That was not going to happen.
Stef pulled his Land Rover into the long drive that led to his house just as the sun was going down. He’d said very little since he’d asked Max to give his father a ride back when he was ready. Other than that, he’d concentrated on the road. His hands had been perfectly steady on the wheel, but she couldn’t forget the moment when she’d seen them shake. Stef out of control made her heart hurt. It was the one thing she knew he couldn’t handle.
She knew exactly how to give control back to him.
He put the SUV in park and shut off the engine. Jen got out before he could say a word. Though she was right in front of the door that led into the house, she walked around the vehicle. She wasn’t going into the house.
“Jennifer?”
She turned slightly and stared at the deliciously masculine sight he made. He was lit from behind by the setting sun. He looked every inch the rough-and-tumble cowboy in Levi’s, boots, and a somewhat-battered Stetson. He looked far from the immaculate man he often presented himself as. She realized looking at him, heart racing at how beautiful he was, that she loved all of Stef. She loved the wickedly decadent artist and the doggedly loyal small-town boy. She adored the perverted Dom. He was all of those things, and she wouldn’t have him any other way.
“I love you, Stef.”
His boots suddenly became very intriguing, it seemed. He stared down at them for a moment.
Though her heart clenched at his silence, she realized something else. In the end, she couldn’t control whether or not he loved her. She couldn’t force him to see how good they could be together if he didn’t want to. She could bluster and batter him with attention-seeking behavior, but in the end, he would decide whether or not he was brave enough to take the chance. All she had control over was how much she loved him. It wasn’t such a selfish thing. Her love suddenly seemed vast and warm and giving.
“Don’t cry.”
She hadn’t been aware she was, but she felt it now. It wasn’t sad.
It was simply the acknowledgement of overwhelming emotion. She loved, and suddenly she was a better person for it. She was larger than she’d been just moments before.
“I love you.” There was no hesitation in the words. They were strong and proud. Her love was worth something. He might deny it, but she wouldn’t.
“I…that means a lot to me.” His words were oddly faltering, as though foreign to his tongue.
She wouldn’t push him, but she could help him. “Then come to the guesthouse with me. I want to play, Stef.” His eyes flared. “You want to play? Jennifer, I don’t know if that’s a good idea. I’m not exactly calm and in control.”
“But you will be.” She turned and started to walk toward the guesthouse. This was how he could get his control back. This was the gift she could give him.
He caught up to her in an instant. “You’re topping from the bottom.”
The outrage in the accusation made her smile. “Isn’t that what every smart sub does?”
He frowned before a laugh huffed from his chest. “You’re going to kill me, Jennifer.”
He leaned over and gently pushed his shoulder into her midsection, picking her up in a fireman’s hold.
“Hey!” The world went topsy-turvy, and then she felt a sharp slap to her ass.
“Hush, sub. You want to play? I want to play, too. But we’re at least going to pretend I have some control. When we go into that guesthouse, you treat it like a dungeon. I’m the Master. You’re the pretty slave who’ll do anything to please me.” And that was different how? She didn’t argue with him, though.
She was already getting hot at the thought of playing with Master Stefan. “Yes, Stef.”
“What will please me, slave?”
She loved the way his voice went deep and rich, like dark chocolate. “My submission.”
“No clothes are allowed in my dungeon.” He set her on her feet and pulled out the key. He quickly opened the door and allowed her to enter. Jen felt her shoes sink into the thick carpet. The door closed behind her, and when she turned, Stef was staring at her, his face as hard as granite.
“I’m waiting, Jennifer.”
She certainly didn’t feel the cold now. She shrugged out of her coat and handed it to him to hang. With deliberate movements, she took off her clothes. Where the afternoon had been a flurry of passion, this was measured, and a level of anticipation permeated the room.
She felt almost drugged by it. She slid her hands under the waistband of her jeans and pushed them down her legs.
“Poor darling,” Stef said with silky sympathy. “You had to wear your plug all day. Is my slave’s ass sore?”
“I can handle it, Stefan.” She smiled at him in genuine pleasure.
There wasn’t a hint of his earlier worry and panic. He was utterly and completely focused on her now. He was in control.
“Turn around and lean over the couch. It’s time to take it out. I have more interesting things to shove up your ass than a piece of plastic.”
His cock was making his jeans bulge. While she’d been undressing, he’d done the same. He was down to his jeans, his perfectly cut chest making her mouth water. She wondered what he looked like in his leathers. More than likely, a lot like he did now. He was an intimidating, lean presence. Jen took a deep breath to calm her racing heart and walked to the couch with what she hoped passed for grace. She placed her hands on the arm and leaned over, presenting her ass to her Master.
“Nicely done, love,” Stef purred.
Jen shivered just a bit as his hands traced her back.
“You’ve studied up. I can see that. I wonder how much you’re prepared for. I wonder how much you can take.”
“I can take just about anything except the part where you get me riled up and walk away.”
He chuckled. “Yes, I can see where that would be difficult for you. How about I promise you that I won’t ever leave you unsatisfied? But your satisfaction, when we’re playing, comes at my discretion. If I choose to torture my slave for hours on end, that is my decision.”
“I don’t know how much I like the sound of that, Stef.” He smacked her ass, causing every nerve in her rectum to come alive with a jittery pleasure. “Yes or no? We can go back to the house and have very nice, vanilla sex. I’m all right with that, love. I really am. We can have vanilla sex and go to sleep wrapped in each other’s arms. Or I can tie you up, spank your sweet ass, and torture you with vibrators and other nasty toys. I can lick every inch of your body. I can devour your pussy while I shove my finger up your anus. And I can fuck that ass, love. I’m going to ream it until you don’t remember a time I wasn’t balls-deep inside you. Really, it’s your choice.” He punctuated his speech by running his tongue down her spine to the place he’d promised to fuck. It was delicious and dark and dirty, and Jen felt her pussy clench in response.
“Oh, Stef, I want to play.” Her hands tightened on the couch because if she didn’t hold on, she would fall. He was turning her into a quivering mass of desire. “Please play with me.” She felt him get to his knees behind her. He playfully nipped at her butt cheeks. “I’ll play, love. Have I mentioned how pretty your asshole is?”
She laughed a little. It wasn’t a compliment she heard often, but Stef said it like he was talking about her hair or telling her how nice she looked in a new blouse. He left absolutely no room for shame.
“Thank you.”
“I like to look at it.” He pulled her cheeks apart.