Burning Up (16 page)

“Layla, stop.”

His eyes were closed and I could see the deep concentration written all over his face. His eyebrows pinched together and his breathing was becoming harsher. Moving faster, I continued to tease, frustrate, and drive him crazy with need. His expression contorted into one that almost appeared to be pain.

“Layla, stop! Now.”

I ignored him again. I wouldn’t stop. I wanted to bring him to the edge, let him teeter there for a moment, and let it feel like an eternity as I would pull away, release him, and leave him completely exhausted and sexually frustrated. I wanted him to suffer. I knew it was wrong, but I needed him to feel the anger, pain, and suffering that was coursing through
my
body right now.

Reaching down, he gripped my shoulders and hauled me to my feet. I stared at him in shock as he pressed me hard against the wall. His eyes were burning with rage.

“I know what you’re doing, Layla.”

My eyes narrowed as I sneered at him. “Oh you do, do you? Well, then if you know what I’m doing, you must know why. So tell me, oh all-knowing one, what exactly is it you think I’m doing?”

He shook his head and raised an eyebrow. “That mouth of yours is really starting to piss me off.”

I snorted a laugh. “Well a few seconds ago you seemed to be enjoying it when it was wrapped around your dick.”

Pressing me harder against the wall, he leaned closer. His lips were inches from mine, and I could feel the warmth of his breath on my face.

“You’re punishing me. At first I thought it was all in fun, or maybe even to make me beg you to forgive me, a little sex game on your part. But it’s not, is it? You think I don’t notice the difference? If you have something to say, say it. Don’t fuck with me, Layla. We’re supposed to be past this juvenile bullshit.”

Pressing my hands on his chest, I shoved him away from me. “I hate you!”

I stormed away toward the bathroom, but he was hot on my heels. Catching me around the waist, he lifted me from the ground, turned me around and threw me over his shoulder. I kicked my feet and hammered my fists on his back in protest.

“Put me down! I swear, Jared, I will make you so sorry for this shit!”

He chuckled and it fueled my anger. I kicked harder and my fists were now pummeling into his back. Heading for the bedroom, he continued to hold me as he approached the wardrobe. I couldn’t tell what was happening or what the hell he was looking for, but the next thing I knew, I was dropped heavily onto the bed. I bounced there for a moment, still trying to regain my equilibrium from being literally turned upside down. Flipping me over onto my back, Jared straddled me and pinned me by my wrists to the bed with one hand. The other dove into his pocket and a slither of red satin caught my eye.

“If you can’t be trusted not to fucking storm off whenever we have a fight, you leave me with no choice.”

I wanted to struggle, but as my eyes became fixed on the deep shade of red, a dozen sexy and disarming memories flooded my brain. Jared clutched the restraints in his hand and grinned wickedly at me.

“I can see by the expression on your face that you remember these well. I brought everything with me, Layla, plus some new things, too. I can’t wait to torture, please, and entice you with all of them, but right now, we need to get a little control over this situation.”

Wrapping the satin around each of my wrists, he held them together tightly as he wound the ends around the middle of the metal headboard. I pulled and tugged on them, but it was no use. It never was. Jared was an expert at this, and my attempts to escape were futile. Lowering himself on top of me, he breathed gently in my ear.

“If you don’t stop struggling, you’re going to hurt yourself, and that hurts me.”

I stilled and gazed up at him as he sat back on his heels and removed his shirt. His pants still hung loosely at his waist. In his haste to catch me, he’d simply pulled them up and closed the zipper. I gazed at the deep V cuts that led temptingly into his pants. Damn him and his tasty body. I was still trying to hold onto my anger and he was making it almost impossible.

With my hands bound to the bed and my temper seething and simmering under my skin, I drew my attention from his abdomen and glared up at him.

“Don’t give me that look. You traveled alone from the US to Europe with no regard for your safety. You then show up and immediately jump to conclusions about what you see here instead of confronting me. Running away isn’t an option for you anymore, Layla. I’m tired of it. And now, you decide to employ sex as a form of punishment. I’m all for games and teasing, but I won’t have you turn us making love into something you do out of anger. Am I getting through to you?”

I scowled at him. He was half-right, at least. But the only thing I agreed with was that I was making sex a punishment. The rest, I felt entirely justified about.

“I am not a child, Jared. I got on a plane and flew from one airport to another. I’m a grown woman. People our age are traveling around the world for crying out loud. You don’t see them being babysat or chaperoned. I wanted to surprise you, but I got a bigger surprise of my own. I don’t care if they were modeling underwear or sucking your cock, it’s all the same to me! You had half naked women alone with you in your room. I am not okay with that. If I pulled that shit, you’d lose it completely. Don’t deny it.”

I pulled against my restraints in anger and frustration. I wasn’t sure I was quite done with my tirade at him just yet. Lunging at me, he grasped my wrists with his hands.

“I fucked up! And I don’t deny anything. If I caught another guy with you, I don’t think I could be held responsible for my actions. But, that doesn’t mean that I fucking did it to hurt you. I made a poor decision. I apologized and you’re still making me pay for it.”

I growled and tried desperately to get him off of me, but he just pressed me harder into the bed.

“I hate you! You make me out to be some kind of fragile, china doll, but at the same time, you play games and take risks with the only fragile piece of me that you can break.”

He gave me a puzzled look before slowly dragging his eyes down to my chest. He winced and I knew he got the message. Tears rolled from my eyes as I turned my head away from him. I couldn’t even bring myself to look at him. 

“I’m sorry, baby. I am
so
sorry.”

His hands moved from my wrists to my chin as he lifted it to look at him. Leaning down, he kissed me gently on the lips before trailing gentle pecks along my jaw and all over my face.

“Don’t cry. Please, I’m so sorry. I never meant to hurt you. I hate to see you like this and know that I caused it.”

I held my breath as his mouth moved downward to my collar bone.

“You’re right, I was out of line. I swear I will never be so careless with your heart again. Please forgive me.”

I could feel myself wavering. His tongue grazed my cleavage, and I released the breath I was holding immediately as I gasped.

“I’ll make it up to you. I’ll do anything you want. But right now, I need to feel closer to you, Layla. I can feel you slipping away from me every time we part. Please, don’t fight me.”

I couldn’t if I’d wanted to. My body was betraying me. I writhed and wriggled as his hands explored my body.

“Your skin is so delicate, perfect, and incredibly tempting. You need reminding of who, exactly, you belong to, and I fully intend to leave my mark on you.”

I held my breath as he swiftly grasped the waist of my jeans and tugged them down and over my hips. His teeth teased and grazed against the red lace of my panties.

“You’re delicious, Layla. You’re a feast that I never get tired of devouring. God, I’ve missed you so much.”

I pulled even harder against my restraints, and this time the fabric tore a little. Jared’s head shot up and he raised an eyebrow at me. “Behave. That’s a warning. You won’t get another.”

Now the game was on. He knew damn well that I wasn’t going to do as I was told. I couldn’t. The promise of repercussions was too alluring.

As his head bowed and he trailed kisses down my stomach, I forcefully pulled on my restraints. Taking his tempting and attentive kisses from my skin, he looked up and shook his head at me.

“I warned you. But then, we both knew that you wouldn’t be a good girl and just do as you’re told.”

Crawling up the bed, he slid his hands up my arms and toyed with the strips of red satin tied around my wrists. The thin pieces of fabric slid in and out from between his fingers. He rolled onto his side and breathed heavily into my ear as he slid one hand down onto my stomach before gliding it up beneath my shirt.

“Tell me, Layla, do you enjoy me punishing you? Do you like to see me get riled up, angry, and frustrated with you?”

I turned my head away and thought of a response. Anything would do, it just had to be convincing. Though, I wondered if it was worth it since I was sure he already knew the answer. I chose silence as my response.

His hand cupped my right breast, and he grasped it in his palm. I gasped.

“I asked you a question.”

Letting out a staggered breath, I writhed a little as his hand began massaging my breast, playing and teasing my pert nipple in the process.

“I … I don’t know,” I stuttered.

He gave a throaty and low chuckle.

“Yes you do. Why do you do it?”

I shook my head and cast my eye’s back at him.

“I can’t help myself.”

His hand left my breast. Pressing it against my cheek, he turned my head, forcing me to make eye contact with him.

“I agree. Your talent for pissing me off is extraordinary. But don’t think I don’t see the gleam in your eye or that hint of sexy mischief that paints across your face every time. I don’t like being angry with you, Layla. But I can’t lie, I enjoy the aftermath.”

Words escaped me. His confession had weakened my body as I thought back over the countless times he had teased, ravaged, and punished me for causing him such anguish. The spankings, orgasm deprivation, teasing, and the way he had pushed all of my limits. While I had been playing my own game, he too had been a willing participant.

“We’re sick, Jared. You know that? The way the two of us get off on the hurt we cause each other.”

Pressing his lips to mine, he flicked his tongue across my bottom lip.

“Did that hurt?”

I gave him a confused look. He smiled and gently stroked the tip of his nose along the length of my own.

“How about that? Did that hurt?”

I shook my head, still confused. His hand left my wrist and he quickly released my restraints. I moved to lower my hands, but he halted me. Taking my wrists in his palm, he caressed them. He lowered them to his mouth and placed a gentle kiss on each sore and slightly red piece of flesh.

“And that, does that hurt?”

I closed my eyes and whispered the word no. When I opened them again, Jared was gazing at me, staring into my eyes in a way I had never experienced before.

“I love you, Layla. What we do isn’t wrong. It’s not sick and it’s not twisted. The only thing that hurts is that you think that way. We’re consenting adults and we care deeply about each other. There is nothing wrong with that. It only becomes an issue if we let it. It’s not the idea of punishing you that turns me on. It’s that
you
enjoy it so much.
That
is what makes my blood heat and my body ache for you. The way you call to me with that mischievous smile, sarcastic tone, and defiant attitude. You think I don’t know when you’re doing it simply to provoke me? Of course I do. I enjoy it. But today, that wasn’t to provoke me. You were angry, defiant, and outright careless. You could have been seriously hurt or mugged. You don’t know this city. You’re a walking target.”

I wrapped my fingers around his and shifted closer to him.

“I don’t know what you want me to say. I’m not a child, Jared. I can take care of myself. You have to let this thing you have about my safety go. You’re not my father.”

His forehead rested against mine and he let out a long breath.

“I know, but I will never stop worrying about your safety. I came too close to losing you, and I don’t have to tell you again about
how
close you came to danger that night with Felix, too. You’re the most precious thing I own, and I won’t let anyone take you from me.”

Wrapping his arms around me tightly, he held me close and kissed me deeply. My own hands reached around and clawed gently at his back. We were both half-dressed, and I could feel his cock harden against my thigh. I slid my hand down his back to his behind before moving around to his front and thrusting my hand into his pants. I grasped him tightly and he hissed into my mouth.

“You don’t have to. We don’t need to fix this with sex, Layla.”

I smiled against his lips. “I know. I want to. I
need
you. I want to fuck away all the hurt, anger, and upset I felt when I found you with those women. You belong to me too, Jared.”

Releasing him, I pressed my hands against his chest and forced him onto his back. He lied there, staring up at me with a look of pure joy as I climbed off of the bed and began slowly stripping off my clothes. Each delicate piece of fabric glided from my body and dropped to the floor. Jared’s eyes dragged up and down my naked body, and his tongue darted from his mouth, licking his lips with hunger.