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  For a couple of hours, at least, Ari forgot that Rafe had essentially forced her into a relationship with him. She forgot she’d had to give up a job she liked. She even forgot that she didn’t like him very much.

  She had a good meal, found herself laughing a couple of times, and slowly the wall she’d put in place to protect herself, for the day she and Rafe parted ways, was beginning to tumble down.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Ari tossed her purse on the stand by her door as she wearily made her way into her condominium. She hadn’t seen Rafe for two days, which was unusual for him, and she was wondering what she was doing. One minute she cared about him, and then the next she couldn’t get far enough away.

  Confusion consumed her as the emotions escalated. She demanded time away from him, and then found herself missing him once he was gone, respecting her wishes. She couldn’t even say he was the dictator she’d originally thought him to be as he’d backed down to her wishes many times over.

  How was she supposed to last for three months with her emotions constantly in a jumble?

  “Did you have a pleasant evening?”

  Ari jumped at the sound of Rafe’s voice. It was Sunday night, and he rarely made an appearance, respecting her time alone, but as her emotions remained on high alert, she didn’t know what to feel about his being there.

  “Yes. I met up with the girls and we went to dinner and then dancing.”

  Rafe’s gaze narrowed at the mention of dancing. She couldn’t blame him. Too often when she went out with Amber, Miley and Shelly, she tended to drink too much and then find herself in awkward situations — or worse.

  “I drank club soda all night — don’t look so irritated,” she said with a smile.

  “Good, I don’t want you intoxicated for what I have planned. It’s time for me to call in my favor.”

  “What favor?” she asked with confusion.

  “The bet you lost in Central Park.” Ari couldn’t believe he’d actually bring that up. He’d cheated!

  “What is that?” she asked with suspicion. There was an excited gleam in his eyes that had her on her toes. Some of the things he asked of her were just too much. He respected her decision when she said no, but she worried why he’d even want to do some of the sexual acts he was into.

  “I’ve eased you into my life, Ari, but I’m very aware that you grow restless occasionally. I know the fear of the unknown eats away at you, so I want to show you that it’s all far worse in your mind than in reality.”

  “What do you plan on doing?” she asked as she retreated a few steps as he stood up.

  “Something you will highly enjoy.”

  “That’s not an answer, Rafe. I want to know in detail what you’re planning,” she demanded as she retreated further. Rafe’s eyes sparked to life as he followed her, his steps slow and steady, as if he had no worries.

  “Do you trust me?”

  “No.”

  He stopped as if she’d actually wounded him. Ari quit retreating as she looked at the hurt expression on his face. Did she trust him? He’d never done anything to harm her — had kept his word on everything he’d promised, and had made her feel pleasure beyond her wildest imagination.

  So, taking all that into account, did she trust him? Yes, she actually did.

  “That’s a lie, Rafe. You’ve never hurt me. I’m just frightened,” she admitted.

  In a flash he was at her side, his hand coming up to stroke her cheek.

  “I will never hurt you — that’s my promise.”

  She wanted to contradict him. He might never physically hurt her, but what about her heart? He was surely going to shatter it, and the pain would be worse than from a broken bone. Yes, Rafe would hurt her — it was only a matter of time — but she was coming to accept that. He didn’t know any other way and she’d been foolish enough to develop feelings for him. It was her fault her heart would tear when he walked out her door and never came back.

  “I know you intend not to hurt me. What do you want me to do?”

  The gleam entered his eyes again as he led her into her spare room. When he flicked on the light, she looked in confusion at what was before her. She closed her eyes, shook her head, looked again, trained her eyes all around the room, and even then she couldn’t quite figure it out.

  “Don’t be worried. I plan on taking you further tonight than I’ve ever taken you before. When you release your body totally over to me, and trust me to make you fly, the pleasure will be endless,” he whispered in her ear as his hand reached the bottom of her shirt and he began pulling it up.

  Ari wanted to say no, turn around and walk out. Knowing she had the power to do just that allowed her the confidence to stand where she was as he lifted the shirt over her head. His hands came down and rested on her collarbone, his fingers softly rubbing the delicate skin.

  A shudder ran through her as his hands roamed over her breasts, barely skimming their lace-covered surface. Her nipples hardened instantly, stretching toward him, eager for his touch.

  He moved down the plane of her stomach, sending tiny goose bumps across the surface of her skin as he unbuttoned her jeans and slowly pulled down the zipper, all the while pressing his body up against her back so she could feel his obvious excitement.

  Still moving in a leisurely fashion, his hands slipped inside her jeans and pulled them and her panties down. With his foot, he eased them off her before sliding his hands up her side and gently pushing her forward so he could reach the clasp of her bra. Within seconds she was stripped bare before him, and his hands roamed her body.

  “Rafe…” she called, her knees beginning to grow weak.

  “Shhh, just enjoy,” he whispered as one hand came around and tightened on her stomach, pulling her flush against his clothed body. While that hand gripped her to him, the other wandered over her skin, skimming across her breasts and pinching her nipples, before his fingers moved down and slid across the top of her heat.

  His lips began trailing a line of kisses along her shoulder, his teeth scraping her lightly as he marked her as his. She tried to turn, but he held her firmly as his erotic torment continued.

  His legs pushed against her, forcing her to move forward toward the contraption before her. Fear crawled up her throat as she was faced with it again.

  “Trust me,” he encouraged her as he lifted her arm and slipped it into a fur lined leather strap, then attached it to a chain hanging from a large metal circle with two rings in it. The contraption reminded her of the ring around a world globe, but in this instance she was to be the globe.

  She leaned against him as he trapped first one wrist and then the other. Before she could move, he dropped to the floor and encased her ankles in similar leather restraints, then clipped them to the circular bar, leaving her spread wide open while standing straight up inside a metal circle. She tugged against the restraints, but she was immobile, not able to move in the least.

  He pushed against the metal, and it gently rocked, held tightly in place by a single steel chain dangling from the ceiling, making him able to move her in any direction while still keeping her locked inside. The back circle didn’t move, bracing her body with a woven leather web, making him able to keep her secure while still giving him plenty of access to her backside.

  “What are you going to do?” she groaned as he rose and his mouth made a path up the inside of her thigh before his lips captured the line of her womanly secrets.

  “Everything” was his answer.

  With a few skillful strokes of his tongue, she was panting, fear left far behind. He reached around her and gripped her backside, pulling her body closer to his mouth, where he devoured her in a never-ending kiss. She rose higher, lights beginning to spark behind her eyes as she tugged against her restraints.

  “Please,” she begged him as he inserted his fingers inside her and pumped in rhythm with his tongue. All of the sensations were too much, and she quickly spiraled out of control as her core shattered and she reach
ed her peak of pleasure.

  When she stopped gasping and finally opened her eyes, Rafe was gone. She looked around in panic, wondering what he was doing now. What felt like an eternity passed before she saw him walk through the door again, his body now bare of clothes. He was holding something in his hand, but the lights were too dim for her to make out what it was.

  When he got closer she saw the paddle, and panic flew through her. He’d made her a promise. Everything he’d ever done had pushed her past what she thought her boundaries were, but he’d never hurt her — yet there he was with something meant to inflict pain.

  Ari struggled against the restraints, true fear spiking inside her. She had to get out. It was time to leave. Maybe he truly was the monster she’d thought him to be in the beginning.

  Chapter Fourteen

  “I thought you promised to never hurt me,” she choked out as she struggled against the restraints.

  Rafe suddenly stopped, his face blanching as a tear coursed down her face. She didn’t know whether this meant he was going to stop, but she was so frightened, she continued pulling against the binds on her hands and legs.

  “Stop,” he commanded, his voice firm, but gentle. “I won’t break the promise. I will push you, Ari, and show you pleasure. I will send your body spiraling relentlessly out of control. I will make you beg me for more. I won’t hurt you.”

  She didn’t reply, but looked directly at the paddle. He paused as his face became thoughtful.

  “You make me do things I have never desired to do before. I find myself compromising for you in a way I’m not sure I like.”

  He walked to her and slid his hand up her arm, sending pleasure everywhere his featherlike touch landed. Then he was untying her right arm. She looked at him expectantly when that was all he released of her restraints.

  “I’m going to let you do something I’ve never allowed another woman to do. This will be the only time you’re allowed to do this.”

  Without further words he grabbed her hand and set the handle of the paddle in it. Her eyes widened as she looked from the toy to his face. She didn’t know what he wanted.

  “Feel the fur against the leather. You will see how soft it is. If you rub it against your skin, it is soothing, feels like a gentle massage. When I do paddle it against the flesh of your butt, there is no pain, just a slight pressure that will heighten your pleasure. It will leave a slight pink glow to your skin, turning me on immensely, but whatever it does to me will be ten times more intense for you. My pleasure comes when I know you are at the height of yours. Seeing your body shake and watching you let go sends my senses spinning out of control.”

  Ari’s breathing deepened as his words seduced her. She was beginning to think she wanted him to go ahead and experiment with her body. It would be worth it to feel such pleasure as he always so masterfully gave.

  “Strike my stomach with the paddle. You will see that I don’t flinch, that it’s not hurting me. You will see the mark it leaves. You may hit me as many times as you like so you can understand the toy. However, this is a one-time offer. I won’t allow you to do it after this night. I am the one who wants to bring you to the apex of your passion.”

  A strange excitement surged through Ari. Power. He was giving her power. It was an unbelievable rush. She didn’t hesitate as her free arm rose and she sliced the paddle through the air.

  As the soft fur made contact with Rafe’s hard flesh, a crisp sound filled the air, and just the barest of shade of pink marked his stomach.

  She lifted her arm again and hit his hip, then his other side. Ten strokes later and there was a soft pink coloring his skin, but no angry welts or marks.

  Ari was breathing heavily as she lowered her arm and then met his eyes. He simply returned her look, not saying anything on trying to grab the weapon back.

  She didn’t want to admit her curiosity, but seeing that he didn’t flinch, seeing his expression stay the same made her want to know what it felt like. Fear still lurked just beneath the surface, but curiosity was quickly taking its place.

  “If I don’t like it, will you stop?”

  “Have I ever betrayed your trust with anything I’ve done to you? Have I ever left you in pain? I wouldn’t do it if there were the slightest chance of hurting you. But, to alleviate your fears, if you ask me to quit, I will,” he said as he held out his hand.

  With just a moment of hesitation, she handed him back his paddle, and relief flashed in his expression before he gripped her hand and once again secured her.

  Rafe circled around her body, leaving her field of vision only to return on the other side of her again. He did this several times, building up her anticipation, making her want him to get it over with. The waiting was agony.

  Finally, he went behind her and she felt the soft fur rub against her neck. He swept the paddle across her back, then traced the curve of her butt, before rubbing it back up her spine again.

  A moment later, he removed it from her skin, and then she felt contact on one buttock. She flinched at the unexpected hit, but then realized he was right. There was no pain, just a slight pressure against her skin. He rubbed the place he’d hit with the palm of his hand before she felt the paddle return to her skin on the other cheek.

  Several times, she felt the fur strike her backside, followed by Rafe’s hands rubbing along her skin. Each hit jolted her body, making her core shake and grow wet.

  “Your skin has just the barest hint of a pink glow and I can see the shine on your core where you are readying yourself for me to plunge deep inside you.” He rubbed the paddle against the outside of her swollen folds, and she shuddered, the contact bringing her close to shattering again.

  “You like that, Ari. Tell me how much you like it,” he whispered in her ear as he pressed himself against her backside, while he rubbed the paddle against her heat.

  “It feels unlike anything I could ever imagine. I...I don’t know how to…to explain what it is, but the pressure as it presses against me seems to make everything better. You are right, there’s no pain…only pleasure. Please take me — I need to be filled by you,” she begged as he lifted the paddle and brought it down against her core, making her cry out as she neared orgasm.

  “Not yet, Ari. You’ve already been pleasured once. You’ll have to wait a while to reach your second peak,” he said as he swatted her folds again.

  He might not think she was ready, but one more gentle hit against her pulsing core and she would be flying over the edge. She kept her mouth shut, hoping he would give her what she needed. A chuckle in her ear let her know he was on to her silence.

  “I can read your body, Ari. I know when you’re close. I know what makes you scream — and I know how to make you fly. Your pretense that you aren’t about to go over doesn’t deceive me. I know exactly what you are doing.”

  He dropped the paddle and came to stand before her, where she gazed upon his perfection. His muscular chest led to his narrow waist and incredible hips, and in due course to his magnificent erection, standing there so proud. She wanted to reach out and pull him into her hand, and delight in his sweet flavor on her lips.

  He grabbed a couple of straps she hadn’t noticed, and attached them to the metal circle, then placed one behind her back and one in front of her stomach, securing them tightly around her midsection. Then he gripped the edge of the circle and it began to move. The entire circular contraption began turning sideways, making her again panic as she fought against the motion.

  “You’re secure. You won’t fall,” he promised. She quickly forgot her fear as he moved forward, his erection perfectly aligned with her mouth. Yes, she wanted to feel his velvet skin on her tongue, needed to make him cry out in pleasure.

  Soon his thick staff was resting on her lips. She opened for him and slipped her tongue out to taste his pleasure. He moved forward and slipped further inside her mouth and she greedily sucked on him, taking him as far as she could before he pulled back.

  His hand came down to
grip her head, holding her in place as he slowly moved his hips back and forth, his arousal disappearing in her mouth, then emerging wet with her saliva.

  “Yes, Ari, this feels so good,” he groaned as his movements picked up speed, the head of his shaft grazing the back of her mouth and touching the top of her throat. She wanted to take him all the way inside, but he was too large; she just couldn’t do it. She wished her hands were free so she could grip him tightly in her hand while she sucked him inside.

  Rafe pulled out with a groan and she enjoyed the sight of his pleasure dripping from the tip of his hardness. She loved that she made this strong man weak.

  He turned her back so she was upright, then crushed her body to his as he devoured her mouth, plunging his tongue deep inside while his fingers found their way down to her butt and gripped her tightly, pressing his wet shaft against her opening. She tried to move against him, but the restraints held her in place. She wanted him to take her — she was tired of foreplay; she needed him filling her up, now.

  She was dizzy at the thought of him on her tongue, those glistening drops that forecast his release.

  Rafe pulled back from her, then pushed the circle she was trapped in, causing her body to lie back, and exposing her heated core to him.

  When she was angled just right, he plunged inside, making her scream with pleasure as he pulled out and plunged back in. She couldn’t see him entering her, could only feel as the walls of her swollen flesh gripped him tight, tried to prevent him from pulling out.

  Rafe moved his hand down, his thumb circling her swollen pink bud as he picked up speed and thrust quickly in and out. Ari let go, let her worries and fears fade away and focused on nothing but the rapture of Rafe’s taking control of her.

  Pressure built as he masterfully stroked her flesh, building her so high, she thought she might never come down. His groans filled the air as he reached higher and higher, climbing the wave with her so they could both tumble down together.