Restrained and Willing (5 page)

He’d paid little attention to the crab-cake appetizers or
the main course that arrived a short time later, as he was paying more
attention to how the sexy female next to him was eating. Who knew lips sliding
over fork tines as she enjoyed her meal could be so damn erotic. Okay, he knew,
but she was taking it to a whole new level. The dark tint of her lipstick long
gone, her lips were still a deep rose. And he wanted to experience the feel of
them gliding over his stiff cock.

The main course finished, they were two bites into the
delicious tiramisu and all he wanted to do was toss her up onto the white linen
tablecloth, yank open her legs, smear the decadent dessert all over her
hairless pussy and tongue it off until he brought her to a banshee-screeching
orgasm. And if she ran her tongue over her pouty lips one more time, leaving
behind that hint of shimmer that reminded him of pussy juice, he was damn well
going to do it.

He laid down his fork.

Fuck it. They were done here.

A subtle motion to their server brought him to the table.

Ignoring Heather’s inquisitive look, he requested the check,
an additional dessert and two chilled bottles of the excellent sauvignon blanc
they’d been drinking to take with them.

When he noticed her staring down at their unfinished dessert
with longing, he doubled the order.

She could have hers…after he ate his way through his.

After the bill arrived, he stuffed a few hundred bucks into
the receipt folder and stood.

“Better slip this on.” He retrieved her silky green wrap
from the back of the empty chair beside him, draped it over her shoulders and
placed a soft kiss just below her earlobe.

A shiver rippled through her.

“Mmmm. I love your responsiveness.”

She hesitated. “I’m not usually. In the past—”

“Shhh, not now. We’ll talk through all that later. Your
past. The future.” He lightly kissed the curve of her neck and caught a whiff
of her subtle zesty perfume. Whatever brand it was, he had a feeling it was
going to become his favorite.

Things were progressing more quickly than anticipated. He’d
be an idiot to complain. Her sensual play during the last half of their dinner
and her blatant body language shouted
I’m more than ready
.

Her statement that she wasn’t responsive surprised the hell
out of him. Especially, since she’d been responding to his slightest overtures
all night long. He wasn’t so conceited about his ability to master women that
his ego couldn’t rear up and take a bow.

While she stood and discreetly adjusted the bottom half of
her dress, their waiter returned with the wine and food.

“Thank you for the excellent service and please extend my
appreciation to the rest of the staff. Particularly the chef. Vincenzo outdid
himself tonight.”

“I’ll make sure to do that, Mr. Layton. Hope to see you and
the lovely lady again soon.” The young man gave them both a friendly smile
before checking in with another couple a few tables away.

Pierce picked up the to-go order packaged along with the
swan fashioned from tinfoil that contained half of Heather’s dinner.

When she gathered up his handkerchief and attempted to put
it in the small black-beaded purse she’d brought, he stopped her.

He shook his head. “Mine.” Ignoring her startled look, he
took the cloth from her loose fingers and nearly groaned at its dampness. He
reluctantly tucked the square of fabric into his jacket pocket. Damn, he wanted
to mash it to his face and fill his lungs with her heady intoxicating scent.
Cursing their upscale surroundings, he placated himself with the thought he’d
be inhaling the real deal before the night was over. He curved a hand around
her trim waist and walked her out, thankful his dinner jacket covered his
raging hard-on.

“Be right back with your car, Mr. Layton,” the valet said
and rushed off when they stepped out into the crisp evening air.

“One of your favorite haunts?” Heather hiked a brow.

He shrugged. “The owner contracted us to build him a new
home a few years back.”

She smiled. “If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that
networking is the backbone of a thriving business.”

“Exactly. Nice to know they taught you something useful at
that Ivy League college.” He winked.

“I learned a hell of a lot more than that.” She lightly
whacked his arm.

“Apparently respect for the person who wields the power
wasn’t included in their curriculum. Take care, brat. I’m just itching to get
your sweet ass exposed for a little lesson in respect.”

“Nice to know I haven’t lost my touch,” she said slyly,
peeking up at him through a thick fan of lashes.

He chuckled and gave her waist a light squeeze. “Glad to see
honesty won’t be an issue.”

Conversation halted as the valet drove up, a tip was
dispensed and they settled in.

Before driving away Pierce leaned across the console, slid
his hand around the back of her neck and drew her in for a slow, full-mouthed,
hot tongue kiss. “My place or yours?”

“Mine.” Her breathy answer pleased him to no end.

Damn, the man sure knew how to kiss. If eating and drinking
weren’t life necessities, she could gladly survive on a steady diet of Pierce’s
firm commanding lips. Ten minutes on the road and her heart was still billowing
blood through her veins. Then there was the matter of his earlier comment. Fear
of her being exposed to him didn’t even figure into the equation of what she
was feeling. One evening in his company and she was forced to admit her
brothers had been right about her relationship with her ex-fiancé. It had been
a no-go on so many levels. Nearly six hundred miles away from the one man she’d
always yearned for, she
had
been settling. Thank God she’d come to her
senses before she’d screwed up, not only her life, but another caring human
being’s as well. Joel deserved better.

She’d been attracted to the young handsome doctor because he
was kind, undemanding and, building a medical practice, he understood that
sometimes career trumped personal commitments. She admired his dedication, or
so she thought until his career became more and more important and their
personal life kept getting put on the back burner. She’d lost count of the
candlelight dinners she’d ended up spending alone. But after a while even the excellent
wine she’d chosen for the meal was a poor substitute at keeping her warm those
nights. Truthfully, in the end, she came to realize Joel loved his career more
than he loved her.

“What has you so deep in thought, sweetheart? Have I lost
your attention so soon?”

Instead of lifting her head off the comfortable headrest,
she rolled it to the left. “Hardly. I was thinking what a good decision it was
to come home. I hadn’t realized how much I’d missed all of you.” His ready grin
lit her up from head to toe. She could easily bask beneath its warmth for the
rest of her life.

He gave her body a slow, thorough once-over. “I can honestly
say I missed
all of you
too.”

A breath stuttered in her chest. But she balked at revealing
too much. After all, her heart was on the line. “You know darn well what I
meant.”

“Did I? I’m thirty-two years old. It took me a while to
realize my feelings, but I’m not afraid to man up and say I want
you
.
Missed you more than I was willing to admit. I’m not questioning that. I’m
questioning whether or not you’re capable of entering the kind of submissive
lifestyle you say you want. The kind I need from a woman. One who knows my
views on long-term commitment.”

She took a deep breath and ignored the last of his comment.
“You’re right. I have been tiptoeing around my feelings. I want and missed you
too. I’ve wanted you for what seems forever. Wanting to be one of the women in
that video with you.”

“What the hell.” His eyes widened as his gaze left the road
for a few seconds, necessitating he tap the brake or end up in the trunk of the
Chevy sedan ahead of them. “You watched one of the videos we taped?”

Good, she’d shocked him. Well, if he wanted honesty, she’d
give him both barrels. Wait a minute. “Did you say videos? As in plural? Damn,
I should’ve poked around harder.”

“Why you little voyeur. Wait until I tell Quinn and Justin.”

She jerked straight up and turned to face him. “Absolutely
not. You can’t tell them. If you do, I swear I’ll never speak to you again.”

His laugh echoed through the plush interior of the car as
his attention shifted back to the road to change lanes in the light traffic.
“You’ll need to come up with a better threat, sweetheart. A silent submissive
could have advantages. I was thinking earlier what a shame it would be if I had
to gag that sexy mouth of yours when I’d much prefer it readily accessible.”

Her thoughts momentarily derailed. She’d never been gagged.
Not that Pierce and her brothers hadn’t threatened to do just that when she’d
hit her mouthy teenaged years. Would he really gag her? Something they’d
definitely have to discuss. Later. “Seriously, Pierce. Please, don’t say
anything to them.”

“Hmmm.” He scraped his neatly trimmed nails over the groomed
stubble on his chin.

God, she loved that look. So totally bad boy. Sexy and
sinister all rolled into one. She’d gotten a tiny sample of how the slightly
prickly hairs would feel on her thighs back in her kitchen before they’d left.
Throughout dinner, the image popped into her mind. His dark head between her
widespread thighs. The light scrape of his permanent five o’clock shadow.

“I might be persuaded to keep your secret.” In the dim light
of the control panel, his eyes danced with devilment. “For a price.”

“Anything.” Whatever the price, it would be worth it. Her
brothers could be a major pain in the ass with their teasing.

“Be careful what you agree to, brat. What if I want to keep
you naked for the next week? To have total access to your hot body wherever and
whenever the mood strikes me?” His teasing tone took on a more serious edge.

Well, all righty then.
She’d told him earlier she
didn’t want to take things slow. What kind of hypocrite would she be if she
backpedaled now? She knew she could be the sort of woman he wanted. Time to put
up or shut up.

She waited until they turned off the exit to downtown.
“Deal.”

Coming up on a red light, he hit the brake a little harder
than needed and the stop was less than smooth. She reveled in her power to give
his control a jolt, even on this simple level.

He surprised her by pulling off to the side and parking the
car. Whatever he was going to say must be important as they were only a few
blocks from her condo.

Resting his arm on the steering wheel, he turned his body to
stare deeply into her eyes. Framed by his open black dinner jacket, the
straining slice of pristine white dress shirt took on a green cast from the
dashboard illumination.

“I’m not going to insult you by asking if you know what
you’ve agreed to. Ivy League college jokes aside, I’ve always respected your
intelligence.”

“Thank y—” He pressed a finger over her lips.

“When I picked you up tonight, you said you didn’t want to
take it slow, so I hope you brought your scuba gear. Because we’re going in
fast and deep and you’ll be damn lucky if I let you up for air. I’m going to
possess you in every conceivable way a man can. And make you scream for more.
From this moment on, your body belongs to me.”

Heather was speechless. A good thing, since all she could
manage was a whimper when his lips slammed down on hers in a totally consuming
kiss that left her too numb to think of anything but the masterful possession
of her mouth. And his fist tangled in her hair, giving her little choice but to
move the way he choreographed.

So this was what it felt like to be conquered. Her entire
body thrummed under his onslaught.

Fast. Deep.

Oh, yeah. She was sooo there.

When they reached her condo, Heather thought they’d make a
mad dash up the hall steps, stripping off clothes as they went, and in his
greed to have her, he’d take her against the upper door, too consumed by lust
to open it.

Fat chance.

Damn it. She hadn’t even made it through one night with him
and already she was beginning to dislike his unflappable control.

Instead, after parking the car, he’d strolled around to her
side, opened the door, helped her out and then ducked in to snatch up the bag
containing the wine and food. He let her precede him up to her place, and once
inside, he calmly walked to the kitchen and put everything in the refrigerator.

Except for one bottle of wine and a single dessert.

Not knowing what he expected from her, she placed her shawl
and purse on the kitchen counter and waited for him to tell her.

He turned, leaning against the cabinets, his hands braced on
the edge of the countertop. “While I pour some wine and plate up the tiramisu,
why don’t you freshen up a bit? I’ll meet you up in your bedroom.” His voice
was calm, his attitude casual.

Frustrated by his blasé manner, Heather struggled for
patience and forced her voice to remain neutral. “Do you want me naked?”

She hid a smile of satisfaction when his hands momentarily
clenched the counter before he pushed off, walked over to her and spanned her
waist. The warmth of his large hands seeped through the thin fabric of her
dress. He was tall and solid, and even though he was only five inches taller
than her five foot eight, she always felt petite in his presence.

“Eventually.” He kissed the tip of her nose. “But I want the
privilege of undressing you the first time.” He yanked her in tight.

She expelled a soft squeak. If she had any lingering doubt
that he too was feeling the sexual charge in the air, the long, thick ridge of
his cock straining the zipper of his dress pants dispelled it.

God, if he didn’t bury that steely hunk of flesh deep inside
her pussy soon, she was going to knock his fine ass to the floor and jump his
bones. She moaned and rotated her hips.

He gently pushed her away.

Damn it.

“Go on.” He angled his head toward the spiral staircase.

She expelled a resigned breath. “Okay. There’s a wooden tray
in the bottom cabinet next to the stove. Glasses in the one above the sink.
Corkscrew in that drawer.” She pointed. “Forks in—”

“No need for a fork.”

“No fork?”

He shook his head, gave her a wolfish grin.

“It could get messy.”

Dimples formed in his cheeks. “I expect it will. Might want
to grab a towel or two.” Taking firm hold of her shoulders, he turned her
toward the staircase. “Up.” A sharp smack on her ass set her in motion with a
crisp yelp.

Heather didn’t bother to look back. Snatching off her heels,
she hurried upstairs and headed straight for the bathroom.

When she came out, Pierce was sitting on the bottom edge of
her bed, legs slightly spread, elbows resting on his muscular thighs. The
comforter had been stripped off the bed and negligently tossed onto her
favorite reading chair in the corner. The candles she kept scattered around her
bedroom were all lit, infusing the air with a hint of fresh lemon. The dimmer
switch for the ceiling track lights was set on low. Enough light to make out
all but the tiniest details. He’d discarded his jacket and his starched white
shirt was open halfway down his hairless, sculpted chest. A chest she’d yearned
to get her hands on for years.

“Come here, brat.”

Her heart warmed at the husky affection in his voice and
blatant appreciation in his fiery gaze. She stepped forward. Right into the V
of his rock-hard thighs.

Without taking his gaze off her, he took the two towels
dangling from her hand and placed them off to the side. He bracketed her waist.
The size and heat of his hands engulfing her in a warm, possessive embrace.

The moment she’d waited nearly an entire lifetime for was
finally here. The two of them. Alone. In a room with a bed. Minutes away from
making love.

“You have a remarkably small waist. I’ve always wanted to
tell you that.” He stroked his thumbs over the area. “I love that I can nearly
wrap my hands all the way around it. Another man might think you fragile. But
we both know better.” He placed a light kiss on her quivering stomach before
looking up, a soft smile on his lips. “Actually, your entire body is amazing.
Strong, curvy, sexy as hell.”

His honesty, his molten gaze, heated her to the marrow of
her bones. He’d never made any personal reference to how she was built. For the
most part, his comments were always strictly platonic.

She indulged the need to run her fingers through the dense
black waves on his head. She toyed with them a few seconds before moving down
to the thick contour of his neck, to slip beneath his shirt to further map the
width of his massive shoulders before settling at the edges. Her palms tingled
from the glorious heat emanating from his beautiful bronzed flesh. “Your body
is pretty amazing too.”

His hands moved lower, capturing her hips. “As much as I
love how you look in this dress, I’ve been dying to get you out of it all
evening. But before we start, there’s something I want to talk about.”

Although the last thing she wanted to do at the moment was
have a conversation, she nodded. “Anything.” His sensually sinister grin made
her pussy throb.

“Be very careful what you agree to.”

She shook her head, lightly. “I don’t want to be careful.
Not with you. Not tonight.”

“
Especially
tonight. Tonight, we’ll test the waters.
No total control. No Dom. No sub. Just Pierce and Heather. A man and a woman
getting to know each other,” he lightly squeezed her hips, “Basic likes and
dislikes. A little vanilla before we start adding additional flavors and
getting around to that fast and deep part I mentioned in the car earlier. All
right?”

Heather took a deep breath and glanced at the small table
next to her reading chair where the tray with the tiramisu and wine sat. She
doubted his definition of vanilla sex was the same as the normal populace’s.
Hiding a smile, she nodded. She’d agree to anything he wanted as long as it
would give her access to his awesome, ripped body. “More than all right.”

“Good. In the morning, we’ll discuss what course our
relationship will take.” With slight pressure, he moved her back an arm’s
length and stood.

Her hands fell from his shoulders. She curled her fingers
against the loss. She’d get her turn later.

“Now let’s get this hard-on-inducing little black scrap off
you.”

“The quicker, the better.”

He shook his head. “Not quick. Slow and easy. We have all
night and I intend to make every minute count. Starting now.” He placed a
light, lingering kiss on the tender flesh between her neck and shoulder.

Heather fought off the light tickle, concentrating instead
on the warmth and tenderness of the contact. He had the most wonderful lips.
Firm enough to command, soft enough to seduce.

“Undressing you is equal to opening a long-anticipated
gift.” His words more hum than murmur.

The warm draft of his breath in contrast to the cool air on
her back as he slid the zipper down resulted in an all-over quiver. What was it
about this particular man that made her experience everything in a heightened
sense? No other man had ever made her feel this way.

Her dress hit the floor, leaving her completely exposed.
Vulnerable.

She rejoiced at the heightened lust in Pierce’s appreciative
sweeping gaze.

She felt electrified. Sexy as hell standing there with not a
stitch on, Pierce still dressed in a half-unbuttoned stark-white shirt and
jet-black pants.

He sat back down onto the bed and bent to grasp her dress.

She didn’t wait to be instructed to step out of it.

Once she was free of the garment, he tossed the dress aside.

The slow, slightly rough glide of his hands from ankle to
thigh, over the generous curve of her hip, had her catching her lower lip
between her teeth. Wealthy upbringing aside, she knew Pierce loved working with
his hands. And even though the need for doing the work himself was long past,
on occasion he’d strap on a tool belt and sweat the day away on a building site.

God, there was something about a physical man that got her
juices flowing.

Grasping her hand, he tugged her down, settling her across
his thighs. He skimmed the backs of his fingers down the sensitive inside of
her arm, one corner of his mouth tipping up when the muscles twitched beneath
the light contact. “Your skin is so soft. Before the night is through, I intend
to touch, lick and kiss every inch.”

An involuntary shiver erupted at the image. She cupped his
cheek. “Only if I get to do the same to you.”

He smiled. “You won’t hear me complaining. You can do
anything you want to me after I’ve had my fill of you.
If
you have any
strength left.” He dipped his head, capturing her thumb with his mouth. Sucked.
“Right now, though, I want another taste of those luscious lips.”

No argument there. She wanted to taste his just as much.
Before she could turn more fully into him, he grasped the back of her neck and
jerked her lips to his, causing an instant combustion that had her stomach
muscles bunching.

Unlike the leisurely taste-testing kiss downstairs, this one
was all gluttonous feast.

Heather gripped the sleeves of his shirt and held on for the
ride of her life.

Pierce hadn’t exactly lied earlier, but he was dominant by
nature and there was no way this evening was going to proceed on equal footing.
Mainly because the ravenous sexual beast within was roaring to toss Heather
onto the bed, strap her down and fuck her until dawn…or until she was unable to
walk. Whichever came first. If he was lucky, the two occurrences would happen
simultaneously.

He fused their lips, grinding down until there was a touch
of pain, but not enough to come away with any damage from their teeth. At just
the perfect moment, he fisted her hair and jerked her head back.

She gasped.

Never one to waste an opportunity, he drove his tongue deep
into her open mouth.

Fuck, she tasted amazing. Sweet. He loved that she wasn’t
reserved where kissing was concerned. Took all he dished out. Gave back with
the same fervor.

A firm tug on her hair brought her chin up, arching her
neck.

He ignored her soft feminine grunt of disappointment at
having their kiss interrupted, bent his head and sucked the side of her
vulnerable, sublimely tender neck.

He wouldn’t mark her. Not tonight. He’d save that for another
time. Another location on her made-to-be-fucked body, where no one but him
could see the lovingly applied work of art. On her breast or perhaps her inner
thigh.

He ended the suction, licked the spot, trailing his tongue
up the tender flesh to nip her delicate earlobe, careful not to catch the
diamond stud in her pierced ear.

He brutally pushed aside the unwanted intrusion of wondering
who’d given the earrings to her. He’d never been possessive of any woman and
wasn’t about to start now. There were much more enjoyable thoughts on his mind.
Like pleasuring the hot, beautiful woman in his arms.

Another firm tug of her hair curved her back at just the
right angle, allowing him unimpeded access to her chest.

“God, you have beautiful tits.” He cupped one generous mound
in his hand. Gently squeezed. “Bigger than a handful. And those dark, hard,
begging nipples.” He captured one firmly between his lips…sucked hard…released
it with a soft pop. “So damn responsive.” He nipped her chin.

She mewled. A soft purring sound from the back of her throat
that made a beeline straight to his cock. Not that he minded. He relished every
throbbing surge of blood that filled him to near bursting. By the time he
claimed her…and God help her, that’s exactly what he’d do…he’d be so hard, so
thick with need, there’d only be enough room in her overactive mind for
thoughts of him.

He eased the pressure on her scalp to look deeply into her
half-lidded eyes. “Like having your nipples played with?”

She captured her bottom lip between her adorable, slightly
uneven front teeth and nodded.

He quirked a brow. Waited.

“Yes, I like it.”

“Other than in those fascinating little fantasies you write
in your diary ever had them clamped?”

“Once.”

“By who?” He realized how possessive the question sounded and
his shoulders bunched.
Shit.
Why the hell did thoughts of any man in her
past wring his balls? This was supposed to be a
sexual
claiming. A
temporary arrangement between two consenting adults. He forced himself to
relax.

“No one.”

Curiosity aroused, the last of his tension bled away.

“I tried it myself. After…”

He just knew this was going to be good. “After what?” With
his free hand, he lightly pinched the puckered nub until she sucked in a
shallow breath.

“After watching some,” her top teeth snagged her bottom lip
for a split second, “videos I
accidentally
came across.”

He barely held back a wall-shaking laugh. “Not only a little
snoop…a thief too. Me and your brothers searched for weeks for those damn
bondage videos before we gave up and bought more.”

A soft snort stirred the air between them. “You knuckleheads
should’ve hid them better,” she stated without a hint of shame or remorse.

“Apparently.” He grinned and tweaked her nipple a little
harder, adding a small twist at the end.

A soft whimper squeezed past her cherry-red lips.

The sound made his cock harder by several degrees. At this
rate, he’d be busting his zipper. “You still have the clamps?”