ClaimingRuby (7 page)

The dark look he flashed her sent slithers of desire rushing
down her spine. She wouldn’t let her angst ruin tonight.

She removed her clothes as he removed his. At one point she
froze, mesmerized by his athletic form. Clothed, he proved handsome; dressed
only in boxers, he was devastating.

Was she drooling?

God forgive her. The ropy muscularity of his torso drove her
crazy. He wasn’t hairless or the perfectly coiffed metrosexual type, but
rugged, sculpted through years of being in the military.

His cock strained against his underwear, and a gush of
moisture flowed between her thighs. She’d already seen his cock but she wanted
to feel it inside her.

When she was naked, he motioned to the bed. “Lie down on
your back, arms above your head.”

The simple instructions captivated her. Her mind floated off
as she climbed on, lay back in the plush pillows and sighed. She’d never felt
anything as soft as the fur rubbing across her back. “Luxurious” didn’t cut it.
More like “heavenly”.

Joshua picked up some rope and strode toward her. Her heart
missed a beat. He was restraining her. Dread clawed through the haze of
pleasure. The last time she’d been tied up, her partner had ignored her
safeword.

Breathe.

She wanted this, craved it, but she couldn’t ignore the
unease.

He let her see the material. “These are woven with the
finest silk thread. They provide enough restraint without chafing.” He drew
them across her upturned palms so she could feel their softness and strength. “Once
these go on, you’re mine to command but I will respect your boundaries.
Understand?”

She nodded, hoping he spoke the truth.

“I want to hear you say it. Do you understand?”

Despite her uncertainty, she believed him. “Yes Sir. I
understand.”

The way she addressed him made his cock twitch. She watched
it jerk in his boxers.

He started with her wrists. First he bound them together
then secured them to a concealed ring hidden under the silks on the bed frame.

He pulled tight and she whimpered. The silk bit into her
skin but it wasn’t unpleasant. She tested the bonds. They didn’t budge. The
knots were expertly tied. Joshua knew his bondage and that increased her trust
in him.

Next he secured her ankles and spread-eagled her legs,
leaving her sopping pussy on display. She was probably staining the furs.

“Remember your safeword?”

She nodded again. “Yes Sir.” Her breasts heaved, taut from
the angle of her bonds.

He walked to the table and returned with a set of nipple
clamps. Her nipples tingled, hardened to aching peaks in anticipation. It would
hurt. She squirmed as she pictured the woman with the weights tugging on her
tortured breasts.

He tested the opening mechanism a few times. Metal clamps
with razor teeth.

Oh my.

A pretty chain dangled from the center. In the middle of the
chain was a small ruby.

Her throat went dry. It couldn’t be a coincidence. Her
resolve melted. He’d purchased a gift specifically for her.

“I bought these for you. Ever since I saw your tits
straining while you watched Jamie dance, I’ve wanted to clamp them.” He pinched
the buds, rolled them before snapping on the clamps.

Her spine bowed as pain stole through her. Jesus, they were
tight. Tighter than she’d ever experienced before. Her clit throbbed. Pain was
a powerful aphrodisiac. She powered through it and eventually looked at Joshua.
His eyes twinkled with predatory delight.

He tugged the chain, extended her nipples and she moaned.
The sharpness stung and heightened her pleasure. “You’ll wear these tonight and
whenever I command.”

“Yes Sir.”

He wanted to see her again. She stored that in her mind to
contemplate later.

“I’m going to fuck your tits. Slide my cock between them and
come on your skin.”

She thrust her hips upward, straining for relief. She couldn’t
answer him, had become a quivering, needy mess. Her mind began to shut down,
float off into the place where all that mattered was Joshua.

“But first…” He reached for a feather.

A feather? Seriously?

She’d read about BDSM, experienced some of it firsthand. She’d
expected hardcore BDSM implements, especially after he’d told her he was a hard
taskmaster.

He grabbed a fistful of her hair and leaned down. “Don’t
underestimate me, Ruby.”

Then he began his assault. He teased her skin, stroking
erogenous zones she’d never known existed—the soles of her feet, the backs of
her knees, the insides of her elbows, the backs of her wrists, her inner
thighs. When he drew a light touch across her clamped nipples, she screamed.

“Joshua.”

He ignored her as he caressed her folds. The tickling
sensation wasn’t enough. It kept her on edge but the final peak eluded her.

She begged him, “Please. Please. Please.”

He put the feather aside and replaced it with a small blue
vibrator.

The cool latex pushed against the hot lips of her pussy. She
arched and the vibrator slid all the way in. Her muscles clamped, trying to
find some relief with the inanimate object.

He spanked her clit. The sharp slap startled her. “No. You
don’t come until I say you can.”

If she’d been thinking straight she might have argued her
case, but she wanted to please him, wanted to be a good submissive.

“I have the control. I can change the speed and vibration
setting. Your pleasure is in my hands.” He switched it on and it began to
slowly vibrate.

Even the gentle movement made her strain at her bonds. She’d
never been so turned on, so unaware of anything but her desire. She didn’t care
about her future or the past.

He straddled her. At some point he must have removed his
underwear. His cock glistened as he fisted it. She opened her mouth, hoping he
would give her a taste.

Joshua shook his head. “What did I say I was going to do to
you?”

She reached back through the haze. “Fuck my tits.”

“Exactly.” He poured some lube on her breasts. It smelled
like bergamot. Like him. He increased the speed of the vibrator at the same
time he slid his cock between the V of her breasts and under the nipple clamp
chain.

He moved slowly at first. Then faster. Every time he moved,
the clamps bit harder on her sensitive nipples. She could feel him sliding
against her skin—slick and hot. His grunts and groans heightened her pleasure.

Watching him fuck her, use her, and hearing his cries of
pleasure was almost enough to send her into oblivion.

Almost.

The vibrating echoed through her. Her belly twisted. Her
clit tingled. The sensation deepened, spread. He cranked the vibrations and
threw the control on the floor.

He pushed her breasts together and pounded into her. The
ties tightened around her wrists and the clamps bit harder but the pain didn’t
register. A sheen of sweat covered her. Juice from her dripping cunt soaked her
thighs. The heady scent of musk and Joshua seeped into her pores. She’d never
been so aware of her senses.

“Fuck. Fuck. You have incredible tits.” He dropped the chain
across his balls. “Such a beautiful submissive. My submissive.” He grunted.

The intense tingling sensation exploded. She stiffened,
screamed his name. She rode the wave of pleasure that fired all her nerve
endings and pumped adrenaline through her veins. The world retreated until
nothing existed but the feel of his weight on her.

Hot, sticky cum soaked her chest and neck, splashed on her
chin. She watched him come—the tightening of his jaw, the corded muscles of his
neck.

Beautiful.

In this moment, she belonged to him.

When his breathing returned to normal, he moved off her and
rubbed his cum into her skin. He removed the vibrator.

“Now you smell like me. You’re wearing my mark. Mine. You
belong to me, Ruby.
”

For now. He probably used the line on all his submissive
toys but she didn’t care. She was too blissed out from the mind‑blowing orgasm.

Instead of questioning or overanalyzing, she smiled and
said, “I know.”

Joshua glared across the poker table at his opponents. The
game was all about bluff, bravado and luck. Playing poker with ex-military men
was never easy but playing with a spook proved near impossible. Alex gave
nothing away. Not a tic or a twitch. Being in the same battalion meant Joshua
knew Alex and Sebastien extremely well but Alex proved hard to crack. The spook
training had only honed his controlled facial expressions.

“Fold.” Bastien threw his cards on the table and took a
swill of his beer. “I’ll let you two hardcore fuckers fight it out to see who
blinks first.”

He stared at Alex. A few years in the business world had
helped him perfect a stoic mask. “I think Bond will crack.”

“Don’t think so, Iron Man.”

“Oh, fighting talk.” Joshua threw a chip on the growing
pile. “I’ll raise you a hundred.”

“Okay, Mr. Fancy-Assed Millionaire, I’ll call you.”

Bastien leaned back and stretched. “Watching you ladies is
the best fun I’ve had in ages.”

He’d missed this—the camaraderie, the joking around. The
comfortable feeling of being with people who knew you completely and still had
your back. Months in desert hellholes had confirmed their friendship. Nights in
the BDSM scene had cemented it.

They didn’t judge his sexual preferences because they shared
similar kinks.

“So what happened with that woman you were wooing?” Alex
jammed some cheese balls into his mouth.

Bastien frowned. “Wait. Woman? What woman?” He pointed at
Joshua. “You’ve been wooing a woman? Why am I always the last to know about
this shit?” He folded his arms and sulked.

Alex thumped him on the shoulder. “Quit being a girl.”

The mention of Ruby made Joshua’s groin twitch and brought a
smile to his face.

“Uh-oh,” Alex grunted.

“What?” he asked innocently.

“You got that look.”

“What look?” Joshua knew what kind of look he wore. A stupid
I-can’t-get-you-out-of-my-head-and-I’m-happy-about-it look. It had been staring
back at him through the mirror for a few days.

“The look that says you’re royally fucked.”

“I don’t.”

“Yeah, you do. Don’t he, Bastien?”

Bastien nodded. “Royally fucked.”

Joshua snagged some chips. “Since when did you become a
double act?”

Alex stuffed down food before offering Bastien the bowl.
While he chewed, he asked, “Why are you avoiding the question? She blow you
off?”

“No. We had a…lovely evening.” That was an understatement.
He’d pushed her and she’d blossomed.

“Where did you take her?”

“Decadence.” Joshua grinned as both men shot up straight and
ceased their crunching.

“So she’s submissive?”

“Oh yeah.” A perfect one. After her initial reservations,
she’d followed his commands to the letter.

Bastien shook his head. “Back up. You have to fill me in on
this shit.”

As he recounted the trip to Decadence, his gut tightened. It
had been three days since he’d seen her. They’d been busy, used the time apart
to process what had happened. The separation was killing him. He needed to see
her, make her fall to her knees in surrender.

Since when had he become so needy?

“Is she the one?” Bastien asked.

He considered the question then answered truthfully. “Yeah,
she is. I need her. It’s strange. Never felt this way about any other sub.”

“Is the hardcore Dom softening?”

He threw a cheese ball at Alex. “No chance in hell. I want
to claim her but she’s had a bad experience.” He told them about her ex.
Retelling the story made his blood boil.

Alex scowled. “We should pay him a visit. Fucktard.”

Despite getting pleasure from pain, the men had a strict
code—never abuse the trust and control a woman placed in their hands.

“I’m taking it slow and steady. I want everything from her.
Complete submission. Body and mind. I want to claim her as mine but we’ve got a
long way to go.” He wouldn’t scare her off by demanding too much too soon.

Both men smiled and Bastien said, “Wish you the best of
luck, man.”

Alex slapped his hands together. “Now let’s play some poker!”

As the night wore on neither Alex nor Joshua got the upper
hand. They quit poker and watched reruns of old football games on the tube. It
felt good to kick back and relax.

He wondered what Ruby was doing. Was she thinking of him?
Was she reliving the night at Decadence?

“Gotta take a leak.” In the bathroom, he locked the door and
pulled out his iPhone. 1:40 a.m.…surely she’d be asleep.

He fired off a quick text.
Hope you’re having sweet
dreams. In fact I hope you are having kinky dreams of
moi
. See you soon.
J.

She’d see it when she woke up. He hoped it would be a nice
surprise.

As he finished washing his hands, his phone buzzed.

No dreams, kinky or otherwise. Can’t sleep. Without going
into graphic detail I can’t breathe through my freaking nose! Pleasant, huh? A
sickly submissive.

His protective instincts surged. She didn’t have anyone to
take care of her. Ruby needed someone to make sure she stayed hydrated, to
force her to rest because, knowing her stubborn streak, she’d probably worked
until she dropped.

“Dammit.” He had to make sure she was okay. He couldn’t
settle until he’d seen her, checked her out for himself. He unlocked the door,
strode into the den and collected his jacket, wallet and keys. “Got to run.”

“Everything okay?” Alex threw him a quizzical look.

“Yeah. Ruby’s sick.” He didn’t explain. They’d understand
his woman needed him.

“Serious?”

“No, flu but…” Why was he storming out on a guys’ night for
the flu?

“Go. We understand. You need to take care of her.”

Damn straight he did. “‘Night.”

He called his driver, who was waiting at the curb with the
door open by the time Joshua exited Alex’s building.

“Home, sir?”

“No. Take me to Ruby’s.” Even though it was only the flu, he
wanted to nurture her.

Fuck, he was turning into some pansy-ass pussy.

“Wait. We need to make a stop.” He’d get a few essential
flu-busting items. He calmed his raging need to be there now. She ignited all
his deepest possessive instincts.

His friends were right. He was royally fucked.

* * * * *

Ruby blew her nose for the millionth time and sniffed. “Gah!”

Still no better. Her nose looked like Rudolph’s and her
throat was sore. The only consolation was she wouldn’t be seeing Joshua for a
few days. Greasy, lank hair and a fire-engine-red nose weren’t exactly sexy.

She couldn’t believe what had happened. The way she’d given
herself to him with no fear. She’d handed him her control and he’d pushed her,
coaxed her, demanded things she’d believed she could never give again.

Despite Joshua’s claims to the contrary, she knew they had
limited time together. He’d get bored and move back to the gorgeous submissives
she’d seen at Decadence. The thin, stunning model types who were sophisticated
and experienced. More his type. At the moment she was his plaything. In a few
weeks she’d be another discarded toy.

She slammed the door on her misgivings. She shouldn’t let
the past inhibit the present but sometimes it proved hard.

Her phone buzzed. Joshua. Her heart fluttered and she
silently chided herself. “Hello.”

“I’m outside, let me in.”

Panic welled. Her hand went to her hair and she looked down
at her drab cotton pajamas. “Urmm, it’s not a good idea. I’m not dressed and I
don’t want you to get sick.”

“It wasn’t a question, Ruby. Come down and open the door.
Now.” The icy tone rebutted any denials on her tongue.

“Okay.”

She pulled on a thick robe, jammed her feet into some
slippers and trudged to open the door. Her muscles ached as even walking proved
difficult. She unlocked the door and unbolted the chain. Once again Joshua
Quinn stood in her doorway, looking sexy as sin. He’d dressed down tonight—dark
denim jeans, tight black t-shirt and a soft black leather jacket that molded to
his sinewy torso. A backpack was slung across his shoulder.

“Hi.”

“Hello, Ruby.” He brushed past her and stood staring at her
unkempt form.

She tightened her robe as if protecting herself from him. “You
shouldn’t have come. You’ll get sick.” She pressed her forehead as a wave of
dizziness washed over her. “Ughh.”

He took her elbow, steadied her. “You should be in bed.”

Ruby managed to scowl. The admonishment died on her lips at
the stern set of his jaw. Was that worry etched on his brow?

A wave of nausea roiled in her stomach. “I think I’m going
to be sick.” Sinus problems plus copious amounts of medication always made her
vomit.

Instead of running for the nearest exit, Joshua swept her
into his arms and carried her upstairs. His heat mingled with hers and the
nausea rose again as sweat beaded on her forehead. She squirmed, wishing he’d
put her down or hurry up. She really didn’t want to puke on him.

Joshua squeezed her and said, “Relax.”

It rumbled out of his chest and the deep timbre resonated
through her.

She did as he commanded, curled her hand into his and tucked
her head under his chin. Comfort and safety cocooned her.

Joshua dropped her gently onto the bed before pulling the
covers around her thighs. “That’s better.”

“Thank you,” she managed before coughing into a tissue.

He slung the bag from over his shoulder and tipped out the
contents. “Now, we have tissues.” He held up a packet before moving on to the
next item. “Chicken soup. Menthol. And this.” He showed Ruby a DVD and she
grinned.

“
Dirty Dancing
?”

“Yep. Ultimate feel-good chick flick.” He beamed.

“Is that from your own personal collection?”

He chucked her nose. “Ermm, no. It’s a Walmart purchase.”

“You shop in Walmart?” A hilarious image of the rich tycoon
scoping the aisles in Walmart made her stifle a giggle.

“Needs must.”

“Are you intending to watch it with me?”

He started unbuttoning her pajamas. A flush raised her
temperature and it wasn’t from the virus.

“What are you doing?”

“Putting some menthol on your chest.” He said it
matter-of-factly. There was nothing sexual in his intentions as he parted the
cotton, reached for the menthol jar, unscrewed the lid and began rubbing a
generous amount on her chest. “It’s good for congestion. Much better than all
these pharmacy aides.”

His tender touch eased more than just the physical ache. He’d
dropped whatever he’d been doing, endured Walmart and rushed to be by her side.
Ruby warmed, melted and cracked. She’d expected dominance—an arrogant
confidence and a single-minded, obsessive personality to obtain what he
desired. Tenderness, kindness, a nurturing side—that was unexpected. Her ex had
never done anything like this and they’d been together years.

“There now.” An Irish lilt accented his tone as he
rebuttoned her shirt and she wondered which part of Ireland his ancestors were
from. “Try to close your eyes for a bit while I make some soup. Do you good to
eat something.” He pressed a kiss to her forehead.

As he made food, Ruby leaned her head back and closed her
eyes. The menthol burned but hopefully it would help. She felt like death.
Probably looked like it. She didn’t want Joshua to see her like this but he
appeared unperturbed by her ragged exterior.

Maybe they could have a future. Maybe Joshua was different.
Maybe he’d prove her wrong.

No.

She wouldn’t confuse a few acts of kindness with real
emotion. She couldn’t allow herself to fall for him. She’d pieced herself
together before; she didn’t know if she had the strength to do it again.
Especially after him, with his overwhelming presence.

“Food’s ready.” He sat on the edge of the bed and picked up
the bowl before sloshing the spoon around. Heaping the liquid onto the spoon,
he said, “Open.”

“You’re kidding.” No one had fed her since childhood.

He frowned. The stern slash of his lips said he wasn’t
kidding. “Open.”

She did as commanded. He slipped the metal inside and poured
salty chicken goodness on her tongue.

“Swallow.”

She swallowed. Anger, embarrassment and an emotion she didn’t
want to identify rushed to the surface.

“Good girl.”

They repeated the process until a coughing fit interrupted.
He moved behind her and rubbed her back, whispering words of comfort.

When it passed, she settled back. “I’m so sorry. What were
you doing before I dropped this on you?”

“Playing poker with the guys.” He cupped her chin. “Don’t be
sorry. Your welfare is more important to me than anything.”

The sincerity in his words and the fiery intensity in his
eyes made her look away. She couldn’t handle that level of emotion. What if it
wasn’t real?

“Okay. Time for the movie.” He untangled himself and put the
DVD in the player.

He sat with the remote and pulled Ruby into his arms. She
snuggled against his chest and silenced the niggles that warned her not to get
too close. Just for tonight she’d bask in the illusion it would always be like
this.

“Sleep, Ruby. I’ll take care of you.”

Her eyes drooped as Baby started talking and Joshua’s
presence lulled her into a deep sleep.

* * * * *

She awoke coughing. Her mouth felt dry and she stretched.
She’d been dreaming about Joshua. He’d been dancing with her
Dirty Dancing
style—slow and sexy—his thigh pressed between hers as he bent her backward to
the music.

It was a damn good dream.

As consciousness crept back, she remembered last night—the
soup, the menthol, Joshua.

Joshua.

She bolted up in bed, rubbed her eyes and glanced around her
bedroom. Nothing. She strained and listened for movement in the kitchen. Her
apartment lay silent.