Taming Rex Read online

  He smiled. “I don’t get to do much of the heavy work as I used to. I’m often stuck in the office directing my crew most of the day. But I try to get to the gym after work most nights.”

  She cringed. “Gyms and I don’t get along well. I’m afraid I’ll never be in that good of shape. If I tried to get on a treadmill, I’d probably end up becoming the subject of one of those memes, the kind that shows five seconds of running before the person falls off the end and slams their chin into the floor.”

  He laughed. “Surely it wouldn’t be that bad.”

  “Oh, don’t doubt me. I’d drop weights on my foot or trip doing Pilates or pull a muscle in yoga. Exercise and I are not close friends. Kids certainly didn’t pick me first for any sports teams when I was young.” She winced. “Wait. Kids didn’t pick me for anything when I was young. I was the nerdy girl before I ever went to school.”

  He chuckled harder. “Come on. You’re not nerdy. I can tell you’re intelligent and inquisitive and smarter than anyone I know, but not nerdy.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Have you ever seen that sitcom with the little boy who goes to high school at ten years old?”

  “Young Sheldon?” He grinned. “Love that show.”

  “Well, I was like him.”

  He tipped his head to one side, eyes wider. “You went to high school at ten?”

  “Well, not quite. I was eleven.” She giggled. It was a relief to tell him. “And I’m not a theoretical physicist. I veered toward numbers. Math. Coding. But I did graduate high school at fourteen.”

  His eyes went wider. “Fuck me. I just ate dinner with a genius.”

  She shrugged. “I don’t really consider myself a genius. I’m just a fast learner and a wiz with numbers.”

  “So you have several PhDs or something?”

  “Nope. I have multiple undergrad degrees because I liked school and wanted to try everything. But then I settled on a masters in information management. I was literally itching to get to work after that, so I took a job with a small cyber security company in Syracuse for two years before getting restless. Last week I started with the agency I work for now and they immediately sent me here. I started on Wednesday.”

  “Holy shit. I feel so…well, old. And honored too. I think.” He didn’t release her hands or her gaze. He was simply being honest. “I’d ask what you do, but I’m afraid the answer might make me feel inadequate.”

  She giggled again. “Nope. It’s simple. I’m a hacker.”

  “A computer hacker?”

  “Yep. The ethical kind. My job is to find the weaknesses in any particular business and fix them or advise the company what they should do.”

  “Oh, wow. That’s so awesome. And this other nerdy guy you work with does that too?”

  She rolled her eyes. “Rex. Yes. The company we’re working for right now needed two people. They had a breach and their previous hacker wasn’t cutting it. We’ll be here a while.”

  “And then you’ll be sent somewhere else?”

  “That’s the plan.”

  He nodded slowly. “Why does that already make me feel kind of bereft?”

  His question was rhetorical. All she did was offer him a sad smile. Who knew she would’ve met someone as nice as Dayton and go on an actual date five days after she arrived in Miami? Hell, she’d also done an amazing scene with him.

  She’d also had an earth-rattling scene with another man. Rex. Her social scorecard had gotten more use in the last three days than it had in months. Too bad the job assignment was temporary. It didn’t matter how well she clicked with either man. Eventually she would be reassigned somewhere else, and neither of them would be going with her.

  “You ready to go?” he asked after a long silence.

  “Yes, Sir,” she whispered, smiling at him coyly, hoping he intended to get some play in with her when they left. She’d found herself wanting to get her hands on him ever since he’d rocked her world against the bathroom door.

  She’d never done any kind of fetish play outside of a club, but if Dayton was game, she wanted to give it a try. Addressing him as Sir while lowering her voice was the best hint she could think to give.

  His smile grew. “Hmmm. Guess I better get the check.”

  Chapter 15

  Dayton held Erica’s hand in his lap while he drove back to her apartment and resumed the contact as soon as he helped her out of his truck. She was short enough that she had to jump down every time she exited, which made him smile.

  He also grabbed the small duffle bag he kept behind the front seat before walking her to the building. He didn’t often find himself in a situation where he played outside of Zodiac, but he always kept a few toys on hand just in case.

  It had actually been over a year since he had a steady submissive that he dated outside of the club, someone he also went to dinner with and spent the night with. If he wasn’t mistaken, Erica could easily move into the sleepover zone. Not tonight. It was too soon. But he was hoping in the near future.

  They entered her apartment in silence, and as soon as the door shut, she started wringing her hands again.

  He dropped his bag on the floor and clasped her fists in one of his. “I don’t want you to be nervous with me. If my presence in your place makes you uncomfortable, I’ll leave. I’ve had an amazing time tonight, and I’d like to see you again, but there’s no obligation here.”

  She swallowed in that way he was growing to recognize she did whenever she needed a moment to center herself. “I’d like you to stay, Sir. I’m just not used to this kind of thing.”

  “The kind of thing where you go on a date and then submit to someone?”

  She nodded. “Yes, that. My submission has never extended beyond a club scene…except tonight, of course.”

  He stepped closer, releasing her hands and then setting his on her hips. “Close your eyes.”

  She did so immediately.

  He slid his hands around to her lower back and pulled her closer. “Pretend we’re at Zodiac and I’m about to dominate you. The only difference is that no one’s watching.”

  “Mmm.” Her body relaxed marginally into him.

  “Is that something you enjoy? Being watched?”

  “I’m not sure. I don’t think much about who’s watching me when I submit. I usually concentrate on myself and my feelings. But I don’t mind being watched if that’s what you mean. It’s like I step into a club and transform into another person. It’s silly that here in my own home, where I should be more relaxed in private, I’m actually more unnerved.”

  He smoothed his hands up her back and threaded one set of fingers in her hair, giving her a gentle tug to help her let go. “It’s not silly. For one thing, when you’re in a club, it’s safer. There are dungeon monitors. No one can take advantage of you or harm you in any way. Not without getting in serious trouble.”

  “Yeah. That’s part of it,” she murmured. “But I trust you.”

  He reached with his other hand to brush her hair off her forehead. Her eyes were still closed, but her face was tipped back, and he kept a careful eye on her expression. “You’ve only known me a few days. It’s understandable that you would be nervous submitting in private.”

  “I checked with Lincoln and Sasha. They both gave you the green light.”

  “Good for you. I’m glad you did your homework. Nevertheless, let me ease your mind a bit. For tonight, I’m going to keep my clothes on. How about if you let me give you some more of the release you crave, and then I’ll tuck you into bed and leave you to sleep.”

  Her eyes opened and she met his gaze. “That doesn’t seem very fair to you.”

  “Oh, sweet girl, this has been one of the best nights I’ve had in a long time already. I’m a lucky bastard. I wasn’t kidding when I told Flynn I was quicker than him Friday night. If another man had asked you to scene before I got to you, there’s a good chance you would be standing here with someone else right now. You’re an amazing woman. Like I said before,
I’m honored to be here. I’d love nothing more than to make your body hum in a way that leaves you sated and smiling. Next time we go out, we’ll discuss your comfort level again. I will never put you in a position where you’re nervous with me. Got it?” He lifted his brows in question.

  “Yes, Sir.” Her voice was soft, and her body relaxed further against his.

  “Good. Now, I know you enjoy impact play. What kind of scene do you have in mind for tonight? Wait, what did you do last night?” He winced, hoping she didn’t notice. He didn’t need the reminder that she’d role-played with another man. Not just anyone, but someone she would see first thing tomorrow at work. A brilliant man who understood her mind better than Dayton ever would. Someone she could surely find far more common ground with.

  He shook the thoughts from his head. This was not a contest. He didn’t own her. They’d done a scene and gone on a date. She had every right to do so with anyone she wanted. Plus, he couldn’t own her even if he wanted to. She wasn’t in Miami indefinitely.

  “Rex used floggers last night,” she informed him.

  “Are you sore today?” He hadn’t seen any evidence of her wincing.

  She shook her head. “No. It was our first scene together. He was hesitant.”

  “Good. I like to hear that.” He hated to admit it, but he couldn’t find fault with this Rex guy. He wanted to dislike the man. He really did. But it was difficult. Rex was good-looking, respectful, and apparently also a genius. The truth was Dayton couldn’t compete with that. Hell, if Lincoln had asked Dayton to dominate Rex Friday night, that wouldn’t have been a hardship either.

  Rex shook himself back to the present. “How about a spanking? Do you enjoy that too? It’s more intimate, but I’d love to strip you naked and take you over my knee.”

  She shivered. “I’d like that, Sir.”

  He reached for her chin and cupped it. “I assume you don’t mind if I make you come on my fingers again?”

  She flushed. “Not at all, Sir. I doubt you could stop me even if you wanted to. I’ve been half aroused all evening even though you already gave me one orgasm.”

  He tapped her nose. “Don’t go thinking you have permission to come whenever you want, sweet girl. When we’re together, I’ll decide when and if. Not you.”

  “Yes, Sir.” Her voice was breathy now. Fucking sexy.

  “Safeword?”

  She grinned. “Algorithm, Sir.”

  He chuckled. “Then I still get parallel for yellow.”

  “And how does parallel fit into your job, Sir? You said it related.”

  “You wouldn’t hire me to come back and mow your lawn a second time if all my rows were uneven, would you?”

  She giggled.

  God, he loved that sound.

  It was time to stop talking though, so he lowered his hands to her sides, gathered up the edges of her dress, and lifted it. “Arms up, sweet girl.”

  She did as he instructed, shivering a bit as he whisked the material over her head. Her hair fell around her shoulders in glorious dark waves. When she lowered her hands to her sides, he could see her fighting the urge to fist them.

  He stepped back, his gaze wandering from her ample chest still encased in a white bra to her bare pussy. Not just bare from not wearing panties, but she also kept it shaved clean. “Take your bra off, Erica. Let me see all of you.”

  She reached behind her back, unhooked the bra, and let it fall to the floor. Her gaze lowered, her feet parted, and her hands went to her lower back.

  “That’s a girl.” He circled her, taking in every inch of her perfect skin. Pale. Delicate. Smooth. And her hair. Damn, that hair was fucking gorgeous. “Close your eyes again. Pretend we’re at Zodiac doing a scene. Remember our negotiation. I’m going to keep my clothes on. You’re going to get a spanking and the release you crave.”

  “Yes, Sir.”

  He would have to stick to that precise plan because if he didn’t, she would never trust his word. True, he’d had sex with women occasionally after knowing them less than he knew Erica, but she wasn’t other women. In addition, he really liked her. A lot. Enough to tread very carefully and ensure he never put her in a position where she didn’t feel safe. So, his pants had to stay on and his dick would have to wait until he got home to get relief.

  When he reached her back, he set his fingertips on her skin and trailed them down her spine, watching as she shivered. There was no evidence of impact play on her butt cheeks, which meant neither his paddle nor Rex’s floggers had struck her hard enough to leave a lasting mark. “Spread your legs wider, sweet girl.”

  She stepped out without hesitation.

  He inched closer until he could feel her heat against his chest. “Does it excite you to know I’m about to spank your sweet bottom?”

  “Yes, Sir,” she breathed.

  He glanced behind him and then released her to back up and sit on her sofa. “Come here, sweet girl.”

  She turned around and padded toward him, stopping when she reached his knees.

  Instead of taking her over his thighs just yet, he slid his hands up her body from her waist to her breasts, cupping them in his palms before flicking his thumbs over the tips. They were slightly large for her frame, but totally natural. He almost laughed at that thought. Erica wasn’t the sort of woman who would have gotten a boob job in her twenty-two years.

  When she arched into his touch, her lips parting, he wrapped one hand behind her and pulled her between his legs, close enough to get his mouth on her nipple.

  Her head fell back and she moaned the second he sucked her between his lips. The sound made his cock harder than it had been all evening. He swirled his tongue around her engorged nipple, wondering how often she’d engaged in this sort of play in her life. If she didn’t bring people home and only role-played at clubs, there was a chance she wasn’t used to the sexual intimacy that came with being at home where she could be more comfortable and even fall asleep for the night.

  He switched to her other nipple, immensely enjoying every little sound she made and the way her legs trembled. He could suckle her tits all night, perhaps even make her come from the activity, but that wasn’t what they’d negotiated. Another time. Damn, she was sensitive.

  Reluctantly, he released her breast and maneuvered her to one side of his body. “Keep your hands clasped behind your back. Let me lower you over my lap.”

  Her hair fell forward to shield her face from his view as he arranged her across his knees. He didn’t want to disrupt the scene to pull it back, but he couldn’t resist running his fingers through it, letting it fall over and over along her shoulders before forcing himself to focus on the rest of her.

  What he did next was sure to get her attention anyway. He wrapped his hand around the knee closest to his torso and tugged it up onto the sofa, bending it so that it rested against his hip, essentially opening her up so that her pussy was fully exposed. It would make every swat from his hand even more powerful.

  She shivered and then let herself relax against him.

  He slid one hand down her arm to settle his wider palm over her clasped hands. Not holding them forcefully. Just reminding her to leave them there. With his other hand, he stroked the soft skin of her bottom and thighs, letting his fingers roam between them. He inched ever closer to her open pussy but didn’t touch her there.

  God, he enjoyed this sweet little submissive. Every whimper and flinch. Every sigh. He would enjoy touching her like this for hours. He already surmised it would drive her higher and higher.

  He needed to stop tormenting her for tonight though. He would reserve edging for another time. Instead, he found the sweet spot he’d swat on her bottom and held his hand steady there. Lining his palm up. “You ready, Erica?”

  “Yes, Sir.” Her voice was breathy. Anxious.

  “I’m not going to have you count, nor am I going to predetermine how many times I’ll spank you tonight. I’m going to watch your reaction and take my cues from you.”

>   “Yes, Sir.”

  At the last moment, he slid his hand from her hands to her hair, ran his fingers through the locks, and then gave a tug, pulling her head back.

  She moaned.

  Damn, she was precious. He lifted his other hand and spanked her bottom with enough force to make her flinch. She wasn’t the sort of sub who needed a great deal of warming up. She was ready. Anxious. Nearly begging.

  And he gave her what she needed. Another swat, this one landing higher. Her gorgeous pale skin pinkened immediately, the heat radiating off her cheeks.

  With his fingers threaded tightly in her hair, he spanked her several more times in a row, not pausing long between each swat, letting his hand land all over her bottom.

  When he stopped to smooth his palm over her heated skin and make sure she was still with him, she moaned. “Jesus. God.”

  He smiled, unable to reprimand her for the outburst and not addressing him properly. She liked what he was doing. So, he continued.

  She arched her head higher, elongating her neck as he tugged her hair back. Her hands fisted tighter at the small of her back. Her bottom was hot to the touch and deeply pink now.

  He didn’t want to leave a lasting mark, so he moved his attention to her upper thighs, spanking her there, making sure his fingers landed between her spread legs to torment her.

  “Dayton,” she cried out. “Sir. Oh God. I’m going to come.”

  He hadn’t even touched her intimately, and he didn’t want to miss out on being intimately involved in her orgasm. So, he thrust his hand between her spread legs and dragged his fingers through her folds. She was soaked. Swollen and hot and so very ready.

  Instead of entering her channel, he rubbed her clit with three fingers pressing flat against the greedy nub.

  Erica screamed as she came almost instantly, her body stiffening as he felt the waves of pulses against his fingers.

  Her submission was perfect.

  He was in so much trouble.

  Chapter 16