A glimmer of interest peaked in her eyes. Definitely a good sign.

  I glanced at the egg timer and reset it. “Your three minutes start now.”

  “You’re going to regret this.”

  When her lips descended on mine, I was left with the lingering suspicion she was right. I’d forgotten whom I was dealing with.

  The press of her lips opened mine. Our tongues clashed, hers thrusting into my mouth, fucking me…just like I’d ordered. She began a slow grind of her hips over my crotch. I gripped the leather of the couch.

  We were only five seconds in, and she already had me hard as a rock. I’d seriously miscalculated this one. My tongue searched for more, tasting her sweetness. There was no beauty in this kiss. She attacked, directed, claimed. Nothing intimate grew between us. I reached out, grabbed the timer, and pulled away.

  “No. Not like that.”

  “You want me to kiss you. I’m kissing you.”

  “You’re kissing me like you’re trying to own me. I’m not your submissive. I’m your Master. I want erotic, hot, sensual. Make the kiss come alive. Worship me with your mouth. Show me how much you want to fuck me.”

  I turned the dial. Had it really been less than twenty seconds? My cock ached to plunge into her moist heat. No way was I going to survive this.

  Her eyes followed the movements of my hands, tracking the dial with me. Her breaths puffed against my cheek.

  “Now kiss me,” I said. “Show me how much you want to please me.”

  Her lids pulled back, making her eyes appear bigger. She leaned forward, and her lips brushed against mine once again, this time softer, smoother. The movement of her hips took up a slow, demanding rhythm that drove me wild. I allowed the heat between us to build, and damn if her hunger didn’t burn as hot as mine.

  My tongue delved into her mouth. I wrapped my arms around her waist and pulled her close. Her fingers traced the muscles of my arms and twined in my hair. Gasping, she held me tight. When I placed my hands on the side of her breasts, her body stiffened, but she soon relaxed with a sigh.

  Our mingled breaths grew heavy. Satisfied. Desperate for more.

  The ticking of the timer sounded down the seconds. The heat of her pussy pressed insistently against my cock with each gyration of her hips until a moan escaped her lips. Nibbles on my lips turned to tiny bites. Her grinding intensified.

  I put one hand on her hip, the other on her nipple. I’d told her I’d withhold pain until she proved herself to me, but I couldn’t hold back from the pleasure of feeling her squirm beneath my touch. I pinched.

  Her breaths turned ragged. Her lips nearly left mine, violating the terms of her punishment, but she caught herself, kissing me deeply with a thrust of her tongue. The dry humping had me coming undone, but I would wait to satisfy my needs.

  Sensing she was close, I flicked my gaze to the timer. Mere seconds were left. I clamped down hard on her nipple, twisting as the buzzer sounded.

  She lifted, her lips separating from mine, screaming in pain, but something else was there too. Intense pleasure. Her orgasm followed, sweeping through her. I held her through her tremors, a cocky smirk on my face. That was only the first. We had one more to go.

  She lifted off me, her fingers searching for the fly to my pants. In a second, she had me undone. My cock exposed.

  “Kate?”

  Gorgeous eyes stared up at me. “Please don’t say no.”

  I glanced at my watch. We needed to get back to the club.

  Her hands slid over my body, reaching to cup my balls and stroke my dick.

  I prayed for endurance because I never wanted this to end. The warm heat of her lips sealed my fate. I belonged to this woman, and I was damn sure going to make her mine. The only thing that would make this vision better would be if she agreed to wear my collar around her neck.

  Chapter Seven

  Kate

  Silence blanketed our drive back to Stripes. So much had happened in that small diner. Much had changed. I reeled from the implications of everything I’d done and said. A piece of my heart had broken free and soared, but so much hesitation continued to fill me.

  A connection bound us, something indescribable, and nothing like the overwhelming need to please I’d had for my other Master. I wanted to belong to Jake but desired freedom as well. Something more than submission pulled me to him. The tangled knot of emotions binding my heart, my mind, my very soul confused me. All I could say was that he had touched all three.

  That knowledge grounded me as much as it terrified me.

  The vibrations of the engine thrummed in my veins, bringing an unbridled exhilaration to my lungs, and tiny pinpricks of electricity raced through my limbs. I allowed these physical sensations to crowd out the confusion brewing in my mind.

  He hadn’t conquered me, but he’d left a mark.

  A thousand questions bubbled in my mind, but his damn rule against asking anything ensured my silence. A peek at him gave no clues as to his thoughts.

  Jake had cranked up the heat to counteract the chill of the night air. I would have preferred to feel more of the biting cold stinging my skin. Instead, the blowers bathed me in warmth. I tilted my head to admire the night sky. Thousands of gleaming stars shined down on us. I’d left my hair loose, letting it lash my skin. It looked like that was the only whipping I was going to get tonight.

  He reached over and placed his hand on my thigh. It took everything not to flinch. An odd reaction, considering how we’d spent the last few hours. Moments ago, his simple caress had sent my pulse racing and heat swirling in my blood. I ached for this man, responsive in a way I’d never been before. Perhaps giving him so much in the diner now made me hesitant? Or maybe, now that we sped back to Stripes toward an identity I no longer owned, shame overcame me? There was no reason to pull away from him, but I did.

  My mind looped on that damn three-minute kiss. Acutely aware I owed him one more, the memory of the friction of his lips on mine swirled in my thoughts. My gaze drifted to his mouth and to the promise of all the kisses in my future. The deepest intimacy blossomed in that touch, and I had yet to deal with the profound hunger it stirred in me or the fact it exposed the emptiness eating at my soul.

  I remembered the taste of him, the brush of his lips against mine, and the firm press of his cock. Heat spread to my cheeks and traveled down to my neck to settle in my core, desire building yet again to a feverish intensity. I simply couldn’t get enough of him.

  The first nonquestion spilled from my lips. “Tell me about the Edge.” In a few days, we would attend an event there. “I need to run a background check on all the members.”

  He downshifted and drifted around a curve, then stepped on the gas as the road straightened toward darkness. Nothing but the moon and the stars lit our way. The powerful motor of the Mercedes purred beneath the hood, and the car leaped down the empty road with the cone of our headlights illuminating a pensive future.

  My pulse accelerated, keeping pace with the fast-moving car.

  Jake’s grip on the steering wheel tightened. “That might be a problem.”

  “That club is one of the last places Elizabeth was seen alive. Everyone who’s a member is a suspect. I need to run their names.”

  He kept his head facing forward but flicked his gaze toward me. A deep groove furrowed between his brows. “That means I’m a suspect too.”

  True.

  “The police can always get a warrant,” I said. “It’s up to you. I need that members list and a list of anyone else with access to the grounds. I’ll run the background checks. Or, Pete can get a warrant. If I run the checks, we can leave the police out of it.”

  “Thomas isn’t going to like that.”

  “Tell him I’ll control the flow of information. One of the benefits of being a PI is I can funnel relevant facts to the task force. If Thomas cooperates, I can guarantee that happens. If not, then a warrant is assured.”

  “I might be able to get him to buy off on that, but only if you sign a nondisclosure agreement.”

  “I don’t see how he has a choice. And I can’t sign an NDA. If I find something, I’m obligated to hand it over to the task force. But I can promise I’ll protect the confidentiality of his members as much as possible. And whether you like it or not, he needs to know I’m not your submissive, that this is an act for the case.”

  His jaw clenched. “It’s too late to pretend tonight didn’t happen.”

  It was silly, me prodding him like that, but I had to know how serious he was about this whole slave thing. I also didn’t want him to think I’d just roll over and let him win. If he wanted me, he had to earn my trust. I moved past the brewing argument.

  “Tell me how you got involved with this club.”

  “Thomas’s slave was one of my early successes.”

  I pressed my lips together, worried about my next demand. “It’s hard to do my job if I can’t ask questions.”

  The muscles in his jaw clenched. “The rule stands.”

  A rush of adrenaline flooded my system with the firmness in his tone. My pulse jumped, and an excited flutter settled in my stomach. “I can’t do my job if I can’t ask questions.” I stretched out my hand and held his arm. “I’ll obey all your other rules.”

  “You’ll obey them all, including that one.”

  “Please, Sir.” I tossed him a bone, a concession showing I would willingly follow. I was interested to see how he reacted to the emphasis I placed on that one tiny but incredibly potent word.

  His gaze flicked to mine, and his needful voice whipped in the wind. “Kate…”

  “My job has to be the priority from here on out. I’m a detective, and I have to investigate. That means asking questions, even to you.” Especially since he was on my list of potential suspects. The sooner I cleared him, the quicker we could move forward. “I don’t think we can wait until this weekend to go to the Edge.”

  “That may not be possible.”

  “You need to make it happen…Master.”

  His left eyebrow cocked up, and a smile turned the corner of his mouth. Soon a grin spread across his face, reaching the corners of his eyes. “I’ll see what I can do.”

  I let my hand drop to his thigh. “I need to know what I’m walking into before this weekend rolls around. I know how to play the part of a slave.” I didn’t dare look in his eyes. No way was I strong enough to face whatever expression brewed there. “I’ll obey every order you give, but I need freedom of movement, and not being able to ask questions just won’t work.”

  The warmth of his hand enveloped mine. “Say it again.”

  He downshifted the car and pulled off onto a side road, parking us behind a copse of trees. We were well hidden from the road. When he turned off the lights, we were plunged into darkness. With a snap, my seat-belt buckle was free. Another click and his seat belt retracted into its holder.

  “You called me Master. I want to hear that again.”

  Breath caught in my throat. The half-moon provided a wan light, and the cloudless sky allowed the stars to shine down on us.

  “Come here,” he said, indicating I was to crawl into his lap.

  The convertible was cozy, and the driver’s seat hugged Jake’s large frame. With me on top of him, I could barely move, but I straddled his hips as best I could and braced myself with my hands on his shoulders. The steering wheel pressed into my back, pushing me close.

  His eyes were shadowed, and I couldn’t see his beautiful blues. I ran my hand against his stubble, relishing the scratchy texture.

  His wide hands encircled my waist, and he leaned his head back against the headrest, looking at me staring at him. “Say it.”

  I trembled in his grasp.

  One of his hands released me, but instead of letting go, he reached up to grab the zipper of my leather outfit. His fingers grasped it at my neck, and with a slow pull exposed my skin to the night one agonizing inch at a time.

  My hands gravitated naturally to his chest. Pushing against him, I ground my pelvis against his lap.

  “God, you drive me crazy. I’m insatiable around you.” A low, throaty growl emanated from his lips, and he moved the hand wrapped around my waist and lowered it to cup my ass.

  I smiled. Leaning forward, I continued the slow gyration of my hips.

  “Ah, now that’s what I was looking for.” He had my zipper lowered to my waist now, exposing my breasts to the cool night air. He captured a nipple in his mouth, making me groan as he gently sucked.

  I kept up the slow movement of my hips. If he wanted to fuck, we were going to have to do some major repositioning because there was no way I was getting out of my leather with me straddling him.

  “I want to hear you say it.” His warm words whispered across my cheek and sent chills down my spine.

  My first attempt came out a cracked mess. I had to lick my lips and swallow to soothe my throat. This would be the first time I said it to him while meaning it. “Master.”

  One of his signature slow kisses swept me away. It was everything I associated with being soft, something I hated, or thought I did. Only now I understood with a different eye. This kiss claimed just as surely as any whip. Seconds drifted by while his tongue tangled with mine, exploring and tasting. With each passing minute, he defined his ownership, deepening the kiss into something more carnal. Soon our breaths turned desperate. His hands covered my breasts, fingers stroking my nipples into taut peaks.

  I followed the heat of his movements, snaking a hand down between us, feeling the long length of him beneath his jeans. “I want to please you.”

  He cupped my pussy with his hand, eliciting a long, low groan from my lips. “Oh, we’ll get to that, but first, let’s get you out of these clothes.”

  I stilled, taking a moment to really look at him. My skin, flushed as it was with arousal, chilled to the night’s cold air. Stripping me along the side of the road might be a fun and risqué fantasy, but the reality of it didn’t quite appeal to me.

  Getting naked and freezing my ass off didn’t get my girlie-juices flowing. Not that I’d ever had girlie-juices that flowed before, but Jake had worked some kind of magic on my body in that diner. I didn’t want to ruin the memory with a bust here on a dirt road in the middle of nowhere.

  Unbuckling his belt, I moved to unzip his fly. “Um, I would really like it if you let me…”

  His cock sprang forth into my hand, long, thick, and engorged. With a sure grip and a firm stroke, I had his hips bucking beneath me.

  “Holy fuck, that feels good.”

  His lusty rumble had me biting my lower lip, anticipating much more than my hand wrapped around his cock.

  The close quarters, though, made it impossible for me to stroke him properly. I could barely move my arm. I reached for the door handle and looked to him, asking permission.

  Jake had chosen a place of seclusion. He wouldn’t put me in a situation where I felt threatened or exposed. I’d strip if he ordered it, but I wasn’t comfortable doing so. I couldn’t cover myself as quickly as he could fasten his pants.

  With a nod from him, I opened the car door.

  Unfolding my legs, I climbed off his lap. A quick glance revealed smooth dirt beneath my boots. No rocks. My knees would be grateful for this small miracle. Trying not to think about the damage done to the white leather, I knelt on the dirt. It didn’t matter if I ruined my outfit. This was likely the last time I’d wear my signature look.

  I gazed up at him, my hand reaching to take his cock, stroking him again.

  He adjusted himself, spreading the fly wide for me. “Shit, Kate. What about you?”

  “A Master’s pleasure comes before his slave.”

  “But a good Master ensures his slave is happy and content.”

  I stroked him. “Doing this is what makes me content.”

  His eyes widened at that comment. “I’m wondering who’s in charge here.”

  While I had hijacked this moment, there was no doubt in my mind where I wanted this to go. “Just let me take care of you.”

  He threw his head back, laughed, and gripped my hair, pulling my mouth onto his cock. “Let me take a little more control, then. Less talking, slave. More sucking.”

  I succeeded in keeping my clothes on, but Jake took over. I had a mind to tease him, using the skills I’d developed over the years as a Mistress to draw out the pleasure of men I’d dominated. I wanted to do that with him and make him beg for his release, but he had other plans.

  That was fine with me. Like he said, it was time for him to take over.

  Now if I could only find a way for him to find an alternate, more stimulating use for that belt of his.

  With his fist in my hair and my mouth wrapped around his cock, I used my tongue and applied firm pressure to the underside of his cock. The bucking of his hips told me he enjoyed that. I tried to establish a rhythm, but he overrode my attempt to dominate. His hand guided me along his shaft at a pace he desired, his moans instructing me on how to place my tongue, when to suck, and when to take him deep. I became his instrument and reveled in my role.

  Soon his hips bucked, alerting me to his impending climax. The hot explosion of his release hit the back of my throat, and I sucked with long draws until he tapped the top of my head, begging me to stop. His labored breathing brought a grin to my face. I fucking loved the sounds of a well-satiated man. Warmth spread through my chest, knowing I’d been the source of his pleasure.

  I glanced up and took one last pull of his cock, swirling my tongue up the hard shaft.

  His eyes rolled in their sockets, and his mouth opened in a half-croak, half-moan of ecstasy. “Shit, Kate. I don’t think I’ll be able to walk after tonight.”

  Kneeling before him had me considering my new station. The dark night shrouded me in the still evening air, but the half-moon shined down, illuminating the white leather I wore and making it glow. I stood out against the ground and the black paint of his car. I’d been put on display—a slave kneeling before her Master. I found my hand tracing the lines of my throat. Years ago, I’d worn a collar there. I’d long since moved beyond the trappings and symbols of the lifestyle. Cuffs and collars were merely objects I used for restraint in my scenes. Yet I had the strongest urge for a symbol now.

 

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