Reluctant Surrender (34 page)

“Jesus Christ!”

“Foolish and tense up. Relax your body. Breathe.”

It was burning now, and her body was fighting every attempt she made at relaxing. “Take it out.”

“No.”

She hissed in a breath because he punctuated that word by fitting it fully inside her. “Ethan.”

“How many strokes did I say you were to get? Fifteen?”

“Ten! Ten.” She drew in deep, calming breaths. The burn was building. Getting uncomfortable.

“Ten? I don’t think so.” He rubbed a hand over an ass cheek and she quivered. “Let’s split the difference, shall we? And call it thirteen.”

“Twelve,” she choked out, trying her best not to squirm.

“Fifteen.” He leaned down and whispered, “Concentrate. Let the tension out of your feet.” He stroked her arm with his big palm. “Your calves. Your knees. Your thighs. That’s right. Imagine your midsection easing. Your back. Your shoulders. Good. That’s right.”

Suddenly the rising panic vanished and in its place was a warm, almost cozy acceptance. Which was such a bizarre experience she nearly felt like crying and she didn’t know why.

Smack.

Automatically, she tensed, so it wasn’t the light tap he’d given her that caused her to gasp. It was the burst of prickly hotness that invaded her from the ginger.

“Relax.”

Smack.

“Ow!”

“Are you sorry you sat in my chair after you were told not to?”

“Yes.”

“How sorry?”

“I’m very sorry, Ethan.” She laid it on thick, thinking that if she did he might go back to his original count or lower. “Very, very sorry.”

“Remain still. Deep breath.”

Smack, smack, smack, smack, smack.

Right about then she started to realize the force he was using to spank her was steadily increasing. Over and over. Harder and harder.

Smack, smack, smack, smack.

By now his palm had her bottom hot and numb and she knew the moment he stopped it would sting and itch. Mindful of the ginger, she continued breathing through her punishment. Staying as still as she could.

Smack, smack, smack, smack!

“There. All done.”

She didn’t know what to think. The previous burning was now a throb that went through her like a too-tight hug. Welcome, yet at the same time not. She barely even felt it when he removed the ginger. If not for the crinkle of the bag she probably wouldn’t have noticed.

“Stand up, Colin and take off your clothes.”

She felt a little fuzzy, slightly disoriented and figured that had more to do with the blood pooling in her head while she was doubled over his knee than it did with the spanking itself.

“Steady now,” he said as he helped her stand. He leaned forward. “Arms up. Good.” He tossed her t-shirt aside. “Take off the pants, baby girl.”

She did and when she stood there totally naked she was surprised to find she felt pretty darn good, considering. She figured it all had to with the fact that there was no scowl on his face anymore and when he spread his legs apart and shifted lower in the chair she remembered.

Unconsciously she stepped forward and he clicked his tongue. “Ask for permission.”

“May I suck your cock?”

“Please.” His eyes darkened and she wanted to die. He was so attractive to her at this moment. So handsome and strong. So powerful she would have begged him any way he wanted her to for the privilege.

“Please may I suck your beautiful cock?”

He nodded and she dropped down on her knees and scooted between his legs. One minute she was undoing his pants, lifting his bulk out and the next she was licking him. Sucking him, swallowing him over and over again until she heard his raspy voice from a distance.

“That’s enough, Colin. Damn you have the sweetest mouth. But I want to fuck you. Put this on my cock.”

He pressed a condom into her palm and this time she didn’t wait for him to tell her to use her mouth to unroll it. She curled over him and did just that. Relishing his grunt and drawn-out groan as she maneuvered the latex on him. She was barely done and he growled.

“Get up here, gorgeous.” He had one hand fisted in her hair and his other grasping her jaw as she slid down on him. Shivering, opening, loving his thick hardness as it stretched her. Claimed her. Sank into her fully.

“Ethan…”

“Ride me. Get those hips moving. Oh yeah, like that.” She seated herself on him and then eased up only to slam back down. “Again. Faster, come on. Ride me faster,” he ordered as she pumped up and down. The burn, the sting, the heat and power of him was the best and most crucial aphrodisiac she’d ever had.

She forgot herself and got lost in the moment, until the moment was too much as her adrenaline sped and raced, peaking to a toe-curling climax that left her breathless, shivering and panting. Her body trembled as she was completely drained and wilted around him.

It wasn’t until several moments later that she noticed he’d stopped moving and allowed her time to recover. At least that’s what she thought he was doing because she knew he hadn’t seen to his own pleasure yet. Rubbing her palm over his chest, she murmured, “Ethan?”

“Yes?”

“Why did you stop?”

He leaned back, looking down while he forced her to look up. “Because we have all afternoon. How about we go take a shower together?”

“Why? Because of the—” She didn’t want to say ginger, so she fell forward and buried her face against his neck, waiting for him to finish that for her.

“No.”

She snapped up and blinked at him, getting an instant thrill as his dark-green eyes sparked.

“I have the most amazing handheld showerhead and I want to show you something special I can do with it. Are you in?”

“Yes. Yes!”

Chapter Nineteen

Colin took a Kleenex from her purse and wiped the picnic table surface while she waited for Ethan to get their salads. She couldn’t believe it was Monday already, which meant there were only three days left of their time together. But she wasn’t worried about that because Ethan was—she took a deep breath and gave the table one more swipe—a gentleman. Oh, he may have everyone else fooled with The Hypnotist, tough Dom persona, but not her. She knew deep down that under all that bad-boy glam was a decent man capable of having a meaningful relationship.

Didn’t they talk about important things? Share secrets? Laugh and make love until both of them were too exhausted to move? She stared at the crumpled tissue in her hand and smiled.

He didn’t make everything hard. He may have said that he would, but his actions had proved otherwise. He was a generous lover who knew how to make her legs shake and with his persistence to push her into exposing some of her greatest fears, she’d learned quite a bit about herself. Now, admittedly, there was still a small part of her that held back but she couldn’t help that and according to him, only time and guidance would lead to ultimate freedom. In order to hurry the process along, he’d insisted she present herself to him at least once a day naked and on her knees.

And somehow, that had become part of her new normal. She still couldn’t believe that this was really happening. She didn’t want to dwell on it too much, as truthfully she was afraid she’d wreck things if she did because she felt like a million bucks. As if she could do anything she set her mind to. Was that what falling in love was like? Love? That word, so large and overwhelming—so indefinable to her just a week ago came to her without a second thought. Shouldn’t she be scared? Cautious? She could get hurt again. Only this time, it would be much worse.

An image of Ethan as he looked this morning, so boyish and relaxed, came to mind. His eyes had twinkled when he’d used his index finger to draw lazy circles on her naked stomach as he stubbornly insisted she come clean about her first impression of him that afternoon in the silk-draped dungeon. Every time she’d hesitated to give him the answer he wanted, he’d tickled her. She could almost hear his rueful laughter. Ethan wouldn’t hurt her. Hadn’t he agreed to come to the zoo today just to please her?

When she suggested they come up for air and go out, she never would have thought they’d wind up here. In the city. Not that she was complaining. She loved the zoo, it was fun, but she truly thought he’d say no so that they’d spend another full day in bed together. She’d actually been a little disappointed that he’d been so accommodating.

“Colin you’re bad,” she whispered to herself.
No, he’s good.
She could hardly wait to get back home. He promised her another chess game and—

“Can I sit here?”

Colin turned at the sound of the little voice and smiled. She guessed the girl was seven or eight, and once her question sank in, Colin frowned. Where had all these children come from? She scanned the courtyard. She’d been so wrapped up in her thoughts she’d missed the army of school kids who’d invaded the surrounding tables.

“There’s no place else to sit.”

“You don’t mind do you?” A harried-looking woman, no doubt one of the school’s chaperones, called as she rushed by, trying to catch up with a boy who lost his baseball cap.

“No.” Colin straightened. “Of course…” But the woman was gone. “Not.” She said this to the little girl and no sooner had she done so than the imp motioned to a group of kids who stood off to one side. The cheeky way they held back made Colin laugh. Apparently, the blonde sprite was the go-to girl to wrangle the group a seat. “But my friend is coming back with our lunch in a minute, so we have to leave him a seat.” Those words were barely out when she was swarmed.

* * * * *

Ethan’s heart went out to the ninety-year-old server as she shuffled back and forth behind the counter, trying to keep things straight. Ten minutes ago, he’d ordered two tossed salads, a bottle of water and an iced tea, and so far none of those items had materialized. He was trying to be patient, but the previously deserted pavilion was now buzzing with the electrified energy of dozens of hungry school kids. He watched the shouting, wrangling horde for a moment and thanked God Colin had chosen a covered picnic table outside for them to have lunch at, as he never would have survived the chaos in here. Colin would have. He frowned. She was good at a whole pile of things. And that was the problem.

He recalled this morning. He was glad she’d suggested that they get out of bed today, or else he wouldn’t have budged. She was like a drug to him. He couldn’t keep his hands off her. She fascinated him. Far different from the type of woman he’d always pursued before. She was candid to a fault and enjoyed talking about business, maybe even more than he did, which was a goddamn miracle.

Grabbing some napkins out of the dispenser, he sighed when that knot in his chest started tightening. This part of him always squeezed when he contemplated her being in his life permanently. He lived the kind of life that would demand certain things from her. Right now she accepted them and was committed to trying, but how long would that acceptance and commitment last once their ten days was up? She’d said herself that a guy like him didn’t fit in with her future plans and now that he knew the architecture behind those he doubted he’d get her to alter the blueprint to make room for him. No, the only way they’d have any chance was if she got over her fear of how people perceived her. That was why she hid behind the Riling Rita character. Was it only because she’d put herself out there once and been badly burned? Or was there something else yet to be discovered. Could he lead her to that discovery?

“Your salads and two waters.”

Ethan looked down at the stuff and hid his confusion. Okay, what to do? The woman had given him a Caesar salad instead of a tossed and the iced tea was now a water, should he— An ear-piercing scream sounded and he winced. Screw it. He’d eat the Caesar and take the blame for the drink mix-up because there was no way in hell he was sticking around in this bedlam.

He scooped up the items and shouted, “Thanks.”

He was just congratulating himself for getting out there without further incident when he exited and saw their table. “For fuck’s sake.”

“You swore.”

Ethan looked down at the kid standing beside him and frowned. “Yeah, sorry about that.”

“That’s okay, my dad swears a lot too.”

He was gone in flash. Too bad the young crowd around Colin didn’t get the hint like that kid did. He handed over her lunch and made a face. “I wasn’t expecting guests.”

She accepted the tossed salad and pointedly eyed his Caesar. “You change your mind about the tossed?”

“Yeah.” He slid into the narrow space the three boys on his side of the bench had left him and added, “With a little help.”

“Help?” She popped her salad container opened and drizzled the lettuce with Italian dressing.

“It’s a long story.” She hadn’t mentioned anything about the iced tea. Was she ignoring the screw-up? Certain things could be ignored. Namely the boy directly to his left who was scrutinizing him with beady little eyes. Talk about no manners, but he felt bad about her iced tea. He knew how much she liked it. “I’m sorry about the drink mix-up.”

“No problem.”

Opening his own container, he started tossing the lettuce and dressing together and tried to ignore the ogling kid whose eyes were still peeled on him.

“Hey, mister.”

Ethan’s stopped tossing and stiffened. “What?”

“Are you guys dating?”

Only then did he turn and look down. “Sort of.”

“Huh?” The kid smiled and there were bits of burger bun and meat stuck in his braces. Delicious.

Ethan wanted to tell him to mind his own fucking business, but one look at Colin’s amused expression and he changed his mind. “We’re, ah, in the getting-to-know-one-another phase of a relationship.”

The kid made a face, wiped the ketchup off his chin with the back of his hand, and shrugged. Colin smiled and her eyes gleamed. A half a minute went by where they all ate in silence, but then the boy sitting on Colin’s right punched the kid to his left. That kid, in turn, punched him back, which caused the kid on her right to knock against her. She was just balancing a cherry tomato on her plastic fork when he slammed into her. She jerked from the impact and the tomato bounced across the table.