Dark Desire

STORY EXCERPT

Ace had lived in this town most of his life, and it still warmed his heart to see how seriously people took their relationships and how madly in love his friends were.

Wondering for the thousandth time why he had to fall for someone so young, so damned naïve, he purposely avoided looking at Hope, satisfying himself by breathing in deeply and filling his lungs with her scent.

Left alone standing out front with her, Ace fought the stirring in his groin, and watched the people who walked up and down the street in an effort to keep from looking at her. He’d managed to avoid her as much as possible since she’d come back to town several months earlier, but she kept making it harder to do. She was high-spirited and impulsive, and he itched to try to tame her. What a fucking challenge that would be. Trying to get rid of the mental image of bending her over and fucking her from behind, Ace cleared his throat.

“Having fun at the party?”

Hope smiled up at him, showing her dimples. “Yes, it’s nice. Rachel’s so excited about the baby. She said Boone and Chase barely let her do anything and they’re always hovering.” Sighing, she shuffled her feet. “She loves both of them so much.”

Ace nodded, his gaze constantly drawn back to her no matter how hard he tried not to look at her. The mental picture of her carrying a baby he’d planted inside her tightened his groin even more. “And they love her. It certainly took them long enough to get together.”

Her jaw clenched as she looked away. “Yeah, well, some men are a little slower than others.”

Raising a brow, he turned to face her fully, satisfaction burning in his stomach when she turned a becoming pink. He wondered how red she’d be if he told her everything he wanted to do to her.

But then again, what would be the point?

“Yeah, well, some men know what’s good for them and what isn’t.” He knew it would piss her off if she knew just how easily he could tell what she was thinking. Being sheriff of Desire, Oklahoma, he’d had to learn to read people. Reading Hope, however, had nothing at all to do with being sheriff and everything to do with being a man.

A man who loved her, who wanted her more every day. A man who knew the best thing he could do for her would be to stay away from her. He couldn’t bear to see her face when he shattered all of her illusions. Lately, though, it just got harder and harder. He wanted her so badly he hadn’t slept an entire night through since she came back to town. Dreaming of her, he woke sweating and aroused every damned night.

Hope looked over her shoulder, a wistful look on her face as she watched the others. “And some men are just too stupid to know a good thing when they see it.” She turned to glare at him, her eyes holding a hint of sadness, before spinning to walk away.

He reached out and grabbed her arm before he could stop himself, knowing damned well the best thing to do would be to let her go. Pulling her out of the doorway, he lifted her to her toes and still stood a foot taller. “And some women don’t know when they’re trying to bite off more than they can chew. Christ, you’re so tiny I could break you in half.”

Narrowing her eyes, she grabbed the front of his shirt in her small fist. “You try it, Sheriff.”

ADULT EXCERPT

Hope hurried to follow Ace’s demand and raced into his bedroom, where a low light burned, and flung herself onto his bed. Smiling, she turned to the doorway, only to find it empty. Her smile fell. “Ace?”

Hearing his footsteps coming down the hall, she relaxed, positioning herself on her back in the middle of his bed.

When he appeared in the doorway, it alarmed her that his hands were empty. “Stay in that position.”

Hope sat up, watching as he pulled a duffel bag from under the bed. “Where are my clothes? What’s in there? Aren’t you getting undressed? I can’t wait to see you naked. Are you going to let me touch you?”

Kneeling beside the bed, Ace stared at her, his jaw clenching. “You’re never going to survive tonight.” He raised his finger when she started to speak. “Quiet. Not another word. You don’t speak again unless I ask you a question. Lie back down and don’t move a muscle unless I tell you to. Do you understand?”

“Yes, of course I understand. I’m not stupid.”

Hope got back into position, her heightened sense of anticipation making her tremble all over. Her trembling got worse when he gripped her wrists and started to fasten her arms above her head.

“What are you doing? Are you going to tie me up?”

Ace tied her wrists to the headboard with a velvet cord. “Do you want me to gag you?”

Hope blinked, wondering if he could be serious. “Of course not.” Pulling experimentally at her bonds, she realized that, although soft enough not to hurt her, the cord held strong.

Leaning over her, he lightly pinched a nipple. “Then be quiet. Not another word.”

Hope bit her lip to hold back the moan that threatened to escape. With her arms over her head, her small breasts lifted and had become completely vulnerable to whatever Ace wanted to do to them. She’d never been restrained before and found the added sense of helplessness even more arousing.

“Ace, I’ve never been tied up.”

Ace leaned over her, stroking the nipple he’d just tugged, heightening her awareness that there was nothing she could do to stop him. “Are you using your safeword?”

Hope tried to sit up, momentarily forgetting that she couldn’t. “No! I’m just nervous.”

Holding her gaze, he bent to take her other nipple between his sharp teeth, biting lightly before letting go. “You’re going to be downright scared before I’m done with you. Just say your safeword and it stops. That’s why I don’t want to gag you, but I will if you keep talking.”

Trying her best not to show how much it frightened her to see his teeth close on her nipple, she dug her heels into the mattress as the slight pain had more of her juices leaking from her slit.

She groaned and sucked in a sharp breath. “I’ll be quiet.”

Ace licked her nipple, smiling when she lifted again. “You don’t have to be quiet. I want to hear all the little sounds you make, but no more talking unless I ask you something. Now, we’re going to have to do something about your inability to stay still.” He lifted her legs to her chest, keeping them close together, effectively lifting her bottom from the bed. “You’re going to learn to stop clenching when I spank you. In this position I can spank you, and you can’t clench as much. I want you to see how this feels.”

Hope cried out when he delivered a sharp slap to her bottom, involuntarily pushing against his hold to straighten her legs, unsurprised to find she couldn’t straighten them at all. The slap stung more than the ones had last night and almost immediately started to burn. Biting her lip, she said nothing as the heat spread, enflaming her entire slit. Her juices coated her thighs, more leaking from her as he delivered two more slaps.

Keeping her legs high, he lightly rubbed her bottom, making it hotter and spreading the heat. “If you insist on clenching your bottom, this is the position I’ll be forced to spank you in. If I do have to spank you like this, your pussy is also going to get spanked.”

Hope shuddered at his tone, the cool look in his eyes telling her he would do it. Not wanting to risk being gagged, she didn’t speak. Her clit throbbed steadily and they’d only been here a few minutes. Her pussy clenched frantically with the need to be filled, but something in Ace’s expression told her it would be a while before she got any relief. She had no idea what it would feel like to have her pussy spanked and didn’t know if she wanted to.

Ace took the decision out of her hands. Lifting her legs even higher, he spanked her again. This time his fingers came in contact with her slit.

Hope gasped at the sensation and struggled furiously against his hold. It stung, especially on her sensitive clit, making it burn and throb worse than before. She couldn’t stop pushing against Ace’s hold, whimpering in frustration. Her entire slit warmed and tingled, becoming so sensitive that she knew the slightest touch would send her over. Thrashing on the pillow with her eyes squeezed shut, she gulped for air, her whimpers becoming moans as the heat spread and intensified.

“I can do that as many times as I want to. Would you like another? Five more? Ten? I can spank your pussy until you come, screaming my name, the pleasure and pain combining until you don’t know which is which.”

Hope grabbed on to her restraints, her chest heaving as she arched her back. “Please no. It’s too much. Yes, do it.”

Ace slid a thick finger into her slick pussy. “If you stay with me, it’ll happen. We’ve only just begun, love. I can do the same thing to your ass. I can spread you and use a whip on your tight little hole and then fuck you there. And I will. Think about that.”

Hope clamped down on the finger inside her, amazed that the thought of him doing those things to her aroused her even more. She wanted it. She wanted to experience every one of his dark desires and have him help her explore her own.

The way her body reacted to his erotic threats, convinced her even more that they were a perfect match. “Yes. I want it all with you, but I’m a little afraid. Can we go slowly?”

Ace blinked and began stroking her pussy, his finger pushing deep inside her. “You? Afraid?”

Unable to stop clamping down on his finger, Hope moaned. “Just a little. Oh, Ace. It feels so good. I’m going to come. I’m sorry. I can’t stop it.”

Ace stopped his intimate stroking. “Concentrate, love. Listen to my voice and block out everything else. Hold it off. Breathe slowly. If you come, I’m going to spank your pussy again.”

Hope whimpered. “I don’t know how to stop it. I want you to spank me there, Ace. Please. I need it.”

Withdrawing from her, Ace slid his arm out from under her thighs to lean over her, using his thickly muscled thigh to hold her legs in place. Reclining on his elbow beside her, he gathered her against him, running a soothing hand over her stomach. “Deep breaths, baby. Force it back. You can do it. I know you can.”

Hope turned her body toward his, readily accepting the strength he offered. This had turned out to be harder than she thought. Being naked while he remained dressed the night before had been hard enough, but having the added disadvantage of also being restrained took her far out of her comfort zone. Being at Ace’s mercy also aroused her in ways she’d never experienced, even with the other men she’d been with.

Disappointed in herself, she lifted her eyes to find him watching her, his eyes sharp and, to her amazement, lovingly possessive. “You’re not mad?”

Still rubbing her stomach, Ace brushed her lips lightly over hers, gently nibbling. “Of course not. It’s up to me to teach you.”

Surprised at his soft tone, she blinked. “It is?”

“It is. Now that you’ve settled some, let’s see if you can keep from clenching that tight ass while I spank you.”

* * * *

Ace flipped her to her stomach, resisting the urge to pull her over his lap. Having her over his lap would be too intimate and would only increase the possessiveness that had already become way too strong.

Sliding a hand under her hips, he lifted her onto a pillow and adjusted her position. He ran a hand over the luscious globes, barely resisting the urge to bend and take a bite as he moved between them. He’d never seen a finer ass in his life. In this position, he had full access, but most importantly, she couldn’t see his face. When he flipped her to her back again, he would blindfold her.

Hope saw way too much of what he desperately fought to keep hidden. If she had the smallest inkling of how much he wanted her, she would never give up.

Listening to the soft sounds she made, seeing such a vivacious woman in this submissive position had his cock pressing painfully against his zipper. Running a hand over her bottom again, he smiled at her shiver. Her amazing responsiveness made him want to tie her to his bed for days and thoroughly explore every inch of her.

“Scared?” He glanced at the bowl on the nightstand, partially hidden by the lamp.

“No.”

He smiled at the anticipated response and slapped her ass. Vowing to himself to make this a night neither one of them would ever forget, he did it again, his cock jumping at her needy cry and the way she wiggled her ass at him, inviting him to do it again.

“Liar. You’re a smart woman, Hope, and a smart woman would be afraid. Don’t lie to me again.”

Hope twisted to look at him over her shoulder. “But it’s you. I’m not afraid of you, Sheriff.”

Ace grinned coldly, fighting his own desire at the absolute trust and need in her eyes. “You will be.” Running his hand over her luscious, warm bottom, he smiled again at the moisture coating her thighs. The little brat loved this. Now would be the perfect time to take her farther out of her comfort zone.

“You clenched your ass when I spanked you. You’re going to have to learn that I won’t allow that.” As he expected, she watched as he reached for the bowl on his nightstand and removed the contents.

“What’s that?”

Clamping his jaw in an effort to hide his amusement and surge of lust at her apprehension, he held it up, letting her get the full effect.

“Ginger.” As he settled back between her spread thighs, he held a hand on her back to keep her from twisting.

Hope might like to submit with her body, but her strong will kept her from submitting completely. What a challenge it would be to see how far he could take her until the needs of her body overrode everything else. It would get harder and harder, the challenge never-ending.

“W–what are you going to do with that?”

Ace’s cock came to rapt attention at the tremor in her voice. “I thought you weren’t allowed to speak. You’ll have to be spanked for that…let’s say five slaps. But first I’m going to insert this into your ass. If you clench, it’ll release oils that burn.”

“What? You’re going to put that inside me?”

“Are you using your safe word?”

“Go to hell, Sheriff.”

“Let’s make it ten slaps. Would you like to add anything else?”

Hope buried her face in the pillow, another reason he would have her on her back soon. “No.”

“Good. Then we can take care of this before we go any further.”

Reluctant Desire

STORY EXCERPT

She’d made the mistake of falling in love with a man she could never live with, and it hurt. Afraid that she would start crying in front of him, she swallowed the lump in her throat and pushed him away. “Please. I don’t want to talk about this anymore. I can’t take any more today. Please.”

Beau released her, his face hardening as he stepped away from her. “Fine. I’ve had enough of this conversation myself. I’m tired of wasting my time with a woman who doesn’t love me enough to believe in me—a woman who’s too embarrassed about loving me that she doesn’t even want her family to know.”

Shaking his head, he smiled sadly. “It’s funny. Our relationship is the only thing in this world you don’t take seriously. I’m just a man who knows how to satisfy you. When you do decide to take what I feel for you seriously, you know where to find me.”

Sucking in a breath at the sharp stab of pain and fear, she stared up at him, chilled by the distance he’d put between them, both physically and emotionally. “What are you saying?’

Beau eyes narrowed, becoming hard and cold. “I’m saying that I’m tired of playing your games. You know how I feel about you. You know that I want to marry you. I’m not going to let you keep putting me through this emotional wringer, Charity.”

The lump in Charity’s throat threatened to choke her. Even though she swallowed heavily, her voice didn’t come out as more than a ragged whisper. “Are you saying that you don’t want to be with me anymore?”

God, it hurt!

It hurt even more than she’d expected—more than she thought she could bear.

Beau’s sad smile made her stomach hurt even more. “No, Charity. I’m saying I want to spend my life with you. You say you don’t want to play games—then commit. To this. To us. When you’re ready to do that, I’ll be waiting. I don’t want to hide what we have anymore. I don’t want to wonder if I’m going to see you, and wonder what you’re going to do when people find out about us. I love you, Charity, and because I do, I can’t live this way anymore.” Turning, he started out the door.

Charity stared after him, stunned. Jumping to her feet, she held on to her desk, her knees turning to rubber. “Beau! You can’t do this. You like to play. We play. Why the hell do you have to want more?”

Pausing, he braced a hand on the doorframe, sighing as he half turned. “I told you. Because I love you, cher, and I want a life with you. I want it all. I’m tired of trying to convince you of that. You’re just going to have to figure it out on your own.”

Stunned, she watched him turn and walk away.

She stood for several heart-pounding seconds, her breath coming out in rapid gulps as she tried to comprehend what had just happened. Panicked that she’d ruined everything and just lost the man she loved, she leapt forward, hitting her leg on the corner as she raced to the doorway of her office just in time to see him close the front door behind him.

What had she done?

Furious at him, and at herself, and more scared than she’d ever been in her life, she moved on shaky legs around her desk and dropped into her seat.

What the hell had she done?

She’d ruined everything. She couldn’t let it end. She just couldn’t.

The phone rang, startling her so badly she jumped, a sob escaping. Whipping her head around to look at it, and surprised that her vision blurred, she waited for it to ring again before she reached for it with hands that shook.

Picking up the receiver, she swallowed a sob and cleared her throat. “Hello?”

“Miss Sanderson?”

Disappointed—devastated—that it wasn’t Beau’s voice, she swallowed again, fresh tears blurring her vision.

“Yes. Who’s calling?” She hoped whoever it was didn’t notice that her voice cracked.

“This is Joe, the manager of Carpet Mart. I wanted to apologize again for the misunderstanding, and I just wondered if you were still going to be able to come in today.”

Taking a shaky breath, and then another, she stared toward the doorway as if Beau would magically appear again, and struggled to focus on the conversation.

Blowing out a breath, she forced a calmness into her voice, while her insides shook. “Yes, I’m leaving now. Thank you, Joe.” She looked at the clock. With the snowstorm expected the next day, she didn’t want to be stuck, unable to get to Tulsa. “I’ll be there in about an hour.”

“Are you sure?”

Reaching for a tissue from the box on her desk, Charity attempted to keep the anguish from her voice at the realization that her plans with Beau tonight had been cancelled. “Yes.”

She hung up on whatever Joe said to her, finding it impossible to focus.

Taking several deep breaths, she dropped her head in her hands and struggled to stop shaking.

She couldn’t believe it was over. Doubling over, she squeezed her eyes closed, unsurprised that tears ran down her face.

God, it hurt.

Suddenly finding it hard to breathe in the confines of her office, she got to her feet and wiped her eyes, grabbed the checkbook for the club, and shoved it in her purse.

She needed some air, and hoped that a drive would help her calm down. Maybe if she had some time to think, she could figure out what to do about fixing the mess she’d made of things with Beau.

She had to fix it. She didn’t have to rely on someone to take care of her. She didn’t care if he wanted to play all the time. She had to have him in her life.

The alternative was inconceivable.

ADULT EXCERPT

Sliding his thumb slowly in and out of her pussy, he rose slightly. “Look at me, cher.” He waited until she met his gaze, the slow strokes to her pussy never faltering. “That’s it. Hmm, look at you. That glazed look in your eyes makes me just as crazy. It’s the look you get when you’re ready to come. Needy, helpless, and yet with a spark of attitude. It gets me every time.”

Clenching on his thumb, Charity kicked at him and used the pressure of the backs of her knees on his shoulders for leverage to rock her hips. She wanted more. She wanted him to move, but even though his need for her shone clearly in his eyes, he continued to stare down at her, turning his head to brush his lips over her inner thigh while stroking her pussy.

The pressure inside her became so intense she bowed, thrashing her head from side to side in frustration. So close. The warning tingles started, simmering just below the surface and driving her wild. Her inhibitions had long since deserted her, and in the confines of the dimly lit room, she didn’t feel the least bit shy about voicing her demands. “Beau. I need to come. Take me, damn you! I want you inside me.”

Beau chuckled, a deep throaty sound filled with satisfaction. “I’m not finished with my dessert yet.” Raising a brow, he smiled, a dark, devious smile that sent a thrill of erotic anticipation racing through her.

Whimpering in frustration when he slid his thumb free, Charity struggled to sit up, crying out in shock when the tip of his thumb, wet with her juices, pressed against her puckered opening. “Beau!”

“I love the way you respond. Let’s go a little farther, cher.” He pushed into her bottom at the same time his lips closed over her clit.

The dual sensation stunned her so much that it took her several heart-stopping seconds before her mind could process the pleasure that had already taken over her body. The shower of sparks that radiated from her clit outward astounded her, as did the realization that her bottom clamped down on his finger, milking it as though trying to suck it in deeper.

“Dear God!” Her orgasm slammed into her so hard and fast, it took her mind several seconds to catch up. The slow slide of his devious tongue over her clit wouldn’t let her down, holding her at the peak with an expertise that she couldn’t fight.

She didn’t want to fight it. She wanted it to last forever.

The hot tingling spread and rolled through her, wave after wave of delicious heat that held her in its grip as Beau continued to work his tongue over her clit and move his thumb inside her.

Paralyzed by the ecstatic pleasure, she had no choice but to endure it, and the swells of bliss rolling through her.

She cried out, but nothing emerged except a throaty gasp.

Every nerve ending in her body felt as if it shimmered, the warm swells of erotic pleasure seeming to consume her everywhere.

The intense pleasure made her body jerk once, and then again, as if touched by an electric cord.

“No!” Whimpering as the pleasure began to subside, she writhed on the covers, reaching for Beau as the stimulation of her clit became too sharp and more than she could bear. “No more. No more. Oh, Beau. Please, I can’t take it.” She couldn’t stop clamping down on the thumb inside her, rocking her hips to take it deeper.

Tears stung her eyes. She wanted the warmth and steadiness of his arms around her. She wanted him to hold her. She wanted him inside her.

Beau seemed to know just what she needed. With a low murmur of approval, a rumble of caring that danced over her senses, he lifted his head and withdrew his thumb to gather her against him.

Her ass and pussy still clenched at the rippling waves of pleasure that just wouldn’t stop. Trembling, she reached for him as he rose over her, gasping at the full, delicious feeling of his hard, hot cock thrusting deep inside her pussy.

He filled her completely, his steely, thick heat stretching her inner walls and warming her from within. Holding himself deep, he slid a hand under her bottom, and slid impossibly deeper while raining kisses over her cheek, her jaw, and even her now-healed shoulder.

Holding her to him, he murmured in French, the silky cadence of his words a sharp contrast to his harsh, deep, almost tortured tone.

So weak, and trembling so hard she could barely move, she finally managed to thread her fingers into his hair, moaning softly with each decadent stroke. Thrilling at the feel of solid muscles bunching and shifting against her, she lowered her hands to his shoulders, tilting her head to the side as he nuzzled her neck in a particularly sensitive spot.

Beau groaned, his teeth scraping over her neck. “Your pussy’s so tight. So hot. So wet. Yes, cher, move with me. Yes. So fucking good. If I had my way, I’d spend the rest of my life inside you.”

The hand at her bottom clenched tight, his finger moving with every thrust as he worked his way closer and closer to her bottom. “This tight little hole is begging for my attention, isn’t it, cher? Now that I’ve touched you there, that tight little ass of yours wants more.”