Perception Page 10

She was flawless. Perfect in every way.

  For a man his size, he was always conscientious about the women he was with. He didn’t pursue tiny women. He had no interest in being gentle which meant he needed a woman who could handle him. Mercedes was that woman.

  Moving up against her, Xander reached for her hands, linking their fingers and lifting her arms. “Put your hands around my neck,” he advised, leaning forward which was the only way she’d be able to reach around him.

  Her fingers were cool against the overheated skin of his neck. He closed his eyes briefly, enjoying the feel of her touch.

  Pressing his lips to the curve of her neck and shoulder, Xander slid his hands over her hips, her waist, higher until he cupped her breasts in his hands.

  “You have such beautiful breasts,” he mumbled as he lifted them. “Perfect pink nipples that will look so pretty clamped.”

  Her body tensed briefly, but Xander didn’t allow it to throw him off course. Pinching her nipples, he kissed her neck again. “But not yet. First, I want you to look up into that mirror.”

  Xander glanced up to meet her gaze in the oversized cheval mirror that his designer had picked out, saying something about suiting his personality. For him, it had always been just a mirror. But right now, it was a portal to ecstasy.

  “For the next five days, I’m going to own you. Every part of you. Do you agree?”

  Mercedes only nodded, but her eyes never left his.

  “Answer me,” he insisted, keeping his tone low. “That’s one thing I won’t compromise on. You will tell me what you’re feeling. Especially when I ask.”

  “Yes,” she whispered. “For five days, you’ll own me.”

  Xander wasn’t a praying man, but right then and there, he sent up a silent plea that five days would turn into much, much longer.

  ~*~*~*~

  Mercedes watched the images in the mirror closely. Xander’s body pressed up against her back, his face serious as he observed her in the reflective glass. What she saw wasn’t at all what she expected to see.

  There, reflecting back at her, was a naked woman – her – but she saw more than just an abundantly curvy body that she knew was a far cry from perfect. Not that she’d ever cared about perfection. She liked who she was, how she looked, her inner strength. But right now, with Xander’s big hands grazing over her skin, the fire she saw in his gaze, well, it made her feel incredibly feminine and… powerful.

  How could that possibly be the case when for the last ten minutes she’d undressed in front of him at his command. Could it be the way he was looking at her? Or possibly the way his hands drifted over her skin reverently, like he was cherishing every touch.

  Whatever it was, it was heady. Enough to make her breath lodge in her throat.

  He didn’t appear to be in a hurry, didn’t seem to need more than what they were sharing right at that moment and she felt an exhilarating rush of lust burst in her bloodstream.

  She’d had a hard time admitting that he would own her for the next five days. In fact, she’d said the words while, at the same time, she was thinking that she’d never last that long. But the longer she stood there, the more Xander touched her, all while their eyes met briefly in the mirror, she knew he had won before the game ever even began.

  She may never truly submit, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t going to fall for him.

  “I want to touch you,” Xander mumbled against her ear.

  He was touching her, wasn’t he? She didn’t speak the words out loud though.

  “Come here.”

  As he stood up straight again, her hands fell from around his neck. She let her arms hang down at her sides while she glimpsed the woman in the mirror one last time. She couldn’t help but wonder whether she would recognize the woman by the end of the weekend. She was sure if Xander had anything to say about it, she would.

  Mercedes took Xander’s hand when he held his out to her. Following behind him, she allowed him to lead her to his bed. Seriously? Was he going to get down to business so quickly? That wasn’t like him at all.

  “Sit,” he said, motioning toward an oversized cedar chest that sat at the foot of the bed.

  Not meeting his gaze, Mercedes sat as instructed, her knees tightly clamped together in front of her while she kept her arms in close to her body, suddenly feeling incredibly modest.

  She watched as Xander moved across the room. When he grabbed a chair and returned to set it in front of her, she wondered what he was going to do. Surely if he wanted to have a conversation, he could afford her a measure of dignity and allow her to get dressed.

  “Spread your legs,” he insisted.

  Ok, so apparently her dignity just took a dive out the window. It was a twenty story drop. There was no way it would be in tact when she finally got around to needing it again.

  Mercedes’s nerves were suddenly at war inside of her.

  Swallowing hard, she stared back at Xander. She could do this. She knew she could. She would just need to pretend that this was a lesson, a demonstration of sorts, one that she could use when she was the one in control again. It wasn’t like she didn’t have an idea what he was going to do. She’d done the same to her subs multiple times.

  Squaring her shoulders and straightening her spine, she spread her legs, keeping her attention focused on Xander’s handsome face.

  “Very pretty,” he remarked, his eyes sliding down her body and then stalling between her now spread thighs.

  She fought the urge to snap her knees closed.

  You can do this, she reminded herself.

  Xander inched the chair closer to her, closing the gap between them.

  “Put your feet on my knees.”

  Ok, so that was going to be an awkward position. Not wanting him to see the mortification that was probably clearly written on her face, she avoided his eyes by looking directly at his chest as she did as she was told.

  With her feet resting on his spread knees, she had to lean back on her hands to hold her upper body up, while her pussy was on full display for him, and he was taking every opportunity to glance between her legs.

  She was not going to survive this.

  “I’m going to shave you later,” he informed her, one finger gently grazing the dark curls at the apex of her thighs.

  Her first instinct was to argue. It wasn’t that she was against the idea because she was usually bare down there, but recently, she’d decided to do something different. Translated to: she’d gotten lazy and rushing out to the spa to get waxed hadn’t been high on her priority list. She preferred to be bare, so in some sense, she was still in control. Not that she would tell him as much.

  Remembering that he’d be making her decisions for the next five days per their agreement, she didn’t say a word.

  “I want us to lay out the rules, Mercedes,” Xander said, surprising her with the topic.

  Here she was, splayed wide for him, and he really wanted to have a civil conversation? She was going to lose it, she knew it.

  Sucking in a deep breath, she tilted her chin up, ignoring the fact that he’d put her in an incredibly vulnerable position. “What are the rules?”

  If she weren’t mistaken, Xander’s lips tilted slightly into one of those sexy smirks of his.

  He was pressing his luck.

  “For four nights, you will sleep in my bed.”

  “But –”

  “No buts,” he argued. “Once I’m finished, you can tell me your thoughts and we’ll discuss.”

  God, he sounded like such a fucking Dom.

  “Fine,” she retorted sarcastically.

  Xander’s hand lifted, and before she could react, he smacked her splayed pussy, sending a zing of heated pleasure racing through her. She moaned.

  Oh, God. She actually moaned.

  Heat suffused her face, but this time it was embarrassment that lay claim to her body. The body that betrayed her with such an enthusiastic reaction to his intimate touch.

  “Keep up with the
smart ass comments, and I’ll bend you over my knee.”

  Mercedes clamped her lips shut, not trusting herself not to argue. It was in her nature. She was the one who was generally in control. This was the exact reason she didn’t submit. It went against everything in her because she didn’t want someone to order her around.

  “Five full days. Four nights. My bed,” he restated. “You’ll live under my roof during that time. You’ll be permitted to go to your condo to handle your business dealings. When you aren’t working, you’ll be here with me.”

  “Tell me I’m going to cook and clean for you and we’re done,” Mercedes argued, venom injected in her tone. He was pushing her to her limit.

  Xander glared at her, his eyes hard. She was so transfixed in his gaze that she didn’t see him move. When his hand slapped her pussy once again, she screamed. An intense, pain filled pleasure jolted her system. Before she could think or breathe, Mercedes found herself laying across Xander’s huge thighs, her breasts crushed against his leg.

  “Five,” he told her. “Count them out.”

  There wasn’t a pause before his hand came down on her bare ass, and she knew instantly that he wasn’t going to go easy on her.

  Oh, God. The humiliation was unbearable, but somehow she dug deep, grasping every ounce of her pride as she lay motionless across his lap.

  “One,” she groaned through clenched teeth, her breath rushing out of her.

  Another slap followed immediately on the same ass cheek and this time she swallowed her scream. “Two.”

  “Three more,” he said, the heat of his hand caressing the sting on her ass.

  The warmth disappeared, and she braced herself for the impact, but it didn’t come immediately. It was exactly what she would’ve done, leaving her sub anticipating the next move.

  Oh, fuck! Mercedes screamed when his hand landed on the crease where her ass met her thigh, the pain excruciating, yet strangely erotic at the same time. “Three.”

  There was no way she was going to last through two more. Her ass was burning, and the heat had engulfed her entire body. She felt like she would implode at any second.

  He spanked her again, this time on the opposite cheek. “Four.”

  Tears slipped from her eyes, and she blinked, wanting to take them back. There was no way she’d break right now. She refused. Sucking in a deep breath, she held it as she waited for him to finish.

  The last one came in the same spot as the one before, and she choked on a gasp that ripped from her chest, the pain lancing through her nerve endings.

  “Five.”

  “I’m proud of you,” he said, his voice steady and calm.

  Mercedes knew that Xander didn’t overreact. He never punished a sub out of anger. That’s not what it was about. Too bad, in her current position, she wasn’t feeling all that calm, or seeing any rationale behind the punishment.

  Biting her tongue to keep from yelling at him, Mercedes waited for him to move, wanting desperately to get off of him, but at the same time, she wanted to feel the safety and security of his body against hers.

  Not to mention, she was pretty sure she wouldn’t be sitting for at least a good half hour. Her ass was on fire.

  Chapter Eleven

  Xander had to take a moment to breathe, to try to rein himself in. To ignore the overwhelming urge to sink his cock into this amazing woman, to make her beg and plead while he plowed her over and over until they were both barely able to breathe from the desperate need for release.

  Watching as Mercedes’s beautiful bare ass blushed a pretty red beneath his hand had nearly been his undoing. And the way she’d reacted had been more than he could’ve asked for. She’d taken every swat, counting them out as he instructed, without squirming or trying to pull away.

  And when he said he was proud of her… that was an understatement.

  She slayed him with her trust. If she ever thought he was in total control just because she was the one submitting, she was definitely wrong. He might own her body for the next few days, but this woman was rapidly taking ownership of his soul. It was inevitable, he knew. And it was a risk he was willing to take because God willing, by the time their five days came to an end, she’d belong to him in every way that mattered.

  Xander shifted, helping Mercedes to her feet. Once she was standing, he leaned forward and pressed his mouth to her reddened ass, the skin warm beneath his lips.

  Taking her hand, he eased her back toward the cedar chest, motioning with his head for her to sit. He knew it was going to be uncomfortable now that her ass was reddened by his hand, but it was part of the punishment.

  “Feet up,” he instructed again, wanting her back in the same position she’d been in earlier. He liked her splayed out for him. He knew that by insisting she was naked and on display, it took away her sense of control.

  To his surprise, she didn’t argue. She didn’t even wipe away the tears that had left tracks down her cheeks. Leaning forward, he thumbed away the wet streaks while keeping his eyes locked with hers. There was defiance in the magnificent gray color, which made her eyes darker than he’d ever seen them.

  “Now where were we?” he asked, leaning back and letting his hand trail slowly over her breast, her belly, and once again to graze the perfect triangle of dark hair on her mound.

  Yes, he’d certainly be shaving her later. He wanted her bare. The idea of her bare folds glistening made him hotter than hell.

  “You told me that I’d spend every minute that I’m not working here with you.”

  “Right. And you won’t be going to Kink tonight either,” he said, knowing he was going to hit a sore spot with her.

  To his surprise, she bit her bottom lip, but she didn’t argue.

  “I’ll call Shane and let him know,” Xander told her.

  “About us?” she asked suddenly, her eyes widening as though the idea of Shane knowing about their deal was horrifying.

  He decided to test her. “Yes.”

  “What are you going to say?” she questioned.

  “Whatever I want.” He didn’t elaborate. He would tell Shane exactly what was going on because he chose to. End of story.

  “Now, do you have any questions?” he asked her.

  “Will we be going to Devotion?”

  “Yes. I want somewhere we can play. We’ll be more anonymous there.” He was doing that for her, wanting her to realize he was thinking about her. At Kink, she’d be mortified to submit to him. He got that.

  Mercedes nodded, as though his answer was acceptable. Xander waited for her to ask more questions. She didn’t.

  “Are you on the pill?” he asked.

  “Birth control shot, yes.”

  “You’ve seen my recent medical records but if you want, I’ll get you a copy.” Routine testing for sexually transmitted disease was a requirement just to be members of Kink, and at Devotion too, so they were both familiar with providing them. Just last week, Xander had sent his with her to Kink. And prior to the soft opening of Devotion, he’d seen hers when he submitted her application for membership.

  “Why?” she asked.

  “Because,” Xander told her, sliding his finger along her wet slit, “when I’m inside of you, I don’t want any barriers between us.” He paused, dipping the tip of his finger inside of her. “Does that bother you?”

  If it did, Xander wouldn’t hesitate to use a condom. He’d never had sex without one, never been in a relationship that had made it to the point where he would trust a woman enough. Most of the time, he was just too weary that a woman would try and trap him by getting pregnant. A morbid thought, maybe, but one he had to consider with everyone he decided to spend time with.

  With Mercedes, trust wasn’t an issue. The issue was that he wanted her with his body and his soul and, at least for now, he doubted the feelings were reciprocated.

  “I’ve never…” she began, swallowed. “I don’t…”

  She clearly couldn’t form an answer, so Xander helped her out. �
�You’ve never had sex without a condom?”

  “No.”

  “Are you scared to?”

  There was hesitation in her eyes, but he waited her out this time, wanting the truth.

  “A little. But not because of what you’re thinking. I just… It seems too intimate.”

  Xander agreed. “That’s the point, Mercedes,” he told her, his voice low. “I don’t want anything between us. Nothing. I want to feel you in every way possible.”

  She seemed to think it over for several seconds, and then she nodded her head. “Ok. No condoms. Unless we’re at the club,” she answered, the breathless tone of her voice belying the unaffected expression she tried to force into place.

  Xander nodded. It was a requirement at Devotion that condoms be used in any public scene. It was also suggested that condoms be used at all times.

  “Good,” he told her as he pulled his finger back. “Do you have any other questions for right now?”

  She looked like there was something she wanted to ask, but she kept her mouth closed.

  “The only thing I ask of you, M, is that you’re honest with me. Open and honest about everything. Answer me verbally when I question you. Talk to me when you have concerns. You know how this works; I don’t need to explain it to you.”

  “I know how it works,” she said snippily.

  “Good, then I think we’re on the same page.”

  “Yes, we’re on the same page.” Mercedes paused briefly. “Just remember we made a deal. I get to dominate you, as well. And there are no hard limits.”

  “Trust me baby, I doubt that’s something I’ll ever forget.” The idea of Mercedes dominating him was ludicrous, but he wasn’t about to tell her that. He’d made a deal, and he wouldn’t go back on his word. And just like her, he’d give her his complete and total trust. She would do with it what she wanted.

  And in the end, they’d both be stronger for it.

  ~*~*~*~

  Mercedes was hanging by a thread, and she wondered whether Xander knew it.

  Here they were, having a somewhat casual, although extremely important, conversation, yet he continued to tease her with the very tip of his finger against her clit. It was driving her absolutely mad, but she’d held back, refusing to let him see her weakness.