Opposition: An Enemies to Lovers Romance (NYC Doms), page 9
“Do what?” he repeats, his tone furious. “Do anything in public with you again.”
“But that was… hot,” I mumble.
“Fuck hot.”
Is the staid business man… jealous?
“Double, Cora.”
I blink in confusion at him. “Double what? What are you talking about?”
“My offer earlier today,” he says, and I suddenly realize he’s stripping out of his clothes and Christ Almighty he’s beautiful. Wide, muscled shoulders, his chest thick and broad with defined muscles that bunch when he moves with fluid grace.
“You need the money,” he says. “Don’t fucking lie to me.” His eyes are alight with blue fire, the molten look he’s giving me searing me in place with its heat.
“I do,” I whisper, and weirdly, the words conjure up wedding vows and white lacy dresses and it both exhilarates and terrifies me. My nerve endings are on overdrive, so sensitized I feel like I’m on the verge of both laughing and crying. “I do. But I’ll manage.”
“Fuck manage,” he says, then he’s got my wrists in his hand, pinning them over my head, and he’s on top of me, knees straddling my torso so firmly I’m pinned in place.
I want him to fuck me, and the notion absolutely shocks me.
“Eight weeks?” I repeat. “I have questions, though. I’m not gonna be your whore, Liam.”
He shakes his head. “I get that. If I wanted a whore, I wouldn’t have come here.”
“I’m not giving you everything,” I tell him. “Not like some doms want. I have...standards.”
“Of course,” he says, “And doms come from every walk of life and want many different things, you know.”
“So do subs,” I say quickly.
“Exactly.”
I don’t even know the terms of the contract, but I can’t say no. The man I saw during the demonstration wasn’t the angry, scornful asshole, but a passionate, skilled man with fierce protective instincts.
The kind of man I need.
The kind of man I crave.
“Who are you?” I ask him. “The man who scoffs or the man who protects?”
“Both, sweetheart. I’m both.”
“I want this,” I tell him. “Because fucking hell, Liam, I want both.”
I’m wrapped in his arms and his mouth is on mine as if he’s dying for air and I’m his oxygen. He’s sucking me in, consuming me, and I feel as if he’s just undone me. Like I was laced up tighter than a corset and he’s tugged me free. I’m floating, free fall, and it’s exhilarating and terrifying, but I can’t imagine anything more perfect. With crazed, nearly angry tugs and tears, he undresses me, my clothing falling to the floor in a messy tumble.
“Rule number one, you get tested,” he says. “And I show you mine.”
“Okay,” I tell him, my body humming with wild need.
I watch as he slides down to the floor, kneeling in front of me. Lifting my hot, sore ass in his hands he lowers his mouth to my sex.
“Oh my God.”
“Rule number two,” he growls, his heated breath gracing my inner thighs. “You come only when I tell you.”
I whimper when he drags his tongue along my inner thigh.
“Liam,” I groan. “Oh God.”
“Open your legs, sweetheart,” he orders. I hesitate, not knowing what he’ll do, and he doesn’t like my hesitation. “Now, Cora, or I’ll flog you again.”
“Mmm,” I groan with the memory of the spanking he just gave me. I open my legs and welcome him, my eyes closing in utter bliss when he doesn’t even hesitate but swipes his tongue through my swollen folds. With deliberate movements, he nips and suckles, teasing my clit and licking his way down until he plunges his tongue at my entrance. It’s fucking dirty and hot as hell, and I need more. Harder. Longer. Then he traces his way back up again to my clit, teasing and suckling.
I freeze when I feel his fingers at my asshole, but he slaps my outer thigh. “You safeword if you need to,” he says. “But I control this now.”
I shake my head.
“No one’s every touched me there...please don’t stop.”
“That’s my girl,” he groans against my inner thigh. “Fuuuck, you taste so damn good I don’t ever want to forget this.” He touches every part of me with probing fingers, while he sucks and laps at my folds. I’m drowning in ecstasy, already so near to climaxing.
“Now,” he says. “When you’re ready, you come on my mouth, baby.”
Oh, sweet Jesus, that’s all I need. I buck and moan as I topple over into ecstasy, writhing so hard he has to hold me down on the bed, and when I’m finally spent, he stands and strokes his cock.
“Christ, you’re beautiful when you come,” he says, groaning as he strokes his swollen cock harder, faster. I get on my knees and reach for him, begging him to let me do this with a silent plea. One nod, and he releases his cock. I swallow, eager to touch him. To please him.
“Fuuuuuuck,” he groans. I’m kneeling with him in front of me, jerking his cock into my breasts.
“Baby,” he groans, then he mutters a string of tortured curse words before his body tenses and I know he’s gonna come.
“Please mark me, sir.” I whisper, jerking his cock harder, faster.
His hips jerk while he spills his seed on me, scorching hot liquid coursing down my breasts while he groans his release. He leans his forehead to mine and holds me to him, panting. We’re a mess and I don’t care. The look of utter bliss in his eyes before he came was my reward.
Finally, he slumps against me and gently eases my hand off of him.
“Shower,” he groans. “Now.”
I gladly join him. It’s surreal, the two of us like this, still shaking from the intensity of the scene. I’m naked and marked by him, suddenly not so eager to get clean, still drunk on the intimacy we shared.
“C’mere,” he says, after he’s put the shower on. And as steam billows around us, he tugs me close to him in an embrace so tight it’s almost painful. Taking me by the hand, he leads me into the shower and holds my hand so I don’t fall.
In silence, he lathers a washcloth and cleans me, with the tenderness that belies his stern exterior. When he’s done, I soap his back and chest.
“So, tell me, Liam Alexander,” I finally say. “What exactly happens now?”
Ten
Liam
I make her wait until we’re out of the shower, still damp and wrapped in towels, before we go into the main room.
“Do you remember rule number one?” I ask her.
“Yeah. We both get tested and show each other the results. Fair enough. I’m clean.”
“Good. And you take birth control.”
“Easy enough. I already do.” She nods and sits on the edge of the bed.
“Rule number two, no climaxing until I tell you.”
“Got it.”
“Rule number three.” This one may give her pause. “You obey me, or I punish you.”
I watch as she bites her lip and looks away. “Like. Obey you about what?”
I could’ve predicted this. But there is no submissive contract without obedience.
“Everything.”
“Everything?” She squeaks. “Like if you said, I don’t like those shoes, get another pair, I have to listen?”
“Precisely. Though typically my directions will be a lot less superfluous and will focus on our relationship more than your private life.”
Her brow furrows while she looks at me, her pretty lips turning down into a frown.
“Wait a minute,” she says. “Are you going to use this contract to get me to stop my crusade against your company? Are you tricking me?”
I nearly roll my eyes. As if I think her little tantrum over my building projects are going to make a dent in my plans.
“You can crusade all you want, sweetheart. We’ll keep business separate from pleasure.”
“You promise?”
“I promise. I may be an asshole, but I’m a man of my word.”
“Right,” she says, nodding. “And if you punish me,” she continues with a furrowed brow. “What exactly might that entail? Because frankly, I mean, not to shoot myself in the foot or anything, but that flogging and that spanking were pretty hot. It’s not exactly punishment.”
“I can punish you however I see fit,” I tell her. “Though I must confess, I definitely prefer a good spanking. The only reason you liked the other spankings was because I made them likable.”
“Really,” she says with a raised brow and a little snort. “Not sure I believe you.”
Taking her wrist, I tug her over to me and divest her of her towel. “Care for a demonstration?” I ask, her hesitation is answer enough. I quickly push her over my knee and give her a series of rapid spanks on her bare ass, the wet skin magnifying the sound and intensity.
“Ohhh, ow!” she hollers. “Got it. Yep.”
Standing her upright, I hand her her towel.
“Well. Fine, then,” she says, her adorable freckled cheeks flushed pink. “Yeah, okay. So, I’m sure I won’t really disobey you that much, and if punishment is just an over-the-knee spanking, I’ll deal.”
“Could be other things.”
“Like what?” she asks warily.
“Orgasm denial. Anal plug. Things like that.”
“Things like that,” she repeats, a little breathless. “Well then.”
“Rule number four,” I continue, as I go get a change of clothes from the wardrobe I keep in here. “Sex whenever, wherever I want.”
“Are you a exhibitionist?” she asks so seriously it’s almost cute.
“No. I’m a jealous, possessive fucker,” I tell her, which actually makes her laugh.
“Then why’d you do the demo?”
“Tobias is my friend.”
“So no getting it on in the middle of Times Square. Good,” she says. “I look forward to rule number four.”
My bark of laughter seems to startle her, for she jumps, and her cheeks flush a pretty pink. She’s already nearly earned the money I’ll pay her.
“Typically, with number five, I make the submissive live with me for the duration of our contract, but since that’s an impossibility with you, I’ll demand that you have things here in the private room that you can use if necessary. Is it ever possible for you to get a babysitter?”
“Well,” she says thoughtfully. “Yeah. We’ve got a neighbor I trust in our building who will check in on Bailey and Ben, but they’re pretty independent. I just definitely prefer being home at night with them.”
“Fair enough,” I say. “So, some nights, I’ll stay at your place.”
“God, no,” she says, her face paling. Does she dislike the idea of her siblings meeting me? That troubles me somehow. But she continues, and her answer surprises me. “I… I don’t ever want you to come inside my home, Liam.”
I shake my head. “If that’s what you want, okay. It won’t be anything I haven’t seen before,” I press.
“No. Please, no.”
I shrug. “Alright, then, if it matters that much to you. Some nights we stay here, though, in my private room.”
“Thank you,” she whispers. “That I can agree to, if my neighbor can watch the kids. Any more rules?”
I nod. “You always have your cell phone with you when we’re apart so that I can text or call you when I need to.”
“Um, problem,” she says, flushing. “I… don’t have one, remember?”
I swear under my breath. “Right. I’ll get you one.”
“You don’t have to get me one,” she protests. “I’m getting paid for that demonstration tonight, and I—”
“I’m getting you a cell phone, and that’s the end of this discussion.”
“But if I—”
“But if you finish that sentence after we’ve signed the contract, I’ll punish you.”
Training her will be so rewarding. She’s a feisty little one, but she enjoys her punishment. It’s the perfect combination.
“Right,” she says. “Wow, this is gonna be tough.”
I shrug. “I’ll ease you into it.”
But she shakes her head. “How? I think I’ll mess up every few seconds and end up in a state of constant punishment.”
What she’ll end up in is a state of constant arousal, but I think she’ll like it.
“This is all very Fifty Shades,” she mutters.
“Fifty what?” I ask.
“Oh, you’re funny,” she says. “As if you don’t know what I’m talking about.”
Of course, I do, but it’s fun to tease her. “Cora, I’ve been doing this since Christian Fucking Grey was in diapers.”
Her snort of laughter makes me smile. “So, you’ve done this many times, then.”
“Yes.”
“I have… well. I have one more question,” she finally blurts out, but she doesn’t meet my eyes. I won’t allow her to hide from me and looking into her eyes is the best way for me to really read her. And as her almost-dominant, I need to be able to see those eyes. Reaching for her chin, I draw her gaze to mine.
“Look at me, Cora. I want your eyes on me. There is no hiding in this.”
“I know,” she whispers. “You’re different when you’re the dom. You know that?”
I shake my head. “I’m always the dom. I’m no different here than I am anywhere else.”
Placing her hand on my arm, her voice gentles as she continues. “You are,” she says. “Out there, you’re the boss, yeah. You like things to go your way. But when you’re the dom? And you’re scening or even talking with me? You lose that edge. You lose that anger you wield like a weapon. There’s a nurturing side of you that only comes out when you’re being the dom.”
I take a breath so deep.
“You make it easy,” I confess. I need to change the subject. “You said you had a question.”
“I do.” Swallowing, she inhales then exhales, letting her breath out slowly. “Out there,” she says, her voice dropping to just above a whisper. “After you scened with me. You were… tender. You gave me aftercare. Will I get aftercare like that when we scene?”
I don’t answer her at first but lay her back on the bed so she’s beneath me. The towel falls to the side, her damp hair scattered on the pillow, curly damp tendrils I want to weave around my fingers. My mouth to her ear, my body flush against hers I whisper. “Always.”
“Then I’m not so sure I’ll be able to obey you, Liam. Oh. Should I call you sir?”
“When we’re scening, yes. But I like hearing you say my name. And you will indeed wish to obey me by the time we’re through. You’ll see.”
“I don’t like that I’m predictable.”
God, no. I shake my head and hold her to me. “Sweetheart, you’re anything but predictable. I’m just confident this will work well for us.”
“You’re confident with many things,” she whispers. “And Jesus, fuck, I want to get those tests done.”
“I haven’t told you rule number six, though.”
“Oh?”
I close my eyes and rest my cheek against hers. “No falling in love, Cora.”
“That… won’t be a problem,” she says with a laugh.
But it’s not her I’m worried about.
Eleven
Cora
It’s like I’m trapped in some sort of reality TV show or something, it feels that surreal.
After stating rule number six, Liam pulls away from me and I wish he didn’t have to. He made me come no more than half an hour ago, and already my body vibrates with need once more. But I have to get home to Bailey and Ben, and he knows that.
We dress, and it’s a little sad, like the curtain falling at the end of a play. And that’s what we’re doing, isn’t it? We’re play acting. There’s no more authenticity to this than unicorns and mermaids. Whimsical fantasies to distract from the mundane.
But at least I’ll be getting paid, and amply.
“Um. So, I get paid at the end of our contract?” I ask, mentally calculating how I’ll deal until then.
“No,” he says, fastening his belt. “I’ll pay you one-third up front. There is no agreement until we’ve gone over every detail of our contract. I’ll have the money wired into your account tomorrow morning. Another third halfway through, and your final payment on the last day of our contract.”
Holy shit. I can’t wait to tell Bailey… though I’ll have to tell her in a way that doesn’t really tell her what’s going on.
“Well, that’s very generous of you.”
“I’ll speak with Tobias,” he says, dismissing any mention of his generosity. He’s a businessman, and this is no act of altruism. “During these two months, I’ll cover the salary you’d have earned at Verge.”
“Oh, right. You mentioned that in the restaurant. So what are you thinking?”
Turning to me, he shakes his head. “You can’t work here while you’re with me,” he says, and my heart deflates a little. God, I hate that it does. I don’t want to let my friends at Verge down. “You’ll still come here, but as a guest and not an employee, but only temporarily. I’ll talk with Tobias.”
“Hmm,” I think out loud. “Well, I see your point. But Verge needs a bartender.”
“I’ll hire one for Tobias.”
“You can just do that?” I ask, pulling my top on, and I don’t miss the way his eyes grow ravenous. When he swallows, his Adam’s apple bobs up and down. I hide a smile so he doesn’t see how pleased it makes me that he’s affected by my body.
“I do what I want, Cora,” he says, but there’s no note of pride in his voice. When he turns away from me, he almost looks disgusted with himself.
I don’t get it. I’m a curvy girl who can’t seem to keep her mouth shut, and he knows how I feel about his company. And as I finish getting dressed, a horrible idea flashes in my mind. Predictably, I voice it since I somehow have lost all ability to filter my thoughts.
“Wait,” I tell him. “Wait. Are you doing this to try to seduce me so I don’t give your company shit about the project you’re doing?” I step back from him.
