Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty
“I’ve got you.” Damien wrapped one of his arms around her back, and he placed the other on her rear.
Then, bending his knees, he surged up inside her, filling her desperate pussy with his magnificent cock.
“I… Yes.”
“I want everything from you, Catrina. Your respect, your trust, your total submission.”
He fucked her so hard, so deep, she couldn’t deny him. “Yes. Sir! Sir, sir, sir.” Desperate to touch him, she fought against her bonds, trying to escape.
Seeming to know her needs as well as she did, he leaned in closer.
That drove her madder.
Since her body was still sensitized from his crop, their skin-to-skin abrasion made her wild.
He continued his loving assault, giving her more and more, until he shoved her into the abyss.
With a cry, she curled her toes as she dropped her head onto his shoulder. “Take me, Master.”
For a moment, he stilled, and silence echoed around them, thundering in her ears.
“God. Catrina. What you do to me.” With a deep groan, Damien tightened his grip, and his movements became shorter, even more powerful.
With one final thrust and a deep, masculine, guttural sound, he shouted her name.
Together they spiraled, and he pulsed inside her.
Forever, he held her, her head on his shoulder, his arms looped around her. “Jesus, Catrina.”
She had no words.
He’d taken her to a place she hadn’t known existed, wouldn’t have believed possible.
“Thank you, Milady.”
The way he held her combined with the way they breathed together created a pulsing intimacy.
For long minutes, while they recovered, he remained in place, tenderly placing a hand at her nape to cradle her as if she were the most precious thing he could imagine.
When she eventually blinked the world back into focus, he eased back, sliding out of her.
Instead of walking away, he placed a thumb beneath her chin. “Let me untie you.”
He took his time, caressing her skin and rubbing circulation back into her body as he released each limb.
Gently, he traced a tiny red mark he’d left on her breast. “I’ll put some cream on that.”
“It’ll be fine,” she said.
“I said I’ll put some cream on it.”
Was there any arguing with him once his mind was made up?
Only then did he leave her to dispose of the condom.
Now alone, reality returned, and with it, the realization that she’d called him Master.
As confused as she was upset, she wrapped her arms around her middle.
Moments later, he was back with a white tube of arnica.
His ministrations were heart-meltingly gentle.
Once he was satisfied, he nodded and captured her gaze. “How are you doing?”
“I’m fine.” To cover her confused emotions, she forced a smile. “Thank you.” She didn’t add Sir as an honorific, though a deep yearning urged her to.
Slowly, he swept his gaze over her body, as if making sure for himself.
“That was even more than I could have hoped.”
“Let’s sit for a minute.”
“I’m—”
“Shaking,” he interjected, his tone no-nonsense. “You just endured something unique.”
Had he noticed the slip of her tongue?
And that was what it was. Something accidental, not something she meant.
Without waiting for an argument, he drew her toward a chair. “Give me a second.” Once he had pulled a blanket out from a cupboard, he took a seat then pulled her onto his lap.
Moments later, the blanket was tucked into place, and she was enfolded in the warmth and security of his strong arms.
“How are you doing?”
Part of her couldn’t believe how deep she’d gone, how vulnerable she’d been.
“Catrina?”
“You’re really good at that.” It was a half-answer, as well as the total truth. And she prayed he wouldn’t push for more information than that.
“I appreciate your trust.”
During their time together, everything he’d done had made her respect him more.
Which was only going to make it more difficult to leave.
Her body finally stopped trembling as her temperature returned to normal. Only then did he help her to dress.
“You can go ahead and go upstairs if you want. I’ll clean up here.”
“I can help.” It would give her something to do, besides ruminate and pray he’d put his own clothes back on. As it was, she could hardly keep her gaze off his rippling muscles, and she forced away memories of the way he’d possessed her.
“I’ll handle it.” Damien shook his head. “You need some time to recover.”
Which was the absolute truth. “You’re sure?”
“I’ll join you in a few minutes.”
Grateful for the respite, she escaped, walking back up the stairs to their private space.
When she was there, the word Master seemed to reverberate from the ceiling.
Determinedly, she shook her head.
Of course she hadn’t meant it. She was a Domme in her own right. And by this time next week, one of her boys would be kneeling at her feet.
Needing to banish her thoughts, she turned on the shower, set the temperature to scalding, then stood beneath the spray.
Even when steam billowed around her, she couldn’t chase away thoughts of the scene they’d shared or the way he’d so thoroughly taken her.
While she was soaping her body, imagining his touch on her skin, Damien entered the bathroom.
Considering her, he stripped off then joined her.
“May I?”
She should make an excuse to leave, put some desperately needed distance between them, but his soothing tone and take-charge manner did her in.
He took down the showerhead.
“Spread your legs.”
Despite her resolve, he had her aroused again.
“Can’t get enough, Milady?” he asked as he spread her labia and turned the dial to the pulse setting.
Instinctively, she jerked, seeking satisfaction.
“You’ve earned this.”
Needing stability, she braced one hand on the tiles, and she wrapped the other around his shoulder.
“Beautiful!”
Eyes closed, whimpering, she came.
The man knew exactly what to do to give or offer pleasure.
When she’d ridden it out, he shucked stray droplets of water from her face before turning off the faucet.
“Thank you for that.” At this point, manners were reflexive instead of something she needed to be reminded to use.
And right now, that bothered her.
He exited the shower, grabbed a towel for her and wrapped it around her.
Always, he cared for her before satisfying his needs.
Catrina shrugged into a robe while he dressed in a pair of lightweight workout pants and a soft T-shirt.
“May I offer you a glass of wine?”
Grateful they were done playing, she nodded. “That would be nice.” Hopefully, the alcohol would help dissipate the dull agitation that was now working its way through her.
“I’ll meet you in the living room.”
After drying her hair and clipping it back, she donned a pair of yoga pants and a sweater. Barefoot, she joined him on the couch. In front of them was a charcuterie board. “You think of everything. Thank you.”
Once she’d accepted the glass he offered, she rested her back against the arm, facing him, sitting cross-legged.
“Do you want to talk about whatever you were discussing with Gregorio earlier?”
She shouldn’t have been surprised that he’d circled back to this.
But at least for now, he hadn’t mentioned the fact she’d called him Master.
“I’d rather keep it private.”
Saying nothing, he contemplated her.
Maybe because he allowed silence to grow, she shifted.
The emotions that had been swimming through her now threatened to swamp her.
Until earlier today, when she’d been totally honest with Gregorio—and herself—she hadn’t truly realized that she was starting to care about Damien.
And maybe that had partially led her to say what she did in the dungeon.
Still, falling for him was the last thing she should do.
She’d spent the last couple of years carving out a life she loved, playing with her boys, building her business, taking care of others.
Never again would she be as vulnerable as she had been in her previous relationships.
Even if that meant spending the rest of her life alone.
And yet…
The time with Damien had meant so much to her.
Their scenes rocked her world, the sex, the orgasms, working in the same office, brainstorming, talking, sharing an occasional smoldering kiss, or even heading to the bedroom during the day to make love.
Then there were the evenings in front of the fire, always followed by falling asleep in the comfort of his embrace.
Maybe she shouldn’t have agreed to his ridiculous challenge.
Saying goodbye was going to tear her apart.
He propped an ankle on his opposite knee and drummed his fingers on his thighs. By staying where he was, he gave her room to breathe.
As always, he seemed to know what she needed.
“Is something about the way we interact bothering you?”
“No.” My own emotions are the problem.
But how did she satisfy him, without revealing too much?
“I appreciate your lessons. You were correct that I understand the BDSM dynamic better, in ways I never did before.” And she’d learned the benefits of spending more time talking to her boys beforehand to build their anticipation for the scene, letting details fill their minds to the point of obsession, making the culmination even more powerful. “You’ve made me a better Domme.” Which was the entire point.
So why was she feeling mentally unmoored?
Her hand shaking, she put down her untouched glass of wine.
Swallowing back her sudden tears, she inhaled. “This has been really instructive.” Then, before she could change her mind and give him an even bigger part of her heart, she added, “I need to go home.”
He didn’t protest, didn’t touch her. But leaning forward, he quietly asked, “What are you scared of, Catrina?”
“Nothing.” Everything. That I’m in so deep I’ll never find my way back. And how stupid was that? He’d been up front in saying he didn’t believe in love. Not that it mattered since she’d sworn off the fickle emotion. “The two weeks are almost up, anyway. If I leave now, I’ll have the weekend to get settled and be ready for work on Monday morning. And you can be the host of your party rather than hiding up here with me.”
“We could always attend.”
With me on the end of your leash.
To save herself, she needed to get her life back to normal as soon as possible.
“Your decision is made?”
“It is.”
“Is this open for discussion?” he asked.
“No.”She made her response emphatic because if it wasn’t, she’d relent. Her clothes would be off, and his hands would be all over her. In less than a couple of minutes, she’d be begging for his lash. And she’d be falling for him even harder.
Bringing up her chin, she added, “My mind is made up.” Don’t make me use my safe word. “I insist you respect my decision.”
“Fuck.Catrina—”
“I mean it, Damien.” Her voice wavering, damnably betraying her emotions, she stood.
“Of course.” He inhaled sharply. “As you wish.”
Even though her knees threatened to buckle, she forced herself to walk to the closet. Fighting back a deep desire to stay—and knowing it would only be harder to leave on Saturday if she did—Catrina started throwing her clothing back into her bag.
Every drawer she opened, every shelf she scanned, held memories.
Coming here was a terrible mistake.
With her shoulders pulled back, she double checked that she had everything then returned to the living room.
Their drinks were where they’d left them, but Damien was nowhere in sight.
Though she should be relieved, she fought off her disappointment.
He wasn’t in his office, and she checked the security monitors. She didn’t see him on any of them.
On automatic pilot, she disconnected her computer from the printer and started to clear out her desk.
She heard the firm sound of his footfall on the stairs and the file she’d been holding slipped from her nerveless fingers.
“I started your car.”
“Thank you.” She wanted her words to be strong, but they were nothing more than a whisper.
“For safety reasons, if nothing else, it would be smarter for you to stay here overnight. Or I could ask Jeff or Gregorio to drive you into Winter Park so you can stay at a hotel.”
Always looking out for her. Like a good Dom. “I’ll be fine.” When had she become so adept at lying?
“You’re determined, then?”
Not trusting that her voice wouldn’t tremble, betraying her feelings, she pressed her lips together and nodded.
“In that case, I’ll help you with this.”
An argument would cost her precious time, so she kept her mouth closed.
After she tucked all of her files into her computer backpack, he slung a strap over one shoulder then headed down the stairs, leaving her to grab her bag and purse.
He’d moved her car to the driveway, the hood pointed toward the street, which meant he’d backed it out then turned it around so she could drive straight out. It was running and the wipers made lazy swipes across the windshield, batting away the occasional snowflakes.
He opened her door, and she slid past his body, making sure they didn’t touch, and into the warmed cab.
While he stowed her belongings in the trunk, she lowered the window.
“I’ve enjoyed your company.”
“You were an excellent…” Dom. Lover. “Host.”
“Come back anytime.”
Not ever. And she suspected he knew that.
“Call if you need anything,” he said, hands propped on the top of the car. “Anything. Remember that I’m always available to talk about things, discuss your fears.”
“I appreciate the offer.” Impatience gnawed at her. She had to escape…now.
“Send me a text when you get home.”
“No.”
“That wasn’t a request.” He leaned into the window, heating the air, filling her with his spicy, masculine scent. “It’s just common fucking courtesy, Catrina,” he snapped. “It’s late. It’s dark. There’s not one single part of me that wants to let you go. Show some decency and let me know you’re safe.”
“I—”
“Either that or I follow you home. Your choice.”
The implacable note in his voice made her blink. “You’re serious.”
“Fucking serious,”he confirmed.
“Fine. I’ll send you a message.”
The moment he leaned back a little, she hit the button to close the window. Then she slipped into drive and hit the gas harder than she should have.
As the lights of the Den faded in her rearview mirror, she started to shake.
Beneath the inky sky, she was alone and lonely in ways she’d never experienced before.
Hot tears streamed down her face.
What the hell have I done?
* * * *
What the fuck just happened?
“You look like you could use a drink.”
Damien glanced at Gregorio as he entered his office uninvited. “Any excuse?”
“I’m doing you a favor. It’s what friends are for,” Gregorio said, zeroing in on the sideboard with its secret panel.
“Friends are for drinking your most expensive alcohol?”
“Who else is going to suffer like that for you, Boss?”
Damien reached forward and clicked a couple of keys on his keyboard. Obviously, Catrina wasn’t turning her car around and coming back, so staring at the feed from the outdoor cameras was pointless.
Instead, he brought up images of a tranquil beach scene. Palm trees and hammocks were on the left-hand side, with crystal blue waters and white sand on the other. It looked sun-drenched, and as far away from here as he was from Catrina.
“Maybe I should have made us something with rum instead,” Gregorio suggested when he looked at Damien’s computer screens.
“This will work.” Damien accepted the snifter then leaned back. Lost in thought, he warmed the glass in his palms.
“I take it Milady left us.”
“The two weeks were almost up.”
“I’m not surprised.”
Obviously, Gregorio, too, had seen the way her car fishtailed as she’d accelerated away from the property.
“Something to say, Gregorio?”
“Not at all, Boss.” He lazed back, legs stretched in front of him, crossed at the ankles.
Damien sat up straight. “What did she say to you in the kitchen?”
“You know damn well I’m not going to break her confidence.”
“If there’s something I need to know…”
Gregorio shook his head. “You scare the hell out of her. It’s one thing to scene with a Dom, even to be a trainee. It’s another to offer total submission.”
“Spoken like the voice of experience.”
“Yeah. It’s demanding,” Gregorio said. “Think about what you wanted from her. Were you satisfied with teaching her how to be a better Domme?”
Damien glanced up and stared at the beach screenshot without actually seeing it. That was a question he didn’t want to answer.
When he’d goaded her into accepting his challenge, he’d wanted to crack her toughness to see the woman beneath. He’d wanted to master her. But at what cost to her?
And at what cost to him?
He’d caught glimpses of her vulnerability, and he’d relentlessly pushed, forcing her to expose them while offering little to nothing back in return. He hadn’t mentioned what he was feeling or experiencing, even when she’d talked with Gregorio. He’d had a second chance when she’d come back after her walk.
And then…
Christ.
She’d called him Master when she’d submitted to his crop earlier.
Catrina had transcended a barrier she’d been keeping between them, given him a gift, and instead of immediately acknowledging it, sweeping her into his arms after rewarding her with a powerful orgasm, he’d… Stayed in the scene. Kept his emotional distance.
Even when she’d announced her intention of leaving, he’d invited her to attend Friday night’s festivities at the Den.
For someone reputed to be an excellent Dom, he’d screwed up. Bad. Who the hell had he been to think he could teach her anything?
“You’re not the biggest fuckwad on the planet, Boss. You just look like it at this moment.”
“Was that supposed to help?”
Gregorio shrugged.
Damien cared about her more than he would have believed possible. And he’d figured they had two days remaining to discuss their relationship.
Gregorio took a sip of the brandy. “Damn, I forget how good this stuff is. Not sorry to be drinking it, even at your expense.”
“What are friends for?” Damien said dryly, repeating Gregorio’s earlier words. With that, he motioned for Gregorio to refill his glass.
“Got a plan, Boss?” Gregorio asked.
No fucking clue.
For the first time in his life.
Damien knew only one thing for certain. I’m not letting you go, Catrina. You’re mine…