Love Bound (7 page)

He reached for the chocolate with a
grin, outlining my nipples with the warm liquid. He licked the sweet confection
off and brought his sweet filled mouth to mine, kissing me slowly again. Like
the first time. “Tell me,” he said pulling away.

I made a small noise of protest. “Tell
you what?”

“Do you love me?” He whispered in my
ear.

Of course I did, but all I wanted at
that moment was for him to ride fast and hard. “Shut up and drive.”

He pushed himself up on his hands and
stopped moving.

I smiled up at him and continued
moving my hips in a small circle.

He half smiled, tilting his head. “Do
you?”

I sighed. “Yes. Now will you stop
driving me crazy?”

He obliged.

“Oh yes.” Magic, absolute magic and my
body burned for him, writhing, moving as one, cresting as one, the “Oh God,”
one voice as we came together.

Before he collapsed on me, he unlocked
my wrist and I wrapped my arms around him, our chests heaving before the
chuckle erupted against my neck.

“What’s so funny?’

He propped himself up on his elbows. “Shut
up and drive?”

My cheeks warmed, blush rushing into
them and I smiled. “Yeah well, I don’t exactly think straight when you’re
around and certainly not while you’re fucking the daylights out of me.”

The rich laugh that I adored filled
the room and he unlocked my other wrist tossing both the keys and cuffs onto
the nightstand.

He traced my lips with his fingers and
sighed, dimples still present but not fully pronounced and the smile faded.

I saw a world of emotions in his eyes,
wonder and guilt blended together into an especially vulnerable combination. I
pulled him to my lips and kissed him, slow, maddening, seductive and he
exhaled, pulling away and rolling off me, collecting his clothes off the floor.

“You might want to wash up a little.” I
pointed him in the direction of the kid’s bathroom, while I went to do the same
in mine. When I came out dressed in jeans and my bra, he was straightening up
the bed as best he could.

“Please don’t worry about that.” I
grabbed the chocolate sauce from the bureau and headed downstairs unsure of how
to act now that we had completely crossed the line. The unknown now familiar in
a way that jumbled my stomach, making me more nervous than the day we first
kissed.

“You have a nice house,” he said
following me into the kitchen.

“Thank you.”

He nodded slightly and kissed me,
burying his hand in my thick brown hair. This kiss was full of promises, full
of quelled passion and when the kiss broke, his eyes searched mine. “You really
love me?”

I sighed, caught between a rock and an
impossible choice, if I say yes; he’ll run for the hills. If I say no, he’ll
think I’m just a cheating slut. The shit thing was regardless of whether I
loved him or not, I knew this would never be real, never be permanent and that
left me hollow like someone reached into my chest and yanked out my heart
crushing it in one brutal blow.

I pulled away without answering,
walking him to the front door, and leaning on the banister while he put his
shoes on. “What made you come by today?”

“I couldn’t stop thinking about you.” He
shrugged, looking up at me when he finished tying his shoes.

“Thank you. It was a wonderful
surprise.” I allowed my lips to curve into a smile, the one I reserved just for
him.

“Anytime.” He stood, tracing my jawbone
with his fingers, stepping in for another kiss, this one sweet and sensual, his
hands slowly encircling me and mine wrapped around his waist.

Was it a good-bye kiss, or one that
promised more afternoon romps?

Neither one of us talked about what
came next.

Neither one of us knew.

About J.E. Taylor

J.E. Taylor is an Assistant Editor
with Allegory (
www.allegoryezine.com
)
an online venue for Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror as well as an author
of several short stories, “Nightmares” appearing in December 08’s Niteblade
Fantasy & Horror E-zine as well as “Grayson House” in the September 09
issue of Allegory E-zine under staff submissions. She writes paranormal
suspense novels and is looking forward to the madness that accompanies
publication. Ms. Taylor lives in Connecticut with her husband and two children.

Website:
http://www.JETaylor75.com

Blog:
http://jetaylor75.blogspot.com

Blog:
http://jetaylor75.wordpress.com

MySpace:
http://www.myspace.com/jetaylor75

Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/JETaylor

Twitter:
http://twitter.com/JETaylor75

Tempting
the Dom

By Dakota Trace

Cursing under her breath and tugging
at the tight bra of her harem costume, Adalia Diamonte couldn’t believe she was
entering his home, especially after the circumstances that caused her departure
a year ago. Its owner, Domhnall O’Shanahan was disgusted with her refusal to
give up her prized self-control. If it hadn’t been for this specific job - to
take back the three carat marquise-cut diamond ring her client swore that her
former lover had taken, she’d never even have stepped across the threshold of Myrle Castle again.

But with the ink on her private
investigator’s license still wet, she couldn’t turn down her first paying job,
especially one from the world famous jeweler Bathilda Schmidt. Her pride and
self-worth depended on proving to her family she could stand on her own two
feet without their help. By changing her last name to her mother’s maiden name
and then studying hard, she’d gotten her license. Now, not wanting to look a
gift horse in the mouth, she’d eagerly jumped at the offer - a chance to prove
her worth.

Staring across the crowded ballroom
floor and catching a glimpse of her former lover, she realized she’d leapt
before she’d looked, and as her feisty American mother would say, jumped out
the frying pan into the fire. When he tipped his head down to talk to the lush
brunette standing next to him with a possessive hand on his forearm, Addie was
helpless to stop the wave of longing filling her. Not thirteen months ago,
she’d been the woman at his side. In spite of everything that had happened
between them, she couldn’t help feeling the familiar tug of attraction to him. His
dark auburn hair was a bit longer, but she knew his snapping hazel eyes would
have the same ability to ensnare her as a shiver of desire flared to life in
her belly. His wide shoulders, slim hips and brawny arms belied the fact he was
a successful businessman. He looked like he should’ve been outdoors working
under the sun.

“You there, quit lollygagging. We have
a show to do! We don’t have all day to ogle the guests.”

The harsh sound of the troupe’s
manager voice had Addie stiffening. It’d taken her considerable willpower not
to deck the pompous little man. Turning, she nodded at the smartly dressed
Henrí Gastone. It was obvious he knew the power he held over his small troupe
of dancers. If it hadn’t been for a minor injury to one of his regular girls,
she never would have made it into Myrle Castle to find the ring. Pushing the
thought of Dom out her mind, she followed Henri and the rest of the girls.

* * * *

Narrowing his eyes, Dom smiled with
anticipation when he saw the slender blonde dressed in the filmy harem costume
scurry away. She’d come.

“Is she the one, Sir Dom?” The soft
question and slender hand on his arm came from the petite brunette next to him
and drew his attention. Placing his hand over hers, he nodded. “Yes, Lauren.”

She nibbled on her lip. “Do you
think…”

“That she noticed you? Yes. You’ve
done a wonderful job tonight. I will definitely be thanking your Master for
letting me borrow your charming company.”

Lauren gave him a shy smile. If his
taste had run to petite brunettes, he knew that Lauren would’ve welcomed him
into the bed she shared with her Master Lucian. But since meeting and sampling
Addie’s lush charms, he’d found his appetite for brunettes was nonexistent. In
fact it didn’t matter what type of woman approached him, if she wasn’t Adalia -
he simply wasn’t interested.

 “You know Master doesn’t care for
these
parties.” She giggled when Dom threw his head back and laughed.

“You’re right, little one. If he can’t
have you kneeling at his feet and serving him all night, Lucian finds every
party a bore.”

While Dom rarely mixed his business
with his personal lifestyle, this time he found the two merged together nicely.
Having little Lauren by his side for the announcement of his own company’s
merger with the second largest software company in Ireland was the perfect
opportunity for Addie to make her move. He knew she’d come after the ring as a
part of the plan he’d hatched with Bathilda.

After keeping tabs on Addie for the
past year, he was now more certain than ever that she needed him. His little
love was high strung and if she kept up the breakneck pace she’d been going at
for the past several months, she was going to burn out. He understood her need
to prove to her overbearing father that she could stand on her own, but he
couldn’t in good conscious watch her self-destruct. Especially when she’d
become more and more withdrawn when they were lovers, even during their actual
lovemaking. He’d tempered his sexuality trying to ease her into his lifestyle -
not that it had mattered. It was as if she was afraid to completely trust him
or to let go and relax in his arms. But the dominant in him had finally had
enough when she’d tried to fake her orgasm the last time they’d been together.
She simply wouldn’t let go and actually orgasm and instead had lied and tried
to fake it. That had pissed him off so badly it’d taken all of his restraint
not to beat her ass for her deception. Then instead of facing her fear head on,
she’d run from him.

The ding of a soft bell summoning
everyone to the ballroom where the evening’s festivities and entertainment were
being held broke into his memories. “Come, Lauren.” Guiding her towards the
door, he prayed his self-control was as strong as he thought it was. If it
wasn’t he wouldn’t last through the dancing before tossing Addie over his
shoulder and carrying her off to his playroom. He’d never dreamed she would refuse
to share the sensual pleasure of the dance with him after he’d paid for the
classes. He had begged her, to no avail, for a demonstration of the erotic
moves, hoping against all hope she’d embrace her naturally sensuous nature. Her
constant refusal had tested his own control.

* * * *

Pulling the dark veil up and over her
face, Addie took a deep breath. She couldn’t believe that she was going to
perform in public what she’d refused to do in private for Dom. Sure he’d
enrolled her in the classes as a surprise birthday present, but she couldn’t
seem to get over the idea of dancing for him simply because he’d paid for them.
True the actual dancing was fun and she enjoyed herself, but the idea of owing
him a performance made her nervous. It struck her deepest memories because for
every little thing her father had given her, there had always been a price tag
attached. The finest schools, she’d better be an honor student; nice clothing,
she’d better not rip them or stain them; or a new bike, then she had to endure
weekly rides with her father. In her eyes, if she’d given Dom what he’d wanted,
what would he have demanded next?

 “Come on, bust those asses, ladies. We’re
on in less than five!” Henrí stood in the open doorway of the Rose Room which had been converted into an impromptu changing room. Her cheeks had flushed when
she’d first entered the room. It was in this very room she’d made love with Dom
for the first time. He’d gently loved her on the chaise lounge which currently
was shoved against the far wall. Holding onto her composure was hard but she
would manage. She wasn’t going to break down and cry because she missed him. She
wasn’t!

Standing up she shook out the gauzy
deep mauve skirt and slipped her finger cymbals on. Following the rest of her
fellow dancers out onto the wide ballroom floor, she kept her gaze moving,
trying to catch a glimpse of where her mark was. It was hard to think of Dom in
that fashion, but if her client was to be believed, Dom had asked to see the
ring, then while he was examining it, she’d gotten a call. When she’d returned
both Dom and the ring were gone.

She didn’t have far to look. Sitting
on the edge of the dancing area with the brunette woman standing behind him, he
seemed as comfortable as a feudal lord who knew everything he saw was his. The
surge of Moroccan music filled the air as she took her place with the rest of
the dancers. Lowering her eyes, she pushed everything to the back of her mind
and allowed the music to wrap itself around her. First her hips began to sway
then settled into the familiar hip snaps she’d been taught before her slender
arms joined in. As the music built in both intensity and speed, she allowed her
body to respond to it - to move faster until she became part of it. Within
minutes of Addie beginning her dance, she was totally absorbed by the music, no
longer caring about her audience. As she let it carry her away, much of her
control slipped away, as it always did, and she gave herself to the emotionally
charged dance.