We’ve been trying to reach you most of the morning.” Rio’s image scowled.

“This is the first time we’ve heard it, but we were out of the house for a little while.” Jericho shrugged. “Is something wrong?”

“Have you asked her yet about Sorensen?” Rio didn’t answer his brother directly. That caught Charleigh’s attention more than if he’d said something about an emergency or danger. The Larson brothers were tighter than any other siblings she knew. The lack of teasing or warm greeting stood out immediately.

“She told me she hasn’t even seen him. I don’t know where he saw her, but as far as she knows, she hasn’t met him.” Jericho looked back over his shoulder and scowled.

She hadn’t thought much about the question about Tobias Sorensen earlier, but now a thrill of fear went through her. She hadn’t known how Jericho had known she had a meeting scheduled with Tobias, but guessed that he’d mistakenly thought she was seeing the man. Now she knew it was more. That question had been more than territoriality because he considered her his.

“I told you that it was likely. The man may talk about her, but he didn’t know anything solid about her.” Rio shook his head and grimaced. “But confirmation wasn’t why I called you.”

“What’s going on, Jericho? Tobias Sorensen was saying something about me?” She straightened and clutched the blanket to her chest.

“I’ll tell you in a minute, baby. I want to find out what’s wrong first.” Jericho looked over at her, but quickly turned his attention back to his brother.

“Daniel called me early this morning. Probably as soon as he got into his office. It seems that Tobias Sorensen is having a major problem with the switch. He also knows she’s not in the city, that she never came home from work the day she left.” Rio’s tone hardened and though no emotion coated the words, she knew he was angry.

Jericho became that way as well when he was really furious. Quiet, almost emotionless. When she’d first seen that side of him, that coldness had scared her, even though it wasn’t aimed at her. He’d been so in control, so emotionless, that she’d wondered if she really knew anything about him.

Charleigh saw Jericho’s fist clench and his shoulders rise as he took a slow breath. “He came to you?”

“To the station. Filed a missing person report. I let Nathan have the joy of telling him she was on a vacation.” Rio didn’t enlighten them any further. Charleigh knew that he was deliberately drawing this out.

“And? Don’t play games when it comes to her safety,” Jericho growled and looked as if he wanted to grab his brother by the neck.

“Nate added that everyone who actually knew her and talked to her knew about it. Mr. Sorensen turned so red, I thought one of those blood vessels was going to blow right in the office.” Rio’s lips curved up in a brief grin.

“Are you watching him?” Jericho didn’t relax even a little, although she couldn’t see his face.

“Of course. I have my men on him. It probably won’t take him long to learn where she is, Jericho,” Rio cautioned.

“I want warning if he comes this way.” Jericho’s tone deepened. “I’ll try to find another place to take her, but I don’t know of many places this private.”

“If by private you mean isolated and away from civilization, you’re probably right. I can’t believe your brother’s in on this. He’s supposed to be the law here, upholding the rules, not helping you break them.” She folded an arm across her chest and glared at Jericho’s back.

“If he didn’t help me, who’d help him if he ever needs it?” Jericho half turned and grinned at her.

“I don’t know. His partner Nate, since they’ll both be with the woman. They have declared for a triad marriage. But maybe he won’t fuck it up as you did and have to kidnap the woman he wants.” She raised an eyebrow.

Jericho chuckled. “They already have messed it up and she’s such a sweet thing too.”

Charleigh rolled her eyes. He hadn’t even responded to the remark about kidnapping. “Maybe it would be better if I contact him and see what caused it. Maybe this is all a big misunderstanding.”

“No.” Rio’s voice cut through the air at the same time as Jericho’s.

Apparently she was the only one who thought it might be a good idea. Jericho had to know that she wasn’t going to ask Tobias Sorensen to help her. Not after learning even a little of what had occurred. She suspected there was much more that they hadn’t told her. Not that she needed it to make her cautious. What she knew was creepy enough.

“Why wouldn’t it be a good idea?” She knew if she wanted to know, she’d have to ask. Both men tossed out orders and expected them to be obeyed.

“We don’t know why, but he’s seems obsessed with you. We have no idea what he wants. No one in the city knows much about him, but I’m working on that.”

“And you wouldn’t say something similar even if there was no danger?” She raised an eyebrow. Oh, he would, without a doubt. The Larson brothers worked together.

“Probably, but this time it’s true. We don’t know there’s danger, but he’s acting too strangely to take chances,” Rio agreed with a smile and not a hint of remorse.

“I’ll take care of her. You keep your eyes on Sorensen and let me know if you find out anything.” Jericho faced his brother. “Keep me updated regularly.”

“I will. I’ll call you tonight to give you an update. Have fun.” The image flickered and faded.

Have fun. Jericho wouldn’t be having any. The man had answers to give her. He’d known about Sorensen and had suspected something. Was that why he was here?

“Is this about protecting me, Jericho? Is that why you’re here?” She rose to her feet. Clutching the blanket to her with one hand, she planted the other on her hip.

“No, it’s not why I’m here. I’m here to be with you. You decided to come here. I’d still be pursuing you in the city if you hadn’t. Admittedly with my suspicions about Sorensen, I’d be staying a little closer to you.” Jericho shrugged and started across the room.

“Tobias Sorensen talked about me and you heard it or heard of it. What was he saying? Why were you worried?” She took a deep breath. Knowing that someone who hadn’t even met her was talking about her sent a chill up her back. It might not be as bad as she was thinking, but she doubted it.

“I was told of it first, but later heard him.” Jericho sat down on the couch and then pulled her down beside him. “Sit down and we’ll talk about what I know of him and what you know.”

“I really don’t know much about him other than the business he wanted to do with us.” She had no idea what he expected her to tell him.

“Any extra information could be helpful. As for what I know, it all started when one of Rio’s friends told him of a man talking about you when he’d never been seen even near you. After I heard about it, I made a point of being in the same place as he was a few times.” Jericho turned and took her hand, gently squeezing it.