Assumed Master (12 page)

"I think zero dark thirty may have been
just a little bit earlier for my love to be up this morning shoving bread cubes
up the tail end of a dead bird." Dante took her chin with his forefinger
and thumb and directed her eyes upward. "And maybe my love invited just a
few too many people over? It’s okay not to want to entertain, you know. We
could have had a quiet little dinner just the five of us. Maybe for Christmas
we need to go out of town. How long has it been since any of us had a vacation?"

The question was completely unwarranted. Dante
knew perfectly well how long. Julie had gone non-stop for nearly a year, never
leaving Mason’s side for any reason, not even for her regularly scheduled
girl’s lunches with Shelby or Blake. Come to think of it, he thought perhaps it
was time to start forcing her out for more of those, effective immediately.

"I'm tired, Sir, but it’s mostly mental,"
Julie said, allowing Dante to run his fingers under the edge of her shirt and
pull it up and over her head.

He turned her slowly then unfastened her bra.
It was a creamy creation with lace see-through cups and at the site of her tawny
nipples poking through, Dante took a stuttered breath. Why did his dick decide
to rear its disposition now of all times? And now that he thought about it, the
idea that all those people were all over the house only made him that much more
aroused. Skimming her shoulders with his fingertips, he pushed the straps down
her arms and the wisp of material drifted off to fall to the floor without a
sound.

What was it he resolved to earlier about
intentions? And wasn’t there something about the road to hell being paved with
them?

Before he could stop himself, Dante wound her
long hair around his left fist and pulled it up off her neck then descended on
her, flicking his tongue along the arc between her throat and shoulder. How
many nights had he laid beside her, his dick hard as a rock? Wanting her with
his entire being? Frustrated? He followed the path of her shoulder blade with
open mouthed kisses. Julie initially tensed beneath his touches then her
muscles went lax one at a time until she was a pliable mound of heated, female
flesh at his disposal. Her chest rose in quick jumps as her breathing took on
an almost grasping quality. And did he dare believe that was a low groan that
escaped her throat?

"Let me take care of you, love. Please.
You’ve been without relief for so long," he murmured up the side of her
neck before taking her earlobe between his lips and pulling. This elicited a
moan that she sucked in and swallowed before it erupted into a cry. "Just
let go. Don’t analyze it, love. Just let me in. Let this happen."

With his fingers grazing down her arm, he
settled his mouth over the base of her neck and sucked as Julie began to
tremble at his touches. When he wound his arm around her waist and pulled the
fly of her jeans, releasing all the buttons at once, she melded into his frame
and didn’t protest. He inched his hand down the front and palmed her mound over
the top of the satiny panties that matched the bra at her feet.

"Say yes, love. I don’t want any
misunderstandings about this."

"Yes," she breathed, moving to push
her jeans down her hips and stepping out of them, kicking them to the side.
"Yes, Sir.
Please."

Turning loose of her hair and letting it
cascade down her bare back, Dante planted a line of kisses down her side,
moving to his knees behind her, tugging her panties down to nip at her hips. He
worked the flimsy piece of material down her legs and helped her step out of it
before turning her. When he did, musky woman floated off her and hit him square
in the chest.

Dear God, how long had he waited to get that
reaction from her? While he ran two fingers between her bare pussy lips to find
her not just damp but dripping with need, he pressed his tongue along the
juncture of her hip, skimming her pubis and back up her other hip. Content in
the knowledge he’d done that to her, Dante stood and led her to the edge of the
bed where he helped her lay back. Once again he went to his knees in front of
her, spreading her legs and inching his way between them. Her pussy glistened
and pulsed, greedy and wanting. His mouth watered and his heart sped up.

Slow down.
Now that Dante had her where he wanted her,
he sure didn’t want to seem like a teenager out for his first fuck. In and out
in thirty seconds flat, the victim lying confused, wondering what had happened.
Not only that, but with some degree of guilt for even thinking such a thing, he
realized he was up against some stiff competition in the form of a ghost. He
had to make this good or he’d lose her again, quite possibly for good.
Give her the attention she deserves.

Sitting back a bit, he ran his hand down the
outside of her right leg and lifted it, resting her heel on his shoulder. He
turned and flicked his tongue against the delicate bone there, circling then
settling his lips over it to suck. A barely discernible gasp made its way
toward him and he continued his trek up the inside of her calf until he found
the dimple at the juncture of her knee. Apparently that was a favored spot as
her toes curled up and a low, breathy grunt found life as she clutched the
comforter. Dante worked the spot for some time, watching her breasts rise and
fall in rhythm with her hitching attempts at air until her breathing became
shallow and intermittent. Finishing his ministrations on her right leg, he
eased her foot back to the floor and reached for the left one, repeating the
motions he’d just performed until he was sucking at the inside of her thigh and
his fingers played at the underside where it met the firm flesh of her
backside. It was when Julie’s eyes fluttered open, Dante figured out just how
far gone she really was. Her gaze was fuzzy and unfocused as she stared at him
through hooded lids.

Holy shit.
Was that the secret she kept from every Dom
within a tri-county area for so long? Mason had landed a rare gem when he’d
hooked her. Julie could fall off the edge of reality with a few flicks of the
wrist and some tender touches. She was one of those subs that went to the outer
reaches at just the thought of being dominated and here she was perfectly
pliable under Dante's hands and he hadn't had to land a harsh touch to her in
any way, shape, or form. How in the hell had they kept anyone else from
figuring this out all these years? This was all it took? All this time Dante
thought Mason’s methods were unconventional, but he was also aware that Julie
was an edge player and he never really cared for Mason’s interpretation in that
arena. Scare tactics. Julie got off on that, but what was wrong with a little
bit of good old fashioned pain?
A paddling?
A flogging?
Then he wondered just how far he could take her
if she’d let him introduce her to those things. The possibilities were endless.
He could probably do things to Julie he couldn’t even do to Blake.

"Love, can you hear me?" Dante asked
quietly.

Her answer came in the form of a humming
affirmation.

"Are you okay?"

A long, exhausted breath was followed by
another positive noise of some sort. It was almost amusing how compliant she
was. And now that he had her there, did he dare press her a bit?

Just as he was about to sink his teeth into
her clit, the dull roar of a football game made its way up the hall and he was
reminded that about two dozen people were probably wondering where he and Julie
had gone by now. Any kind of boundary pressing would have to wait. However, he
was under no circumstances going to let her hang on the edge like this without
finishing the job. Rising to his feet, Dante unbuttoned his shirt, took it off and
tossed it to the chair in the corner then proceeded to shed the rest of his
clothes in quick fashion before aiding Julie to the middle of the bed. He
wormed his way between her legs and leaned down, licking the seam of her lips
before slipping his tongue between them, tangling with hers, savoring her spicy
warmth. Dante pulled back and moved to her ear, caressing the shell of it then
taking the lobe between his lips as he sheathed himself in her wet heat.

Holy God.
A primitive groan flew from him to mix with
her contented sigh as he slid deeper, stopping to imprint the moment in his
memory bank.

"Jesus Christ, you feel good, Jules,"
he murmured in her ear. "Can you tell me what you need?"

Even though he’d just been with his husband
the night before, being with her was another entity altogether and Dante found
himself quickly dissolving.
 
He knew if he
couldn’t figure out how to get her there and quick, he’d leave her behind. He
didn't want that.

"Touch me," she said, clasping his
forearms.

Dante wasted no time running one arm between
them to find her clit, raking his fingers across the hardened bump that
twitched at his touch. Julie’s pants told him he was doing something right and
he increased the pressure and sped up, thrusting almost in time to his
caresses. A keening, guttural noise started from somewhere deep within her that
rattled his senses.

"Please tell me you’re there," he
grunted, hoping he could hold back just a moment longer.

All she seemed to be able to do was squeeze
his arms harder. She tilted her head back and clutched him, her nails digging
into muscle. Arching her back, she wrapped her legs around his waist and thrust
upward. Luckily Dante noticed her mouth widening and realized what was going to
happen. He slapped his mouth to hers and swallowed the scream that reverberated
down his throat as Julie convulsed around him, sending him over the edge as
well.

His thrusts slowed as he allowed her to float
down and when her scream turned into rasping grasps at air, he broke contact
with her lips and touched his sweaty forehead to hers.

After he caught his breath, Dante rolled off
her and pulled her to her side, nestling her against him, rubbing her arm. When
she started to shiver, he got up, rearranged the comforter to cover her then
climbed back in behind her, wondering how long she'd stay in a state of
euphoria but not wanting to rush her. She sure didn’t need to wake up feeling
like she had the flu. Glancing at the clock, he knew he’d have to leave her
shortly or either the boys or Blake would come looking for them. She’d need
some fluids in her, too.

"Jules, can you hear me, love?" he
asked, peering over her shoulder to see she was somewhere between awake and
dozing.

She blinked and nodded. Responsive was good.

"I don’t want to leave you, but I need to
go get you something to drink and show my face. Will you be okay for a few
minutes?"

"Yes, Sir," she breathed, tucking
her hands under her cheek where one tear rolled down and fell to the pillow.

She was afraid. He now remembered her saying
she was afraid in the first few minutes afterward.

"I think it can wait just a bit longer."
He cradled her head and kissed her crown, content to give her what they both
knew she needed.

Chapter Twelve

When the alarm went off at one, Julie eased
from under Dante’s arm and made her way through the pitch dark room to the
door. Slipping into her silk robe that always hung on a hook on the back of it,
she left the room knowing Blake would hit snooze at least twice more and
inevitably end up running late before Shelby managed to make her way to their
doorstep. As she pulled the door closed behind her, she heard Dante roll and
mutter a low curse at the early hour and something followed about how he would
never understand what could possibly be on sale that warranted this insane
ritual of leaving for the mall before dawn to stand in line for hours then
discover whatever it was on sale was already gone.

It was the first thing Julie had smiled about
since she drifted to sleep in his arms yesterday afternoon.
 
 
He
returned to their guests and made her apologies, citing she’d developed a
maddening headache and had taken something and gone to sleep. She’d taken
something alright. A dose of endorphins, which until yesterday she hadn’t been
willing to acknowledge she needed so badly. While the relief was certainly
welcome, her guilt over making love with Dante weighed heavily on her. After
she awakened to find she was still alone in the bedroom at almost eight o’clock
last night, she’d been grateful for the reprieve.
 
She hurriedly changed the sheets and took a
shower before Blake came in to get ready for bed and became privy to what had
really gone on between the main course and dessert.

Grateful for hot water, Julie stood under the
spray thankful Dante was a good Master and had given her the proper aftercare
she needed. She wasn’t sore anywhere and felt better than she had in a long
while.

A few minutes later she was fully dressed, her
hair pulled in a ponytail, her Vera Bradley backpack loaded, and she ready for
the fight. She made her way through the house, following the intermittent night
lights Blake had informed her were remnants of when the boys were toddlers and
often needed middle of the night care. Night lights were much more convenient
and conducive to sleeping in rocking chairs all night it seemed. Just before
she pressed brew on her Jura, just one of the many gadgets she’d decided she
couldn’t live without from the river house, she heard footsteps coming from the
west end of the house. One of the twins was awake.