Her Master's Collar (On the Hunt) (7 page)

He lifted his hands to cradle her face. “I know.” He rose, placing a gentle kiss on each of her cheeks before drawing back the heavy curtain. “One day at a time,” he repeated as he pulled their joined hands into his lap as the opera began.

Twenty minutes into the first act, with the actors on the stage wrapped around each other in some kind of sensuous dance, he leaned closer. His thumb worked a slow pattern back and forth across her knuckles while his free hand gently stroked her forearm. Despite the fact she was still unsure of their footing, her body had ideas of its own. His pleasing caresses spiked her heart rate, increased her breathing and she didn’t even want to think about the tingling sensation going on between her legs. Her clit and pussy throbbed, aching for what she knew he alone could give her.

The intoxicating pulse stood as a glaring indicator she needed to stop him in his tracks. “Perhaps you’d be better off putting a lid on this whole thing. Maybe find another girl to charm to her knees when this is all over. Then we can just go our separate ways.”

“What if I don’t want another one? What if all I want is you?”
Crap.
He wasn’t going to make this easy. The closer he scooted his chair, the wetter she became. As if to torture her further, his lips skimmed against her cheek. “And you can’t honestly tell me that you don’t want me.”

“I can and I am.”

“That has got to be the worst lie I’ve ever heard from those pretty lips. I can feel your pulse.” His fingers grazed over the inside of her wrist. “And this close to you? I can smell the undeniably decadent scent of your cunt. I bet if I touched your clit right now, you’d blow like a rocket.”

Heat pulsed through her as she dragged in each breath. She struggled to swallow. Her nipples peaked under the bodice of her dress, desperately seeking his touch. She missed his mouth teasing the buds, making her come from the lavish attention as she presented her breasts.
Damn. It. All. To. Hell.
He was turning her into a pile of goo with his words.

“It’s just…hot. There are a lot of people in the theater. Has anyone checked the capacity numbers?”

“The only thing hot, pet, is you.” He leaned over her, his breath warm against her skin as his teeth closed over the exposed skin high on her shoulder. She let out a gasp as desire streaked through her body before the erotic agony of his touch collected between her legs. “Hard to ignore this kind of volatile chemistry, isn’t it? And before you deny it and claim I don’t know what the fuck I’m talking about…” He tugged on her hand, splaying it over the steel heat of his erection so she could feel just how much he wanted her. She didn’t try to pull away, but he tightened his hand over hers anyway.

He inched closer, his leg pressing against her thigh. “I love having your hands on me. I love touching you. Love to hear the hitch in your breath when I command you to do something.”

His voice held a dark, deep rumble against her sensitive skin that nearly liquefied every bone in her body. The bulge of his cock shifted, growing harder and lengthening under her palm. Oh Jesus, she was going to combust. She was surprised flames weren’t already turning the curtains behind them to ash. If something didn’t break soon, if he didn’t do something to sate this need she had to have his hard thickness inside her pussy, her hormones were going to drive her insane.

He tightened his hand over hers, curling her fingers around his hard shaft. Firm teeth bit into the soft flesh of her earlobe, the sharp pain triggering a clench deep in her pussy. The throbbing pulled a soft moan from her throat as every nerve in her clit twitched, begging for more. It took every ounce of strength she possessed to keep from rubbing against him like a contented cat.

“Do you remember the night you picked your safe word?”

The abrupt conversation shift caused her to lift her gaze. A dark hunger in the depths of his eyes pulled at her core. Need spiraled through her, lifting her onto some kind of sensual high. A high with the name Roland Asher stamped all over the cure. Her brain didn’t seem to want to work and it took more than a few tries to clear away the sexual haze coursing through her to answer his unexpected question.

“I do. Clear as day. You’d worked late before coming home around, what—midnight?”

He nodded, shifting her hand away from his crotch to the arm of his chair. Her fingers felt empty, cold. His fingers skimmed through the fine hairs on her forearm. “Around then, I think. I don’t remember the exact time. Just that I’d been in a daylong meeting with hosts who served shitty food.”

“Certainly explains your appetite and why you woke me from a sound sleep. You were so insistent we go out to find some Chinese food. But I was used to entertaining your eccentricities so I went along with the whim. It was so late, the only place we could find still open was certainly skeptical. Place was so small, they only had four stools pushed up to a window table.”

A flicker of a smile creased his eyes again. “I’m pretty sure I saw a roach or two scrambling around while we waited. But it was the best damn Chinese food we’ve ever had.”

“God, yes.” She licked her lips, nearly tasting the sumptuous sauce and fresh vegetables. “When it came time for the fortune cookie, the cook apologized for only having one. You insisted I take it.”

“And you insisted I take it. So we split the difference and broke it open together.”

There is safety in courtesy.
The tiny slip of cheap paper was still tucked into her jewelry box. Her thumb traced the faint line of the vein under the thin skin at his wrist, smiling when his pulse jumped. “You bound my hands for the first time that night.”

“And you called me Master the next.” His mouth touched hers in such a way it radiated all the way to her toes. He kissed wholly and completely, restraining nothing of his intent—his passion—for her. By exposing this much of himself, both mentally and physically, he exposed her.

His tongue swept along hers as he varied the pressure. Hard. Soft. Everything in between that displayed to her just how much chemistry they truly possessed. Her need skyrocketed, her clit throbbing painfully in time to each efficient stroke of his tongue. She inhaled sharply through her nose as each unrelenting suck on her tongue caused a bolt of longing to streak through her body. If he kept up this level of attention, surely she’d come within a matter of minutes.

She stilled, whimpering weakly as he pulled away. His fingers touched her heated cheek. Energy flowed between their bodies, connecting them on a physical as well as emotional level. “I want you in my ropes again, Korene.”

The warm rumble of his voice washed over her as every nerve ending blazed in answer. Her lips felt swollen as she dragged her tongue over the delicate surface. He’d possessed her mouth with so much fervor, her insides were still shaking with excitement. It was almost too much.

Almost.

“One day.”

“One day,” he echoed as he turned back to watch the show.

* * * * *

A well-dressed waiter held out a chair, gesturing for her to sit. “Ma’am.”

“Thank you.”

Roland touched her shoulder. “I’ll be back in a moment.”

Grateful for the breather, she used the distance between their bodies to desperately try not to think about how, in less than ten minutes, he’d reminded her how much she missed sex. Not to mention how badly she needed one good toe-curling, soul-searing orgasm. Certainly any man who knew how to use his cock would certainly take care of her…predicament. But it wasn’t just Roland’s dick she wanted. It was his hands, his lips, his teeth and his oh so very fucking talented tongue.

And so much for not thinking about him.

The waiter directed a couple to the seats directly across from her. They both smiled in greeting as they sat, shaking out their artfully folded napkins. As they bent their heads together for a quiet conversation, Korene took a few minutes to admire the way they interacted. Judging by the way the dark-haired man combed his fingers gently through the woman’s vivid red hair and the way he kissed her forehead as she bent closer, she guessed they were on their honeymoon.

More couples began to arrive at the large table, until all the seats at the table were full. Korene focused on their presence instead of Roland. The couple to her immediate right appeared to be very much in love if the way they held hands was any indication. To Korene’s left was an elderly couple who fussed with the placement of the expensive silverware. She couldn’t hold back her smile, thoroughly amused with their quiet exchange.

Great. Surrounded by people totally and completely infatuated with one another.

“And what has you so amused?” Roland brushed his lips over her shoulder as he returned to his seat. Those thoughts she’d been trying to smother flared to life. Her body burned, the tingling of her pussy growing in intensity with each passing second despite their mixed company.

She folded her napkin in her lap, fidgeting with the cloth instead of answering. Talking meant she’d have to look at him. She certainly didn’t feel confident enough to face him straight on. Not after the display in the theater where he’d reminded her how quickly he could reduce her to a quivering mass.

Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed his sly smile before he turn his attention to the other guests seated at the table. She expelled a shaky breath, her hand trembling slightly as she reached for her ice water.
Get it under control, Braddock. No matter how much you want him, he left you—remember? Stop thinking with your cunt.
She started to repeat the mantra in her head when the waiter delivered their dinner.

The strong aromas of rosemary and ginger were infused in the steam rising from the roasted lamb and potatoes set before her. Her stomach growled in response, making her realize she hadn’t eaten a thing since waking this morning.

“So tell us how you two met.” The redhead, who’d introduced herself as Angie, lifted her wineglass and waited.

“My gun range,” Roland offered in answer.

The woman’s ruddy eyebrows shot up. “Seriously? That’s pretty awesome.”

Roland’s hand closed around Korene’s knee as he continued. “She came in not knowing a thing about guns. Only that she wanted one to protect herself after the Uprising started. Can’t say I blame her. A single, gorgeous woman with a body such as this certainly was a prime target back then.”

Angie’s husband nodded. “Very dangerous times, especially for women.”

Korene held back the urge to roll her eyes. Though it surprised her to hear Roland share the true story of how they’d met. She really had gone to the gun shop he worked at on the weekends. The Uprising, a result of the citizens turning on the government and its laughable choices, had started in a few pockets within the major cities and quickly spread to more sparsely populated areas. She’d never felt her life had been threatened, but had figured why take the chance?

“He was more than patient with me,” Korene added, following Roland’s lead.

“Especially when she wanted to buy way more gun than she needed.”

“A girl’s gotta have something big to wrap her hands around, right?” Everyone laughed at her joke, except Roland. His hand tightened around hers, clearly remembering those first few days. The air had literally crackled around them as he’d held his body against hers as he taught her to fire a weapon. One or two lessons would have taken care of things, but she’d found herself returning and seeking more from the enigmatic man.

“She was a natural, whatever the size.”

From the first moment she’d walked in the shop, she’d known there was something special about Roland. It wasn’t just her body that reacted to him. He made her want more of herself, made her want something out of the ordinary. With Roland, she always wanted more.

“Well, you two certainly make a handsome couple.” Angie’s husband lifted his glass, as did the rest of the occupants of the table. “Here’s to love, hope and longevity.”

Instead of toasting with the group, Roland kissed the back of her hand. “Hear, hear.”

Twenty minutes later, Roland’s arm wrapped around Korene’s waist as they exited the lift. Her body still vibrated from his close proximity for the past few hours, especially after reliving the memory of how they met. When she coupled it with the reminder of how they’d fallen into the power exchange aspect of their relationship, she was more than primed and ready despite the fact she knew better.

She wanted to give in to him.

All he had to do was ask.

“Markus tells me we’ll be arriving at the dock around eight tomorrow. The tourist shuttle will meet us immediately after to transport us to our destination at the volcanic park.”

“Lots of hours between now and then.”

“You’re right.” He leaned in, brushing his hand against her jaw. His thumb settled into the small cleft in her chin, a touch that sent her heart racing. Her already primed and ready body followed as she waited for the first precious contact. “It was nice walking down memory lane a few times tonight.”

She nodded, not trusting her voice to form a verbal response. His lips were just a hairsbreadth from hers, his hot breath merging to spin between their perilously close bodies. He didn’t bother to hide his arousal from her as his very hard cock pressed against her abdomen. Right at this moment, her body chanting Roland’s name, she wanted to drop to her knees and worship his unyielding hardness.