Hard Hand Page 5

  “I love the sight of a woman who’s helpless to me. Put the condom on me.”

  Nerves crawled through her, forcing her to concentrate hard on what she was doing. Being this close to him—drinking in his masculinity—overwhelmed her. She couldn’t resist touching his testicles and sucking his cock deep into her throat.

  Cole fisted her hair. “Do as you’re told.”

  She wanted this. He tightened his grip, forcing her compliance. “Yes, Sir.” Avery ripped open the package and sheathed him.

  “You did that well.”

  “Thank you, Sir.”

  “But you took liberties without asking permission.”

  Her pulse lurched.

  “You know better, I presume?”

  “Uhm.” The temperature of the room dropped by ten chilling degrees. “I…”

  “Do you?” He raised an eyebrow.

  “Sir…”

  “Do you?” His voice whiplashed through her.

  “Yes, Sir!” She glanced away. “I do.”

  “And you’re supposed to be asking tonight, talking to me about your desires.”

  Also true.

  “Fetch the flogger.”

  Oh God. Prior to him, she had never been punished in a BDSM scene.

  But then, she’d never been with a man as uncompromising and stern as Master Cole. Fuck. Yes. This. This was what she’d always wanted. But that didn’t stop sudden terror from seizing her.

  “Do I need to repeat my order?”

  If it became too much, she had a safe word. Her movements were sluggish as she crawled to the armoire. She stood, then opened the doors and selected the flogger. Again, on her knees, she returned to him, sat back on her heels, then offered the implement to him.

  He was so imposing with his throbbing erection that it was difficult to think.

  “Anything you want to say?”

  This was so real, so raw. “I’m sorry, Sir.” She peeked through the curtain of her unfamiliar blonde hair. “No—” Avery cleared her throat so she could speak. “That’s not true. You want honesty? I should have asked, waited for your command. But I’m not sorry I touched you.”

  “Thank you for being truthful.” His voice was rich, like a fine red wine, and just as potent. “That will help you some.”

  Some?

  “Go back to the armoire and stand in front of it, facing it. Put your hands on the top and spread your legs as wide as you can.” He paused. “I recommend you be quick about it.”

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Captivated, Cole watched Avery follow his order. Her motions were graceful, innately so. Her touch and her mouth were exquisite. Part of him ached to make love to her. But that wasn’t what she wanted.

  Typically, he didn’t flog women when he had a raging hard-on. Then again, he’d never had an evening like this.

  He allowed her tension to build for a couple of minutes before going to her. The moment he was close, she drew in a short, frantic breath. He trailed his fingers across her shoulders, down her spine, over her shapely buttocks. “You’ve got the most spankable ass of any woman I’ve ever known.”

  “It’s the cupcakes, Sir.”

  “Then I shall hire us a pastry chef.”

  She glanced over her shoulder.

  “You’re divine,” he said. “And don’t think that means I won’t make you too sore to sit down.”

  She moaned a little as she faced forward again.

  He scooped her hair to one side. “I want you to consider yourself tied.”

  “My Doms usually cuff me, Sir.”

  “At what point did you confuse me with anyone else?” He grabbed her ass cheeks and squeezed hard, lifting her off her heels.

  She gasped, more from shock than pain, he supposed, since his touch hadn’t been heavy-handed.

  “Oh, God! I’m sorry, Sir.”

  “Better.” He slowly released his grip, and her exhalation was so ragged even her shoulders shook.

  It was good to know he affected her in the same way she was getting to him.

  He rubbed her body with long, slow, forceful strokes, getting her blood flowing, letting her know he was in charge. “You asked for this.” With her words, her body, her actions, she’d been clear about it. “Stay in place. Make me proud of you.”

  “That’s a difficult task, Sir.”

  “I think you want me to demand a lot from you.” She didn’t immediately respond. “That’s why you approached me. Be truthful.” About this, if nothing else.

  “Yes,” she whispered, her words husky with confession.

  Fuck. It was a start. Yet it made him want more. “You can count, if you want. I’ll stop when I’m ready or when you use a safe word.”

  Her muscles tensed. Was it from anticipation or the slight fear he was trying to cultivate? “Surrender to me. To yourself.” He touched her, soothed her until she exhaled. “Good.” He gave her a few gentle strikes on her perfect buttocks. He was not concerned that he might lose his erection. The sight of her skin turning color beneath the supple strands of his flogger would be enough to keep him aroused.

  Cole continued to work her with light strokes until her muscles relaxed, draining the tension from her.

  Only then did he start the flogging in earnest.

  As they connected, breathed in sync, he realized how much he’d missed this. The last year he’d spent with Gia had consisted of half a dozen emotional meltdowns. She’d believed that once they moved in together, he would be home more, even though he’d said he wouldn’t be. She resorted to bratty behavior to get his attention. Twice, he returned from overseas trips to discover find she’d moved back in with her parents. She wanted him to chase her. Far too often, he did. She treated him and their relationship as some sort of game.

  He’d worked with her, asking her to talk with him. Instead, she’d left him guessing. Toward the end, he stopped responding to her dramatics. The next time she stormed out, he didn’t pursue her. Three days later, angry, accusing him of not loving her enough, she returned. For a while, things had gotten better, but then she started avoiding sex.

  He’d been wrong to think he could stop her manipulations.

  The fourth time she moved out, he changed the locks.

  Cole finished his case, then volunteered for extra assignments. He’d avoided relationships since.

  While he was abstinent, he’d spent a lot of time in reflection and decided he only wanted to be with women who were self-aware and willing to ask for what they needed. The time he’d already spent with Avery meant a great deal to him, made him think about the future and maybe the sound of laughter in his ridiculously big house.

  Appearing relaxed, she rested her head on the armoire. For a moment he stopped, and she shifted her weight from foot to foot. He traced a faint mark on her creamy skin. “How are you doing?”

  She attempted to lift her head, only to drop it again. “Wonderful.”

  He trailed his touch lower to check her arousal level.

  “If this is supposed to teach me to ask before touching you, Sir, I’m not sure it’s working.”

  Cole grinned. “If it had been a real punishment, you’d know the difference.”

  “I’m sure you’re right, Sir.”

  He fucking loved the sound of his title on her tongue. There were a dozen different inflections he wanted to hear. Pleading. Surrendering. Screaming. “Would you like to continue?”

  “Please.”

  Cole crisscrossed her body, using complete strokes, wrapping the strands around her, from her thighs to her buttocks to her waist.

  Following his commands, Avery didn’t release the piece of furniture, but she readjusted her grip for more support. Despite that, her breaths were rhythmic and deep. Her skin was a tantalizing pink, and her knees wobbled a little. “Talk to me.”

  “I want to get lost.”

  “Be specific, please.”

  “I want it harder.”

  It wouldn’t have mattered to him if she wanted to stop.
But her request for more pleased him. His cock was still hard, reminding him how long he’d been without sex.

  Cole gave her another twenty strokes. When she sighed with pleasure, he unleashed a little more strength to finish her with a deeper impact.

  She swayed, her body relaxed.

  Avery had been worth every minute of the wait.

  He paused for a moment, flogger at his side, while he fingered her.

  Cole threaded both hands into her hair to turn her head to one side. Wanting her, he kissed her, cradling her head in his palm. He was tender, more than he’d ever been with a sub. Her submission cracked the ice around his heart—as a man, not just a Dom.

  She tasted of honesty, of the finest champagne, of compliance. Her mouth was soft, her tongue yielding.

  And because he was feasting on her response, Cole pulled away from her. He shook his head to clear it. A kiss was incredibly intimate. And with her, one would not be enough. So what the hell was he doing? They’d agreed to a single night and nothing more. Tied in knots, annoyed with himself, he said, “Now…now you can suck my cock.”

  Cole helped her turn; then he put his hand on top of her head to force her down onto her knees.

  She appeared to be in a stupor, from endorphins, from confusion, and he savored it. “Since you used your hands earlier without permission, put them behind your neck and open your mouth.” He stroked himself a couple of times while she did as she was told. “Now satisfy me.”

  She swirled her tongue across his cockhead, then began to lick, pressing her tongue against the underside.

  He curled a fist around his dick to control how much she took. “Open wider, sub.” Beneath her mask, he saw her green eyes water as he went deeper. If her mascara ran, so much the better. He held the back of her head to prevent her from escaping.

  Properly responsive, she choked on him but didn’t pull away, taking everything he offered and continuing to move her tongue and suck.

  “Enough.” He captured her chin with his hand.

  When he pulled away, she didn’t even try to wipe her mouth. Instead, she looked up with eyelashes fringed with tears. Damn, he wanted more than the measly hours she was offering. “Sexy. Fucking sexy.” He helped her to stand. Then before she could walk past him, he put a hand on her shoulder to stop her.

  “Sir?”

  Cole grabbed his shirt, and he used the bottom of it to clean her mouth.

  “I actually liked it, Sir,” she said.

  His cock pulsed in demand, and she stared at it. Harsher than he needed to be, he clipped out, “On the bed.”

  She sat on the edge of the mattress while he collected the bowtie from his suit coat.

  “Give me your wrists,” he instructed. “This will help you to remember to pay attention to your hands.” He secured her with his bowtie. The material was slick, and it would open with the slightest effort, but his intent wasn’t to prevent movement. It was to make her conscious of his will. He tipped her back as he said, “Spread your legs.”

  Though she was already aroused, Cole played with her pussy, fingering her again, even as he pumped his still-sheathed cock in his left hand. “Are you ready for me?”

  “I am. Yes, Sir.”

  He said nothing.

  She lifted her head off the mattress as best she could, seeking his gaze. “I’m asking. Please put your dick in me, Sir.”

  Grateful there had already been turndown service, he moved her to the middle of the mattress with her arms over her head.

  He took a minute to lave her nipples with attention, tormenting them, causing her to lift her hips from the bed.

  “I’m so ready to come, Sir.”

  “Are you?” He hoped he sounded nonchalant, because in truth he was anything but.

  With his knee, he forced her legs farther apart. Then because her pussy was so red and swollen, he slapped it hard.

  She screamed, and he leaned over her, placing his cock at her opening and capturing her cry with his mouth.

  He devoured her, and she thrashed about. Sexily, her pussy drenched his dick as he slid in.

  Cole tried to soften the kiss, but she met his tongue thrust for thrilling thrust. He’d encouraged her to ask for what she wanted. She responded with a demand.

  He pulled back, and she moaned. As he fucked her with short, fast strokes designed to drive her mad, her sound became a whimper.

  She moved with him and closed her eyes.

  His sub struggled against the makeshift bondage and turned her head to the side, breaking their kiss.

  “Master Cole, I want to come.”

  “You don’t need permission.” He reached between them to press her engorged clit. “Now.”

  She cried out his name as she climaxed, clenching his cock with her internal muscles.

  Cole ground his back teeth together to fight off his orgasm. He’d never been with a woman as exquisite as Avery, and the struggle was more than he’d anticipated. He had to dig deep into his military training to find a thought that would distract him.

  He pulled out from her a little, needing time to regroup.

  When she stared up at him, he stroked into her again.

  “I didn’t know it could be so good.”

  Big, strong, tough, hardened Dom that he was, he had no fucking idea how to admit that he hadn’t known either. “The night is ours.”

  Her eyes were wide.

  “Stop hiding from me?” He touched the top of her mask and traced one of the delicate lines.

  She turned her head to escape.

  Cole sighed. Even though it went against his better instincts, he’d promised anonymity.

  This time as he fucked her, he set a more leisurely pace so he could prolong her pleasure.

  “I need to touch you,” she said.

  “You can get out of that tie anytime.”

  “We both know that I wouldn’t do that, Sir.”

  “What a good little sub.”

  Her green eyes were like sun-drenched gems. And her delicate mouth was parted. She wanted to be obedient. He’d been wrong in his casual assumption that she might be a brat. She was simply a woman who yearned for a man strong enough to accept her gifts.

  He clamped a hand on her delicate wrists.

  “I learned my lesson earlier, Sir. They’ll stay where they are until you say otherwise.”

  He could fuck her all night long. But it wouldn’t be enough.

  With long, penetrating strokes, he slid in and out of her, ignoring the demanding fullness in his balls. “Look at me.” There was something incredibly powerful about compelling a submissive to meet his gaze. But when his little sub did, he wondered who was truly enslaved by whom. He wanted her as much as she obviously wanted him.

  He fucked her tight channel, and she sighed.

  For minutes, he continued to watch her reactions. As she became more aroused, she blinked less often, and she opened her mouth a little. Her lipstick had already been worn off by their passion. Her compliance was so damn beautiful.

  Primal urges obliterated his restraint, and he began to fuck her in earnest.

  Whatever he gave, she responded, hard and fast, short and sweet, leisurely and prolonged.

  It unraveled his self-control.

  He moved them both so she was half on her side, a leg on top of his, giving him leverage to penetrate deeper.

  Then, because he wanted to, he plucked the knot from the bowtie.

  “May I?”

  “Yes. Touch me.”

  Instantly she grabbed him, holding his shoulders, wrapping herself around him.

  Though he liked having his lover restrained to remind them both of the overarching nature of their relationship, he liked the feel of her hands exploring him.

  She curved her body, inviting him in deeper. Obligingly, he filled her heated pussy.

  “I love this,” she said. “Fuck me hard, Sir.”

  He gave her what she asked for, one hand tangled in her hair, the other pressed flat against he
r buttocks to prevent her from moving far.

  Her pussy muscles squeezed him tight. He fisted his hands to hold off longer, wanting her to climax first.

  “Sir!”

  “Come.”

  She screamed, clenching, coming, grabbing him.

  He savored each second that he satisfied his sub.

  Only when she was whimpering his name did he allow himself to ejaculate in long, satisfying spurts.

  He was a sexual man, masturbating at least once a day, and most times, more. But there was no feeling that matched coming inside a responsive woman.

  Inside her.

  When he was finished, he framed her face between his palms. “You’re stunning…” He barely stopped himself from using her name.

  “That was hot, Sir. Can we do it again?”

  “You’ll be the death of me.” Suddenly he wasn’t afraid of dying.

  Avery had never been much of a snuggler, but she didn’t object when he returned to the bed after throwing away the condom and pulled her against his naked body. He didn’t ask—he just wrapped her up in the strength and comfort of his arms. She lay next to him, listening to the reassuring beat of his heart.

  She smiled, glad she’d found the guts to approach him earlier in the evening. Their time together had been everything she could have imagined.

  The only problem was much the same as the one she had with staying at the Royal Sterling. It was difficult to go back to the regular world.

  Unlike other Doms she’d scened with, Cole seemed to understand the emotional component she needed. To her, it was about more than just kinky sex or having her ass warmed at the club or occasional parties. She wanted the mindfuck and escape. She wanted someone who understood her—or, better, the sub she yearned to be. The person Dirk had told her was wrong.

  Cole trailed his fingers down her arm. “How does your body feel?”

  He was big, and his thrusts were powerful. “My pussy aches,” she admitted with a blush.

  A chuckle rumbled through his chest. “Good. And the rest of your body from the flogging?”

  “Warm.” He’d wielded the leather strands with confidence and the power she needed. “Relaxed.”