A WILDer Kind of Love (14 page)

Apparently, that was his idea of fair warning about removing the nipple clamps.

“Hoooo-leeee…” She never got to the rest of it. Shrieking oneself hoarse was a tougher gig than it appeared. Didn’t stop her from thinking it. Shit, shit,
shit
, her breasts had never endured something like this. She’d even thought her “research” gave her a leg up on what to expect from the action, blood rushing back at the speed of light and all that hooey, but she was as “prepared” as Red Riding Hood in the woods—with her own golden, grinning, wicked wolf to show for it.

“Sorry.” He gently kissed one bright red peak then the other.

“No, you’re not.”

He turned the kisses into silky licks. “That was supposed to happen at the same time you climaxed, but I couldn’t rob a second of that orgasm from you.” He raised his head a little, letting the light catch the intensity of his gaze for a moment. “Watching you come like that…” He shook his head. “That was something else, little rose. Thank you.”

Just like that, her belly borrowed a few Cirque twists. There was no denying the amazement in his voice, but what did it really mean?
Something else.
What did that term entail to a Dom who’d clearly done this
a lot
before?

Tess raised a hand to his face. As soon as her fingers descended, he flinched but didn’t jerk back. The moment, perhaps just five seconds long, was a gift as precious as the last hour with him. He trusted her not to go for his mask, clearly as indispensable as armor to him. And she wouldn’t. With a little smile, she simply curled her fingertips into his tawny-colored stubble, needing to touch the man beneath, if only for a few moments.

“You stole my line, pal,” she quipped. “Aren’t you supposed to let me up now, so I can kneel and thank
you
?”

He slanted his head away with a scowl. “Don’t buy into every line from those books, red.”

“How do you know I’ve been reading books?”

“How do you know a kid’s gotten into a pail of Crayons?” He jogged a brow. “Scribbling’s on the wall, babe.”

She couldn’t help giggling. When it escalated to a little snort, she slammed a hand over her mouth and nose. “Oh, my God. I’m sorry. I feel a little weird.”

He exhaled, seeming amused and concerned at the same time. “Hazy? Kind of buzzed?”

“Yeah. Exactly.”

A smiled breached his lips. “Then I’ve done my job.”

“Did I…do my job, too?” She managed to string it all coherently as he pulled out and discarded the condom, though never fully left her side. Before he answered, Sexy left the dais, regained his footing then swept her into his arms in a traditional let’s-play-wedding-night hold. The irony of it wasn’t wasted on her. They both might as well be naked, with her corset and his jeans barely clinging to their bodies, but she didn’t dare indulge the snicker that tempted, considering how griffin man was suddenly all about solemnity. With determined but gentle steps, he carried her across the room, toward a little alcove containing a palette-style bed, a wash stand, and a wicker basket brimming with blankets.

Strangely, the sight of the basket made her shiver. When she tossed it off as coincidence, her body rebelled with another. Even nestled against the male muscles that were warm as sunbaked bricks, she couldn’t fight off the tremors. They bristled at her very hair follicles and descended to the tips of her toes.

Don’t freak. This is normal.
So yeah, sometimes the “scribbling” from the books was right. The adrenalin from her orgasm and the endorphins from the pain play, mingling with the gauntlet of nerves, arousal, and excitement she’d just subjected her emotions to, collided like a hundred marbles in a giant jar. She just prayed like hell that her jar didn’t break.

Thank God Sexy was on board with that comparison, too. While setting her down on the bed like she’d turned into spun glass, he reached for a blanket then tucked it around her. In the same motion, he swung onto the cushion. After propping some pillows between his back and the wall, he reached for her, cradling her to him again. His muscled arms enveloped her. His heartbeat thudded between the planes of his chest, close and strong and reassuring.

She couldn’t remember feeling more safe in her life.

She felt a long sigh leave him before he finally murmured, “You did your job very well, little rose.” His lips dipped against her temple. “I’m so damn proud of you.”

She replied with an equally long sigh, infusing it with enough bliss that he couldn’t mistake how happy she really was, before burrowing tighter against his perfect heat. Ohhh hell, this felt good. Too good. Between one blink and the next, exhaustion enveloped her. The man next to her was no help, starting to comb the hair off her face with spread fingers. It wasn’t long before she succumbed to the pull of sleep, too exhausted to even wonder about his next words, whispered soft as wind, following her down to perfect darkness.

“My little ruby. How truly beautiful you are…”

*     *     *

She woke up
as if someone doused her with ice water. For a moment, Tess wondered if that was really the case. If it was time for school and she’d made the mistake of sleeping through her alarm again, she wouldn’t put it past Viv or Mattie to resort to the tactic—not when Mom or Dad’s anger would have been worse. They weren’t paddle or belt kind of people but the alternatives with Bob and Ann-Marie Lesange were often just as debilitating.

“Shit!”

She forced herself to repeat it, using the mental force to yank her faster from sleep. At least one of her legs got the message, thank God, kicking the blankets off.

But as she jacked her head up and clawed a hand through her hair, she slowed. None of Mom’s favorite French torch songs bled through the walls. Dad wasn’t in the other room, browbeating Viv about how she’d be starving by twenty-five for not finishing last night’s homework. All she heard was the sigh of wind through tunnels, along with someone humming softly. That wind brushed her face in the form of a warm breeze, wafting a combination of earth and sage, with a hint of fine Scotch…

Oh, God.

Sir Sexy
.

She was still at Catacomb. Where she’d fallen asleep in his arms.

She slammed open her eyes. She was still mostly naked, on the cushy palette in the aftercare nook—

Alone.

Where was he? How long had she slept? And was it weird that she wasn’t mortified at all to be here?

On the little table next to the bed, propped up against a glass of water, a folded note caught her eye. Written on the front of it, in handwriting so bold it couldn’t be ignored, was one distinct word.

Odette

She reached for the paper then unfolded it.

Little Rose,

I’m sorry my farewell has to be in this form, but you were sleeping so soundly and so beautifully, I admit that
I
fell prey to the dominance of
you
, and couldn’t find the strength to wake you up from a slumber you so well deserved.

I cannot help but think things are better this way, as well. I came to Catacomb as a onetime experience on a business trip, and work duties will call me away again in a few hours. If I awaken you, I’m completely sure I’ll be tempted to shirk them, before enticing you to stay locked in here with me for at least a few more days.

The memories of our experience will be often replayed in my mind for years to come, treasures I’ll never take for granted.

It was my honor and pleasure to be the first man to witness the perfection of your submission. I am certain I won’t be the last. The man who finally claims you with his collar will be the luckiest Dom on earth—and forever the target of my envy.

You are a gem among your kind, sweet girl. Do not ever forget that. Yes, that’s an order.

~~Sir G

Surely, he meant the initial to stand for Griffin. But it fit no other word right now except the one that tumbled from Tess’s lips.

“Gone.”

She clenched her teeth but a grimace broke through anyway. The words on the page jabbed at her like spikes, prodding her thoughts down a path of lonely finality. It wasn’t a pretty trip. She felt like anything but a “gem.”

What the hell were you expecting, nimrod? White lace, promises, a diamond collar and a promise of forever? They call it ‘playing’ because it’s supposed to be fun, and what man have you ever met who thought commitment was
fun
? Not Dad; that’s damn clear. Not any of the guys at work, even Dan. Especially Dan. He gave up his kink for a commitment, and look where it got him in the end.

Rereading his note wasn’t a torment she could opt out of. Arm tense and fingers tight, she took in every word he’d written once more. His script was like his dominance: decisive, determined, without any fluff—or doubt.

She ached for him.

Stop. It.

With a heavy huff, she refolded the note—before ordering herself not to toss it into the wastebasket. One day, she’d thank herself for keeping it. She hoped.

“Well, hey there, gorgeous! You’re awake.”

She jumped a little at the voice, despite it being very comforting and very female. Instinctively, she reached again for the blanket. Clutched it against her body while one of the most stunning women she’d ever seen stepped in from the dungeon portion of the room. Luxurious red curls tumbled around the woman’s huge green eyes, striking cheekbones, and full, smiling mouth. She walked like a queen, regal and proud in a black corset and skirt that showed off her beautiful curves. At the same time, warmth radiated from her, a natural glow from within.

Around her neck was a collar inlaid with stones that matched her eyes.

As soon as Tess saw it, her chest flamed with jealousy.

Dammit
.

This was so stupid. So illogical. And so damn impossible to dispel.

The woman settled to the mattress next to her. “How are you doing?” Tilted her head, peering more deeply. “It’s Odette, right?”

She blinked, not understanding at first. She didn’t want to be Odette right now. Or even Tess. She wanted to be Rose, fulfilling every carnal wish of the Dom who’d taken her to heaven just ten feet away.

“Oh,” she finally blurted. “Right. Yeah. That’s it.”

“My name’s Julianna—but in situations like this, I’m better known as Emerald. Use whichever one you prefer.”

Tess smiled in spite of her stupid envy of the woman. The first name, probably her real one, fit the fact that she looked bad-ass enough to take down the Lannisters by herself. The second, obviously in honor of her eyes, was a perfect lifestyle name. “They’re both nice, but Emerald matches the accessories.” She dipped her head toward the collar. “It’s lovely.”

Emerald fingered the collar with a soft smile. “Not as beautiful as the man it represents.” She lowered her hand with a decisive breath. “But if we start talking about Mika, I’ll keep you here until the sun rises then goes back down again. Can’t happen. We’re only in town for a few days, on our way out to LA for a lifestyle convention. We promised Max we’d stop over during the trip. We run our own club, Genesis, and business has been booming, so Mika hasn’t had a chance to catch up with Max lately.”

“So they’re friends?”

“Couple of pervs in a pod.” The woman flashed a wry grin. “Sheez. I don’t know a lot of guys
except
Max Brickham who’d look at an old bomb shelter and envision a desert kink den.”

Tess found herself returning the smile. “Well, it’s a damn nice kink den.”

“Yeah? We were thinking of checking out some of the other places in town tomorrow night, too—well, later on tonight—
after
Mika keeps his promise to do the Voodoo Zipline with me.”

Shudder. “You two have fun with that.” The sarcasm was an excellent excuse to avert her eyes, lest Emerald—who didn’t seem to miss much—caught the sadness she hid with it. “What time is it, anyway?”

“About two a.m.”

“Whoa.” She sagged into the pillows. “I was out for a long time.”

“You needed it, honey. According to your Dom, you were all about earning that shiny kinky beginner’s badge tonight. From the look on his face, you did just that. You made an impression on him, you know.”

“Right.” She couldn’t hold back a snort. “Nothing says ‘you made an impression on me’ like a note on the nightstand, right?”

Emerald winced. “He probably deserves that. But it ripped him apart like glass in a twister to leave you. I had to swear to him that you’d get everything you needed when you woke up. Speaking of which…” She scooted a little closer then tugged gently at the blanket. “May I see?”

Heat trampled Tess’s face and didn’t stop there.
Dork
. For God’s sake, she had two sisters.
And
walked around naked in the locker room at the gym. But pulling away the blanket for the woman, who’d shown her more maternal tenderness in the last five minutes than Mom had in the last year, was suddenly unnerving.

“Wow!” The exclamation, along with the open admiration on the woman’s face, quickly banished the discomfort. “That is one pretty pair of nipples, babe. Hope you don’t have plans requiring a bra for the next few days.”