Liv's Journey (3 page)

But things changed over time, and the old house had become the Boot Camp Inc. conference center, with casual seating in the main room, small conference rooms in adjacent rooms, and some guest rooms upstairs for overnight conference attendees. Boot Camp Inc. ran at least one corporate bonding boot camp every couple of months, with additional “special” camps like the one coming up thrown in for good measure. The old house was slowly migrating away from its warm charm into something more flexible and business-oriented.

As they cleared away some of the chairs on the main floor and put some BDSM equipment around the place, Trey imagined Liv trembling with anticipation at each station. She'd arch her perfect bottom up on the spanking bench, and fidget her long legs while standing with her hands up on the trapeze bar. On the x-frame she'd beg for an orgasm while he manipulated her tender breasts and pussy.

He had to figure out what motivated her and what she was holding back about. If he could find the key to Liv, he might open the door to her submissive heart. Or to a Pandora's box, he reminded himself. It hadn't always worked in his favor in the past.

By noon, the place was pretty well set up for a BDSM event. Their regular housekeeping service would prepare the upstairs rooms for occupancy the next day, much as they prepared the private cabins out on the ranch for clients who didn't want the dorm-style accommodations of the house.

Trey took a shower, ate lunch, and gathered up some fresh-baked sugar cookies from Consuelo. He wrapped them in a festive cloth napkin and set out for the photo shoot.

When he got there, the focus was on Liv. She wore a low-cut silk top, with her breasts pushed up, showing a great deal of plump cleavage. Her linen slacks were tailored perfectly to show off her curves. He wanted to have her in his arms, under his hands, writhing with pleasure.

He tried to clear that thought as Liv flirted with the camera. It was no wonder they called her a star—she had all the moves down pat, and added her playful, charming personality to the mix.

Waiting for her to be free, Trey walked over to an empty director's chair and sat down. He was approached by a young woman with her hair in curlers. He smiled at her and stood up. "Am I sittin' in your chair, ma'am?"

"Oh no. That's the shoot director's chair. He's off doing something. You're safe there for now." She introduced herself as "Gabriella."

Trey shook her delicate hand and told her his name. "You're one of the models for this shoot?"

"The curlers gave me away, huh?" she teased.

"Well, most people wouldn't wear them to work."

She giggled. It was a melodious sound, but young. She looked to be maybe 19: her face was smooth and unlined, her brown eyes round and framed with long, thick dark lashes. She was truly beautiful, with a few extra pounds on her frame giving her shapely padding. Trey was struck anew at the idea that these women were shunned by the normal modeling community for being a few sizes bigger. They looked exquisite to him.

"Do you know when they'll be takin’ a break?"

Gabriella shook her head. "I'm not sure, but probably soon. They've been shooting for almost an hour. Liv must be tired."

Trey had never given much thought to how difficult a model's work might be. To him, as a consumer, it seemed like they stood in front of the camera and made a few faces. But, in reality, their expressions had to talk to the camera and to the consumer without words. They had to portray the tone and purpose of the advertisement with their bodies. It must be tiring to be "on" like that for hours. As he watched, he gained new respect for the models he'd only admired for their beauty before.

Next to him, Gabriella sighed. "I hope I can be like Liv someday. She's amazing."

"You make her sound so old," Trey pointed out.

"She's twenty-four! She's only got another four or five years left."

"Then she's relegated to the Old Models' Home?"

Gabriella giggled again. "No. She'll have to move into something else. Acting, maybe, although at our size, that's not so easy."

The photographer called a break, so Trey stood. "I think your size is perfect."

She eyed him for a moment, then smiled. "Thank you." She looked toward one of the trailers. "I have to get to make-up now. You were waiting for Liv, right?"

"Yeah."

"I'll tell her you’re here." She hurried off before Trey could prevent her from telling Liv about his presence. He would have preferred that she find him on her own.

As it was, when Gabriella pointed out Trey, Liv's face broke into a sweet smile and she hurried over to greet him.

"Trey! You made it!"

"Did you doubt I would?"

Her cheeks got a little pink. "I wasn't sure. It is getting late, and…well, I'm glad you're here."

He smoothed a fingertip down her cheek. "I'm glad I'm here, too." He gestured toward the grove of magnolias and pecan trees. "Care to go for a walk?"

"Sure. Let me change. These clothes aren't actually mine."

Trey hadn't thought of that, but it made sense. "No problem."

It took her about ten minutes, during which he met the director who needed his chair back, and another of the models. The little flock of women were all so pretty and personable, he felt like he was a welcome diversion rather than a pain in the ass.

Liv returned wearing jeans and a light cotton blouse with short sleeves, and sneakers. She looked tall and curvy in all the right places, but modest, in contrast to her earlier cleavage-bearing outfit.

Trey took her by the hand and they wandered off into the trees.

Their conversation was stilted, but as they warmed into it, it got more relaxed.

"So my mother had the headshots taken and sent them to a bunch of modeling agencies. A couple bit, and that was the beginning."

"Your mother must have been ambitious for you."

"She wasn't the kind of mom who bakes cookies after school, but she did think my looks were my ticket. In many ways she was right."

"Was your mom livin' vicariously through you, do you think?"

Liv looked pensive as she reached out and touched one of the trees they were passing. "I don't think so. She had a pretty solid writing career. I think she hoped for a way to pay for my college education. It kind of got out of hand, that's all."

"So you never went to college?"

"No time. I was clawing my way in my career."

Trey squeezed her hand. "Do you regret it?"

"No." She hesitated. "Yes. I have nothing to fall back on. What did you study in college?"

"My degree is in U.S. History."

"That's an accomplishment."

"I go through continuous trainin' on a variety of things, so I'm never really done in my army education."

He paused their progress. They were deep in the fragrant trees where a narrow deer track meandered through to a stream not far away. The water sound was pleasant background music. Trey turned her so that they stood face to face, and then he cupped her chin.

She didn't resist the pressure of his lips on hers.

He reveled in the warm softness of her and her little intake of air as he tongued her mouth open just far enough to admit him. His hands moved into her long hair, finding it silky and slippery clean. She tasted of licorice, which surprised him a little.

"Licorice?" he whispered.

"It's my weakness. I can't resist licorice jelly beans."

He chuckled and pressed his forehead to hers. It was nice that she was tall. Most women were dwarfed by his six-foot-six frame. "Now I know how to tempt you into my evil web."

"You're about as evil as the Energizer Bunny."

He laughed again. "My batteries last even longer."

Liv smiled. "I'll bet they do. Are you going to kiss me again, or talk me to death?"

"Well, given those choices…" He pulled her into his arms and stole into her mouth again, this time with more force. She seemed to enjoy it, making little mewling noises and offering her tongue as a dueling-mate.

As he kissed her, Trey ran his hands down her back and to her rump, squeezing it and pressing her hips forward into his erection. He was throbbing and the heat of her soft belly against him made it almost painful, but he didn't want to stop. It was a different kind of relief he wanted. But he needed to be confident of her submissiveness before he pressed for much more. It wouldn't do to frighten her or put himself in a position to be disappointed.

Panting, they broke away, and she rested her forehead against his collarbone.

He pressed her chin up with two fingers so that he could look her in the eyes. "I won't tell you that you're beautiful, Liv, because I'll bet you hear that from a hundred people a day. But I will tell you that you appeal to me on a lot of different levels, not just because you're a good fit against my body."

She blushed, but a smile lit up her eyes.

Ah, those were the right words. Trey smiled back.

"This time, angel,
you
kiss
me
."

"I wasn't kissing you before?"

"Mind, or I'll have to spank you." That was the first test. Would she do as he asked? It was a simple thing.

She bit her lower lip and Trey's cock reacted with a strong twitch. That habit of hers was going to make his balls explode.

Her breath was warm on his throat as she glided her hands up his arms and shoulders to his face. Trembling at her fingertips, she balanced up on tiptoes and pressed her lips against his. Her kiss was shy, but not discouraging. It was, in fact, perfect. She was not an aggressor by any means, but she was cooperative even with things that so obviously took her out of her comfort zone.

Trey slid his hands to her breasts and cupped them. She drew a sharp breath against his lips. He persisted, adding a little pressure to the way he held her plump breasts, and then using his thumbs to tease her nipples. It was gratifying when they hardened into stiff points. He took those hard nubs between thumbs and forefingers and gave them a pinch, and she moaned softly against his mouth, then arched back, pressing her breasts into his hands.

All very good.

He alternated pinches and caresses and she panted and squirmed against him. He left off kissing her, and gritted his teeth together as the urge to take her grew. Self-control always came before controlling another, however, and he prided himself on that control.

"Take your blouse and bra off, darlin'."

She seemed to regain some focus as he moved his hands away. "Out here?" She looked around at the blind trees filled with chirping birds. "In the open?"

"Do you think someone is goin' to come along?"

"I—I don't know."

"No one will come, Liv. Trust me."

She stared at him, undecided, for several long seconds, and then her hands went to her blouse and she started unbuttoning. Slowly, she peeled off the cotton blouse and white eyelet bra and dropped them on a tuft of grass. Her breasts were bared for him.

He took the time to look at her, at the full, round breasts she was sharing. Barely touched by gravity, they were tipped with dark pink nipples, large and hard and eager for his hands to return. And return he did.

Trey pressed them together, rubbing his thumbs over her peaks. He created maximum cleavage, then bent and pressed his face against the dividing track, loving the pillow softness, the warmth of her, and the scent of her orange-blossom perfume. She arched and held his shoulders for balance.

Placing little kisses and a few tiny bites across her pale globes, he headed toward a pointed nipple and took it in his mouth. As he pressed his teeth into it, she gasped and shuddered.

"Trey."

His answer was to bite gently again and then more firmly. She squirmed and moaned. He bit a little harder and her moan got louder. She didn't push him away or protest. It appeared that Liv liked a little twinge of pain.

Trey moved to her other nipple, sprinkling kisses and bites along the way, and worried that anxious peak as he had the first. He could smell her arousal, even through her jeans. The urge was strong to strip her and take her, lift her up, wrap her legs around him and press her back against a tree, but he resisted.

"Oh God, Trey."

Slowly, he kissed his way back up to her mouth where he took it with ravening force. She responded hungrily, pressing her now dark red nipples against his shirted chest. He thought he could make her come with a judicious application of teeth and tongue to her nipples, but she would have to wait as he was waiting. Timing was important, and it was not yet time.

She panted as he ended their kiss, and he could feel her fingernail marks in his biceps.

"I think that's enough for the day," he told her. "Put on your blouse, angel, and let's get y'all back to your people."

"But…"

He smiled at her. "We'll get where we're goin’ eventually," he told her. "Be patient and trust me."

A fleeting frown marred her even features, but it quickly disappeared. "I guess I'd better mind. I don't want that spanking you threatened me with."

He laughed as he watched her shake out her blouse and put it on. "Have you ever been spanked, Liv?"

"No. Of course not."

"'Of course not'? You mean you've never been naughty?"

That brief frown again. Trey figured she was resentful of the way he'd stopped their encounter. That was an interesting tidbit to think about. "I'm not the naughty type."

"I guess we'll see about that."

"Yeah, well…whatever."

"You're pissed off."

She looked at him, mouth tight. "Maybe. What are you—Iron Man? Able to put your cock in a box and ignore it?"

Trey laughed. "Far from it."

"It doesn't show." She rotated her shoulders and her posture relaxed a bit. "Good thing I brought my vibrator, I guess."

He touched her face, then slid his thumb over her lower lip. Her eyes closed tightly, then opened slowly, her gaze almost pleading with him.

 "Don't use it."

"Don't…" She looked confused for a moment. "The vibrator?"

"Right. Don't use it."

"Why not?"

"Because I said so."

This time, her frown stuck in place. "I don't have to do what you tell me to do. You're not the boss of me."