Submissive by Moonlight (6 page)

Just when she wanted to escape, he smiled at her. “A lovely room. Lived in.” He kissed her lips and bent her down over the bed. He dropped her from a height of a few inches, surprising her when she’d expected to be laid on it gently.

She felt lost, but the small jolt of landing on the bed had distracted her from her desire to flee.

“Watch,” he told her.

An order to follow was exactly what she needed. She watched, wondering what he would do. He unbuttoned his shirt, neither hurrying nor drawing it out, his fingers sure on the buttons. After the third button she had no trouble watching. Well-defined pecs. Six-pack abs. When he took off his shirt, she could see arm muscles like corded steel.

He bent down, untied his shoes, and pulled them off while she was still ogling his chest. He reached in his pocket and palmed something from it, but she kept looking at his bronze skin. But when he pushed his jeans off, her gaze lowered. His cock, big and hard, sprang free, jutting out toward her.
For me?
It excited her to think that she’d aroused him, and the desire that had been suppressed for a few moments at the sight of her room was in full flame again. She leaned back, spread her legs in invitation, and then gulped.

Safety first
. “You have a condom?” She had some in a drawer somewhere, but she wasn’t sure how long they lasted before they expired. They had been there a long time.

He opened his fist to reveal a small foil packet. “Of course.” He turned his hand over and set the condom on the bed next to her hip. Looking every inch the predator, he moved around the bed. He swept her books up with one arm and set them on the floor, then knelt on the bed where they’d been. His rough hand slid between her legs, brushing through her mound, gliding over her swollen clit.

She wanted to soak in the feelings, but it seemed wrong not to reciprocate. She reached out for his cock. “May I?”

“Not yet,” he told her. “Just feel.” He curled his fingers inside her, finding her G-spot. He bent down to kiss a nipple and sucked it in with force, making her cry out. She reached for him. He grabbed her wrist and pushed her hand to her other breast. She squeezed and pulled at her aching peak. The multiple sensations were almost too confusing, but then his fingers pumped in her pussy and brought them all together, stoking the flame in her core to higher and higher peaks.

She bucked against his hand and screamed as the pleasure surged over her body. Her pussy contracted around his fingers, pulsing again and again. She gasped for breath. He was talking, but it took her a moment to comprehend his words through her orgasmic haze. “Lovely, lovely,” he was saying, as if she’d done something besides what he’d forced from her.

“Wow,” she murmured.

He grinned at her, took his fingers out of her pussy, and ripped open the condom wrapper. He slid the latex sheath over his cock. He positioned himself between her legs. “This time,” he told her, “you don’t come until I tell you to.”

She wasn’t sure she could have held that last one back even if he’d said no. She nodded anyway. Spanking had been a threat before, but now she felt that if failure consisted of an orgasm and that kind of punishment, she would risk it.

He entered her in one hard thrust that stretched her and made her breath catch. When she’d made love before, it had been all cautious fumbling, but there was nothing hesitant about Nolan. He filled her completely, pausing for a moment while she got used to his presence. She met his intense gaze. He wanted her. And she wasn’t letting him go. She wrapped her legs around him and pulled him forward.

He pulled back, and she fought him for the pleasure of feeling his strength. Inch by inch he emptied her, before thrusting back in ferociously again and again. He grabbed her hands when she reached for him and held them spread wide against the bed. She was powerless against his steely grasp. He pumped inside her, pinning her body down, making her gasp with the strength of each thrust. His pubic bone rubbed against her clit. His furry chest scratched against her breasts with each move forward and back. The burning in her core intensified, until she knew it was going to be impossible to obey his directions. She tried to hold back. “Nolan…”

“Come, Marisa,” he shouted, and she did, white light filling her vision as her body shuddered. His cock pulsed inside her at the same time. His face contorted as he grunted his pleasure, and she abandoned herself to the moment, her pussy milking him. She tried to wrap her arms around him, yet found comfort in the way he held her down instead, controlling her writhing body with his strength.

She closed her eyes, enjoying the feeling of his weight on her, even though she knew he was holding himself up at least in part. Just as well; this way she could breathe. She clenched her pussy as he slid out of her, but it didn’t stop him. He rolled her over on top of him once his back was against the bed, cradling her head to his chest. He felt solid. Dependable.

“Mmm,” she murmured.

“You were wonderful.”

She smiled, registering his words before she fell asleep.

Nolan woke up in the morning to find that Marisa had rolled over and was snoring softly. He was careful not to disturb her as he slipped out of bed. He watched her for several minutes. She looked beautiful there, naked and peaceful. At last he turned away and headed for the kitchen.

He found a good-size frying pan in a cupboard, some eggs in the fridge, and some veggie bacon in the freezer—he’d make do with that, even if it couldn’t possibly be as good as the real thing. Maybe it was healthier. As far as he could see, there wasn’t any meat in the house. Apparently Marisa was a vegetarian. That would make for some interesting times, but he intended to date her, not to live with her. He wasn’t looking for a full-time slave—those were far too much work—and in any case, life as a cop’s partner was tough. Better to take things one night at a time and not be too serious. Date other people if the opportunity arose.

For some reason the idea of Marisa dating someone else made his stomach tighten up in knots.
No way should I feel that possessive after one date
. And that was from imagining her sitting at a restaurant with some other guy. The idea of her kneeling in front of someone or getting naked—no, best not to go there.

The bacon sizzled, sort of. It definitely had less fat than the real kind. He didn’t know if it would lend its flavor to the eggs as well either, but he decided to find out. He set the strips of bacon to dry on a paper towel and started in on the eggs, intending to make them over easy.

“Make yourself at home, why don’t you?” said a soft feminine voice from the doorway. He turned. She didn’t sound angry, and she was smiling. She looked damn sexy in the very short terry-cloth robe she wore.

“As you wish.” He gave a bow and turned back to the eggs. “Breakfast in a few minutes.” He had an instant hard-on at the sight of her, and if he kept looking, he’d be wondering if the bottom of the robe would part enough for a glimpse of her pussy, as if he was a schoolboy who’d never seen one before. The memory of how she’d felt around his cock didn’t help him focus, but fortunately he could make eggs on autopilot.

“You’ll probably want plates, Sir.” She had an impish grin on her face when she set them on one of the empty burners, and he was sure the way she brushed against his bare arm was no accident. She looked him over, slowly and obviously. He decided that leaving his shirt off had definitely been the right move.

“Plates are good.” He grinned back. Her “Sir” sounded more ironic than serious, but he didn’t need to be “on” all the time, especially outside the bedroom. He flipped the eggs onto the plates, two on each, added five strips of “bacon,” and set both on the small round kitchen table. There was only one chair there, a blue metal folding chair. He was guessing she didn’t have company often.

They both looked at the chair and back at each other. “I’ll go get another one,” Marisa said.

Nolan shook his head. “I eat standing up half the time anyway.” He pulled the chair out and gestured for Marisa to sit.

“Thank you.” She sat slowly, giving him time to slide the chair underneath her. “I was afraid you’d have me sit on the floor.”

“No, that’s not necessary.”

She wrinkled her nose at him. “Eating while standing is bad for your digestion.”

“Really?” He had located the silverware drawer earlier while looking for a spatula, and got a pair of forks and two knives out, placing them alongside the plates.

“I think it has to be. You need to be relaxed to enjoy your food.”

“I do it all the time.”

She closed her eyes. Only the steadiness of her posture and the rise and fall of her chest as she breathed deeply stopped him from thinking she was passing out. He put his hand out to touch her shoulder. His cell phone buzzed.

He glanced down at it. “Sorry, Marisa, I have to call in.”

She nodded. “I understand.”

He walked out to the living room and called headquarters. He had the feeling he wasn’t going to get to enjoy his breakfast nearly as much as he’d intended.

Frank, the dispatcher, told him some punk had held up the grocery store, and they needed him to go over and have a look. Price and McSweeney were evicting a drunk from the county library, and Garret was on leave and taking his family to New York. Nolan went back to the kitchen after he hung up. “Sorry, Marisa. Duty calls.”

She nodded. “I know. I had a premonition.”

He made a face at her, not sure what to make of the comment. “Let me get my shirt.”

She nodded. By the time he was dressed, she was at the front door, now open. She’d transferred the bacon and eggs to a paper plate, with a plastic fork and knife laid on top of them. “You can eat in the car.”

“Thanks.” He grinned, appreciating her thoughtfulness.

She didn’t grin back. “You think I’m lying about the premonition.”

“Not lying exactly. I’ve really got to go.”

Her frown deepened. “Not exactly. Go, then.”

He wished he had time to argue with her, to explain that he believed that she believed. And that maybe she shaded things to bolster that belief. But it was already twenty-five minutes to the grocery store. Travel time couldn’t be helped out in the country, but it didn’t make the citizens happy about it even when time didn’t matter. If it was a stranger who held up the store, he’d be in another county by the time Nolan could get after him. If it was someone local, they’d be caught, because secrets didn’t last here, except perhaps those of near hermits like Marisa, and even then there was plenty of talk. Either way he’d told the chief where he was coming from, and there’d be hell to pay if he was too late. It might take a while to straighten things out with Marisa. He’d have to get back to her some other time.

He was three steps away when she said angrily, “And don’t come back. I have to admit it was nice while it lasted.”

He wasted several seconds staring after the door she closed behind her.

Fucking hell.

MARISA SHUT THE door and threw the deadbolt behind it. She knew already that the man whose car engine was now roaring to life was going to haunt her dreams. She didn’t blame him for what he was. But she wasn’t willing to change to be what he wanted.

She’d had a particularly clear vision before the phone call. Her visions were always shrouded in metaphor, but not this time. Maybe the sex had sharpened her powers. She hadn’t met the man who held up the store, but she could pick him out of a line-up. But what good would it do to tell Nolan? He’d never believe her. And neither would a court.

I don’t need a true believer. I just need someone who will listen to me without calling me a liar. Or worse, thinking I’m one without being willing to risk saying it
. It had been such a perfect night. She’d never been so turned on.
But I’m stronger than that. I’m a woman. I’m a part of the Goddess. Maybe submitting was never for me, anyway. But how can something that felt so good be contrary to who I am?
She didn’t have an answer to that. Maybe another opportunity would come with someone who trusted her. Trust had to go two ways, in any relationship, but especially one where you let the other person take control.

She sat down and used the side of her fork to cut off a little of her egg. He’d done them to perfection, damn him. To let good food go to waste would be petty. She forced herself to slow down, to savor the eggs and the salty brown vegetarian strips. It wasn’t easy, but she’d manage it.

She walked over to the computer, intending to update her profile on the BDSM network site she’d signed up for so long ago. Maybe she could experience all that again with someone else. Yet she couldn’t get Nolan’s face out of her mind, couldn’t help but wonder if she made the profile look more seductive, maybe she’d get his attention. Maybe a second time things would turn out differently.

Submissive. Single. Looking for Relationship
, the screen read. Would a real submissive have told her dominant off so easily, after two wonderful orgasms, a night of cuddling, and wonder of wonders, breakfast? She made a face and then made up her mind. A few pull-down menus later, she clicked off
Submissive
and replaced it with
None of the above. Looking for a Relationship
turned into
Just Curious. Single
became
Not Specified
. She clicked on Save Changes, willing her heart to be strong and cold.
I’m a witch. The same divine spark that is in Sophia and Freyja and Hera is in me. I bow to no man, ever again. Especially not Nolan Coralone. Even if it means I never get fucked that way again.

Since she didn’t have any mail of interest, she pulled up her project and focused on the code she was supposed to be working on, losing herself in the snakelike subroutines and obscure variables. As long as she kept to her brain, she would be fine. It was her heart that was giving her trouble.

* * * *

Two days later she’d finished. She’d grabbed a few naps, but mostly she had worked maniacally, eating microwave pizza and peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwiches while barely taking her eyes off the screen. It was easier to figure out what was going on in the program if she didn’t let anything distract her. Loud music and two-liter bottles of Mountain Dew were enough to keep her going and stop the dreams she was having when she fell asleep. But now the project was done, the freezer was empty, and she was out of caffeine.