Burn (Breathless #3)(45)

Chapter sixteen

Ash was nearly undone by the sight of Josie on her knees, her mouth around his dick, just like he’d imagined so many times since seeing her that first day in the park. Now she was his. In his apartment. His life.

He knew she’d given him a precious gift. He didn’t look beyond the fact that she offered him her trust. She’d placed her body and heart in his hands, and he’d do whatever it took to protect both. He’d never take for granted what this beautiful, courageous woman was giving him.

He slid his hands through her hair, curling the strands around his fingers as he leaned into her. Deeper. Each stroke the most exquisite pleasure he’d ever experienced.

He’d had many women. He’d been honest with Josie about that. But she was different. And he couldn’t even say why definitively. There was something about her that just spoke to him on a different level. Made him think about permanency when that had never been an issue in his past relationships. But then, him and Jace f**king the same women could hardly be classified as actual relationships.

It had been years since he’d spent any time with a woman one-on-one, and he found the idea appealed to him now. Josie appealed to him.

She was on her knees before him, utterly submissive, and not only submissive, but she wanted the same things he wanted. Enjoyed the same kinks he enjoyed. There wasn’t a more perfect woman for him. Of that he was certain.

He sank deep into her mouth, twitching at the back of her throat before sliding back out, enjoying the rasp of her tongue over the sensitive underside of his dick. Then he withdrew, watched as her eyes, aquamarine pools clouded with desire, found his.

Wordlessly, he extended his hand down for hers to help her to her feet. As soon as she’d risen, he pulled her into his arms, crushing her against his chest. He kissed her, almost forgetting in his urgency to possess her mouth that he should take care. She still wore bruises. Her mouth was still tender. Yet it hadn’t stopped him from f**king her mouth, even as gentle as he’d been.

“Let’s go into the bedroom,” he said gruffly. “I’ve been hard on your mouth. For now I’ll focus on other portions of your delectable body.”

Her eyes flared with heat and anticipation. She’d asked him for kinky. He sure as hell could accommodate her there. His hands itched to redden her ass, to see his marks of possession on her body. It was a primitive urge that completely overtook him. He wanted to own her, for there to be no question as to his ownership.

But as he guided her toward his bedroom, he acknowledged that he didn’t want just to own her body. He wanted to own her heart. And while he would possess her body in short order—as he’d already possessed her once—it would take much more effort and time to own the parts of her she held most dear. Her heart, mind and soul.

He wanted them all. Wouldn’t settle for anything less than all of her.

Now he just had to convince her.

“Get on the bed. Lie on your stomach, hands behind you at the small of your back. I’ll come to you as soon as I prepare everything.”

She caught her breath and color suffused her cheeks. He could see her breathing had sped up and excitement reflected in her gaze. Her hand slid from his, leaving him bereft of her touch. Then she walked to his bed and positioned herself as he’d directed.

He collected the items he needed from his closet. A leather strap. He was confident it would bring her—and himself—great pleasure. A length of rope.

He dropped the rope on the bed and then positioned his knee between her splayed thighs. He gathered her wrists in one hand and then began coiling the silken rope around them, binding them together.

She gasped softly. He could feel the tension coiling in her body.

When he had her wrists securely tied, he stepped back.

“Up on your knees,” he said firmly, injecting a bite of command into his tone. “Ass in the air. Cheek against the mattress.”

She struggled upward, and he reached underneath her, splaying his hand over her soft belly. He helped her upward until her knees found purchase in the mattress and she rested her face against the bed.

Satisfied with her position, he stepped back again to retrieve the leather strap.

“Have you done this before, Josie? I don’t want it to be too much. You need to let me know what you can take.”

“Yes,” she whispered. “And I can take a lot, Ash. Don’t hold back. I . . . need it. I want it.”

He leaned forward, blanketing her with his body. “If it’s too much, at any time, you say stop. Understand? It all ends with that word, darling.”

A shudder rolled through her body. She liked endearments. He liked her reaction every time he used them.

Then he stepped back once more and smoothed a hand over her plump ass.

“Twelve,” he said. “Twelve marks you’ll wear on your skin. When I’m certain you’re with me, we’ll graduate to more. But for now, we start at a dozen.”

She nodded, her eyes closed, her lips tight with anticipation. He didn’t make her wait any longer.

The first snap of leather against her skin was loud in the silence. She jumped, the red immediately blazing across her ass. Then a soft moan escaped her lips, the sound intoxicating to him.

Again he expertly delivered the blow, the other cheek this time. Red shimmered, coloring her skin, the contrast between the paler, untouched skin and where the leather had kissed beautiful and striking.