Masters 02 Master of the Abyss (7 page)

He raised an eyebrow, making a line through the long, white scar on his forehead. After setting his drink down, he ran his fingers along her jawline. His thumb rubbed her lips. “That looked like an interesting thought,” he murmured. Without asking, he leaned her back on one arm. She expected a kiss. Instead he dipped his head lower to brush his lips over one breast. She stiffened as a whole new set of nerves leaped into the action.

He closed his mouth around her nipple, and his tongue, so incredibly hot and wet, played over the peak. Her back arched, pushing her breast against him. Men had fondled her breasts before, but never when she’d been so sensitive already. This was…almost too much. Almost.

He sucked hard.

She inhaled sharply as each unrelenting suck shot electricity straight to her clit. Hellfire, if he kept this up, she’d be as aroused as if she hadn’t come at all. He tongued the peak against the roof of his mouth and bit down gently, not releasing, and the edgy pain only made her soar higher.

She whimpered and couldn’t believe the sound had come from her. She tried to pull away, and the arm behind her back was unyielding, holding her still for his mouth.

He switched to the other breast, and suddenly his hand touched her mound. God, she wanted that, and yet…

“Open your legs, little sub.” He tapped his fingers against her thighs. “Now.”

When she parted her knees, he slid his hand down into her wetness, stroking her folds and then moving to her clit. He firmly rubbed just one side of it, over and over, until she could actually feel it swell and the coiling of approaching climax, and then the bastard moved his finger to the other half of the nub, toying with the hood, occasionally grazing across the top. Lightning shot through her body as her whole clit swelled and pulsed with need.

Oh, God. Her hips lifted.

He chuckled, his breath warm on her breast, and then switched breasts again and sucked that nipple fiercely. A finger slid into her—two fingers—and his thumb pressed down right on her clit. Pain, pressure, penetration—everything in her spasmed uncontrollably. A blast of white filled her vision, turning to a roaring in her ears. Waves of pleasure broke over her again and again as her hips bucked against his hand.

When it all stopped—and somehow he’d kept her going longer than she’d ever thought possible—she lay like wilted grass in his arms, staring at his lean, hard face. How did he make her feel so safe with him that she’d just let him do…anything?

He nuzzled his cheek over hers, and she felt…cherished. She set her hand on his face and lost herself in the blue, blue eyes. After a minute, he sighed. “Little sub, you could worry a man.” His kiss was gentle. Sweet.

When he sat up, she realized his hand was still between her legs. He moved his fingers, and her insides spasmed around him, sending more pleasure fizzing through her veins.

He chuckled and withdrew. Keeping his gaze on hers, he licked her wetness from his fingers. His cheek creased again, and he said softly, “Next time I’ll taste you there.” He tilted his head. “Tie you open…maybe even gag you so only I will hear your whimpers.”

A sound escaped her, and the sun lines at the corners of his eyes deepened with his smile. “Yes. Like that.”

God, he made her feel helpless. And yet, his control filled a…a need inside her that she hadn’t realized was there, a longing to be treated like this.

He stroked her, petting her like a cat; then turned his hand over and rubbed his knuckles over her pebbling nipples. “Did being restrained bother you?”

He waited for his answer, and she realized his patience was something else she wasn’t used to, his total focus on her. He watched her so closely, her eyes, her face, noticing every time she tensed or took a breath. It made her feel…special…and somehow exposed also.

“Kallie. I asked you a question.”

He wouldn’t permit secrets, she realized uneasily. But she didn’t have secrets, really, so… “Bother me? No.” She hesitated, searching for the right words. “I liked…knowing I didn’t have the reins. Sometimes during sex, I feel like I have to decide what happens, how far to go, all that. You didn’t give me any control at all.”

He nodded, unsurprised by her answer.

“Did you enjoy your spanking?” He slid his hand under her bottom, and the unexpected pain from her tender skin made her squeak and try to lift her hips away. He grinned. “A little sore, pet?”

She glared at him. The skin there still felt hot and swollen, and his abrasive fingers didn’t help any. “No, of course not.”

He squeezed and made her yelp. “Now try again, and be honest.”

“Damn you.”

His second squeeze was just plain mean. “Ow!” And she could feel herself getting wetter, not just from the pain, but from the way he made her bend to his will. The world shifted around her like she’d strayed off the trail into an unfamiliar forest.

“Kallie?”

“The spanking hurt…and it made…made me come harder.” And part of that had been because he’d controlled her, that he could make her take the pain.

“Better.” He brushed a kiss over her lips, whispered low, “Next time I’ll use a paddle.”

The flush of heat that went through her worried the hell out of her. She tilted her head. “Next time? I thought…”

“One night only. But the night’s not over yet.”

Chapter Three

Jake hadn’t called.

Kallie slid out of her Jeep and slammed the heavy door shut, letting the loud
bang
express her feelings on the subject.
That asshole bastard rat fink
. She’d been so sure that he would call her—that there had been something between them.

So little she knew. Obviously. No word from him in the last five days. She shoved her sweat-dampened hair off her forehead. Wonderful damned day, wasn’t it?
It’s dry air
, people would say, like dry helped when the temperature soared over ninety degrees. The heat wasn’t helping her simmering mood. Or her desire to wallop someone named Jake. He was such a…
Okay, be fair
. He’d told her “
one night only
.” Repeated it, even.

But still…

Morgan had visited Serenity Lodge yesterday, and Jake hadn’t asked about her. Now Morgan wondered why Kallie had asked if he had.
Gah! I might as well be back in high school
. As Kallie stalked into the small grocery store, she barely kept from slamming that door too.

At least Logan hadn’t discussed any details about Friday night with Morgan or Wyatt. He’d simply said she seemed comfortable enough with his guests’ activities. Since she’d reported the same, her cousins had accepted the matter. After all, they sure wouldn’t ask her for descriptions of anything related to sex.

She stopped inside the door and picked up a basket. Behind the counter, the owner, David Whipple, was going over paperwork with a redheaded delivery guy, who smiled at her.

David asked, “How are you, Kallie?”

“Just dandy.” Wyatt had stocked the kitchen as per the bargain, and for, oh, at least the first two days, she’d thought she had the better of that deal. No shopping or cleaning for a week, and she’d enjoyed the best, most exciting sexual adventure of her very limited life. With Jake, of all people. As her breasts tingled, she mentally shoved that memory into the toilet…and flushed.

Turning her attention to her errand, she studied the shelves of crackers and cookies and chips. A sack of potato chips went into her basket. Sour cream dip from the refrigerated section.

She said hi to Mrs. Jenkins and smiled at the small dog perched in the child seat. Looking like a furball that had encountered a light socket, the Pomeranian gave a series of shrill yaps, then panted with exhaustion. Yeah, she remembered panting just like that at the lodge.

After consideration, Kallie added two bottles of Sierra Nevada Stout from the beer fridge. Only two, just for her. All three of her best friends had dated Jake, and although they tended to share almost everything, she’d never confessed to having the hots for the man since she’d first seen him in town. All long legs and broad shoulders, that hard, rough-cut face, the cleft in his chin, and eyes the color of a mountain lake. And don’t forget his large, competent hands. Oh, she remembered how those hands had slapped her bottom, stroked her pussy, pushed her down onto her hands and knees and…
Well
. She let out a slow breath. She sure wouldn’t be sharing details with Serena or Gina. Nope.

So with no friends to line up on her side and call him the appropriate names, she had to hold a pity party all by herself. She studied the contents of her basket. Almost all the essential food groups: salt, alcohol, grease. Missing sugar and chocolate.

Obviously she needed Ben and Jerry’s contribution to the ice cream world: chocolate fudge brownie. She dropped in the small container, hesitated, and added another. The chances that she’d feel better by tomorrow were slim. Real slim. Holy crapola, but she’d been stupid.

Setting the basket on the counter, she managed a smile for David.

He beamed at her. A bit short of six feet and stocky, he’d filled out a lot since high school, probably from hefting groceries around. She hadn’t really known him then; he’d been in the geeky crowd, and she’d hung out with the jocks, playing soccer and baseball.

Not basketball, unfortunately. When all the other kids passed her in height, she’d discovered that, no matter how fast she was, genetics ruled on the basketball court. Life really sucked sometimes.

“That’ll do it, Andrew.” David signed the electronic device for the delivery guy. “You joining us next week for poker?”

“I’ll be there.”

As the man walked away, David glanced into Kallie’s basket and gave her an odd look.
What, people didn’t normally fill a basket with junk food
? He took the beer out and rang it up. “I enjoyed our date last month.”

“Yeah, I did too,” she said. They’d gone out for dinner and a movie. He was a nice man. Certainly a lot nicer than Jake. But not—

“Are you available this week?”

She hesitated, thinking over her schedule. The weekend was out, since she’d invited Rebecca to join her friends at the ClaimJumper on Saturday. On Sunday, she had a women’s group booked for an overnight on Little Bear Mountain.

Earlier in the week was possible, but going out didn’t sound particularly appealing.
I want Jake.

As if she’d called him, she glimpsed him crossing the street, shoulder to shoulder with Logan. Big guys. She’d heard they were ex-military, and despite their casual stride, the two men gave as deadly an impression as the Earps heading for the OK Corral.

And oh, could this day get any better? They came into the grocery.

Jake saw her. His gait hitched, and the laughter faded from his face. He said, “Morning, Kallie,” his voice as polite as if she were…a tourist. As if he’d never kissed her or been inside her or sucked on her breasts. Obviously he’d meant that “
one night only
.” The bastard.

After a quick frown at Jake, Logan smiled at her. “Good morning, sugar.”

The annoying lump inside Kallie’s chest made it hard to speak, but damned if she’d show how much Jake’s attitude hurt. “Hey, guys.”

When the men had entered the store, David’s face had gone expressionless, almost a match for Jake’s. The grocer greeted Logan and continued ringing up her snacks. “So what about Thursday night?” he asked her. “Mike’s having a barbecue that night.”

Kallie’s attention, despite her efforts, drifted back to the Hunts. While Logan checked over a list on notepaper, Jake was studying her pile of groceries on the counter. A frown creased his brow and lined his scar. His intense blue gaze moved to her.

Surely he didn’t know what chocolate ice cream meant. As her face heated, she turned her back.
You are nothing to me
. “I’d love to go out, David. What time?”

* * *

In a filthy mood, Jake carried two grocery sacks through the lodge’s back door into the kitchen and thumped them down on the counter.

“Just in time for supper.” Rebecca opened the refrigerator and started unloading a bag. “I’m going to make chocolate cake tomorrow. Did you remember to get ice cream?”

“I think so.” Hopefully. He didn’t remember picking up a carton.

“
I’d love to go out, David
.” He scowled at the memory of Kallie’s low voice, of the victorious smirk that Whipple had given him.
Bastard
. Jake headed back out, passing Logan on the way in.

Get over it
. She not only had a right to date, but he wanted her to. He had welcomed the fact that she hadn’t gotten hung up on him and hadn’t expected anything after their night together. As he stepped off the porch, the heat sent a trickle of sweat down his back. Kallie had been sweating by the second time he’d taken her. He’d licked between her tiny breasts, tasting the salt on her skin, and then pushed her knees up. She’d been so wet by then that he’d entered her snug little pussy with one thrust.

A hard shove made Jake stumble. “We’ve got more groceries,” Logan said. “You planning to stand there all day?”

“Right.” Jake moved forward, shaking his head, as if that would dislodge the memories. Hadn’t yet. And now he had a serving of guilt to join them, because he couldn’t lie to himself. Maybe she would date that asshole Whipple, but Jake had seen what was in her grocery basket: chocolate ice cream. Chips and dip.
Hell.

When Mimi had been sad, she’d cried. A simple solution. But he’d lived with enough women to learn the other remedies females used to feel better. Whereas an unhappy man might get roaring drunk, a woman would curl up with a bowl of ice cream. Or chips.

Kallie’s basket had contained both. It didn’t take a leap of logic to figure he was the cause. The look she’d given him as he entered the store had held pain, then anger. The stiffness of her shoulders when she’d turned her back said he’d hurt her pride as well. But although she’d been hurting, she hadn’t yelled, been rude, or cried. He admired that—she was a strong woman. No surprise there.

He sighed and hefted the forty pound sack of dog food onto his shoulder.