Cherished (Masters and Mercenaries #7.5)(22)

She moved against him, her breasts pressing to his chest as she twisted and turned to allow him access. How could she think she was jagged? Oh, she put on a good show, but he was starting to think it was all an act to cover how soft and sweet she was on the inside.

Their tongues played as he got a feel for her breast. A truly spectacular thing. Real and big and so f*cking soft. Softness—that was what he wanted, what he’d been looking for in her. She seemed so brazen on the outside, but he was discovering the sub within, and it did something to him. What if he could take this hellcat and make her purr for him and him alone? He’d always thought he wanted a purely submissive woman, but now he saw the advantages. He wouldn’t have to worry about Bridget. She wouldn’t let herself be taken for granted. She would likely whack him upside the head if he got too lost in work.

She could be a real partner if he let her.

Was that what he wanted?

He let the thought go because they didn’t need anything heavy. Not now. For now they needed to enjoy each other, to find out if they could potentially work.

“I want to see you.” He whispered the words against her lips. He could likely have started to ease the clothes off her, but that was too easy. He wanted her to be active. It seemed too much of her sex life had consisted of things that had been done to her. He wanted her with him, not waiting to see what he would do. “Take your clothes off for me.”

It was a calculated risk. Despite his belief that she’d likely had a lot of experience, she seemed shy. It could be an act or his instincts could be off. It wouldn’t be the first time, but whatever the issue was, he didn’t want to lose her. He’d given her an out and if she walked away now he might howl his frustration.

She stopped and he watched as she bit her bottom lip and seemed to come to a decision. She got off his lap, and he hated the loss of her weight, her warmth. She felt right to him in a way other women hadn’t. The women he’d dated during college and med school had been all about scratching an itch—for both of them. He’d carefully selected women as ambitious as he was, who wanted no ties. After a few years of his residency, he’d met a friend who took him to a club and he’d figured out why none of his relationships filled his soul. He needed some form of D/s to feel complete.

He’d tried with Starr but even when she curled into his arms, he’d felt the distance between them. He’d thought he could break down her barriers, not understanding the real problems.

Bridget thought she had walls, but the minute she was in his arms, she flowered open for him like a plant in need of sunshine.

He sat back, readjusting his cock as he waited for her.

“I know you don’t want to hear about…” she began.

On this he wouldn’t move. “You say one thing about your body other than here it is for you, Sir, and I’ll show you what my discipline feels like.”

She frowned, but even that was cute on her. “Fine, but I would have warned you.”

Almost defiantly, she pulled her shirt over her head and quickly had her bra undone. Her breasts bounced free and she went to work on her jeans. She shoved those off and got rid of her panties, too. She put her arms out to her sides. “Here it is for you, Sir.”

Such a bitch. He was surprised to find he didn’t mind it.

He stared at her for a moment, taking her in. There was no way to miss the surgical scar on her abdomen and he wondered if that was one of the things she’d been planning on warning him about. His first instinct was to study it because it told a tale. She’d either been in an accident of some kind or someone had tried to hurt her. She’d likely lost her spleen. Not serious? That was pretty damn serious. But he was going to let it go for now. He was going to focus on all the beauty in front of him and not something that would likely remind her of a bad time.

She was scared he would reject her and so she put up a front. Some Doms would spank her, but he had other plans. A spanking would just get her hot, and he actually wanted to teach her something.

“Touch your breasts. Hold them up for me.”

She frowned as though that was the last thing she’d expected to hear from him. “Because they practically hit the floor?”

Or he could throw a spanking in, too. “I’m giving you one last warning and then it’s ten for every nasty word that comes out of your mouth about yourself. Hold them up for me because they’re like ripe fruit and I want you to offer them to me. Did my erection wilt at the sight of your body? Did I faint dead away and beg out of the contract? Or did my mouth water the minute I laid eyes on those tits?”

“I’m guessing it was the mouth watering thingee.”

“See, I knew you were smart, sweetheart.”

Slowly her hands came up and all the defiance seemed to have fled. She turned the loveliest shade of pink, as though she’d finally realized she was naked in front of him and he was enjoying the view.

“You have the prettiest nipples,” he said, watching her. “I’m going to suck on them soon.” There was no way he could miss the flush that covered her skin. She liked the idea. “Is that what you want? Do you want me to suck on your nipples? I’ll lick them and nibble on them and make sure they’re round and hard by the time I’m done.”

“Can I quote you on that?”

The last thing he wanted was to get turned into a hero for one of her books, but as long as she kept it to sex, he didn’t see a problem with it. “Sure. Do you often quote your lovers in your books?”