Jackson leaned across the small distance between them and drew her into a gentle kiss. When he felt her relax in his embrace, he lifted his lips and smiled playfully. “I will happily take you to my bed once you tell me what's bothering you. You're a terrible liar, another fine quality I approve of.” When she slapped him on the arm and harrumphed, he took her hand and kissed each of her fingers. “Come on, spill it.”
“I was thinking about a conversation I had with my friend Judy.” She toyed with the buttons of his shirt. “She was the one you passed on the way out of my office after we met.”
“And this conversation was about?”
“Well, it was just girl talk, a bit about you and me and just, I don't know, regular stuff. Judy's my best friend, and she worries.”
“So you told her about our evening together.” His voice was quiet and cautious. “What exactly is she, or maybe more precisely, are
you
worried about?” He didn't like that she wasn't looking at him.
“Things are moving really quickly with us, and that's not my normal way. Not to mention you are so
not
like any other man I've ever been with. I guess I'm a bit overwhelmed and confused and...” Her voice trailed off.
“Then let's figure this out together.” He easily repositioned her, laying her head in his lap so he could stroke her forehead and watch her reactions. “Do you agree that we share many common interests and opinions? That we converse together easily and enjoy spending time together?”
“Absolutely.”
“And do you agree we experienced an instant, intense sexual attraction to one another?”
“I think that goes without saying.” She grinned up at him and a deep blush flamed her cheeks.
“Ah, now we are getting someplace.” He ran his thumb over her heated skin. “So it's something in the way we made love that has you and your friend concerned?”
He phrased it as a question, but his serious expression left no doubt he was deliberately steering the conversation to this particular subject. He watched the color travel down from her cheeks, along her neck to the gentle swell of her breasts that was visible above the collar of her blouse.
“I don't want to talk about this anymore.” She tried to sit up. He made sure that she couldn't by draping one arm heavily across her middle and snaking one hand into her hair.
“But we're going to talk about it, Eleanor, because if we can't be open and honest with each other, we will never work out.” He stared down at her, his eyes dark with emotion. “And I want us to work out very badly.”
He brought her head up for a searing kiss. When he finished, she was panting.
“When we made love you came apart for me, and we haven't even scratched the surface of what I want to do to and with you. Very few people in this world are lucky enough to find their true match, and when it happens, there's no denying it. I believe that's happened with us.” His certainty was unmistakable.
“But you made me behave, for lack of a better word, in a way that goes against who I am.”
Jackson didn't miss her pleading tone or the confusion mirrored in her expressive eyes.
“You responded to me exactly as you wanted to. We've shared unbelievable joy and satisfaction of more than just our bodies. You knew the moment we met that I am a Dominant and you responded immediately, whether you were aware of it or not.” He smoothed her hair back from her face.
“But I am not a submissive.” She ground out the last word with obvious distaste. “I am in charge of my life, Jackson. I don't need a man to take care of me.”
“Being submissive is not synonymous with weakness. Your individuality, your strong sense of self, your independence are all things that enhance our experience of exploring control or the lack there of. You have as much power as I do. You allowed me to take charge of more than just the lovemaking, but I forced nothing. I simply showed you some of the benefits of giving yourself over to another person. To come together the way we have involves the utmost trust between both people.” He resumed stroking her hair and forehead.
“I don't understand how you can be so certain we're meant for each other after such a short time.” She reached up and touched his chin gently. “I'm not the type of woman who has regular men professing instant attraction and desire for my person. It's a little hard for me to believe coming from a studly, yummy, manly specimen like you.” Her shy, playful smile, coupled with the warm sweep of her fingertips along his jaw line had his cock hardening instantly.
“First of all, every man you have met before me is an idiot.” He traced lazy circles around the tip of her nipple that was now poking against the fabric of her shirt. “Second of all, never question that what I tell you is the truth, especially when it comes to my feelings for you.” He massaged the underside of her breast before moving his hand to tickle along her rib cage. “And, finally, thank you for the compliment, but you forgot ‘unquestionably in control'.” He raised an eyebrow and grinned down at her with decadent promise.
“I've been on my own for a long time, Jackson. If you're looking for a woman who will allow you to dictate every aspect of a relationship, well, it's not me.”
“What I have found is a confident, successful, independent, smart and sexy as hell woman who can hold her own with any man, in any situation. The ‘shrinking violet’ personality has no appeal for me. Believe it or not, I can sometimes be a bit overbearing, and I have every confidence you won't let me get away with it.”
“Count on it,” she chuckled.
“Call me old-fashioned, but I enjoy pampering a woman, seeing to her pleasure and happiness. When you allow me to take charge of our lovemaking, you're allowing us both to share and experience passion at the most intense levels possible.”
“So are you into whips and chains and stuff? Are you going to expect me to call you Master?” She laughed up at him.
With a sinister tilt of his lips, Jackson fisted his hand in her hair, locking her head so she couldn't look away from him. He expertly popped the button of her jeans. He didn't take the time to lower her zipper, but instead, slid his large hand into the tight space between skin and denim, driving his fingers unerringly straight to her swollen clit. He tickled around it momentarily before continuing through her wet heat to the entrance of her vagina. He dipped inside her body and moaned quietly when her muscles attempted to draw him deeper. Ellie squirmed, spread her legs and grabbed onto his upper arm. He shook his head in the negative when she attempted to guide his movements and she loosened her grip with an exaggerated sigh.
“Chains are bulky and tend to get in the way. I prefer silk.” He added a second finger, slowly stretching and stroking deep in her channel. “Whips are definitely a favored choice of mine, which I will demonstrate when I think you're ready for them.” Noting her labored breathing and the light trembling of her thighs, he increased the pace of his seduction. “And as for the last part of your smartass comment, I see no reason for you to have to say out loud what we both know is true.”
His lips crashed down over hers at the same moment he pressed hard against her clit. Ellie exploded in his arms, and he swallowed her cry of surprise. Her body convulsed around his fingers and bathed his hand in warm honey. He continued to kiss and stroke her, prolonging her orgasm until she whimpered against his mouth. When he was positive his point had been thoroughly made, he released her mouth and let her head rest back down in his lap. He pulled his fingers from her pants and licked each one clean.
“What the hell have I gotten myself into?” she laughed in sated joy while gently rubbing the back of her head against his raging hard-on. “Am I allowed to attend to this impressive problem?” She looked up at him with anticipation and mischief in her eyes.
“By all means.” His voice was strained. “On your knees, just like you were the first time I saw you.”
She was off the couch and on her knees between his now wide-open thighs in a flash. She impatiently unfastened his jeans, and Jackson helpfully lifted his hips so she could drag them to his ankles. When she pulled his shoes off without untying and quickly pulled his pants off the rest of the way, he couldn't stop a groan of anticipation. Ellie glanced up at him, her barely restrained desire and enthusiasm evident in her passion-filled expression, but instead of diving onto his steely erection, she lowered her eyes and waited.
“Very good, Eleanor,” he growled as he took in the picture of her kneeling between his thighs, anxious to go down but waiting for his direction. “Do you want to taste my cock?”
“Yes.” Her breath tickled his thigh.
Jackson wrapped his hand around his dick and stroked it slowly. “Lick my balls first.”
Ellie loved the taste and feel of the soft skin covered by tiny hairs as she gently sucked his testicles into her warm mouth. When she started to slide a hand up his thigh, strong fingers grabbed her wrist.
“Only your mouth.”
Unable to touch with her hands, Ellie closed her eyes and concentrated on the sensations caused by swirling her tongue over and around his heavy balls. His body tightened and swelled under her skilled attention and answering cream flowed from her core. She squirmed a bit, at first glad for the pressure of the tight denim against her soaked panties then frustrated that it wasn't enough. She whimpered slightly and drew him more deeply into her mouth.
Jackson exhaled loudly and rocked his hips upwards, sending his balls deeper into her mouth. When she sucked greedily, he grasped the base of his cock with one hand and stilled her movements with the other.
“Okay, your skill knows no bounds,” he chuckled deeply and eased her up, cradling her chin gently. He laid his penis against her moist lips. “Open up, Eleanor. I'm going to fuck that beautiful mouth of yours.” This time he let her slide her hands up to nestle in the creases of his thighs so she could steady herself as she came down on the engorged head of his penis.
Ellie savored the drop of liquid seeping from his slit before relaxing her muscles and sliding down his length. When he touched the back of her throat, she held him there, delighting in the fact that she was fully impaled on her lover. His cock throbbed along her tongue when she pressed against a bulging vein on the trip back to the top. She played around the tip, tickling the rim and sucking lightly.
When his hands cupped both sides of her face she knew what was coming, and she was more than ready. Digging her fingers into the corded muscles of his thighs, she held on as Jackson set a fevered pace. Each moan of pleasure that rumbled in his chest heated her blood further and encouraged her to suck harder.
Jackson's eyes slammed shut, and his hips jerked frantically when Ellie increased the wickedly intense suction on his cock. Even though he had been the one to increase the pace, she was now going down on him with abandon. All he was doing was holding onto her head so that she didn't hurt herself.
Ellie was completely in tune with his body and knew he was close to release, so she let her teeth carefully rake across his dick. Instantly, hot, spicy cum flooded her mouth, and his shout of satisfaction filled her ears and her heart. She continued to gently worship his cock as the tremors lessened, not stopping until he collapsed back and dropped his hands from her face to the couch cushions.
“Jesus Christ, that was incredible.” Jackson stroked her back.
“Yes, it was,” she purred, “but Jackson?” She fixed him with pleading eyes, “I'm
really
horny.”
“That's convenient, Eleanor,” he pulled her off of her knees and dragged her up his chest, “because you haven't even begun to experience my kind of play.”
Chapter Four
The sensation of stepping back in time flowed over Ellie as she took in all that was Jackson's bedroom. Dark, rich wood was everywhere. Instead of lamps or ceiling fixtures, sconces hung on each wall, glowing mutely as Jackson touched each one while he moved silently around the room. Burgundy velvet drapes cascaded down from thick metal rods to pool on the floor in front of the two windows. A large, ornate armoire and long chest of drawers were the only other pieces of furniture besides the bed, and what a bed it was. Raised off of the floor on a low platform, the four intricately carved posts reached almost to the ceiling and the thick mattress was draped with plush satin coverings in gold, burgundy and black. A shiver ran along her spine when she noticed the lengths of silk dangling seductively from each bedpost.
She turned her attention to Jackson who knelt in front of the stone fireplace.
She'd been severely depressed when he'd put his pants back on before they'd moved upstairs, but now, as she battled to control her rising emotions, she was relieved. Watching him stoke the now roaring fire that bathed the room in warmth and shifting illumination, she was keenly aware of the sense of walking straight into the lion's den. When he stood and turned toward her, a pang of unease joined her mounting desire. Jackson was the epitome of the Dominant male. Strength, power and confidence radiated from him.
“When we are in this room, I am in complete control of everything that happens.” He unbuttoned his shirt and tossed it aside.
“Okay?” she whispered with a healthy dose of “I'm not sure what I'm agreeing to” in her voice. With his gorgeous chest displayed magnificently in the flickering firelight, she would have agreed to almost anything if it meant she could run her hands and lips over the muscled flesh.
“I won't deny that your immediate, although tentative, agreement to my statement is highly arousing,” he swept her with an appreciative gaze, “but you need to understand exactly what I expect.” When she didn't attempt to speak but instead simply watched him and waited, Jackson continued, “I decide what we do and how we do it. You will not question me. You will do what I say without argument or hesitation. Failure to follow the rules will result in punishment.”
“Punishment? What kind of punishment?” Her eyes widened as she licked her suddenly dry lips.
“Anything I deem necessary, Eleanor, and that question just earned you your first one, should you decide to play by my rules.” A sinister grin punctuated his point. “You'll pick a safe word, which you can use if you feel things have gone too far, and I will stop immediately. Understand, however, the strength and finality of that word. Once it is spoken, playtime is over, period.”