the cuffs at her knees. He hadn’t hurt her in any way, only pleasured her. A deep languor settled in her muscles and urged her to relax and give in to sleep.
Something hard pressed to her lips, startling her. When she jerked, cool liquid splashed her naked shoulder. “Shh, it’s water. You need to drink.”
When had he returned?
The plastic bottle brushed her lips again, and a strong hand lifted her head so she could swallow without choking. The icy water rushed to soothe her throat, and she guzzled it.
It disappeared before she had her fill. “More.”
“Later.” He smoothed a hand over her brow, brushing her hair aside. “Do you want to rest for a bit?”
The lethargy, which had weighed so heavily, lifted with his nearness. “What if I said no?”
A deep chuckle washed over her, confirming beyond doubt Connor and Papa Bear were one and the same. “We move on to number two.”
“Which is?”
“Heightened by suspense.” Deft fingers released her wrists from the headboard and untied the fabric holding them together. He rubbed the blood back into her hands, took her bra off then unbuckled the spreader, and removed her underwear, allowing her legs to relax. Deep massage loosened her muscles further, and she sank into the pillows with a sigh. “Behave and I’ll leave you free.”
She reached for the blindfold, but he caught her fingers. “Uh, uh. That stays on.”
“But I want to watch.”
“No.”
The firm command insisted he would accept nothing but acquiescence, and she dropped her hands back to her sides. Did she really want to strip away all the barriers? The voice in her head said no. If she did, there would be no going back. The silence grew too long, broken only by the sound of her own breathing and the whispered shift of things in his toy box.
Something flat and about two inches wide trailed up her leg, skirting her pussy to tickle across her stomach and higher. “How far are you willing to go, little cat? Do you only wish to be petted, or do you crave more?” He laid a hard rod down on her belly, and she realized the flat piece had to be the keeper at the end of a riding crop.
Moisture dampened the flesh between her legs, and her muscles clenched in anticipation. If her captor truly was Connor, he would not hurt her, but the idea of being at his mercy made her tremble. “Will you be gentle?”
“Always. You never have to ask.”
A shiver rippled over her, and she bit her lip to keep from stopping him before he began. “Then I’d like to taste all of it, Papa Bear.” She hardly heard her own confession, but a firm hand stroked her hip in long soothing swipes.
“Good. We’ll start slowly and work our way up.” The weight of the crop disappeared from her stomach, and he snapped it against something. His leg or palm, perhaps. The sharp sound brought her up, but he pressed her back to the mattress with a touch to her shoulder. “Easy. Relax and enjoy.”
The soft leather flitted over her skin, shin to throat. It lifted and returned with a smack to her right breast. She caught at the crop’s handle, a cry trapped in her throat.
Her tormentor stepped out of reach. “Lay down and hold onto the covers. If you try to stop me without explaining or using your safe word, I’ll have to restrain you again.” Her entire body trembled at his authority. “Are you ready to be good?”
Was she? Did she want this to end? Hell no . “Yes.”
“Say it. What do you want?”
“The fantasy. I’ll behave.”
“Well said.” He stroked his thumb over the heated flesh where the crop had landed. “Tell me if I ask too much.”
With a nod, she gripped the bedspread like a lifeline and gave herself into his hands.
The soft whip slapped at the other breast then back, over and over, sharp though not truly painful strikes, jerking her nipples into full awareness. Without warning, a warm mouth closed over one and sucked gently. The contrast of the quick stings with the comforting heat of his