And as he’d said—added to the sizzle.
She stood, everything she was open and receptive and glorying in the truth that she was his…to tease. To touch. To take.
His gaze moved over her in appreciation and pleasure. Leaning forward, he curved his hands over her bottom, squeezing, separating, stroking, before moving to her hips, and upward. He cupped and weighed her breasts in his callused palms.
Need rolled up and over her, heating each breath she took of the sultry air.
“You did well with answering Ben.” His brows lowered. “I’m afraid of how this is going to end for him.”
“Why?” Kim’s toes curled as his thumbs circled her nipples. “Um. He loves her—that’s pretty plain.”
“Yes. But do you remember when we didn’t think we could be together? Because our needs weren’t in equilibrium?”
Just the memory of that miserable time made her spirits droop. “But we got past that.”
“Only because we did want essentially the same thing. And because we love each other.” He pulled her down into his lap, taking her mouth more possessively than normal, as if to drive away the memory of their days of loneliness.
Oh, she loved him so much. She snuggled closer, tangling her hand in his thick hair. Although some Masters didn’t let their slaves touch unless given permission, he never minded and rarely took that privilege away from her. He liked her hands on him.
He lifted his head, smiling down at her, palming her breast again, simply enjoying her body.
Poor Ben. If what he and Anne had built was similar to her relationship with Master R, then its loss would devastate him. Couldn’t Anne back off a bit? How could she not see how important she was to him? But women… Kim sighed. Women were obstinate when it came to guarding their hurts. Their hearts.
And maybe Kim should be studying her own life instead. Because, spit in the surf, how totally over-fearful was she being about getting married?
Raoul wasn’t anything like her father. Married or not, he’d never take her for granted. Never grind her down to serve his ego. She’d not only be loved, she’d be cherished.
Maybe it was time to rethink her own cowardly stance.
“I think Anne and Ben can work it out,” she said, turning her thoughts back to her friends.
“I see something of my marriage when I look at them. My ex-wife was not submissive. She wanted pain. I wanted a slave. Our needs were at cross-purposes, making us both unhappy.”
That was an understatement. From everything Kim’d heard, Raoul’s breakup with his wife had nearly destroyed him. Her compassionate Master wouldn’t want Ben to make a similar mistake.
He continued, “Anne’s slaves never live with her. When they’re with her, they’re slaves, not friends. I think Ben wants to be her lover and her companion, not merely her slave. What do you think, gatita?”
He stilled his hands, holding her waist, letting her have the space to think.
Ben’s dilemma was so close to what she’d gone through with Raoul. Her heart broke for him because she could relate to his pain. “Maybe they’re not swimming in the same current—not yet—but surely, they can get there if they try. He really cares for her.”
“I agree. But does Anne feel the same? Will she put in the effort?” Raoul kissed Kim’s fingertips. “The Mistress is a good person. As a Domme, she is strong and careful and responsible. But I’m not sure she possesses the heart of a lover to give to our friend.”
Kim bit her lip. She hated disagreeing with him, but he only saw Anne at the Shadowlands or the occasional party. He hadn’t seen her with Jessica’s baby or at the battered women’s shelter with the children. “I think she has more of a heart than you give her credit for.”
He smiled, his gaze soft. “I know who has more of a heart than her little body should hold. You are a generous friend, sumisita.”
He didn’t believe her.
She frowned. “You’ll let them work things out though, right?” Doms were notoriously protective, and if Raoul worried that Ben’d get hurt, he would step in.
“I will.” His white teeth flashed in his darkly tanned face. “I’d hate to have Ben smash my face into the pavement.”
“As if he could. I’ve seen you fight.”
“I’m good, but Ben was an Army Ranger, and he hasn’t lost those skills.”
Whoa. She hadn’t known that one. Go, Ben.
Then, smiling to herself, she wiggled her ass right on top of Master R’s solid erection. “In that case, you’d better behave. It would be a shame if some manly bits got squished.”