More Than Strangers (5 page)

Reacting to the roguish command, she undid the knot holding the swath of fabric in place. With a tug, she pulled the belt free from the loops of her dress.

“Tie it over your eyes.” He brought the strawberry back against her lips.

Her heart raced. She met his gaze before taking a bite. Chewing slowly, she tried to collect her thoughts. The idea of being blindfolded was as frightening as it was exhilarating. She wasn’t a huge fan of losing control, especially not during sex. Coming here tonight was already straddling her comfort zone. Being at his mercy would push her all the way out. Yet part of her knew this was a decision she would never regret.

Pulling her shoulders back, she took in a deep breath. It wasn’t as if his request had taken her by surprise. When women talked, men were a recurring subject. And boy, had her girls talked about Jason. “As a rule, I don’t like being told what to do.”

“But it turns you on,” he countered. He smiled as her face grew warm. “Making you blush will never get old.”

He used the half-eaten strawberry to draw a line down her neck. He followed the path with his tongue. His hands supported her as her spine arched and her knees weakened. His mouth hovered over her cleavage, bit, then sucked. Her eyes drifted shut as she let him mark her. Over the pleasure, there was a hint of pain.

“I gave you an order,” he rasped as he lifted his head.

With great difficulty, she blinked away the haze “I’d rather have an explanation. Why the blindfold?”

His chest rumbled as he brushed her eyelids closed with his fingertips. “It’s going to be a challenge making you let go.”

She thought about it for a moment before nodding. “I suppose so.”

He circled her neck with his hand. He didn’t exert any pressure, but she could feel his strength nonetheless. She swallowed.

“When you can’t see, your senses are heightened.” His breath was hot against her ear. It was as if she could feel the vibration from his voice roll down her spine. “A touch,” he brought his hand down to cup her breast, “a caress,” his thumb brushed her nipple over two layers of fabric, “becomes more than it is.”

She couldn’t argue with his logic—not with her nipples tightening into peaks and her heart beating a staccato rhythm. Keeping her eyes closed, she looped the cloth belt around her head and tied a knot. Her hands shook as they dropped to her side. All she could see through the white cotton were shadows.

Without warning, Jason stepped away. The sudden loss of his body heat was disorienting. She stood in place and almost yelped when the dimmed lights brightened. It was surprising how something as innocuous as a blindfold could make her feel this helpless. She couldn’t hear his footsteps and remembered his feet had been bare. Even if they weren’t, she was pretty sure he could move without making a sound.

“Unbutton your dress.” The command came from behind. He was close, but not within reach. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. Real or imagined, she could feel his gaze on her body.

“All this for half a strawberry?” she quipped. The top two buttons of her dress were already undone. Her fingers hovered on the third. She intended to draw this out. Torture could go both ways.

A cold brush against her lower lip followed masculine laughter. She had forgotten how fast he moved. A sip of fizzy champagne rolled over her tongue. “You seem to like this dress. Do you want to sew all those pretty little buttons back on?”

She could tell he was dead serious. Nulli was nothing if not practical. As her hands made their way down, the dress parted. Chilled air brushed over her belly. He was right. Everything felt more intense when she couldn’t see.

His teeth grazed her earlobe. “Take it off.”

With a shrug, the crisp cotton slid down her arms and fell to the floor. She heard the sharp hiss of Jason’s breath. She had chosen her undergarments especially for tonight. The minuscule scraps of teal lace were worth every penny.

He rewarded her display with a long sip of champagne.

Warm fingers closed over her wrists and tugged. Her hands flattened against his shirt. She could trace the shape of his muscles despite the fabric barrier. She followed the line of buttons to his abdomen. In an attempt to temper her racing heart, she counted the muscular ridges. When cotton led to leather, she brought her hands to the center and rested them over the cold metal square.

“You know what to do,” he murmured.

She fumbled with the belt buckle for a while before she pulled the end free. He made an impatient sound and brushed off her hand. The hiss of leather sliding over fabric followed. “Bring your wrists together. The inside of your arms should touch.”

Even though the thought made warmth pool between her legs, she asked, “Why should I?”

Male laughter preceded a challenge. “You’ve had plenty of vanilla sex. This is your opportunity to be adventurous.”

Caution and curiosity warred. “There’s adventurous, and then there’s letting you tie me up.”

“Being bound will trigger a surge of adrenaline. So will what I do after that.” His low-pitched voice brought her senses to a razor’s edge. Danger and temptation twined into an irresistible lure. The feel of his lips trailing down her neck tipped the scales.

She bent her elbows and brought her arms together in front of her. The back of her left hand brushed his rough jaw as he moved back. A moment later, she felt leather loop around her wrists. Her heart pounded. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end.

She heard a rustle a moment before the metal buckle touched her skin. He pulled the noose tight over her wrists and snaked the strap around her arms. After two passes, the belt formed a loose coil. He slid the free end underneath, and it emerged just over her thumbs. When he pulled the remaining leather through, the once malleable binding became a solid manacle.

Flexing her wrists, she tested the restraint. She had plenty of circulation but limited mobility. If she really wanted to, she could probably unravel the knot by grabbing onto the belt’s end and pushing it back past the loops. It would take time and effort, but it wasn’t impossible. “Okay, I think can handle this.”

“And if it’s too much, you know what to say.” His voice was gruff but sincere. She appreciated the out, but she had no intention of stopping. Things were just getting fun.

He brought her bound hands to rest on his shirt. Her fingertips brushed against a plastic button. “Undress me. You can still move.”

With some difficulty, she did as he bid. She could feel the heat of his body against her fingers as the shirt parted. When she was done, her hands rested over his fly.

“Keep going.”

The clasp and zipper posed more resistance. She struggled for a moment before persevering.

Unable to resist the temptation, she leaned into the warmth of his chest. Her lips met crisp hair and solid muscle. She traced the hard lines of muscle with her tongue, bending her head as she followed the defined ridge in the middle to reach his abdomen. Her teeth scraped his skin as she passed over each delineated pack. She fell to her knees so she could follow the path all the way to his navel.

After sucking hard enough to leave a mark, she lifted her head. “That’s worth at least two strawberries, don’t you think?”

*

With a curse, Jason pulled Nulli to her feet and stepped back. If she pulled another stunt like that, he would likely cream his pants. His lack of control was uncharacteristic. It had been less than two hours since he had sex—he shouldn’t be acting like a randy teenager.

Just looking at her made him hard. Her creamy breasts were lifted and plumped. The teal lace barely covered her rosy nipples. Her panties were two narrow scraps of fabric. It concealed next to nothing and highlighted her muscled thighs and pert little butt. The low waistline circled her narrow hips and brought attention to her toned abdomen. While he appreciated the view, all he wanted to do was tear those whispers of temptation off.

With her arms bound by black leather and her eyes obscured by white cloth, she was a vision from his darkest dreams. But he was far from done. He stripped off his clothing, tossing them forward so they landed on her bare feet. It was important she knew he was naked.

With her hands bound, her upper arms hugged and lifted her breasts. The nipples peeped through the lace and were too tempting a prize to ignore.

His gaze fell on the riding crop he had left by the door. It was a good time as any to find out how well their tastes aligned.

He grabbed the bowl of strawberries and placed them on the floor by his clothes. Then he walked past her toward his riding gear. When he returned, he chose a slightly larger strawberry. “Bite down and hold this in your mouth.”

Her full coral lips parted to do his bidding. When her small white teeth dug into the fruit, a trickle of juice fell toward her chin. Unable to resist, he licked it clean.

He slid the flat end of the crop over her belly. Though she couldn’t see, she needed to know what he was using. The shape of the leather would be unmistakable for someone with her riding experience. Crops were designed not to break skin—equine or human. The anticipation was more potent than any minor sting. The purpose of this game was arousal, not pain.

Her teeth sank a sliver farther into the strawberry. She made a small muffled sound. Using his free hand, he reached between her thighs and cupped her through the lace. “Good. You’re wet.”

A moan escaped her throat.

He slid the crop over her cleavage. “This breaks all your rules. That’s why it heightens your arousal.”

Her entire body went still.

Reaching under the lace, he slipped a single finger inside her slick channel. He had forgotten how small and tight she was. Feeling her clenching inner muscles, he pressed his thumb over the lace and circled her clit.

The strawberry dropped from her lips and fell to the floor.

Chuckling, he removed his hand and stepped back. “Now I’m going to have to punish you.”

A rosy tint covered her face and neck. “Why?”

He used the crop to draw a line from the side of her breast to her nipple. “The impact brings blood rushing.” He circled the areola. “It’ll make this even more sensitive than it is now.”

He grinned when she bit down on her lower lip and made the slightest nod. It was all the permission he needed.

He flicked his wrist. The crop hissed through the air and landed on the side of her thigh. He had changed the location on purpose and was rewarded by an adorable yelp.

“Not what you were expecting?”

She stomped her bare foot in response, but her cheeks dimpled. They were both having fun.

He brought another strawberry to her lips. She bit it clean, chewed, and swallowed. Her grin could only be described as cheeky.

“You’re going to pay for that,” he warned.

“I’m so scared,” she mocked. But she caught the next strawberry and held it between her teeth.

He brought his palm to the small of her back and trailed it down to cup her bottom. He felt her tense against his hold as if readying for another blow. He took his hand away and stepped back so their bodies didn’t touch—deliberately making her think he had moved to stand behind her.

But her cute little butt wasn’t where he planned to use the crop.

With a flick of his wrist, leather met the lace covering her nipple. She made a surprised sound. As he anticipated, the strawberry thudded to the floor. He had another one in hand. Not giving her time to think, he inserted it between her lips.

This time, when his crop met the creamy flesh just above her bra, the improvised gag stayed in place. Certain now of her willingness to play, he indulged his desire to torture her breasts. The crop hissed through the air, landing hard enough to sting but not bite. As his blows grew bolder, she bit farther into the strawberry but didn’t relinquish it. It was a test of wills, and he soon began to wonder if he would be first to break.

His arousal grew as he watched the pale globes above her bra redden and her nipples peak. His breath soon became harsh pants that matched hers. His skin felt tight. His muscles knotted. His erection jutted out and moisture beaded over the tip. Just watching her drove him insane.

He fought for control and lost. When he tugged down her bra, her swollen nipples slid out over the lace. He circled one coral nub with his thumb before he sucked it into his mouth. The crop in his hand fell to the floor.

With a whispered gasp, the bedraggled strawberry dropped and bounced off his shoulder. She let out a soft moan as he caught her by the waist and lowered her onto her knees. He indulged his hunger for her breasts until sweat covered both their bodies. She whimpered his name when he finally released her.

He retrieved one of the many embroidered cushions on the ledge and placed it under her folded legs. Surrounding her from behind, he sucked red marks on her neck as her trembling body melted into his hold. He needed more.

Pressing her down to rest on her elbows, he unhooked her bra. He smoothed the straps off her shoulders and let the teal lace pool around her arms.

Her voice was husky. “Done playing?” It was a plea and a challenge rolled into one.

He reached around and squeezed her liberated breasts. She hissed out a breath as his fingers milked her tender flesh. “You’re remarkably self-possessed for someone who’s bound and blindfolded.”

He could almost hear the smile in her voice. “I have a feeling you’re about to give me what I want.”

With his engorged shaft straining against her bottom, his intent was hard to miss. Slipping his fingers under her drenched panties, he searched and found the nub that controlled her pleasure. His reward was a throaty moan as her hips jerked.

Pressing the base of his palm against her clit, he plunged his middle and ring finger into her opening. She cried out as his roughened knuckles delved deep and pulled apart. He shuddered as he remembered the way she had gripped his shaft only hours ago.

With his free hand, he reached for the abandoned crop. This time, he reversed the grip. He rolled the handle over her proffered cheek as a silent warning. She didn’t protest.