Constant Craving [Rapture Island 2] (Siren Publishing Everlasting Classic) (32 page)

Running his thumb over her clit, his gaze sharpened. “I expect the same from you.”

Blinking back tears of emotion, and struck by his ability to slice through her defenses and inhibitions, Kelsey reached up to cup his jaw, unable to help herself. She spread her thighs, opening to him both physically and emotionally, a low moan escaping at the slow slide of his thumb over her throbbing clit.

“You know I’m just going to mess this up, don’t you? I’m going to do something to piss you off, or be too naïve about something, and that’ll be the end of it.” Frowning, she lowered her eyes, staring at the dark hand between her thighs. “I told you already that I’m not the submissive type.”

Gripping her chin, Gabriel forced her to face him, tightening his grip when she tried to pull away. “I like a woman with spice. I’ve already told you that a submissive had to be strong. I swear, my pet, I don’t know why I put up with your insults. I know what the hell I want—and I want
you
.”

Bending slightly, he scraped his teeth over her nipple, smiling when she cried out. “Now, behave yourself so we can talk about my proposition.”

Sitting naked on his lap, with his finger the stroking the inner walls of her pussy, Kelsey moaned, unable to keep from rocking her hips. “I thought your proposition was just to talk. How the hell do you expect me to carry on a conversation when you’re doing that?”

Chuckling, Gabriel tapped her clit. “You have to learn to focus. We are talking. Now, pay attention.” Pressing against a spot inside her that made her breath catch and her body tighten, he began to rub with slow deliberation. “You don’t want to have the coffee shop anymore, because you’ve outgrown it. It served its purpose—giving you the independence that you wanted. I’m sure you were tired of working for someone else. Why don’t you just sell it while you have the chance, and put the money in the bank until you decide what you want to do?”

Trembling as the need to come became stronger, Kelsey shook her head from side to side, losing the battle to keep her voice steady. “Please. I’m gonna come. I can’t think.” She tried to close her legs against him, but he continued to stroke her pussy, pressing on the spot that he seemed to find with incredible ease.

Her breath caught when he slid his other hand down her body and parted her folds, closing her legs as much as she could with his hand between them.

He reacted fast, withdrawing from her pussy to slap her clit. “Open your legs and behave yourself. Don’t you dare try to close against me again.”

Kelsey cried out at the sharp slap to her clit, stiffening and crying out again when she hesitated to obey him and he delivered another. The hot tingling spread like wildfire, making her clit sting and then burn, the heat flowing through her slit in waves of both pleasure and pain.

Warning tingles began in her exposed clit, making the sensitive bundle of nerves ache and throb even harder. Spreading her legs took more effort than she would have ever thought possible, but she finally managed it. Her thighs shook, another cry escaping as Gabriel slid a finger into her again.

Keeping her folds spread, he tapped her clit. “Focus.”

“Okay. Okay. Fuck. It’s tingling.” Swallowing heavily, Kelsey nodded. “I’m listening.”

“What did I say to you?”

“You s–said that I should sell the shop and wait to see what I wanted to do. What the hell am I supposed to do every day—twiddle my thumbs?” Her clit burned, the very real fear of coming making her stiffen. She tried to regulate her breathing, struggling to block out the mental image of what Gabriel threatened to do to her if she came without permission.

“Of course not, my love. I want you to take charge of the charity work for my company. I have to admit, I just give money to a variety of charities, but I don’t know as much about them as I should. You can take control of that. You can check them out and give the money where you think it’ll do the most good. You can buy more of those books and things, and use the company name to buy in bulk and get more for the money.”

He tapped her clit again, smiling at her cry. “The offer stands whether you commit to me or not, but expect me to use it as an excuse to spend more time with you.”

Trying to concentrate on his face, she fought the lure of pleasure, stunned by his proposition. “You would trust me with something like that?”

She thought of the other hospital she wanted to help, and realized what a difference she could make with Gabriel’s money. She’d also have more time to spend reading to the children, and a dozen other things she’d wanted to do.

“What do you say?” Gabriel’s low, deep tone held more than a hint of suppressed need, which made her feel a little better. “It would help me a lot, and I’m sure you could do a better job of making sure the money gets where it’s needed than I can. It pays well, too.” He named a figure that staggered her.

Blinking up at him, she clenched on his finger as the pressure to come kept building inside her. “I’m not going to be able to hold it back much longer. Please, Gabriel. I can’t help it. I’m gonna come and I can’t stop it.”

He smiled, a flash of white that made her heart race. “Take the job and I’ll give you five minutes to get yourself back under control before I attach the chains.”

The slide of his finger over her clit stole her breath and made it nearly impossible to think. Mentally counting, she found herself timing it to the strokes of his finger inside her, so she switched to mentally reciting the alphabet instead, but nothing seemed to hold back the torrent of sensation racing inside her.

“Okay. Okay. Please. I’ll do it.”

With a low laugh, Gabriel released her, laughing harder when she jumped from his lap and began pacing. “You’re adorable. I won’t hold you to it. The offer stands whenever you make a decision.”

Wrapping her arms around herself, Kelsey inwardly cursed as she fought to calm down. The knowledge that she could just go into the bathroom and release the tension had her turning toward the doorway.

“Don’t even try it.” Gabriel’s deep voice held a hint of amusement, one that sparked her temper.

Struggling for a look of innocence, Kelsey frowned. “Try what? I was just going to go to the bathroom.”

Gabriel grinned, shaking his head. “You were going to the bathroom to masturbate. Walk it off, my pet.”

“Look, Gabriel. I’m not in the mood to be patronized. Were you just kidding about the charity work?” It would give her a chance to get out of the coffee shop business, let her help with a cause she believed in, and would give her some time to think about what she wanted to do next.

Gabriel smiled, leaning forward to pick up one of the delicate chains. “Of course. I always mean what I say, my love. I thought I’d already proven that.”

Surprised by the emotion and vulnerability in his voice, Kelsey slowly turned, struck by the love shining in his eyes. She knew if he’d wanted to hide it, he easily could have, but he didn’t even bother to try.

“Time’s up. Come here, my pet.”

“Five minutes can’t be up already.” Not sure if even an icy shower would help, Kelsey stepped back.

My pet
and
my love
became interchangeable in her mind, and she had a feeling he meant them to be.

Both drove her crazy, arousing her beyond belief, and there didn’t seem to be a damned thing she could do about it.

Gabriel’s frown filled her with both excitement and alarm. “Don’t make me come after you.”

She wanted to feel indignant, but it fizzled to nothing when faced with the love and caution burning in his eyes.

This was an erotic game, and need, to him—one that he wanted desperately to share with her. He wanted her to be a part of his world, and not just for one night, or one week.

He wanted
her
.

To her horror, she burst into tears, the flood of emotion making it almost impossible to breathe.

Gabriel jumped to his feet, his eyes full of self-incrimination and an overwhelming sadness that nearly broke her heart. “Fuck. Look, baby. I’m sorry. Come here.”

Wrapping his arms around her, he pulled her close, hugging her so hard she could barely breathe. “Christ, don’t cry. I swear I’ll do anything you want. Just don’t cry. Shhh.”

Shaking her head, she pushed away from him and started laughing, filled with joy and love for such an incredible man. “I’m not crying for that. Damn it, I can’t believe I’m crying.”

She punched him in the stomach. “Damn it, why the hell did I have to fall in love with you?”

Laughing again at the stunned look on Gabriel’s face, Kelsey threw herself against his chest, tears blurring her vision. “I can’t believe you really want me. It’s not just sex with us, is it?”

With a groan, Gabriel gathered her closer, lifting her high against him. “Thank God. Christ, you scared the hell out of me.”

Fisting his hand in her hair, he pulled her head back, his eyes dark with a combination of relief, love, amusement and desire. “Of course it’s more than sex between us. You scared me when I thought all you wanted was sex.”

Rubbing her breasts against his chest, Kelsey wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist. “I thought I did, too. I thought it was what you really wanted. I thought that was all we could have.”

“I told you from the beginning what I wanted from you, but you didn’t want to hear it. I ought to turn you over my knee and spank you.”

Feeling more carefree than she ever had before, and far too emotional, Kelsey wiped her eyes, thankful that she didn’t wear makeup. “Promise?”

His eyes flashed with hunger and intent, his cock pressing against her. “Of course, my pet. And you know I always keep my promises. You’re mine, now, aren’t you? Really mine? No more objections, excuses or doubts?”

Looking up at him through her lashes, she moaned at the feel of his hands clenching on her ass cheeks. “Until I fuck it up and you dump me. I will make a mess of this, you know. I don’t even know how to do this.”

Gabriel smiled, a slow seductive smile that melted her heart. “I guess we’ll have to learn together. In the meantime, we have some unfinished business to take care of.”

Kelsey looked up at him expectantly, her eyes brimming with tears again.

He hadn’t told her he loved her, and although the emotion darkened his eyes, she found she really needed to hear the words.

She would never have described herself as needy, and realized just what an impact loving Gabriel would have on her.

Gabriel smiled, his eyes twinkling. “Yes, I love you, brat, but that doesn’t mean you’re getting out of this.”

The hard slap to her bottom filled her with anticipation. “Yes, Master.”

Rubbing against his cock, she licked her lips, dying to taste him. “That doesn’t mean I’m not going to stop trying to make you lose that control of yours.”

Reaching between them, he ran a hand over her breast, pausing to tug a nipple, his eyes narrowing at her cry of pleasure. “I would be sincerely disappointed if you did. Put your hands behind your back and keep them there.”

Sucking in a breath, Kelsey obeyed him, a cry of pleasure escaping when he gripped her wrists and pulled them lower, forcing her to arch her back and thrust her breasts out. “You’re too damned good at this.”

Her breath caught when he reached out his other hand to retrieve one of the chains on the table, one that reminded her very much of the clips he’d used the night before. “How many women have you dominated anyway?” Just the thought of him touching another woman pissed her off.

“I’ve never dominated a woman I intended to marry.” After fastening one of the chains around her neck, one with two more chains hanging from it, he lifted her hand, kissing the bracelet engraved with his name.

Kelsey’s heart stopped for several mind-numbing seconds, her jaw dropping. Lifting her gaze to his, she swallowed heavily as her heart started again, beating nearly out of her chest. “Marry you? Gabriel, that’s not funny.”

“I’m not laughing.”

Kelsey gasped at the pressure on her right nipple, looking down to see Gabriel tightening a ring over it, a ring attached to the chain dangling from the one around her neck. It didn’t hurt the way the clips had the night before, but the pressure on her already sensitive nipple heightened her awareness there, making it impossible to ignore.

Lifting her gaze to his, she sucked in a breath, gripping his shoulders as her knees turned to rubber. “What the hell are you doing to me?”

“I’m going to decorate you, my pet.” Attaching the other chain, he eyed his handiwork thoughtfully, tugging the chain, a look of satisfaction gleaming in his eyes at her cry of pleasure.

“I’m having several specialty pieces made for you. They should be ready by the time we come back here for our honeymoon.”

He picked up another chain, one with two more chains hanging from it, and fastened it around her waist. “Be still. The more you move around, the more those chains are going to tug your nipples. You’re going to be wearing them for quite some time and you’re only going to end up making it worse for yourself.”

Kelsey grinned, loving the sexual awareness and wicked hunger Gabriel inspired. “I’ve got news for you,
Master
, I like being aroused, especially since I’m with a man who knows how to satisfy me.”