With This Collar (3 page)

“I’m not sure I understand.”

“Every relationship between a Dominant and submissive has an agreed-upon power exchange. You heard Ben ask Lana if she willingly offered her submission. He didn’t demand her servitude. He didn’t threaten or compel her response. She gave it.”

Julia waited.

“In return, you heard Ben promise to care for her. They negotiated their agreement over time, then they asked trusted friends to witness their public vows. Lana gave him power. He didn’t take it.”

“And I’m sure she can revoke it at any time,” she said, her tone tinged with sarcasm.

“Actually, she can. Most subs and Doms have a safe word, or even a series of them. A sub will use an agreed-upon word or term if she or he is feeling scared or if something is too much to handle, either physically or emotionally. The most important thing is communication. Most relationships could benefit from having that kind of arrangement, something that’s discussed ahead of time. No person can be a Dominant without the other agreeing to be the submissive.”

“It sounds like abuse to me.”

“Does it?” He raised his eyebrows, and she squirmed beneath his scrutiny. “You’ve been friends with Lana for a long time, I assume. Since she met Ben, has she looked like an abused woman to you?”

Actually, she’d been giddy. Julia, Lana and a few friends had been at a martini bar on Larimer Square celebrating Lana’s last days as a single woman when talk had turned to sex. Lana had been grinning and giggling as she had told stories about Ben spanking her and binding her wrists to their headboard.

A couple of the other girls had admitted they’d done similar things, and that, scandalously, they’d enjoyed it. They’d encouraged Julia to loosen up and be a bit more adventurous. Honestly, she had been intrigued by the ideas. She just hadn’t been with a man she had wanted to try it with. That night, though, with her supercharged vibrator, she’d had a few wicked fantasies…

“Julia?” he prompted.

“I thought they just had an occasional wild evening. I didn’t know they did this…”

He waited. “This?”

“You know, doing everything he tells her.”

“Despite what you may be thinking, he doesn’t just tell her what to do and have her jump to his bidding. Everything between them, everything, including punishment, is consensual. Ben will not beat Lana without her agreeing to it.”

Julia shivered. “That’s horrible.”

“Is it? I’d be willing to bet your friend has more orgasms in one night than you’ve likely had in the last six months.”

“Excuse me?” Suddenly, she was pissed off. “You don’t know anything about me.”

“Lucky guess,” he said. “But with your reactions tonight, you seem like a woman who has repressed sexual needs. You jump when I touch you. And when I use this tone…” He dropped his voice an octave or two. The sound sent little skitters of awareness up her spine. “You need the right man to set you free.”

“Could you be any more insulting?” She tilted her chin, hoping to project a confidence and disinterest she was nowhere close to feeling. “Are you always such an overconfident jerk? Let me guess, that’s why you’re here alone.”

He didn’t react, other than to smile. That infuriated her.

“Come on, Julia. Admit it. You might be protesting, but only because you think you should. Deep down, you’re intrigued.”

She curled her hands into fists at her side, more to keep him from seeing the way she was trembling than anything else. Damn him—he had snared her interest.

“You’re wondering what it might be like to surrender to a man. More specifically, you’re wondering what it might be like to submit to me.”

“Not in this lifetime.”

“When Lana was talking about the things she and Ben do, you listened, maybe even fantasised about being spanked, feeling an unyielding palm on your ass cheeks, perhaps being tied up helplessly while you wondered what would happen next. And tonight, you pictured yourself in Lana’s place, kneeling in front of a roomful of people.”

She coolly met his gaze and pretended her heart wasn’t racing. “You’re out of your mind. That will never happen.”

“You want to be taken in hand. You want to have someone enforce the limits so that you can release your fear and freely experience everything.”

She knew she should leave. Now. But she was fascinated, even as she was repelled.

“How would you react if I dug my hand into your hair, dislodging those carefully placed pins, then tugged hard, forcing your head back and holding you tight for my kiss?”

“You’ll never know, Mr Cavendish.” And if she persisted in her protests, neither would she.

“No?”

He dropped his foot from the window ledge and took a purposeful step towards her. Apparently unconcerned by her forceful words, or totally disbelieving them, he took her by the shoulders and turned her to face him.

She stood her ground even though there were only inches separating them. The breadth of him filled her vision. His proximity overwhelmed her. If there had ever been a man to tempt her, it was this one.

Gently he traced the column of her throat. “Your mouth says one thing,” he commented, “but your pulse betrays you. The way you bit your lower lip betrays you. The way you’re trembling betrays you.”

“Maybe I don’t want you touching me.”

“Maybe,” he agreed. “So tell me to stop.”

It wasn’t just the scent of him that made her oh so aware of being a woman. It was also the seduction in his voice. He was speaking softly, so no one but her could hear him, and the rough gentleness made shivers dance down her spine.

He moved his hand so he could stroke her cheekbone. Julia stood there, mesmerised.

He captured her gaze, as if she were the only woman on the face of the planet. Despite her best intentions to prove him wrong, she dropped her hands to her sides.

“Shall I keep going, Julia?” He imprisoned her chin. “Or have I offended your feminist sensibilities with my boldness?”

None of the men she’d been with had evoked this kind of response from her. She’d had sex before—plenty of it—but she’d never been this aroused from something so simple. They’d been focused on their pleasure, rather than hers. Most of her boyfriends had performed the requisite foreplay, including eating her out, but none had taken this much time talking, looking, exploring.

“You’re beautiful, Julia. I’d love to see you naked, helpless, supplicant, on your knees with your mouth open to receive my cock.”

“I’ve told you that will never happen.” But…
God.
Her protests sounded hollow, even to herself. In truth, his words overwhelmed her, made her tremble. He wasn’t really saying these things to her, was he? She’d never enjoyed giving head, so she’d avoided it whenever possible. But heaven help her, she was so turned on.

“I’m not insulting you. I’m encouraging you to embrace all of who you are. There’s no shame in being a submissive. In fact, it’s very powerful. You’re always in the driver’s seat. You always have the control.”

Her heat beat madly. He couldn’t possibly be right.

“You want it, too. Admit it.”

“No…”

His touch, commanding and compelling, felt as if it were everywhere at once. He ran his fingers across her nape, then pressed his palms against her back to draw her closer. He followed through on his earlier promise and dug his hand into her hair. She heard a series of soft
clinks
as pins dropped to the hardwood floor. Since her hair was such a riotous mess, she generally kept it pinned back or in a ponytail. But now, unconfined, it fell over her shoulders.

Being unconstrained this way made her feel slightly wanton, and she leaned closer to him.

“This will be consensual. Tomorrow, there will be no doubt you were a full participant in whatever happens tonight. Do you understand?”

Excitement drugged her. She felt his forceful grip on her hair. Shockingly, the pain only added to the bombardment on her senses. She wanted
more.

“Ask me, Julia. Ask me to kiss you, to squeeze your nipples, to bring you off right here in the sunroom where anyone can see you surrender to me.”

His words stunned her. She blinked, then stared at him.

“Ask me,” he repeated. “Or tell me to release you.”

Chapter Two

Marcus hadn’t realised he’d been holding his breath until she said, “Please.”

Lord, this woman intoxicated him, appealing to him on a carnal level. She was tall for a woman. The top of her head reached his shoulder, meaning she had to be at least five-foot-seven. That also meant she was the perfect size to fit under his chin, in his arms. He could, and would, protect her. He could, and would, tie her down and fuck her, as long as she asked him to. He generally played with experienced women who were excited by the opportunity to scene with him. This evening was as unique for him as it was for Julia.

He liked how feisty she was, with energy pulsing from her bright blue eyes. Her blonde hair fell wildly over her shoulders. He wondered if it ever stayed confined for long. Or was it more like her, desperately trying to break free? He wanted to chip away at her carefully constructed façade.

“Please, what?” he asked. “Be specific. I can only give you what you want if you ask for it.”

“I’ve never done this before.”

“Begin now. Tell me.”

“Please, I want you to kiss me.”

That was definitely a good start.

He fisted her hair still tighter and pulled back her head. Her eyes widened. He wasn’t sure if the reaction was from shock or from his painful grip. But she responded, parting her lips for him.

Ruthlessly, he claimed her mouth, seeking her tongue. After only a moment’s hesitation, she wrapped her arms around his neck.

Marcus’ cock had been hard from the moment he’d put his hands on her shoulders in the living room. In all the years he’d been involved in the BDSM community, he’d never been with a novice. And the rush was heady. Seeing her trepidation yield to curiosity made him want to push further. He wanted to send her home tonight with a taste of what her friend experienced. Julia had been so uptight during the ceremony that he felt it was his obligation to help soften her up a bit. And what better way than through an orgasm?

He brought her against his body, her soft curves against his hardened planes. He owned a construction company, most often negotiating deals and working on the computer, but he often picked up a hammer or lent his muscle to a job, working alongside his men. He preferred the outdoors to being inside a gym, and he chose physical labour over a set of weights.

He grabbed her ass with his free hand and dug his fingers into her flesh.

No man behaved like this the first time he met a woman. That thought made him glad this wasn’t a date. The openness he found in BDSM relationships was the first thing that had attracted him to the lifestyle. Even though there were rules and protocol, there was more honesty than he’d experienced in half a dozen years of dating.

But it still had all the hazards of a vanilla relationship. He’d learnt the hard way, with the one woman he’d collared—Katarina.

He’d loved her. But somewhere in the gulf of years, she’d given up who she was. She’d relied on him for all her emotional needs. As he’d been building his business, he’d been less and less available, and that had led to a corresponding increase in her meltdowns, constant telephone calls, even showing up at job sites dressed inappropriately. His rules had been meant for flaunting.

She’d interrupted a meeting with potential investors. As he’d punished her that night, he’d realised what was happening. She’d shown up precisely to get his attention and goad him into a reaction. It had become an unbalanced, untenable situation that had exhausted them both.

The love he’d had for her drove him to support her financially for three years while she tried to establish her life, but the last he’d heard she was involved with an abusive Dom.

Determinedly shoving aside the memories, he deepened the kiss he was giving Julia, fucking her mouth, giving her a taste of what she was in for if she continued down this path.

Eventually he pulled back slightly. He bit her bottom lip then soothed the hurt with his tongue. She hadn’t been kissed like that in the vanilla world, he was willing to bet on it.

“Scared?” he asked.

“No,” she said, unlinking her arms. “Not of you. Or your caveman demonstration. I just don’t like domineering men.” She blinked at him, as if coming to her senses.

Brave little fool.
“Or maybe you’re scared of your inner sub.”

She scoffed. “Bring it on, Sir.”

He fisted her hair and pulled her head back, keeping her imprisoned and exposing the vulnerable column of her throat. He moved his hand from her butt and touched his fingers against her frantically beating pulse. Then he leaned in and gently bit her collarbone. “If I were giving you a caveman demonstration, I’d begin by stripping you.” He unfastened her top button.

He watched the battle that raged on her face. Wordlessly, she reached for him, gripping his wrists tight. Rather than stopping him, she hung on, as if seeking reassurance. He sucked one of her earlobes into his mouth then bit the tender flesh.

She moaned a little and didn’t try to pull away. The reaction pleased him immensely. That she’d responded in such a way to that pain made him wonder if it might be possible to eventually send her into subspace. For him as a Dom there was no more heady experience than giving a sub such pleasure that she lost herself in the experience.

He loosened his grip on her head, but he didn’t let her go completely. Truth was, he liked holding her. “And then I’d force you to your knees with your hands behind your back. And I’d demand your honesty. Do us both a favour, Julia. Don’t lie. Don’t hold back.”

“Okay,” she said, bravely meeting his gaze. “In that case, I want…”

“Go on,” he said when she trailed off, bravado evidently failing her. “Ask for it. Tell me what you want.”

“More,” she admitted.

“More of what? The kissing? Me pulling your hair? Me undressing you?”

“I want to experience what you’re talking about, but just for tonight. I’m a statistician. I like to understand how things relate to one another, and I’d like to be a better friend to Lana. But tomorrow I’ll go back to my regular, scheduled life.”