Dangerous (The Complete Erotic Romance Novel) (62 page)

Her agreement to stay at his home immediately reduced his agitation. And actually, Kendra thought it was a good idea. It had been all well and good to decide to go home as if everything were normal and she had recovered from her shock, but the truth was she hadn’t.

She wanted to stay with Reid, in his house that was thick with security systems. Not to mention that the Jacksons were there. Even if Reid went out, she wouldn’t feel alone and vulnerable.

Even though she packed quickly, he was pacing her apartment like a caged tiger in his impatience to get home. She noticed how he kept looking around the apartment, as if he might find another hidden camera.

For all she knew, he might.

As much as she wanted him, she didn’t want to make love here.

“I think I should drive my car,” she said once she was packed.

Reid spun to face her. His tone was even when he spoke but Kendra wasn’t fooled. “I’d be happier if you rode with me.”

“I’ll need my car to go to work tomorrow. In case you have other plans.” She smiled at him. “I’ll follow right behind you. Don’t worry.”

He shoved his hand through his hair, managing to look both sheepish and worried. “All right,” he said with obvious reluctance. “I guess that makes sense.”

“You know it does. You’re just concerned.” Kendra went to him and kissed him, liking how his arm locked around her waist. “In twenty minutes, you can take out your frustration on me.”

Reid smiled. “It won’t be frustrated,” he promised, then kissed her.

Even his kiss was quick in his impatience, but still it left Kendra breathless.

He surveyed her, his hand sliding over her butt. “I think you’re breaking one of our rules, Miss Jones.”

“Then you’d better be ready to spank me. Let’s go.”

He grabbed her bag and opened the door, looking up and down the corridor before leaving the apartment. Kendra didn’t know what he was looking for, but shouldered her laptop bag and followed him. She smiled at his protectiveness as he loaded her car, standing back to watch until she was locked inside and the engine was running. He strode around the building and she left the parking lot, driving around to the front of the building just as he got into his car. He pulled out of his spot and Kendra followed him. She saw him look in the rear view mirror and saluted him, making sure he understood she knew she was following orders.

She wondered if he smiled.

Her cell phone rang then and she answered it as she drove. It was her brother, asking her again about Thanksgiving. There was a dark sedan behind her, one that made all the turns she made. That was strange. She made some excuse to her brother for not having called him back about it, which she didn’t think he believed. She didn’t really care what he thought, but didn’t want to hurt his wife’s feelings.

Reid turned on to a main street and Kendra followed, the sedan sticking right behind her. Was she being followed? The idea gave her palpitations. She took the next turn, wanting to find out for sure, and deliberately kept her brother on the line. He could be trusted to call the police if necessary, at least.

She hoped.

But the sedan didn’t follow her. Kendra sighed with relief, promised to call her brother back once her plans were finalized, and took a different route to Reid’s house.

She arrived to find him standing in the driveway, hands on his hips and eyes snapping.

“Where did you go?”

“I wanted to know if you were being followed or me.”

“It’s my guardian angel,” Reid said, flicking a glance down the street. Kendra reached into the car for her purse and stole a peek. The same sedan was parked at the end of the block. “The police?”

“I hope so.” Reid lifted her bag out of her hands. “Your phone was busy. You shouldn’t be on it while you drive.”

“How did you find out it was busy, unless you were on the phone while you drove?” she challenged and he smiled. “It was my brother. He wanted to know whether I was coming for Thanksgiving dinner. I’ve been ducking him.”

“Why?”

“Oh, there are so many reasons.” Kendra shook her head. “Let’s not go there right now.”

“I know he sold you the car. Tell me two more things about him.”

Kendra knew that Reid wanted an executive summary. “He’s married to Judy, and they have two kids.”

“I’m counting that as one.”

“Tough guy,” Kendra teased.

“His ability to reproduce isn’t why you’re ducking him.”

“No, that would be because of my mom’s estate.” Kendra shrugged when Reid looked at her, a question in his eyes. “My brother had power-of-attorney when my mom fell sick and later was the executor of her estate. My mom always wanted me to get my MBA and she left everything to be divided between Phil and me. I knew she didn’t have a ton of money, but the funny thing is that after the estate was settled, my half was a couple of thousand dollars.”

Reid looked grim. “How’d he manage that?”

“He said he’d made some bad investments. It was around the time the market went bad.”

Reid didn’t look inclined to cut Phil any slack. “That’s why you dropped out of school.”

“No money for tuition, too impatient to apply for grants, no loans from big brother either.” Kendra shrugged and smiled at him. “I didn’t have the credentials Leon wanted for his executive assistant, but he gave me a chance.”

“Because he knew you had passion.” Reid caught her chin in his hand and kissed her firmly.

“And you can tell Phil that you’ll be tied up for Thanksgiving.”

“I can only hope,” Kendra whispered wickedly and Reid chuckled. “Are you hungry?”

“Not for anything the Jacksons will serve.” Their gazes locked and held for a potent moment.

“Then let’s work up an appetite, should we?”

“Yes, please, sir.”

* * *

The door was locked and the security system was armed. He’d dismissed the Jacksons and secured the door to the master bedroom.

And Kendra was his for the taking.

Reid had picked up the bag of bondage gear on his way past his office. While Kendra unpacked her clothes and hung them in the closet, then put her toiletries in the bathroom, he cleaned off a table and made a display of the possibilities.

No gag, he decided, pushing the heavy leather gag to the bag. The inability to cry out had frightened her in the incident with Ethan, so he wouldn’t risk rekindling that fear.

He fingered the red rope and thought of those shoes as glossy and red as fresh lipstick.

“What shoes did you bring?” he asked without turning when he felt her presence in the room behind him.

“Your favorites,” she replied, a smile in her voice.

“The red ones,” Reid commanded. “Lipstick to match and nothing else. Put your hair in a ponytail.”

“Yes, master.”

He could hear the tremble of excitement in her voice. His own anticipation was already simmering. He was going to take it slow, revel in the ritual and make them both wait for it. He fingered the riding crop and the leather paddle, uncertain which he preferred. He undressed to his jeans while she was gone, impatient to begin. He turned at the sound of the heels and beckoned to her. Her cheeks were flushed with an excitement that matched his own and her eyes were sparkling. Her nipples were tight and the heels, as always, did hard and thick things to him.

He pointed to the carpet at his feet. “Kneel.”

“Yes, master.”

“Call me Reid.”

She shivered a little and flicked him a look. It was powerful to make it personal. Reid remembered that. “Yes, Reid,” she said softly. Her gaze darted to the table and back to him. He was well aware of her trepidation, even though she was also excited. He would have to be very careful to keep their respective needs in balance.

There would have to be a lot of kisses.

He began to walk around her, slowly, studying her and letting her see his admiration. He brushed her skin periodically with his fingertips, making her shiver with delight each time.

“I’m going to tie you up,” he murmured, keeping his voice low. “I’m going to punish you and I’m going to claim you, over and over again.” He stopped behind her and caressed her hip, letting his hand slide slowly up to cup her breast. Her body was taut, quivering. He kissed the curve of her shoulder, right near her neck. She exhaled with a sigh and relaxed against him, her capitulation making him smile against her skin. He whispered in her ear even as he caressed her tight nipple. “We’re going to take this very slowly and reclaim the pleasure of restraint.”

She swallowed as he cupped her other breast. He was standing behind her, his erection straining against his jeans. He moved closer, letting her feel him against her butt. As he expected, the realization of her own power over him fed her confidence. “Yes, Reid,” she said, speaking with more resolve.

He rolled her nipples between his fingers and thumbs, changing the pressure so that she gasped. Then she leaned against him and arched her back. “Remember to tell me if anything is too much,” he murmured in her ear before he kissed it slowly.

Kendra nodded.

“Answer me,” he commanded gently. It was important she remain a participant and in the moment, even if she wasn’t entirely in control.

“Yes, Reid.”

“Choose a rope.”

She started at that, then considered the options displayed in front of her. To his pleasure, she selected the red one, the very one he would have used.

“Find the middle.”

Something passed through her body, not exactly a shiver but not a sigh either. Reid recognized it as a good sign, an indication that the familiarity of his choice was reassuring to her. She wasn’t ready for surprises yet. Routine would restore her pleasure in restraint.

Kendra looped the rope over her neck, placing the middle on her nape as she’d done once before. Reid simply waited. She passed the rope ends under her arms and crossed them behind her waist. He released her with reluctance and stepped back, finding it incredibly exciting himself to watch her submission.

He strolled around her to the front, watching her reaction closely. She was a little nervous, her breath coming a bit more quickly, but he could see from the sparkle in her eyes she wanted to continue. She brought the rope ends forward, over her hips then between her thighs. She glanced at Reid and bit her bottom lip.

“Need help?” he asked and she nodded.

“Yes, Reid.”

He moved behind her and took the ends of the rope. She held her wrists so he could bind them but Reid was afraid that would be too much for her just yet. He brought the rope up to the back of her waist and knotted it behind her spine. Then he passed the rope around her, trapping her elbows against her waist. He crossed it in front and brought the ends to the back again, making another knot above the first.

“You’ll be restrained, not helpless, today,” he murmured to her. He left the rope for the moment and turned her to face him, then reached up to cup her face in his hands. “We could think of you as being gift-wrapped.”

“For you,” she whispered, clearly pleased with the idea.

“For me,” he agreed, and kissed her. It was a slow sweet kiss, a patient kiss. He waited for her response to grow before he deepened the kiss, waited for her to open her mouth and invite him to claim her. When she did, he felt as if she was giving him a precious gift, her trust. He speared his fingers into her hair and kissed her hungrily, holding only her head in his hands. She wriggled a little, testing her bonds, then moved closer, leaning her breasts against his chest and putting her hands on his hips. When he lifted his head, his own blood was simmering and Kendra’s cheeks were flushed. “Let’s finish the wrapping,” he said and picked up the rope again.

He wrapped it around her over and over again, knotting each circuit at the back, until all of the rope was used up. When he was done, there were bands of red rope from Kendra’s waist to just under her breasts, sealing her upper arms to her body.

“Struggle,” he instructed when he stepped back.

She squirmed but couldn’t move the rope. At the same time, though she could move her hands. He could smell that she was becoming more aroused and there was a slight flush to her skin.

“Walk into our safe room,” he invited and her eyes widened.

“It’s not done.”

“We’ll substitute.” He beckoned to her and led her into the closet. She inhaled sharply, her gaze running over his suits, then lingering on her own few clothes. The walk-in closet was generously proportioned, more like a dressing room, and there was plenty of space for them to play.

Best of all, it had an enormous mirror on the end wall. Reid turned Kendra’s back to the mirror, and held a hand mirror for her to see the pattern of knots. “Look at how beautifully bound you are. Perfectly enticing.”

“Are you tempted by your gift?” Kendra asked, her tone playful.

“Oh yes,” Reid said. “Although I’m not going to unwrap you just yet.” He kissed her again, savoring her heated response, then turned her to face the mirror.

There was a chair beside the door, an armchair with carved wood and leather upholstery. Its blend of modern and traditional appealed to Reid. He positioned it to face the mirror and urged Kendra to sit in it. “Grab here,” he instructed, placing her hands on the back legs. He then lifted her feet and hooked her heels into the bottom of the arm rest on either side of the chair. Her knees were opened wide, her wet puss reflected in the mirror. It was almost as red as the rope, her lipstick and her heels. She stared at herself, maybe amazed by the wanton display he’d made of her. “Comfortable?”