“I have a few other rules,” he began, running a fingertip between her luscious breasts before cupping the weight of one in his palm and caressing it with his thumb.

She almost threw herself against his body, then seemed to remember he’d told her to assume this position and sat on her heels again. “Yes, Axel.”

“You don’t come until you’re given permission. But unless I say otherwise, don’t hold back your sighs, whimpers, pleas, or screams. They’re mine, and I want them all.”

“Yes, Axel.” She shifted her hips from one side to the other.

Clearly, Mystery had a bad little habit of trying to ease her desire whenever she pleased.

He gripped her shoulders. “Hold still and stop trying to make your pussy throb less.”

Instantly, she complied, but she bit her lip as if the ache was too overwhelming to ignore.

He stroked his fingers across her cheek, then wrapped them around her nape. “You think you’re aroused and want me to fuck you now?” When she nodded, he smiled. “Just wait. I’ll make you beg—with your mouth, those nervous hands you’re wringing, your wide eyes. You’ll offer yourself to me with your words, your pouting nipples, your spread legs. When you really know what it’s like to need me to fuck you and you’ve begged sweetly, then I’ll make you scream.”

Mystery closed her eyes and dragged in a ragged breath. “I know you will. I think I’ve always known that.”

Just like on some basic, elemental level, Axel had always known that she would not only torque up his desire but drive his Dominance to new heights and fascinate him completely.

“More beautiful honesty. Excellent.”

She sent him a placid smile. It pleased her to please him. What would please him more was to have her naked. He could tell her to strip, but he wanted to unwrap her like a special gift.

Taking her braid in hand, he eased the elastic band from the ends and combed his fingers through her damp tresses. They spilled everywhere around her shoulders, brushed her waist, with soft curls that shined under the golden light from the ceiling fixture. Then he lifted the T-shirt from her curves. The stretchy knit skimmed her waist and caught on her heavy breasts.

As he pulled it over her head, she sat, spine straight, watching him raptly. Damn it, she wore another one of those frilly bras that short-circuited his brain completely. Her nipples were barely contained by the half cups. Only the upward curve of scalloped lace concealed them at all. They poked at the fabric, a deep rosy brown that had his mouth watering.

“You always have the sexiest lingerie,” he breathed as he lifted her breast in his palm and dipped his thumb under the edge of the lace.

Her nipple jumped to even stiffer attention. “I like how feminine I feel when I wear it. And I like your reaction to it.”

“That bra and panties I hand washed for you at the ghost town? As soon as I took them from the water and set them on the towel rack, I had to jack off. I knew if I didn’t, I’d picture you wearing them and you’d be flat on your back with your legs spread for me.”

Mystery closed her eyes. She fucking glowed with arousal. She wanted this, wanted him . . .

As badly as he yearned to pounce on her, Axel couldn’t. He had to take her slowly, introduce her to some of the kinks he’d like to share with her, convince her without words that she’d be satisfied long, well, and often.

He reached behind her and unclasped the bra. Her breasts bounced free. Damn, he wanted those nipples in his mouth, wanted to know if a bite of pain would excite her.

“Up on your knees,” he demanded.

Swallowing hard, she raised her butt from her heels. Her body strained toward him. Even her nipples pointed straight at him. Axel couldn’t wait to give her everything she craved.

He wrapped his big hands around her torso. She looked so small comparatively. So soft and submissive. Spreading his legs wider to make room in between, he lifted her closer. Then he bent and kissed her lips, her jaw, dragging his mouth down her neck, then the swell of one breast.

“Offer them to me,” he rasped out. “Lift them to me.”

Her breath caught as she obeyed, cupping her mounds in her palms. They spilled over her smaller hands, but she brought the stiff tips closer to his mouth, and that’s all he needed.

He latched onto one, sucking it deep and hard, giving it a little pinch with his teeth.

Mystery yelped, and Axel waited a breath, a heartbeat, then . . . There came that moan he wanted. From the startled note it held, he suspected the nip of pain had awakened her nipples with sensations she’d never felt.

She wrapped her hands around his head and held him close to her breast. He hadn’t given her permission to touch him. He enjoyed her urgency and the closeness for a moment. Someday, he’d make love to Mystery softly and let her touch him at will. Today wasn’t that day. Everything inside screamed not only to dominate but to claim her, to bind her to him with pleasure. Because he still didn’t know if she would truly want him when the real world came calling again, when her father found out and the tabloids questioned why she was with a man who came from the backwoods, hadn’t finished college, and often liked guns more than people. But maybe, if he gave Mystery more pleasure than she could manage, when the dust settled with whoever pursued her, none of that would matter.

Winding his grip around her wrist, he pulled her hands from his scalp and drilled her with a chastising stare. “I told you to offer them to me. Don’t stop until I say otherwise.”

She licked her lips, then lifted her breasts to him again. “Sorry. Yes, Axel.”

Untrained, yes. But so beautifully compliant. He brushed a thumb down her still-wet tip, watching it bob and perk for him. He pinched it, teased it with the hint of his nail . . . and took in her pleading cry for more.

He held in a smile and shifted to her other nipple, stabbing the air and waiting for attention. Against his tongue, it puckered. Her breast swelled. Like a sweet sub, she kept presenting herself for his feasting. She offered. She welcomed. Yes, he’d told her to, but she could have safeworded out. Instead, she looked all too breathless and happy to comply.

He gave her a harder bite with his teeth while holding the other between his thumb and forefinger, squeezing and sliding the pad over her sensitive nub. She gasped, jolted. Barely a moment later, she gave him a long, low moan deep from her throat.

“You’re processing the bite faster,” he murmured with satisfaction. “So fucking pretty.”

“I understand it better now. Having just a little edge is . . . lovely.”

Yes, she was a sub to the core, and pride rolled through Axel. He fully intended to teach her about her body and flirt with her boundaries—then ease her past any that merely held her back.

“Mmm. Knowing you feel that way only makes me harder.” He let out a rough sigh. “Stand and take off your shoes.”

He helped her to her feet, then watched as she kicked off her flip-flops. He eased her pants the rest of the way down her thighs. As she stepped out of them, he cast her shoes aside and placed a soft, lingering kiss on the pad of her pussy.

“This is mine,” he insisted in a soft, growled tone, brushing his knuckles across the smooth flesh just over her clit. “Isn’t it?”

“Yes, Axel,” she rushed to say.

“You know that. Good. I’m still going to prove that to you. Get on the bed. In the middle. Legs spread.”

She made her way along the side of the bed, hips swaying, gorgeous ass on display, before crawling on the mattress. She glanced back at him—not in confusion or indecision. Her stare was all come-hither.

He chuckled. “Oh, you’re inviting trouble now. I’m so going to fuck you, princess.”

She rolled to her back and arched, breasts upthrust as she spread her legs. “Promise?”