Elemental Pleasure Read online

  He picked up her hand, and there was nothing she could do to stop her fingers from trembling. “We’re lovers, husband and wife, bound by a law and a tradition stronger than any other in this country.” He raised her fingers to his lips, kissing the back of her hand, then turning her wrist to tease her palm with the light brush of his tongue.

  Carly took a deep breath, then let it out. The desire and arousal Lance had ignited was still there, waiting, hoping for a way to find satisfaction.

  This wasn’t the flash-fire and heat of Lance’s touch, but a slow, cool burn like ice melting against skin. In a way, it was more intense as Preston was forcing her to acknowledge what they were to each other. With Lance, she’d been lost to everything, but his touch. She knew, though she couldn’t say why, Preston wouldn’t let her do that.

  “Preston, this is just…it’s a little too much. Too sudden. We just met a few hours ago.”

  He nodded and set her hand down. “Then let’s not take it so seriously.” He smiled and there was hint of devilry in his dark gaze. “Let’s play a game.”

  “A game?”

  “Yes. I love games. You must too. After all, you created the game of the future.”

  “I’m assuming you mean a sex game, not dominoes or RPG.”

  “A sex game, yes.”

  There was something about the way he was looking at her that had Carly pausing, trying to fit together what she knew about him, to look beyond what he was saying and doing to what was underneath. What code was driving that smile, that touch.

  “If I had to guess,” she said, watching his face for his reaction, “I’d say that to you normal sex is what others would call sex games.”

  One eyebrow went up.

  “But to you they aren’t games or actually, they’re more than games.”

  “Forgive me for saying this, and it’s terribly sexist, but you’re so pretty, it’s easy to forget how smart you are.”

  Carly nearly snorted. The joke would be on him once he knew her better. She knew how to dress up when she needed to, but most of the time she rolled into work in jeans, a gamer tee, wearing no make-up, her only accessory the headphones that hung around her neck. There would be time for him to meet that version of Carly, but for now, she was glad she was dressed up. It made her feel powerful.

  “So what do you say, Carly? Will you play?”

  “I want to know the rules beforehand.”

  “That’s fair. It’s very simple. You’ll do what I say, when I say it.”

  “This sounds like a very stupid game.” The little flickers of desire died. Do what he said? How Neanderthal and uninspiring. “I expected something better from you, Preston.”

  “You don’t know what I’ll ask.”

  “I can guess.”

  “Can you?”

  Carly propped her chin on her hand and considered. “I’m guessing you’re into dominance and submission play.” He jerked at her words and Carly thought gotcha. “I wouldn’t have guessed it if I’d met you in passing, but now that I’m talking to you, I see it. Maybe it’s more than that, maybe you’re in to full-on BDSM.”

  “I enjoy administering a spanking now and then,” he admitted with a nod.

  Carly pressed her knees together as the image of her turned over Preston’s knee drifted through her mind. She really should have taken the time to masturbate before coming to dinner. If she had, her hormones wouldn’t be screaming at her, demanding that she throw herself at Preston and beg him to fuck her.

  “And what about you? You seem to know more than a little about it.”

  “I’ve experimented sexually, though not extensively. D/s seemed to always end up as one person doing all the work, the other having all the fun. Besides that, the majority of RPGs have some elements of D/s built in to them, either in the dress, mannerisms or rules. We did a lot of research as we built some of the early games because we didn’t want to alienate players. We wanted them to feel at home. Home meaning with women dressed as a cross between warriors and sex slaves.”

  “People with only a surface understanding of D/s can sometimes fall into the lazy lover trap.” He planted an elbow on the table and leaned forward. “I’m not one of them.”

  I bet you’re not. Carly tried to seem cool and collected, but it was hard. Her heart was racing, and she was so aroused she was almost lightheaded. The sexy banter, the almost casual conversation about such forbidden things, was completely different from Lance’s direct, aggressive seduction, but she found it equally arousing.

  “So, Carly, will you be my submissive?”

  Carly took a deep breath. “I will.” She held up her hand. “But with conditions.”

  “Topping from the bottom already?” He grinned. “Go on.”

  “No sex. If we’re supposed to be in this ménage a trois, I think all three of us should be there the first time we have real sex.”

  “Agreed.”

  “Secondly, I want a time limit.”

  Preston checked his watch. “It’s nearly six. We’ll play until ten. How does that sound?”

  Four hours wasn’t long, but she was betting he could pack a lot into that time.

  “Agreed.”

  Preston leaned back and raised his hand for the waiter. She expected him to ask for the check, but instead he requested the dessert menu. He ordered cake, while she ordered the fruit tart. When their espresso arrived, she sipped as she watched him, considering what his strategy might be. He had a limited amount of time during which she’d agreed to do what he said. He should have dragged her off someplace private to have his way with her. Instead, he was continuing as if nothing was different.

  “Carly?”

  “Yes, master?” She fluttered her lashes at him.

  Preston laughed. “I doubt any man could master you, but I’d like you to do something for me.”

  “Of course. I don’t have a choice, do I?”

  “Of course you have a choice, but if you don’t do it, you’ll pay the price.”

  Her pussy went damp as she wondered how he’d punish her. “And what is that?”

  He smiled. “I won’t tell you.” He took her hand and kissed it. “I want you to go to the bathroom, remove your underwear and bring it to me.”

  She nodded and stood, setting her napkin on her chair. “If you’ll excuse me, I have to use the ladies’ room.”

  Once in the bathroom, she leaned against the door and blew out a breath. She was so aroused, walking had nearly brought her to orgasm. Stripping off her panties, she winced when she saw how wet they were. Folding them in on themselves, she hid them in her fist and made her way back to the table.

  When she sat, Preston raised one eyebrow. Carly raised her chin then held her hand out, uncurling her fingers to show him what she held. If anyone looked over at their table they would clearly see she held something satiny. Preston made her wait, panties out in plain sight before he took them from her, tucking them into his pocket.

  “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  “If you’re finished, we can leave. I paid the check while you were…taking care of things.”

  Her bravery faltered. Carly considered holding on to her chair and refusing to go anywhere.

  He must have sensed her nervousness because he picked up her hand and squeezed it. His eyes sparkled when their gazes met. “Won’t you come with me, lovely Carly? I think you’ll enjoy the games I want to play.”

  Nodding, Carly waited for him to stand and pull out her chair. He tucked her arm through his and led her from the restaurant.

  ~~~~

  Chapter Four

  Preston guided Carly through the main door of the suite with a hand at the small of her back. He could feel the smile that pulled at the corners of his mouth, matched by the sweet anticipation curled in his belly. He felt like he’d come to the end of a long journey only to find that it wasn’t the end, but the beginning.

  And that beginning was more beautiful, smart and sexy than he could h
ave dreamed.

  His hand rested just above the swell of Carly’s ass, and it took more self-control than he anticipated to keep from sliding his hand down and stroking her bottom.

  She cupped her elbows as she hugged herself. Though her face was impassive, her body language told him she was nervous.

  There was no sign of Lance. Preston paused in the central room to grab two bottles of water, giving the other man a chance to appear...and maybe participate.

  Lance's door was closed, and despite the fact that Preston made no effort to be quiet, there was no sign of him.

  Lance's loss. Preston had no compunction about indulging in some private time of his own with Carly.

  “Water?” He held out a bottle.

  “Thank you.” She took it, but didn't drink. Instead, she rolled it between her palms.

  He wanted to wait, to see how long she could last in a state of both nervousness and arousal before she broke, but he didn't have the patience. After all, time was running out.

  “Shall we?” He held his hand out, motioning toward his bedroom door.

  She set the unopened bottle down and nodded. She preceded him, but he leaned forward, letting his shoulder touch hers as he opened the door.

  Once inside, he closed it behind them. He’d left the desk lamp on and it filled the room with diffused gold light. Carly turned in a slow circle, the gloss of her hair, planes of her face and swell of her breasts all highlighted by the lamp’s light as she moved.

  “Carly?”

  She faced him.

  “Remove your dress.”

  Their gazes met, held. Seconds ticked by, taking them past the time limit of casual glances. Then they exchanged an intimate look that evolved into something that was both binding and challenging.

  She looked away first, turning so her side was to him as she reached behind her neck. She lowered the zipper partway, then changed her arms, reaching up and back.

  “Let me.” He grasped the tab of her zipper and lowered it. She paused, waiting for him to push the dress from her shoulders, but he didn’t. He took a step away, turning the desk chair so he could sit to watch her as she obeyed him.

  When he was settled, she turned her back to him. One shoulder at a time, she shrugged off her dress, revealing the lacy straps of her bra. When the dress was bunched at her waist, she grabbed the fabric and slowly drew it off. Inch by inch her creamy flesh was exposed. Her legs were bare, her thighs smooth columns of touchable skin, her ass—naked since her panties were in his pocket—full and round. She shifted her weight, her ass jiggling, and he had to take a deep breath. His cock, which had been semi-erect since she’d risen from the table to take off her panties, was now hard and throbbing.

  The dress dropped to the floor, a pool of dove-gray fabric. She was naked except for the bra, and when she turned, he could see the peaks of her nipples through the lace. Her pussy hair was trimmed, so he could see the shadow of the cleft, even in the low light. He wanted to cup her sex, sink his fingers in to see if she was wet, then taste and touch her, to know this woman who was now his in the most intimate way.

  “Beautiful,” he said.

  She looked uncomfortable and shifted her feet so her legs crossed, hiding her pussy.

  Preston tsked and shook his finger. Her lips pursed and then she moved her feet, placing them side by side. He wanted to watch as she freed her breasts from the lace, but his patience, normally so great, was at an end.

  He rose from the chair and stalked around her, running his hand over her shoulders and chest as he circled her. Standing before her, he reached back and opened her bra with one hand. Then he grasped it, letting the lace scrape against her breasts, abrade her nipples as it fell away.

  Cupping her right breast in his hand, he lifted gently, testing the weight, the fullness. She licked her lips. His hand looked dark against her pale flesh.

  “Are you ready?” he asked, kneading her breast. He could see his effect on her, the way she struggled to hold herself still.

  “Yes.”

  “You have to stop hiding from me.”

  “I’m not hiding.” Her lips quirked into a smile. “I’m completely naked and you’re totally dressed. That’s hardly hiding.”

  “But you are. You’re hiding your feelings, your thoughts.”

  “And if I am? Everyone is entitled to privacy.”

  “Not you. Not anymore.”

  “Then you don’t get to have any secrets from me either.”

  He smiled. “I don’t want to.”

  He dipped his head, tasting her breast. Her skin was warm and smooth in his mouth and under his hands. Pinpricks of pain tingled along his scalp as she grabbed fistfuls of his hair, pulling his head closer. He cradled her body with hands at her hips and the small of her back.

  Releasing her nipple from the suction of his mouth, he flicked the hard nub with the tip of his tongue and felt her jerk. She was responsive and sexual, all he could have hoped for and more.

  “Spread your legs,” he whispered against her breast.

  She shifted, and he took advantage of her openness to slide the back of his palm along the inside of her thigh before cupping her sex. As he suspected, she was wet, the folds of her sex slick against his palm. Pressing the heel of his hand against the front of her pussy, he rubbed in a circle, working her clit without touching it directly. She made a noise of pleasure, followed by what he could only assume was a little growl of frustration.

  He wasn’t ready to give in, to allow either of them what they both wanted.

  Instead, he dropped to one knee and, starting at her ankles, explored each inch of her skin. He kneaded her calves, stroked the sensitive place at the back of her knees, kissed her belly as he traced patterns on the front of her thighs. Her fingers combed through his hair and she pressed her hips forward, tempting him to touch her there.

  He reached up, avoiding her sex as he kept exploring her, his fingers tracing patterns on the lower swell of her breasts as he nibbled and licked her waist. Finally, he took her nipples between his fingers, twisting and plucking.

  His cock was painfully hard, but he wasn’t finished with her. He turned her around and took hold of her nipples again, while he kissed the small of her back, down to her ass. He nipped her, making her jump. The movement pulled her nipples, which he still held tight. He bit her again, giving her nipples a little twist. He waited for any sign that the pain was making her nervous or turning her off. A shiver went through her, and she pressed her knees together.

  Standing, Preston tugged her against his chest, brushing aside her hair to kiss her neck while manipulating her breasts.

  “Preston, please.”

  “On your knees.”

  She dropped without question. He stepped to her front and looked down. Her eyes were wide, her lips red and parted.

  “Undo my pants.”

  She reached for his belt. He couldn’t decide if it was an accident when her palms brushed the swell of his erection. Undoing his belt and pants, she looked up, waiting for his next order.

  “Take out my cock.”

  Her fingers worked his pants and briefs down his hips, lifting them over the hard length of his dick.

  “Take me in your mouth.”

  A smile played around her lips before she opened her mouth and sucked him in. Preston had to close his eyes as pleasure wracked him. Her lips were firm around him, the cave of her mouth warm, and as she pressed her head forward, the tip of his cock rubbed against the back of her throat. Her fingers cupped his balls, and her other hand wrapped around the root of his cock, tugging gently. She was good. He was delighted by her skill, but found himself hating the men who’d taught her to use her mouth so well. A wave of possessiveness flowed through him and almost knocked him down. He’d never felt jealousy before this moment.

  He lost himself in her touch, grabbing her head as he worked his hips, fucking himself into her mouth. The orgasm built, his balls drawn and tight. He wanted to give in, to come in her mouth
and watch as she swallowed, but her words at dinner were ringing in his head, and in his heart, he knew he had no right to mark her in this elemental way without involving their third partner.

  Pulling out of her mouth, he turned away. Grabbing a towel, he finished himself off, imagining he was coming on her face and breasts.

  “Why did you do that?” she asked when he turned around.

  “Because you’re right—anything serious should be between all three of us.”

  “Does that mean I should finish myself off too?” She pressed one hand against her belly, fingertips just touching her curls.

  “No. Remove your hand.”

  “So you get to come, but I don’t?”

  “You’ll get your orgasm, just not yet.”

  “You’re a cruel man, Dr. Kim.”

  He held out a hand. Almost warily she placed her fingers in his palm. “Maybe.” He pulled her to her feet. “But it’s an enjoyable sort of cruelty.”

  Guiding her to the desk, he took a seat in the chair. Then he patted the flat surface.

  “Sit here.”

  Hands behind her, she slid onto the glossy wood of the desk. Preston reached behind her and moved the phone and lamp, setting them on the little side table and angling the shade so the light was cast over her.

  “What are you doing?”

  “I told you I wanted to get better acquainted.” He pulled his chair closer. “Put your left leg here.”

  She lifted her foot and braced it on the arm of the chair. Preston loosened his tie as she observed his actions. Pulling it free of his collar, he repositioned her foot, wrapped the silk around her ankle, then down under the arm of the chair, tying it off.

  “A little bondage?” She tried to make the words light, flippant, but he could hear the tension, her excitement. He wanted to push her until she couldn’t hide, couldn’t control herself.

  “Just a little. Put your other foot on the desk.”

  She tucked her heel against her ass and wrapped her arms around her knee so she was curled up in a ball, except for the leg he’d bound to the chair.