Conquering Jude Read Free Page B

the jeans was probably the hardest thing he’d ever done.
    Hard-on straining against the cotton barrier of his boxers, he gave one sharp knock before lowering himself awkwardly to kneel in front of her door. His bad leg and right arm protested as he clumsily assumed the position she’d told him by bracing his arms behind his back. If he hadn’t been so aware of his vulnerability, he would’ve laughed at the idea that a mere wisp of woman had affected him more than his hard-ass Chief Warrant Officer in the Rangers had.
    Minutes dragged on. Keeping his head lowered was a struggle when the door finally opened, as he fought with himself to keep from looking up. He bit the inside of his lip to resist the urge. Her instructions had been explicit and he wasn’t going to chance pissing her off more than she already was. His aching cock wanted her and if this is what he needed to do then he would. He ignored the small part of him that was intrigued by the idea of punishment. Finally he felt the barest of brushes of her fingers over his bowed head.
    “What’s your purpose tonight, slave?” The unemotional tone of her voice along with the generic ‘slave’ had his heart beating hard with panic.
    “I…” he tried to remember the words he was supposed to use to ask for forgiveness. Their formalness on paper had seemed absurd and if Jackson would’ve seen the paper he’d have given Jude a hard time. “I need…ah…” Dammit, not I…slave…it’s slave. He gave a nervous cough. “…this slave is presenting himself for…ah hell.” Frustrated he finally broke protocol and looked up at her. He devoured her with his eyes. The bruising which had been apparent last week was fading. He could see the light discolorations under her artful application of make-up. The dark circles under her eyes bothered him almost as much as the detachment he found in their dark grey depths. It was as if she were contemplating what to have for dinner rather than the fact he was kneeling before her clad only in his briefs.
    “Dammit, just punish me and get it over with.” Even to his own ears he heard the lack of command. Instead it felt as if he were pleading for her to punish him. He swallowed when her hand fell to the handle of the whip resting at her hip. He shifted his weight as unease flared. He tried to remember why he’d agreed to let her punish him. Oh, yeah, it’s either this or she’ll never let me darken her doorstep again and there goes my chance of getting in her bed.
    When she finally spoke, his body tightened with pleasure. Her raspy intonation was like pure crushed velvet rubbing against his skin. “Topping from the bottom is not allowed, slave. I am in charge here. I make the demands, not you.” She lifted the whip from her hip to trail its handle over his shoulder. “I should send you away for trying to take control. Is that what you want?” She gave him a brittle smile.
    He shook his head, the same panic racing through him he’d felt almost two weeks ago. The fateful night he’d walked in on something, totally misunderstood the situation, lost his cool and blown it with her. “No, Mistress.”
    She studied him for a moment. “Then why did you come, Jude? From your words alone you’ve told me you’re not submissive, so why are you here – kneeling before me?”
    He grunted and shrugged his massive shoulders. “Damned if I know, Olivia.”
    Pain flared from his shoulder blade. She’d used the handle of her whip to tap him A sharp breath escaped him when heat replaced the sting. He could feel his cock leaking against the fabric of his underwear, confusing him all the more.
    “That’s not an answer.” Her voice was still firm but there seemed to be a tone of understanding in it.
    “Sorry, Mistress. I don’t know why I’m here, other than I’m attracted to you. I just know I needed to see you again. Would you be willing to go out on a date with me and leave all of this…” He gestured with his head to