Chapter 1
My palms are sweating around my suitcase handle, and I’ve changed outfits three times. I finally settled on a plaid skirt, wool thigh highs, and chunky boots. Sexy without trying too hard. At least, that’s the hope.
Holy hell, I can’t believe I’m actually doing this.
It’s been two weeks since the Halloween party, and I keep replaying it.
Leo commanding me to kneel. How he rasped “good girl” in my ear.
The way he used me until I couldn’t even remember my own name.
Now I’m standing outside my duplex, looking at it one last time before spending December completely his, then moving into my new apartment in January.
The rumble of an engine makes me look up. A sleek black SUV pulls to the curb, and when Leo unfolds his tall frame from the driver’s seat, I forget how to breathe.
It hasn’t been that long since I last saw him, but somehow, I’d forgotten how devastatingly sexy he is. His salt-and-pepper hair gleams silver in the afternoon light, and those chiseled features make me want to lick him from jaw to collarbone.
He’s in his late forties to my twenty-four, and that gap has never been more visible, or more appealing. The lines around his mouth deepen as he takes me in, warm hazel eyes raking over me like he’s already deciding what to do to me first.
He hasn’t even touched me, and I’m already wet.
“There’s my sweet lass.” That deep Scottish rumble does things to my insides, and I press my thighs together. “You look good enough to eat.”
My cheeks flame. “Hi Leo.”
Two weeks of anticipation and that’s the best I can come up with? I should really leave the flirting to people who are actually good at it.
He stops just short of touching me, close enough that I can smell his familiar scent of oranges and something spicier underneath. My body recognizes it immediately, and my pussy clenches. Just from a smell. I’m pathetic.
“Nervous, lass?” he asks, not unkindly.
I peek up at him through my lashes. “A little. But excited too.”
His grin widens, satisfaction glittering in his eyes, and then I’m crushed against his chest, wrapped in his arms. I melt into him instantly, breathing deep. A shiver runs through me.
“My eager little kitten.” He chuckles, clearly feeling my reaction. “Ready for me to make you purr?”
“You can try, Sir.” Something about knowing I’m going to be his for weeks makes me braver, like I can push a little without fear of losing this.
Lust flickers behind his eyes. “Careful, Alice. If you’re a bratty little tease, I’ll put that mouth to better use.”
The warning makes my breath catch, and I bite my lip to keep from whimpering. Holy hell, I want whatever he’s willing to give me.
He must see it in my face because he smirks and gives me a knowing look that makes every filthy thought in my head completely transparent. “In the car, lass. Let’s get you home so I can play with my new toy properly.”
Home. The word resonates through me as I slide into the leather seat.
I’ve still got my job at the retail store, so it’s not like I’m Cinderella and he’s my Prince Charming.
Luckily, my boss was understanding about me taking the month of December off.
Apparently being willing to work every holiday season for the past two years earned me some goodwill.
And for a few weeks, I’m going to enjoy living in luxury and being Leo’s freeuse toy—whatever that means, whatever he wants it to mean.
As we pull away from the curb, Leo’s hand settles on my thigh. His touch sears through the thin fabric of my skirt.
“I trust you followed my instructions and got tested?”
“Yes, of course.” I try to keep my voice steady, but it’s difficult with his fingers tracing patterns on my skin, inching higher with each pass. “Came back all clear.”
“Good lass.” His approval does something stupid to my chest. My shoulders relax even as my body winds tighter with anticipation. “I got tested too. I want to feel every inch of your tight pussy with nothing between us.”
Oh god. My pussy floods. I squirm in my seat—yep, my panties are a lost cause. “I want that too,” I whisper, my voice coming out husky. “I want to feel you come inside me.”
He groans, fingers digging into my thigh. “Christ, baby. Keep talking like that and I’ll pull over and take you right here.”
I’m tempted to push him further. But I want our first time without barriers to be somewhere comfortable, somewhere I can really feel every inch of him. So I just smile innocently and let my legs fall open a little wider.
He squeezes my thigh. “Before we get to my place, we need to talk about something important.”
The shift in his tone makes me sit up straighter. “Okay.”
“At the Halloween party, things were controlled. Bianca had your information, there were rules in place. But this arrangement is different. More intense. So we need to establish safewords.”
Thank God he’s the one bringing this up. I’ve read enough online to know safewords are important, but I had no idea how to ask without sounding like a weirdo. “I’ve heard of those. We can use the stoplight system, right?”
“Aye, that’s right.” His thumb traces circles on my inner thigh, the gesture turning me on even while it calms me down.
How does he do that? “Red means stop everything immediately. Yellow means slow down, we need to talk or adjust. Green means you’re good and want more. Can you repeat that back to me?”
“Red to stop, yellow to slow down and check in, green for good. And you’ll actually stop if I say red?”
“Always, lass. The moment that word leaves your lips, everything stops. Your safety and comfort come first.”
The certainty in his voice makes my chest tight. “Thanks for explaining that.”
“You don’t need to thank me for basic decency, my sweet.” He lifts my hand to his lips and kisses it. “But I need you to promise you’ll use them if you need to. Don’t try to push through something that doesn’t feel right just to please me.”
I nod, meaning it. “I promise.”
“Good girl.” The praise sends warmth flooding through me. “Now, where were we?”
The rest of the drive is sweet torture. He caresses my inner thigh in slow, maddening circles, each pass getting closer to my pussy until I’m practically vibrating with need.
I’m shamefully wet, and it takes everything in me not to shift my hips so his hand lands where I really want it.
Judging by the smile on his face, he knows exactly what he’s doing to me.
When we finally pull into his massive garage, I almost sigh with relief. The cool air hits my overheated skin as we get out, but that relief doesn’t last. Because now I’m here. In his house. His territory.
Completely at his mercy until the new year.
He takes my coat and hangs it in a closet before giving me a quick tour to remind me where everything is.
It’s all beautiful, but it’s also strangely impersonal.
The kitchen is gleaming white, and all the furniture is perfectly arranged like it belongs in a magazine.
I can’t imagine curling up on that pristine leather couch or leaving a dirty dish in the spotless sink.
His lifestyle is so far removed from my cramped duplex.
Even the air smells like money and professional cleaners.
But then he takes me up the spiral staircase, opens a door, and everything changes.
Rich jewel tones and inviting textures everywhere.
The plush carpet is soft beneath my feet, and the king-sized bed is heaped with silky cushions and throws that look impossibly comfortable.
It’s sensual and indulgent, and I realize with a start that this isn’t his bedroom. He’s given me my own space.
“You like it.” It’s not a question. He’s watching me take it all in.
“It’s beautiful.” I trail my fingers over the oak dresser before turning to face him. “But not as beautiful as you.”
The words sound silly the moment they leave my mouth, but I don’t have time to cringe because desire flares in his eyes.
He pulls me to him, one hand fisting in my hair as he tips my head back for a searing kiss.
I open for him immediately, moaning as his tongue sweeps possessively into my mouth.
He tastes like mint, and I want to kiss him until I’m drunk on him.
He walks me backwards until my legs hit the mattress, his lips never leaving mine as he pushes me down and covers my body with his.
I arch up to meet him, relishing his weight pinning me in place.
His hardness presses against my pussy through our clothes, and I rock against him instinctively, chasing the delicious friction.
He groans against my throat, pressing open-mouthed kisses along the sensitive skin. “Christ, I need you. I need to feel your sweet pussy around me. You’re all mine until New Year’s.”
“Yours,” I gasp, tilting my head to bare more of my neck to his hungry mouth. “Yours, all yours...”
“Damn right you are.” He bites down in emphasis, and the sharp sting makes me gasp, but then his tongue is soothing the spot and I’m melting into the mattress. “My sweet, filthy lass. I’m going to make you feel so good, you’ll never want to leave this bed.”
He shoves my shirt up, and his large hands on the bare skin of my stomach make my entire body buzz with anticipation. Holy hell, maybe he really could keep me here forever. As long as he keeps touching me like this, I wouldn’t complain.
My bra is a front-closure, and he pops it open, baring my breasts to his gaze before pushing my skirt up to my waist. I should be self-conscious with him still fully dressed, but all I am is turned on and desperate to have his cock inside me again.
“Look at you.” His voice has gone rough, his Scottish accent thickening in a way that sends heat pooling between my legs. “Like a bloody dream, and all mine to play with.”