Chapter 34
Becca was buzzing as Jamie drove them away from Sedona proper along a dark road with few signs of people. The idea of going parking to make out with the hunky veterinarian delivered athrill,unlike anything she had experienced as a horny teenager.
He glanced her way occasionally. Each time his gaze met hers, she felt her heart pound stronger.
Truthfully, she had no real experience with sexual tension. It was mostly a term used in romance books. However, the building tension between her and Jamie was noticeable—so noticeable that she wondered if the truck”s cab could contain it.
It was stuff like a pounding heart and air heavy with erotic promise that drove home an important point—this was different. Jamie was different. The intoxicating pull of sexual magnetism filled her with want. Before long, the wanting became need.
She needed Jamie Hunter, and that scared the hell out of her.
”Shh.”
Becca turned her head. ”Did I say something?” she asked.
”No. But your thoughts are putting in overtime.”
”I”m nervous.”
”Why?”
Laughing at herself, she drawled, ”I don”t know.”
He chuckled. ”Yes, you do. Tell me what”s rattling around in your head.”
He asked, so she started babbling.
”This dress is too short. You seem to know what you”re doing, while I do not. I”m not seventeen, and you aren”t a dopey sports jock driving his daddy”s pick-up. Am I losing my mind? And what do I do with knowing I want this more than it scares me?”
”Your dress is not too short, and just so we”re clear, there”s no fucking way I”d let you out in public if it were. Nobody enjoys what that dress barely covers except me.”
Hearing the territorial thrum in his voice gave her a thrill. Maybe this wasn”t the best moment to giggle like a teenage twit, but she did.
”As for me knowing what I”m doing, I beg to disagree.”
Her brows shot up at his emphatic declaration.
”I”ve never done this, Rebecca. What”s happening between us isn”t a random hook-up. We”re exploring what a real relationship will be like. What”s throwing you off is my being a dominant. You assume this means I have experience luring sexual partners to a world of kink. Nothing is further from reality. Bear in mind that dominance and submission aren”t just about sex. If sex is the objective, there are plenty of experienced, willing submissives to be found. Phoenix has a lively BDSM community—not that I”ve indulged. Just saying that there”s more to it than fucking.”
His bluntness gave her a jolt. She had little doubt that if a filthy fuck was all either of them wanted, they”d already be doing it. Jamie”s style of dominance was far more subtle. He wanted so much more than sexual dominance. Was that the part that scared her?
He continued reacting to her comment. ”As for driving my daddy”s pick-up with a busty girl next door—that probably happened,”he told her with a husky chuckle. ”And no, you”re not losing it because it”s dawning on you that your fear isn”t stopping you from wanting more.”
Engrossed by his answers, she hardly noticed when the truck left the paved road and drove slowly along a bumpy path.
”There”s a perfect spot for sky gazing up ahead, beyond the stand of trees,”he murmured as the truck slowed to a crawl.
There was a tingling low in her belly. Licking her dry lips, Becca sought to slow her rapid breathing, but she was too excited.
After continuing along the bumpy path, they emerged from the trees into an open expanse bordered by a rocky landscape. A heavenly spotlight of bright moonbeams shone down on them.
”Wow,”she softly gasped. ”It”s like being at the planetarium.”
Parked, lights off, Jamie turned to her. ”Still with me?”
Simple question—immediate answer.
”Yes.”
Her response made his beautiful cinnamon eyes glimmer with what she hoped was pleasure.
Her reaction to his pleasure opened her eyes—and heart. This man and their improbable relationship had the power to change her life.
The realization was equally terrifying and exciting.
”I have a plan,”he told her with a hint of humor. ”Success depends on you doing what I tell you.”
She didn”t hesitate to smirk and roll her eyes. ”As in, be a good girl?”
His chuckle made the tingles in her lower belly intensify. ”One hundred.”
Flashing his pearly whites gave the man”s lopsided grin a devilish vibe. Was she drawn to him even more? Damnit—yes!
”Stay put,”he growled in a playfully stern voice that made her squirm.
He climbed out of the truck and went to the rear. She heard the tailgate open, and a few seconds later, her door opened.
”Come here, pretty lady.”He offered his hand to help her stand.
As she took it and slid off the seat, his touch made Becca conscious of the heat building in her core.
With an arm protectively around her waist, he guided her to the back of the truck and hoisted her onto the tailgate. When he put his hands on her waist to lift her, she reached for his shoulders and held tight.
”I”ve got you, Rebecca,”he murmured as she sat.
He brushed her hair back, sending it falling behind her exposed shoulder.
”Sit here and enjoy the stars while I set us up.”
He left her with her feet dangling and hurried back to the cab. She didn”t turn and look but heard him taking things from the extended cab”s rear seats and dropping them onto the truck”s rear bed.
Returning to her side, he smiled and pointed skyward. ”Sedona is designated a Dark Sky Community. The minimal light pollution offers a magnificent sky view. Look,”he told her. ”Cassiopeia. And sometimes we can see the International Space Station.”
She searched the starry sky. He hopped into the back of the truck. When she glanced over her shoulder, he said, ”Nuh uh. Eyes skyward.”
”Be a good girl. Right,”she drawled, wisely checking her appearance while he did whatever he was doing.
Scooping each of her boobs higher in the dress”s skimpy bodice, she fiddled with the straps and smoothed the material bunched in her lap.
She heard the distinctive sound of a cork popping.
”My lady,”he called out in a voice that made her knees weak. ”Care to join me?”
Turning around, she found her handsome date propped against the side of the truck bed. Beneath him was a thick, rubbery mat he”d covered with a soft blanket. She spied a cooler in one corner and a plethora of comfy pillows.
The man was a grinning devil.
Pondering how to get up and join him, she considered several moves until he laughed and said, ”Hold on.”
Hopping over the side of the truck, he came to the tailgate and helped her stand so she could climb into the truck bed. He slammed the tailgate shut and once again leaped over the side to join her, taking up his previous spot propped against the truck bed”s side.
”Welcome to Chez Grope ”n” Fondle,”the smirking animal doctor announced with amusing gravitas while gesturing to their open-air lounge. ”The mobile version. Make yourself comfortable.”
Oh my god—could he be more adorable?
She quickly lowered to her knees and balanced on the cushiony pad to remove her shoes.
”It”s my first time at Chez Grope ”n” Fondle,”she gushed enthusiastically. ”Do I need a hand stamp or anything?”
Pretending to check all his pockets, he gave a dramatic sigh and drawled, ”Damn. I forgot the stamper.”His eyes twinkled. ”But if you need a souvenir, I can bite your neck as a reminder of this evening.”
A powerful fire bomb of pure lust detonated inside her. She shuddered—marveling at her response because before this very moment, she”d never been a fan of having her neck mauled.
”Why, Rebecca,”he gasped playfully. ”Is that interest I see in your eyes? You naughty girl.”
”Is naughty good?”she laughed.
”Oh, very good,”he chuckled.
Opening the cooler, he took out a square container and opened it. ”I brought snacks. If you want some, crawl on over here.”
She was in the opposite corner, several feet away, and immediately recognized the alpha command as the power play that it was. Crawling was so … sexy.
Taking her good, sweet time, Becca moved onto all fours and felt her boobs swing as she slowly crept close. Instinct took over, and she sat back on her feet right next to him in what she hoped was a proper submissive pose.
”You”re a fast learner,”he teased.
”I aim to please,”she replied with a euphoric smirk.
Her words hung in the night air. Holding very still while he raked her with his hot gaze, she swallowed a sudden surge of nervousness.
He murmured in a deep voice thick with meaning, ”Am I to assume you realize you”re speaking my love language?”
There was a ringing in her ears. Introducing the word love—no matter the context—was highly significant. She felt light-headed and had to suck in a deep breath.
He posed a question and was waiting for her reply.
”Yes, Jamie,”she answered, her voice breathy. ”I do.”
Fire bolts of satisfaction shot from his eyes. Seeing how her response pleased him gave her a rush, connecting her with her female power.
”In your honor, my lady,”he drawled in a sexy voice, ”I made sweet and savory nibbles.”
”Sweet and savory?”
The devil winked. ”My cunning linguist instincts tell me you”re both—sweet and savory.”
Her mouth dropped open with shock. Half a second later, amusement took hold. Gasping like an outraged prude, she clutched her imaginary pearls.
”What are you suggesting?”
He chuckled. ”Well, crudely put, that was a reference to licking pussy. Yours.”
Left searching for a comeback, Becca had nothing to say.
Lifting one of the nibbles, he showed her and proudly stated, ”Crackers made in my kitchen from a TV chef”s recipe—topped with fresh cranberry goat cheese and imported Parma ham that melts in your mouth.”
She wasn”t surprised that he fed her. It was a simple expression of dominance. Becca was enthralled by how effortlessly Jamie infused his words and actions with this energy.
While she savored the tasty niblets, he popped two in his mouth and chewed.
Two stemless wine glasses appeared. Jamie poured red wine into both and handed one to her.
”I refuse to go plastic,”he explained in a dry voice, making her chuckle. ”Wine and plastic do not need to be friends. I”m not a savage.”He growled and licked his lips. ”Well, maybe that”s not entirely true, but it is when it comes to wine.”
Did he say savage?
To quell the throbbing tingles emanating from her core, she did a stupid thing and took a big gulp of rich red wine. Before the liquid hit her stomach, she was overtaken by a warm body high and head rush.
She relaxed a bit when he kept up with some witty banter while feeding her an assortment of tidbits he called amuse-bouche, explaining that the words were literally meant to amuse the mouth.
The quarter-sized cheesecake minis were great, but some chunky chocolate chip nuggets sprinkled with fleur de sel salt flakes made her moan with pleasure.
”See?”he chuckled. ”Sweet and savory does the trick every time.”
It wasn”t until he”d put everything away and then deliberately and with great meaning wiped hints of chocolate off her lips that she realized how effective his seduction truly was.
He traced a finger down her neck and across her collarbone. When the ruffled strap of her dress got in the way, he pushed it off her shoulder but didn”t stop there. Yanking on the front of the dress, he exposed her breast—cupping it with his big hand before plucking at her turgid nipple.
She began to tremble. Her breathing was rapid, but she didn”t put up any resistance.
The other strap fell down her arm. Before exposing her other breast, he looked at her.
She gave her consent with her eyes. No words were spoken.
When he pulled the other side down, the dress bunched at her waist and momentarily bound her arms.
Filling both hands with her naked boobs, he tweaked her nipples and gave a lusty grunt. ”Does the idea of bondage and restraint scare you?”
”A little,”she truthfully answered in a whisper. Lowering her gaze, she murmured, ”It”s exciting too.”
”Stand up and take your clothes off.”
”What?”
”I want to see you naked in the moonlight.”