Forbidden Fires Read online

  McConnell crouched next to Delia, speaking softly. “We’re done for the night. Let Colin take care of you now. You deserve it for being such a good girl.”

  She didn’t respond, except for leaning into the touch of his hand against the back of her neck. The man stroked one tanned hand from her nape along the length of her spine and ended with a sharp smack to her buttocks. She let out a small yelp, and Colin choked back a laugh.

  McConnell stood, a grin on his face, and offered his hand when Colin rose as well. “Sorry. Couldn’t resist. Breakfast is continental, so it’s ready when you are. See you in the morning.”

  As McConnell left the room, Colin picked up the robe Delia had been wearing and set it on the chair. He dropped to a knee next to her and walked his fingers over each of the bumps in her spine, following it until he reached the dip between her cheeks. He teased her there for a moment, then leaned over and nipped at her ass. “Come on, bad girl. Up with you.”

  She drew herself backward and up onto her knees again, but swayed slightly.

  “Easy, love,” he murmured, catching her in his arms. She leaned into him, all warm, soft, content woman. His dick stirred, but he forced the thought aside. First, he needed to get her back to their room.

  He stood, helping her rise with him, then wrapped her in the robe. She didn’t look at him, though, but kept her face turned toward the floor. Shit, he hoped she was still playing the sub and not embarrassed by what had gone on here. He wasn’t embarrassed, and he wasn’t sorry in the least. The past few hours had been fucking incredible.

  He lifted her chin, frowned at her slightly panicked eyes and dropped a soft, hopefully reassuring kiss on her lips, deepening it as she opened to him.

  Chapter Twelve

  Oh God, oh God, oh God. Those words kept playing over and over in Delia’s brain as Colin kissed her. Had she really just... And had he actually... And had Master Gabriel...?

  Yes, yes and yes. Oh, God.

  She tried to hide the need to flee from him, but wasn’t really successful, if the way his arms tightened around her was any sign.

  “You’re sexy as hell, babe.”

  Was she, really? Inappropriate laughter bubbled up inside and she had to bury her face in his shirt to keep it all from spilling out. Her whole body shook, and he had to be thinking she was sobbing. Still a possibility, but right now, it was pure hysteria.

  To her utter shock, he scooped her up and carried her from the room, knight in shining armor to her damsel in distress. The ease with which he carried her and climbed the stairs was proof of his prime physical condition, just another of the many reasons she’d never gotten him out of her head.

  Once inside their room, she struggled to get down. She needed some alone time, in the bathroom, away from him and everyone and everything else. Shit, she needed time to regroup.

  He was having none of it. “Jesus, Dee, watch your elbows.”

  She twisted once more and they went down in a jumbled heap of arms and legs on the bed, which he took immediate advantage of. The next thing she knew, she was flat on her back, her hands pinned above her head and Colin’s hot, heavy erection nestled between her thighs, pressed against her core. How he’d gotten the robe open was a mystery. He was still fully clothed, but even dress trousers couldn’t mask his arousal.

  He dipped his head and sucked a nipple into his mouth, and she cried out, arching her back, the sensations shooting south. She’d thought she was too tired for any more tonight, too freaked out and ready to bolt, but she was wrong. She wanted Colin, and she wanted him now.

  Him taking control of the situation made her panic ebb, allowing her mind to calm. In spite of her embarrassment over the way she’d completely let loose, she’d found something out about herself that she’d always wondered, something big. And she couldn’t blame it all on playing a role.

  She was a sexual submissive. Didn’t just think it or wonder if it could be true. She knew it, with absolute certainty.

  Nothing had ever made her feel so right inside than the things she’d done tonight, the things that had been done to her. From the first spanking to that ultra-submissive pose with her head on the floor and her ass in the air, it was as if her sexuality had shifted into focus.

  And, in spite of all odds, Colin was on board with that. The evidence was there for her to feel, to crave, to want deep inside her. She locked eyes with him, allowing him to see inside her very soul. “Please, Sir. I need you.”

  Colin’s eyes flamed. “Who are you?”

  She licked her lips as her heart pounded, knowing what he wanted to hear. “Delia Mae Robinson. And I want you, Colin Butler. No games, no roles.”

  “Don’t move,” he ordered, levering himself off the bed.

  She watched as he shucked his clothes, finally standing before her wearing nothing but an evil grin. He held out his hand and tugged her until she was standing, facing the large oval mirror near the dresser. She gasped. “Jesus, Colin. I look like something the cat dragged in.”

  He laughed and pulled the robe off, nipping at the shoulder he’d just bared. “You look like a woman who’s been fucked. Like one who’s going to get fucked again.”

  Colin had always referred to having sex as making love, but his use of the crude word didn’t bother her, it upped her arousal. It was right for this situation, right for what she was begging him to do.

  In the mirror, he stood behind her, his much larger body framing hers. His hands were everywhere, pinching a nipple, grasping her hips, stroking her slit until her mouth was open in a wide O, a bright red flush covering her chest. She was so close to the edge, so desperate for release. “Oh, God. Don’t stop.”

  He stopped. “You don’t give the orders. I do. Give me your hand.”

  “You’re just mean,” she said, but she put out her hand and watched their reflection as he wrapped a restraint around her wrist. She couldn’t take her eyes off it, and it made her wet. Wetter than she already was, anyway.

  He laughed. “You love it. Now give me your other hand.”

  She did love it. But still... “And if I don’t?”

  He raised a brow and dangled the other restraint. “Then everything stops.”

  Well, hell, that wouldn’t do. She put out her other wrist but pouted anyway.

  “I have a better use for those lips, sweetheart. Wrapped around my dick, sucking me off.”

  Oh, she could so go for that, but he apparently had other things in mind. He drew her hands behind her back and locked the restraints together. She was bound, just as she’d been with the robe’s tie, but this felt different. More real. Edgier.

  He walked her to the bathroom and fiddled with the taps of the large soaking tub. He dropped a few bath beads into the water, and the smells of jasmine and vanilla filled the decadent room. Candles of all sizes, live plants, luxurious towels, a large glassed-in shower. Heaven.

  As the tub filled, he guided her to the edge and sat her down on a soft towel, his erect cock brushing against her cheek. She turned her head and licked along his length, eliciting a groan from him. He gathered her hair in his fist and tugged until she was looking up at his face, which held a rueful grin.

  “Who’s in charge, again? Because I’m pretty sure it’s supposed to be me,” he said. She smiled serenely, and he laughed. “I don’t buy the innocent act for a minute.”

  His eyes turned slumberous, heavy with desire, and he fisted his cock, stroking himself and keeping just out of range of her mouth.

  A sob escaped, one of sheer frustration. Damn it, she wanted to taste him. Her one brief encounter earlier hadn’t been nearly enough. She wanted to make him lose control, to make him unable to stop his release into her mouth. It had been the one act of submission she’d given him last year, one that hadn’t raised any what the hell flags in a purely vanilla relationship. Now that her need to be a submissive partner was out in the open, she wanted to offer it to him in a way that showed him her obedience. So she waited.

  And he deliver
ed. How the hell he knew just how to make her need to beg and scream was beyond her. He’d never shown any signs of wanting to take control, and she’d looked for them. But now, it was as if he’d been born to it.

  He squeezed the fingers in her hair into a fist. “Oh,” she cried, loving the light pull against her scalp. He kept her in place and moved his cock closer, rubbing the head of it over her lips, painting her with his essence. Her tongue darted out, tasting the tang that was pure Colin.

  He pulled away again, stroking himself and making her watch. His grin was 100 percent mischief, as if he knew exactly how much torture that was. Her core ached, and she tried to squeeze her thighs together, but he stepped between her feet and widened his stance until her legs were spread and there was no chance of relief. Her heart beat so hard she was sure he had to hear it. He wouldn’t let her look down, but kept her head tilted so she either looked at his face or at his erection.

  He let go of his cock for a moment and reached over her to shut off the taps, and she used the opportunity to rub her cheek against his body, like a cat. Jesus, he smelled good.

  “Do you want this?” he asked, closing his fist over his length again, stroking it leisurely, as if he had all the time in the world.

  “Yes, Sir. Please.”

  “Then open for me.”

  Finally. She opened wide and he slid in, shallowly at first, then deeper, his fingers tightening in her hair as she sucked in her cheeks. An electric jolt ran right to her core, and she clenched and unclenched her fists behind her back, wishing she could touch him or, hell, touch herself for some relief.

  “Christ, that feels fantastic.” As he withdrew, she did it again, pulling a groan from him, making him flex his hips without his usual finesse. His voice came out a low rumble. “I’m not going to last if you keep up with that.”

  And that was exactly what she wanted, him dominant but out of control. He’d never hurt her, she knew that, and she wanted the wildness. She hummed in her throat, begging him for what she wanted, without words. He didn’t disappoint, changing the angle of her head so she didn’t gag as he slid deep. She relaxed her muscles, swallowing against the head of his cock, then caressing the length with her tongue.

  He put a hand against her neck, rubbing her throat with his thumb, and she let out another hum of satisfaction. She felt his body tense and then he cried out, going rigid from head to toe and all body parts in-between. His release splashed hot against her tongue and she swallowed, licking him clean, bathing him gently as his body slowly relaxed.

  Sheer satisfaction filled her soul. She was aroused and wouldn’t turn down another chance to come, but she didn’t need it. Giving him pleasure had been enough, and it spoke to her submissive soul.

  He unwound his hand from her hair and helped her stand, turning her to remove the restraints. They made a loud clinking sound as they hit the floor.

  “In the tub with you,” he said softly, helping her in.

  She leaned back, sinking deep into the water’s warm embrace, leaning her head against the bath pillow and closing her eyes. Unable to form a decent sentence or reply to him properly, she let out a contented sigh, hoping it was enough for now. Not that she’d mind another punishment. That had been unbelievably hot.

  “Relax for a bit, sweetheart. I’m going to grab a quick shower.” He nipped her earlobe, nuzzled her cheek. “Be right back.”

  She turned her head and watched him, wishing it were her hands slicking soap against his pecs, down the hard, flat stomach to his cock and balls. And oh, God, she wished it were her fingers coasting over his incredible ass.

  Her eyes drifted shut again. She was bone-tired, and her body ached in a good way. Today had been like nothing she’d ever imagined, and everything she’d ever hoped. She wasn’t sure how long she lay there like that, submerged up to her neck in the fragrant, warm water, before she heard the shower turn off. She thought she heard Colin drying off, but she couldn’t open her eyes to check, even if she wanted to.

  Something soft brushed over her shoulders, then lower. The glide of suds and the texture of the cloth in Colin’s hand across her skin was soothing. She sighed, sinking lower into the tub as he moved the washcloth lower, playing with her nipples, teasing between her legs. He kept his touches light, unhurried, a sensual massage that left her breathing in shallow pants. When she came, it was with a whisper rather than a shout, but just as satisfying.

  “Oh.” She sighed, and he covered her mouth with his, stroking his tongue against hers in time with the fingers he grazed over clit. He kept them there, petting her, until all the tension in her body drained out.

  She opened her eyes and he was there squatting beside her in a loose pair of cotton pants, pure male satisfaction written across his expressive face, from his possessive grin to his dancing, heated eyes. “Hey.”

  She smiled back. “Hey.”

  He helped her out of the tub, wrapped her in a thick, fluffy towel and pulled her against his body. She leaned into his embrace, allowing herself the luxury of being held by him after the long year apart. In a short span of hours, she felt closer to him than she ever had before, but more vulnerable to him too. In spite of their past, or maybe because of it, he had the power to hurt her, really mess up her head and heart. The thought sent a shiver down her spine.

  He briskly dried her off, then kissed her nose. “C’mon, you. I’m tired and I know you have to be. Besides, we need to talk about what McConnell said downstairs about the case.”

  She blinked. “What?”

  “Earlier tonight, McConnell told me that two months ago, he had a retreat here. Two months ago is when our victims were here. One of the couples from that weekend is coming tomorrow.”

  And just like that, her relaxed mood evaporated like so much smoke. “What the fuck, Colin? Why are you only telling me this now?” She shoved him back, ignoring the towel as it fell to the floor, and stalked off toward the bedroom, swearing under her breath. How could he?

  * * *

  Colin felt his jaw drop. How the fuck had things gone from perfect to shit in under thirty seconds?

  “Wait, Dee, let me explain.” He followed after her, frowning. She had on a short silky robe and was at the door, her hand on the knob, as if she were ready to flee. Shit, that would mess everything up. He reached out and grabbed her wrist. “Damn it, stop.”

  She turned to him, her eyes narrowed. “Let go of me.”

  He tried to cajole her out of the anger he felt rolling off her. “A little while ago, you liked it when I held you in place. You begged for more.”

  Wrong fucking words, idiot. Even as he said them, he knew it, but it was too late to call them back.

  Her face flamed, and she yanked her arm from his grip, nearly pulling him off balance. “Don’t you dare compare the two things. This is work. Is that how you have my back? Withhold things from me? No thank you.”

  His own temper flared. “Hell, I’m telling you now. What’d you want me to do, do it while McConnell was still in the room? I was keeping cover. I’m sure you can appreciate the difference.”

  “Really.” Her eyes widened. “So when you had your dick in my mouth, alone here in the room, we were still undercover?”

  He winced and felt himself flush. He needed to fix this, now, before things blew way out of proportion. And the only way to do that was to bare his soul, to take a giant risk with his heart. He blew out a ragged sigh. “I forgot.”

  Her eyebrows shot up. “Excuse me?”

  “I forgot about it, okay? I got so wrapped up in what we were doing, I forgot.” He ran his hand through his hair, tugged on the ends. “Goddamn it, I forgot.”

  Her face went dead pale. “Like last year. When you got your arm broken by the bomber because you were distracted.”

  “Delia, it’s not as bad as—”

  “No, this is worse. We’re more vulnerable here.” She paced back and forth, muttering under her breath. “God.”

  He might’ve smiled at the muttering, but
the whole situation was crap, and fuck, it sounded like she blamed herself for last year. “If it makes you feel any better, I really don’t think McConnell fits our profile at all.”

  She glared at him. “Did you come to that conclusion before you let him put his hands all over me, or after?”

  Her words struck him like a fist, and he reeled emotionally. She’d liked it. He hadn’t been wrong about it, had he? His dismay must’ve been written on his face, because she shook her head, shuddered with a deep, ragged sigh.

  “I didn’t mean that. I don’t think he fits, either. And that’s the only reason I let him touch me at all.” She looked at him directly, no sign of submission in her gaze whatsoever. This was Delia the cop. “What else haven’t you told me? What else did you...forget?”

  Well, she was still pissed off, that much was clear. “He turned away a couple that weekend too.”

  “Why?”

  He shrugged. “I don’t know. I asked but he was getting suspicious, so I redirected the conversation. But it’s worth having the team see if they can find out. Or maybe the couple coming tomorrow knows them, and knows why.” He stepped toward her. “Dee—”

  She backed away. “Don’t. We need to get hold of the team and have them start checking things out about that retreat. Other credit cards charged here that weekend. Tonight, so we have some answers tomorrow, or some questions to ask, anyway. Maybe someone else knows something.”

  “That was my plan.”

  “Before or after we wound up in bed again?” she retorted.

  He’d had enough. “Don’t tell me you didn’t get as caught up in this as I did,” he said through clenched teeth. “I know you did, so don’t bother denying it. I never expected this domination and submission thing to be something I could get in to.”

  She started to speak but he cut her off. “But tomorrow, we’re going to have to be Mr. and Mrs. Reardon, and it’s going to still have to be convincing.”