Arranged: A Masters and Mercenaries Novella Read online

  “I need you, Dayita.” His voice was hoarse.

  This time, she believed him.

  “Then we can begin.”

  Chapter Five

  Kash gritted his teeth and felt his cock stiffen. He’d only thought he’d had the erection of a lifetime, but when she’d said those words—then we can begin—he reached monumental proportions. Any thought of this being some sort of test run was over. He wasn’t thinking about anything but pleasing the woman in front of him.

  His queen.

  The last fifteen years of his life had been about the world revolving around him, being the ultimate authority figure. But here and now, he realized she could be his sun.

  She could be his secret. She would never have to know how weak he was, how dark his wants were. He could pretend to indulge her and steal something for himself.

  She would never know that all those “lovely flowers” were nothing more than a way to pretend he didn’t want what he wanted. A way to pretend he was more of a man than he actually was.

  She put her hand on his chest and he could feel his own heart beating. “I think I’d like to join you. You may take my dress off. Carefully and slowly. When you’re done, I want you to fold it and put it on the counter. You may touch me, but only as I’ve touched you up until this point. Do you understand, love?”

  He understood that her thick-as-honey voice was doing things to his cock. He couldn’t breathe he was so hard and he hadn’t touched her yet. He should take control. He should put them on a proper footing, but he couldn’t. The words wouldn’t form in his mouth. There was only one word that he seemed capable of speaking. “Yes.”

  She turned and offered him her back. The dress she wore had no zippers or buttons, merely two elaborate ties. She’d told him what she wanted. A long, slow adoration of her body. He didn’t have to move quickly and plot out how to bring this woman to pleasure. She was giving him a map, offering him the secrets of her desires, allowing him to indulge his own.

  He drew her hair up and swept it to the side, his fingers luxuriating in the silken cloud. How long had it been since he took his time, since sex was something to sink into and not some drunken nightcap to end his day? Maybe never. Maybe because this was more than sex.

  He carefully undid the first tie, revealing the golden skin of her shoulder. She leaned her head to the left slightly, allowing him access to that first, precious patch of skin. He touched her, letting his fingertips play over the warmth of her flesh. He skimmed from the curve of her neck down to her shoulder and along her arm.

  The worries of the day were floating away and all that mattered was learning her, discovering her every curve and hollow.

  “May I kiss you?” The question came naturally.

  “Yes. Gently. We’re just starting out. This could take us all night.”

  He leaned over, letting his lips find the spot where her neck and shoulder met. He brushed them there, aware of the way she shivered. “Given that I’ve waited fifteen years for this, I think a full night is what I need.”

  “Did you only wait fifteen years?” He could hear the smile in her voice. “I think I waited a lifetime.”

  He ran his mouth along her shoulder, breathing her in. “You’re right. It has been a lifetime.”

  He moved to the other knot, easing it apart and pulling the fabric free. The instinct was there to toss the clothing aside, but that wasn’t what she’d asked him to do. She’d asked him for patience, and he intended to give it to her. His cock wouldn’t rule with this woman. He carefully folded the dress, his focus on the task at hand, and yet somehow it made him even more aware of what was to come. His hands ached to cup her breasts, to spread her thighs and get his mouth on her.

  Not until she was ready. Not until he was insane for her.

  She turned and he saw her naked for the first time. His queen. His. He was vitally aware of the possession that sparked through him. He didn’t want to share her with his people, but perhaps he could view it differently. She would be theirs when she was buttoned up and properly dressed. And when her hair was flowing around her like a silky cape, when her breasts were upthrust and begging for attention, when her pussy was on display, that was when she would be his queen. Only his.

  And he, her only servant.

  “You’re beautiful, Day.”

  She smiled at him. “I’m glad you think so. I want everything you offered. Kiss me, Kashmir.”

  He moved in, eager to get his mouth on her and yet a bit disappointed the play seemed to be over. Not that she would call it play. Not that he would tell her why he wanted it.

  He was the king in all things. No weaknesses.

  He reached for her, but she put a hand between them.

  “I wasn’t talking about my mouth, love.”

  He frowned. “Then we should go to the bed. I’ll lay you out and eat that soft pussy of yours like it’s the finest treat. I’ll lick you and suck you and fuck you with my tongue, but first we should find a comfortable place.”

  Her eyes turned steely. “Or you can get on your knees for me and do all of it right here. Can you do that for me? Get on your knees and show me the pleasure of your mouth.”

  On his knees? He hesitated, longing warring with what he’d been taught all his life.

  “Don’t think, Kashmir.” Every word out of her mouth was velvet seduction. “Do as I ask. You don’t have to be the king in this room. You can be whoever you want to be. When we’re alone, we can throw off all the ideas of who and what we’re supposed to be and let ourselves flow. Get on your knees and worship me. Show me what you can offer me and I’ll reward you.”

  It was a game. Play, as his kink friends would call it. They didn’t have to acknowledge anything. His bride was a bit kinky and that was something to welcome.

  She didn’t have to know how much the idea of worshipping her fed his soul, how throwing off the heavy mantle of responsibility, tossing away his crown for a brief moment, tantalized him and energized him.

  He made all the decisions, bore all the cost. What if he could find one place where he didn’t have to? No one would know. No one but him and Day. Their secret.

  He dropped to his knees, embracing the possibility. “Tell me I can lick you. Tell me I can suck you and run my tongue all over you. Tell me I can make you come for me, my queen.”

  Her eyes were hot as she stared down at him. Those gorgeous breasts of hers were close, so close to his mouth, and yet he held back, waiting for the words he wanted to hear. He didn’t have to decide. He only had to follow her lead in this.

  She cupped his face. “Do you have any idea how happy you make me? How much I want you? Only you. Touch my breasts. Lavish my nipples with affection.”

  He let his palms find her breasts, cupping them and holding them. Her nipples were hard points against his hands and he could feel the way she breathed out, a low moan coming from her mouth. He teased her nipples, rolling them between his thumbs and fingers. Finally, he leaned over and licked one, the tip of his tongue running around the edge. Her skin smelled like the ocean, breezy and pure. He tasted the salt of her flesh and sucked the nipple into his mouth. He let his arms go around her and surrounded himself with Day. He sucked and played with her, letting himself take his time.

  He moved to the other nipple, feeling her hands in his hair. Her fingers tangled there and she guided him where she wanted him to go. He loved the rough feel of her tugging at his hair, lighting up his scalp. He needed to please her, needed her soft moans of acceptance. Every sound that came from her mouth seemed to have a hard line to his dick.

  He was going to die, but it would be a good way to go.

  “Look at me.” The words sent a sizzle through his system. Her hand in his hair tightened, gentle pressure showing him where she wanted him to go. “I want you to trust me. I want to be a safe place for you. Do you understand?”

  He didn’t. Not entirely, but he would have said yes to anything she’d asked in that moment. “Yes. I trust you.” />
  He did. Certainly more than any woman he’d cared for before. Even all those years ago, he’d known Day was different. He’d known instinctively that she would be worth working for. Now he was caught in a trap, and suddenly that didn’t seem such a bad thing.

  She leaned over and her lips captured his. He gave in, letting her take control. It felt natural to give her sway. Her tongue came out, running along his lower lip and sending fire through him. His tongue played against hers. Finally she rose up over him, looking primal and gorgeous. A sea goddess looking to mate with a lowly sailor. She would bless him with her body and he would worship her forever.

  “Carry me to the bed. I love how strong you are,” she said.

  He was on his feet in a second, leaning over and lifting her up. In this she was delicate. She weighed next to nothing and felt perfectly right in his arms. “You’re so lovely, my queen. I like calling you that. My queen.”

  “Show me how good it is to be your queen.” She stared up at him as he lowered her to the bed. She pulled him down, bringing their lips together once more. “Kiss me properly.”

  He rather liked her idea of a proper kiss. He moved down her body, touching and caressing as he went. She was a prize and he’d won. He settled himself on his belly as she spread her legs for him.

  He could show her how he worshipped his queen. Her pussy was a perfect, ripe peach. Golden and succulent. Already he could see she was aroused, sweet cream softening her. He breathed in her scent, letting it wash over him before he leaned over and ran his tongue between the part in her labia.

  “That’s right, love. It feels so good. Your mouth feels so good. More. I need more.” She stiffened around him.

  So responsive. She responded so beautifully and held nothing back from him. He found her praise intoxicating, her willful lust addictive.

  He fucked her with his tongue, spearing up inside and coating his lips with the taste of her. He let his finger find her clitoris, rubbing in a soft circle as he explored her.

  “Stop,” she commanded.

  He didn’t want to stop. He wanted to make her come and then thrust himself inside her until he was completely spent.

  “I said stop.” She tugged on his hair and her voice had gone deep.

  Damn it. What had he done wrong now? He rolled off her, frustration threatening to overwhelm the lust of before. He stared up at the ceiling. What did she want from him? He’d done everything she’d asked and now she wanted him to stop?

  He groaned as he felt heat on his dick. He looked down and Day was inspecting his cock, her mouth hovering over him. So close. So fucking close.

  “I want to taste you, too.” She leaned over and teased at his cockhead with her delicate tongue. “Hold on to the headboard. If you let go, I’ll stop what I’m doing.”

  His hands floated up as though they were smarter than his brain and knew when to obey the lovely queen currently giving him head. Her hair spread out around her, tickling his skin and surrounding him with her. He gripped the slats of the headboard as he watched her work. Her tongue came out, licking at the slit on his dick and lapping up the pre-come she found there. She scraped her teeth lightly around his erection, the sensation making him stiffen and grasp the slats with desperation.

  She was going to kill him. She was an evil queen, trying to take his crown through sexual frustration. Every time he was sure she would take him deep, her head would come up and she would be right back to teasing licks.

  He groaned as she cupped his balls and rolled them gently in her soft hand.

  His toes were curling, his body prepping to go off.

  And that was when she got on her knees.

  He groaned in frustration.

  “I’m letting you off easy this time, love. Mostly because I can’t wait either.” She reached for the box of condoms he’d placed on his bedside table in a spark of optimism.

  She wasn’t leaving him hanging. She wasn’t playing some cruel game. He relaxed as he realized Day wouldn’t do that. She’d enjoyed playing with him, exploring him, and now she would bring them both to pleasure.

  He gripped the headboard tight and she rolled the condom over his cock. He watched as she straddled him like a stallion she was about to ride.

  Heat rushed through him as she began to lower herself onto his stiff dick. It took everything he had not to hold on to her hips and force her down. She moved over him, taking him inch by inch. He would feel her sink farther and then draw back up, every second a brilliant mix of pleasure and maddening frustration. No woman had ever made him want her the way this one did. No woman made him want to bow before her, to offer up everything he had.

  Day settled herself on him, taking every inch of him, and he could hear her sigh with pleasure. She rolled her hips and he groaned, his eyes nearly crossing as she gripped him tight. So small and sleek and soft. He watched as her breasts bounced while she rode him.

  Over and over again she rolled her hips and worked him. He watched as her mouth came open and he heard her keening cry. She dropped down and looked up at him.

  “Now, love. Take me hard and fast. Make me come again.”

  He had her on her back before he could take another breath. He was off the leash and he didn’t think about anything but doing her will. There was no gentle flower here. He didn’t have to treat her with delicacy. She was his match and she could take him. He spread her legs, loving how wild she looked with her hair flowing around her, her arms coming up to grip him. He thrust inside her, one long hard motion of his body.

  Instinct took over and he growled as he felt her nails scoring his back. Yes, he liked that. He wanted her mark, to carry it on him and feel the ache so that long after, he could remember how good it was to fuck his wild cat.

  He fucked her hard, grinding down on her. He felt her tighten around him and her climax forced his own.

  His spine bowed with the force of his orgasm. He gave over and let it take him.

  Finally, he dropped down, rolling to the side and taking her in his arms.

  She cuddled against him, her head finding his chest. “You are perfect, love. No king ever worshipped his queen more. Thank you for the gift.”

  He held her until he sensed her breathing slow and steady as sleep took her. Kash stared down at the woman in his arms and wondered if he hadn’t gone over the edge of a cliff he could never climb back up.

  He’d loved how she’d taken control, but would she see him differently? Would he be less of a man for allowing her to use him like this?

  He held her through the night, his body pleasantly tired but his mind troubled.

  Chapter Six

  Day looked out over the ballroom and wondered where her bridegroom had gotten off to.

  “You look lovely, Your Majesty.” Rai gave her a proper bow.

  He and the other guards had done a wonderful job on the wedding. It had gone off without a single hitch. Between McKay-Taggart working security and the lord chamberlain running the wedding, she’d had to do little except wave and say the words that bound her to Kashmir and the Loa Mali throne forever.

  Which was good because it seemed her Kash had a never-ending need for sex. Since that first night, he’d been voracious. He was sweet and so willing to please her when the doors closed and they were alone. There wasn’t a doubt in her mind that this was the right thing to do.

  They fit together, and tonight she was going to talk to him about more exotic play. Tonight, she was going to discuss punishments and rewards.

  She wouldn’t ever top another man again. Only her dashing husband.

  “You practically glow with happiness,” Rai said, his eyes looking out over the dance floor.

  “Thank you.” She felt happy. Maybe truly for the first time in her life, she felt at peace. Always there had been this nagging question in the back of her mind about whether she could find someone she loved who could accept her as she was.

  Now that question had been answered. Kash had answered it when he’d said “I do.
”

  It was funny how the more he gave her in the bedroom, the less she felt the need to be aggressive outside of it. She’d found herself compromising more and more, especially with him. When he wanted to sit in on her meetings with parliament, she didn’t question it. After all, he never forced his opinion on her, but he did give wise counsel.

  She was rapidly falling head over heels in love with him once again.

  She turned to Rai, wondering if she could help her brand new husband out a bit. She knew he missed this man. They’d been friends for years. She didn’t understand the nature of what had caused them to break. “I think Kash would dearly love to have you on his detail again. He misses you.”

  A bitter smile crossed his lips. “Somehow I doubt that. Or perhaps not. Perhaps he’s simply so arrogant and self-centered that he doesn’t understand how he hurts the people around him.”

  Or maybe that would be a terrible mistake. “All I’ve seen is his kindness.”

  “Then you haven’t been watching, Your Majesty,” Rai shot back. “You wait. Give him a month or two and he’ll be right back to his old tricks. He’ll crawl into the bed of any woman who will have him. And some who don’t want him at all.”

  She stepped in front of him when he started to go. “What exactly are you accusing my husband of?”

  Rai’s jaw formed a stubborn line. “Nothing at all, Your Majesty. After all, what woman wouldn’t want to bed the great Kashmir Kamdar? What woman would say no to him? Certainly not my own wife. If you’ll excuse me.”

  She let him pass with a sigh. So that was what had happened.

  “If it makes you feel any better, I believe Kash slept with the young Lia before her marriage to Rai.” Hanin stepped up next to her, looking out over the ballroom with a keen eye.