Secrets Shared (7 page)

“Nor mine,” David said mildly. “Any pain I inflict is for pleasure. It’ll be for both our pleasure when I spank or flog you.” He looked at Jess and winked. Even though he didn’t move, his body language changed.
How can he do that?
His eyes darkened, and somehow his expression was one of interest and speculation.
Or domination?
She shuddered. The only domination she wanted was winning at cards.
Liar, liar, pants on fire.

“In your dreams.”

He grinned. “Oh, yes. Okay, go on then, you’re what eighteen?”

Jess nodded. “And naïve. Oh the odd lad had tried it on. But seriously, twiddling my boobs like locking and unlocking a door, or fixing a table is so not a turn on. Nor is trying to find my clit and missing. I mean it might not be the size of a cock, but surely a guy must have a rough idea of the female anatomy? Enough to know it’s in the front not attached to the rear. So it was one big yawn-fest, and something to giggle about in the loos at school. Until one day, my best friend and I had a sleepover. We shared a bed like we always had. Only this one time it was different. I don’t know who did what when, but I can hold my hand up and say we both knew where to find each other’s clit.” She let her mind drift back to those days of discovery.

“Kath?”

Jess had forgotten about David. She jumped and water spilled over her top. “Damn. Ugh, that’s wet.” She flapped her vest away from her skin. In Jess’ mind there wasn’t much worse than wet silk clinging to your body. She blocked her mind to how David’s shirt might look plastered to him.
That’s different.

“Take it off.” It was a suggestion—just.

“Pardon?” Jess had heard him correctly, but she wasn’t going to meekly do as David demanded. As much as she’d like to de-clammy herself, she wasn’t going topless for anyone.

“Go into the bathroom and take that wet top off. The bathroom is off my bedroom. Hell, woman I’ll find you something to put on. Heaven help if I see your boobs. I might not be able to control myself, and tie you up and force myself on you.”

“Not if you value your chances of replicating a row of little Davids at some time.” She hesitated and bit her lip. His eyes narrowed. Just that one small change in expression and her skin felt too tight for her body and her scalp tingled.
Fuck, when will I be able to control my reactions?
“Sorry, I forgot. So let that one go eh? Pretend you never saw it?” Jess said in a hurry, and hoped her frivolity would put him off her reaction. Even in the short time she’d known him she should have known better.
Shite, what have I said now?

“Who did that?”

She almost snarked back at him—“
Who did what?
”—but the look on his face made Jess change her mind. “That comes in the next bit,” she said quietly. “And yes, please, I will have something dry to put on.”

“Through there, bathroom is off it. I’ll get a shirt and leave it on the bed.”

Jess half smiled. “Thank you.” She walked quickly out of the room and through the bedroom to the bathroom. Once inside she leaned against the door and took a deep breath, before she looked around. If she hadn’t judged that one snigger might turn into hysteria, and David would burst in to find out what was wrong, she’d have laughed out loud. What had always seemed a sinister, dark, gloomy room built into the turret was now a bright, airy and quirky bathroom. No spiders, no squeaky floorboards and no strange noises coming from goodness knows where. All her childhood fears disappeared. Now if only her later ones could be disposed with as easily.

Jess wriggled out of her top and hung it over the rail. She dried herself with a towel, which was twice as thick as anything she’d gotten at home, and rolled her bra in it to soak up as much moisture as possible. There was no way she was going to go braless with his all-seeing eyes on her. Even the thought of the way he looked at her was enough to perk up her nipples. Damp or not, the bra was going back on straight away. As it was mainly lace it would dry quickly, especially with the beautiful cloth. Jess prided herself on little luxuries like that, but this surpassed everything.
Don’t get too used to it. It’s borrowed for two minutes, that’s all.
She struggled back into her bra and grimaced at the feel of the lacy material against her skin.

The knock on the door made her wrap the towel around herself. Jess cursed under her breath. She had to stop being so stupid.

“Shirt on the bed. I’m going back to the lounge.” David spoke through the door and didn’t as much turn the handle. Jess wasn’t sure to be annoyed or pleased. Not only did he leave her be, he didn’t give her time to answer, before she heard what she assumed was the door to the lounge closing. Jess hurried into the bedroom, and picked up the sea green silk shirt thrown on the bed. Evidently David was a fan of silk. She held it to her cheek and sniffed the material. When she realized what she was doing, Jess rolled her eyes.

Why am I trying to see if his scent is on it?
More to the point, why are my knickers damp? I didn’t drop any water there.

Chapter Eight

David twisted his chair sideways in to the table and drank his coffee. It was lukewarm, but he couldn’t be bothered to either heat it up or make a fresh pot. His phone bleeped to tell him there was an incoming text. With a sigh, he pulled it out of his pocket. As he’d expected, it was from Jeff. Succinct and to the point.

Is everything okay? Do you need me to take your class?

There was only one answer he could give, even if it did stretch the truth somewhat.

Yes, and yes.

Now he could concentrate on Jess.

He sensed her approach before he saw her. David looked up and the smile he’d begun froze. His shirt clung to her still damp skin. The sleeves hung down over her hands and only her pink-tipped nails showed beneath them. The hem reached to the top of her legs, and made him wish she’d ditched her jeans. She’d left the top few buttons open, and the neckline arrowed toward her breasts, which were outlined in loving detail. Her nipples stroked the silk and stood out proudly. One side slipped off her shoulder, and a delicate lace bra strap showed. David clenched his fingers and dug his nails into his palm to stop himself reaching out to touch. The lace beckoned and begged to be lifted from her skin to reveal the secrets underneath.
Soon.

“Ah, I left my top on the rail.” Her voice was soft, almost hesitant. “Um, can you help me roll these sleeves up?”

“Yeah, come here.”

Jess walked toward him and stood a foot or so away. David grabbed her wrists and pulled her to stand between his legs, to then anchor her with his knees. Her eyes widened, and the pulse in her neck beat a rapid tattoo, but she didn’t pull away.

“Don’t look at me like that. I’m one of the good guys.” He’d never felt so helpless in his life. How could he fight the boogeyman when he didn’t know what he was fighting? “You know they do say a trouble shared is a trouble halved, don’t you?” David ran his palms under the shirtsleeves. Jess shivered, and her lips parted. Her breath hissed as he trailed his fingers slowly back to her wrists, and her head fell forward.

And she says she’s not interested? Who’s she trying to kid?
David chose not to comment on her stance and rolled the cuffs back on the shirt until the sleeves gathered around Jess’s elbows.

“There, now if only that was all you were wearing, I’d be the most uncomfortable man in the country. As it is?” He laughed softly. His cock had been hard since Jess had walked back into the room, and even before it hadn’t been what he would call uninterested. “Look for yourself, even better—feel free to feel.” Was that going too far too fast?

Evidently not, because Jess stared downward for a moment before glancing back at his face. “Yes, well.” She cleared her throat. “Flattered and all that, but not interested.”

He wasn’t having that. “Oh, you’re interested all right. You’re body isn’t lying, even if your mouth is. We’ll have to work on this propensity of yours to deny your true desires.” He paused, as her eyes widened. “Later. No, don’t dig the hole any deeper. Carry on with your story.”

“Standing here?” She leaned back slightly and looked him in the eyes. “Like this?”

The tell-tale pulse in her neck that David realized was her personal mood barometer was beating in double time once more. “You can take your jeans off if you want.”

Jess shook her head. “No thanks, and have you arranged my transport home?”

“Ah, come on now, Jess,” he chided her gently. “You’ve told me very little and not even looked around. Why would I be doing that yet? So hey, finish, and bare your all—I know metaphorically only. Look at it this way, the sooner you tell me, the sooner you can finish your visit and leave. If you want to.”

She looked at him as if he’d gotten two heads, and grown horns. “Oh, I want to.”

David didn’t tell her he was going to do his damnedest to make her change her mind. “Then the faster you tell me…” he prompted her and let his voice trail off.

“The closer I am to going home,” Jess said.

There was no point in contradicting her. “If you say so.”

“Oh, I do, now where was I? Oh yeah, so Kath and I decided we liked how we made each other feel, and became lovers, and it was amazing. You know I never ever imagined I’d like a woman touching me? But her hands were so soft and her tongue so… Oh fuck, am I really saying this?”

She put her hands to her cheeks. David took hold of them and put them down by her side. “Yes, and it’s beautiful. It’s obvious your relationship with Kath isn’t what’s upset you and hurt you, so what did?” He knew he was pushing hard, but David had the impression if he didn’t they’d be there all night and no further forward.

Jess sighed. It was the most heart wrenching sound David had ever heard, and he had no option but to wait for her to carry on.

“I wanted to go traveling, Kath didn’t. She wanted to go to uni and study art. I knew I wanted to teach, but I wanted to see a bit of the world first. So off I set. Somehow I think we both knew that each other wasn’t going to be enough, and that was fine. If nothing else we’d shown each other what a caring relationship was all about. We had a great last night together, and off I went. At first I had a whale of a time. Thailand, Bali all the Brit backpack routes. I met lots of people, made friends and life was great. Then I moved on to Australia. I’d met up with a few other Brits and we traveled together, until we ended up in Melbourne. And I met Pete. Then everything went pear shaped, not that I realized that at first. I fell for him big time. He was a few years older than me, hot as hell and a blond surfer dude. My pussy went into spasms when I looked at him, and when he touched me? I thought I’d died and gone to heaven. I mean I’d have done anything for him. And the bastard realized that.”

“A wanna-be Dom?” David had a sinking feeling he knew the answer even before Jess laughed harshly.

“Oh yes, and the rest. At first well it was all fine, and”—she blushed—“turned me on. I always enjoyed that wee sting—you know, where it’s almost sore, but isn’t?”

He grinned and kissed her nose. Her face was scarlet. David appreciated how difficult it must be for her to tell him and could have kissed her senseless for her bravery. When she made up her mind to share her secrets she did it with no holds barred.

“Well, he sort of hit the spot with that every time. Then he told me he’d decided we needed more, and he was going to show me just what it was. With hindsight, I should have seen big ‘hold on’ warning signs. But until then? It had all been brilliant. He’d always asked me to do things, been kind and considerate, and well so reasonable, even when I wasn’t sure about anything. But it was like he had a personality transplant. He picked me up—thank goodness I hadn’t agreed to move in with him—took me back to his house and showed me a room he’d prepared for us. Even then I was so bloody besotted, I just stood there like a bloody moron. You see, I told him the mental picture of being blindfolded, or tied up and spanked excited me.” She wriggled and her breath hitched.

And it still does even if she doesn’t want to admit it. I bet if I put my hand on her clit she’d come in the blink of an eyelid. I wonder if she’s a screamer?
How he hoped he’d get the chance to find out. It had been a long time since David had felt so helpless. Here he was, a respected Master and Dom, and lost for words.

Not words, the
right
words
. He could utter all the correct platitudes, he knew that. However, for Jess, he needed more, and he was worried he’d not find the words that worked. He let go of her wrists and cuddled her tight to him. Her breath was warm above the open neckline of his shirt, and stirred the hairs that showed there.
This is where I want her to be. Where I want to be. Together with Jess, holding her in my arms and never letting go.
The picture didn’t make him pull back. Instead it seemed natural.

Jess was silent for a while. As much as he wanted to move things on, make her talk and let him help her—if he could—for a short while, David was content just as they were. Holding her and showing his support in that way.

“Well maybe it would have been,” she added. Her voice was so soft, David had to strain to hear. “Exciting, I mean, except not all together, and not left alone. Oh, David, I was scared, so scared, and even when I shouted, he didn’t come. I was so sure I was going to die.” She shuddered and he could hear how close to tears again she was.

“What?”

She jumped and David cursed himself for shouting. “Sorry, sweet, I’m not shouting at you.” He stroked her back and nuzzled her hair. “Just at the asshole. He left you alone how?”

No one but
no one
ever leaves a sub bound and blindfolded.