Heat Up the Night (7 page)

“Yes, Sir.”

Watching her plump lips curl around those words made him want to fuck protocol and control and bend her over the backseat of his Jeep, slip into her tight pussy and make them both scream into the night. But she looked at him, eyes shining with trust and need, and he could never do that, not when he’d promised to siphon off some of the weight she carried on her shoulders. Not when she needed Keilor the Dominant, not just the man.

Keilor exited and went around the car to open Tovia’s door and unbuckle her. With a hand on her shoulder, he guided her from the car and closed the door behind her. “Stay there.”

Blocking her vision with the open back seat door, Keilor retrieved a collar from the minimalist toy bag he always kept on hand. Approaching her with the collar like he would a scared stray, he said, “To remind you that you are mine.”

A shiver worked through her body and her nipples tightened enough to make themselves visible through her sweater. He buckled the brown leather around her neck, loving the way it made her skin look delicious and creamy. Once on, Tovia breathed deeply and shut her eyes.

He grabbed a fistful of her wild red hair and yanked until she looked straight at him. “No hiding tonight, firebird. Eyes on me, okay?”

Her tongue flicked out across her lower lip. “Yes, Sir.”

Damnit, he couldn’t help himself. He wrapped his arms around her back and plundered her mouth. Her tongue thrust and parried with his. She was no wilting flower, no limpid submissive, and he wouldn’t have her any other way.

When he pulled away, her pupils were blown, large as dinner plates. The lines of strain that had bracketed her mouth at the library had softened. Good.

Keilor backed toward the Jeep, not taking his eyes off her. She stood in her casual day-off clothes, a flouncy skirt hitting her knees and a sweater that skimmed the dips and curves she maintained through a religious workout schedule. A few nights ago, she’d confessed that exercise gave her some relief from daily stress, but only a fraction of what he provided for her.

Keilor was surprised his chest hadn’t exploded, Alien-style, from pride.

“Strip.”

Her green eyes widened and she did a double take around the parking lot of Apogee. No lights for at least a mile. No other cars. Her fists clenched by her sides, then loosened. Myriad emotions played over her face until she gave herself a little nod then, slowly, reached for her hem.

As a Dom, he’d had submissives strip for him. Since moving to Vegas, he’d seen his fair share of professional dancers, experts at the striptease.

None were as arousing as Tovia’s hesitant reveal. Her sweater inched up to reveal a taut stomach and the navel piercing that had entranced him from the start, a hidden slice of rebellion for his otherwise predictable woman. Well, outside the times she let herself go and submitted to him.

The hemline rose to expose her gorgeous breasts, the left with a cluster of little brown freckles next to her nipple. Knowing her body’s little idiosyncrasies was hotter than any so-called perfection he’d ever seen. The deep purple bra lifted her breasts in offering, begging for his mouth and fingers.

Not yet
.

She folded her sweater, ever neat, and set it on the passenger’s side seat. She held fast to the door and reached for the ankle strap of her wedge heels.

“Leave those on.” His voice was gravel-rough, but he couldn’t help it if the mere sight of her made his throat go dry.

With a sharp nod, she hooked her fingers underneath the simple waistband of her skirt and pulled it down, exposing another pair of those little lace boy shorts he loved so much. He barely contained himself until she’d folded her skirt, then he threw his toy bag over his shoulder and hauled her into his arms.

He needed her like he needed to breathe. When had she become so essential to his happiness? After learning more about her father, her trust issues weren’t surprising. The amount she’d bent, let him in, was an honor. He’d vowed patience, would simply keep showing her how much he cared without saying he loved her outright. That step could be too much for her, and the last thing he wanted was to scare her off.

With one hand, he entered the passcode to unlock the front door of Apogee and carried her over the entryway, his pulse racing at the symbolism. From the way she tensed in his arms, it didn’t escape her either.

Before she could think too much and get in her own way, Keilor stood her in front of the spanking horse in the corner of the empty main room, pressing her hands to the metal handlebars on the far side.

What a sight…Tovia, lit only by emergency lights and the moon streaming through the large skylight at one end of the room, bent over in nothing but sexy lingerie and heels. And she was all his.

She just hadn’t realized it yet.

After pulling the last few implements out of his bag, he circled to Tovia’s side, showing her a matching pair of leather wrist cuffs. She flinched and started shaking her head, but she did not let go of the bars. He kneeled by her head, running a soothing hand over her back. “Shh, it’s okay. I am not going to bind you to anything.”

Her pupils dilated in panic but she didn’t move or voice her questions.

“I want you to feel the weight of them. I will put one around each wrist, not locked and not tied or clipped down to anything. Just like leather bracelets, okay? Their presence is a reminder you are here under my command, under my watch and care.”
And love
, he wanted to add, but he bit back the words.

After warily eying the cuffs for a long while, Tovia’s jerky nod gave him permission to proceed. And, as he’d hoped, once the cuffs were tightened around her wrists, the tense muscles in her body relaxed.

He backed off, letting her adjust to the weight, the sensation of having her wrists bound—if only in the most basic way. With each deep breath, she relaxed more.

“Thank you, Sir.”

Ah, she undid him. He’d known the mental and visual bondage would aid her, but that, he did not expect. He figured she’d resist, fight the cuffs and what they represented. Not thank him. He rubbed his chest, wondering if it would hurt less for her to actually burrow in there and curl around his heart.

“No, firebird. Thank you. Your submission is a gift.”

Like the words held some kind of voodoo magic, her submission bled all the poison from her body. Nothing mattered outside the walls of Apogee—Keilor stood strong between her and the world. Grounded by the collar and cuffs, by his signs of possession, she felt safe enough to let down her guard. He wouldn’t run or make her feel guilty or take advantage of her kindness.

He was everything her family wasn’t. Maybe he could love her better than them too.

The revelation dizzied her, but before she could spiral off into panic his palm cracked across her ass and echoed through the empty room. She jolted against the horse, the metal rings in her cuffs ringing against her handholds. His hand came down again and again, each time stripping off a layer of thought and worry until only the soul of her was left. Even the small air currents from his movements seared her tender skin and cauterized her mind.

She’d lost all sense of time, only knowing her arms ached from gripping the handles and she was wet, eager for him to lay final claim to her body. Not that he hadn’t fucked her before, but this night was different. Whether that conclusion was borne of sound logic or subspace distortion she couldn’t tell.

Then, blissfully, she heard the rasp of a zipper, the soft whish of clothing. A gentle tug at her collar had her standing up from the spanking horse, albeit a bit wobbly on her wedges. Keilor hauled her against his strong chest, letting her regain balance for a moment, before he led her to a gym mat laid under the skylight. A soft blue blanket covered almost the whole surface. Keilor laid her down, running his fingers up and down her body.

She writhed under his attention, arching her back in a silent plea. She needed his touch on her tight nipples, on her swollen clit, or she’d go crazy. She wouldn’t beg, wouldn’t disobey his order for silence, but did she ever plea with her body.

Then, finally, when she was as primed as a wind-up car, his mouth closed around one breast, his tongue flickering over her needy peak. He kissed down her body right to the heart of her, biting down on the soft flesh where her leg and hip joined. She jerked against him, the sharp pain a stark contrast to the dull throb of arousal. Frantic hands stripped the panties from her body. When his lips finally closed around her clit and sucked, she almost cried in relief. Her blood raced, pounding like wild horses through her veins until, when he eased two fingers inside her waiting sheath, stars danced across her vision.

“Please, Sir!” She tried to bite back her words, but it was too late. She hunched her shoulders, not wanting to see his disappointment.

Instead, he laughed—low and ominous. “You held out longer than I predicted. Good girl.” His body moved over hers, blocking out the edge of the moon that peeked through the skylight. In one sharp thrust, he entered her, filling her and stretching her tissues to the point of glorious pleasure-pain.

“Sir!” Her moan filled the whole play space and echoed off the walls. She hurtled toward orgasm, her pussy clenching around Keilor every time he hit all the good spots inside her. Her fingers tangled through her hair, needing something solid to grip. He shifted, pulling at her hands until they lay against the mat above her head. Pressing against them with one big hand, he effectively bound her down.

A moment of sheer panic swamped all rational thought, interrupted only by Keilor’s low rumble. “So beautiful, so perfect. Mine.” His hips resumed their rhythm, sharp pleasure clearing away the cobwebs of fear. She pulled against his hand and found her wrists solidly pinned to the mat.

Her womb twitched and she could feel her nipples swell. It shouldn’t turn her on, being helpless. But as he kept up his litany of praises, loving her with his body, she realized she wasn’t helpless. She had her safewords, and she knew Keilor would die before not honoring them.

Power surged through her and she crested up on it, reaching for that blissful release Keilor had been building in her all night.

“You’re not allowed to come without permission,” he breathed against her neck before nibbling at the upper swell of her breast.

No!
She was so close and his biting only edged her nearer to orgasm. She panicked, mewling at her predicament.

“Just a little longer, firebird.” She strained at his hand, bucked against his body, maintained her grip on sanity through sheer force of will.

“Come with me, come for me, baby.”

She exploded.

Shockwaves of release shook her body, wiped clear all rational thought. Desperate cries worked from her throat and when she felt him swell and thrust deep inside her once more, all her walls collapsed. “I love you.”

***

The uncensored words rang through the club and Keilor froze above her, his features carefully blank.

She silently cursed a blue streak and braced for his reaction. Could she be more of a cliché? Intent on taking them back, she inhaled. “I didn’t—”

Keilor kissed her. “Shh. Wait here and I’ll be right back.” He rose, snagged his clothes, and headed for the stairs up to his private suite.

Not the reaction she’d expected. She waited for the other shoe to drop or for him to absolve her. She didn’t dare hope to hear him return the sentiment.

Silence screamed in the large, open room and Tovia curled in on herself, only moving when Keilor, fully clothed, returned with a robe for her to wear out. He tucked her under his arm as they walked across the parking lot, which only made the situation worse, like he was placating her. The night spread out in sharp focus. Every evening desert sound echoed through her ears. She was hyper-aware of the man next to her, silent and brooding.

Until they got in the car and started driving, Tovia had almost expected him to call her a cab. But that would have been against every gentlemanly bone in his body, and over the past two weeks he’d shown her just how gallant he could be. So when he drove back to his place, she didn’t quite let down her guard.

As they pulled into the apartment parking lot, her phone rang. She glanced at the screen and immediately silenced the call. She did not want to talk to her mother, not now. Keilor looked at her from across the stick shift, but said nothing.

Once he parked in his spot, Keilor gave her a perfunctory kiss on the forehead and got out. She didn’t wait for him to come around and open her door, instead hopping out to meet him at the rear bumper. He shot her a funny look, then shrugged, the dim parking structure lights bringing out the scattered blonde hairs twinkling from his buzzed brown hair. She wanted to run her fingers through the stubble, loving the way it abraded her skin, but he didn’t look very welcoming at the moment. Not unwelcoming, really, but too pensive to be reassuring.

Whatever. If he wanted to hash things out in private, or write her statement off to post-orgasmic brainmelt, she was fine with that. She’d meant the words, but boy was her timing shit.

Like they’d done this a million times instead of a mere handful, they cut a diagonal across the second floor of the structure and entered the hallway connecting to his apartment floor. She got to the door first and punched in the code he’d given her the night of their first “real” date, when she’d refused to let him pick her up, instead insisting she drive. He’d humored her then, as she suspected he was doing now.

He followed her down the hall, looming over her shoulder and getting her hackles up. Why wouldn’t he just say something? For that matter, why didn’t she just leave and go home?

The thought deflated her. She probably wasn’t very welcome at home now. Maybe she’d grab a cab, snag a room at the Hellena for a night or two while she figured things out. Take advantage of her employee discount for once.

Her phone rang again, the happy jingle grating on her nerves. Though tempted to chuck it down the lushly carpeted hallway, she once again sent the call to voicemail while Keilor unlocked his front door.