11. Adair
11
ADAIR
I turn the whole exchange about my hair over in my head as I’m getting ready for bed. It was bossy, but Jack wasn’t an asshole about it. If I’m being totally honest with myself, I’m a little flattered. Jack — who never likes anything — said he likes my hair.
Plus, although I hate to admit it,when he gets going with that mine shit, I just melt. I think he could ask me to do just about any crazy thing, and if he asked me like that , I’d tell him yes in a heartbeat without even thinking about it.
I can never let him know that.
O f course, because I’m a dumb bunny, I don’t listen to myself. Once we’re in bedand I don’t have to look him in the face, I immediately tell Jack about my stupid willingness to do whatever he wants if he just makes me feel like I belong… with him. To him.
“Hmm… yeah?” Behind me, he shifts a little to drape his arm over me. He pulls me into his furry torso and presses his cock against my ass.
I squirm. “Hey, don’t use that against me. With great power comes great responsibility and all, you know?”
“Not that I’d use it against you,” he murmurs into my ear. “But there are just so many possibilities. So many ways I’d love to make you mine —” His beard tickles my ear and his words send a shiver through me. “My plaything. My slut. My property.”
Holy shit, that’s hot. “Please, Jack,” I murmur. I don’t even know what I’m asking for.
He chuckles wickedly. “Hmm… I’ve decided.”
“Decided what?”
“That book thing you want to go to. Go for it. I’ll pay for the ticket. But you have to do something for me in return.”
“What?”
He laughs again. “That’s not how this works.”
I sigh. “OK, I agree.”
He clicks his tongue. “So entitled. Not even a thank-you?”
“Thank you,” I say promptly. “Now, what do I owe you in exchange?”
“I’m taking you to a dungeon so I can show off how pretty you cry for me.”
“But I…” I trail off, blinking in astonishment in the dark.
Jack makes a sound of amusement low in his throat. “What? You’re shy? I know that’s not true. Not if you’re willing to whip your dick out on a hiking trail.”
My face goes hot. “That was once! One time! And it —I didn’t mean to do it. I just got caught up in the story and spaced out.”
“See, that’s what I mean. If you put even a little effort into it, you’d be able to either ignore or enjoy a roomful of eyes on you,” he mumbles against my hair. “Bunch of guys stroking themselves, watching you sobbing out the number of hits as I whipped you.”
“Wait, what?” My blood turns to ice.
“What what?”
“Oh, fuck no.” I’m surprised and embarrassed at the shakiness of my voice. “That long whip just about took me out last time. Uh-uh.”
Jack is so quiet for a minute, I don’t even hear him breathing. Just as I’m starting to get nervous, he makes a noise like he’s trying to hold in a laugh before he gives up and lets out a guffaw.
“Do you hear yourself, Bunny?”
“What? I don’t —I mean, yeah, I hear myself, but…”
He pulls himself together. “OK, OK, I’m sorry. No whip, then. I wasn’t laughing about that.”
I relax against him, even letting my eyes slide shut as his deep voice fills my ears. “What was so funny, then?”
“If we’re having a conversation about what implements I’m using, that tells me you’re kind of over your pearl-clutching about going in the first place.”
I’m silent, not wanting to admit that Jack might be right. “Alright, fine,” he says. “I’m not above bribing you a little. Tell you what; I’ll transfer a hundred bucks into your account so you can buy the books you were saying you wanted to get at this thing.”
“That makes me feel… kind of cheap.”
His low rumble of laughter goes straight to my dick. “Good. That turns me on.” He nips at my earlobe. A little shiver runs through me before I can stop it. Why do I like this? I shouldn’t like this. But I sure as hell do.
Jack sighs and pulls me tighter against him. “It’d be nice if you didn’t have to get up so early.”
“You want to cuddle?”
He snorts. “Not exactly.”
“Why, then?” Now I’m a little annoyed. “I told you right at the beginning I had early hours.”
“It’s not the hours. It’s because you have to deal with raging assholes at your job.”
“Most of them aren’t assholes. That was just bad luck that you came in when you did.”
“Fine. Honestly? I wish you didn’t have to get up for work, period,” he murmurs into my ear.
“ What? ” I frown into the darkness.
“Dunno — there’s something hot about the idea of just… keeping you.” He bites where my neck meets my shoulder with a low growl, making my cock snap to attention. Jack takes his mouth off my skin and barks out a laugh. “You’d definitely have to learn to fucking cook, though.”
I ’m ashamed of it, but the whole exchange has me so amped up that I lock the door behind me when I get up to shower the next morning.
“I heard that…” Even when he’s half-asleep, there’s an unmistakable edge of menace in Jack’s voice.
I really want to rub one out without worrying about being caught. Maybe playing dumb will work. “Heard what?”
I can hear his snort of derision even through the door. Dammit. “You locking the door. Don’t lock me out, Bunny.”
I sigh quietly and shut my eyes. Why is Jack even awake? It’s barely light out.
“Adair?” His tone —not to mention using my name — is a warning. “I know you heard me.” I flip the lock horizontal again without saying anything.
Surprisingly, Jack gives me my privacy. I’m almost embarrassed at how fast I come when I replay the conversation from last night in my head. I throw a hand over my mouth to stifle my groan of release as I lean against the wall.
He comes in as I’m rinsing shampoo out of my hair. I’m secretly, shamefully glad I have an excuse to keep my eyes screwed shut when I hear him taking a piss.
“Good morning to you, too,” I say sarcastically when he doesn’t acknowledge me. Although he doesn’t respond, I know he hears me, because he turns the sink tap to hot. I yelp when my shower suddenly flashes ice cold. Jack snickers. Jerk.