CarnalTakeover (14 page)

“Squeeze me,” he ordered.

She did.

“Harder.”

Alexandra gritted her teeth and tightened her inner muscles
as much as she could.

Daniel pulled out of her. Before she could ask why, he
probed her anus with the tip of his cock, then entered.

Ahhh.
She bit her lip at the intense pressure, but
kept quiet and still. Alexandra wanted him in every part of her, filling, bringing
her excitement and joy, all that she’d missed prior to knowing him.

He didn’t rush, surely because this was her first time.
Carefully…tenderly…he eased his crown past her tight ring. She fisted her
fingers, then relaxed them, not wanting Daniel to stop because he thought she
was hurting. Alexandra wasn’t. Already the intense pressure had begun to
recede, her body growing accustomed to his.

With concern and skill, he eased his shaft inside until his
groin touched her ass. He swallowed loudly. “Doing okay?”

“Uh-huh.”

“Seriously.”

“Yeah, no need to ask or…”

Her words trailed off at his steady pumps, his cock widening
her passage, molding Alexandra’s body to fit his needs. She relaxed as much as
she could to make it easier.

He rubbed her clit.

She jerked slightly at the delicious sensation his touch
produced.

“Don’t move,” he ordered, his words choked.

She tried not to but couldn’t manage what he wanted, not
with him back to taunting her poor little nub. No guy had ever played with her
as much. Alexandra loved it, but hell, she wasn’t Superwoman. Her last climax
had nearly killed—

Aw, shit. Awesome, desired sensations dashed down her thighs
and curled in her belly. Her clit was more than alive. The freaking thing was
as insatiable as he was. He kept thrusting into her as his fingers rubbed,
stroked, demanded, driving both of them to the newest crest.

It sneaked up unawares, the same as the last. Alexandra
wailed as though the world had stopped. His yell eclipsed hers. Unashamed, they
voiced their joy at their bodies again providing immeasurable pleasure.

Alexandra woke in bed, facing the dresser, not certain how
she got here.

Vague images of Daniel carrying her up the stairway flitted
through her mind. She dismissed them immediately. The spiral staircase was too
narrow for such a romantic gesture. She was definitely too heavy to carry even
for a man his size.

Rolling over, she bumped into tangled sheets and the
comforter, not him. Worse, his side of the bed was coolish beneath her touch.
Alexandra’s stomach sank at her first thought. That he’d called Nat or one of
the other guys for a ride out of here without telling her.

Uh-uh. She couldn’t force herself to believe that he’d be so
callous or dismissive of her feelings after what they’d shared last night. He
had to be in the cabin.

Alexandra listened for sounds of running water from the
toilet or shower. The sweeping wind answered. No surprise. The fireplace caught
her attention, flames crackling, logs popping, the blaze nowhere near to burning
out. He must have stoked it before he left. To go where? If not the bathroom,
then the steam room, prepping it for more fun?

She hoped.

Propped on one elbow, Alexandra was about to push off the
mattress when the clock caught her eye.
Oh shit.
In an hour she’d have
to be at work, no doubt with a dozen of her grandfather’s voicemails waiting
for her, which she couldn’t ignore. Pissing Lucius off wasn’t in Daniel’s best
interest. Lucius owed him nothing, not even the courtesy one human being
affords another. Alexandra knew her grandfather would be happy to keep that
status quo going.

Her shoulders bunched. She had to find something in the
reports to save even a few bucks, pacify Lucius so he’d hone in on another part
of his empire. Maybe Nat had pinpointed something. Maybe he hadn’t. Who the
fuck knew? Alexandra cursed Lucius for being so damn greedy and mean. There
wasn’t any reason for it. He hadn’t grown up poor. He’d never been hungry or
wanted for anything. He could afford to be kind, not to mention, decent.

She growled, “Damn freaking bullheaded—”

“You’re in a good mood.”

Alexandra stopped digging her fingers into the sheets,
surprised to see Daniel crossing the room. She hadn’t heard him climb the
stairs. His hair was bed mussed, cheeks bristly, his cock at rest, but still
awesome. The pizza tray he held had what she guessed was their breakfast—two
tall glasses of OJ and another of his peanut butter sandwiches. Beer Nuts
rolled across the dish.

However, he also held something behind his back.

She dipped to the right, trying to see around him, but
couldn’t. “What is that?”

“Orange juice and—”

“No. What you’re holding behind your back.”

“Oh. For you.” He brought another dish around. In the center
of its sandwich was one of the birthday candles, the tiny flame flickering
merrily.

She burst out laughing. Seconds later, tears rolled down
Alexandra’s cheeks, her shoulders bobbing with her quiet sobs.

Alarm flitted across Daniel’s face. He stepped back. “What?”

His teasing her about the candles touched Alexandra’s soul,
so starved for affection even something this small really mattered. Lucius
would have bitched endlessly about the money she’d wasted, her inability to
make up her mind. With this one precious gesture, Daniel had made her feel
special, worthy of attention. More importantly, this would always be a personal
joke between them.

However long they lasted.

More tears rolled down her cheeks.

“What?” he pleaded, putting the tray and her dish on the
edge of the bed. “God, it’s not your birthday, is it?”

She barked a laugh.

He waved his hands helplessly, then whispered, “PMS?”

Aw, crap.
Alexandra bent at the waist, her forehead
touching the mattress, laughter and tears shaking her body.

“Hey, talk to me,” he begged.

She put up her hand, asking for a moment. He didn’t say
another word, nor did he flee like everyone else had in her life. That brought
a new wave of emotion that Alexandra fought. After a long moment, she cleared
her throat and murmured, “I’m fine. Really.”

To prove it, she straightened and pushed back her hair.

Daniel regarded her as he might an alien life form, or a
woman who looked really shitty.

She knuckled tears from her eyes. “You just caught me by
surprise. Do I get to make a wish?”

He regarded the candle. “It is your birthday?”

“No. That’s in May.” So far in the future, Alexandra was
afraid to consider where they’d both be emotionally by then. “But why waste the
candle or wish, right?”

Daniel seemed uncertain how to answer. He lifted one
shoulder. She stared at the sandwich, cherishing every sloppy bit, wishing she
could freeze his sweet offering as a memento of these few days they’d shared.

Pulling in a deep breath, she made her request.

Please let us be together at least until the end of the
project.

He’d committed a year to this locale. Alexandra was ready to
give Daniel far longer than that, if he wanted the same. Silly, she knew, to
fall for another person so fast.

Explain that to her heart.

She blew out her held breath. The flame disappeared followed
by a thin wisp of smoke. With great care, she put the candle to the side and
offered the first bite to Daniel. “Eat.”

He joined her on the bed, his knee touching her thigh. “Take
it all.” He eased Alexandra’s hair from her shoulder. She smiled. He didn’t.
“You’re due at the office.”

Yeah, that. She nibbled on the sandwich, her hunger a
distant memory.

Daniel finished half his juice and wiped his mouth off with
the back of his hand. “Do you mind giving me a ride back to the barracks?”

Her belly twisted. She wanted to ask why he’d decided to leave
but didn’t have the courage or a good reason to pry. He couldn’t stay here
forever. They weren’t married. Technically, they weren’t even dating. What they
had was more like training sessions with him as the Dom and her as his intern
submissive. Time to put on her big-girl pants and keep this from bothering her
so much. “Not at all.”

“Thanks.”

“Sure.”

Neither of them spoke after that, lost in their own
thoughts. He ate his sandwich. She pretended to enjoy hers, managing to finish
only a few bites.

“Is it that bad?” he asked.

Her life? Until now, it had sucked big-time. After he was
gone, it wouldn’t be a trip to Disneyland. Figuring he meant the sandwich, she
murmured, “Oh no.” Without thinking, Alexandra cradled his face, drawing her
thumbnail over his stubble. “I never eat much in the morning.”

“I’ll have to remember that.”

He would? Her thumb stalled on his cheek.

Daniel turned his face and kissed her hand, then brushed
crumbs off his chest. “When will you get off today? You were late yesterday.”

She wouldn’t be tonight. Her heart pumped so hard from
happiness, the room spun. “No later than six.” She’d leave early no matter
what, because he wanted her here. Right? Suddenly, Alexandra wasn’t sure. She
brought back her hand. “Why do you ask?”

“Why do you think?”

She grinned enough to make her cheeks hurt. “My training
isn’t through.”

“Oh baby,” he whispered. “It’s barely begun.”

With no effort at all, Daniel had committed himself to
another evening with Alexandra. Hold it. Make that several nights given his
“it’s barely begun” comment.

Smart move, idiot.

He slumped against the passenger door of her SUV. She looked
over. He winked. She relaxed. He didn’t.

To say his behavior with her wasn’t normal was the
understatement of the millennium. This morning, he’d planned to feed Alexandra,
possibly fuck her until they were both breathless, then call their little
adventure finished. He’d had too great a time, and that frightened him worse
than a kick to his balls. Definitely time to cut out. Could be that was why he’d
put the birthday candle on her sandwich. A parting joke. Keep everyone
chuckling.

The sound of her laughter had stopped him faster than a
bullet to his heart. Never had Daniel heard anything as joyous or as
satisfying. For the first time in his life, he’d understood what it felt like
to be a man. To have the power to move someone so much, while she did wicked
things to him.

However, her tears…

Shit. Whenever a woman cried, Daniel wanted to bolt.
Somehow, he felt responsible for all that unhappiness, even if he wasn’t, and
needed to fix things without knowing what the problem might be.

Like an unsophisticated teen, he’d gaped at Alexandra’s
narrow shoulders shivering from her sobs. As manly as he’d felt with her
laughter, because he’d caused it, her tears had diminished him.

After that, he couldn’t very well tell her he wasn’t coming
back, then bum a ride. He wasn’t a heartless bastard like her fucking
grandfather. Besides, deep, deep, deep down, Daniel had wanted to return. Blame
it on her having the nicest digs in the village. Pretty damn good food. The
constant sex. Domination. Punishment.

Daniel didn’t want to blame it on Alexandra. That she was
the true lure. He couldn’t be that loony. Getting deeply involved with a woman
like her was a recipe for disaster. Her usual lifestyle was light years from
anything he’d ever known or would experience. Disliking her grandfather’s
arrogance was another problem.

Alexandra obviously had her problems with the old guy, but
he was family. She’d always side with him. Getting into that dynamic would be
worse than trying to orchestrate peace in the Middle East. Uh-uh. Not for him.

“You can leave me here.” He grabbed his door handle.

“Whoa, wait,” she said, gripping his forearm. “Give me a
chance to stop.” She pulled into the parking lot of the pizza parlor and turned
to him. “This place isn’t open yet. If you’re still hungry, you can drop me off
at work and take the—”

“I’m not hungry.”

“Then why did you want me to stop here?” Alexandra peered
through the windshield as though she expected to see more than a dark and snowy
landscape populated by a series of closed businesses. “You’re not going to walk
to the barracks, are you? It’s cold outside.”

Well below freezing the last time he’d checked. He lied, “I
thought the grocery store might be open. I’d like a cup of coffee.”

She looked in the direction of the store and shook her head.
“Nope. It’s closed like it always is at this hour. Seriously, drop me off and
take the SUV back to my place for your coffee. I don’t mind.”

He did. If his screwed-up feelings got any worse, Daniel
wanted a means of escape. Namely, his own vehicle. “It’s probably best if you
take me to the barracks. The guys should have a pot going by now.”

“Nat, Red and Junior get up this early during their time off?”

“I don’t know. I meant the guys who’re working today’s
shift. I can catch up with what’s been going on with them, then do my laundry
and—”

“Bring it to my place tonight.” She pulled back on the road.
“We’ll do it together.” She leaned toward him and murmured, “After our next
training session.”

Once he got back to the barracks, Daniel was so deep in
thought he didn’t notice anyone around until he literally bumped into a guy.
“Sorry.” He backed up. “Didn’t see you.”

The man was bigger than a tank, probably close to three
hundred pounds. He scratched his cheek and nodded amicably. “No problem. I’m
still not awake either. Fucking stupid schedule, huh? Have a good one,” he
called out.

Daniel was already well down the hall, ducking into his tiny
room. He paced it for several minutes, unable to keep still, his dumb feelings
for Alexandra making him jumpy and needing to work it off.

Unfortunately, the only gym was in the community center,
which wasn’t open at this hour. Too bad he couldn’t run himself ragged on the
frozen tundra.

He hauled his duffel bag to the laundry room, stuffed
everything into one washer, then went to grab that coffee he’d lied to her
about.

Sipping it, he turned the corner to return to his room.
Junior and Red were coming his way, talking about something.

Red saw Daniel and stopped. “Hey,” he said, “didn’t know you
were back.”

Daniel wondered how many of his crew knew he’d spent the
last couple of nights at Alexandra’s.

Junior’s face turned cherry red as though he’d broadcasted
it. Or he was recalling Daniel tearing into him that evening, threatening all
kinds of hell on the job if Junior didn’t leave the cabin pronto.

It wasn’t like Daniel to pull rank or to be unfair. When it
came to Alexandra, he’d found that behavior was getting all too easy.

“Guys,” he said in greeting.

Junior blurted, “We gotta go.”

At this hour? Nothing in the village was open.

“Where?” Daniel asked, figuring neither of them had better
say Alexandra’s office. He didn’t want them bugging her. Hell, he didn’t want
them anywhere near her ever again.

“Dining hall,” Red said, then added, “for breakfast.”

Right. Clearly, not everyone had Alexandra on the brain.
Daniel nodded and went in search of Nat. They could kill some time. Talk. Not
about Daniel’s feelings. No fucking way. But general stuff. Women. Why they
screwed up a guy’s head.

Nat wasn’t in or near his bunk.

Daniel carefully bypassed Alexandra’s office and checked the
area where he and the other guys worked, Nat’s cubicle next to his. Not there
either, though Nat’s computer was on. Daniel walked past it, then stopped and
looked back. He leaned in and read the report he’d compiled for upcoming work.
Given what Daniel saw, Nat was rechecking the calculations. Why?

Nat came around the corner and stopped short. “Hey, hi.” He
put down his cup of coffee and pulled up his screensaver. “Didn’t know you were
back.”