Getting the Edge: Betrayed Book 1 (9 page)

“I don’t want my blood drawn. I don’t like needles.”

“Please, don’t start that again. You’ll do what you’re damn well told. Enough!” he snapped.

The nurse poked her head inside the room. “How may I help you?”

“Can you please see if the doctor will release me?” Mandy asked before Brandon could say anything.

“Oh, I’m sure he will be in a bit later. He’s doing his morning rounds. There is an order for you to have blood drawn. Have they been in yet?”

“No,” she said, resigned. “They haven’t.”

“Oh, well he won’t release you until then, I’m sure. I’ll go see why they haven’t come.” She turned and walked away.

“Told you so,” Brandon said with a grin.

“You’re irritating,” Mandy said with a pout.

“And you’re cute when you’re a brat,” he retorted.

Before she could stop him, he leaned over and gave her a hard kiss. He pulled away after a moment, and studied her shocked face. Before she could protest, he leaned in again and kissed her gently, then deeper. He groaned when she opened her lips. He didn’t ignore the invitation, and deepened the kiss hungrily. It had been so long since he’d tasted her.

When he finally pulled away, his breathing was ragged. “God, I’d almost forgotten,” he said huskily.

Mandy’s eyes were wide. “Why did you do that?”

“I wanted to. And what’s more, you wanted me to.” His grin was cocky. He knew that look on her face. Beneath the shock, there was desire. He felt himself harden. Damned if he didn’t wish they were back at the cabin. “You’re right. We need to get you out of here. I’m going to go see what the nurse found out.”

“Okay,” she whispered as she put her fingers to her slightly swollen lips.

Brandon was grinning as he walked quickly from the room.

What the hell had happened? She wondered if he was just playing with her, but the desire she’d felt was real. He’d really seemed like he wanted her.

Was she willing to even take a chance? If he made love to her, she’d never be able to walk away. Not again. It was past time to end this nightmare.

She was tired of running and tired of being afraid. It was time to take the game back to them. Maybe if she could make him understand, it would be safe for them to go back and try to find out exactly who was responsible for the nightmare they had both lived with for far too long.

Chapter Eleven

Three hours later, they were on their way back to the cabin. The doctor hadn’t really liked it, but he did agree to release Amanda when Brandon promised he’d be sure she wasn’t left alone.

Amanda was quiet on the short ride back. He wondered if she was just tired, or if there was something more bothering her. “Are you okay?” he asked quietly.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Don’t worry.”

He studied her, then turned his eyes back to the road. “Just checking. I think you should try to get some rest when we get back to the cabin. You need the rest.”

She only nodded, staring out the window.

Brandon wondered what she was thinking about. She’d been more animated at the hospital. Maybe he had let her convince him she was ready to leave before she really was? He glanced at her again.

She was biting her lip; a clear indication to him that she had something she wanted to say.

“What?”

She turned and looked at him. “I’m sorry?”

“I know you, Mandy. There is something you are trying to decide if you should say or not.”

Mandy sighed. “Sometimes, I forget how well you know me.”

“So, are you going to tell me?” he asked as he pulled into the driveway. He stopped the car near the door and cut the engine before turning to her, waiting.

“Let’s just go inside, okay? I’d like a shower.”

“You heard what the doctor said. You have to keep your arm dry.”

“I’m sure we can find something to keep it covered.”

He shrugged and climbed from the car. There was something else Brandon remembered: She wouldn’t talk until she was damn good and ready. For now, he’d just be patient, though part of him really just wanted to make her angry enough that she’d talk to him.

They walked inside and Mandy walked straight into the room she’d used the night before.

“Hold on, let me get all that glass is cleaned up,” he said a minute later as he followed her into the room.

He gulped as he looked at her, her hand frozen on the bottom button of her blouse.

Her face was turned pink and she pulled the two halves of her blouse together. “I can clean it up.”

He ignored her and walked over to her. He put his hands on her shoulders and looked down into her wide eyes.

“What are you doing?” she whispered.

His lips lifted in a small smile. “Trying to decide if I should put you across my knee.” He moved one thumb to the beating pulse in her neck and felt her pulse quicken.

“Are you going to?” she asked.

He tilted his head. Damn. She wanted him to, much to his surprise. He’d given her an erotic spanking or two in the past—a few smacks that had only enhanced both their pleasure.

Just then, though, he wasn’t entirely sure that’s really what she wanted. “Do you want me to?” he asked huskily. He knew she understood that if he spanked her, they’d end up in bed—and it wouldn’t be to sleep. Not if he had anything to say about it.

She blushed, but nodded. “I deserve it.”

He moved his hands from her shoulder and neck and grasped her hand in his. Without a word, he moved to the side of the bed and sat down.

“I won’t stop,” he said huskily. “Are you sure this is what you want?”

Mandy gulped, but nodded. She wondered if he’d really do it, and realized that she really wanted him to. She wanted to feel his hands on her—even if it was to cause pain.

She watched as his hands moved to the waist of her jeans. He unbuttoned them, not taking his eyes off of hers. She didn’t move, for fear that he’d stop.

She felt the cool air on her legs as the pants moved down her thighs.

“Step out of them,” he said huskily.

She nodded and stepped out of the jeans; she was only in her blouse and underwear now. She’d slipped off her shoes already.

Next, she felt his fingers on her hips. She looked at him and waited.

Brandon moved back a bit on the bed, then released her hips. He pointed to his lap, without saying a word.

Mandy flushed again, frozen. Did he expect her to just go over his lap? She didn’t think she could do that! This was different from when they’d played so long ago. “I can’t.”

“If you want me to do this, you will have to.”

With a nod and another gulp, she moved a step closer to him. He’d moved back enough on the bed so that she’d be able to rest her upper body on the mattress.

Well, she’d been the one that said she wanted this, she told herself. It was too late to back out now, wasn’t it?”

She dared a look at his face, but it gave nothing away at all. His eyes were dark, but unreadable. He patted his lap. “Come on,” he said, his voice firm now. “Over my lap. Rest your upper body on the bed.”

Flushing even more, she did as he asked, reminding herself that she’d asked him for this. She felt the harness of his thighs as she eased over his lap. She stretched out and put her arms under her head and closed her eyes tightly.

In only a moment, she felt his hand on her panty-clad bottom.

Brandon smoothed his hand over her ass and almost groaned. God, he wanted her. If this is what she needed, he’d give it to her, though.

He raised his hand and gave her a smack on her barely covered bottom, then raised it again and gave her a second. He wasn’t spanking her hard. He knew that if she really wanted this, he’d have to spank harder, but not until she was warmed up. “I’ve wanted to do this all day,” he admitted, realizing it was absolutely true. Not because he really wanted to hurt her—he didn’t.

But she’d been pushing him since she woke up. He wondered if this was what she had wanted all along.

He moved his hand to the waistband of her bikini panties and smoothed them down so they rested at the base of her ass. It was barely pink and he smiled to himself.

She’d tensed when he’d pushed the panties down, and knew she expected him to wallop her now. Instead, he continued just how he’d started—giving her light to moderate smacks for a long minute.

Mandy wiggled. This wasn’t what she’d expected at all. She felt herself growing warm, and her stomach tightened with desire. She’d expected a punishment, but he was only turning her on.

He’d spanked her harder when they were playing. “Um, Brandon?”

“Hmm?” he said.

“Aren’t you going to…” she broke off. What was she thinking? She didn’t want him to spank her hard, did she?

Brandon paused, smoothing his hand across her bottom. “Aren’t I going to what?” he asked.

“Aren’t you going to spank me harder?” she finally mumbled, glad he couldn’t see her burning face.

“Oh yes,” he said huskily. She felt another smack, and this one had a bit of a sting, but certainly nothing she’d even think of asking him to stop doing.

“Okay,” she said, relaxing again.

He continued the almost light smacks, the spanks alternating on each cheek. She bit her lip to keep from groaning. She felt herself growing damp. This was certainly not a punishment of any kind.

Brandon alternated spanks with rubbing the smooth, warm skin beneath his fingers. Her skin was soft and firm all at the same time. The skin was a nice shade of pink now, and he knew that she wasn’t feeling anything close to discomfort.

He could feel the heat of her desire as well as the heat coming from her pinkened ass. He started to spank a bit harder now. She tensed, and he paused. “Still want this?” he asked huskily.

He’d said he wouldn’t stop if he started, but he knew he would if she asked him to. He was doing this mostly for her, though it had gone a long way toward alleviating his earlier frustration.

“Yes,” she said in a voice so quiet he barely heard her.

“Then don’t stiffen up, Amanda.”

He felt her relax again and started spanking again, softly at first, but gradually making the smacks a bit harder. He knew they were likely starting to sting now, but she was completely relaxed, and he felt her wiggling against his erection. “I can’t say I’m not enjoying this,” he admitted huskily as he paused once more.

“You are?” she asked.

“I think you are, too,” he said softly.

“But I didn’t want to,” she said in a small voice.

Brandon nodded, though she couldn’t see him. He gave five sharp spanks rapidly, then paused once more. “This more what you had in mind?”

At her nod, he paused again, rubbing each of the soft cheeks and feeling the heat that was building. “Still want more?” he asked huskily. He knew that while it might sting, she was still enjoying it. That was okay with him. He imagined it might sting a bit when he was done, which was okay with him—she did deserve a little bit of a punishment, he decided.

“Do you want to?”

“Oh hell, Amanda, I could keep this up for hours,” he admitted, his voice rough.

“Okay,” she replied.

Brandon didn’t laugh, but he wanted to. He started spanking again, though only just hard enough to give her the sting she wanted. No way would he bruise her cute ass—but it could be a bit redder, he decided.

She began wiggling against him, and he knew she wanted more. He started to spank a bit harder, giving her several harder spanks, then pausing to rub again.

This time, he moved her panties down to her knees. He could see the glistening of her desire and smiled to himself. He’d make love to her, he knew, but not just yet. “More?” he asked huskily, willing to let her set the end.

“Harder,” she said, her voice thick with desire.

When they’d played in the past, he’d never spanked her hard. Those last few spanks had been harder than he’d thought she really would enjoy. “Hurting?” he asked.

“No,” she said huskily.

“Let’s see what I can do about that,” he murmured. He gave her five hard spanks, then paused again to rub. “Okay?”

“More,” she said. “Please.”

Brandon knew that she was so turned on that she didn’t even realize how hard those spanks had been, but he gave her a few more, though not quite as hard. Gradually, though he continued to spank her—fighting not to turn her over and drive himself into her—he lightened the spanks.

The room was quiet, save the sound of his hand on her ass and the sound of their ragged breathing.

The next instant, he heard her quiet sobbing. He stopped instantly and flipped her over in his lap and pulled her close. “Shh. I didn’t mean to hurt you,” he said huskily.

“I know. You didn’t. Why? Why didn’t you?”

He held her tighter. “Because, Mandy, while I’m willing to give you what you want—to a point—I’m not going to really hurt you. Did you really want me to?”