Out of the Darkness (Untwisted #2) (13 page)

‘You just climaxed with absolutely no stimulation, Stella …’ I began.

‘I know … I’m sorry, it’s never happened before. I don’t know what happened …’ she muttered, almost sounding ashamed. She should never be ashamed of an orgasm, even if I had told her not to. Gripping her chin, I raised her wary face to mine, although kept my focus just below her eyes.

‘Don’t apologise. I think I understand … pleasing me, does it turn you on that much? So much that you climaxed from it?’ I asked, still unsure exactly
how
that could happen, but Stella’s eyes flew open wide and she smiled a small, shy smile, nodding as she bit her lip. ‘Yes. I like making you happy.’

I knew I was staring at her but I couldn’t help it. She liked pleasing me?
Fuck
. Stella could have no idea just how much those words thrilled me, because I fucking loved her making me happy too.

Chapter Nineteen – Stella

It was five past six on the following Friday night and I’d literally only just arrived at Nathan’s for my weekend stay when the door to my room unexpectedly swung open and Nathan strode in without so much as a knock. ‘Put these on and meet me in the room opposite in five minutes,’ he instructed cryptically, before depositing a plastic carrier bag on the chair and leaving.

I watched the door shut and raised my eyebrows, charming, there was no “Good evening, Stella” or “Have you had a nice week?” Just a snapped-out demand and a scowl. Admittedly, Nathan looked pretty good when he scowled, all dark and broody, but still, a little civility wouldn’t go amiss.

I’d assumed he was still at work when I’d arrived five minutes ago because there’d been no sign of him in the apartment, but quite clearly he was here, and more obviously, he wasn’t in the best of moods. Great, dour Nathan, just what I needed to get my weekend off to a shitty start.

Sighing at the ever-changing mood swings of my obsessive dominant my eyes moved back to the carrier bag and crinkled as I frowned. How odd, and I couldn’t for the life of me remember what was in the room opposite … nope, I was blank, the apartment was so bloody large that I still kept confusing the layout. Peering inside the carrier bag I raised my eyebrows in surprise, either he had some weird ideas of kinky, or he had something totally non-sexual in mind for me.

After visiting the bathroom to freshen up I dutifully began to dress myself in the clothes I found in Nathan’s bag, noticing that everything had been purchased in exactly my size. He’d either been snooping in my wardrobe or had a scarily accurate eye for sizing up a ladies figure. No doubt from thoroughly assessing a string of different women in the past, I thought with a scowl – an image I didn’t like in the slightest. Frowning I looked down at myself, now dressed in black shorts – rather short shorts, actually – a sports bra and a pale pink vest top. Donning the trainers that were also in the bag, I opened my door, padded across the hall and found myself walking into the small gym. Ah yes, that’s right, I’d forgotten because although I’ve used the gym enough times I’d always accessed it from the other door off the main hallway and never through this door.

Nathan was already running at quite a speed on one of the two treadmills in the room as I entered and I took a second to admire his stunning physique. This was particularly easy seeing as he was only wearing running shorts and trainers and nothing else. Lovely, with just a hint of sweat glistening on his exposed neck and taut back to really make my mind race.

‘You’re late, I said five minutes,’ he barked in way of a greeting completely ruining the lovely daydream I had been having of him and me getting downright sweaty together on the yoga mats in the corner of the room.

Rolling my eyes, I ignored his blunt words and glanced around the room. ‘Fitness?’ I questioned as I allowed my eyes to roam the room again, hoping to see some other sex-related reason for being in here. Weights machines, treadmills, stretching mats, it was very well fitted, and all disappointingly non-sexual. ‘On a Friday night?’ As far as I was concerned, Friday nights were either for wine and takeaways, or wine and Nathan, not slogging my guts out on a treadmill.

‘Yes. A healthy lifestyle is very important,’ Nathan stated, watching me in the mirror as he continued to run, his body working fluidly with the machine, chest muscles rippling, and posture perfect. Christ, he really was a beautiful specimen of masculinity.

‘I think you keep me fit enough,’ I joked dryly, eyeing the treadmill warily, running was something I
did not
do; far too many opportunities for falling over and making a fool of myself. On the occasions I’d used Nathan’s gym I’d rowed, or done some yoga or Pilates on the matted area,
never
running.

‘Come, get on,’ he instructed, indicating to the other treadmill with a brief wave of his hand before his arms went back to the job of pumping by his sides and powering him along.

‘Running?’ I questioned out loud like a complete imbecile. ‘No, I don’t really run, actually I prefer the cross trainer but seeing as you don’t have one …’ But my comment dried in my throat as Nathan slammed his fist down on the emergency stop button of his running machine, making me jump and let out a small yelp. Cruising off the slowing roller, he was standing opposite me before I’d even seen him move, his face glistening with sweat as he glowered across at me giving me his signal by raising his eyebrows and pointing to a spot just to the left of him.

Shit, shit, and double shit. Nathan hardly ever demanded I move next to him to submit. Obviously, he was
really
mad. Glancing at his livid expression, I corrected my first thoughts. He wasn’t just mad, Nathan was utterly furious – surely this temper wasn’t all because I was a few minutes late?

In that moment I immediately regretted my stupid cockiness, then stumbling towards him I did my best to don my submissive exterior; quickly averting my eyes, linking my fingers in front of myself, and then when I reached his side I made the split second decision to also drop to my knees. I remembered that Nathan had once told me that kneeling was one of the most submissive postures and I was desperately hoping that this gesture might lighten his mood.

Internally I was kicking myself for being so relaxed with him in the first place, but sometimes on a Friday night after a week at work it took me a while to switch between my lifestyles, tonight being one of those nights, but with Nathan looking like he was ready to punish me on the spot I was certainly getting a brisk reminder of where I was right now.

‘I’m sorry, Sir,’ I mumbled. Fuck, he could actually be terrifying at times, this moment now being a prime example of one of those times. I could see his beautiful chest rapidly rising and falling under his heavy breathing and I briefly wondered if it was due to his exertion on the running machine or his anger towards me. I could just about see him chewing on the inside of his lip, seemingly a sign of tension for Nathan, as he stared at me through narrowed eyes, assessing my kneeling position. But from my low level on the floor, I couldn’t make out what his verdict was.

‘As fuckable as you look kneeling down there Stella, that won’t help you now,’ Nathan ground out and I felt the hairs on my neck rise at his ominous tone. Reaching down he gripped my shoulders and tugged me none too gently to a standing position. ‘Running,’ he stated again in a deadly tone. ‘For 20 minutes, yes?’ Standing back Nathan then crossed his arms and watched me to see what I would do, he seemed to be almost challenging me to defy him, but with the look of barely leashed fury burning in his eyes there was no way I was holding out on him again.

Not wanting to push my luck I quickly nodded my acceptance and began to move towards the treadmill.

‘Did you just
nod
at me?’ Nathan demanded, his tone so low and gritty that I barely heard it. Bugger, I
had
nodded, and he’d warned me before that if I ever did it again he’d punish me … would he punish me now? Would I enjoy it more than a run? Quite possibly, because I bloody hated running.

Seeing as Nathan didn’t seem in the mood to find out, I mumbled an apology. ‘Sorry, Sir …’ I ducked my head as I passed him and climbed onto the treadmill. Pressing the quick start button, I started with a fast walk before catching sight of Nathan’s glare in the mirror.
Jeez
, this man was such a control freak, so with a sigh I increased the speed to a run and began plodding along unhappily. Giving a jerky nod of satisfaction Nathan finally climbed back on his running machine alongside mine and continued his workout without saying another word.

After exactly 20 minutes, Nathan slowed his runner to a walk and leant over doing the same thing to mine. I was breathing hard by now, but as I walked to cool down, I felt quite proud of myself for completing the run without stopping or falling off. Actually, I’d quite enjoyed it, perhaps adding a run to my usual weekly fitness wouldn’t be such a bad experience after all. A good bit of music would have made it more bearable though, perhaps I’d look into getting some little speakers for my iPod.

With a pleased huff, I stepped from the treadmill and wandered over to the corner to grab a towel to wipe my sweaty face. Turning back I paused by a large contraption that was complete with weights and a pull up bar. I had no idea what the other bits did, something for the arms and legs presumably. Smiling at how bad I was at chin-ups I turned to say as much to Nathan only to find him standing watching me intently from under furrowed brows with his jaw clenched tightly and his arms folded across his chest.

I swallowed loudly and my heart rate accelerated even faster in my chest. He looked scarily formidable, but enticingly sexy all at once. Instinctively I went to twirl my thumb ring, but I’d taken it off before the run and found my nail digging into my bare skin instead. Nathan was obviously still angry with me. Very angry if the tight white skin on either side of his taught mouth was anything to go by.
Bugger
, I’d hoped the run might have cleared his anger, but apparently not. Licking my dry lips, I hesitantly made my way towards him and handed him a spare towel before linking my hands and averting my eyes.

‘I’m sorry for my behaviour earlier, Sir,’ I said softly. ‘I wasn’t thinking.’

‘It’s a little late for that, Stella, and I believe I warned you what would happen if you were ever rude enough to nod at me again,’ Nathan muttered as he used the towel to dry off his chest before rubbing it vigorously through his hair to soak up the sweat leaving it a mused and spiky mess flopping onto his face. Damn, he hadn’t forgotten about my nod, would he punish me? Here in the gym? My heart rate rocketed even higher as I wondered what he’d do to me.

Chucking the towel aside I watched as Nathan used his foot to push a low fitness step towards me until it nudged against my feet. ‘Stand on this.’

Frowning, I did as I was told and stepped up even though I had no idea what he was going to make me do next. Muscle training for my legs perhaps? After running almost flat out for 20 minutes, I seriously doubted if my legs could cope with any more training tonight. Surely, a run was enough?

‘Raise your arms and hold the bar,’ Nathan instructed, indicating to the chin up bar, but I hesitated, I’d heard that dark tone of voice before from Nathan, he wasn’t thinking about exercise now, he was planning something kinky. The idea instantly sent a jolt of lust thumping to my groin, but with his foul mood I was still wavering on whether this was a good idea right now.

‘But I’m all sweaty,’ I protested weakly knowing that a bit of bodily fluid wouldn’t stop Nathan if he had his mind set on something. What can I say? One thing I’ve learnt in my weeks with Nathan is that even with his obsessive hygiene he’s very tenacious when it comes to his pursuit of kink.

‘Do it,’ Nathan snapped. And my heartbeat fluttered so violently in my chest I wondered if it was going to crunch to a standstill. His tone left no doubt of his anger and there really was no other way I could think to delay him, so I reluctantly raised my arms and took hold of the cool metal pull up bar. This was hardly my best ever pose and yet still I was getting horny. Wincing I glanced down and saw the dark sweat marks on my vest top. Gross, although seeing Nathan sweating didn’t bother me in the slightest so maybe the feeling was mutual.

Bending down Nathan began to sort through a box of sports equipment apparently looking for something in particular. Boxing gloves were discarded to the side, as were small dumbbells and a stopwatch, before he grunted in acknowledgement, picked up a skipping rope and, without another word, proceeded to tie my wrists to the bar. Bloody hell! This was certainly new, but even with his appalling mood I couldn’t help but feel aroused by it, it was just something about Nathan and his commanding air that got me hot every frigging time I was near him.

‘Hold on, otherwise this will rub your skin,’ he instructed and I immediately did as I was told.

Once I was trussed up like some Victorian wench and unable to escape Nathan bent and removed my trainers and socks one by one, before coming to stand behind me and looking over my shoulder so I could see us both reflected in the large wall length mirrors than lined the gym. Nathan’s gaze was lowered from mine but there was no hiding the dark intent hidden behind his beautiful lashes. Wow, the view of us like this – Nathan commanding, cool, and deliciously shirtless – and me tied up completely at his mercy, was so frigging hot I felt like I was melting on the spot.

Moving away from me, Nathan began to slowly circle me like a predator checking out his latest prey. He was clearly trying to build up the anticipation, but he really needn’t have bothered, I was quivering, wet, and way past ready. Jeez, the way my heart was thumping I wondered why I’d bothered with the run, this was obviously just as good for my cardio as any treadmill time.

‘I’m going to spank you for your earlier disobedience.’
What!
Now that I had not expected! I’d thought his punishment might be no orgasm for me – or no sex full stop – but actual spanking? My breath caught in my throat as I processed his words … He was going to punish me while I was tied to a weights machine … was this guy for real?

To be honest I couldn’t quite believe it, but sure enough a second later he reached round me and begun his fun. First off Nathan merely flattened his hands on my quivering belly before splaying his fingers out and massaging me as he slowly began to slide his hands down inside my shorts and underwear, pushing them down my legs until they slipped to my ankles.

His next move was the most unexpected though, when he kicked the frigging step out from underneath my feet! Fuck! I was jerked into mid-air and left clutching at the bar above me with my feet kicking and swinging in surprise. It was all very inelegant really, my shorts and knickers fell to the floor as I desperately flailed around like a wriggling eel trying to support my own weight.

Eventually I worked out that if I stopped wriggling it was far easier to hold on, although thankfully the way Nathan had tied the rope did at least give my wrists some support.