Stare Me Down (Stare Down) (13 page)

“And without the heels, you’re what? Five-four?” They took off again.

“Yes. Do you know where you’re going? You seem to.”

“We’re going to the middle.”

“Middle.” She snorted. The one time she and her dad had tried to do that in the daytime, they’d given up after an hour and rang one of the “come save me” loser bells for the maze keeper to come and lead them out. “That’s the equivalent of finding a needle in a haystack, isn’t it?”

“I don’t know about that.” He pulled her closer. “But I do know there’s a bench there. The back is carved in an image of two horse’s heads with flowing manes.”

They made another turn. “It sounds beautiful.”

“It’s something to see. Especially tonight.”

He was right, of course. The moment they got to the circular middle, which was odd in itself, after traveling through nothing but straight lines to get here, the bench looked surreal. Bathed in the light cast from the full moon, the intricate design seemed ancient and yet ageless at the same time.

Ramsey went right to it. He sat down, put his glass to one side and motioned to her. She almost wanted to pinch herself. Not that she was one of those females who got all giddy or, God forbid, giggly, but she was feeling very light. That was the best way to describe it. The last time she’d felt this way was when she’d tested out of all her first-year and some second-year college courses.

“Okay.” When she got within a six inches of him, she tossed her purse toward the end of the bench and was going to ask, ‘what would you like to do now’, but he spoke, and she had her answer.

“I want you to take off your blouse. Bra too.”

Her heart skittered. “This is all a little sudden, isn’t it?”

One side of his face was in shadow and the other was bathed in the glowing moonlight. From that half profile, he looked hard. Set. Determined. And when he didn’t answer, she shifted under the weight of his solemn stare and asked, “Exactly what kind of relationship are you looking for with me? A consensual non-consent one?”

“If I were looking for that kind of relationship with you at the moment, I wouldn’t have politely told you what to do. I’d make you do it or I’d have done it for you myself.”

She peered, trying to gauge what was in his eyes. No use as a cloud drifted in front of the moon.

“Take off the blouse, Jaxx. Do it.”

“Why?”

Now he sat forward, bending with his forearms braced on his knees. His whole face came into the bar of gold-tinted light from one of the lanterns, and she saw his eyes. He wasn’t fooling around. “Because I told you to.”

A thrill went through her and she found herself undoing the buttons. One by one until she was done. She shrugged out of it and tossed it on the bench.

“Now the bra.”

If anyone had told her this morning that she’d be doing this tonight, she would have called the person a liar. Even now, as she unhooked the clasps at her back, she wondered how he’d gotten her to comply. She placed an arm over her breasts and threw the bra on top of the blouse.

“Arms down.”

The fact that he hadn’t moved and his drilling-into-her expression hadn’t changed was unnerving. She was wary to do as he asked, but more wary not to. That little voice inside her head said, “own the moment,” so she did. She dropped her arms to her sides, shook her head and straightened. Thrusting her breasts forward so he’d see her bravado.

“Are you ready for different?”

“I think‌—‌yes.”

I think yes, too. Now I want you envision a set of traffic lights. There’s a green light for go, a yellow light for proceed with caution, and a red light that forces the driver to stop. When we’re together, if there’s ever an occasion I’m driving you too hard, you let me know just like the traffic lights guides safety on the road. Does that make sense to you?”

“Yes.”

“Go to the tree.”

“W-what?” She’d expected him to call her to him, not send her farther away.

He sat up. “Here’s how it’s going to go. I tell you what to do, and you do it. For the first little while, I’ll tell you why I want you to do these things, but once you’re comfortable with our arrangement I’m going to stop telling you why, and I’ll expect you to do them.”

“What if I don’t want to?”

His tone dropped an octave or two as he stared at her breasts and said, “You’ll want to.”

Her nipples gave her away. He was right. “You’re making me feel uncomfortable.”

“I’m not going to let you talk your way out of this, Jaxx. I know what you need. Uncomfortable?” She nodded, and he grinned. “Feeling uncomfortable is not abnormal. In fact, it’s very normal. Everything new is awkward. Put your fear aside and work with me here.”

She was going to compliment him on his eloquence, but then he ruined it with that last half of that sentence. “Okay. Why the tree?” She turned and walked over to it before she swung back around to face him.

“It’s the perfect backdrop.”

“For?”

“You. Your white skin shines beautifully against it.”

She didn’t know what to say to that, so she said nothing at all. Only shifted to push the flats of her palms into the deep grooves of the oak when he stood and came to her. He stopped right in front of her and with less than four inches of space between them she had a hard time looking up.

“Are you going to ask for it, Jaxx?”

“For what?”

At first she thought he was going to put his hand on her breasts, but then he extended two fingers and used them to tilt her chin up. “This is what your problem is.”

“Problem?”

“Your guy problem. Why you lack a man in your life who can satisfy you.”

“I hate to be the bearer of contrary news, but me standing half naked against a tree is not the problem I have with men. I know—”

“I know about you.” His expression got hard and unreadable. Which had her all hot and restless. “You like to be kept on edge. You need to be, but for the most part you’re not willing to do the work required to get that kind of reward from a patient man.”

He gripped her chin now. Cupping it tightly in his hand as he squeezed and pulled up. Not too high and not hard, but high and hard enough that she was paying full attention as she rolled up on her tiptoes.

“I-I’m willing to work.”

He bent and dragged his chin across her forehead. When he straightened, he sighed. “You can’t expect to get what you want if you don’t ask for it.”

She closed her eyes unwilling to look at him. If she did, she’d have to admit that he was right…‌about her.

“Courage is its own reward. Are you ready to explore different with me? Do you want to experience something unique or would you rather immerse yourself in ordinary?”

Her eyes fluttered open. His tone, those words and her vulnerable, forced position had her ready to scream “Yes, I want what you’re offering”. Yet for all of that, she remained silent.

He gripped her chin tighter. “If you’re afraid to say the words, Jaxx, that means you have to voice them. You have to let go of the fear.”

Swallowing to ease her rapidly drying throat, she dug deep and whispered, “It’s not fear. It’s shame.”

“There’s no shame in honesty. Nin got it right. ‘Shame is the lie someone told you about yourself’.” Leaning down, he kissed her. Consumed her. Using the grip he had on her chin to his advantage, he shifted, slanted, pressed forward until she was forced to open her mouth and let him inside.

The feel, the intimacy, the ferocity of the embrace was like nothing she’d ever experienced before. She wasn’t prepared for it. She would have tried to escape, but he slammed his hips into hers, pinning her against the tree as he steadily ground on her while the bark bit into the naked flesh of her back. And…

And her insides melted. Because the pain, the force and the power he exerted over her had her breathless and wanting more of him. His biceps were hard and bulged beneath her fingers as she kneaded them. The rest of him was equally as hard when she crushed herself against him.

Their mingled breath sounded loud in the quiet space. Raspy and needy. He tasted so good. So damn good, she couldn’t fight the burst of adrenaline that shot through her and made her want to attack. Finding an opening between the buttons on his shirt, she shoved her hand in. But before she could stop herself, her fingers curled and nails met skin. With one long, hard rake, she scratched him. It was a heavenly form of release.

“Fuck.” He tore himself away and leaned back, looking at her. He didn’t even blink, only grinned as he let go of her chin and said, “You like it rough. You’re going to be fun to play with.”

She was too stunned to move. Breathe, even. Never had she acted on her baser impulses. They were wild and inappropriate, but then, so was he. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have done that.”

He put a hand to his chest, no doubt testing the damage she’d done, then stepped back. “You’re right, but not the way you think you are. No.” His command was sharp enough to stop her in mid-action from crossing her arms over her breasts. “Put your hands on the trunk like you had them before. Beside you with palms flat.”

“All right.”

“Good.” He relaxed his stance and said, “You shouldn’t have done that because you weren’t invited to do it. There will be occasions I’ll invite you to do what you want. But not many, as I’ll keep that kind of play between us sparse. I know you like it. And things you like should be kept special.”

She scowled and looked down at herself. Then she looked up. “This really isn’t how I envisioned ending the night with you. Can I put my blouse back on so we can talk?”

“The night hasn’t ended between us. Not yet. And I’ll be doing the talking. You’ll listen. As for the blouse? No. It stays off until…”

“Yes?”

“I’m satisfied.” He ran his bent knuckles down her cheek. His touch was warm and inviting. But then he grasped her hair in one big hand, tugging and pulling. Forcing her head to tilt to one side as he took hold of her mouth again. And although this time he didn’t have a grip of her chin, his fist buried in her hair prevented any thoughts she had of escape. Not that she wanted to. His kiss was brutal. Consuming. Branding, and the pleasure that sizzled through her with his arrogance made the butterflies in her stomach take flight.

She was getting‌—‌her heart pounded‌—‌getting‌—‌it picked up speed…‌wet.
Don’t think about it. Let it happen. Concentrate. Pay attention. Don’t spoil—
great, now she was thinking about the reports she had to write tomorrow and wondering whether she’d fed the oscars. Maybe she’d feed them a few pellets before she went to bed tonight.

Aries drew back the second he felt her disconnect. He’d had her there for a moment. He knew it, but the second he’d eased up on the aggression, she’d retreated. Lost focus. So much for patient Mr. Nice Guy.

He used his grip in her hair and slowly forced her to bend. Holding her at an uncomfortable angle, he leaned down and bit her neck. Ignoring her gasp he bit her again harder. She half-gasped. He bit her harder still, and she moaned. Perfect.

“Here’s what we’re going to do moving forward.” He spoke harshly in her ear and made note of her body language. She was breathing fast, trembling, clutching on him as if he were her last lifeline. In an odd way he wanted to believe he was, because without him to show her how good things could be for her, she’d probably settle for ordinary with fuckwit egghead.

“You’re going to give me a key to your house and I’m going to use it. Anytime I want.” She made to struggle, and he pressed in more. “I’ll never interfere with your work, but before and after those hours? You’re mine when I want you. You’ll never know when I’m going to be there. You’re always going to have to be ready for me and what I want from you. Do you understand?”

She was almost hyperventilating.

“Jaxx?”

She closed her eyes, licked her lips and said, “I understand.”

“Good.” He gave a sharp pull, amazed when she didn’t cry out. “I’m going to require certain things from you from time to time. Things that will make our time together better. Always know I have a purpose. No matter what I ask you to do.”

“What kind of
certain
things?”

He followed the rim of her ear with his tongue until he got to her lobe. Then he gave that a tug with his teeth before blowing a breath in ear. “We’ll cover the full scope of what I want as we go. For now? I’ll keep it simple. I want you to shower every night before you go to bed, and when you get in your bed? I want you naked. Always. The only exception is when you’re menstruating. At that time I want to be told so I can make use of your mouth.”

She hissed in a breath, and he tightened his grip in her hair. “Does that honesty shock you? It’d better not, Jaxx, because that’s all there’ll be between us. Get ready.” He eased his grip out of her hair and added, “I’ll give you the night to think about this, but to help you decide…”

“What are you doing?”

“Stay still and I’ll tell you.” She stopped so easily he wanted to give her hug. But it was too soon for hugs with her. She needed the hard before they got to the soft. “I’m going to bite your nipples.”

“No, you’re not!”

“Yes, I am. Uncross your arms.” He helped her reposition with her palms flat on the bark. “And after I’m done making them all hot and sensitive, I’m going to turn you around and make you stick your ass out invitingly.” He bent getting closer to her breasts, brushing his thumbs over the rapidly hardening peaks. “When your ass is angled just the way I like it, I’m going to lift up your skirt.” He dragged his gaze away from her pert breasts and looked up. “I love this skirt, by the way. It’s tighter than your black one. It reminds me of the duct tape. Damn—” he concentrated on her breasts again, “—you were one hot wreath on that door.”

“Ramsey.”

“Shh.” He played with her. Teasing and pulling at her nipples. Loving how her whole breast bounced when he let go of the areola. “When I have your skirt up, I’m going smack your ass hard. As hard as I intend to bite your nipples so that those parts of you will ache when you go to bed tonight. You’ll be aching while you think about how we move forward from here. Because if you decide to say yes, your only thoughts when you’re in your little bed from now on are of me. What we’ve done or are doing, or what we will be doing. Nothing else invades that space. It’s mine.”