"yes," she groaned. "yes!"

"do you want me to untie you?" he asked. "or do you want me to fuck you just like this? helpless. unable to move. at the mercy of however i want to take you."

his erotic words slid over her, tightening every single nerve ending in their wake. his hips stilled as he waited for her answer. she felt full, stretched. how much tighter would he feel in her ass?

he collected her hair in his fist and pulled slightly. "answer the question," he directed.

"i want you to fuck me just like this," she whispered.

his hold loosened, but his hand stayed in her hair, fingering the strands as he resumed the slow, measured thrusts. then he withdrew.

the bed dipped as he leaned over, and she heard a light squirting sound. lubricant? fingers parted the globes of her ass, and then she felt the cool shock of the slick gel.

he eased one fingertip over the opening then slowly inserted the tip. she moaned at the sensation as he lazily worked the finger in and out. one finger and it felt like he'd stuffed his entire dick through the small opening.

he withdrew, added more lubricant and then inserted two fingers. he stretched the tight channel, preparing her for what was to come.

she curled her fingers into her palms at her back and tensed when he removed his fingers. he spread her legs wider and leaned over her. his arm brushed over her buttocks as he reached between her legs to position his cock.

it slid between her cheeks, and then he took both hands and spread the globes. the head pressed against the ring of muscle, and she instinctively tensed against the invasion.

he groaned as she squeezed the tip of his cock, but he didn't relent. his fingers dug into her behind, spreading wider as he pushed into her.

he leaned forward, forcing his cock deeper. "relax," he murmured. "it's going to hurt. but i'll make you feel so good. let me in, baby. take all of me."

the sensual words flowed over her like warm honey, and she willed herself to relax. as soon as he sensed her surrender, he rammed forward, seating himself to the hilt.

she bucked upward, the bite of pain unsettling her. she squirmed and bit her lip as shards of unbearable pleasure followed closely on the heels of the edgy pain.

"faith, baby, you have to stop," he groaned. "be still, or i'm going to lose it. you're killing me."

he smacked her ass lightly to reinforce his agonized plea, and she stilled, sucking in deep mouthfuls of air as she fought against the rising force inside her.

he grasped her hips in both hands and partially withdrew. he stopped there, and she could feel him trembling.

"do you have any idea how fucking hot you look with your sexy ass wrapped around my dick?" he pushed forward again, and she gasped at the sensation. "it doesn't even look possible that you can take me. you're stretched so tight around me. it feels unfucking-believable."

he scooted up farther on his knees, and he lifted her hips with him. then he pulled out.

"beautiful," he murmured.

before she could beg him not to stop, he flipped her over, and she struggled to position herself on her bound hands. for the first time since she woke up, she looked him in the eyes. she shivered at the possession she saw so clearly outlined.

he spread her legs wide and pushed them back toward her body until her ass was clearly accessible again. he slid his hand over her pussy and fingered her clit just as he shoved his cock deep into her anal opening.

she cried out.

"let go of the hurt," he said in a raspy voice. "embrace the pleasure. reach for it."

his thumb rubbed and strummed at her clit. then he worked his finger lower and thrust into her pussy. she arched into him, wanting him to move, to thrust. but he held still against her, buried as deeply as he could go.

"please," she begged.

he slowly withdrew and then eased forward. he closed his eyes, and his jaw was clenched tight as he seemed to struggle for control.

"i can't go slow," he said. he rammed forward as his finger stroked over her clit. "oh, god, faith."

he began thrusting, his hips slapping against her ass. moisture flooded her pussy as her orgasm built and blew out of control. there wasn't one slow buildup to one big bang, instead there were several explosions, one after the other. each one was wrung out of her in a mixture of pain and edgy pleasure. it all mixed and swirled together until she was mindless in her ecstasy.

and then when he buried himself one last time, and she felt the hot rush of his release deep in her body, she lost all semblance of time and place.

she screamed as her body flew apart.

he continued to thrust against her until finally he stopped. he leaned against her for a long moment as his cock jerked and spasmed the last of his release. then he eased out of her body with a gentle pop. she felt the warm slide of his seed spill over her aching flesh as he left her.

with gentle hands, he turned her over to her side. she curled her legs until her knees tucked into her stomach. her muscles ached, and she trembled from head to toe. but she felt more alive than she'd ever felt before. excited, exhausted and completely sated.

he bent and kissed her hip before sliding from the bed. she closed her eyes, too exhausted to do anything more than lie there and wait for him to return.

in a few seconds, he tugged at the rope at her hands. when her hands fell free, he rolled her over onto her back and gathered her in his arms. he picked her up from the bed and kissed the top of her head as he walked toward the bathroom.

the water was still running when he lowered her into the bathtub. she sighed contentedly as the hot water lapped over her body.

he knelt beside the tub and ran a hand through her hair. "are you okay?"

she smiled, allowing the sheer joy coursing through her to show. "i've never been better."

his eyes glittered, and she could see the satisfaction her answer had brought.

he washed her, gently tending to every inch of her body. when he was finished, he reached down and picked her up from the water. he set her down outside of the tub and reached for one of the large towels hanging on the rack.

as he wrapped the towel around her, he clutched her shoulders and pulled her close to him. he nudged her chin up with his knuckle then lowered his mouth to hers.

his kiss was tender, loving. he fanned his fingers out over her face as he deepened his kiss. she let out a contented sigh that he swallowed up as soon as it escaped.

"you're so unbelievably sweet," he murmured. "so perfect."

she warmed under his approval, and she offered a shy smile when he drew away.

he tucked her hand into his and pulled her out of the bathroom. she followed him into the living room, and he stopped at the couch.

without a word, he wrapped an arm around her and positioned her at the end of the sofa. the arms were big and fluffy and she had to stand on tiptoe when he bent her over the plump cushion.

her feet left the floor as he pushed her back until her cheek rested against the seat cushion. her ass stuck high in the air as her abdomen cradled the arm of the couch.

he left her for a moment then returned and pulled her hands behind her back as he'd done earlier. he wrapped the rope around her wrists and tied them together. then he spread her legs so that her pussy and ass were exposed and vulnerable.

"just like that," he murmured. "i'm going to jump in the shower. i expect to find you just like i put you when i get back."

the clear warning in his voice sent a delighted chill over her skin. she heard the soft thud of his feet as he walked back across the hardwood floor to the bathroom.

she lay there, her body already humming with heightened arousal. she didn't think it was possible to have recovered so quickly from her last orgasm. it had been a force like she'd never experienced. no one had ever been able to give her so much, been able to take so much.

was gray the one? her mind, her heart told her yes. unequivocally yes. her body told her yes. did she dare to hope that she and gray could forge a relationship?

she closed her eyes, afraid to hope, afraid that this was one disappointment she couldn't bear if things didn't work out.

sensing his presence once again, she opened her eyes to see him standing beside the couch. her vision focused on his hand at his side and the crop resting against his leg.

heat flooded every pore of her body. he was going to spank her.

he extended the crop to touch her cheek, the leather tip trailing down her jawline. it followed a line down her neck and over her shoulder. he traced her spine down her back, and she shivered when it caressed her buttocks.

it left her body and then a split second later it struck her ass. red-hot pain scorched the spot where the crop landed, leaving her breathless. just as soon, though, the pain was replaced by a sensual heat as it radiated over her ass. it went humming through her body, tightening her nipples and making her pussy clench with need.

another blow fell on her other cheek, and she flinched as a surprised cry spilled from her lips.

two more landed in quick succession until she writhed, suspended between pain and deep arousal.

"you like the pain," he said.

she moaned softly in response. she did. she couldn't explain it. with each blow came initial discomfort, but at the same time, each strike gave her more pleasure than the last.

"i love seeing my mark on you. i love how red your ass gets with each slap of the leather. i love seeing you squirm in pain and then give over to the pleasure that follows."

"more," she whispered. "please."

he struck the soft globe of her ass again, harder than before. she cried out then shivered when his hand caressed away the burn. again the crop descended, and the sharp snap of leather meeting flesh cracked across the room.

"but you want to know what i love even more?" he asked softly.

she whimpered softly.

"the idea that after i've turned your ass red i'm going to fuck you. i'm going to ride you hard while your ass is still burning, while my mark is still visible on your skin."

she was going to come. simply from his words, the spanking. she was going to blow out of control.

"how many more?" he asked. "how many blows do you think i should give you before i stuff my dick so far up your pussy that you taste me?"

"please, please," she panted. "i need..."

she flinched when he struck her again. then again. oh god.

"a dozen more? can you take it, faith? should i stop?

"no!" she cried. "please, don't stop."

"that's what i like to hear," he purred.

he brought the crop down on her ass then moved an inch in the other direction and struck her again. five, six, seven times. she lost count as her ass caught fire. she was lost in a world of edgy pain and euphoric pleasure.

harder. each blow was harder than the last. he had begun light and increased the intensity with each strike. unbearable heat bloomed until all she could feel was the tingle in her ass.

then he stopped. the crop fell to the floor, and he roughly grabbed her ass in his hands, spreading her.

before she could process what was happening, he rammed into her pussy. her entire body burned with a fire only he could give her.

he reached up and curled his fingers tightly around her bound hands. he held on as he fucked her from behind.

no way she could withstand it a second longer. pushed to the edge long before he penetrated her body, now she fell over in a cataclysmic burst.

she screamed and screamed again as he rode her mercilessly.

"come for me," he commanded.

she felt a gush of wetness and realized it was her. the smack of his hips meeting her ass filled the room. wet, erotic sounds that only spurred her orgasm higher.

"i can't..." she began, begging for something she didn't even understand or comprehend.

his grip tightened on her hands and he slammed forward again. her ass, tender from the spanking, tingled with every thrust.

"let go," he said gently, his tone at a direct contradiction to the power of his thrusts.

and she did. her stomach clenched. her pussy tightened and spasmed around his cock. she closed her eyes and pressed her lips together as a terrifying force built and raged inside her, demanding to be let out, forcing its way out.

just when she thought she couldn't take another second of the unbearable tension, the world exploded around her. the room shifted and fuzzed out of focus. her body took on a life of its own as it shook and trembled.

tears slid from underneath her lids as her body popped like a rubber band at full stretch. relief. such sweet, aching relief.

as she slowly came down from her orgasm, she registered him still rocking against her ass, his cock probing the depths of her pussy.

it was almost painful. she was too tender, too sensitive from such a volatile orgasm. he was stretching her, filling her. she whimpered against the painful ache of his attentions.

then he withdrew and rotated her body until her hip rested on the arm of the couch. she drew in her legs to alleviate the awkwardness of the position as he walked around the side of the sofa. he bent his knees and lowered himself to her face.