Bound to Serve (Dangerous Liaisons #1) Read online

  He placed a hand on her ass, and she gasped at the unexpectedly erotic sensation and arched away to break the disconcerting contact.

  “Uh-uh, stay put.” He gently pushed her back down until she was plastered to him and feeling every hard inch of him against her body.

  He lifted up her skirt, and she went still, mortified. Oh, no, she was wearing her pink lace panties—fine lingerie was a weakness of hers. They were frilly, feminine, not the image she tried to portray at all. Who knew when she’d put them on this morning that they’d be exposed this way? That she’d be exposed this way? Although, maybe she’d subconsciously hoped for just such an occurrence to push her out of her sexless existence.

  “You’ve so much to learn, sugar,” he said softly as he rubbed her bottom through her panties. “And there’s not much time to teach you. First things first, you need a safeword.”

  “I do?” She heated up under his touch. Her sensitive pubes pressed against his hard lap, and his even harder cock teased her as her core tightened with need.

  She held her breath in anticipation. How bad would it be? How hot would it make her? Instead, he kept caressing her through her panties. Nervous tears sprang to her eyes, but she blinked them away. She needed to stay strong. He was undoing her barriers with a simple touch. It wasn’t fair, but it showed how well he could read her.

  “Absolutely. We’re going to be doing some challenging things, you and I, and I need to know that I can trust you to be honest with me.”

  She cocked her head to scowl over her shoulder at him at his ludicrous statement. “I’m draped over your fricking knee. How much more honest can I be?” The fact that there was a glint of humor in his eye defused the situation…at least partially. “Fine, give me a safeword.”

  He took in a breath and caressed her bottom through her panties. “Cherry.”

  Was he referring to her favorite scent, or the fact that she was so brand new to this? Either way, it was discomfiting. “Not funny.”

  “I wasn’t trying to be. Say it please.”

  “Cherry.”

  “Say it if you need to, and I’ll stop.”

  Yeah, but would he drop her from the case? The question stuck on her tongue, but she couldn’t bring herself to ask it. Instead, she looked away so he couldn’t read her emotions.

  “Tell me, sugar, why are you being punished?”

  The amusement in his tone made her mad, even as his big hand caressing her bottom aroused her. “Because you’re a dinosaur, and you won’t share like you’re supposed to.”

  His chuckle was like warm honey flowing over and made her heart ache a little.

  “No, because you disobeyed me and snooped at the file,” he said as he fingered the waistband of her panties. “Say it.”

  He’d probably left the damned file out on purpose to trap her and give him an excuse to do this. Yeah, that was just his style. She sniffed back a tear of frustration and said, “I disobeyed you, and I’m a snoop.”

  “And are you sorry?”

  “Will it keep you from spanking me?”

  “No.”

  “Then no, I’m not at all sorry. Bring it on,” she muttered, refusing to be intimidated, to show weakness. She’d gathered valuable information by snooping, and if it earned her a red bottom, so be it. His wicked chuckle almost undid her a moment before his big hand smacked down on her. She bit back a cry of shock at the stinging heat to keep from alerting the flight crew.

  “Count the spanks for me, sugar.”

  “No,” she gasped, incensed by the outrageous demand.

  “We go to six. Now count.”

  His big hand came down on her right cheek, and she gasped as her stiff clit rubbed against his leg, “One.”

  “Very good,” he said softly.

  She actually melted at the praise. How sick was that? He spanked her left cheek. She bit back a whimper. “Two.”

  He smacked her with another quick blow.

  “T-three,” she stammered. Not three more—she’d either come or cry, either of which would be utterly humiliating.

  The leather pants she was lying against were warm, and Condor was even hotter underneath them. She groaned as his erection grew and pressed tighter against her. Her sex pulsed, her clit grew stiff, her bottom burned.

  His big hand landed again.

  “Four.”

  He caught her bottom, and she barely held back a moan as her clit bumped against his thigh.

  “Five,” she gasped.

  She caught her breath, on the verge of coming, and waited for the last spank.

  He took his time. She felt the heat from his hand hover over her ass, but the spank didn’t come. Then, when she’d anticipated the hit so many times that she couldn’t know when it was coming, he finally spanked her hard.

  “Six!” she cried.

  Stunned, she lay molded to him, on the verge of orgasm, while he rubbed her hot bottom. She couldn’t resist leaning into his soothing touch, even while her face burned with embarrassment. At least he couldn’t see it. Draped across his lap, butt on fire, her sex pulsing emptily, she forced back tears of release. Condor was hot for her, his hard shaft swelling, practically thumping against her leg. All she could do was feel the heat, feel consumed by him. She’d never been spanked before in her life.

  He caressed her sore bottom, and she let out a little moan. His big hand rubbing her ass felt soothing, good. She arched her hips, and her clit rubbed against his leather-clad leg. She whimpered aloud at the electric sensation. The spanking, appallingly, turned her on. Her body felt all hot, melted. She vowed to keep it to herself. He didn’t have to know. But he rubbed lower and her legs fell apart a little in sensual abandon. His hand pushed aside her skirt, touched her pink lace panties, and cupped her mound. She bit back a whimper while he held her needy sex in his big hand.

  The eroticism of being turned over Condor’s knee was deep and disturbing. Assertive as she was, it was stunning that she could be broken by him. So easily. So quickly. Her sex quivered under his hot palm, needing him to finish what he’d started. If he’d just touch her, apply a little pressure, she’d come like a banshee. Underneath her, Condor was hard, ready to satisfy her, his breathing rapid. All he had to do was make the first move.

  “Good, you’re wet,” he said.

  Just a little more pressure and she’d come. If only he’d finish it, it might help her refocus. She arched against him, and he swatted her mound.

  “No.”

  She bit back a raw sob at the rejection and the quick sting. So after all this, he was nothing but a tease, and any hint of pleasure had been nothing but “training.”

  He pushed her off his lap.

  She sprawled on the floor and boldly looked back at him. His eyes were dark with arousal. Beads of sweat had broken out on his brow, and his jaw was tight. A quick glance at his crotch made her gulp when she took in his huge, unmistakable erection. It made his rejection hurt even worse. He’d been as turned on as she’d been, but he still walked away.

  God. And she’d let herself show her desperation. She wouldn’t do that again. If he kept any real feelings—any real desire—hidden behind that cold mask, she’d do the same.

  She started to stand.

  Condor shook his head. “No, stay on your knees, bottom back, resting on your calves, arms at your sides.”

  Bridget burned but reluctantly moved to comply, and she gasped when the open position tugged at her pulsing sex and her hot bottom rested against her calves. What the hell was he doing to her?

  “You are now in training position number one,” he said as he brushed a wisp of hair off her heated face. “You will maintain it until I give you permission to rise.”

  Permission to rise! There was a hell of a lot more to playing this role than she’d bargained for. Stunned into silence, she trembled, her pleading eyes locked with his hot ones. Kneeling in front of him with her skirt pushed up to her ass, the reality of the situation set in. This wasn’t a game. She was his s
lave in training, at least until they apprehended Simon Perez, and the deep feminine part of her, the part she kept carefully hidden, was getting off on it.

  “Good girl,” he said, stroking her hair.

  She leaned into his touch. It would be so easy to fall under his spell, but she’d already fallen for that trap moments ago. This was all pretend, even though her body insisted otherwise. She knelt there, her heart racing, and gazed at his hard, sensual mouth. He’d tasted like coffee last time, and she badly wanted to kiss him again. But she was sure love slaves in training didn’t not jump up and kiss their masters.

  He smiled. “Excellent. You’re a quick learner, sugar.”

  She glowed, warmed by the praise, and then kicked herself. This was all part of a day’s work for him, she had to remember that. It was somewhat difficult though, when his intense eyes pinned her and made her tighten inside. Embarrassed by her needy reaction, she peeked up at him from under her lashes.

  His sexy fuck me look was back ten-fold. Her breasts were aching, the peaks beaded and tingling hard when he focused on them. The man was powerful, demanding, everything she’d run from for years. She shouldn’t want him. Couldn’t. But she did.

  Her heart fluttered along with her sex as his eyes locked with hers. “Don’t think I’m really buying into this, Condor,” she said to protect her pride.

  He raised one imperious brow, his sensual mouth tightening. “I’ll have to see what I can do to convince you,” he said with a smirk. He stood up, walked to his pack, and pulled out a small device.

  Was that—was that a tracking chip planter? He wasn’t going to try to use it on her, was he? You marked felons and pets with it, not your partner.

  “Give me your hand,” he said and reached for her.

  “But you can’t…”

  He pulled her to her feet. “I’m not taking any chances of losing you, pet.”

  Her pulse raced, and she stood up shaking. His hand clamped around her upper arm, steadying her. A tremor of excitement rushed through her at his touch. His scent wrapped around her, a devastating blend of sandalwood cologne, leather, and hot man. She gazed at the stubble from his five o’clock shadow, to the sensual curve of his mouth when he smiled. This was training. Nothing but training. And she was dying for her next lesson to involve his mouth on hers.

  “I’m your master,” he said, and he pulled her closer, inches away from kissing her. “And I’m going to do a thorough and complete job of it. It’s my duty to bend you to my will.” He rubbed against her and murmured, “Don’t you agree, Bridget?”

  Something deep inside of her melted. She’d fantasized about masterful men for years. It was a shameful secret she’d never shared with anyone, much less the few passive men she’d bedded. Fighting the urge to go on tiptoe and kiss his tantalizing mouth, she said, “If I’d known you were going to take your role this seriously, I wouldn’t have come.” It was a lie, but she said it anyway.

  “Do you want me to replace you?”

  No, she shouted inside at his seeming ease in giving this up, in giving her up. How could he even suggest it? Besides, she wasn’t going to let him waltz away with her collar, let alone risk Perez getting away. “And let you steal my case? I think not.”

  “Then we’ll both have to make the best of it,” he said.

  Was that regret in his voice? Was he sorry that she wasn’t silly, blond Jennifer, the newest It Girl at Delta Star? Top of her class, never written up for insubordination, vapid. She sighed. She was being unfair to the new agent. Jealousy was a silly, useless emotion, and it was even more wasted on a man like Condor.

  She bit her lip to stop herself from asking ridiculous questions. Did he think her attractive? Sexy? Of course it didn’t matter. This was business to him, but she couldn’t stop thinking about it. How many other women had he trained? She frowned up at him, and his arched brow told her he noticed her defiance and didn’t like it. Tough. She couldn’t change who she was.

  “About the case…”

  He leaned in to kiss her, and her eyes fluttered shut. His hot lips brushed hers, and she let out a little moan. He took advantage and swept his tongue into her mouth to parry with hers. She kissed him back, and her free arm went around his neck, her body aflame. A little whimper escaped her, and she barely felt the sting in her wrist when he tagged her.

  He broke the kiss and pulled back to gaze at her. She recognized the shell-shocked look in his eyes. She felt the same way, and there wasn’t a damned thing they could do about it.

  “Come,” he said, and he gave her hand a tug and led her toward the cabin.

  Sit…roll over…beg. She didn’t need obedience training, thank you very much, she needed to him to make her come now so she could think straight. But voicing that need was the very kind of vulnerability that would get her hurt.

  She followed behind him, nevertheless, stunned by the rapid turn of events, and her rapid conversion to being his submissive. It was contrary to the image she’d cultivated of herself, but that didn’t matter. She’d have to embrace the role. It was the only way to get her man. Her bare feet padded over soft carpet when she followed him to the rear sleeping compartment. Her heart thudded. Now this was more like it. At least the crew wouldn’t hear them.

  Bridget waited for the next shoe to drop. He was the game-playing master, after all. When he led her to the bed, her knees almost buckled. Was he going to put her through her paces here, too, even though sex on missions was always simulated?

  “On the bed,” he ordered sternly.

  She climbed onto the bed, her gaze never leaving his. She quivered with anticipation. She’d welcome even simulated sex at this point.

  He bent over her, until they were a hairbreadth apart. Her needy gaze locked with his hot one. She licked her lips, her heart pounding.

  With a growl, he leaned in to kiss her, and his sultry mouth slanted hungrily over hers.

  Her lips burned under his sensual assault. When he nipped her bottom lip, she moaned and opened her mouth, eager for his possession. His tongue surged inside, mastering her mouth, as surely as he was mastering her. Her breasts ached and the peaks tightened. She arched toward him, needing his touch. But he broke the kiss. Breathless, it was all she could do not to reach out and grab him.

  “Lie down,” he ordered gruffly.

  Bridget lay back, shivering with anticipation. He wanted her as almost as much as she wanted him. What would it be like to be taken by a man like him—hard, demanding, relentless, and oh-so-hot? Instead of climbing into bed with her, he turned to walk away with what she thought was a look of regret on his handsome face. Her eyes widened.

  She moved to sit up. “But—”

  He stopped and turned to look at her. “What part of lie down didn’t you understand, sugar?”

  “I just thought—”

  He frowned. “I wasn’t going to do this, but maybe it’s just as well. It will help you get into character, and I’ve been too soft with you.”

  Soft? He’d been nothing but hard, except where she ached for his hardness.

  What was he going to do to her? She watched him open the bundle he’d stashed in here earlier, the one she’d fetched from Dangerous Liaisons, and pull out something. Her eyes widened when she saw the black leather restraints.

  “Spread your legs,” he ordered.

  She did, and he snagged her right ankle and shackled it to the bed’s footboard. When he started to shackle her other leg, she gasped, her sex aching with want. He didn’t need to tie her up to take her. “Please don’t, I need you.”

  “This pussy doesn’t belong to you anymore. It will be satisfied when I say so, and not before. Now be still before I gag you. You wouldn’t like sleeping that way.”

  Her mouth snapped shut. He’d do it, she could read it in his eyes. He shackled her wrists, pulled her arms up to reach the headboard, and stretched her so that her breasts arched out at him.

  “Bastard,” she hissed.

  “Yes, I am,” he said, a
nd he smiled a bit wistfully before spreading a comforter over her.

  She stared at him, bemused at his matter of fact confirmation that he was a bastard. But more than anything, her desire for him was like a fever that raged through her blood, and the need for him centered in her burning sex. She was appalled to find that the restraints only made the craving worse. She couldn’t move, couldn’t squeeze her legs together, couldn’t do anything but ache.

  He tucked her in, and she slanted a glance at his crotch. He was painfully hard, his impressive shape apparent under his pants. He suddenly leaned over her, and she held her breath, wondering if he was actually going to kiss her. Did she want him to after he’d been so mean? She didn’t have time to think of an answer. His hot mouth brushed hers in a brief, burning kiss. She shut her eyes to enjoy the sensation. If it was forced on her, she didn’t have to admit how much she wanted it. But her eyes popped open when he pulled away, and she saw him thoughtfully gazing down at her.

  “Not quite the bondage I’d like, but we’ll have to make do.”

  Bondage he’d like? She frowned up at him, her arousal still high and unsatisfied. Maybe this was how masters kept their love slaves in line, withholding sex. She could swear she saw the same fevered need in his eye when he drew away and turned toward the door, muttering a curse.

  “Sleep,” he ordered.

  “Yeah, right,” she muttered. She closed her eyes, refusing to let him see her tears of frustration.

  Condor flicked off the lights and stood in the dark doorway watching her, burning for her with all his body and soul. He needed to leave before he gave in to the temptation to take the little hellcat and break Delta Star code. Except she wouldn’t be thinking of him. She’d probably be screwing a ghost, her mind on James Clayton, the man she’d lost.

  Damn it, he was acting like a fool and he knew it. It didn’t help that her arousal when he’d cupped her mound had been very real. Except nothing in this whole screwed up situation was supposed to be real, and he’d have to remember that for both of them.

  He’d need to walk a tricky tightrope when they arrived on site. Make her training convincing enough to mollify the Retreat members, but not actually for him to get sucked in by her charms. The trick would be staying unattached while he trained her. A horny night, spent bound and unsatisfied, would soften her up for the mission to come, and it would put her right into character and cool his fires. But it would damn near kill him. If she kept getting to him like this, he was going to have blue balls before the week was through.