was leaving behind the idea that she would walk away from this man. She was his. At least for tonight.
Claire dropped to her knees, lowering her head as she gazed at the tips of his shoes. Her heart pounded furiously as she said, “Yes, Master.”
Chapter 6
WHEN CLAIRE SUNK to the floor and offered her obedience, Lucius admitted to himself the truth: He was in love with her.
He’d lusted after Claire since the day he’d hired her. He flirted with her outrageously, but she ignored him. Anytime he tested the waters, she rolled her eyes and pretended not to notice his attempts to impress her.
God! Just one flutter of her eyelashes or sensual curve of her lips and she would’ve been handcuffed and on her knees in ten seconds flat.
Instead, she quit.
His ego didn’t appreciate the brush-offs. Claire was the only woman who ever told him no. Rather, she had never given him the opportunity to expand the parameters of their relationship. He respected her boundaries. He respected her.
He wondered if she responded to him now because she believed him a stranger or if some part of her recognized who he really was—and that she could trust him. He hoped that was case, especially since he was putting more than just trust on the line tonight.
He was betting his heart.
For a long moment, he stared at the crown of her head. The rasp of her rapid breathing infiltrated his jumbled thoughts. Should he continue? Or should he admit who he was?
If he told her now, he would break her trust forever. Whoever had tried to dominate her before had not given her control of the situation. He needed to know more about that relationship and how it had affected Claire.
One night wasn’t going to be enough.
He wanted much, much longer with his beautiful Claire. He wanted … forever.
His heart raced as both love and lust wound through him. He would give her what she craved. He only hoped she would still want him after he took off the mask.
“I want you on my table,” he said, keeping his voice low and raspy. “I want you naked and writhing and begging.”
He heard her excited inhalation of breath and noted her trembling shoulders. Anticipation and excitement raced through him.
“Stand up, Claire.”
She wobbled to a standing position and kept her gaze on the floor. God, she was beautiful. His cock was hard and aching, pressing almost painfully against the zipper of his pants. He couldn’t wait until she earned her reward … until they would both be worthy of exquisite pleasure.
CLAIRE KEPT HER gaze on the floor. She was so nervous she felt her stomach quiver with nausea. And yet, submitting to her Master had created a state of arousal that went beyond mere sexual stimulation. She had never enjoyed the way Phillip made her feel. She realized now that Phillip had tried to master her only to please himself. This man’s demands created answering needs within her. She wanted to please him. She wanted to obey him. And in doing so, she found freedom.
“Undress,” he commanded softly. “Slowly. And look at me.”
Claire raised her head and looked directly at him. In the shadow-filled dungeon, her masked lover looked very much like the dark, tortured hero of a gothic romance. She couldn’t wait to see him naked, to feel his flesh slid against hers. Her breath hitched as she thought about the way his cock would feel during that first, sweet thrust. Her pussy clenched and the moisture of her desire rolled down her thighs.
Since she was only wearing the dress, taking it off would pretty much end the striptease. She had no music, only the tumultuous beat of her heart and the rasp of her rapid breathing. She languidly turned so that her back faced him. Her fingers drifted down her hips and eased the dress up so that the curve of her ass showed.
She waited a beat then dropped the cloth. It fell softly against her calves. She heard the sharp intake of his breath and smiled.
“Will you unzip me, Master?” she asked.
He
Learning to Kill: Stories