Reflection (The Chrysalis Series) (25 page)

‘Hey.’ He tipped her chin up. ‘What’s wrong?’

She started to respond, but became highly aware of the people surrounding them. Taking his hand, she led him to Mona’s office. Once inside, she shut the door.

‘Bridget –’ he began.

She cut him off with a kiss. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she clung to him and poured all her pain and sorrow at pushing him away into it. He matched her fervour. His tongue duelled with hers even as he gripped her ass and pressed her tightly against him.

When she finally broke the kiss, they were both panting and breathless.

‘Hell, I’ll paint you every day if that’s the response I’ll get.’

She laughed and felt all her tension drain away.

‘It wasn’t the painting, even though it’s gorgeous.’ She took his hand and pulled him over to the chairs in front of Mona’s desk. ‘It was how you saw me. How you knew I wanted more.’

She looked away from his all too knowing eyes and smoothed her skirt.

Meeting his grey eyes again, she said, ‘I’m so sorry, Connor. Everything you said was right. I did keep you at a distance. I was comfortable in my box, as much as it chafed, and I didn’t take any risks.’

Grabbing his hand, she continued, ‘I’d like to change that.’ She was reassured when he squeezed her hand in return. ‘If you want to try, that is.’

Connor was silent, his eyes suddenly unreadable, and she began to doubt whether or not she’d get her man after all.

When he finally spoke, his voice was soft. ‘I owe you an apology. I was demanding something from you that I wasn’t even doing. It was hypocritical.’

He brought her hand to his mouth and kissed it.

‘I love you, Bridget. I want to be with you, but I guess I’m asking how you see this going?’

Hope flared in her chest. He was willing!

Tears welled and she couldn’t stop them. ‘I don’t want any barriers between us. I’ve been seeing a rape counsellor and I’ve been talking with Evan and other experienced people about the kinkier stuff. But I only want to be with you. I don’t want to be with anyone else. I want to try these things with you.’

Tears flowed unchecked and she felt ecstatic at this second chance. He tugged her into his lap and held her close. She breathed him in, taking in the scent of soap and clean skin, the warm hardness of his chest and the steady thrum of his heartbeat.

She sighed contentedly. ‘I love you, Connor.’

She felt him grin against her hair. ‘There’s no way you’re getting away now.’

She chuckled. ‘Oh really. How do you plan to keep me?’

Squeezing her tighter, he teased, ‘Maybe I’ll just have to tie you down and keep you in my bed.’

‘Hmm.’ She snuggled in closer, nipping his neck. ‘That might work, but what if I don’t cooperate?’

A deep laugh rumbled in his chest at her flirting, ‘Maybe I’ll have to spank you if you’re bad.’

She grinned into his neck. ‘Promise?’

His cock leaped under her hips and she laughed.

Pulling back, he tipped her chin so that their eyes met. His had deepened to a charcoal grey and were filled with heat. ‘Are you serious, Bridg?’

She nodded, ‘Yes, darlin’. I’m dead serious. I want you to do all that to me, Connor.’

He put her out of her lap and tugged her towards the door.

She laughed harder. ‘Connor, what are you doing?’

He grinned that lopsided grin she loved so much. ‘We’re leaving. I’ve got a lot of time to make up for.’

She was laughing so hard she could barely speak, but managed to force out, ‘What about your show?’

He stopped short and she almost ran into him.

‘Shit!’ He raked a hand through his hair. ‘I guess I can’t run out on my own show. But, woman, you are not getting away from me again. Understood?’

She rose up on tiptoes and brushed a kiss across his lips. ‘I’m all yours, sugar.’

His grin melted her heart. ‘Damn straight!’

Taking her hand, he pulled her back out into the crowd.

Chapter Thirty-two

She was magnificent. Naked and on her elbows and knees, her ass in the air, Bridget looked resplendent. Her skin was cherry red from the spanking he’d given her and her pussy glistened in the low light.

He dipped his fingers into her core and then brought them to his lips, sucking her moisture from them. She was tangy and ripe, but, as much as he wanted to bury himself inside her, he wasn’t near done with her.

He’d returned everything he’d bought to Victor, so he was improvising. He’d found a scarf shoved in his closet that had been a present years ago and he’d bound her wrists together.

That had been a tense moment. He’d thought she’d balk then, but she’d locked eyes with him until her breathing had calmed down. It had tested all of his self-control to take it slow with her, but ensuring her re-entry into this was uneventful was crucial and he didn’t want to fuck it up.

Spanking her had been sublime and she’d nearly come as he’d played with her clit in between strikes, but he’d backed off. He wanted her mindless when she finally came.

‘Roll over, baby,’ he directed.

She obliged and he kissed her deeply, enjoying her taste and her soft submission. He was going to ensure she didn’t regret giving him this gift.

*               *               *

Bridget felt the cracks in her mind filling in. As ironic as it was, with each strike, she’d felt more at peace. When Connor had bound her wrists, images of Trent had threatened to overwhelm her, but staring into Connor’s eyes, so filled with love for her, had kept her grounded.

Right now her butt was on fire and the cotton of his sheets abraded the tender skin. She arched and moaned under him, thrusting her breasts in the air, silently begging for more.

She got it.

He smacked first one nipple then the other. Pain, sharp and hot, radiated across her breasts before fading into a pleasant sting. He leaned over and sucked gently on her nipples, soothing the tender buds before striking them again.

She cried out, amazed to feel her clitoris pulsing. She arched and writhed as pleasure filled her. Inside she began to coil, like a string being pulled tight. Her pussy pulsed; she wanted him inside her.

‘More!’ she demanded.

‘Shh,’ he murmured. ‘We’ll take this slow. There’s no need to rush.’

He set up a rhythm, first spanking her nipples and then soothing them with his tongue. Soon she was squirming under him, begging him to finish her.

Her skin felt alive. She could feel each tiny hair; each nerve-ending. This is what she’d wanted. This was what Trent had stolen from her all those years ago. The freedom to be who she was. To be free and uninhibited with a man she loved.

No more. It was hers again and she was owning it.

Connor moved between her legs and penetrated her slowly. She revelled in the feel of his skin against hers. Her body was so sensitised she was almost overcome with these new sensations. The tension in her belly grew even tighter.

He filled and stretched her, slowly fucking her. He took her to the edge again and again, but didn’t let her fall over. The tension became unbearable. She needed to come. She felt like she’d come apart if she didn’t.

‘More, Connor!’ She thrust against him. ‘Harder. Please!’ She didn’t even care that she was begging.

He drew her knees up over his arms and began to pound into her. His balls were slapping the skin of her ass where he’d spanked her and that small edge of pain intermingled with the pleasure of his possession sending her over the edge.

Bridget came in waves of intense, soul-stealing pleasure. They wrapped around her, suffusing her body in an ecstasy so deep her vision went black at the edges. It was several seconds before she realised the screams she was hearing were her own.

She shuddered and twitched in the aftermath as Connor increased his pace. She luxuriated in the burn and stretch of his cock deep inside her. She was going to be sore and she would love every second of it.

Connor groaned and she felt the warm, hot jets of his semen filling her.

Later, as they lay entangled in each other’s arms, she knew she’d finally been made whole.

The story continues in…

UNSETTLED

Chapter One

Wade Stalls whipped his pick-up into a parking spot and checked his reflection in the mirror. Today was the day. He wasn’t waiting any more. He’d let this go on too damn long.

Slamming the door, he locked the truck and headed across the street. Pushing open the door to the café, he was assaulted by the aromas of coffee and pastry. This was normally where he caved in. He’d tell himself he was going to do it. He’d get in line, order his coffee, and watch his plans fall apart in front of his eyes. Every. Single. Damn. Time.

Not today.

He wasn’t getting in line today. He wasn’t waiting passively. He was going to seize the bull by the –

His chest squeezed and the breath in his chest dissolved. Scanning the café, he saw no trace of his quarry. With his plans derailed, he was at a loss. The adrenaline that had been sustaining him began to fade.

With no better course of action presenting itself, Wade placed his order and took up residence at a table that afforded him a complete view of the establishment. Another alteration for him. Usually, he’d be so frustrated by the time he’d gotten his coffee, he’d just leave. He didn’t think he’d ever taken the time to sit down.

He’d never really noticed how packed the café was. Or how everyone seemed so happy. The tables were filled with students and couples. Everyone was chatting, and not just with each other. They talked among tables like old friends.

She’d done well for herself. He was proud of her. She, on the other hand, treated him like he had the plague.

For the life of him, he couldn’t figure it out. He didn’t think he’d ever done anything to her to warrant it. And, God knew, he wanted to do things to her. Lots of things. Lots of dirty, erotic things that put those full, luscious lips to use.

He shifted in his seat, acutely aware he was getting a hard-on in public. That was not acceptable. He hadn’t come here to indulge his fantasies of her. He did that often enough in private.

He’d come to confront her once and for all and to ask her out. He was tired of being a chicken-shit coward around her. He wanted her. Hell, he’d wanted her as far back as high school, but she’d been too young. His conscience hadn’t allowed him to go there. She wasn’t too young any more, though. Nope, she was all woman now and it was time for him to man up and remember he had a pair.

Glancing at his watch, he wondered where she was. Her schedule was usually as routine as his. He counted on seeing her every morning. He’d come early today just to be certain, but he had a job site to get to and he made a point of always being on time. He’d developed a reputation as the man to turn to for contracting in River Rock and he ensured he did what it took to keep it.

Frustrated at having his plans thwarted, Wade picked up his coffee and stood. He turned toward the exit and felt his legs give way at the sight that greeted him. With a hard thunk, he landed back in the chair. Paralysed, he could do nothing but watch.

His Mona was being kissed by a huge linebacker of a man. It was a tender kiss, full of restrained passion. The man’s hunger for her was evident. When he broke the kiss, Mona wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tight. When they parted, regret was evident on both their faces. Clearly, they couldn’t stand to be parted from one another.

All the clichés about hearts shattering came back to him in that moment as a wave of grief washed over him that was so intense he almost cried out.

He’d waited too long.

He’d lost her.

Mona watched Irving leave and cursed herself for a fool. He was a good man. Funny, kind, sexy as hell, and great in bed, but she just hadn’t been able to get her heart in line with her head. It wasn’t fair to stay in the relationship when she knew there was no future. She was in love with another man and, despite all her attempts to erase him from her heart, he was dug in like a tick.

The problem was that she fell apart every time she was around him. The instant he appeared, she went from successful, grown woman to that 14-year-old girl who’d first seen him across the concourse in high school. She’d been so tongue-tied she’d barely been able to stutter her name when he’d introduced himself. He’d run the other way when he’d found out she was a freshman and had kept his distance ever since.

She, on the other hand, had pined for him from that moment forward. Every boy paled in comparison. Every man just didn’t measure up.

She blew out a disgusted breath.

She really needed to get a grip. It was time to grow up and move on. She was wasting her time. He didn’t want her. He never had.

She pushed open the door to the café and entered without watching where she was going. She slammed into a rock-hard chest and had to grab a handful of cotton to stay upright.

Large, warm hands cupped her lower back, bringing her into full contact with a long, lean body. Her breath caught in more than mere surprise at the feel of him. Looking up, she almost fainted at the sight of Wade staring down at her. He looked gorgeous and sexy and absolutely devastated.

He looked as if someone had died.

‘Wade?’ She tugged out of his arms to put distance between them as she felt all the usual tension and giddiness welling inside her.

‘Sorry.’ His voice was gruff and strained.

He didn’t say anything else, just pushed past her and left the café. Mona watched him as he crossed the street and got into his F-150. You’d have thought someone was chasing him, he moved so fast.

What in the hell had happened to hurt him so badly?

With a determined shake of her head, Mona turned and went to tackle the paperwork she’d been putting off. She hoped that, whatever had happened to him, he’d be OK.

See where it all began:

Claire Ryan and Evan Lang are two people stuck in the past. Claire holds herself responsible for her abusive past and Evan can’t get over the death of his wife and submissive. Together they have a chance at new life and new love, but will they let themselves have it?

Winner of the New Writing Competition at the Festival of Romance 2011