Master No (30 page)

She could barely breathe, but that was all a part of this particular game. How much Tennessee could she handle? She intended to handle all of him. Every last gorgeous inch.

Faith worked with him, letting him fuck her mouth. He found a hard, relentless rhythm. She hummed around his flesh, adding another layer to the sensation he would feel.

It seemed to break something in Ten. He growled and his hips moved faster, pushing her harder. He thrust in until his cock found the back of her throat, and he held her there as he began to come.

She swallowed around him, taking in everything he had to give her. He filled her mouth, nearly drowning her in his essence. She drank him down, licking and sucking even as he softened.

“Do you know how you make me feel?” His voice was a low growl, his hands softening in her hair.

She kissed his cock again. “I hope I make you feel as beautiful as I do when you’re around.”

He stepped away and pulled up his jeans. “You make me feel like a king. When I fuck you, I’m the king. I’m powerful and wanted. That’s how you make me feel. You remember that. Always. No one ever made me feel the way you do.”

She stayed where he’d left her, her body flush with pleasure. This was what she could give to him. This and one other present. She’d called Ian Taggart earlier. Theo’s brother had been happy to take her credit card information and her request.

She would let this man know how wanted he was if it was the last thing she did. Whether or not they were together three months from now, she wanted him to know how special he was.

“I’m going to treat you like a king when we get to the island, Master.” She was going to take the next few weeks and figure out if they could make this work. Figure out if he was the one worth coming back home for. She loved her work, but she wanted to love someone else more.

He moved out of her line of view and she felt him at her back. With a few quick moves, her hands were free and he was hauling her up and into his arms. She loved the way he picked her up with no effort at all. She let her head fall against his shoulder as he strode out of the office.

“And I’ll make you feel like my sub,” he vowed as he carried her into the bedroom they’d shared for a week. “I’ll make you feel sheltered and protected and worshipped.”

She already felt that way. And it was making her reconsider everything she’d said to him earlier about her sister. Maybe she should have him look into it. It didn’t mean she was disloyal. It meant she was careful.

But first she was going to spend the night in her Master’s arms. Nothing was more important than that.

CHAPTER TWELVE

Two days later, Faith stared down at the text she’d received. The private plane had touched down not two minutes before and when she’d brought her phone back online, the message had been sitting there.

Problems at the clinic. Small fire. Lost the entire shipment of influenza vaccine along with a few boxes of supplies. Sorry I hadn’t told you. Didn’t want to interrupt your vacation with bad news.

She’d woken up the morning after her fight with Ten and decided to do some more digging. On her own, for the time being. Her first stop had been to leave a message for the doctor running the clinic in her absence. She needed another few samples of the vaccine if she was going to run another test. She’d requested that he send three samples to three different labs this time. She was going to do this right and put her mind at ease.

Her mind wasn’t easy at all now.

“I like rich people flying,” Erin announced.

Theo shook his head her way. “Don’t get used to it, baby. Remember who your man is, but I promise the next time we have to fly without Faith’s private airline, I will treat you to one of those sweet, sweet premium coach seats.”

Erin’s nose wrinkled up. “I think I’m ruined now. I need a rich dude.”

Theo had her out of her seat and in his lap in a heartbeat. “Not on your life, baby. You’re stuck with me.”

Erin looked uncomfortable for a moment, but then seemed to give in. She cuddled up on Theo’s lap as they taxied toward the private hangar. “I don’t like rich dudes anyway. And I always said you were sticky.”

Ten’s hand slid along hers, finally meeting to tangle their fingers together. “You all right?”

This was supposed to be their quiet time. Just her and Ten and Theo and Erin. They were going to spend the time until her dad and the rest of the family and friends got here for her party in a state of hazy bliss. They were going to drink and play and sit on the beach.

Her problems could wait. She would have to admit there actually seemed to be a problem at some point, and her backside would probably ache a few short minutes later, but she wanted her Master in play mode, not work mode. It wasn’t anything that couldn’t wait.

“No. It’s some stuff with the clinic. Nothing important.”

He leaned over and kissed her forehead. “Good. I’m ready to relax for a while. Didn’t you say there was a resort close to the house?”

She glanced out the window. From the airstrip she could see the green of the jungle all around them, but she knew the ocean was never far away. “Yes, but honestly we never need to leave the house. We have everything right here including a private beach and there’s surf and scuba gear and the boat. I say boat, but it’s really more of a yacht. It’s even got a two-person submersible to explore the reefs in. My father likes his toys.”

“I’d still like to see the resort. I read something about it having the best seafood in the Caribbean. Also, they have the golf course,” Ten pointed out. “I didn’t lug those clubs here for nothing.”

She was going to lose him to golf. He and Theo had dragged their golf clubs along with their kits. Golf and kink. At least she liked one of his hobbies.

“I already called and you both have full use of the country club. Erin and I will be in the spa.” Unless… “Erin, you don’t golf, do you?”

Erin grinned at her from her Master’s lap. “I could kick both their asses. I have a seven handicap. My father forced the sport down my throat. I hate it. I’ll totally do the girly-girl spa thing. I’m looking forward to lying on the beach and not doing a damn thing except drinking margaritas and reading a book.”

“Oh, you’ll be doing some other things while we’re here.” Theo ran a hand up her thigh. “I can promise you that.”

Tennessee leaned over. “So will you. I bet the one thing this place doesn’t have is a dungeon, but don’t you forget that I don’t need fancy toys to play with you.”

His words heated her skin. He’d kept her naked for a full day after the night they’d fought. She’d packed for the trip without a stitch on and when Theo and Big Tag had come by, he’d denied her a robe. Both men were used to the lifestyle and hadn’t blinked an eye when Ten had talked business with a naked woman on his lap.

She hoped the staff was used to nudity since Ten seemed to think she would spend a lot of time naked here, too.

It would be nice to play Adam and Eve. There were several bungalows and buildings on the property. Maybe they could set up a temporary dungeon and get some playtime in before the horde descended.

The brilliant sunshine was muted as the plane entered the hangar. From here it was a long walk up to the main house, but her father’s well-trained staff would handle all the luggage and she could start to show off the grounds to her friends.

She shoved aside her worries. There wasn’t a place for them here.

“Is that who I think it is?” Erin moved off Theo’s lap and stared out the tiny window. “I thought you said we would be alone.”

Ten’s eyes narrowed as he looked past Faith. “That’s an unexpected surprise.”

Maybe she wouldn’t be able to set aside those worries so easily. The plane came to a stop and her sister was standing in the middle of the hangar, smiling and waving. Her sister, who was supposed to be in Houston finishing up work before vacation. Her sister, who Faith hadn’t mentioned a word to about this trip.

So many coincidences.

The door was opened and the stairs leading down to the ground released with a hydraulic hiss as the pilot nodded their way and wished them well.

God, she hoped her father wasn’t here, too. She grabbed her purse and started out.

Hope was dressed as casually as she ever did, wearing a neat pair of khakis and a prim white shirt. Stylish sandals covered her feet. She hurried forward to give Faith a long hug. “Hello! I was so excited when they told me the plane was coming in today.”

She hugged her sister back. “I thought you were working in Houston.”

Hope pulled away slightly, looking Faith over. “We ran into a snag, but I’m getting it worked out. Administrative stuff. I hate it. I thought I could use some downtime so I came out here a few days ago. And then I got bored, so I’m thrilled you’re here. I even put together a lunch for us, though I thought it would be you and me and your…guy.” She stepped back as Theo came down the stairs. “Hello, Mr. Taggart.”

Theo grinned. “It’s Theo, Hope. Unless you want me to call you Miss McDonald.”

Hope shook her head. “Not at all. Casual is better among friends.”

“Mr. Taggart is fine with me,” Erin muttered.

Ten’s arm slid around Faith’s shoulders. “Don’t worry about it, Hope. I have a solution. Theo and I will head to the country club after we get settled in and you can have a nice lunch with your sister and Erin. Theo and I have been dying to hit the links, if you know what I mean.”

Erin turned a dull red, but Faith was happy she managed to not let loose the multitude of curses she was sure her friend had flying through her head at that moment. Ten had actually solved a ton of problems, including keeping her sister from fawning all over Theo. It would also give Faith time to figure out exactly what her sister was doing here and what had happened with Kronberg.

And what was going on with her vaccines.

“That sounds wonderful,” Faith said. “Let’s show them around and then eat. I’m starving.”

An hour later, she sat down at the table by the pool. The sun was shining down as Hope nodded for the server to open the champagne.

“Where’s your friend? What was her name again? Erica?”

Faith rolled her eyes. “You know her name. And she’ll be here in a few minutes. She was seeing her boyfriend off. I bet you remember his name.”

“I make it a point of remembering beautiful specimens,” her sister said with a shrug. “Theodore Taggart. Did you know he wasn’t aware of his older brother until a short while ago? He thought his twin was his only sibling.”

“Have you been checking into him?”

“I did a little digging. Well, I read Dad’s security reports. Theo and his brother flew through BUD/S training and then up and quit the Navy after less than a year in the SEALs.”

“He decided to work for his brother.”

“And that’s where he met the girl. Apparently they’ve been together for a year or so. It’s a little icky.”

“Be nice.” The last thing she needed was for her sister to start a fight.

“I’m not nice,” Hope pointed out. “I’m practical, and that woman doesn’t fit with him. He’s smart and polite. He could go places. She’s going to drag him down.”

“He’s in love with her.”

“I don’t know about that. Sometimes relationships are all about comfort and stability. People fear the unknown. He hasn’t asked her to marry him. You would think they would know if they’re compatible after a year. I think he’s in a rut. Sometimes it takes a jolt to the system to get out of a rut. I’m going to feel him out about a job at Kronberg.”

“He’s not in the medical field.” The idea of Theo in some stuffy lab was ludicrous. “I think he’s happy working with his brother and he’s very settled in Dallas. He bought a house not more than a month ago.”

“He can buy another one in Houston. I need someone of his experience to work with the veterans in my study. I talked to him for a while at his house when I was in Dallas. He has valuable insight.”

Maybe she didn’t understand her sister’s research. “You said it yourself. He wasn’t in the military for very long. I know he saw some combat, but he doesn’t have any major injuries. I don’t see how he could help with prosthetics.”

Hope frowned and her fingers drummed along the table as though she was trying to decide something. “It’s more than prosthetics. Look, I can’t really go into it without you signing numerous nondisclosure agreements, but I’m working on something some of Dad’s friends started. It’s a whole-body type of treatment for soldiers. There’s more going on than simply an injured limb. What I’m working on can treat the mind and the body. It can create better soldiers.”

Something about the way her sister was talking gave her the creeps. “Okay, now you sound all Frankensteiny. Create soldiers?”

“You are so sarcastic. I swear you lose manners every month you spend out in that jungle. I was simply talking about helping soldiers be the best they can be. At home. In the battlefield, for those who choose not to leave the service. I want the mind and body to work together, and I think Theo’s the kind of guy who could help me.”

“And you say you don’t have a crush on him.”

Hope was quiet for a moment. “Like you never took one look at a man and wanted him, knew he could be perfect for you. Tell me you don’t feel this way about that Graham guy. I see the way you look at him. You never looked at Roger like that.”