Claimed (12 page)

She swallowed and didn’t say anything.

Rick put his hand over hers. “I need
you.”

There was pain in his voice and his words
sent a strange feeling through her. She hadn’t seen it from his
side at all. She had only been feeling her own pain.

He stood and clasped their hands together and
pulled her to her feet. He put his forehead to hers and they stood
there for a long moment.

“I love you, Leslie.” He raised his head and
her lips parted as she tried to absorb his words. “I love you.”

“I love you, too, Rick.” The words came
easier than she had thought they would. “But the distance…”

“Come with me.” He cupped one side of her
face and brushed her hair behind her ear with his other hand. “I
would stay here if I could.”

She closed her eyes for a moment before
opening them again. “I have my business.”

“Can you telecommute?” he asked.

“If it was that simple I would consider it.”
She reached up her hand and put it over his as he caressed her
face. “But with this business I have to be right here. I can’t do
this from thousands of miles away.”

He studied her, his tawny eyes searching
hers. “Let’s give the long distance thing a try for now until we
can figure something out.”

“Figure what out?” She never cried but she
heard tears on the edge of her words. “It won’t work. That’s
that.”

Rick let his hands slide away from her and he
stepped back. “Think about it. Please.”

She looked down and then back at him. “I’ve
been going over everything in my mind for the past two weeks. I
just don’t see it.”

“If you’re not going to listen voluntarily,
I’m going to make you listen.” He grabbed her around the waist and
she made a sound of surprise as he threw her over his shoulder.

“What are you doing?” She tried to push
herself up a little but he kept her down as he headed up the
stairs.

When they reached the top he went straight
for her toy room. He was so strong that he was able to hold her and
grab something that she couldn’t see since she was behind him. Then
he swung around and carried her back through the door and to her
bedroom.

“I am not letting you go.” He set her on the
bed and she bounced a little on the mattress, and she saw that what
he had grabbed was a bunch of rope.

“Oh, no you don’t.” She attempted to scoot
off of the bed but he caught her by her wrist and efficiently bound
her wrist to one of her bedposts.
“Rick. Don’t.”
She tried
to get up but he grabbed her other wrist and tied it to the
opposite bedpost. She struggled to kick him but had her
spread-eagle, her ankles secured to the bedposts at the foot of the
bed.

He straddled her. “When I claim something,”
he said as he braced his hands to either side of her head, “it is
mine.”

She bit her lower lip. No, she couldn’t allow
herself to feel anything more for him. Much less let him claim
her.

“I won’t let you go, Leslie.” He lowered his
face so that it was closer to hers. “You are mine.”

He kissed her hard and moved his free hand up
to her breast then back down to her thigh and he grasped the hem of
her skirt and pulled it up to her waist. “I need to be inside of
you again. I need to make love to you.”

“I need you, too.” She pressed herself up
against the hard ridge of his erection. “Now.”

He reached down between them and unzipped his
jeans. She squirmed, wanting to help. He wasn’t moving fast enough
for her but he had her wrists bound.

When he had his cock out she felt it press
against the center of her panties. He pushed them aside and thrust
inside of her.

Her eyes widened and she gasped at the sudden
feel of him. He ground his hips hard against hers and she moved in
rhythm with him.

He took her harder and faster. Everything
wound up inside her belly and she felt her oncoming orgasm as he
thrust in and out of her. She held back, not wanting to come too
soon.

“Come with me, honey,” he said.

She cried out with the power of her orgasm,
his words all she needed to set herself free.

He untied her and brought her into his arms
like he intended to never let her go.

Leslie settled herself into her window seat
on the airline set to take off for JFK from Baltimore. She had to
get to New York City and prepare for the afternoon’s fashion show
then return to Baltimore in the evening.

She had left a note on her pillow for Rick to
read in the morning that she had to leave town. In her note she
told him to give her time and space to figure it all out.

Thank you for an amazing night,
she
had written in the note.
But don’t pressure me
.
Give me
time.

She looked out the small window to the tarmac
below, as the plane started moving down the runway. It gained speed
and then the powerful bird was in the air.

You’re so messed up, Leslie Adams,
she
told herself.

What was she going to do? Keep running? Go
through life scared because of one jerk?

Was she going to keep going through one guy
after another, trying to fill that empty void inside of her?

Such a shallow, unfulfilling life she had in
front of her.

Unless she went with her heart.

Unless she went to Rick.

It took her two more days to work everything
out in her mind.

Another two weeks to get things in
motion.

Leslie sat at her desk in her modeling agency
as she stared at the papers in her hand. She looked up at her
partner, Raul.

“Are you sure this is what you want?” Raul
said as he leaned back in his chair, studying her. “You’ve worked
hard to help build this place to what it is today.”

“Yes.” She took a deep breath raised the pen.
“It’s absolutely what I want.”

With a flourish she signed her name on the
line, signifying the end of her career in the modeling
business.

She hadn’t expected to feel the power of
relief that flooded over her. She hadn’t expected the smile that
came to her with the sweep of the pen.

“Yes,” she said again. She stood and pushed
the papers over to Raul. “It’s exactly what I want.”

He got to his feet as she did and she gave
him a quick hug. “I’ll stop by when I’m in town,” she said. “You
haven’t seen the last of me.”

“I will miss you.” He kissed her on each
cheek then stepped back.

Feeling happier than she’d ever felt in her
life, she walked out the door of her office. She waved goodbye to
people she had worked with for years but didn’t stop to talk with
anyone. It was time to track down a certain Navy SEAL.

She had never loved anyone like she loved
Rick, and he had made it clear that he loved her. She had been
stubborn, unwilling to give up what was ultimately a shallow
life.

With Rick she could have something richer. A
life with someone who loved her.

San Diego sunshine warmed her bare arms and
legs as she stood with her suitcases at the front door of Rick’s
apartment. The taxi sped away behind her and a breeze ruffled her
skirt.

A twinge of nervousness made her belly
ache.

Maybe she should have called and told him she
had changed her mind. That she had sold her interest in her
business and was coming out to be with him.

Maybe this was a bad idea, showing up on his
doorstep without making sure he still wanted her.

The feelings of doubt came out of nowhere and
she set her suitcases down. This was stupid.

She raised her hand to knock on the door.

It opened before she ever had the chance to
knock.

Rick stood in the doorway, looking amazing.
Her heart felt full at the sight of him and she smiled, wanting him
to sweep her into his arms, yet wondering how he was going to
react.

“It’s about time you got here.” He picked up
her suitcases. “You’re almost late for dinner.”

She blinked as he swept up the two large
suitcases she had brought with her and followed him inside the
apartment. She closed the door and he dropped her suitcases with
two large thumps.

He grabbed her to him and took her down to
the floor.

Her lips parted in surprise as she found
herself pinned beneath him, his hips between her thighs, her arms
stretched over her head, her wrists clasped in one of his
hands.

He brought his mouth to hers and kissed her
so hard her head was spinning. He groaned and kissed her like he’d
never get enough. She didn’t think she could get enough of him.
Ever.

“You do realize,” he said when he raised his
head. “That if you’re just here for a visit, I’m not letting you go
back. Even if I have to hold you captive, you’re not getting away
from me again.”

She smiled. “I’m here to stay, Rick.”

“It’s a good thing.” His smile filled her
with something warm and good. “What about your business?”

“I sold my interest to my partner.” She
couldn’t stop smiling. “I’m a free woman.”

“You’re not free,” he said. “You’re mine. I
claimed you, remember?”

He kissed her hard, his breathing harsh like
her own. “I love you, honey,” he said.

“I love you Rick.” She knew she could never
say it enough.

He grinned and rolled onto his back with her
on top of him. He wrapped her in his arms and she knew she was
right where she needed to be.

# # #

Roughing It

When Kayla Knoll breaks down in the mountains
between Denver and San Francisco, she never expects to be rescued
by someone like the sexy Tate Branson. When she finds out she’s
stuck without a car for the weekend, thanks to a mechanic who has
left the small town for a couple of days, she takes Tate up on his
offer to join him camping.

Tate Branson didn’t know what he was getting
himself into when he picks Kayla up on the side of the road and
then extending an invitation to her. She is a beautiful woman—who
has a thing for tying up strong, powerful men.

Tate turns the tables on Kayla and she
becomes the one in bonds and he’s the one with the control.

The Boss

Tanya James has been in love with and in lust
with her boss from the moment he started the company, just three
months ago. As his executive assistant she is privy to a lot of
personal information. What she doesn’t expect to see are bondage
pictures on his computer. Bound women in different positions, women
submitting to men. It surprises her how much it turns her on and
how much more she wants her boss, and she wants him to do what is
being done to the women in the pictures.

Austin Graham has to hold himself back from
showing his assistant how much he wants her. No employee
relationships are allowed in the company or he could lose his job.
That doesn’t stop him from wanting, desiring, and fantasizing about
the lovely Tanya.

One night that all goes to hell when Austin
and Tanya meet at a bar. Their game of true confessions goes a
little too far and she ends up going home with him, giving a whole
’nother meaning to boss and assistant relationship.

Tanya learns all about what it’s like for a
man to take control of her, to submit to him in every way. And when
the sun comes up, she wants it to never end.

Push

Rachelle Derry has secret fantasies that no
one knows about until she meets Chase. She tells him how fascinated
she is in kink from all of the books she’s read. She wants to try
it and she wants Chase to be the man who takes control.

Chase McAllister has a hard time holding
Rachelle back. As much as he loves kink, he doesn’t want to rush
into anything. He wants to get to know her better and to allow her
to trust him. Because BDSM and the trust that is required, often
creates strong emotional attachment.

When Chase finally makes her fantasies come
true, “playing” is better than she ever imagined. While she’s
having fun, he wants to play for keeps.

# # #

Jaymie Holland

Available Now!

He laid the coats and jacket over the back of
the chair as if impatient to rid himself of them, and then he
brought her into his arms.

The move surprised her, yet at the same time
it didn’t. She had wanted him to kiss her all night. The way he’d
looked at her at the nightclub, she had the impression he’d been
thinking the same thing.

Being in his arms was better than she
remembered and when he brought his mouth to hers, his kiss was more
amazing than the countless kisses she had imagined.

His kiss was searching, as if he was
remembering her taste and the feel of their mouths together. She
felt like she’d been transported back to the time when everything
between them was amazing and fresh and new.

As he drew away, he cupped her face in his
hands and studied her. Her lips were moist from his kisses and she
almost begged him to kiss her again.

He slowly rubbed his thumb over her cheek.
“It almost doesn’t seem real having you here with me.”

“It feels like a dream.” She put her palms on
his chest, feeling his heat through his shirt as she moved her
palms up to his shoulders. “I’ve imagined this, imagined being with
you again.”

He continued caressing her cheek with his
thumb as his dark eyes looked into hers. “I can’t remember a time
when I didn’t think about you when I was with another woman.”

She looked at him with surprise. “Do you mean
that?”

“There have been a lot of women in my life,
Christy.” He brought his face closer to hers. “None of them were
you.”