Authors: Anne Rainey
Gracie was stunned and admittedly flattered. Her supposed backbone fairly melted, however, when Wade looked down at her and murmured, “That’s what I’ve been trying to tel her.”
“Just don’t screw it up.”
Wade’s gaze shot to his sister’s. “Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence.”
She blew him a kiss, then disappeared down the stairs. And Gracie was once again alone in the library with Wade.
“Where were we?” he whispered. “Ah, yes. We never finished our conversation. Wil you give me obedience in the bedroom, Gracie? Wil you submit to me?”
There was a smal part of her that wanted to argue. To shoot him down for even daring to ask such a thing. But there was a much bigger part aching to do exactly what Wade wanted. A tiny battle waged inside of her, but it was an unfair fight. “Yes.”
“You won’t regret it, sweetheart.” His voice had changed, lowering to a velvety whisper.
Gracie felt him caressing her arms. His strokes were so gentle, like a butterfly’s wings. He so easily kept her off balance. One minute demanding; the next caressing. “Wade?”
“I’m hungry,” he murmured.
Al at once, his face transformed. His eyes heated and darkened; his mouth curved up in a predatory smile. “I want another taste of your pretty body. I’ve been thinking of nothing else since last night.”
“I fel asleep on you.”
“Yes, you did. And I’m glad.”
“You are?”
“Yes. Had you been awake I wouldn’t have had the strength to hold back. I would’ve taken you, Gracie. Hard. Do you know what I’m saying?”
“Y-Yes.”
“I’m not a gentle man, baby. I want you in fifty different, dirty ways. I want my cock buried in your tight little cunt. I want to suck and toy with the rings in your nipples. I didn’t sleep for thinking about al the ways I wanted to fuck you.”
“I’m not a child, Wade. You don’t have to hold back. I want those things, and I’m not as sore today, not like yesterday. It’s going to kil me if you don’t stay this time.”
“I’m not going anywhere, Gracie. But I won’t hurt you, so we may have to alter things a bit this first time.”
Gracie placed her palm against his chest, directly over his heart. “You’d never hurt me.” She knew it in her bones.
“Only pleasure,” he reiterated, and then he bent toward her and touched her lips with his own. Tasting and licking. Nibbling and enticing her mouth to open for him. She whimpered and sagged against him.
He caught her tight against his chest and sank his tongue into her mouth. For the first time in her life, Gracie submitted ful y to a man.
11
W
ade watched Gracie drift into his kiss. Christ, he loved watching the expressions chase across her face. She had no idea how much passion she exhibited when she let herself go. He’d been going crazy since his first glimpse of her body. Being with her al morning and not being able to have another taste of her had been pure hel . She’d been on fire last night and now he would final y feel al that scorching heat wrapped around his cock.
He dipped his knees and, as gingerly as possible, lifted her into his arms. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and he could feel the hard cast covering her wrist against the back of his head. It was a reminder of how fragile she was right now. He’d need to take care or risk hurting her.
He took her to his bedroom, the place he’d so badly ached to have her since the instant she’d looked up at him with that sweet smile at Serene Comfort. He placed her on his king-size bed. She opened her eyes and watched him. Excitement brewed in the pretty green depths, but so did uncertainty. He stepped back and reached down to unhook his ankle harness. He placed it and the gun on his end table before flicking on the little lamp. The soft light bathed the room in a gentle glow. He drank in the sight of Gracie—from her fiery red hair to the curves so strategical y concealed by the oversized blouse and long skirt she wore. She might think she was fooling people with the conservative clothes, but he’d seen the sexy hourglass figure beneath the miles of material. So had his brother Dean. It’d pissed him off to witness the lust in his brother’s eyes. Any other man would’ve gotten a fist in his face for kissing Gracie’s knuckles. Her body was his to kiss. His own personal playground. It didn’t matter that the gesture was only meant as a greeting. He’d stil wanted to rip into Dean.
Wade unclipped his cel phone and sent a quick “do not disturb” text to Jonas, then set the device on the table next to his gun. “Now, where were we? . . .” Wade whispered, as he knelt on the bed and kissed her. He didn’t stop until he felt her relaxing. He loved kissing Gracie. She had an untamed and untutored mouth that made a man insane with need. The innocent feel of her soft, plump lips drew the beast out in him. The slow, shy way she opened for his invasion. It was fucking addicting. He wanted to drink in her freshness. Keep her bound to his bed forever.
Taking her mouth wasn’t enough, though. Would never be enough. He needed the flavor of her pussy on his tongue. He wanted to sip at her every morning, lick her to completion for lunch, and sink his tongue deep for dinner. He wil ed his dick to relax, but it wasn’t much into doing as commanded. Slowly, she tipped her head to one side, exposing the throbbing vein in her ivory neck. Her skin beckoned to him, tempting him beyond reason. He licked a leisurely path downward, taking little sweeping tastes of her lips, her chin, until final y he was hovering over that very spot that was driving him into a whirlpool of frenzied need.
“When my cock sinks deep into your hot, little pussy, baby, you’re going to hug me tight, aren’t you?” Wade whispered to her and felt her begin to nod in agreement, as if unable to form the actual words. Normal y so headstrong and defiant, yet now she could’ve been a virgin the way she peeked at him through her lashes. So innocent, yet so eager. Wade licked the silky length of her neck, feeling her pulse jump and speed up. He lifted slightly and spoke again, this time putting more emphasis into his demand. “Tel me you want this. That you trust me with your pleasure. Let me hear the words, sweet angel.”
He could see her trying to speak, but nothing came out, only a slight murmur of sound in the quiet room. He cupped her chin in his palm and stroked her lower lip with the pad of his thumb. “Do I real y need to repeat myself, Gracie?”
“You make me breathless,” she admitted, her voice shaky, husky. “I can’t think straight when you kiss me, touch me.”
“Do you think it’s any different for me?” Damn, if only she knew the power she held over him with nothing more than a smile. And her courage.
It amazed him to realize al she’d been through, and she had yet to fold under the pressure. Two jobs, a drunken ass for a father, and some warped asshole taunting her day and night. Her fortitude astounded him.
Wade felt himself becoming even more aroused, his jeans too constricting. He forced himself not to rip them off his body. He needed the barrier between them or he’d never hold out. Somehow Wade managed to tamp down on his desires. So sweet, her body would hug his perfectly. Their lovemaking would be that much sweeter if she were completely engulfed with pleasure. He wanted to watch her beg for him, watch her buck in wild abandonment.
Ruthlessly, Wade pushed aside his mounting lust and lay down on the bed next to her. He touched his teeth to her neck. Biting down gently, he felt Gracie’s body shudder in reaction. She began to twitch and rub against him, and he knew she was on the brink of a climax. Son of a bitch, he hadn’t even gotten to the good part yet! He suckled her skin, letting her rub her body along the length of his. Al owing her to enjoy the experience as much as possible. The taste of her smooth skin, so much like cream, tore at his control. She would wear his mark. It was strange, the need to see it there. To know he’d been the one to put it there. He’d never needed that sort of confirmation of ownership before. It was downright primal the way he felt about Gracie.
Wade almost lost control, sucking too hard. Gracie moaned his name, pleading to be taken. She grabbed onto his forearm, her nails digging into his skin. Out of the corner of his eye he could see her spreading her legs, al but inviting him in. Fuck, it was sheer torment not being able to drive his cock into her!
He removed his mouth and careful y lifted his head, caressing the purplish mark with his gaze. “You’l have a hickey. Do you mind?”
“The only thing I mind is that we’re both stil dressed.”
He chuckled. “Such a demanding little thing.”
His lips lightly touched her cheek before he started on the buttons on her blouse. Within seconds he had her naked, the pretty rings piercing her breasts beckoning to be licked. “I fucking love your nipple rings, Gracie.” He dipped his head and sucked one turgid peak into his mouth.
“Oh, God! That feels so good. I missed your touch, Wade.”
He flicked her nipple with his tongue once more before using his hands to cup and plump her tits together. Wade groaned as he nuzzled the pil owy softness of her breasts. He squeezed both with his hands, first kissing one then licking the other, relishing their ful ness. He nestled his face in the val ey between, and she whimpered. Wade inhaled her sweet scent, deliberately driving himself mad. She was a powerful mix of heat and aroused woman.
He didn’t think he could wait another second to be inside of her. He reminded himself that his goal wasn’t to rut, but to give Gracie as much pleasure as possible. He wanted to give her something she couldn’t get with any other man. If he pleased her wel enough, she’d stick around.
And she’d want him, again and again, the way he wanted her.
Wade’s palm traveled down her body, coasting over the bruises on her torso before reaching her tiny bud. “Mmm, look what I found.” She moaned, and he watched her twist and thrash as his fingers continued their torture. “Be stil . I don’t want you hurting yourself.”
“I can’t. It’s impossible to stay stil when you do that, Wade.”
He ground his teeth against the need clawing at him. “Then I’l stop. I won’t have you reinjuring yourself.”
“Don’t stop. I swear I’l try to stay stil . Just, please, don’t stop.”
He heard the desperation in her voice. He felt the same wild drive as she. Stil he pushed for a more solid answer. “You’l tel me if there’s pain?”
“I promise I’l tel you,” she breathed out.
Wade knew it wasn’t going to get any better than that. He’d just have to watch her closely for any signs of discomfort. She’d been hurt enough; he’d not be adding to her pain. In fact . . .
“You remember I mentioned to you about having very
specific
ideas?”
Her gaze widened, and he felt her stiffen. She slowly nodded.
Reaching over, Wade pul ed a pair of handcuffs out of his end table drawer and held them up for her to see. “I want to handcuff you to the bed. Wil you let me?”
“Um, I’ve never—”
He flicked her nose. “I figured that out by the look of horror on your face, baby. But you trust me with your body, remember?”
“Yes, I remember.”
“I’d cut off my own hand before I’d ever harm you, sweet angel.”
Her gaze softened as she looked him over from head to toe. Smiling now, she said, “On one condition.”
Damn, she was way too quick with the game. “A condition, Gracie? I thought we agreed you’d submit to me.”
“It’s a smal favor. You wouldn’t begrudge me that, would you?”
The little minx. She knew he would do whatever she asked. “What’s the favor?”
“I want you naked.”
“That’s the favor? I need to be undressed or you won’t al ow me to use the cuffs?”
She nodded, a grin lighting up her entire face. It turned his heart to mush to see her dropping her defenses with him. “You drive a hard bargain, but I suppose the payoff is worth disrobing.”
“Thank you.” Gracie touched her lips against the warmth of Wade’s mouth. Heaven. It had to be heaven; nothing else could feel so good, so right. She let herself flow with the desire that coursed through her body. Nibbling and licking at him, playing the way she’d wanted for so long.
Taking her time, she built his excitement before al owing him entrance to her mouth.
Wade’s probing tongue arrogantly pushed its way into the soft opening and took her on a ride. Her breasts tingled and ached. She felt her nipples harden in anticipation of his ministrations. But he seemed content to linger on her mouth, taking his time to explore every tiny recess.
She pushed against him, shamelessly, tel ing him without words how desperate she was to feel him, skin to skin. Wade continued to tease and torture. She wanted more. Everything. Now.
Deciding to move him along a little faster, she let one of her hands drift down his back, caressing the muscled firmness of his buttocks through his jeans. She heard him emit a low growl. A warning, she knew. Feminine satisfaction wel ed up. Lazily, Gracie moved her hand over his hip until she cupped his hard cock. Grasping him through the unforgiving material, she squeezed and pumped, slowly massaging his length.
Wade broke the kiss on a curse and slid off the bed. Standing over her, his gaze snaring hers in a sensual trap, he stripped out of his clothes with quick efficiency. Gracie watched him unabashedly bare himself for her, and one thought kept skittering through her mind. This man—this flawlessly constructed man—was hers. At least for tonight, he was al hers. She would damn wel make the most of every second they spent together. Because if there was one thing she knew, it was that life was unpredictable and tomorrow could bring al sorts of trouble. Today was for them alone.
“I intended to give you the slow loving you deserve, baby. But damn if you don’t go straight to my head. I can’t seem to muster an ounce of self-discipline with you.”
Gracie rose to a seated position and smiled, hoping to look tempting, al uring. She wasn’t certain she pul ed it off; she’d never tried to look al uring before. “I don’t want slow and easy. I want you wild, and every bit as eager as me.”