They felt heavy, swollen. More blood rushed to the already-sensitive tips, and they hardened until the sensation became a pleasure/pain all its own. His stare lashed them like a live wire, a stunning jolt across each nipple.

God, she didn’t think she’d ever been more aroused, and Hunter had barely touched her.

His gaze drifted down her stomach, hesitated on the winking ruby at her pierced navel, then lingered between her thighs. Kata squeezed them together, trying to ease the ache. That only made the desire sharper. She needed relief.

Kata shifted a hand to the lace shielding her pussy and pressed in, rotating her fingers over her sensitive flesh. She gasped. Euphoria rolled through her as tingles danced under her skin. The ache sweetened. God, she was so close . . .

Hunter grabbed her wrist, exerting just enough pressure to lift her fingers an inch. “Your orgasms are mine. I say when and how. You don’t have permission to come.”

That didn’t fit in her fantasies. She jerked against his hold.

He didn’t let go. “I more than warned you. You’ve got at least one punishment coming. Want more?”

“You have no right to—”

“Last night changed everything. Own up to the fact that you want this, and take off that wet thong if you want to keep it in one piece.”

Anger and desire tumbled together, churning and roiling inside her. In that moment, Kata was royally pissed—but she also wanted him like hell.

With a curse, she grabbed the little thong clinging to her hips and jerked it down ungracefully until she was as bare as the day she was born. “Happy?”

“Nice.” That cocky half-smile curled up the corner of his mouth. “Spread your legs shoulder-width apart.”

“What? Are you going to inspect me?”

“If I wanted to, I would. In due time, I will. At some point, I’ll have that pretty cunt waxed from top to bottom so you can feel every lick of my tongue. But right now, I told you to spread your legs. Hesitate again, and that will be punishment number two.”

Kata gritted her teeth but complied. Not because she was afraid of him but because, despite the anger simmering just under her skin, heaven help her, she wanted to.

“Excellent.” His stare lasered in on her pussy . . . then rose to meet her gaze. “You’re very wet.”

It was true, but she hated giving him too much power over her. “Maybe my wetness has nothing to do with you.”

Hunter shook his head. “You’re just racking the spankings up tonight, honey. That’s two punishments. Unless you want a third, I suggest you get your fingers on that pussy and start rubbing. I’ll tell you when to stop.”

Her pulse jumped. Touching herself for show was one thing, but... “M-masturbate in front of you?”

“For me. Get busy.”

The challenge in his tone both made her bristle and ache. She swallowed.

Kata had never done this for any lover, but she wanted to drive Hunter mad with lust, then hold out on him. Make him regret ever pushing her.

She smiled coyly. Their gazes met, fused for an electric moment. Then she caressed a line down her stomach slowly, finally reaching the apex of her thighs. She diverted from her clit, slipping lower to press two fingers inside her snug depths.

Sensation rolled over her in a hot wave, a delicious pleasure that had her gasping. Somewhere in the back of her head, she marveled at how hot and slick she felt, but the invasion stole her breath, her thoughts.

Kata tangled her free hand through her hair, pulling her fingers through the silky mass, until she reached her breast. She cupped it, pinched her nipple, and moaned.

Her head spun. The sugary ache stretched the moment as pleasure buzzed inside her. A wave of dizziness threatened to send her tumbling deep into a chasm of need. Kata groped for the wall beside her and hung on tight as she eased her fingers deeper inside her pussy.

Hunter tensed. The way he gripped his thighs told her he was exercising superhuman restraint not to throw her to the cold tile and fuck her into next week. “Rub your clit.”

Gladly. The little knot of nerves had swollen to twice its normal size. As she withdrew her fingers and dragged them up and settled them over her clit, a new wave of tingles crashed through her. Knowing that Hunter’s eyes were on her made Kata shudder, gasp. Normally with self-pleasure, it took at least ten minutes to orgasm. Now, after the barest of touches, she felt a heartbeat away from an explosion that would flatten her.

Kata’s fingers shook as she dragged in a shuddering breath. So damn close. Oh God . . . One more good swipe would do it. Her knees were unstable beneath her, and her heartbeat roared in her ears. She anticipated this orgasm like crazy. Needed it.

“Stop.” Hunter pulled her hand away from her pussy, then moved behind her, until he pinned her wrist at the small of her back.

“Damn it, no!” she groaned.

He said nothing, merely grabbed her other hand, then held both together behind her in an unyielding grip that aroused her even more.

Her breathing accelerated. Even without the stimulation to her clit, she still felt a split second from orgasm. And the heat of his body blanketing her back, his free hand moving her long hair off her neck, just before he kissed his way across her sensitive skin . . . Kata shuddered, her senses on overload.

“Please . . .” God, she hated herself for begging, but she couldn’t stop it.

He edged to her side, caressed his way down her spine, rough fingertips sliding over her skin. She trembled, arched into his touch.

“You’re so beautiful,” he whispered.

Hunter made her feel that way, like a goddess. She loved the way he seemed crazy with desire for her.

Suddenly, his touch disappeared. Kata held her breath, expectation thrumming through her. Then thwack! He struck her ass with a solid palm.

She yelped. “What the hell are you doing?”

“I promised to punish you, so I am,” he growled.

Fire began to crawl across the right cheek of her ass, stunning Kata mute. Only the rhythm of Hunter’s hot breaths on her shoulder and his grip on her wrists told her that he remained behind her. Then he slapped her left cheek with equal force.

He repeated the process again. Then again.

Her rear began to throb, become a luscious starburst of sensation. That ache joined the one behind her clit. Need escalated. Her heart slammed into her ribs. Her knees buckled.

Hunter hooked an arm around her waist to hold her upright, his fingers hovering over her pussy. Kata sucked in a breath in anticipation, but he didn’t touch her, leaving her to dangle at the edge of overwhelming need.

She whimpered. “Oh, God. Please . . .”

“Why should I reward your disobedience by giving you an orgasm?”

“I need it,” Kata admitted with a moan.

“I needed you to strip, and you refused me.”

“You ordered me.”

Hunter’s fingertips drifted down, rubbing light, lazy circles over the hood of her clit, the pressure too light and scattered to do anything but drive her up higher. Kata fisted her hands, trying to thrust her hips against his fingers, praying he’d rub her right into oblivion. But he clutched her hip tightly, controlling her every move.

“As I will again and again. Learn to take direction, and you’ll find I can be very generous. If not . . .”

He let the implication sink in.

Damn him! He might have her in this moment. No way she was going to comply with him twenty-four/seven. She fully intended to repay Hunter for this. Then he could go to hell.

“Stay here,” he barked. “Do not move.”

Kata tensed at his order, spitting mad and scared. She itched to rebel, find some way to have him eating out of the palm of her hand. But if she tried, he’d only withhold orgasm again. And right now, she needed so badly what only he could give her. “I won’t.”

“Answer me properly with a ‘Yes, Sir.’”

Sir? No way . . . That rubbed her independent streak raw. Seriously, payback was going to be a bitch.

Silent moments stretched on, and her body ached, screamed for the release she knew he wouldn’t give her until she cooperated.

Squeezing her eyes shut, she finally choked out, “Yes, Sir.”

“That was slow, and it lacked sincerity, but I’ll let it pass tonight.” He released her wrists. “Turn and face the shower. Brace your hands on the wall in front of you. Spread your legs wider.”

Kata froze, her mind racing. Then slowly, she turned, glancing over her shoulder at Hunter.

He shook his head. “Eyes forward.”

What the hell did he have planned? He’d reveal it in time, but if she questioned him now, no doubt he’d just keep withholding this orgasm. The thought made her chest tighten, a sob rise up.

Resolutely, she looked at the wall, pressed her lips together, and waited.

“Good. That’s progress,” he praised as he cupped her breast, thumb brushing her aching, beaded nipple.

She swallowed a gasp. God, every nerve ending was on fire. When his hand skated down her rib cage, her waist, her hip, her butt, she held her breath, so full of need. Then his other hand joined, and he spread her cheeks slightly. She tensed.

“You’ve never had anal sex?”

“N-no.” She’d never wanted it. But with Hunter, it sounded so hot and forbidden. Sexy as hell.

He traced a finger from the small of her back, down through the hidden crevice, lingering over her back passage. “When the time comes, I’ll be gentle. But you’ll take me here.”

His fingertip teased the little opening, and tingles skittered through her. She gasped. Oh damn . . . The thought of his cock in her ass scared the hell out of her—and yet she was desperate to know what it would be like, if Hunter taking her that way would make her feel utterly dominated. Suddenly, Kata craved that in a way that haunted her.

“Such beauty . . . and reluctant obedience.” He caressed the curve of her waist again, his lips drifting across her shoulder—and his naked body pressed to her back, hard cock nestled against her ass. When had he undressed? “We’ll work on that.”

Her pulse jumped, and Kata was so ready for anything—everything—Hunter wanted to give her—as long as he let her come.

“Please . . .” She wiggled against him, pleading again.

She heard a tear, a crinkle. Thank God Hunter was donning a condom. Her entire body clenched in anticipation.

Hunter found her opening in the center of the slick folds of her pussy. He pressed the tip in—and paused.

“Don’t come until I give you permission. Are we clear?”

In the past few moments, she’d regained a little control, not quite as high with need. But Kata had no illusions; he could push her to the edge again quickly and leave her hanging. It seemed she’d been achy and desperate for hours, though it had probably been ten minutes. He could likely make it seem like days if he wanted. Why take the risk that he’d deprive her?

Giving in both scared and thrilled her. “Yes, Sir.”

“Your obedience goes straight to my cock, honey.” He pressed his solid chest over her back and nuzzled her neck with soft kisses. “Hmm. I could get used to this.”

She could, too. That’s what scared her to death. But she was too high on need to think about it now.

His hands scooped up her breasts, fingers pinching her nipples until the edge of pain had her gasping and her pussy creaming anew. The need to orgasm rose once more, now screaming through her body.

Hunter grabbed her hips and slammed deep inside her in one savage thrust. “Fuck, yes!”

Kata cried out as pleasure-pain ripped through her. God, he was huge. She rose on her toes to put more space between them as she tried to adjust, but he still pressed inward, deeper and deeper. She hissed, trying to accommodate his girth, take the avalanche of sensation burying her. Climax loomed . . . but she needed just a bit more.

“Hunter, please . . . Fuck me,” she cried out.

“I will, until you’ve screamed your throat raw,” he vowed. “Once you’ve done what I asked, when I ask it.”

Chapter Nine

UNDER him, Kata stiffened. No surprise, since he’d intentionally pushed her.

Hunter grabbed her hips and waited. His little spitfire wanted to give in—he could feel her need—but that independent mind of hers, riddled with whatever scars she carried, kept asserting itself, shutting off trust before she could truly grant it. He understood; she was having difficulty reconciling what she wanted with what she thought she should want. Hunter planned to get to the bottom of that contradiction ASAP.

“Damn it, don’t keep doing this to me. Put up or shut up.” She wriggled her ass, not in invitation but in challenge. “Sir.”

So, she sought to lure him past his control and entice him to fuck her on her terms? Not happening, but damn if giving in and unleashing the full force of his lust on her wasn’t tempting.

Immediately, he clamped down on the thought, ceased all movement, then whispered in her ear, “We can do this the easy way. You can be soft and submissive under me, and I’ll make it worth your while. Or we can do this the hard way. I’ll withdraw and tie you to the bed, and jack you up every hour on the hour, withholding your orgasm until I get my point across. But that’s not what I want, honey.”