Hard To Handle (Rawhide) Read online

  Lust rose within him as he saw a volatile mixture of fear and pain laced heavily with erotic desire. And something else. A deep-seated dark pleasure that told him exactly what he wanted to know. The fear of what the knife could do was as much a stimulant to her as the knife itself. Good. Now he knew how far to take her. And what would turn her on. Take her to the level she craved.

  Stepping back beside her, he caressed her ass once more with the edge of the blade, pressing it as he’d done before just enough to enhance the pain against her tormented skin. Sliding two fingers into her pussy again, he was rewarded with the feel not only of more of her sexual liquid but also the pulsing of her inner muscles.

  Oh, yeah. Bailey French more than got off on this.

  Changing the position of the knife in his hand, he used the tip to trace every line left by the flogger.

  “Do you worry that I’ll cut you with this, my sub? Draw blood? Would you like that?”

  She shook her head as much as she could move it, but the ecstatic cries of pain that bubbled up from inside her made him smile.

  “You like to think I will, don’t you. Oh, yeah. The fear is as much a turn-on for you as the touch of the knife itself. I’ll keep that in mind.”

  Very carefully, he used the tip of the knife to draw a light line along the lips of her pussy, barely touching the skin. But as he drew it back from her, he saw her body shake with sudden tremors. She desperately tried to move her hips against the cross, but the restraints kept her fairly immobilized.

  “That knife give you an orgasm?” He laid the knife aside and slid one finger barely into her opening. At once, she tried to clamp down on him. “So responsive. And there’s so much more to come. We’ve only scratched the surface here.”

  When her tremors eased, he backed away and turned back to the table. Taking a couple of wipes from the box, he removed every trace of oil from her body. The fire wand could ignite it and burn her severely. As he moved his hands over her, she trembled beneath his touch.

  “Should I stop?” He didn’t want to push her too far this first time, but he also needed to give her a good taste of what he could do for her. To her. With her.

  “No.” Her words caught on a sob. “Don’t stop. Please, Sir.”

  “All right, then.”

  When he was satisfied he’d removed every trace of oil from her, he wiped his hands carefully, opened the vial of alcohol, and poured a tiny bit into each dimple above her buttocks. Restrained as she was at an angle, he needed a place where the liquid would stay pooled. Pleased with the results, he turned on the fire wand and ignited the substance. It flamed at once.

  “Aah!” Bailey tried to arch her neck, her body, in reaction to the sudden burning heat. Real fear streaked through her as the last scene with Ron flashed into her mind. She didn’t know if she could do this again with that image still haunting her. She wanted to say something, but how could she dump that whole mess in Hondo’s lap? Closing her eyes and biting her lip, she waited to see the degree of heat he used and for how long. Could she tolerate it?

  As quickly as he’d lit the flame, that fast Hondo extinguished it.

  Okay. All right. He knew what he was doing, and there was no cruelty in the act. Good. She could do this. She’d always loved fire play before what she’d come to call “the incident.” Now, here with Hondo, seeing how he handled it, a different kind of heat surged through her body, snapping at her nerve endings and ramping up her need.

  He waited a moment then dribbled some of the alcohol over each cheek of her ass. Again, he used the fire wand spark to ignite it, and again, Bailey cried out. Her hands fisted, and she tried to pull away from the flame. He extinguished it at once, as he had before.

  “More,” she sobbed. “Please do it again.”

  He cupped her pussy, her drenched folds resting in his palm, her liquid pooling in his hand. God, she couldn’t believe how turned on she was. Shudders indicating the onset of another climax were already skating over her body. She wanted to scream at him not to stop.

  “Please,” she begged again.

  She turned her head, watching breathlessly as he measured out another teaspoonful of the alcohol, then dripped some on the inside of each thigh. Here was where her trust came into play. Ultimate trust. He’d have to be extremely careful this time. No room for mistakes here. And she was trusting him not to make any.

  She heard the rasp of her breathing cut into the air and her body tensed and released. Tensed and released.

  “Now, sub,” he told her and ignited the fluid.

  It caught fire at once, flaming up from her inner thighs. Her breathing accelerated, edged with equal parts of fear and arousal.

  Hondo held his hand in readiness, sure he knew what was coming. And sure enough, Bailey was thrown into yet another orgasm. He smothered the flame immediately and pinched the lips of her cunt together, holding them until the last of the spasms faded.

  He didn’t know how much more Bailey could take tonight, but he felt compelled to call a halt. If he left her still wanting more, then the chance of a repeat was very good. And oh, yeah, he definitely wanted a repeat.

  Stripping away his clothes, he released her from the Cross. She stumbled slightly when her feet touched the floor, but she caught herself and waited, head down, hands behind her back, face streaked with tears.

  His hands shook slightly as he rolled on the condom. He was so damn hot he hoped he could last long enough to give her one more orgasm. Then he seated himself on a wide chair with a padded seat.

  “Come here. And quickly.”

  When she was standing facing him, he lifted her so she straddled him and lowered her onto his badly aching cock.

  Holy shit!

  Her pussy was so tight around him it squeezed him like a wet fist. He closed his eyes and exhaled slowly through clenched teeth.

  “Rest your hands on my shoulders,” he said. “Brace yourself. Then ride me for all you’re worth.”

  He closed his eyes at the feel of her. The friction of her pussy walls on his dick created a heat that burned as much as the alcohol had on her body. It surged through him, singeing every one of his nerve endings and spearing straight to his balls.

  Hands on her rib cage, he guided her movements, up and down, up and down. When he opened his eyes, her head was thrown back, lips slightly parted, eyes unfocused. She was in another world, consumed by the stimulation of their play.

  He wouldn’t last long. Although Hondo prided himself on his staying ability, he was shocked at how close to the edge this woman had brought him. Edgeplay had always been the best kind of foreplay for him, but then he wanted his turn, his stimulation at the hands and mouth of his partner. Not so with Bailey. Every moan, every shudder, every response of hers had driven him close to the limit of his control. Her pain had turned into an incredibly strong aphrodisiac for him.

  And something else. Although he’d wanted her physically with an almost insatiable hunger, he hadn’t expected to feel an emotional connection that was raw and elemental in its intensity. That reached down deep inside him and ignited feelings he’d spent years locking away. Feelings he was afraid he’d have no control over. And because of that, his body wanted release now. Immediately. Right this minute.

  He hung on until her walls began to ripple around him.

  “Now,” he commanded. “Come right now.”

  Because god knew he couldn’t hold out a moment longer.

  They exploded together, bodies convulsing. He could have sworn he saw sparks flashing around them and heard thunder boom with the shared cataclysmic orgasm. He held on to her for a long time, waiting until every aftershock dissipated, until his cock began to soften and the ache in his balls disappeared. The climax might not have been the longest he’d ever experienced, but it was certainly the most intense.

  Bailey folded herself against him, resting her head on his shoulder.

  “May I lean on you?” she asked in a small voice. “Sir?”

  How could he de
ny her?

  “Always,” he assured her. “Yes. Always.”

  His heart swelled as he held her small, compact body against his. He warmed her with his own body as she came down from the intense high she’d been riding. She shivered against the heat of him, teeth chattering slightly. He had taken her deep into subspace. Emerging from it was always an intense physical experience. Eventually the tension eased and she relaxed against him, her muscles softening.

  They hadn’t used all three condoms tonight. He knew if he turned her loose with her mouth on his shaft, he’d be hard again in no time. But he also realized he had exhausted her and to demand more right now might give him physical satisfaction, but she might not agree to be with him again. And he definitely wanted to be with her more. To repeat tonight.

  They sat together for a long time, her soft breath a caress on his skin, his hands moving gently over her tender skin. Whatever he’d expected tonight, this had far exceeded it. And he knew one thing for sure. This was only the beginning for him and Bailey French. Whatever he had to do to win her trust—and eventually her love—he’d make sure he did it.

  Chapter Four

  Bailey had refused complete aftercare, much to Hondo’s displeasure. He’d tried to convince her to let him call for warm water. Heated towels. Healing salve for her flaming skin. It was evident to her that the process was as important to him as everything that came before it. It was an affirmation of his commitment as a Dom. And it pleased her that he wasn’t one who left it to other people, although Rawhide had staff just for that purpose.

  But she wanted none of that. Having been shocked into the reality of how strongly they connected, she wanted a constant reminder of every minute of the exquisite torture. The constant friction of her jeans against her abused ass was a reminder of the incredible night. Her panties were a nearly nonexistent barrier between her skin and her clothing. Every time she bent over for some chore or other and the jeans tightened across the cheeks of her buttocks, flashes of pain stabbed through her. But she welcomed the discomfort and the way it made her pussy spasm.

  The worst had been around noon when she’d ridden with two of the other wranglers to get the horses in the north pasture and bring them back to the barn. The saddle was like a hot iron against her body. And with every step, the horse made it feel as if knives were stabbing into her.

  And thinking about knives reminded her even more of the session with Hondo. The man was an expert, obviously well trained. She’d been with Doms who misunderstood the use of knives and often were on the verge of doing real harm. And others who were terrified that they might indeed inflict damage. How many times had she wished for that long ago Dom who had such talent and had taught her about the erotic pleasures of edge play.

  To make matters worse, as she worked through her chores, the image of a naked Hondo with his long, thick cock, his oiled skin, and the exquisite art on his body wouldn’t leave her. He was the ultimate Master, the quintessential Dom, powerful and in control yet sensitive to the needs of his sub. And caring. The type of Dom she’d been searching for her entire life.

  He had been more than caring and considerate last night, helping her into her clothes, insisting she rest for a half hour. Making sure she had sips of water to hydrate herself. Even walking her to her car. Liz, who had ridden with her, was gone by the time she entered the main area of the club again, having left with Alex.

  Hondo indicated concern at her driving home by herself, but she had assured him she could do it. She’d done it before. But it had taken every bit of her residual energy to get back to the ranch and the little cabin she lived in about a mile from the main house.

  But could she trust the situation after just one night? Trust him?

  It had been so long since a man had known just how to give her that kind of pleasure, how far to take her, how edgy to make the play and still make her feel good about it. But what if one night was all he wanted? Not that she was asking for a commitment. Not her. Not the female lone ranger. So what did she want?

  Hondo had said nothing about another session. Today she’d barely seen him, although that had been more circumstance that avoidance. When she’d been riding out to fetch the horses, he’d been working with a new stallion in the breeding barn. When she returned and brought the horses into stable, she learned he was in the far eastern pasture with the cattle. Funny. When she wanted to avoid him, she couldn’t get rid of him. When she wanted to see him—well, maybe not exactly wanted—but needed to take the temperature of their situation after last night, he was nowhere around.

  Just to know that he felt the same elusive something she did. That she’d pleased him as he had pleased her. That he wanted a repeat. She couldn’t remember the last time a Dom’s reaction had been that important to her.

  Ohmigod. I need to get a grip here.

  She finished checking on the last horse she’d brought in, backed out of the stall to latch the door and smacked right into a solid wall of male flesh. “Oh!”

  She turned around and looked into Hondo’s face. His mouth was quirked in a smile, but his eyes blazed with hunger. She noticed he was careful to take a step back so he wasn’t touching her. With people walking in and out of the barn she appreciated the fact he made the effort not to give any indication there had been a change in their situation. But the heat emanating from him reached deep inside her and ignited her own fire.

  “Sorry.” He winked. “Didn’t mean to startle you.”

  “No. No, that’s okay.” She wiped her suddenly sweaty palms on her jeans.

  “So.” He studied her carefully. “You doing okay today?”

  Heat crept up her cheeks, and she hoped she wasn’t blushing. Okay? Oh, yeah. Every time she walked and her clothing abraded her sore ass, she remembered just how fine she was. She wished she could squeeze her legs together to still the throbbing in her cunt. Her panties were soaked, and she hoped the scent of her musk wasn’t as apparent to Hondo—or anyone else—as it was to her. She planned to sneak home at lunch for a quick change.

  “Fine,” she told him. “I’m good.” She drew in a breath and let it out slowly. “Really good.”

  “Yeah? Me, too. Good, I mean.”

  For heaven’s sake. We sound like two teenagers.

  Finally, he said, “Walk with me, okay? I need to get something out of the tack room.”

  He was very careful to keep a small distance between them as they walked, not touching, nothing that could be misconstrued by anyone watching them. But once they were in the tack room, he closed the door, turned to face her, and bracketed her body with his arms. She tried to move away, but his body blocked her path.

  “I just need one quick taste, Bailey.” His voice was rough with need, almost pleading. “Just a small one to keep me going.”

  It was the beseeching tone of his voice that got to her and made her hesitate. Before she could move away, his mouth was on hers, his tongue pushing between her lips until she opened for him, his tongue sweeping inside to lick and devour. She was helpless to resist. The flavor of him filled her senses, and she sucked hard on his tongue, clutching at his biceps to steady herself. The heat between them was so intense it shimmered in the air. For one insane moment, she thought actual flames would rise up and consume them.

  Then, as suddenly as it had begun, the kiss stopped. Hondo backed away, drawing in a deliberate breath and letting it out slowly. His eyes glittered with heat.

  “Too bad there are people out there. Right now, I’d love to strip you naked and hook you up to the crossties. Maybe fit you with a bridle so you could bite down on the bit. Demonstrate the use of the single tail whip on your very sweet ass and thighs. Maybe even those firm creamy breasts.” He stroked his thumb along her cheekbone. “You’d like that, wouldn’t you?”

  Oh, god, would she like that. Damn straight. She almost fell to her knees and bowed her head right then and there.

  “Hondo—”

  “I know, I know. I promised you I’d behave outside th
e walls of Rawhide,” he interrupted, his gaze fixed on her. “That I wouldn’t bring this—whatever is happening between us—into our work place. And I won’t. Again. I swear it. But kissing wasn’t part of our agenda last night, and I’ve been thinking about those lips for months. I just had to have a taste. Hell, Bailey, you taste like every sin that’s ever been invented.” He closed his eyes for a moment. “And I had to share with you the images that have been driving me crazy today.”

  Bailey’s entire body throbbed with need, her pulse threatening to burst through her sensitive skin. She couldn’t seem to catch her breath. She knew what he meant by taste. She’d craved it, too. The kiss had singed her and burned into her soul like no other kiss she’d ever experienced. It both aroused and frightened her. Frightened her because she didn’t want to have that kind of connection to anyone. Not even Hondo. Especially Hondo.

  “You pushed every one of my buttons last night, Bailey,” he went on. “I sense you have some bad history that you don’t want to discuss and I get that, but I really want another night with you at Rawhide. I hope that doesn’t scare you away, because I’d sure enjoy a repeat performance. And soon.”

  Bailey shifted against the wall, the pressure against her ass sending spikes of pain through her buttocks as if shards of glass were implanted in her panties. Her nipples swelled and hardened, and her breath was trapped in her throat. She was overcome with the most unreasonable urge to bolt the door, yank off her jeans and beg Hondo to paddle her ass until she cried out for mercy. Fisting her hands, she dug her nails into her palms to achieve some measure of control.

  “Bailey?”

  She realized he’d asked her a question and was waiting for some kind of answer. What was it? Oh, yeah. Another night at Rawhide.

  “Um, yes.” She sucked in her breath, eased it out. “I heard you.”

  Enjoy? What a mild word for what she’d feel.

  “But not tonight,” he guessed and nodded his agreement. “You haven’t played for a long time. I want to give that luscious body a chance to heal.” He brushed a wayward strand of hair behind her ear.