Reluctant Surrender (42 page)

He expected her to stand when he reached her, so when she dipped down, all slinky and sexy in third position and rested her forehead on the tip of his shoe he sucked in a breath. With the fishnet pulled across her back and ass and her hair pooled at his feet he was left speechless. He heard someone whisper, “Beautiful.” And another man say, “Bravo.” But for all that, he couldn’t move. Time stood still while he determined what to do. She shouldn’t be here. She had a dream, and it wasn’t this.

He fully intended to send her away, but then he helped her up and all his good intentions deserted him. She proudly stood before him, her gaze leveled on the floor, her back and shoulders straight with her breasts thrust out and hands clasped behind her back. The beauty and finesse of her position was only eclipsed by the fact that she was doing it in front of a crowd of people. Conquering her fear for him. Humbling herself, surrendering herself to the moment, all for him. The bolt of triumph that rocketed through him was staggering as one thought emerged.

Colin Reneaux was his. Only his. In this he had no choice.

Colin held her breath. Ethan was taking so long she almost looked up but then she’d wreck everything if she did that. She wanted to be the perfect sub tonight. She wouldn’t ruin it by breaking the rules.

“Are you sure about this, Colin?”

“Yes Sir.”

“Tell me why.”

“I don’t want to be a wood-pusher anymore.”

“What?” Despite being the center of attention and highlighted on stage, he needed to know she could handle this. It wasn’t too late for her to back out.

“I’m done with chasing after the queen and being distracted by the rest of the pieces on the board. I want to capture the king, that’s my end game.”

She waited him out and was vastly relieved when he stepped closer.

“Come,” he ordered quietly.

That voice of his did odd things to her insides and when he took hold of her hand a wave of warmth shot up her arm and made her quiver. She wanted so badly to look at him. To read what was in his eyes, but didn’t dare. She’d have to live with the few glimpses she’d gotten of him earlier as he’d moved across the stage. God, when she’d seen him come out she’d nearly melted. Shirtless and dressed in black leather pants, he looked absolutely primal. Tall, dark and strong with the hint of a beard growing. The added ruggedness lent to his appeal and now that he was close his spicy scent wrapped her in a euphoric haze she wanted—

“No! This is my night, you fucking bitch!”

If Ethan didn’t have hold of her hand Colin would have spun around. Instead, he pushed her behind him and he was the one who pivoted to deal with the incensed woman. And he would have too, if Jo hadn’t hurdled over a kneeling sub. She soared through the air and landed in a skidding halt right behind Jade. Without pausing she threw her arms around the other woman, effectively imprisoning her in a stationary position. She leaned around Jade’s shoulder and gasped, “I got this.”

“Let go of me,” Jade screamed. She shook her hair out of her eyes and screamed, “Who do you think you are? I’ll tell them about her. I swear.”

Colin came out from behind Ethan and said loud enough for the guy who was handling the door duty to hear, “I’m Colin Reneaux. I blog as Riling Rita.” She spotted the reporter Ted had said would be there and pointed at him. “You can quote me on that.”

Ethan yanked her into his arms. “Easy there, Chicken Little. It’s one thing to come out screaming when the sky is falling down and another when there’s just a chance of rain.”

When he stepped toward Jade, Jo gave the squirming woman a squeeze and repeated, “I said I got this.”

“And I got this,” Ted said dryly, ignoring the flack he got from both women. With little effort he scooped Jo back with one hand while he took hold of Jade with his other. “Carry on, guys. The three of us are going to go outside and join David and the doctor on the porch.”

Ethan turned to Colin. “Doctor? Is someone sick?”

“No, that’s my friend, Lacy, she’s a veterinarian.”

“A vet,” he repeated, but his eyes were sizzling their way up and down her outfit. “David will love that.”

She was going to ask why, but then his hands were on her. He was touching her hair, her shoulders and then her breasts and by the time he was through she forgot about all the people, the disruption and Jade. There was nothing but him.

“They’re expecting a show. Shall we?”

She mouthed the word “wow”.

“What?” He tucked a curl behind her ear.

“Finally there’s a real ‘we’ to that shall.”

They stared at each other for a charged moment, filled with so many things until that power, that magnetism of his came at her, making her breathless.

“Colin.”

It was his tone that did it. Got her listening, attuned and excited. She took a deep breath, dropped her gaze to the floor and whispered, “Yes Sir.”

“Beautiful.” When she heard his husky reply she knew in that moment to him she was and the thought gave her unshakable strength.

He brought her to the spanking horse. The one that he’d let her test out that day when they did tapas, but this time, after he helped her on, he strapped her in. Her wrists and ankles where tightly tied. Not too tight, but tight enough that she knew he meant business.

“Relax.” He bent down and spoke in her ear, “I love how your ass looks in that netting, but I want to see more of it.” He shifted and bit her right cheek enough to sting. Then he murmured, “Don’t move, baby girl. This will only take a moment.”

He pulled the band of her thong to one side and she felt the coldness of metal against her hip. He better not be…

Yes, he was. He was cutting off her new thong. Men! She stiffened as she fumed until he smacked her predominately displayed bottom with the flat of his palm. “Get over it.”

He cut the other side and then reached between her legs and accessed the fabric of her ruined panties through a break in netting. Purposely, he took his time getting hold of the bit of lingerie, touching and rubbing his fingers against her core until she moaned.

“That’s better.” He tugged on the thong and pulled it off her. “Now, pick a color. Black, brown or pink?”

She was drowning in a sea of sensations. It was only the two of them. Everything and everyone else was forgotten. A color. She needed to choose a color. Again, the day they did tapas came to her and she heard the voice in her head.
Choose black or brown.
Definitely black or brown, so when she answered, “Pink” she wanted to smack herself, but then it was kind of hard to do that, tied down as she was. Dammit.

“Impulsive,” he clipped.

“Mysterious,” she accused and then thought about it. Lame. Lame.

“Let’s clear up the mystery.”

He didn’t need to say the “shall we” because she’d already mentally repeated it twice before he snapped the belt hard to make a threatening
whap
.

Expecting him to start landing blows any second, she tried to relax and attempted to breathe.

“I must say I love this outfit. If you could see your ass the way I see it right now?” He sighed. “It’s screaming for me to spread it open and fuck it.”

What was he doing? The belt she thought he’d use to land blows wound up wrapped high around her right thigh. Cinched and tight so that the metal buckle was pressed against the intimate flesh that swelled and bulged through the fishnet.

“Let’s make this more interesting.” He bit her shoulder, her back and hip before he reached between her legs and slid her open. Without a word he place something small, round and thrumming against her clit, rearranging the net so it was held in tight. Almost too tight. She nearly came, but he smacked her ass, refocusing her attention. “No coming, Colin. You can flex and moan. Scream if you have to, but I don’t want you coming until I say you can.”

“Yes Sir.”

At this point it was up to God, because she was so close, but then she heard someone cough and all of a sudden she remembered where she was and who was there and—

Smack.

“Focus.” He moved away she could tell, not that she looked because of a sudden she was wishing she had a blindfold. She didn’t want to see people. She wanted to forget. Ethan would make her forget. Ethan.

She must have said his name out loud because he returned and said, “I’m right here baby girl. Let’s show everyone what a lucky bastard I am. Open your mouth.”

She did, fully expecting it to be his flesh, the hard warmth of him, so when she was met with ice she tried to snap her head back.

“Shh, easy, Colin, it’s an ice dildo. Open your mouth. Pretend this is me and take it. Take it all the way down your throat. It’s cold I know…”

Colin tried but it wasn’t the same. She wanted to please him. Wanted to do this. It just wasn’t the same.

Ethan watched as Colin tried to do his bidding. She strained and pushed and yet she couldn’t get the proper rhythm going. Reaching down, he took the small vibrator away from the flesh it tortured and took the ice dildo out of her mouth.

“Fuck it.” He undid the belt and held on to it. He’d never. Never. Exposed himself in a public scene before. This was all about control. Not about getting off, or being an exhibitionist. But seeing how hard Colin was trying with an audience looking on? And knowing this to be a monumental and life-changing experience for her? He wasn’t going to set her up to fail. He knew that would be how she’d view this if he didn’t do something fast. “Let’s get rid of this ice and the vibrator too. Let’s go old school. You like raw heat.” He unbuttoned his leathers and lifted the hardest part of him out. “Look how hot I am for you.”

The second he fed his cock to her it was game over. She sank into her zone and he could only imagine what the spectators who were paying attention thought. She deep-throated better than any woman he knew. It was effortless, a joy to her. Every time she took him deep he snapped the strap across her ass. She’d moan and tried harder. The vibrations she made in her throat that barreled over his length with each smack encouraged him to up the force. To quicken the pace. God, the effort she made, the sight of her ass rippling after each stoke of the belt that landed on the fleshiest part of her cheek had him sweating. Until he threw the belt to the floor and changed tack. He anchored his hands in her hair and fucked that mouth of hers, sawing deeply into her, pushing down her throat until her nose was squashed against his abdomen. Over and over he pumped into her, encouraging her as he moved.

“You have a fine mouth. Your throat. Goddamn, your throat hugs the fucking hell out of me. That’s right. Take it all.” He slowed his pace and let her do her thing until he couldn’t stop himself. He pushed all the way in and violently came. She moaned and licked until the last of his spasms passed.

He waited a few seconds and then gently pulled out of her mouth, caressing her cheek as he bent down to whisper, “Did you hold off for me, Colin? Did you do as you were told?”

“Yes Sir.” She was shaking with the need to come and he couldn’t have been any more proud of her at the moment.

“Very good. Will you be my brave girl?”

“Please.”

“Old school, Colin.” He loved how she hissed in a gasp when he slid two fingers inside her. “No electronics.” Pressing his thumb against her clit, he rubbed in slow circles. Drawing out heavy moans, breathy gasps and the occasional cry when he retreated. “God, you’re so wet and hot. Too hot.”

Working her good, he moved and pushed three fingers in. Pressing against her G-spot, gently rocking. Slow and thorough until she was almost there. That’s when he picked up the ice dildo and whispered, “Brave girl.” Slowly he eased out of her. He brought the dildo between her legs but was careful not to touch her with it just yet. “I want you to relax, Colin. Your feet, your legs, your hips, you’re like jelly. Totally relaxed.” He pushed the ice inside her, not stopping until it was fully inserted.

She cried out from the shock of it and tried to buck when he pressed the vibrator against her clit. It was fast and furious. Agonizingly beautiful as her whole body convulsed once, twice and then stiffened for a suspended moment before her release came—hard. And the second her contractions eased, he took the ice out of her, cupping her with the warmth of his palm, while he waited for her to return to the moment. Without a word he gently undid the restraints, peeled her off the horse and hauled her up into his arms. With her head tucked under his chin and her soft-as-silk body against him, he carried her out of the theater.

His only thought was getting her to the boathouse, cutting her out of her luscious outfit. Truthfully he would have done it sooner but he was a jealous bastard and didn’t want prying eyes to have an unobstructed view of her satin skin. Later there’d be plenty of time for talk about this possessiveness she stirred within him. Right now, as he made his way out the back entrance with her, all he wanted was the peace and comfort of their home. That’s the way he thought of the boathouse, would he think the same way when they moved?

“I knew I should have shot you when I had the chance.”

Jade sprang at them out of the shadows, brandishing something that glinted in the security lighting. Ethan feared it was a knife. She came close, fast. So fast the most Ethan could do to shield Colin was to twist and curl protectively over her. He braced himself for the hit he knew was coming.

“You’re a wily fucker, I’ll give you that.”

Ethan heard Colin’s friend and chanced a look over his shoulder. Jo had Jade by the hair with one hand and managed to catch hold of her arm with the other. They struggled for a few seconds and Ethan would have put Colin down to help, but Jo was a scrappy thing. She got a good hold of Jade in a headlock and managed to yank the weapon from the screaming woman’s hand. When she did Ethan realized it wasn’t a knife she’d been holding, it was one of the heavy sterling candlesticks the designer had insisted they place on the baby grand in the lobby. When he saw it he was totally relieved. Jo held it up, grinning, and he grinned back.

“Jo? Is that you?”

Colin squirmed and tried to push away from his chest. He wasn’t having that. “She’s fine. Stop moving. I’m not letting you down while you’re dressed like this. I’ve done enough sharing the sight of you for one night.”