Bejeweled and Bedeviled Read online

  * * * * *

  Hunter closed and pocketed his cell, leaned his head back against the seat and slowly released the breath he’d been harboring deep in his lungs. Used to holding himself detached, he’d forgotten how intense needing to hear the right answer from the right woman could be. He wasn’t comfortable second-guessing himself—another thing he hadn’t done in a very, very long time. But now that he was absolutely certain he hadn’t pushed too hard too fast, he knew exactly how to proceed from here.

  Sitting up, he hit the button to roll down the window between him and his chauffeur. “I’ll let myself out, Ray. Make yourself comfortable for a while.”

  “Sure, boss. No problem.” He leaned to open the glove compartment and flashed the magazine he plucked out.

  Catching a glimpse of naked, bound and gagged women, Hunter shook his head and left the car.

  He’d barely made it to the building’s front door when Kayden buzzed him in.

  After a relatively short elevator ride up to the sixth floor, he was surprised to find her apartment door slightly ajar, but no Kayden in sight.

  He let himself in and the sight that greeted him took his breath away.

  She was in the perfect kneel-up position. Balanced on her knees, legs spread perfectly to allow him a cock-hardening view of her naked pussy. Her back was straight, both her chest and head high, eyes lowered. Her arms were down, hands resting on her thighs, palms up. Telling him without words she was open to his wishes, while at the same time letting him know once again how extensively she’d researched the lifestyle. He had to steel himself against scooping her up, tossing her across the first available piece of furniture and burying his dick deep inside her hairless cunt to take them both to the heights of ecstasy and back.

  “Welcome to my home, Hunter.”

  “You’re beautiful.” He let the statement hang unembellished as he soaked in her breathtaking sensuality and allotted time to harness his rapidly mounting desire. She was pure perfection. He’d lost count of the times he’d envisioned her exactly this way.

  Except for one thing.

  Closing and locking the door, he walked over to softly stroke her cheek. “Don’t move,” he warned when she turned her face into the caress. She instantly stilled. He smiled and reached up to remove the clip holding her hair haphazardly atop her head. An obvious hasty attempt to tame it. But he didn’t want tame. He wanted wild and natural.

  Freed from its imprisonment, the luxuriant black mass tumbled from her head, over her creamy shoulders and spilled halfway down her slender back. Gathering up a thick section, he brought it forward and laid it alongside her breast, grazing the tender flesh with the back of his hand as he did. Her slight shiver knotted his gut.

  “Unless I specifically request otherwise, you are to wear your hair down.”

  “Yes, Hunter.”

  He flicked the tip of her earring with his finger, setting off a display of dancing lights. They were perfectly faceted, like all the others he’d given her and those she’d yet to receive. “Where are the rest of your gifts?”

  “On the dresser in my bedroom. I’ll go get—”

  “No. Stay as you are. Location?”

  “Down the hall, last room on the right.”

  Anxious to conclude his business on the West Coast and return to her, Hunter had taken the redeye back, leaving no time to change. In no particular hurry, now that he was here, he took his time removing his coat, suit jacket and tie, neatly folding and laying them across the back of her couch. All the while enjoying the way her graceful back tapered into a trim waist and flared again into a lust-inspiring, heart-shaped ass. That he would be the first to explore the hidden treasure between the two pale, smooth globes pleased him immensely. His hard dick was more than ready, but Hunter knew she needed to be prepared first. In her current receptive state of mind and positioned as she was, what better time than now?

  Unable to resist the gnawing need to touch her, he walked up behind her, bent to press his cheek to hers and helped himself to a handful of her sweet ass. “Don’t move,” he reminded softly, slipping his hand between her legs and trailing his finger from the opening of her pussy up between her butt cheeks.

  Her clipped, throaty whimper when he pressed lightly against the rosebud of her ass sent heat coursing through his veins. He pressed again, feeling the warm, textured ring of flesh contract beneath his touch. “One day, very soon, I’m going to fuck you up this tight little ass of yours. Do you want that?” His face was so close to hers, he heard her soft swallow.

  “Yes. I want that very much.”

  He’d expected the yes. The very much was a pleasant surprise. That she was so willing to embark on this new adventure made him wonder if she’d be this receptive to everything else he’d planned for her. Already hard to the aching point, Hunter hadn’t thought his dick could get any harder. That she was not only willing but eager to experiment made the swollen flesh almost painful.

  “Then the sooner we start preparing you, the sooner that time will come.” He softly nipped the sensitive muscle where her shoulder and neck met and when she spontaneously cringed, he swatted her ass. “I said not to move. Or your ass will be feeling more than a little discomfort today.”

  He nipped the same spot. Satisfied when she held steady, he rose and headed down the short hall that led to the back of her apartment.

  More interested in getting back to Kayden than her taste in decorating, he made a cursory glance of her blue-walled, cluttered room, his eyes lingering for a few seconds on her recently vacated bed, its mussed lemon-yellow sheets and the scrunched pillow leaning against the headboard. The lingering indentations proclaimed it a feather pillow. That he also preferred feather meant one less thing she’d need to bring when she moved in. Her comfort was of great importance to him. After all, she’d be there a long time.

  He moved his gaze to the dresser flanked by two windows. The items he sought were lined up neatly in the center, surrounded by a colorful clutter of perfume bottles and innumerable makeup and hair paraphernalia.

  Apparently neatness wasn’t high on her priority list. Considering his well-ordered life, that would definitely change. Shaking his head, he stepped over several pairs of carelessly discarded shoes, a skirt, two crumpled tops and a pair of jeans as he made his way across the room. Selecting what he needed, he retraced his cautious steps and headed back out.

  * * * * *

  Kayden locked her spine against the shiver that threatened upon Hunter’s return. Eyes downcast, concentrating on keeping her breaths steady in light of the unknown, she watched his shadow on the rug.

  “Stand and look at me.”

  She rose as gracefully as she could without benefit of support and faced him.

  “Put this on.” He presented the thong across his palm. “When you’re done, I want you on hands and knees, legs slightly spread.”

  When she reached for the scrap of leather, he withdrew it.

  “Not yet. There’s something I want to do before you cover that lovely, smooth pussy of yours.”

  Compelled by his golden, commanding gaze, and wanting to show her readiness to embark on this sensual adventure with him, Kayden relaxed.

  Eyes locked with his, she concentrated on his touch, the light, feathery sensation as he ran the back of his large hand along her jaw and down her neck. The heightened awareness when his hand rode the valley between her breasts and continued on with a slow glide over the slight swell of her stomach.

  Always a bit self-conscious of her not-so-flat stomach, she sucked it in.

  His hand stilled.

  She caught her lower lip between her teeth and dropped her gaze. “I’ll work on it.”

  “Kayden, look at me.”

  Her eyes came up to collide with his contemplative gaze.

  “Work on what?”

  “My stomach. It should be firmer.” She held steady under the shadow of mild disapproval clouding his eyes.

  “I’m glad this came up now. We
can deal with it and get it out of the way.”

  Her stomach clenched tighter.

  “There are only two people you have to please. Me and you. If you’re doing it for yourself, that’s fine. If it’s for me, you’re wasting your time. I love your body—just the way it is—soft and slightly rounded, the way a woman’s body should be.”

  He splayed his hand over her stomach, his large hand warm and soothing. “Relax.”

  Kayden slowly unclenched her muscles.

  He caressed her stomach. “Although I subscribe to healthy living, physical perfection is a commercial illusion. We all have flaws, real or perceived. I will place enough demands on your mind and body without your adding to them. The only area in which I will expect near perfection is your obedience to me. Can you give me that?”

  “I’ll do my best.”

  “Don’t try too hard.”

  “But you just said—”

  “I know what I said. But if you never slip up, I won’t get the chance to spank that gorgeous ass of yours and I so want to have the pleasure of doing that again.” The corners of his mouth tipped up.

  Since Kayden wanted that too, it was a lost cause to hold back the pleasure struggling to claim her lips.

  “Ahhh, liked being turned over my knee, did you? Well, let’s see if you like this as well.” He claimed her mouth at the same time he palmed her naked mound.

  The abruptness of the move caught Kayden off guard. Her small squeak of surprise turned into a low moan of pleasure as the heat of his hand warmed her flesh. Having her hair removed had indeed made the area more sensitive, but she hadn’t really realized how much until Hunter’s big hand covered her.

  Her moan grew louder when he ran his middle finger between her damp folds, rode it back and forth through the wealth of moisture several times, then dragged his finger back through her cream-slick labia and up over her sensitized clit. When he rasped his fingernail against her unguarded nub, she gasped and pulled away.

  He palmed her crotch and jerked her back.

  Thrown off balance, Kayden threw her hands up and caught hold of his shoulders, bringing them nose-to-nose.

  “Pull away from me again and we’ll be getting around to that spanking a lot sooner than I’d hoped. Though I wouldn’t suggest it. Your ass will be dealing with enough tonight without adding the burn from punishment.”

  If there had been any doubt as to what he intended, that cryptic statement obliterated it. After tonight, the only thing her ass would be a virgin to was Hunter’s masterful cock. Not that she was complaining. She was ready for that. If not physically, mentally. But she was hoping for a little front action as well and she wasn’t thinking of the artificial kind. Sure, he said he liked to take it slow, but after having made up her mind to enter into this wholeheartedly, Kayden was more than ready to get the proverbial ball rolling. Dare she make her feelings known? Was that even allowed? There were some things her research was vague on. Oh to hell with it.

  Drawing a deep breath, she looked him in the eyes. “Permission to ask something?”

  He nodded. “Granted.”

  “I’d like to step up the learning process.”

  His only reaction was an intense study of her face. As silent seconds ticked by, Kayden began to worry.

  “What exactly do you mean by stepping up?”

  “Before you leave tonight, I’d like you to make lo—” She shook her head. No that’s not what this is about. “I’d like you to…fuck me.”

  “You would, would you?”

  The glint of devilment in his eyes made Kayden’s heart race and her toes curl into the deeply piled, beige fibers beneath her feet. Damn, the man was sexy. Her libido made a beeline for the top of the Richter scale at the thought of being claimed by this enigmatic Dom. Hell, if he, with all his experience, didn’t know how to turn a woman on, where did that leave the rest of the male population? Probably in Earth’s sub-basement.

  “If I grant your request, what will I get in return?”

  “Anything you want.”

  “Anything?” One dark brown eyebrow spiked, accentuating the sparkle in his golden eyes. “Hmmm, right answer. Brave, but do you really mean it?”

  “Yes.”

  “We’ll see.”

  Kayden didn’t even try to stop the small, throaty mew that bubbled up when he crooked his finger and pushed it inside her. It found its way easily into her wet and ready depths. So did the second finger. He was a tall man with big hands, Kayden was looking forward to a third. Instead he withdrew, stepped back.

  Swamped by frustration, it took a moment to realize what was dangling in front of her face. The thong. A spiral of excitement rapidly replaced the disappointment. Taking the minuscule scrap of fabric, she slipped it on and, without waiting to be asked, got down on hands and knees.

  “Legs wider,” he said, giving no indication he’d been pleased by her voluntary obedience.

  She didn’t need the prompting of his hand halfway up her inner thigh to spread them, but she welcomed the warmth and comfort of his solid touch.

  The wider stance caused the straps of the thong to dig deeper between her swollen lips, the beads an added pressure wherever they touched. Kayden fought a needy whimper. She was just giving herself a silent pat on the back when Hunter slowly slid his hand up between her legs, running his finger over the two beads wedged between her juice drenched folds and pushed in slightly.

  She moaned and moved into the touch. The next thing she felt was his hand landing hotly onto her ass.

  Kayden sucked back a protest and resumed the correct position.

  “Good girl. Disobey again and you’ll be unwrapping your next present sooner than planned.”

  Ninety-nine point nine percent sure what the present was, and not in any particular hurry to test her perceived psychic abilities, Kayden vowed to hold her pose no matter what. Trouble was, she had a sneaky feeling Hunter wasn’t going to make it easy for her.

  “Then again, maybe a visual reminder will help,” he murmured next to her ear.

  The stream of breath that delivered the soft, sensual threat triggered an array of goose bumps that started at the back of her neck to fan out over the rest of her heated flesh.

  Then he was gone, along with the heat his big muscular body generated. Kayden mourned its loss. A girl who burrowed deep under the covers at the first sign of a snowflake and dreaded the long Chicago winters, she knew Hunter would make the perfect bedmate. Although the sultry summer nights might pose a problem. An image of a spacious, air-conditioned room, drenched in soft, early morning light came to mind. Their naked limbs entwined on a large bed.

  Problem solved.

  It was easy to picture a long string of lazy Sunday mornings, waking up next to him. A smile took up residence on her lips. For all of two seconds.

  What would possess her to entertain the idea of a future with a man she barely knew, and who barely knew her? Overwhelmed by an onset of unease, she cringed. Was it possible Hunter could be the one man who might know her much too well? Dare she—

  A package appeared on the floor in front of her.

  Happy to be yanked from her disturbing thoughts, Kayden focused tenaciously on the mental lifeline the familiarly wrapped gift provided.

  The next thing to come into view was a pair of black-clad legs, followed quickly by a panty-wetting set of muscular thighs when he hunkered down in front of her.

  Lust. Sex. Two additional and very welcomed distractions.

  “Look at me.”

  Hunter’s soft command cut short her admiration of the way his black dress pants strained at the seams, but didn’t prevent her from checking out the enticing bulge nestled in his crotch. Good grief, the man could pack the space behind a zipper like there was no tomorrow.

  Dragging her gaze up to his, she was greeted by a heated gleam of awareness.

  “You’ll have more of my cock than you can handle before too long.”

  He didn’t know her as well as he assumed
if he thought that. She suppressed a smile.

  He cupped her chin. “That little glint in your beautiful blue eyes tells me you doubt my words.”

  Curse the too sexy devil. Could he read minds as well as bodies? She’d have to be more diligent in hiding her emotions.

  He pressed his thumb to her bottom lip, tugged gently and then released. “Believe me, sweetheart, when I tell you that before I’m through with you, you won’t know which you want more—for me to stop…or continue. I didn’t gain my reputation because of my mastery over a female’s body alone. You might want to keep that in mind. I only come when I’m damn good and ready. I’ll make you orgasm a dozen times before I find sweet release in your body.”

  A dozen! Seeing no downside, her pussy swelled in anticipation, but the skipped heartbeat was due wholly to the challenge. Kayden made sure those were her only reactions. He wasn’t the only one with a reputation to uphold. Hers was twofold. She never made the same mistake twice—unless it suited some purpose—and she always accomplished what she set out to do. And making him lose control just skyrocketed to the top of that list. First step to accomplishing that goal was learning all his rules before she could break them and implement a few of her own.

  He released her chin and took the lid off the box. “I hadn’t planned on giving you this so soon, but after your positive reaction to the introductory spanking session in your office, I changed my mind.”

  Kayden stared at the flogger. Though no great surprise, her reaction to it was. Both her breathing and heart rate went into overdrive. She might have mistaken the reaction for fear, if not for the mounting desire she felt deep in the pit her stomach. A feeling that intensified when Hunter picked up the flogger. Innocuous curled on its bed of snowy satin, it looked ten times more threatening stretched across his large, open palms.

  “How do you like the handle?”

  Kayden tore her wary gaze from the long, soft leather tentacles at the business end. Handle? Her body jerked and her eyes widened. Easily nine inches of solid onyx with two rings of staggered diamonds around its wide circumference and a single row lengthwise along the top, it was obviously a dildo. And she was pretty damn sure the gems’ placement wasn’t to assure his grip. Nor was the flare at the base a hand guard. But like the other toys, it was made to be held in place by the openings provided by the adjustable beads on her thong.