Free Bejeweled and Bedeviled by Tiffany Bryan Page B

low hum reached her ears. There
was no doubting what kind of punishment that meant.
    Determined not to give him the satisfaction of a reaction,
she bit the inside of her cheek. She was quickly discovering that researching
the BDMS lifestyle was a far cry from the actuality.
    He laid the flogger out full length, placing the handle in
the box, trailing the loose ends slowly through his hand to spill over the side
of the box onto the carpet. Almost a loving gesture, like stroking his hand
along the silky length of a woman’s hair.
    If he were trying to put her at ease, he was falling way
short of the mark. She knew damn well, placed in his powerful, capable hand,
the only affection she’d experience was the biting kiss of leather against her
tenderized flesh. Given her penchant for rebellion, there’d be no skipping a
formal introduction to the damn flogger—before she and Hunter parted company,
she added belatedly.
    He tucked the remote in his pocket and stood. “If the mood
to disobey becomes unbearable, feel free to run with it.” He winked and moved
around to her feet.
    She closed her eyes and suppressed a groan.
    The intimate stroke of his hand across her ass turned it
into a silent whimper.
    “Normally, I would hold off initiating a new sub to this
form of pleasure. But after one look at your lovely ass, I knew I couldn’t deny
myself its use for very long. We’ll start small and work our way up,” he palmed
and squeezed her cheeks, “as soon as you tell me you’re ready.”
    Why was he asking? Wasn’t it supposed to be that she just
showed up—naked—and he made all the decisions? Where was all that guilt-free
psycho-babble she’d read about? She scrunched her eyes. Took a quick shallow
breath. Somehow she knew Hunter didn’t operate that way. Because when it came
right down to it, that scenario was a deception. An easy way out. Ultimately,
every choice, conscious or subconscious, had to be hers. The ultimate one, to
gift him with her unconditional submission. Only then would Hunter take full
control.
    Since she had no major hang-ups about what he was asking of
her, she had no problem consenting. She’d heard too many of her girlfriends say
how wonderful it felt to have a man’s long, thick cock up their ass not to. She
just hadn’t found the right man to share the intimate experience with…until
now. The man who was patiently awaiting her answer.
    She drew a calming breath and let it out gradually. “I’m
ready.”
    “Would you like a drink of water first?”
    Her heart tripped at the unexpected consideration. “I’m
fine. Thank you for asking.”
    “Don’t sound so surprised.” The long, gentle stroke of his
hand down her back warmed her insides. “Your comfort and pleasure are of the
utmost importance to me. Secondary only to my own. The only time that will not
apply is when you are being punished. Then it will be your discomfort that takes precedence.”
    He knelt behind her, his thick thighs forcing hers even
farther apart.
    Her earlier bravado aside, Kayden locked her elbows in
preparation of the embarrassment she anticipated. Was shocked when it never
materialized. Totally vulnerable to his gaze and touch, she felt sexy, wanton
and more alive than she’d felt in years. Hit with a sudden charge of sexual
expectation, her legs and arms trembled. Before they failed her altogether, she
was bracketed between Hunter’s steely arm and wide solid chest. She melted into
the warmth. Cool met hot. She shivered. God, the man exuded enough body heat to
melt the polar ice cap.
    “Take a slow, deep breath,” he said, obviously misconstruing
her reactions as he relaxed his hold. “It’s only natural to be a little
nervous.”
    “I’m not…nervous…I’m—”
    “Excited? Turned on?”
    “Yes.”
    He gave her an encouraging squeeze. “Not half as much as you
soon will be.”
    No idle promise, Kayden was sure.
    He released her to glide his hands teasingly up and down her
outer thighs, up and