Free Timeless by Brynley Bush Page A

anyway.”
    If I were his . My heart skips a beat at the thought.
    “You want to punish me?” I whisper.
    “Hell yes, I want to punish you! It scared the living shit out of me when I saw the ATV hit that rock and you go flying and there wasn’t a damn thing I could do about it.”
    My head is screaming that this is a bad idea, but I don’t care. You don’t usually get what you want or need by listening to the voice of reason, and what I want, what I’ve always wanted, is Marcus.
    “Okay,” I say quietly.
    “Okay, what?”
    “Okay, you can punish me.”
    His eyes widen with surprise and then flare with lust. He takes a step closer and cups his palm against my cheek. “I can punish you?” His voice is soft but his eyes are boring into mine and I know exactly what he wants to hear.
    “Please punish me,” I whisper.
    “Is that really what you want?” He’s scrutinizing my face, attuned to the slightest nuance in my expression.
    I nod. Here’s everything I’ve ever wanted in the mouthwateringly sexy package that is Marcus Dunn. Even though I know it’s just for tonight and he has no interest in anything more, at least I know he’ll give me the full experience I came to Denver for. If I really want to see if this is what I’ve been searching for—if this dynamic is what will fulfill that vague ache inside of me—this is my chance to find out. But if I’m being honest with myself, more than anything, I just want one more night with him.
    I keep my tone light. “I’m clearly not making it back to Five Pines at this point. The least you could do after kidnapping me is show me what I’m missing since I’m not at the retreat.”
    He smiles, and I swear he looks like the devil himself with warm brown eyes that crinkle at the corners. Then, in the blink of an eye, he’s all business.
    “Bend over the back of the couch and wait for me,” he commands. “I’ll be right back.”
    I do as he says, my heart tripping in my chest as I drape my torso over the back of the soft leather couch. It’s low enough that the top edge hits just above my pelvic bone so that I’m bent at the waist, my bottom covered by his long t-shirt but just barely. I brace myself with my hands on the seat cushion, feeling slightly awkward but unmistakably aroused.
    Seconds turn into minutes, and the waiting only increases my nervous anticipation. I hear him come back into the room and the sound of firewood being thrown on the fire. Then he’s behind me, his hands pushing the soft t-shirt up around my waist, baring my ass to him.
    “What are you going to do?” I ask breathlessly.
    “I’m going to take a belt to your ass,” he says matter-of-factly.
    My stomach drops the rest of the way to my toes as I whip my head around to look at him. He’s standing behind me wearing jeans and nothing else, his bare chest, dusted with a smattering of dark hair, gleaming in the firelight. A thick black leather belt is doubled over in his right hand.
    Seeing my wide eyes focused on the belt, he walks around to the front of the couch and crouches down in front of me so his face is level with mine.
    “This is a punishment, Ari, but I’m not angry,” he says softly. “I want you to know that.”
    I nod. I know bone-deep that he’s too disciplined and in control of himself to ever lash out in anger. This is something entirely different. Something dark and erotic and completely intoxicating.
    “But you were,” I say in a small voice.
    He nods. “I was. You mean something to me, gattina.” He scrapes a hand over his face. “I couldn’t bear the thought of something happening to you.”
    My heart melts a little at his admission.
    “But I would never touch a woman in anger. And especially not you.” He smiles then, a slow curve of his lips that hints at debauchery. “Make no mistake though. This is going to hurt, because I want you to think twice before you do anything that rash again without thinking of your own safety. But I won’t give