Just One Taste (Topped #2)(32)

He let go and stepped back, giving her space. That was what he’d been doing all this time. She’d thought they were falling into friendship and all along he’d been the wolf in sheep’s clothing waiting for the right moment to pounce.

He was too much, too scary for her to even think about staying with. If she couldn’t handle her ex, she was sure she wouldn’t be able to handle Eric.

But she couldn’t force herself to move. She needed to back away and protect herself, but a sudden vision of Eric with another woman nearly brought her to her knees. As though they moved of their own volition, her hands came up, fingers unbuttoning the blouse she wore. Her eyes locked with Eric’s, and she saw the moment he realized she wasn’t walking away. Those green orbs flared and then satisfaction settled over him. His sensual lips curled up as he watched her undress. She was so aware of what she was doing. This was what had been missing before when it came to sex. The lovers she’d taken had been hurried and thoughtless, more concerned with pleasure than real intimacy. Eric was forcing her to take her time, to connect with him. It was scary, but she couldn’t stop herself. She wanted the connection with him. He was right. If she walked away without even trying, she would regret it.

Her ex had taken something from her. It was far past time to see if she could get it back. This piece of herself, the sexual self she’d never explored, had lain dormant. It had been sent into hiding by cruel words and self-doubt, and she could feel it stirring under Master Eric’s hot gaze.

He hadn’t been lying. He wanted her. He wanted to do all those nasty things he’d promised and she worried he would follow through on every one of them. The Dom was definitely in charge tonight.

She slipped her fingers under the front clasp of her bra, unhooking it and feeling her nipples rasp against the cotton cups. Her ex had told her she needed to get into better shape, but she’d always liked her body. It was curvy and soft, but strong. Somehow she knew Eric would like it, too. Though she was seeing a rougher side of the man, she knew deep down he was still Eric. He could talk a filthy game, but there wasn’t an unkind streak in the man. She eased the bra off and folded it, laying it and her blouse in his waiting hands.

“Now the jeans. Leave your shoes by the door.”

She started to unbutton the fly of her jeans and felt the waistband of her undies. Yeah, she wasn’t supposed to wear those. She rapidly calculated the likelihood of slipping them off with her jeans and getting away with it. Not good odds. “Uhm, Sir, I didn’t realize we were playing tonight.”

“Are you serious?” His eyes narrowed. “Tell me you didn’t disobey a direct order. Tell me you’re not wearing panties.”

“I would love to be able to do that, but jeans are rough on a girl’s hoo haw.”

“Do you know what else is rough on your *? A violet wand. Maybe a TENS unit. Do I have to attach an electrode to your private parts to remind you of what the rules are? Or should I spank that * raw? Is that what you want?”

She wasn’t sure why, but when he talked like that her whole body seemed to go limp and submissive. “No, Sir. I’m sorry, Sir. I didn’t think we would be playing tonight. You haven’t wanted to play outside the club.”

He got into her space again, taking her chin with his left hand and forcing her head up so she had to look at him. “You don’t guess at what I want or what I don’t want. I told you what would happen if I caught you in panties again so you will not be getting these back and when I take you home tonight, you will surrender the rest of your underwear to me. I will decide if and when you get them back. You signed a contract that made your body mine. I’ve been indulgent up to this point, but you keep pushing me. If you’re not careful, I’ll be selecting every item of clothing you are allowed to wear outside of work. Do you want that, Deena? Do you want me to make those decisions for you? Do you want to give up that much control?”

She shook her head. That idea held no appeal at all. She liked the idea of being submissive for sex and play, but she was too independent to go any further. “No, Sir. I won’t wear them when we’re together.”

“Give them to me.”

She hurried to do his bidding, the whole place seeming to shrink. She knew the house she was in was huge and filled with people, but the world seemed to shrink down to the two of them. She could no longer hear the sounds of the party. Only his voice mattered. She shoved out of her pants, dragging her panties with them. She folded the jeans, placing the black cotton undies on top. She wouldn’t be seeing them again. She was going to miss wearing underwear, but it would be worth it to keep her body feeling so alive and ready. Her skin was tingling, waiting for the moment he would lay those big, callused hands on her.

Eric nodded toward the mirror that ran the length of one side of the room. She turned and there she was in all her glory. No way to miss that. She was so naked, her nipples taut and skin flushed with arousal.

“Yes, I want to stare, too. You’re as f*cking gorgeous as I thought you would be, and you have no idea how many times I managed to picture you naked. I didn’t even come close to the real thing.” He stood behind her, so close she could feel the heat rolling off his body. “Tell me I can touch you. I know it’s in our contract, but I want to hear you say it. I want to know you’re doing this because you want me, not just because we have a contract between us.”