Caught Up in You (7 page)

The words were so soft, the look in his eyes so stripped, that she lost her breath
for a moment. She reached out and brushed the back of her hand along his stubbled
jaw. “I promise.”
You can’t break the broken
.

With that last assurance, it was as if the tide he’d been swimming against reversed.
His fingers tightened along her skull, and he brought her mouth down to his, his lips
capturing hers in a soft but demanding kiss. Her body seemed to sigh into it, to surrender
to the moment. But the second her muscles went lax, his tongue parted her lips, and
all semblance of slow and easy fell away from them. Their tongues collided in a rush,
hungry and seeking. Her hands began to roam, grabbing at his shirt, pressing against
the hard, solid body beneath, wishing there were no layers between them.

All the pent-up months of wanting this man, wanting to know what he tasted like, what
would please him poured into the connection between them. Everything went electric,
like static coursing over her skin, heightening her senses. The feel of his hands
against her scalp, the spicy scent of his cologne, the scrape of stubble against her
face—it was all amplified.

This man lit her up.

And his kiss was as desperate as hers, his lips and mouth drinking her in, consuming
her one stroke and nibble at a time. He arched his hips, grinding his cock against
her sex and making her moan into his mouth. In that moment, she was ready for whatever
this crazy agreement would entail, as long as she got to experience him like this.
This untethered abandon. She rocked forward, curling her fingers into his dark blue
polo shirt and holding tight, as he bit her bottom lip and then worked his way along
the curve of her neck.

He lowered his hands to the curve of her hips, guiding her against him in a slow,
undulating motion, his hard length teasing and tormenting her. The soft satin of her
panties brushed along her now-slippery cleft, making her skin go flushed all over.
When he grazed her collarbone with his teeth, she let out a pleading gasp. “Wyatt.”

“I want you to come for me,” he said, the heated command hitting her like a branding
iron, marking unfamiliar places inside her. “And then you won’t be allowed to again
until our trip. You understand?”

Fuck.
The shift in him was so absolute, so gut-wrenchingly sexy, she could barely form
her response. “Yes, sir.”

He closed his eyes, as if inhaling and absorbing her reply. Then he moved his hand
between her spread legs, cupping her sex through the thin cotton and massaging her
clit with toe-curling accuracy using the heel of his hand. “I can smell your arousal,
love. And you’re wrong about one thing: You’re definitely sweet. I can’t wait to taste
just how very.”

Her head tilted back, the pleasure crawling up her spine and climbing out in a groan.
It wouldn’t take long. Even though she was more than adept at handling her own needs,
she’d thought about Wyatt touching her for so long that she felt as if she’d been
on the edge of this particular orgasm for months—one only he could give her.

While he continued the skillful rocking pressure between her thighs, his free hand
traced up her sternum, brushing the inner curves of her breasts through her shirt,
and then collaring her neck. She’d seen the move done a hundred times by doms in The
Ranch’s playspaces, but never before had anyone done it to her. An overwhelming wash
of pure need went through her system, the press of his palm against the hollow of
her throat slaying her. She closed her eyes against the dueling sensations of helplessness
and blinding desire as he held her exactly in the spot he wanted her, not allowing
her to escape his erotic torment.

“Come for me, Kelsey,” he said, his voice like warm cider on a cold night. “I’ve imagined
it one too many times alone in my own bed. I want to know what you sound like when
you break open.”

The words sent her body aflame. Images of him slipping his hand beneath the covers
at night, taking his cock in his hand and thinking of her was a little too much for
her stampeding hormones to handle. His grip tightened against her throat, and the
hand between her legs became more intense and precise, her swollen nub pulsing now.

“Wyatt.” His name was more plea than anything else. Every muscle in her body seemed
to contract, bracing for impact.

“Let go,” he said softly.

At that last whispered command, blessed release crashed over her, wrenching a sharp,
keening cry from her throat. Her hips bucked against his hand, shamelessly seeking
every bit of pleasure he was willing to bestow upon her, as she rode the wave of orgasm.

“That’s it,” he said, still holding her in place, though there was grit and strain
in his voice. “So fucking gorgeous.”

She shuddered hard, and her breath came out in ragged gasps.

“Good girl,” he said softly, the two words holding pride, endearment.

And as if he knew the exact second where she couldn’t take anymore, he moved his hand
away and eased her against him, pressing her forehead into his shoulder as she panted
her way down from her peak. His fingers caressed her back, tracing her spine. But
the relaxing move didn’t hide the fact that his erection was a prominent and insistent
pressure against her hip.

“You okay?” he asked, brushing a gentle palm over the back of her head.

“I’m fantastic,” she murmured into the curve of his neck. She shifted her weight,
languidly reaching down to clasp the hard ridge of his cock through his slacks. “Now
it’s your turn, handsome.”

He grabbed her wrist, not roughly, but firmly enough to halt her movement. Startled,
she sat back to face him, and he brought her hand to his mouth, kissing the inside
of her wrist. “Tonight was for you.”

“But I want to make you feel good, too.” And that was the damn truth. She couldn’t
wait to touch, to explore, to pleasure him. Her mouth watered at the thought of sliding
down between his knees and taking that thick cock between her lips, to finally know
what he tasted like.

“And that’s not your decision,” he said with a faint smile, though she could see he
was more than tempted. His whole body was taut, tense—hungry. But he didn’t move.
“We’ve made a lot of agreements tonight. Big agreements. I want you to have time to
think this through before I take it any further.”

“You think I’m going to change my mind?”

He eased her off him, setting her against the arm of the couch and pressing a soft
kiss to her mouth. “I hope you don’t, but tonight has been a whirlwind, and our judgment
may be a little fogged with desire at the moment. I know mine always is when I’m around
you.”

She smiled at that.

“We head out in a little over a week. I can be patient. I’ve waited this long to have
you. Surely I’ll survive a few more days.”

She glanced down at this tented slacks, lifting an eyebrow. “You sure about that?”

He gave her a look that seemed to say
touché
. “I’m going to send a driver for you and a personal assistant to help you over the
next few days. They’ll make sure you’re set up with everything you need for the trip.”
She opened her mouth to protest, but he gave her don’t-even-try-it eyes. “And I don’t
want to hear any reports of you arguing with them about me buying things for you.
This is an important business function and, as my companion, there will be an expected
level of dress. It’s my responsibility to provide that for you. If that feels wrong
to you, you can give the stuff back after we’re done.”

She pressed her lips together and nodded.

“And you will come and stay with me at my home the Friday before we leave. We need
to come up with a plan, a story of how we met, the little details that couples know
about each other.”

“Okay.” Nerves fluttered in her belly as the haze of pleasure mellowed and reality
set in. She was going to have to really work hard at pulling this off so she didn’t
let Wyatt down in front of his colleagues. He was putting a lot of faith in her.

“And until then”—he put a knuckle beneath her chin—“you will not train with anyone,
you will not pleasure yourself, and you will get some rest.”

The authoritative tone sent a soft hum through her veins. “Yes, sir.”

“And just so you know, I consider our arrangement, as temporary as it is, an exclusive
one. I expect you to be faithful to me from now until the end of it. I don’t share.”

Her shoulders stiffened. Knowing that he was heading home turned on and pent up poked
at her mind like bony fingers. Did he have some girl he saw on the side? He wasn’t
dating anyone, but she doubted a man like Wyatt was a monk. She hated the crackle
of jealousy working its way through her, but she couldn’t help it. “And you?”

The corner of his mouth lifted, as if amused by the question. “I would never disrespect
you that way. The exclusivity goes both ways.”

She released a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding on to.

“And if you change your mind about any of this . . .”

She reached out and grabbed his hand. “I’m not going to change my mind.”

He gave her fingers a squeeze. “’Til Friday, then.”

“’Til Friday.”

And with that, he gave her another gentle kiss and was gone.

The second the door closed behind him, the vacuum his absence left behind walloped
Kelsey. It was as if all the warmth in the room had just disappeared. She grabbed
the throw from the back of the couch and wrapped it around her shoulders. She’d lived
alone for the last year and had enjoyed the solitude, but she had the instinctive
urge to call after him. To ask him to stay here with her at the cabin. Something in
her settled when he was close by.

And that terrified her more than anything had in a long time.

The last thing she needed was another addiction.

And Wyatt Austin was turning out to be a very, very tempting drug.

SEVEN

“You’re g
oing to what?” Jace asked once he and Wyatt
were back on the highway heading toward Dallas.

Wyatt leaned against the headrest, his body still buzzing with unreleased energy and
his better judgment starting to sneak back in now that his head was clearing. “I know.
She should’ve just taken the money.”

“Ha. That would’ve set up a nightmare of a trip. Her being on your arm all day as
your girlfriend and then sharing your room at night, possibly your bed. You would’ve
spent most of the trip jerking off in the shower to keep your hands off her. Sounds
like fun for all.”

It would’ve been tortuous. But at least it would’ve been safer. “I don’t want to hurt
her.”

“So don’t.” Jace glanced his way, headlights from a car coming in the opposite direction
flashing across his features. “I know it’s been a long time for you, but you’re still
a master of self-control. You’re not going to lose your shit and do something stupid.
That’s my style, not yours. You know how to do this. Pay attention to her signals,
sift out what her needs are, and then push her to her edge.”

Wyatt sighed and rubbed his eyes beneath his glasses. “I don’t know if I’m as calm
and in control as you think.”

“Did you fuck her tonight?” Jace asked, shifting his gaze back to the road.

“No.”

“Would she have let you?”

“Yes.” And he’d wanted to. God, had he wanted to. “It wasn’t the right time.”

Jace gave a triumphant smile. “See. There you go. Proof positive you’ve still got
it. Because believe me, not many men would walk away from a willing Kelsey LeBreck.
That girl is temptation personified. I’ve seen male subs grovel at her feet for the
mere privilege of serving her a glass of water.”

“She got on her knees for me, man,” Wyatt said, looking out the side window, almost
talking to himself. “I was ready to say no, that there was no way I could do this,
go down that road again. But seeing her there, I couldn’t fucking stop the urge. The
need to claim her welled up and took over. Orders started falling out of my mouth
like I was possessed by some former version of myself.”

Jace reached out and gripped Wyatt’s shoulder, giving it a squeeze. “Welcome back
to the dark side, brother. We’ve got cookies. Hope you enjoy your stay.”

Wyatt turned his head, his tone deadpan. “You’re not helping.”

His brother laughed. “Come on. You’ve got a beautiful woman willing to play slave
to you. And your business retreat issue is fixed. Embrace that. You’ve made this agreement.
Now keep your word and stop stressing about it.”

Wyatt sagged in the seat. His word. That’s what he’d given Kelsey. And he didn’t go
back on a promise. Plus, if he was honest with himself, he was already in too deep
to walk away. How Kelsey had felt against him tonight, the way she’d melted under
his commands had lit a fuse that wasn’t going to burn out easily. Even the sound of
her voice, those soft cries as she came kept replaying in his head like some song
he couldn’t shake.

He had to have her. And not only in his bed, but surrendering to his will, being
his
.

He prayed that a week would be enough, that he wouldn’t get consumed by that need
like he had with Mia . . .

Because if he stripped Kelsey of even one ray of the light that seemed to shine from
her, he’d never forgive himself.

You’re older now, more in control,
he reminded himself. He wasn’t some lovesick college student. This was a sexual arrangement,
not a relationship. Kelsey was
not
Mia.

Yeah. Now to get himself to believe it.

“Bring me to your place before you drop me off at mine,” Wyatt said, shoving the worries
back into the dusty, dark corners of his mind and refocusing on the task at hand.
He needed to take a page from Jace’s book and live in the moment for a change.

“Okay. How come?”

“Because I’m going to need you to open up Wicked for a private shopping session tonight.
It’s time I use my investor discount, don’t you think?”

Jace’s grin was pure mischief. “I thought you’d never ask. Hope you’ve got an extra
suitcase to bring on the trip, bro. Because you’re about to get the kink hookup of
the year.”

* * *

Kelsey sat on a bench outside of The Ranch, her leg
bumping up and down as she waited for Wyatt’s driver to pick her up. She was suddenly
having visions of those scenes in
Pretty Woman
where the stuck-up shop owners were giving Julia Roberts shit because they thought
she was trash. Kelsey glanced down at her simple white sweater and jeans, hoping her
outfit didn’t scream “Imposter!” to anyone who looked too closely.

And what was Wyatt’s personal assistant going to think? Would Wyatt have told him
or her that Kelsey was some new woman in his life, or would he have told the person
the truth? The latter made her stomach churn. She’d been on the other side of judgment
in her life too many times to count. She should be used to it by now—the upturned
noses, the whispered comments, the passive-aggressive remarks. But, though she was
more practiced at her outward response these days, that kind of judgment still chipped
away at her with painful accuracy.

So when the limo pulled up a few minutes later, Kelsey had gone into total mannequin
mode—her smile stiff and her fingers clutching her purse like it held the Hope Diamond.
But when the back door swung open and a petite, dark-haired woman slid out, all of
Kelsey’s anxiety sloughed off her and puddled on the ground, relief swooping in.

“Evan?”

“Hey there.” Evan Kennedy smiled and hopped onto the curb to give Kelsey a quick hug.
“You look so surprised. Wyatt didn’t tell you who was coming?”

Kelsey squeezed Evan back before releasing her. “No. He said a personal assistant.
That’s all I knew. But man, am I glad to see you.”

“Same here, sweetie. Wyatt asked Jace if he could borrow me to help you out with ‘girlie’
stuff.” She did air quotes complete with an eye roll. “I swear. You’d think I was
taking you out to buy your first tampons or something.”

Kelsey laughed, so relieved to see Jace’s girlfriend that the sound came out giddy.
She and Evan weren’t particularly close, but she’d gotten to chat with her a few times
at The Ranch when Evan wasn’t occupied with both of her dominants, Jace and Andre.
And Evan had never been anything but warm and welcoming toward her. “I hope I didn’t
take you away from anything important.”

She waved a dismissive hand. “Hell, no. I photographed two weddings and a sweet sixteen
party this weekend. I
need
a day away. Especially when said day includes riding around in a limo and shopping
for you with someone else’s credit card.”

Kelsey smiled, even though the idea that Wyatt was buying things for her still sent
uneasiness through her.

“Plus, Wyatt helped Jace and I out with a crisis last year, and I’d do just about
anything for that guy. He’s good people.”

The driver came around the front of the limo with a polite smile. “Ready, ladies?”

Evan grabbed for Kelsey’s hand to tug her toward the car, her delight evident. “Yep,
whisk us away, Henry.”

Both of them climbed inside, and Kelsey had to hold back her gasp at how luxurious
the inside was. She’d been inside limos a time or two for bachelorette parties and
such, but she could tell instantly by the buttery soft seats and the embossed A&A
on the glassware that this wasn’t rented. This one was owned. By Wyatt’s company.

Wyatt owned a fucking limo, probably many, and one day would own an entire company.
It wasn’t news, but seeing it right there in her face definitely rocked her a bit.
It was easy to normalize Wyatt when he was sitting in the cafe drinking coffee and
reading the paper, imagining that he was just an everyday guy who happened to wear
designer suits and have a big job. But Kelsey had never really allowed herself to
think too far past that, to truly grasp that this man existed in a world of filthy,
filthy wealth.

And she was about to enter into that universe to try to deceive it into thinking she
belonged there.

She was way out of her depth. With this ruse. And this man.

She tucked her hands beneath her legs, sitting on them to fight the instinct to grab
the handle of the door and hop right back out. This was why Wyatt had given her time
to change her mind. He knew things would look different in the daylight. But she’d
made an agreement and didn’t plan on backing out now.

They rode into the city, Evan providing a steady stream of chitchat to keep Kelsey’s
mind from spiraling down into the pit too far. But by the time the driver had stopped
in front of the city’s swankiest shopping district, the concerns were starting to
tiptoe in again like thieves trying to hijack her remaining resolve.

Evan directed Kelsey into the first shop, where a young brunette flashed them a perfectly
practiced smile and led them to a private dressing area that had posh leather couches,
champagne, and a tray of canapés set up for them. She motioned to the space like a
Vanna White wannabe. “Mr. Austin let us know what types of things you’d need for your
upcoming trip, Ms. LeBreck. So our stylist took the liberty of assembling some outfits
for you to try on. He said you preferred classic lines with an edge of sexiness. Obviously,
if these don’t work, we can go through the store and pull some more looks for you.”

Kelsey stared at the racks of dresses and outfits that lined the far wall of the room.
Next to them, accessories were set out on a table, grouped by color and level of dressiness.
She cleared her throat. “Um, thank you. I’m sure I’ll be able to find what I need.
This looks great.”

The girl beamed as if she’d personally designed all the clothes in the room. “Would
you like me to help you get started?”

Evan glanced at Kelsey, then back at the girl. “I think we’re okay right now. But
we’ll call for you if we need any assistance.”

The girl nodded and breezed out, leaving Kelsey and Evan behind with the clothes,
champagne, and classical music.

Evan shook her head, watching the door close behind the girl. “I can’t believe people
actually get to shop like this.”

“Seriously.” Kelsey walked over to the rack of dresses, reaching out to feel the jewel-colored
fabrics, the luxurious material gliding over her fingers. Handwritten price tags hung
from each one, some costing more than her monthly rent. She grabbed one tag, running
her thumb over the outrageous number.

“I can hear you panicking,” Evan said, stepping behind her. “You okay?”

Kelsey peeked back over her shoulder. “You do mindreading on the side?”

Evan sent her a sympathetic smile. “Sorry. I live with two doms. I’ve picked up on
a few things. You went all stiff.”

Kelsey dropped the price tag and let a shimmery cocktail dress slide over her hand.
It was all . . . so much. Too much. She headed to the side table with the champagne,
but moved past the alcohol and grabbed a sparkling water instead. “I’ll be all right.
I think it’s starting to set in that I’m actually going to do this.”

“Which part?” she asked, her pale blue eyes showing true concern.

Kelsey took a long gulp of water. “How much did Wyatt tell you?”

She shrugged, a bit sheepish. “He didn’t give me details, but I sort of relentlessly
pestered Jace until he spilled the whole arrangement. Sorry?”

Kelsey shook her head, having no doubt how persuasive someone like Evan could be.
“It’s fine. I’m just worried that I’m in over my head and that the people at the retreat
are going to see right through me.” She leaned against the back of a settee, not having
the energy to put up a front with Evan. “A year ago, I was spinning around poles and
shaking my ass for tips—though I haven’t quite shared that with Wyatt yet. So this
is like a foreign country with people speaking a different language. I don’t want
to be humiliated, and I definitely don’t want to embarrass Wyatt. Those people—”

“Are just people who happen to have more money in their bank account,” Evan finished.
She sat down on the couch, frown lines creasing her forehead. “I don’t know how much
you know about me, but I wasn’t born with money either. I was a foster kid and was
on the streets for a while. I also spent almost a year living with Jace and Wyatt’s
family when I was a teenager. So I went from nothing to the McMansion. And I remember
never feeling so out of place in my life.”

Kelsey sat down, the revelation shocking her. Evan always seemed so put together,
so refined. She’d been a street kid? Then another thought hit her. She’d
lived
with Jace and Wyatt. “So you and Jace, back then?”

She smiled a little. “Long story. But what I realized pretty quickly was that money
doesn’t protect people from problems, it just hides them better from the public eye.
Everybody is playing some role when out in society. And most are so busy keeping up
their own airs that they aren’t looking so closely at yours. So as long as you smile,
make small talk, and act confident, you’ll blend in.”

Kelsey sipped her water. “You make it sound so easy.”

She shrugged. “It can be. I think your bigger challenge is going to be once that hotel
room door shuts with Wyatt. That’s where you can’t fake it.”

Kelsey fiddled with the cap of her bottle. “It’s only for a week.”

Evan gave a conspiratorial smile. “Sure. Now let’s get you undressed. So many outfits,
so little time. And after this, we still need to get shoes, beach wear, and make a
stop by the lingerie boutique.”

“Lingerie?”

“Mmm-hmm. Lots of it. I thought Wyatt was Mr. Conservative. But based on the list
he gave me, he’s more like his brother than I thought.”

Kelsey’s skin heated at the thought of Wyatt selecting what undergarments he wanted
to see her in. “I have a feeling there’s a lot more to Wyatt than anyone thought.”

Evan’s grin turned sly. “Scared of what you might find out about him?”