Lisa's Gift Read online

  Instead she undressed, slipped on a different T-shirt and crawled into bed—alone.

  Chapter Two

  Nicolas pulled Lisa’s naked body into the curve of his own as they lay in bed. He was hard again. The little minx in the room down the hall had stirred a fire inside him he hadn’t expected. But evidently Lisa had. For several weeks she had teased him, tempting him with her friend’s attributes. And she’d been right. The instant attraction had been there.

  He nuzzled Lisa’s neck. They were going to have a helluva time together. “Your friend isn’t what I remember.”

  Lisa cast him a frown over her shoulder. “She isn’t the same person.” There was a bite to her words.

  Usually her disobedience in the bedroom would result in a punishment, but Lisa hadn’t been acting herself lately. For several months he had enjoyed her company and not once had she tested his authority, until a week ago.

  He had been in-between submissive partners when he met her at a mutual acquaintance’s cave party. At the time, something had been missing in his life. He just couldn’t quite put his finger on it. And then she appeared from out of nowhere, sexy and accommodating and available.

  “Hey, baby, I wasn’t talking trash about her.” His hand caressed Lisa’s waist, following the swell of her hip. He could feel her tense beneath his touch. “It’s just that I’d heard rumors about what she went through with the Carters. The old man was a mean bastard.” Nicolas slipped his fingers between Lisa’s thighs, seeking her heat.

  She gripped his wrist. “Not now, Nicolas, please. I’m not feeling very well.”

  Warning bells went off in his head. She had never refused him, nor had she ever used her safe word during their playtime. But tonight after her friend’s arrival she had turned cold, distant.

  Or could it be something else?

  Even though they had drawn up a contract that specified that when they entered the bedroom his rules applied, his pleasures were all that mattered, there was a time for the Master and slave role and this didn’t appear to be one of them.

  “Did I hurt you?” They had tried a new toy tonight, one with electricity that she had appeared to enjoy. Had he been wrong? Always careful, he had tried the violet wand on himself before their play session. There was a definite sting to the charge, but nothing she couldn’t handle as long as he kept the voltage to its lowest point. He drew her closer into his embrace. “I’d never hurt you, Lisa. You’ll tell me if I do?”

  She rolled upon her back. Her eyes looked weary, still she managed a smile. “I know, Nicolas. I guess I have a lot on my mind.”

  Lisa scooted further away, closer to the edge of the bed, putting distance between them. Another thing she had never done before, especially since she knew he demanded his woman naked and close, easily accessible when he had the desire to touch her. In fact, many nights he had fallen asleep buried deep within Lisa’s body. She was his to do with as he pleased and it pleased him to take her at any time.

  “We need to take it slow with Jana. I don’t think she’s ever been introduced to this lifestyle.” She shielded her eyes with her palm, as if the light made her head ache. “You do like her, don’t you?”

  Nicolas chuckled. Hell yes, he liked Jana. What man in his right mind wouldn’t? His fucking hard-on was proof. She had a natural submissiveness about her that called to him. Not to mention she was a beauty. He loved a woman with auburn hair. Just the thought of what he would do to her made his testicles draw tight. “Will Jana be interested in joining our lifestyle, especially after what the bastard down the street did to her?”

  Old man Carter had beaten Jana days before graduation. She had missed the special event, because she’d been hurt so badly she couldn’t walk. He had scarred her in more places than her body. Her return to Arizona tonight was her first visit since the attack. Even though the son of a bitch had been incarcerated for his sins and Jana’s foster mother had moved away, Lisa had told Nicolas she believed Jana’s return to Chandler would have a negative effect on her.

  Breaking away from that abusive family was the best thing that ever happened to her. The next was a four-year science scholarship at the University of Southern California, a chemical engineering degree and the job she landed with Medical Devices in Tempe, according to Lisa.

  Nicolas couldn’t believe the anger that surfaced within him. He enjoyed the BDSM lifestyle behind the bedroom door, but only when his partners were consensual. He’d never touch a woman against her wishes. And damn the son of a bitch who did.

  And yet, from the scene he and Lisa had staged earlier, Nicolas thought that Jana just might be interested in their lifestyle. Lisa’s friend had been frozen in place, her eyes wide with shock at first, quickly melting to arousal. He had smelled her desire. It called to him, begged him to take her. Control to a Dom was everything, and it took everything he had not to demand that she sink to her knees and assist Lisa in pleasuring him.

  Lisa’s laugh was weak as she withdrew her palm from her eyes. “Oh, yeah. She’ll join us. You have never seen a more inquisitive person than Jana. She and I explored each other’s bodies on several occasions. Horny teenagers.” Lisa chuckled, her laughter dying. “But she has a lot of baggage. The fucker did a job on her, so just in case, let’s take it slow.” Lisa yawned. The glow had disappeared from her face. How she could go from vibrant and alive to looking like she was desperate for rest and sleep he didn’t know.

  Females were strange. Their emotions flipped faster than a light switch. He loved them all the same. Within each one there was a beauty and it wasn’t necessarily external. Young or old, they held a charm about them that had always fascinated him.

  He drew in a breath, inhaling Lisa’s soft, powdery scent and the smell of sex lingering in the room. Her silky skin, moans of pleasure, even her cries of pain were an aphrodisiac to his senses when they acted out scenes. His erection grew firmer and he wrapped his fingers around his engorged shaft. He could fuck her all night long, which was his right. He slowly moved his hand from his balls to the tip and back again as he glanced at her back. His hot gaze followed her delicate spine until it reached the small of her back where the swell of her ass began. He stroked again. She had a great ass. The thought made his testicles pulse. Her shoulders rose with each inhale. He could hear her soft breathing. She was asleep.

  Nicolas tightened his jaw. He was not a man who did without. His grip on his erection tightened as he pumped faster. Yet, it was obvious that Lisa was troubled tonight. Forcing her to submit would see to his needs, but something told him her heart wouldn’t be into the act and that was the beauty of the game. The thought sent sensation radiating down his cock. The intensity of a woman’s eyes as she submitted, the hunger to please her Master, even the haze of desire as she released upon command, was power—pure adrenaline raging through his body.

  The image of Lisa only nights before made him suck in a breath through clenched teeth, his hand sliding up and down his cock, his rhythm increasing as he pictured the scene. The sound of leather slapping against pale skin spanked a delightful pink. Chains pressed against flesh, restraining her wrists and ankles. There was nothing like a woman on her knees, her hands cuffed behind her, eagerly waiting for the moment he thrust into her hot, wet mouth.

  His climax hit with such an impact it sent his hips off the bed. He groaned as a stream of come arced through the air. Twisting his head to the side, he barely dodged the flow that landed next to his ear on his pillow.

  Well shit.

  After chuckling about his near miss, he cleaned up the come with a tissue from the dresser next to the bed, turned his pillow over, then switched the lamp off and chased sleep that never came.

  Lying there for roughly an hour, he thought of pulling Lisa against him. If she hadn’t expressed not feeling well he would have done just that; instead he began to think about Lisa and Jana, drawing out scenarios of the three of them together.

  He heard Lisa stir. She moved quietly as if not to disturb him; still
, the bed squeaked when she rose. After grabbing a robe off the chair she slipped her arms through it, securing the sash around her waist. Her silhouette moved across the room and then disappeared through the open door.

  The quickness in her movements gave him pause. She hadn’t gone to the bathroom just off the master bedroom. Perhaps she was hungry. In fact, now that he thought about it, he could eat a sandwich or two.

  Well, so much for sleeping. He scooted off the bed, stretching as he stood. He didn’t bother to put on a robe, he liked being naked, liked the feel of air caressing his heated flesh. As he made his way down the hall and then entered the kitchen, he noticed the back door ajar. A door he had personally locked before turning in.

  No lights were on throughout the house and Lisa was nowhere to be found.

  A strange feeling crawled across his skin like a million tiny bugs. Then from outside he heard faint noises that grew louder as he got closer. Someone was weeping, crying as if her heart would break. When he opened the door wider he discovered it was Lisa.

  She sat on the top step, her knees pressed against her chest, her arms hugging them closely. She rocked slowly. Strangled cries spilled from her lips in heavy sobs.

  “Lisa?”

  She startled as his hand rested on her shoulder. Her voice caught, short, gasping breaths as she fought to cease her sobbing. A none-too-delicate snort was the result.

  She wiped frantically at her tears as if she could hide the fact she was hurting. Before tonight he’d never seen her cry and she’d never revealed any emotion other than wanting to please him.

  For a man who knew exactly how to treat a woman, he had no idea whether to back off or take her into his arms. He listened to the crickets chirping and inhaled the night air that had the tinge of bug spray used to kill mosquitoes. Better just to get to the point.

  “Baby, do we need to talk?” He braced himself for what could only be the ending of their relationship. It was all making sense. The way Lisa was reverting inwardly, pulling away from him.

  Moonlight danced across her face when she glanced up at him. The clouds had thinned. Stars dotted the heavens.

  “No.” Her single word response left him more than baffled.

  “No?” he repeated.

  “No.” She was gaining control of herself. She sniffled, chasing away the last of her tears.

  Without hesitation, she let him draw her to her feet and into his embrace. Her powdery perfume teased his nose. She clung to him tighter than she ever had. He kissed her forehead tenderly, feeling the worry lines beneath his lips. “You can’t tell me that was nothing.” She began to tremble, but kept her tears in check. “Talk to me.”

  “It’s nothing,” she choked out. “I’m just worried about Jana.” She looked up at him with moist eyes. “You do like her, don’t you?”

  He nodded. “Is that what this is all about?” Women could be ridiculous. She probably thought that if the threesome didn’t work that things wouldn’t work between him and Lisa, which bothered him on several fronts. First, although he looked forward to having two women in his bed it wasn’t something that drove him. Ménages weren’t new to him. One woman was enough for him. But the second point was that he never really got the impression Lisa wanted a “forever after” kind of relationship. Theirs up to now had only been an agreement of sexual fulfillment. He didn’t know if he was ready to make a commitment of any kind.

  Lisa began to laugh, but something in her flat tone lacked enthusiasm. In fact, she sounded more relieved than anything else. “You can put that skittish expression to rest. I’m not looking to tie you down.” Her firm gaze met his. “Right? No ties between us. Just really good sex.”

  Nicolas would have been lying if he didn’t admit her words lightened the weight on his chest. He stopped himself from releasing a thankful sigh. Instead he held her tighter. “Not just good sex, great sex.”

  She slid her body along his length, the sensation hardening his cock. “Then if we’re in agreement, why don’t we go back to bed and you can fuck me all night long?”

  Now this was the woman he had gotten to know. Sexy, sensual and always ready for a good fucking. “What’s your pleasure tonight?”

  She gazed up in surprise. “You’re handing me the reins? I can tie you up and spank you.” A sparkle lit in her eyes as her palms stroked down his back and rested on his ass before she gave both cheeks a squeeze.

  He chuckled. A Dom never completely handed a sub the reins. Lisa would only think she held them. “What do you have in mind?” He cupped the back of her head and pulled her inches away from his lips.

  The light in her eyes suddenly died. “Nicolas, would you just hold me tonight? Maybe vanilla sex, slow and tender?” There was a tinge of desperation in her voice that chilled him.

  Lisa must care deeply for Jana if she was this worried about her friend. He couldn’t stop thinking that there was more to Lisa’s mood shifts over the last week.

  If she couldn’t confide in him, something was lacking in their relationship. The beauty of BDSM was trust and clearly it was missing between them. She would let him do anything with her body, but she wasn’t allowing him total control of her mind and soul.

  Apparently Jana wasn’t the only one in the house with emotional baggage. Hell, even he carried a sack or two around. Didn’t everyone? He pushed thoughts of his father from his mind.

  Come to think of it, Lisa really hadn’t let him get any closer than sex, and he hadn’t forced the issue, preferring things the way they were. During the day he ran the family restaurant, a classy Italian place called Marchetti’s on Val Vista and Baseline, while Lisa went to her job as a registered nurse at Banner Health Services in Mesa. At night they would meet at either one’s home and share their bodies, but never their personal thoughts, or discussions of their day. Their agreement was physical only, no emotional ties.

  “Is that a yes?” she asked almost hesitantly.

  “Anything you want tonight,” he said, realizing that he didn’t want a relationship void of emotion like his parents. Although he had shivered at the thought of commitment, what was a relationship without it? Perhaps there lay the true failure of all his previous attempts. How could he have a healthy relationship when a contract stood between him and his partner in the bedroom?

  A marriage license had been his father’s contract to treat Nicolas’s mother badly.

  Honestly, Nicolas didn’t care for where this mental evaluation was heading.

  What was he was looking for? A commitment? Maybe it was time to settle down. He gazed into Lisa’s misty brown eyes.

  Nahhh. Just a temporary moment of insanity.

  He felt like laughing aloud at his wanderings. Neither he nor Lisa were right for the other. They were just filling a momentary void.

  Yeah, that’s what it is, temporary insanity. That could explain the instant attraction he felt for Lisa’s friend. Or perhaps in this case it was acknowledging that he would be Master of both women—every man’s fantasy.

  All he needed was a good fuck and tomorrow he’d be back to his old self. He pressed his lips to Lisa’s and she melted in his arms as he knew she would. She was pliable, easily bending to his will, but tonight was her night. If a slow, gentle loving was what she wanted, he would give it to her with pleasure.

  But tomorrow night was his and he had several ideas for what he planned to do to Lisa and her redheaded friend.

  Chapter Three

  Warm water pelted Jana’s face and chest. Steam fogged the shower glass, which only made her feel like she was still in a haze. Her face felt swollen and tight even though she hadn’t cried. Her jaws ached as if she had spent the night clenching her teeth.

  What had happened to, “You’ll feel better in the morning”?

  With a brush of her washcloth across her face, Jana came to the conclusion that most—if not all—aphorisms sucked.

  But did that stop her from thinking of another and yet another?

  Nooo…

  T
oday is the first day of your life.

  There’s light at the end of the tunnel.

  And the one that her doctor continuingly quoted by Alexander Chalmers, “The three grand essentials of happiness are: something to do, someone to love, and something to hope for.”

  Well she had two out of the three. She had something to do. She needed to find someplace else to live. And she had something to hope for. With a little luck she could get out of the house before Lisa and Nicolas rose.

  Clearly she’d woken up on the wrong side of the bed. She hadn’t had much sleep, troubled by old memories that she thought she’d put to rest. Seeing Lisa and Nicolas together had been a shock. None of it was impossible for her to work through. She just needed to sort it all out. A deep inhale and exhale released some of the tension. Everything would be okay. All she had to do was believe, because it was time for her to live and enjoy life.

  With that last thought she shut off the water, opened the shower door, and grabbed a towel. She was just about to wrap it around her when the door to the bathroom opened and Nicolas, wearing a soft velour robe, filled the doorway. His brows shot up and his gaze flew to her exposed breasts.

  She released a squeal of surprise as she fumbled with the towel, which she proceeded to drop. It seemed rather ridiculous to try to cover up since he had seen every inch of her body. As calmly as she could she bent and retrieved the towel, keeping her eyes on him. As she did, his gaze raised to meet hers, a devilish smile plastered on his handsome face.

  After wrapping the towel securely around her, she pointed to the door. “Don’t you know how to knock?” Even if the lock on the door was broken, he should have knocked.

  “Yeah. But what’s the fun in that? Look at what I would have missed.” He casually leaned against the doorjamb and crossed his arms over his broad chest. “Nice. Real nice.”

  She snorted. The unladylike sound deepened his smile. Heart pounding, she squared her shoulders and lifted her chin. “Do you mind?” God, he was gorgeous, simply gorgeous.