Master of the Mountain

held all the power.

He rubbed his rough cheek against hers. “Next time your hands will be tied down,” he whispered in her ear. “And maybe I'll tie your legs even farther apart and tease you until you scream.”

Her vagina clamped around his cock, and he chuckled. “For now, keep your hands there. The next lapse, I will punish with something to redden that pretty ass of yours.” His hand swept down and curled under one buttock, squeezing to illustrate his point.

She could feel the way her body responded, and she wanted to run away and hide. He talked about spanking her, and the thought made her wet.

“Ah, that confused look again.” He nibbled on her lower lip. “We'll talk later. For now, your only thought is to keep your hands laced together. Is that clear?”

She nodded, tightening her fingers, winning a smile.

Then he moved, and she realized how very careful he'd been. Out and in, the driving rhythm sending shudders of need and shock through her body. Each thrust pressed him against her engorged clit, each touch reverberating through her until her vagina tightened around him and she began to wind tighter and tighter. As the pressure built, her hips tilted, trying to get more, trying to change his movements to hit her clit harder.

With a low laugh, he put his hand between them, sliding in the wetness there, then over and around her clit, keeping his touch firm. His fingers were so slick and-

“Don't move, sub,” he growled, and she froze, her hands half out from under her head. She couldn't seem to move them back, though, as he touched her, over and over. His cock hammered her. He wouldn't let her move, and she whimpered uncontrollably as his fingers slid over her, and her insides coiled tighter and tighter.

Suddenly the room sheeted white, and she exploded around him. Spasms of intense pleasure shot from her core outward until even her fingers trembled.

He didn't stop. A husky groan broke from him as he increased the speed. A gentle pinch of her clit shocked overstimulated nerve endings. Her back arched up when another climax ripped through her.

As he pressed his forehead to hers, his hand slid under her to lift her hips even farther. He gave three forceful thrusts, then pressed deep, deeper inside her. His cock jerked against her womb slowly, then faster as his hand held them pressed tightly together. After a minute, he rubbed his cheek against hers.

When he raised his head, she held her breath. Now that he'd come, would he still look at her the same? Men changed sometimes, turned into different-

His fingers traced over the line between her eyebrows. “Now what's going through that head?” he murmured. “Hands down.”

She brought her arms down. After stroking his hard biceps, she ran her hands up and over shoulders sheened with sweat. The way the smooth skin stretched over such powerful muscles mesmerized her. His scent wrapped around her, all male.

His lips moved over hers, giving her soft kisses. “Brave little sub. You did very well, and you should be proud. Hold on one minute longer.” He pulled out of her and disappeared into the bathroom. When he returned, he released her from the leg restraints, then, with firm fingers, removed one breast clamp.

She slapped her hand over her breast at the unexpected pain as blood rolled back into it. “Ow!”

He chuckled. “They're worse coming off than going on.” Ignoring her hand pushing him away, he undid the other one. With her lips pressed together, she almost managed to stifle the whine until he licked over one, teasing the nipple with a wet tongue.

Pain and pleasure. The whine escaped and turned into whimpers as he continued.

Lifting her up, he pulled her off the wedge and on top of him so they lay on the carpet in front of the fire. He was so tall, she felt tiny perched there. One hand pressed against her bottom, keeping her hips against him; the other threaded through her hair and pulled her down for another kiss.

No, he hadn't changed at all after having sex. She put her forearms down on his chest, propping herself up so she could look at him. Even with her on top, him on the bottom, the confidence still radiated off him. Seeing that absolutely masculine face and the controlled power in it, no one could ever doubt he was in charge.

Chapter Eight

Logan woke her twice more during the night, and in the morning, he took her again. He entered the walk-in shower, pushed her back against the wall, and lifted her up enough to slide into her. Not asking permission, just taking his pleasure when and how he wanted. She really shouldn't enjoy his behavior, Rebecca managed to think, before he leaned down to kiss her. Held in place by relentless hands, impaled by his thick cock… His actions and his control made her so hot, she came within a few thrusts, squirming and whimpering.

Afterward, he helped her wash, as if that too was his right. He knelt to soap her feet, then her ankles. As he ran the soap up her legs, she relaxed, her mind deliciously blank, until his fingers paused on her upper left calf. Her scars. She tried to jerk away, but he simply wrapped a big hand around her leg and turned her toward the light so he could see better.

“He got you good.”

With her mouth clamped tightly shut, she couldn't manage anything but a nod. How had she been stupid enough to be naked with someone in a well-lit bathroom?

When he lifted her leg and kissed the scars, she gasped. He found the matching ones on the back of her right thigh, and she got another kiss. Rising, he said, “Seems like I felt something on your shoulder about here.” His fingers traced the lumps on her right shoulder. Another kiss. Then he turned her around to face him.

She couldn't look at him. Ugly, ugly, ugly. Her hands fisted as the taunts of her fifth- grade classmates filled her head.

With a huffed laugh, he unclenched her hands and put them on his shoulders, then tilted her face up.

She kept her eyes averted.

“Look at me, sugar.”

Warm water beat against her shoulders, the woodsy scent of his soap filled the air, and his patience was unrelenting. When she couldn't stand his silence any longer, she looked up.

His eyes crinkled. “There we go,” he murmured. “You know, if you hate scars that much, we're going to have a problem. I have lots of them.”

“But…” She huffed in exasperation. “You're a man. It's different.”

His eyebrows rose. “You're sexist?”

“No. Of course not.” She frowned as his meaning hit home. True, people viewed a scar differently on a man than a woman, but she shouldn't be letting the world get away with that. Really. “You have a point. I guess.”

“Good girl.” His deep voice was as much of a caress as the hand stroking her back. “Now, I kissed your scars…” He tilted his head in expectation.

At his unexpected response, she laughed. The last knot in her stomach unclenched as she started searching over his body. He did have a lot of scars. “How'd you get so many?” She traced her finger over a long slice along his side.

“Bar fight.” He patted his chest. “Shrapnel.” Left shoulder. “Bullet.” He grinned at her horrified look. “I served in Iraq, Becca. I don't mind the scars. I got back alive and whole.” Under his breath, he added, “Pretty much.”

The war. She waited for him to say more. He didn't, and his face had hardened. Some hurts didn't show on the outside, she knew. Taking her time, she searched and found and kissed every single white mark and line.

When they finished washing, he made her come again with his soapy fingers and then insisted on washing away every trace of the soap, inside and out. God, if he hadn't held her up, her legs would have given out.

They still weren't all that steady a few minutes later as she knelt on the floor by her clothing. At least she'd managed to yank her jeans on, since she considered covering her big hips in the light of day a high priority. She secured her hair into a ponytail with a scrunchie from her jeans pocket and donned her bra and chemise.

Her brown top still looked clean. Nice and loose to hide her round stomach. She shrugged it on.

A snort of disgust came from behind her. “I don't think so.” A second later, Logan pulled the shirt back off her.