21 Marine Salute: 21 Always a Marine Tales (92 page)

“Lily,” he repeated. “It’s affectionate. You don’t like it?”

“No, it’s fine.” Her hand hovered close to his chest and he held his breath. Would she actually touch him? Maybe she hadn’t changed her mind? Hope rose, along with a lick of anticipation. With a feather-light touch, she traced her fingers across his chest and some of the tension in his spine eased.

If he hadn’t enjoyed it so much, he might have called himself pathetic. All of his training dissolved when compared to this woman and it defied all rational thought to want her so much.

“You’re still dressed,” he reminded, uncertain of how much longer he would hold out without stripping off her clothes and taking her right there on the floor. Not really the way one should treat a lady—but the idea of taking her against the wall, on the table…with her gorgeous dark legs wrapped around his hips and her nails digging into his back as he drove them both over the edge appealed.

A tremble shook her. “I don’t do this.”

Reality crashed into his mental fantasy and he sucked it up, covering her hand on his chest with his. “No problem, I’ll get dressed and get you that coffee. Or take you back to your car….”

“No.” She caught his hand with her other one and stepped in, her body colliding gently with his. “I just meant I don’t usually do this. The last time I picked up a guy at a party was in college. And…sad as it is to say, it has been a while. A long while. I’m nervous as hell.”

The words spilled out of her in a torrent. Wrapping an arm around her, Paul did the only thing that came to mind—he silenced her with a kiss. She opened to him on a sigh. Twining his tongue with hers, he concentrated on only kissing her while keeping his hands still and steady. If he started caressing her, well—the dress was history.

She nipped his tongue, a careful grazing of her teeth, and moaned low in her throat. Her responsiveness drove him wild, like an adrenaline junkie riding one wave of need to the next.

“Then we go slow,” he murmured, nuzzling her mouth.
Even if it kills me
. “And you let me do everything.”

“Everything?” Challenge rose in her voice.

“Everything. You give me control.” He rubbed her back lightly, tracing the line of her spine. Her soft skin above the dress and the warmth hidden by the fabric teased him. The damn piece of clothing had to go.

Uncertainty wavered in her expression, but he waited.

“Like…Dominance and submission games?”

Pressing a kiss to her forehead, he indulged his need to touch her—especially if they were going to have a conversation about it. “Just like that. Only it’s not a game.”

“I’m not into spanking.” But she knew how to draw a line clearly.

“No, not spanking…control. This isn’t bondage or sadism or masochism. Just surrender and pleasure.” He caught the lobe of her ear and gave it a gentle tug. Another shudder rippled over her and she let go of his hand to clutch his shoulder. “It’s about letting go of your inhibitions, and your worry. You listen to me, do what you’re told and I’ll give you lots of pleasure, baby.”

From her ear, he licked and nibbled a path to her throat. Her pulse hammered under his lips and he allowed a smile at her excitement. So soft, so responsive and so ready to give in, if only she would let go. Even a little.

“What about a safe word?”

She didn’t say ‘no’ and satisfaction curbed the sharp edge of his desire. He could afford the patience they would need, and when he was done neither of them would be able to walk. “Pick anything you like. If you say it, I’ll stop.” Paul bit the juncture between her shoulder and her throat, but not hard enough to mark her.

“Oh, God.” She dug her nails into his shoulders and he laughed.

“That won’t work, because I want to hear you come later.” His cock gave an enthusiastic throb of agreement.

Lillianna leaned her head back. “I really can’t think when you’re doing that.”

“No?” He loved the angle and the access it gave to the gentle swell of her breasts above the strapless outfit. He could tease and torment himself with another trail of nibbling caresses to the top of one breast. The musky scent of her was distinctly female and he wanted to slide under that dress, and explore the taste of her arousal.

“No.” She cupped his nape and arched in demand.

He didn’t give into it. “Then try. You need a safe word and you need to say ‘yes.’” Steadying her, he withdrew and waited.

She stared at him, her breath coming in short, hard pants. Yeah, she wanted him. “Turtles.”

Biting back a laugh, he nodded. “Turtles. If you say ‘turtles’, then I stop.”

“Yes.” Eagerly she approached him again, but stopped when he held up his hand. “What?”

“Take the dress off.” He leaned on the wall and folded his arms. She agreed to play and he wanted their mutual pleasure to last.

Hesitation flickered in her gaze, but she reached for the zipper on the side of the dress and gave it a tug. The creation fell to the floor with one motion, leaving her clad in a white strapless bra, panties and, God help him, stockings—real ones right down to the garter belt. The paleness contrasted decadently with her chocolate skin. She turned the simple, ordinary pieces of lingerie into something far more provocative.

Licking her lips, she stepped out of the dress. He swallowed the groan trying to escape. The idea of touching her interfered with his ability to think straight.

“Turtles?” He double-checked before his brain went completely offline.

“Turtles,” she confirmed.

Not wasting time on any more conversation, he caught her hand and guided her to the bedroom. He’d barely been in the borrowed apartment for longer than to sleep or shower since he arrived. But it had a very generous-sized bed and plenty of privacy. All the way down the hall, he put together his plan of action.

She may have called it play, but it was far from a game. He was a Dom. He liked to be in charge—particularly in the bedroom. Some of the guys were into kinkier shit, they got off on sadomasochism with very compliant and willing partners. Not him.

He liked his partners willing and obedient, but preferred to draw out the pleasure—controlling a woman’s reactions and building her anticipation until he allowed her release. It would be the pinnacle of their gratification, but by no means all of it.

In the bedroom, he turned on the light and drew her toward the bed. “I have three rules. You will obey them.”

“And they are?” She threw out the verbal gauntlet without hesitation.

He allowed it. She didn’t know the rules.

Yet.

“First: no speaking unless I ask you a question, and your safe word if you need it.” Her eyes widened. Expecting another outburst, he gave her a moment to absorb the information. “Do you understand?”

She licked her lips again, and he focused unerringly on the erotic action. His cock gave another throb of need. Yes, he wanted to feel her fasten those plump lips around him and suck for all she was worth. As attractive as the thought was, he had to push it aside.

She gratified him with a single nod in answer to the question. She understood.

“Excellent.” He relaxed. “Second rule. You do what you’re told to do when I tell you. You don’t argue. You can always say your safe word, but I promise you, I won’t do anything you don’t want. Everything we’re going to do is about our pleasure—yours and mine.” He emphasized
yours
, because hers would be first. “Do you understand?”

“Yes.” She said the word with a hint of a smile.

“The third rule is, you can’t come until I let you.” The last was the hardest rule and if she was unused to that kind of play, it might be impossible for her to obey. But then her only punishment would be to come again at his desire. He wanted to feel her coming around him with his cock buried balls deep in her pussy. Her gaze drifted down to his crotch and he didn’t smile. His erection stood out profoundly against the tight briefs. She had nothing to worry about in the was-he-attracted-to-her department. “Do you understand?”

Another nod, although slower and marred by a consternated frown.

Intrigued, he sat on the edge of the bed and studied her. “Do you have a question?”

“Yes.”

“You may ask your question.” She was perfect. Absolutely perfect. Maybe she didn’t recognize her submissive nature, but fire burned in his blood at her receptiveness to the role.

“How do I not orgasm unless you tell me to? I mean if you’re doing your job right…won’t I orgasm whether I stop myself or not?”

“You can. You just have to trust me with your pleasure. Now turn around for me, Lily.”

Another hesitation, but she pivoted obediently. Paul let out a breath. Her ass was finer in the white silky bikini briefs than in her dress. Round and sweet. He liked a woman with curves.

“Take off your bra.” He itched to get his hands on her, but pacing was important.

She started to turn toward him, and reached to unclasp the strapless number.

“I didn’t tell you to turn,” he reminded, and she paused. Peeling away one layer of her protection at a time. He wanted the woman beneath the shield. The one who peeked at him whenever she turned sassy.

The bra slipped away and he nodded with approval, not that she would see. “Now the panties.”

Another moment of hesitation and she unclipped the garter belt. He sucked in a deep breath, but the oxygen didn’t help when she slid her thumbs into the waistband and pushed her panties down with erotic slowness. His cock pulsed as her bare ass came into view.

Yes, tonight will likely kill me. But damn, what a way to go
….

Lillianna’s body sizzled with anticipation.
I can’t believe I agreed to this
. She faced down strung-out addicts, cut up felons, upset family members, and arrogant doctors on a daily basis, but none of them turned her inside out the way Paul did. He had her strip off her panties, and since he hadn’t said anything about the garter, she clipped them back in place. Heart hammering, she stared at the wall, naked save for her thigh-high hose.

Cool air brushed against her too-hot skin. She wanted to turn around, but he hadn’t given her permission yet.
Permission? I didn’t ask for permission?
Mouth dry, she tried to slow the hard pants of breath. How long would he make her stand there?

A shudder rocketed along her spine. She had to get her reactions under control. The man hadn’t even touched her yet. Wetness pooled between her thighs and her sex clenched as though he already thrust into her. It took considerable effort to keep standing, to not turn and glance over her shoulder.

What is he doing?

“You’re beautiful.” His sexy voice came from right next to her, startling her from the thoughts chasing themselves around in circles. He stood so close, the warmth of him like a physical caress. “Do you like to be touched?”

Holy crap
. Two sentences dissolved her into a puddle. Forgetting how to speak for a moment, she wanted to wrap around him like he was a stripper pole.

“Lillianna.” His voice deepened with command.

Oh hell, I’m supposed to answer
. It took her a moment to remember the question. “Yes.”
Yes, I like to be touched. Please stop making me stand here before I embarrass myself
.

He nuzzled her neck. The feather-light brush of his lips teased her flesh with soft, puffs of air. Wildfire raced in her blood. Her nipples hardened further, almost painfully and her breath clogged in her throat. She tumbled right over the cliff from anticipation into pure lust.

Paul gathered her hair up, lifting it away from her neck and trailing a path of more feathery, torturous kisses from one side to the other. Every moment his mouth spent on her skin seemed to wind up the desire in her belly. Sensual, irresistible and she ached to touch him.

Raising her hand, she gave in to the urge and whimpered when he stopped kissing her neck.

“No. I didn’t give you permission to do that.”

Frustration fisted in her chest. Dropping her arm, she shifted her weight from one foot to the other. What was it about him that turned her inside out? If she hadn’t agreed to play obediently, they’d already be naked on the bed—she’d have what she wanted. Tears gathered in the corners of her eyes, but she blinked them back.

“Oh, baby, it’s okay.” He rubbed her back. The light friction created a whole new wave of awareness. “It’s hard, takes time to adjust and I understand. Do you need a moment?”

A moment?
She almost growled. What…to stand there and not have him touching her? Oh, hell no. “No.” She was proud of the fact that her voice didn’t quiver or shake.

Releasing her hair, he began running his hands up and down her arms. He leaned into her, the soft hair on his chest tickling her bare skin, his erection pressing against her ass. She didn’t care that the cotton of his briefs separated them. The hot length betrayed his arousal and increased her own. Her knees threatened to buckle.

Dear God, if this is my reaction, what happens when he lets me turn around
….

The constant massage of his palms on her flesh relaxed the fresh wave of tension so much it startled her when he stopped. He wrapped his arms around her, flattening his palms on her stomach and drew her back until his erection rubbed between her ass cheeks. Heat flushed her. Soaking wet need throbbed in her core.

“Feel a little better?” Why was that so sexy? She wiggled her hips and he exhaled a hard sigh. “No moving.”

Crap
. She hadn’t meant to break the rules.

But instead of taking his touch away, he slid a hand between her thighs, one finger drifting along the seam of her sex. “Answer.”

Leaning her head back on his shoulder, she stole a look at him from the corner of her eye. The firm, sensual line of his mouth curved ever so slightly. His jaw flexed as though he were fighting to maintain his own control. A giddy sense of power buoyed her.

He might be in charge, but he was hardly unaffected.

“Lillianna.” He said her name like a caress. “Feeling a little better?” He punctuated the question by gliding a finger right around her clit. Heat rushed upward, blooming like a mushroom cloud set off by a nuclear detonation.