again.”
“Okay, if you’re certain?” He certainly didn’t sound sure himself, but she heard him move back in readiness for a strike.
She then felt the second hit, slightly harder than before angled lower than the previous. It was still all right. She could take more. “And again.”
“God, you’re a glutton for punishment.” He then groaned at his pun but proceeded to whip her harder.
It caught the side of her hip. She resisted the urge to jerk her body to the side. Okay, he was getting into it now . But then so was she, Lissa realized. There was something about being tied up and whipped by someone she fancied that was very erotic. She felt her panties get wet.
The next hit came—much harder than the others. “Ow. Ow. Ow.” She grimaced at the pain, not having expected it to be that hard. He had taken her at her word.
“That’s it.” She heard him fling the stick down. “I’m not doing any more, but before I untie you, describe the pain for me quickly while it is fresh in your mind.” He moved in close, his hands on her hips steadying her, caressing her where he had hit. God she enjoyed the feel of him touching her.
“Lissa!”
She shook her head to gather her thoughts. “Um, sharp, sort of stinging, hot. I mean, my backside feels hot. Since I can’t see what you’re doing, I found myself listening out for the swishing noise so I knew when a hit was coming. ” She turned her head so she could look at him briefly, and then ducked her head, embarrassed, as his face was very close to hers. “I’ll tell you something else. It is very arousing!”
He chuckled behind her and untied her. As her arms dropped, he bent down and surprised her immensely by lifting her into his arms.
“Ahh,” she cried as he suddenly stumbled. She hastily clutched him around the neck.
Straightening up, he gathered her more closely to his body. “Sorry!” he said breathlessly. “It seems so simple in the books when the hero lifts the girl effortlessly.”
She tensed. “Are you saying I’m fat?”
Chuckling at her comment, his breathing returning to normal, he moved toward the bed. His balance was steadier now. “Hell, no.” To show he meant what he said, he laid her down unhurried on the bed without any visible effort this time. There was no dropping her in a rush like she expected.
“Wow, talk about sweeping a girl off her feet. I’m impressed—and you think you’re no good at the romantic stuff.”
He grinned. “I’ve had an excellent research assistant who is helping me learn. Besides, this isn’t me doing this, it’s Garin.”
She giggled. Then her eyes widened as he moved onto the bed next to her. “What are you doing now?”
Lifting a hand to cup her face, he pushed a stray lock behind her ear before rubbing a thumb across her lips. She quivered. “Shh. Garin lays Felissa on the bed,” he stated, referring to the book. “He expects her to jump off, but to his surprise, she doesn’t. She gives him a look of passion and longing. That’s it, just like that.”
It wasn’t hard for Lissa to recreate such a look. She swallowed nervously, knowing it was a genuine look, her hands fluttering against his arms as she wanted to hold him but was anxious about touching him.
He then bent his head forward, and, clasping the back of her head firmly with one hand, he kissed her. It wasn’t like the last kiss which had been short and sweet. This was long, slow, lingering, passionate, tingling, arousing. His tongue pressing firmly between her teeth, he stroked her tongue and then withdrew only to plunge in again. As their tongues met, she felt ripples of desire rush through her body and her clit began to pulse.
Her heart beat quicker and her hands moved up from his arms to close tightly around his broad shoulders as he leaned into her, her hands biting into him, her previous concern gone in her need to hold him to her. His hand stroked sensuously up and down her body, his thumb rubbing the underside
Learning to Kill: Stories