god, he wanted to spank her? her body prickled to life, and her blood roared like a raging river in her veins. she gulped, trying to breathe around her heavy tongue.

damon looked between her and gray, his expression questioning. "faith? is this something you want? he isn't a member here. he'll be escorted out. all you have to do is say the word."

she licked dry lips, trying desperately to work up the nerve to go where she dared. slowly she nodded.

"no, faith, i have to hear you. you tell me what you want," damon insisted.

"yes," she whispered. "yes," she said in a louder voice. "please." her voice cracked, and she relaxed her neck for a moment, the strain of holding her head up uncomfortable.

she was crazy. this cemented it. but brent wasn't doing it for her. in fact, for as turned on as she was by the visuals she'd experienced, as soon as brent had touched her, she'd gone as flat as day-old coke.

the idea of gray touching her, of him being the one to dominate her...she shuddered and felt a surge of moisture between her legs.

a firm hand cupped her chin and directed her gaze up. she met gray's eyes and blinked as he stared piercingly at her.

"can you take it, faith?"

he'd thrown down the challenge now. her eyes narrowed.

"don't play games," he said softly. "i'll take you where you want to go, but you have to be willing to get there."

he stared at her for another long second before letting her chin slide from his hand. she cocked her head to the side to watch him as he turned to damon.

"tie her hands," he directed.

she swallowed in surprise and started to protest, but she bit her tongue. no, this was what she wanted. and she knew damon would call a halt if she so much as squeaked.

damon bent and tied one wrist to the leg of the stool with a leather thong. then he secured her other one.

"and her ankles," gray said.

she closed her eyes, anticipation nearly undoing her as both ankles were tied to the wooden legs. lord, but she felt vulnerable. tied hand and foot, ass in the air, pussy exposed for the world to see.

and it stirred her as nothing ever had before.

she heard his footsteps as he moved around behind her. one finger trailed down the seam of her ass and paused just above her pussy entrance.

touch me. oh please touch me.

but he didn't.

he pulled his hand away, and then the paddle met her flesh in a stinging smack. her body lurched forward, and her eyes flew open in shock.

"wait for it," he murmured from behind her.

the burn radiated from her buttocks and was soon replaced by a hazy glow that bled into her body. before she had time to fully process the sensation, he delivered another stinging blow.

her eyes closed, and she relaxed her head. a moan escaped her as the heat simmered over her skin. again, the paddle connected. one side. then the other. soon her body was awash in what she could only describe as an edgy, euphoric shimmer.

he placed the swats strategically, never hitting the same spot twice. she strained against her bonds, nearly weeping with her need to achieve her release. she wanted more, craved more, and yet she wasn't sure she could handle more.

what was happening to her?

ten? a dozen? she lost count. then nothing. silence fell. cool air washed over her burning bottom. she let out a low wail.

"please," she whispered.

he leaned over her. she could feel his shirt against her shoulders. "what do you want, faith?" he whispered in her ear. "tell me what you want."

"i want to come," she gasped out.

his fingers found her pussy. as soon as he touched her clit, she went off like a firecracker. her head arched, and she cried out as the explosion rocked her to her core.

he continued to massage and manipulate her clit until she cried out for him to stop. she collapsed her tense muscles, lying over the stool like a limp, overcooked noodle.

gentle hands untied her wrists, and she pried open her eyes to see damon in front of her, his gaze questioning.

"are you all right?" he asked.

she nodded, unable to do more than that.

gray put his hands around her shoulders and pulled her up to stand beside him. when she got enough nerve to look him in the eye, she saw a mixture of confusion, desire and anger in his eyes.

"get dressed," he muttered.

damon handed her clothes to her, and she yanked on her skirt and blouse, not bothering with the underwear.

"she's going home," gray threw out in damon's direction.

damon lifted a brow as he looked at faith for confirmation. she bit back a smile. then she leaned over and kissed him on the cheek.

"thank you," she whispered. "i think i found exactly what i wanted."

chapter 18

gray all but hauled her from the room and into the darkened hallway. as soon as they were away from prying eyes, he shoved her against the wall, forcing her hands over her head. his lips met hers in a frenzied rush.

her body, still shaky from her explosive orgasm, nearly folded. he lowered her arms then moved his hands to her waist, then up her body to her breasts.

"i wanted to touch them," he said hoarsely. "i wanted to touch you everywhere."

he shoved her camisole up until his hands found her breasts. he cupped them, brushed his thumbs across the sensitive peaks. then he bent his head and sucked one of the nipples into his mouth.

her knees buckled. she made a grab for his shoulders, wrapped her hands around his neck and clutched him to her. the air coalesced around her. bright, shimmery sparkles seem to suspend in midair.

every nerve ending was still supercharged from her earlier release, and his mouth on her nipples sent a raging inferno through her system.

his hand slid down her body to the hem of her skirt, and he yanked it up, baring her thighs then her pussy. he suckled her nipple then moved his head to her other one, working his mouth rhythmically.

he parted her thighs with his hand then slid his fingers into her wet folds. she groaned at the dual sensation of his fingers in her pussy and his mouth on her breast.

he let go of her nipple and stared her in the eye as he slid two fingers deep into her opening. his thumb found her clit, and he stroked.

"come for me," he growled. "give me one more."

as his fingers worked deep, an uncontrollable shudder rolled over her body. it started deep in her groin and radiated outward. it tightened until she felt near to bursting. and then she did.

as she cried out, he dropped his head to her neck, kissing and biting at the skin under her ear. he held her up with his free arm while his other hand slid in and out of her pussy.

she closed her eyes against the sudden burst of pleasure. it was too much and not enough all at the same time. "oh, god," she panted.

she clung desperately to him as she rode the fierce storm of her release. he kissed her, passionately, savagely, taking everything she had and offering in return one of the most intoxicating sexual experiences of her life.

as her shudders diminished, and he withdrew his hand from between her legs, she whimpered softly. slowly, he eased her down until her feet were solidly planted on the floor. her gaze flickered down to his groin.

in the shadows of the hallway, she couldn't make out the bulge covered in the dark denim, but she'd felt it a moment ago. she lowered her hands and cupped him.

he went rigid against her.

"show me how to please you," she said softly.

he hesitated and then put a hand on her shoulder. he pushed her down to her knees while reaching for his fly with the other hand.

he fumbled with the button and the zipper. as the fly parted, he reached in and pulled out his cock. another liquid surge of desire blazed through her veins.

his hand tangled in her hair as he cupped the back of her neck. with his other hand, he guided his cock to her mouth.

"take it deep," he rasped.

she opened her mouth and let him slide between her lips.

"oh yeah, like that," he said with a groan.

he inched forward, pushing her head against the wall. his hand left her head, and he placed both hands above her, leaning into her.

she tasted him, curiously, wanting to absorb his flavor, his essence, everything that made him the powerful male. she enjoyed the rougher texture of his cock and the smoother, velvety softness of the head as it rubbed against her tongue over and over.

there in the hallway, for anyone to see as they passed, he fucked her mouth against the wall. she was on a high she might never come down from. it was heady, exhilarating in a way she'd never experienced.

he plunged deeper, and she forced her throat to relax around him. his hips worked back and forth, and she slid her hands around to cup his firmly muscled ass.

again he reached down, tangling his fingers in her hair, holding her as he fucked in long strokes. then he took her head in both hands.

"swallow it," he said. "take it all."

she closed her eyes as he swelled larger in her mouth. his thrusts became more urgent, shorter and faster. then he slid deep and held himself against her, his legs and buttocks straining underneath her hands.

the first warm pulse hit the back of her throat, and she swallowed quickly to keep from choking. he eased back then thrust forward again as her mouth filled with his musk.

his hands relaxed against her head, but he continued stroking her hair as he rocked back and forth in her mouth. there was such strength in his movements, yet they echoed such gentleness. it was an addicting combination.

with seeming reluctance, he pulled away from her, his semierect cock falling from her mouth. he tucked it back into his pants and fastened them up.

she knelt there, too stunned, too out of sorts to get to her feet. she wasn't sure she had the strength anyway.

he reached down, curled his hands underneath her arms and pulled her to her feet.

"it's time to get out of here," he said gruffly.

he wrapped an arm around her waist and started to lead her to the stairs. as she glanced back down the hallway, she saw damon standing in the doorway to the great room. how long had he stood there? had he watched the entire interlude?

strangely she felt no panic over the thought.

gray hustled her down the stairs, past the social rooms and out the door leading into the small parking lot. a blast of humid air hit her in the face, sucking the breath right out of her lungs. not that she had much to spare.

when they stepped onto the pavement, she realized she hadn't gotten her shoes. she halted and stifled a giggle.

gray stopped and shot her a sideways look. "something wrong?"

she looked curiously at him. he seemed so...pissed. so out of sorts.

"my shoes," she said. "i left them. i need to go back."

"you're not going back in there," he ground out.

she opened her mouth to protest, but he silenced her with a look.

"i'll buy you another pair. you're not going back."

some part of her wanted to tell him to fuck off, but another part, the cautious, smart part of her warned her not to push right now.

he urged her forward again, his hand at her elbow. he guided her between her car and his truck, but instead of opening her door, he opened the passenger side of his truck.

"get in," he directed.

"but my car!"

"i'll get it for you later," he said. "get in. i'll take you home."

she stared at him for a long moment before sighing. with a resigned huff, she climbed in, and he closed the door behind her. she sat in the dark, staring straight ahead until he walked around and opened the driver's side. he slid in beside her and thrust the key into the ignition.

she watched from her periphery but he never looked her way. he backed out of the lot and headed down the long driveway, his gaze locked in front of him.

"want to tell me what all that was about?" she asked when they turned onto the highway.

she heard something that sounded like a grunt. unwilling to let the silence continue, she turned in her seat to face him.

"it was nothing," he muttered.

her face twisted with incredulity. "nothing?" she stared at him in shock. "i can still feel the marks on my ass, feel your fingers in my pussy. i can still taste you in my mouth."

he gaped at her, his eyes wide with surprise. "don't be crude, faith. it doesn't suit you."

"why did you show up here, gray? how did you know i'd be here? because i don't believe in coincidences."

he stared out the windshield, his jaw clenched.

"gray?"

"i saw your day planner," he mumbled.

"that doesn't explain why you showed up, why you stepped in, why you-"

"okay, faith, i get the point. really, i do. can we just drop it?"

she sucked her cheeks in until her lips pursed. then with a shake of her head, she turned her back to him and stared out her window.

the traffic passed in a blur. the distant glow of the houston skyline reflected off her window and bathed the night with an iridescent shine.