Chapter 23
Vocalization had been a huge thing for them right from the start.
So Leia was not sure how she felt about being gagged.
Heck, not sure was the understatement of the millennia.
She was completely naked and perched on the side of the bed, and her gaze followed Noah.
As he disappeared inside the specially built room within his walk-in closet, she bit back the hysterical urge to yell at him to stop.
Doing that would end with more than a ball-gag in her mouth.
She loved Noah—yes, she was finally willing to admit that openly and honestly to herself—too much and too selfishly to jeopardize whatever time they had together. She passed a hand over the spot above her ear.
Watching him shave her this morning had been a singularly emotional moment for her. She’d dared to imagine them together like that in the far future, her love an open statement and not a secret guarded under lock and key in her heart.
At one point, his gaze had connected with hers in the mirror. She’d fooled herself into believing her emotions were reflected in his eyes. He’d looked away, and the foolish fantasy had disappeared.
Now, as he walked back into the room, her apprehension escalated, fluttered up to entwine with the excitement bubbling in her chest. Dropping the bullwhip, ball-gag and a velvet-wrapped package next to her, he stared down at her.
His blue eyes gleamed with savage intentions. “Any last requests?” he teased.
Unable to stem her jangling nerves, she licked her lips. “You like me vocal, Noah. I won’t be able to talk with a gag in my mouth.”
White teeth bared with a wicked grin. “I’m aware of that. We’ll just have to find another way of communicating.”
Slightly reassured, she watched him reef his black T-shirt over his head and drop it.
Unbuckling his belt, he lowered his zipper and kicked his jeans away, leaving only his briefs on.
With her fear slightly abated, hunger dug deeper furrows in her.
Her fingers framed his cock and stroked him before he grabbed her hand and imprisoned it.
“Let’s establish a few rules, sweetheart. You don’t touch me until I give you permission.”
She gasped. “But?—”
“No buts… besides yours, which I want up on the bed, bent over and displayed to me. Right now.”
The menace in his voice had her scrambling to obey. Kneeling, she rocked forward onto her hands and spread her knees.
Noah choked, then cursed fluently. “I can never get over how beautiful your pussy is.” He cleared his throat. “But you’re in the wrong position.”
He moved to the foot of the bed and tapped the carved metal in the middle. Puzzled, she crawled toward him and only then noticed that the velvet cloth contained a pair of handcuffs .
Oh shit. She was about to be gagged, handcuffed and whipped?
“Hold out your hands.”
Retreat never crossed her mind. Her trust in him when they were like this was implicit.
Pressing her wrists together, she offered them to him.
His mouth parted and that look she’d imagined on his face in the mirror this morning made a brief appearance.
It evaporated as he pulled her forward and lowered her bound hands to the bed.
She’d thought his intricately carved bed had been made with aesthetic appreciation in mind.
Now she knew it served a greater purpose.
Little hoops and hooks had been worked into the design.
He curled his finger into the handcuff link and pulled her to the middle of the bed.
One little click and her wrists were immobilized to the bed.
He produced a key, which he pressed into her palm. “You hang onto this tightly, baby. You drop it only if things get too much and you want me to stop. Okay?”
Her eyes widened in alarm.
He shook his head. “No, this ‘stop’ halts whatever I’m doing to you right here.” His gaze dropped for a moment before pinning her again. “The second ‘stop’ comes without a gag. Understood?”
Her fist clenched over the key. “Yes, Noah.”
That look again. This time it lingered on his face. Her heart stopped as she tried to decipher it. But he turned away and grabbed the gag.
Slipping his hand around her nape, he held the black ball an inch from her mouth.
“Open,” he rasped, his eyes darkening as he watched her mouth.
Sensing his intense need to kiss her, she opened her mouth to beg him to do so.
He inserted the ball in her mouth, choking her words.
Palming the gag in place, he secured the leather ties behind her head and climbed onto the bed.
The lights in the room dimmed, bringing the picture of her ravaged behind into sharp focus.
Again, she was struck with how stunningly Noah had depicted the image. Utterly captivated by it, she started when his stubble grazed her cheek.
“You know how many times I stroked myself off looking at that picture?” he asked in a low, deep voice.
She shook her head.
His husky laugh warmed her ear. “And you never will. Stand up.”
The first lash of the whip struck a second later.
Leia screamed. Her hands jerked against the cuffs. All she felt was pain, no pleasure. A second later, Noah’s hand cupped her breast and his fingers pulled at her nipple.
Oh, yes!
Pleasure exploded on the tails of the pain. She blinked back tears and sucked in desperate breaths. He released her breast and she twisted her head to watch him twirl the whip into his hand. The raw sexiness of it flooded her pussy with liquid heat.
He raised his hand. She squeezed her eyes shut in anticipation.
The whip whistled through the air and her ass exploded in a trail of exquisite fire.
The tip of the leather caught the edge of her pussy, and this time pain and pleasure screamed through her blood.
Two more, then he stopped. His arms closed around her, and he caressed her body from shoulder to knees and back up again.
Just as her heartbeat lowered to mere palpitations, he dropped to his knees and slid the whip between her legs.
The scent of leather and arousal thickened in the air.
Expertly, he maneuvered the whip. Her hips pumped in time to his rhythm, her orgasm building to combustive levels .
“Are you going to come on my whip, baby?”
Incoherent sound gurgled around the gag.
He increased the friction, mercilessly pushing her to the edge.
Her vision blurred. As the most intense orgasm she’d ever experienced tore through her body, she screamed.
One strong arm propped her up through her convulsions, then lowered her to her knees.
She was twitching through the last throes when another burst of fire streaked across her ass.
Electricity jolted through her body and her palm opened. She caught the key a second before it fell out of her hand. Squeaking with relief, she closed her fist around it then gave herself over to the sensation rippling through her.
Tears streamed down her face, caught the corner of her mouth and dribbled down to her chin. At some point, she’d forgotten to swallow and saliva had escaped.
She should’ve felt intense shame, but all Leia wanted was more of what Noah was doing to her.
After her third orgasm, Noah knotted his fist in her hair and pulled her head back. His other hand trailed up her inner thigh, caught the shameless evidence of her arousal.
“Holy hell, you’re a fucking delicious mess,” he crooned with deep satisfaction before he released her. The curl of his tongue on her skin a moment later snapped her head down.
He’d positioned himself between her thighs, staring up at her as he licked his way up her inner thigh. He stopped short of her swollen pussy.
Leia’s body shook. Her tears spilled onto his mouth, mingled with her juices. He licked his lips and carried on with his torture until he’d lapped her clean.
With one long suck on her clit, he rose and kicked off his briefs.
He thrust into her hard, groaned deeply, then held himself still. Looping the bullwhip around her neck so the ends hung down her back, he began to ride her. Fast and deep, he pounded her through another climax, then shuddered roughly through his own powerful release.
Her hands were starting to go numb from being restrained for so long.
Still holding her, he rubbed at her closed fist before holding out his hand. Leia didn’t want to let go.
He kissed her cheek and jaw, gently caressing her hand. “It’s okay, baby.”
Slowly, she unclenched her fist. He unlocked her and released the gag. As their eyes met, that connection she was sure wasn’t just in her imagination anymore arched between them.
In silence, he carried her to the bathroom.
He washed her quickly, as if he knew she wouldn’t last much longer on her feet.
Back in bed, he curled himself around her back and massaged her melting limbs.
As sleep swamped her, Leia wanted to embrace the bliss washing over her, but she knew it was false.
Noah’s heart was closed to her, despite his strong arms wrapped around her body.
He still hadn’t kissed her.
“Fuck it. Why the hell don’t I learn to pick friends who understand the word no?”
Leia looked up from where she sat sketching on the sofa and smiled. She’d returned from work two hours before bursting with ideas for her spring collection.
Enjoying her creative energy, Noah had resisted the urge to disturb her the way he’d been dying to, choosing instead to drink a beer and watch her work .
“What’s that… the fourth text in five minutes?” She quirked a sleek brow.
“The sixth. Those fuckers give thick and fast a new meaning.” His finger hovered over the latest text as he considered deleting it.
“You blew them off for poker night last week.” She shrugged. “Figures they’re a little pissed.”
“Pissed I can handle. Pissed and pushy is crossing the line,” he grumbled. “They’re threatening to come over unless I reply.”