ClaimingRuby (4 page)

She melted. Her insides turned to a quivering mass of need.
It had been too long since she’d felt the hard planes of a man. Too long. She
wanted to cry and laugh in equal measure. Years of pent-up frustration came
bubbling to the surface. And she wanted more. She wanted him to crawl inside
her skin and drink deep.

The world returned to its normal axis as he drew back,
allowing her to breathe.

“You drive me insane. Make me lose control. You make me
forget who I am.” He stroked her cheek, loosened his hold on her hair.

“You’re Iron Man.”

His lips twitched. “So I’ve heard.”

Her senses reeled, her skin hyperaware, every cell drowning
in him. She’d never been so desperate for anyone.

He took her hand. “We really do need to talk. Den?”

“It’s an open-plan kitchen-lounge.” What a dumb thing to
say. Now he’d think she was a blithering idiot.She pointed to the end
of the store. “Up the stairs, to the right.” Hopefully he’d take the lead and
she could regain some composure.

He nodded and tugged her behind him as he walked.
Midnight-blue dress pants encased his ass to perfection. She ground her teeth
to stop a moan. He had a pert ass. Delectable. Bitable. Would he let her sink
her teeth into the firm flesh? Would he let her mark him? He still wore his
suit jacket and she wanted him to force her to service his cock while he was
fully clothed in that expensive suit.

She really, really needed to get laid.

Her apartment was what she liked to call quirky yet chic.
The combined den and kitchen meant she always had light. It felt airy and
clean. Relaxing. Natural woods and neutral tones provided a soothing haven from
the deep mahogany of the bookstore. The quirk came from various prints and
ornamental pieces—owl statues, bookends, crazy lamps. They all added character
and showcased her personality. Or so she thought.

Maybe to the casual observer she just looked crazy.

He didn’t comment on the décor. Instead he motioned to her
couch. “Sit. Refreshments?”

She sat down and asked, “Alcohol? Coffee? Tea?” Sweat beaded
on her upper lip. This seemed wrong. Shouldn’t she be the one hosting?

“Alcohol.” Joshua opened various cupboards, moved things
aside as he searched.

Ruby watched him navigating her personal space and tried not
to hyperventilate. She didn’t like people touching her things. This was her
sanctuary. The easy domesticity set her teeth on edge. “Top cupboard. Third on
the left.”

He opened the door and perused the contents. “Nice. Good
liquor. Glasses?”

She pointed to the cupboard on his right and resisted the
urge to take over. His presence filled the room, made it seem smaller. It
unnerved her. She wanted to do something, anything, but he’d told her to sit.

What the hell could he want to talk about? She thought she’d
made herself clear in the phone call. She’d felt much braver blowing him off
when she couldn’t see him.

He grabbed two glasses and poured a few fingers of bourbon
into each. He returned and sat next to her on the couch before handing her a
tumbler.

The glass was slippery. Her hands were shaking so much she
almost dropped it.

“Why are you stalking me?” she blurted. She couldn’t stop
herself. She had to know why he had this weird obsession. He’d only met her
once. Why would he want to pursue her when he could have any woman? It didn’t make
sense.

“Is that how you see it?”

“What would you call it? You’ve bombarded me with expensive
gifts, you’ve turned up at my home and you refuse to take no for an answer.” He
was turning her quiet life on its head.

He sipped the liquid, his eyes fixed firmly on her, burning
her with their heat. “Apologies. Sometimes I forget. My single-mindedness can
be a flaw.”

“Single-mindedness? More like obsessiveness.”

His lips twitched again. “Perhaps.”

Her nerves hummed. The air between them contracted. Her
chest heaved as he wet his lips and shifted. Every cell in her being screamed
to lean forward and capture the moisture with her tongue. Electricity pulsed
between them

The rational part of her mind wanted him to leave. Too
dangerous. Too sexually lethal to her emotions. The submissive part begged like
a wanton hussy.

He put down his drink and turned to face her. His shirt
pulled tight across his chest and she could pick out the defined muscularity
beneath the silk. Even fully clothed he made her drool.

“You’re attracted to me.” His warm, lilted accent licked
along her spine.

Ruby sighed. “That was an arrogant statement.”

“But true.”

“Yes, I’m attracted to you.” His outward physical form—jury
was still out on his overbearing personality.

“Then why do you refuse to go out with me?” His white-hot
gaze penetrated her like a laser.

She shrugged. She couldn’t tell him about her ex. Nobody
wanted an emotional baggage dump, especially not an insanely rich gazillionaire
looking to get laid.

“Do I intimidate you?”

“A little.” More like a lot.

“Are you afraid of me?” He took her hand, smoothed his thumb
across her wrist. “Is it because I’m a Dom? Talk to me. Please.”

She wanted to believe his sincerity but where could she
begin?
My ex was an abusive, rich asshole who shredded my self-esteem.
“It’s
complicated.”

Joshua laughed. The deep timbre sent tingles down her spine.
His features softened and lifted his serious expression. She wanted to see more
of this man—the casual, laughing Joshua.

“What’s so funny?” she asked.

“Something a friend said to me earlier today.”

“Yeah, well, like I said, it’s complicated.” Ruby sniffed.
His laughter stung her already fraught emotions.

“Then give me the uncomplicated version.”

She frowned, irritated by his constant badgering. “You can
have your pick of women. Why me?”

He slid his arm along the back of the sofa. “Because I want
you. I can’t think about anything but being inside you. It’s driving me fucking
crazy.”

The answer sped her pulse. Her throat worked to get some
moisture to her vocal cords. She wanted to look at his crotch and see if what
he said was true, hoping he felt the same crazy need. Intensity rolled off him
in waves. She’d never experienced such raw desire.

Her voice barely a whisper, she asked, “Are you hard right
now?”

She wasn’t sure why she’d asked, not now with the air
between them sizzling. It was stupid. Insane. A man like him would take that as
an invitation but she had to know the answer.

“Yes.” He placed her hand on his groin. She curled her
fingers around him and squeezed. He let out a groan. “See how hard I am? All
for you, Ruby.”

“All for me.” In a lust-fueled daze, she worked up and down
his length, rubbing, stroking. He twitched, grew longer and harder. She was
fascinated by the heat pulsing in her palm.

“Stop.” He clenched her wrist and stilled her movements.

She almost pouted.

“If you carry on, I’ll come in my pants. Never done that and
I’m not about to start now.” He pressed a kiss to her wrist and feathered the
skin with a lick. “Tell me why you refused my gifts.”

She pulled away, pushed her hair back from her face and
stared at the fireplace. “Because my ex was an abusive asshole who claimed he
was a Dominant.” She snorted with disgust. “All he really wanted was a maid.”

He skimmed her shoulder and massaged the knots in her tight
muscles. “The investment banker?”

She shot him a surly look. “You really need to curb those
stalker tendencies.”

“What did he do?” His tender ministrations had a calming
effect. The rhythmic circular motion eased her tension. Strange that she should
feel so comfortable with him touching her.

“He made me believe he was an experienced Dom. At first it
was fine. As time wore on it became obvious he wasn’t. During play sessions he’d
go too far. He refused to listen to safewords. Sometimes I’d have marks.”

The soothing stopped and his grip tightened.

“It’s okay.” She patted his hand to reassure him. “He wasn’t
physically abusive. He never hit me, not in the domestic violence sense. Worst
part was the emotional mind games.” Now that she’d started, she couldn’t stop.
The words came tumbling out. If Joshua ran from her after the baggage dump, so
be it. At least then she’d know what kind of man he was. “He was rich and
handsome. In the back of my mind I felt so lucky to have him. After all, I’m
not model material.”

“Don’t. Don’t put yourself down. Ever.”

She blushed. Again his sincerity bowled her over. “He
reminded me of that every day, told me I was fat and no one else would want me.
That I was lucky he stayed with me. That I should fall over myself to keep him
happy. And I believed him. Looking back, I feel like such a ditzy bitch, but it
was my first real BDSM relationship and I got swept away in something that wasn’t
real.”

Joshua stared at her, a grimace etched on his face. His
narrowed eyes burned sharp and focused. Violence hummed from every pore as he
tensed. His fist clenched and unclenched on his knee.

He wasn’t going to want her now. How could he want someone
as damaged as she was? She’d been weak. A gullible girl.

“Now you know.” She turned away, ashamed.

He took her jaw and made her look at him. “I could kill him
for what he did to you. He wasn’t a true Dominant and he abused you—your trust,
your self-esteem. I ought to kick his manicured ass.”

The conviction in his tone made her want to weep. “I’d like
to watch.”

Joshua tapped a finger against the tip of her nose. “Voyeur.”

“Maybe.” The last comment broke some of the tension. He’d
said exactly the right thing at the right time. Protective and funny—she was a
goner.

“Thank you for telling me,” he said.

“I’m hoping you’ll go away.” Was she? The more she opened
up, the easier it was to become attached. During their conversation she’d begun
to believe her initial opinion of him might have been too harsh. She could
fight her physical attraction but emotional attachment would be her downfall.
If she fell for him, she’d get hurt whether he intended it or not.

He quirked a brow. “Not a chance. Let me show you what it
could be like.” He ran a finger down her cheek. “I’m not some boy playing at
this. I’m real. I’m an intense, hard taskmaster. I expect a lot from a
submissive. I’ll strip you open and still expect more. But I would never hurt
you. Never abuse your trust or ignore your safewords. Let me show you how good
it can be.”

He brushed his lips across her cheeks, eyebrows and jaw. His
hand snaked into her hair and tightened. The roots tingled as he tugged.

The pain-pleasure edge melted her resolve.

“Yes, Joshua. Show me.”

She needed this, needed to feel his flesh connecting with
hers—the sting of a hand smacking the sensitive cushion of her ass. Would he be
as hard as he claimed? Would her ass be raw from his beating?

He settled back on the couch. “Take off your pajama bottoms,
leave your panties on.”

Her pulse hammered. How could she get semi-naked in front of
him? Photos of him with perfectly toned women swam into her mind.

“Trust me, Ruby. Let me show you how it can be.” He rubbed
her collarbone, spiking her arousal.

She wanted to trust him. Maybe she could use him to push
past her inhibitions? That wouldn’t be selfish, considering he was also using
her.

She silenced her mind, cast aside the questions and stood.
With trembling hands, she pushed down her cotton bottoms. He patted his lap and
she knew what he wanted her to do. A little embarrassed, she knelt on the couch
and lay facedown across his lap. She heard his sharp intake and the sound
resonated in her core.

Please don’t let me come on his pants.

Now that would be embarrassing.

“Get on your hands and knees.”

She did as he commanded. Her body was completely open and on
display. He could spank her ass, tease her pussy or pinch her nipples. It was a
position of vulnerability, yet oddly she didn’t feel vulnerable.

Turned-on, horny as hell and desperate to come, but not
vulnerable.

“Such a pretty ass.” He massaged her cheeks, his large hand
warm against her skin.

He pinched the flesh and she yelped. The first sting of pain
after years of nothing sent endorphins racing through her blood.

“Like that?” His husky tone betrayed his calm exterior.

A feminine thrill ran through her. She might not be model
material but Joshua obviously found her attractive. She nodded. “Mmmm.”

“Good.”

The heavy thwack startled her. She hadn’t thought he’d start
off so hard.

She blinked back tears. She would not cry.

“Such a fuckable ass. You should see how you’re blushing for
me. So pink and pretty.” He soothed her heated cheeks by continuing the
circular massaging motion. It eased the ache and calmed her nerves, gave her
time to recover. “Do you want more, Ruby?”

She nodded, unable to do anything else. Pain gave way to
intense pleasure. Her clit throbbed. She was so wet. Her breasts hung heavy and
full.

“Ask me for more.” He dipped his fingers lower, stroked the
seam of her slit.

“Please, please spank me again,” she begged in a whisper.

Was that really her talking? She sounded like a wanton
starlet.

“You’ve been starved of this for so long. Hiding away. No
more.”

She felt him pull back and braced herself for a strike.

Thwack. Thwack. Thwack
.

He assaulted her delicate buttocks. Over and over, he
spanked her. Five successive spanks on one cheek, followed by five on the
other. The repeated slap and sting drove her insane. As his palm connected, it
heated her skin. Her buttocks became a trembling mass. Her clit pulsed, beating
in time with the pulsing of her ass.