Rush

anything,
     she was buzzing with anticipation.
    She caught his gaze and she sobered. “I really am sorry about last night. I had no
     idea you were so worried. If I would have checked my phone I would have called or
     texted you, Gabe. I wouldn’t have ignored you.”
    “I know you wouldn’t,” he said gruffly. “The thing I want you to be conscious of is
     being careful. You and your girlfriends going out alone and getting drunk only invites
     trouble. Any number of things could happen to a group of girls alone and vulnerable.”
    That he was so protective of her gave her immense satisfaction.He had to feel something for her beyond viewing her as a sexual object.
    “Now if you’re finished, there’s the matter of your punishment,” he said silkily.
    Holy hell.
His gaze had gone molten and he bristled with lust and desire. Need sizzled over
     her skin, burning and edgy.
    She pushed the pizza box away and he picked it up, setting it on the nightstand by
     the bed.
    “Strip,” he said bluntly. “I want you to have nothing on. When you’re finished, get
     on your hands and knees, ass to the edge of the bed.”
    She rose on shaky knees and quickly pulled the T-shirt—Gabe’s shirt—from her body,
     leaving her naked to his gaze. She turned her back to him where she faced the bed
     and then put her knee to the mattress, pushing herself upward to balance her knees
     on the edge. She planted her palms forward and closed her eyes, breathing deeply as
     she waited.
    Footsteps echoed through the room. The sound of a drawer opening. More footsteps and
     then items being placed on the nightstand.
    His lips pressed to one of her ass cheeks and then his teeth grazed over her skin,
     eliciting a shiver that produced chill bumps down her legs.
    “Don’t make a single sound,” he said, his voice laced with desire. “Not a word. You’ll
     take your punishment in silence. Afterward, I’m going to fuck that sweet ass of yours.”
    Her elbows buckled and she nearly lost her balance. She pushed herself back up, locking
     her elbows once more.
    The crop slid across her ass, whispering faintly, deceptive in its softness. It left
     her skin, and then fire raced across her ass when he administered the first lash.
    Her teeth sank into her lip to prevent any noise from escaping.She’d been unprepared. Too caught up in her desire. She focused this time, preparing
     for the next blow.
    He never struck the same spot twice nor did he draw out the punishment for effect.
     He peppered her behind with a series of lashes that varied in strength and sharpness.
     There was no way to know what to expect next because he changed it up each time.
    She lost count at seventeen. Her entire body was crawling with need. The initial pain
     had diminished and in its place, a steady, heated throb had settled in. She lost awareness
     of her surroundings, floating off to a completely different plane where the line between
     pleasure and pain was blurred.
    The next thing she became aware of was warm lubricant circling her anal opening and
     then his hands smoothing over her cheeks.
    “Your ass is beautiful,” Gabe murmured, his voice as silky and smooth as the finest
     chocolate. “My marks are there. You wear them because you belong to me. And now I’m
     going to fuck your sweet little ass because it belongs to me and I’ve not yet taken
     what is mine.”
    She swallowed and lowered her head, closing her eyes as his hands gripped her hips
     and then slid over her ass, spreading the cheeks. The blunt head of his cock nudged
     against her and then he pushed with more force, opening her to his initial entry.
    He went extremely slow, and he was patient. Much more patient than she was. She wanted
     him inside her. The waiting was killing her.
    “Relax, baby,” he soothed. “You’re way too tense. I don’t want to hurt you. Let me
     inside you.”
    She tried to do as he instructed, but it was hard when every nerve in her body was
     on edge and screaming. Instinctively, she pushed back against him, but he put his
     palms on her ass, halting her motion.
    “Be patient, Mia. I don’t want to go too fast and hurt you.”
    He withdrew and pushed forward, performing shallow thrusts. She felt the brush of
     his knuckles as he gripped the base of his cock and fed it inside her, gaining more
     depth than before.
    The burn was overwhelming. Not even being stretched daily with the plugs he’d made
     her wear could prepare her for having his entire