Desert Surrender (2 page)

“Quit talking about my husband that way, you little witch.” Anna wrapped her arms around Loren"s waist. “He"s never a meanie.”

They kissed softly; then Loren laughed. “Maddox Perry, may I present my wife, Anna, and her best, if not craziest, friend, Clarissa Alexander. Ladies, this is Maddox Perry. He owns the Moonglow Casino in Las Vegas and is here visiting with the Tremonts.”

“Oh I love to gamble,” Clarissa said, tightening her grip just enough so that her breast pressed against his arm. He pushed back ever so gently.
Nice signal, thank you
.

“It"s so much fun.”

Desert Surrender

5

“It can be,” Maddox replied. “If you"re playing for the right stakes.”

His rich voice sent shivers up her spine. Coupled with the fact that he hadn"t pulled away from her, and she thought she just might have found herself a bed partner for the night.

“Rissa loves roulette,” Anna said with a laugh. “In Monte Carlo she nearly lost every cent we had on us.”

“I did not,” Clarissa replied. “It was just the money we"d brought from the room that I lost.”

“And I kept you from going to get more, if I remember right.”

Clarissa pouted. “She"s a meanie too.”

“I"m beginning to see a trend here,” Maddox replied. “Is everyone mean to you?”

“Mostly. It"s just not fair.”

“Oh, poor thing. Perhaps you do need a protector.” He brought the cigar up to his mouth. “Stick with me for the evening, and I"ll make sure you come through unscathed.”

Next to them, Loren whispered something to Anna, then leaned forward. “Excuse us for a moment.” He led his wife away, and Clarissa batted her eyelashes at Maddox.

“That Loren is so subtle.”

“Very.” Maddox took the cigar from his mouth. “He"s trying to be nice and polite, give us a moment alone.”

“He"s just happy because he got a blowjob on the way here.”

“Lucky him.” He turned so they were standing face-to-face, and Clarissa mourned the loss of his warm body. “I wish I could say the same thing.”

The smoldering look he gave her made her fingers tingle. “Well, you know the old saying, better late than never.”

“So true.” The corner of his mouth twitched, and he offered her his arm. “Shall we?”

“By all means.” She let him lead her across the room. She"d thought he"d go for the corner, where she knew there were smaller rooms that were probably not in use tonight. Of course he had no idea they were there, so she pressed against him and pointed.

“Over there would be private.”

“For what?” He kept steering her toward one of the bars.

“For a, um…you know.”

He stopped and placed his lips near her ear. “For you to give me a blowjob?”

When her breath came back into her lungs, she whispered, “Yes.”

“Maybe later.” They stepped up to the bar, and Clarissa felt a keen sense of disappointment. She"d hoped to have nice, hard, nasty sex with him, right here and now.

6

Melinda Barron

“I"d like a scotch, neat, and the lady will have a butter baby.”

“A very sweet drink, but not one that will get me looped if you"re trying to get me drunk and take advantage of me.” She took the offered concoction of butterscotch schnapps and Irish cream and took a sip. “Very good.”

She watched him store the cigar in his pocket, then grasp his drink in one hand.

He took her hand in the other and walked toward a far wall where booths were set up.

This part of the room was dark, lit only by candles on each table. Most of the tables were empty, and he claimed the last one in the line. When she sat down, he sat down right next to her, their legs pressed together.

“It"s so nice to meet a naughty girl like yourself.”

She took a drink, then licked the rim of the glass, gazing at him as she did. His eyes narrowed in obvious desire, and she licked her lips. “If you thought it was nice to meet me, I"d be using my tongue on you instead of on this glass. If we were someplace more private, I would be sucking your cock right now.”

“You are wicked. I like that, very much. Being eager can be good, but I"d like to savor the moment, let it build for both of us.” He leaned closer, kissed her cheek. “Is your clit pierced, as your nipples are?”

“Would you like to see?” She inched up the dress, eager for him to touch her. Feel her.

He grasped her hand to stop her movement. “Not yet. I"d ask you to give me your panties, but something tells me you"re not wearing any. Am I right?”

“You"re very astute.” Clarissa tried to wiggle out of his grasp, but he held her tight. “If I were wearing any, they"d be yours.”

“I have no doubt about that. Tell me a little about yourself, Clarissa.”

She took a drink and inclined her head. “What"s to know? I"m Clay Alexander"s daughter. The bad seed. I"m sure you"ve read about me.”

“A few words, maybe. The tabloids love your exploits.”

“They can"t wait to see what I"m going to do next.” She swirled her finger in her glass, lifted it out. Her tongue captured the drop of liquid hanging from the edge before she sucked her finger into her mouth. “Would you like me to trail liquid across your cock, lick it off?”

“Are you trying to shock me?”

“Is it working?”

“No.” His hand moved to her thigh, and she murmured in appreciation. He trailed it up her skirt, tracing the elastic of her thigh-high stocking. “You look very beautiful. I love a woman who"s not afraid to show off her beauty.”

“Right.” She spread her legs to allow him access, but he didn"t take the invitation, leaving his hand where it was. “My mother says I look like a harlot.”

“You look like a woman who"s not afraid to be a woman. I like that. And it"s obvious you enjoy sex.”

Desert Surrender

7

“Yes, very much.”

She flashed him what she hoped was a coquettish look, taken aback by the look of pure lust he gave her. If he wanted her so much, why were they just sitting here? “Are you submissive?”

That question made her eyes widen. She laughed nervously and shifted in her seat. “No. Sorry.”

He pressed his lips to her ear, making her close her eyes in pleasure as his warm breath wafted over her. “With me you will be. Very submissive.”

Her denial caught in her throat, refused to pass through her mouth. She wanted to tell him she"d never be submissive, never allow herself to be subservient to any man.

She knew that wasn"t true. She"d experimented with light bondage with a lover a few years back and had enjoyed it.

It had been just light bondage, though. Somehow she knew Maddox wasn"t talking about just tying her hands to a headboard.

“I"m sorry I"m not the meek little thing you obviously want.” His hand was still on her thigh, the warmth driving through her. His words might trouble her, but his touch made her hot and very wet.

“I"m not looking for a „meek little thing." I"m looking for a woman who will give over power to me to bring us both extreme pleasure.”

Clarissa giggled, knowing it made her sound foolish but not being able to stop it.

She was too nervous to talk, and truthfully she wasn"t sure how to form words to say what she felt at this moment. What could it hurt, really? He was just in town for a few days, and maybe it might be interesting to see what submission entailed, exactly. And if it meant sex, good sex, then she was all for it.

“While you"re thinking, let me ask you something, Clarissa. Do you usually orgasm with your lovers, or do they leave you hanging, having to take matters into your own hands?”

Good heavens above, was she that transparent? How could he know that? She hadn"t even told Anna that, keeping her lack of orgasms without batteries to herself.

“I"m not really sure what to say.” Her giggle was gone, replaced by nerves that grasped every fiber of her being.

“Let"s not say anything, then. Let"s test your submission. Would you like that?”

Her heart raced, and her mouth went dry. “What exactly are you proposing?”

“It"s easy, isn"t it, when you"re in charge of sex? The idea of giving a man you"ve just met a blowjob didn"t faze you at all, really. It fascinated you. The minute I asked for something more, you became nervous, frightened to give over.”

“Yes.” What the hell was happening here? She"d just wanted to suck his cock, not discuss feelings and exchanges of power. “Tell me what you"re proposing.”

“I"m saying that for the next hour you"re mine, to do with as I like. Agreed?”

8

Melinda Barron

“Here? In the main room? We can go to my apartment or find an empty room. Or we could—”

He held up one finger and shook his head. “No questions, no plans or suggestions given by you. I am in charge for one hour. Agreed?” He put an emphasis on the last word that made her stomach flip-flop.

She should say no, tell him there was no way. Truthfully, this was the most exciting thing anyone had ever suggested, and she was fascinated.

“Yes.” The word slipped out, and there was no way to bring it back. She lifted her gaze to his, noticing for the first time how truly blue his eyes were, almost like the crystal clear waters of the Caribbean.

“Good. Now spread your legs and relax. This will bring us both great pleasure.”

Desert Surrender

9

Chapter Two

Maddox reached into his pocket, and Clarissa worried about what he"d bring out.

This little outing wasn"t exactly going as she"d planned. She"d wanted to enjoy his company in the fashion of a nice quickie by sucking him off. She hadn"t expected him to turn the tables, take control like he had.

He"d pulled a key ring from his pocket and was now taking something off it.

“Hold out your hand.”

She did as he asked, staring in confusion at the small coin he placed in her palm. It was about the size of a quarter and was attached to a lanyard hook with a small chain.

“Is this some sort of prize?”

“You could say that. We give them to our guests at the Moonglow. One of those free little trinkets that spreads advertising when people see it. It has a moon with our phone number on it.”

“Is it for me?”

“Yes. You"re going to wear it on your pussy for the next hour.” He gave her a seductive smile. “I assume you have a slave ring on your piercing?”

“Yes.”

“I thought as much.” His hand moved back under her dress, slid over the elastic in her thigh-high stockings, and teased her bare pussy. Their gazes locked as she widened her legs just enough for his fingers to dip inside her pussy lips. He immediately found and tugged her clit ring. His hand moved lower, and Clarissa moaned softly. She couldn"t have found a better man tonight than if she"d designed him herself. He tugged again, and she thought she might come on the spot.

“A piercing on each side of your inner labia. Very nice.”

“Thank you.” Good Lord, this was exciting, more exciting than anything she"d done in a long time.

10

Melinda Barron

“Clean the coin.”

She took a napkin, rubbed the coin down. It didn"t weigh that much, maybe a few ounces. When she was done, she looked at him, trying to gauge his expression. It was blank, however, as he slowly slid his hand from underneath her dress.

When he held out his palm, she placed the coin in there, gasping when he slipped his hand back under her dress and caressed her folds. Within seconds, she heard the faint click of the lanyard sliding over her slave ring. He let go of the coin and removed his hand. The plastic lay against her wet folds.

She shivered as he raised his finger to his face, sniffed, then tasted her juices.

“Delicious.”

Clarissa felt strangely shy as she watched him. “Thank you. What now?”

“You wear the coin for an hour. After that I"ll find you.”

“Find me?” Confusion filled her. “You don"t want me to stay here with you during that hour?”

“No. I want you to mingle, talk to people, be a party girl.” He leaned over and kissed her neck. “And I want you to think about the fact you"re wearing my coin on your clit ring.”

That got her attention. Her body tingled even though he was pulling away from her. “While you"re talking to people you"ve known for years, ponder what they would think if they knew what you had on under your dress, if they knew my coin rested in your folds.”

He patted her thigh before taking a drink. “Go on, now. I"ll sit and watch you for a little while.”

Clarissa stood, running her hands down the sides of her dress. The coin moved slightly. It didn"t weigh enough to pull on her ring very much, but she could still feel it, still knew it was there. The chain rubbed against her sensitive flesh, though not enough to trigger overwhelming desire.

“One hour,” Maddox said. She turned, stopping when he called out her name.

“One more thing. You may not bring yourself to orgasm, no matter how much you desire it. Do you understand?”

“Yes, sir.” She saluted him, picked up her drink, and moved into the crowd of people. The coin moved against her, heightening her already tight sensations. It felt deliciously wicked to do something like this, especially with someone she"d just met. It made her wonder about Maddox even more than she had when she"d first seen him.

What sort of man turned down a free blowjob to sit and watch a woman wander around a room with a coin hanging from her clit ring? One who knows how to build excitement, she knew, because that was exactly what was happening. Each step she took ratcheted up her desire to suck him, to let him do whatever he wanted to do to her.

She smiled at people, stopping to talk to those she knew as she worked the room.

What would some of these people say, she wondered, if they knew she had a key chain Desert Surrender