He pulled himself out of his musings and back to the woman causing all the problems.
“Did you participate?”
He asked the question, not wanting to hear the answer.
“No.”
The simple answer made him smile. It had come out just like a perfect little sub should answer her Dom. A possessiveness he didn’t expect slapped him in the face, and he had to fight the urge to claim her. It wacked him upside the head like the club he should be carrying. It was primitive, Neanderthal almost. But he could stem the rising tide to make her understand just who she belonged to. Shit, this wasn’t a long-term relationship. He knew it was more than just the job, knew that for both of them it was. Rome just needed to remind himself that this wasn’t for keeps. He had met her less than forty-eight hours ago. She would be gone as soon as her job was done.
He bit down on the need to deny her the right to leave him. Fuck, he had to get his mind back into her submission and off any kind of relationship. He didn’t have any claim to her for the long term. But for the short term, he could make her his in a way she would never forget.
He trailed his fingers over her generous flesh. He never would have guessed her ass was so shapely before seeing it in that dress. Without hesitation, he pulled his hand back and gave her a smack. Her gasp filled the silence in the air. Rome heard the arousal, the surprise, and he couldn’t help doing it again. From his training, he knew just what it did to her, how the vibrations feathered out over the skin and throughout her body. He gave her another slap and smiled. He’d been right. Her skin pinkened so pretty.
Rome stepped in front of her. He crowded her, but she stood her ground. He could fight the little smile that brought about. He could smell the faint scent of her soap and her desire. It was a heady mixture. She was staring at the floor. Slipping a finger beneath her chin, he raised it to force her to look at him. Her lips were full with that bee-stung look that actresses paid a fortune to achieve. He dipped his head and brushed his mouth over hers. He’d been thinking of doing this—plus a whole lot more—since he’d touched her the night before.
One kiss was not enough. Rome had known it wouldn’t be. He slid his tongue along the seam of her lips, and she opened them willingly. She didn’t even hesitate for a second. Once he stole inside, she moaned. Tiny vibrations tingled over his tongue then filtered throughout his body. By the time he pulled back, the simple kiss had left them both breathing heavily.
Maria returned her gaze to the floor. “Look at me.” He waited until she had before continuing. “You don’t have to show me deference like that. It’s not my thing.”
He dropped his hand and was happy to see that she held his gaze. He slipped her bra off then placed it on the bureau behind him. He turned back around and sighed. She was just perfect. Small, delicate breasts were tipped with hardened pink nipples. She wasn’t big, but that was his preference.
He cupped one, brushing his thumb over the tip. She sucked in a deep breath but seemed reluctant to do so.
“Show your pleasure. I like that.” He bent down and licked her nipple. “But,” he warned, looking up at her, “do not come unless I give you permission. You will do everything I tell you. You will let me know the pleasure I give you, but you do not allow yourself that pleasure. It’s mine to own and mine to offer.”
He had meant to keep his voice modulated, but by the end of the orders, he was grinding out each word. He couldn’t seem to keep himself from letting her know he would own her body and soul.
He took the tip of her nipple in his mouth, grazing his teeth over it, suckling one and then the other. They hardened further. God, she was so fucking responsive. He never would have believed a woman who seemed so in control of her life, so, well, Alpha in her work, would be such a good little sub. But he knew she would be…at least for him. Damn if that didn’t get him harder. He pinched her nipples, enjoying the way she moaned. When he took another tip back into his mouth, sucking hard, her knees buckled a bit.
He chuckled as he moved away from her. “Why don’t you lay on the bed, Maria? Face up. Oh, and take off those panties and spread your legs.”
She hesitated for just a second but did as he ordered without another admonition. He knew this was hard, harder than most people would understand. This first time, a sub had no idea what they would gain. For a sub, he knew after their first time with a true Dom, they would know what was coming, how much more their pleasure would be when they gave their trust to someone else. Researching it didn’t count. No matter how much you read about it or watched other people go through it, you never knew how it felt.