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  Last night, she’d distracted him from those plans, seducing him in ways he hadn’t anticipated. Today, he intended to make up for lost time.

  He pulled out the ball gag, then perused the other items in the bag. Fuck it. He picked up the entire package and returned to the bed with it. They’d use it all eventually.

  Caliph bent over the side of the bed, lifting her head slightly to put the gag in her mouth, then securing it in place. She struggled against it initially and he glanced toward her hands. No signal.

  “This morning’s lesson is about obedience.”

  She blinked rapidly at the sound of his deep voice, then a line formed in her brow, warning him she would put up some resistance. With former lovers, he would have been annoyed by that look of defiance, expecting total submission from his bedmates. But with Jennifer, he looked forward to the challenge she represented.

  He pushed the thought away. The damn woman was still getting under his skin and she couldn’t even speak.

  Grabbing the bag from the bed, he walked to the bathroom, opening all the packages, washing the array of toys he’d purchased. Jennifer wasn’t going to know what hit her.

  Returning to the room, he plucked the bullet vibrator from the pile and pushed it into Jennifer’s pussy. No fanfare, no preparation—he already knew she was wet. He just pressed the toy in.

  “You aren’t allowed to come unless I give you permission.”

  Her eyes narrowed and he had no doubt she’d have disagreed if she could speak. He gave her a superior smile, then flipped the switch on the remote to high.

  Jennifer jerked roughly, beautifully restrained by the straps on her wrists and ankles. She cried out, the sound muffled by the gag. He didn’t lower the speed on the vibrator and made no move to touch her at all.

  Instead he watched her struggle, trying to decide if she was fighting the orgasm or working to achieve it. With his rebellious lover, it could be either.

  She hadn’t fully embraced the concept of submission yet, though he knew the traits were there as well as her desire to accept them. It would take time for her to learn what it truly meant to give herself to him, to bend her will to his. She’d been on her own for nearly a year and she’d spent that time fighting to find her own strength, to make it through life without a man. It wasn’t going to be easy for her to now release her grip on what she clearly viewed as progress and hand the control over to him.

  He’d have to find a way to prove to her the power in this situation was hers.

  He looked at her hands once more, searching for the sign. She may be fighting the sensations provoked by the vibrator, but she sure as hell didn’t want to give up the war. Her hands remained firmly clenched into tight fists.

  Jennifer’s breathing increased and she moaned. The labored sound gave her away. Caliph turned off the remote.

  Her expression reflected pure murder. Yep. She’d definitely been ready to come and, given her anger, it appeared she hadn’t intended to hold back.

  Caliph climbed onto the bed, hovering over her on his hands and knees. “Bad girl.”

  She shook her head, trying to dislodge the gag, but her hands remained closed.

  “You’ve just sealed your fate, Jen. If you’d behaved, I wouldn’t have left you hanging for very long. Now the clock is set. You’re not going to come for the next two hours.”

  She made a sound of protest.

  “Keep it up and I’ll make it three.”

  She huffed, but fell silent. Her eyes still promised retribution.

  “You need to learn to school those expressions, Jennifer. Dirty looks are as bad as speaking without permission. Shoot any more of those daggers at me and I’ll punish you.”

  Her reaction to the word punish went through him like an aphrodisiac. She wanted it. There was no denying that when her nipples budded and her eyes went soft.

  “There are different types of punishment. Some you will enjoy, others you won’t. Don’t provoke my temper or you’re going to learn that difference the hard way. That spanking last night had very little to do with correcting bad behavior. I did it primarily for your pleasure. If you continue to disobey me, I’m going to reprimand you in a way that brings you no satisfaction. Do you understand?”

  She nodded slowly. Her arousal was beginning to wane, allowing uncertainty and confusion to creep in.

  Caliph turned the vibrator on once more, only this time he set it on low.

  Jennifer’s eyes drifted closed, but her calmer response told him this sensation wasn’t enough for her. She tried to lift her hips toward him, but the straps held her almost completely immobile. She shuddered, clearly needing more stimulation.

  He wasn’t going to give it to her. Not yet. She was his for the next two hours and he intended to use that time to his advantage.

  Bending his head, he sucked one of her nipples into his mouth. Jennifer groaned, arching her neck with delight. He’d been pleased to discover how sensitive her breasts were. Perhaps later, he’d bring her to orgasm simply with breast play, but for now, he had another plan.

  Moving his head from one nipple to the other, he sucked and nipped at them until they were large, red, tight. Then he retrieved the clamps he’d bought. Jennifer’s face told him instantly they were entering new territory. That knowledge excited him, fed his own arousal.

  He placed a clamp on her left nipple as Jennifer’s back bowed upward, sharp, harsh breaths escaping her nose as he tightened it. He used her breathing to let him know when the pain crossed from good to bad, then he dialed the screw back a notch.

  Caliph repeated the process on her other nipple, then pushed up to kneel between her legs and admire his work. Thirty minutes had passed.

  “I’m going to take the gag out, but you’re still not allowed to speak.”

  Her face was calmer now, her expressive eyes silent for once. Caliph recognized the look. She’d stopped listening to her conscience, moving beyond the logical, embracing the visceral. He unhooked the gag and removed it. Gently he wiped her lips and lightly massaged her jaw.

  Unable to resist, he bent down to kiss her. Kissing had never been a big part of any scene for him, but there was something about Jennifer that made him want to coddle her as much as he wanted to dominate. It was slightly unnerving, but—like her—he was finished thinking about this. From this moment on, he simply wanted to give in to his desires.

  Jennifer returned his kiss, her tongue stroking his. When he pulled away, her face lifted, trying to keep him close. If her hands had been free, he had no doubt she would have latched onto his neck to hold his lips to hers.

  She wanted him—really wanted him.

  In the past, he’d indulged in casual affairs. No woman had ever acted as if he was vital to her. They’d just taken their own pleasures and moved on.

  Before this weekend, Caliph would never have admitted to enjoying a woman who needed him so much, but Jennifer’s subtle stay with me overtures touched him. Turned him on.

  She narrowed her eyes when he picked up the remote to the vibrator once more. Then he watched her suck in a deep breath and hold it to prepare herself. He pushed it up a notch to medium, holding the high speed in reserve. Her body tensed in her effort to stave off her orgasm. Caliph was impressed by her willingness to satisfy him, to give him what he wanted.

  “And now things get serious.”

  She frowned, but didn’t reply. Didn’t even attempt to.

  Leaving the bed, he walked to her feet and untied the straps. He massaged her ankles for a few moments, then told her to bend her knees, leaving her legs open.

  She obeyed. Caliph wondered if she’d accept the next position as easily. He removed the straps from the bottom of the bed and attached them to eyehooks higher on the opposite sides of his headboard.

  She watched his movements in silence, but he could read the concern—and doubt—on her face.

  Once the bindings were in place, he knelt on the bed and lifted her legs, keeping a firm grip on her ankles. He tu
gged them upward until she was bent in half. Then he bound them with her legs straight above her head.

  “Does that hurt?”

  She shook her head.

  “Good.” He ran his hand over her bare ass, enjoying exactly how much this position left her vulnerable. Open.

  He cupped her breasts and gave a firm squeeze to the fleshy mounds. It increased the pressure to the clamps. Jennifer’s eyes closed and she groaned blissfully. The sound must have shocked her, causing her to panic. She looked at him to gauge his reaction.

  Caliph chuckled. “I said you can’t speak. Those cute little sex sounds are definitely allowed. In fact…”

  He ran his fingers along her slit, enjoying her soft whimper. A glance at the clock confirmed an hour had passed. His cock was rock-hard and reading him the riot act for holding off. Caliph wrapped his fist around his erection and slowly stroked the sensitive flesh as Jennifer watched.

  She licked her lips and, for a moment, he was tempted to move over her and push his cock into her wet, hot mouth. He resisted the urge. This scene was meant to push her limits, test her ability to obey his demands no matter what. There was still work to do.

  Reaching back into the bag of toys, he retrieved a tube of lubrication and a butt plug. She’d confessed last night she’d never indulged in anal play, but her tone when she mentioned it told him her curiosity outweighed her fears. That seemed to be true for most of her desires. Jennifer had yet to balk at a single thing he’d suggested or tried.

  Taking the cap off the tube, he squeezed some onto his finger, then rubbed it around her anus. She wiggled slightly, but didn’t try to move away. She also didn’t say her safe word. Caliph realized he’d stopped listening for it. The previous night, the word was never far from his mind as he’d expected it to pop out at any time. Today, they’d turned a corner. He’d learned to read her responses, to know what she genuinely liked.

  He added more lube to his finger, pressing it inside her ass. Jennifer’s breathing had regulated, but with this new sensation, it sped up, became louder. He worked the lubricant into her ass, adding more and more. Then one finger became two and two became three. He initiated her to the act slowly, giving her tight, virgin muscles time to adjust to the unfamiliar invasion.

  Jennifer’s moans became louder as he finger-fucked her ass, adding speed and strength to each thrust. His balls drew tight. What would he give to pull his hand away and fuck her there with his cock?

  Someday. Soon.

  Then he wondered if she’d give him another night, another weekend. His initial desire for a one-night stand had been rejected as true greediness took over. He wanted more. A lot more.

  Her panting breaths alerted him to how close she was to coming. He withdrew. Time wasn’t up. She growled, the sound reflecting anger more than arousal. He lifted his hand and swatted her ass in warning. Jennifer lifted her bottom as much as the straps would allow, silently begging for more. He indulged her request, mainly because there was nothing he loved more than spanking her ass, watching it turn red under his hand. He placed several more blows to her bottom as Jennifer’s back arched and her cries grew louder.

  Christ. She was in danger of coming merely from a spanking. Once again, Caliph stopped. She shuddered roughly as she attempted to fight back her desire to come.

  The game was far from over. Lifting the butt plug, he coated it with lubrication, then slowly pressed it into her ass. Jennifer’s eyes drifted closed as she whispered his name. He didn’t chastise her for speaking without permission. She was drifting into subspace—he could read it in her face, in her responses.

  He wondered if his next action would drag her back or push her further into her state of bliss. He hoped the latter.

  Once the plug was in place, he leaned forward and reached for a clamp. He briefly considered warning her about the pain to come, but didn’t want to ruin the moment with words. She was floating and if his suspicions about her need for pain proved true, this would only add to the experience.

  He removed the clamp.

  Jennifer jerked. “Oh my God.”

  Caliph had anticipated the response, her shock when she felt that initial jolt of pain. He was there, waiting for her. He put his lips over her sore nipple, caressing it with soft strokes of his tongue and gentle sucks until she calmed down.

  She stiffened in preparation when he moved to tug the second clamp free. He repeated the same ministrations, helping to turn the pain into something more pleasurable. He took his time, acknowledging how easy it would be to spend hours playing with her breasts. They were full and sensitive.

  Then he felt her stir. He lifted his head and found her eyes on his. He knew what she wanted, but the selfish man inside wanted to hear it from her lips.

  “Say it,” he prompted.

  “Please,” she whispered. “I need you.”

  Heaven to his ears. He didn’t bother to look at the clock. It was close enough. Reaching above her head, he released her ankles, then her hands. He removed the bullet, tossing it aside.

  “Wrap your legs around my waist and hold on, love.”

  She followed his command, gasping when he placed his cock at her opening. The plug was still in her ass, but he didn’t plan to remove it. It would only heighten the pleasure. Then he paused.

  “Shit. Condom.”

  He started to reach for the nightstand, but she halted him. “Do you have to use one?”

  He frowned. “I’m clean, Jen, but—”

  “So am I. And I’m on birth control.”

  He blew out a long, hard breath. He’d never taken a woman without a condom. Not once. In his entire life. Neither one of his previous long-term girlfriends had been able to take the Pill without getting sick, so he had been in charge of taking the necessary precautions.

  “You’re sure?” he asked.

  She nodded. “Come inside me.”

  There was a double meaning to her request. And both offers were too good to pass up.

  Caliph pushed in slowly, his chest constricting as he forgot how to breathe. He wasn’t sure he’d ever felt anything so powerful, so freaking amazing.

  As much as he tried to savor the moment, to prolong the beauty of it, his measured pace didn’t help. Jennifer had been riding the razor’s edge too long. She shook beneath him and he realized she was still trying to hold off. He pressed in to the hilt, leaned down and kissed her lightly on the cheek. “Come for me, Jen.”

  He started to move, just a slight withdrawal before pushing deeper. It was all she needed. Her body stiffened as she released a loud, keening cry. Her inner muscles clamped down on his aching cock and she dragged her fingernails down his bare back—leaving some serious artwork of her own on his skin.

  Caliph closed his eyes and fought to regulate his breathing. He didn’t want this to end too soon. He rode out the storm of her powerful orgasm, then—when calmness began to descend once more—he thrust harder, choosing his favorite rhythm, speed.

  Jennifer wrapped her legs tighter around him, spurring him on, accepting his rough claiming. When her pussy clenched again, he realized she was on the verge of yet another orgasm. He’d never be able to resist coming this time.

  Jennifer trembled with the second orgasm and Caliph joined her, giving in to his own pleasure. The impact of his climax would have knocked him down had he been standing. Jet after jet of come exploded from him, each pulse sending electricity up and down his spine.

  What a weekend.

  As soon as he was able to move—his strength had deserted him—he fell to her side, pleased when Jennifer rolled, curling against his chest, soft and warm as a newborn kitten. She was asleep within seconds. He wouldn’t be far behind. Caliph tucked her closer with an arm around her shoulders, enjoying the feel of her next to him. For the first time, it felt like someone belonged here. With him. In his bed.

  Jennifer fit.

  He’d told her she was a blank canvas, that her future was hers to design, to color. But now he wondered if he hadn�
�t been a bit blank himself. The colorful life he thought he’d been living suddenly felt bland, a whole lot of off-white and gray. In a few short days, Jennifer had added shocking reds, cool blues and vivid purples, opening his eyes to opportunities he’d never considered.

  His eyes drifted closed, a heavy warmth coursing through him.

  Then he contemplated what happened when the weekend came to a close and the contentment started to wane as reality crashed around him.

  The next move wasn’t his to make.

  It was hers.

  Chapter Seven

  Jennifer tightened her grip around Caliph’s waist as the motorcycle sped up. She’d spotted the Harley in Caliph’s driveway as they had walked toward his car and admitted she’d never ridden on one. He had taken her admission as something akin to a mortal sin, thrown a helmet on her head and now they were headed to Midnight Ink to retrieve her car.

  Sunday had arrived and the weekend was officially over.

  They had spent most of the day—and two nights—before in his bed and had only woken up a couple hours earlier, after which they’d showered together. She had joked that they both looked as if they’d been ridden hard and put away wet, after she complained about her stiff muscles and he winced when he tried to put a shirt on over the deep scratches she’d left on his back.

  Breakfast had been a quiet affair, both of them talking about a whole bunch of nothing. Truth was Jennifer hadn’t known what to say, so she’d filled the silence with nonsense about the weather and past Mardi Gras parties.

  She’d been both relieved and disappointed when they’d hopped on the motorcycle because it didn’t give them an opportunity to talk on the way to the shop.

  Caliph took the long way to Midnight Ink, treating her to a quick ride on Pontchartrain Expressway so he could rev up the motor and gain some serious speed. She clung tighter to his waist, enjoying the roar of the engine, the vibrations, the sense of flying. Just when she thought Caliph couldn’t make this weekend any more amazing, he found a way to take her breath away once more. She’d been in a constant state of exhilaration and it was addictive.