As he entered her, all steel and velvet and heat, the sensations swamped her mind, arched her back. With a merciless grip, he prevented her instinctive attempt to push away.

His added demonstration of control sent another surge of heat to her center. Slowly, inexorably, he sheathed himself completely.

“Uuuuhh.” The moan escaped, the penetration through her tender labia almost more than she could take. His fingers tightened on her ass, holding his throbbing length inside her.

She leaned forward, her palms on his chest, looking down at his wonderful face as gradually the discomfort transformed into a wonderful, dawning hunger. She squirmed uncontrollably, straining against his hold…and realizing that her extremely swollen clit rubbed wonderfully on his groin.

“Say this to me, Rainie: ‘I’m perfect just as I am. I don’t need to change to be loved.’”

“What?” She stared at him in disbelief and increasing frustration. “Dude, this is sex, not psychotherapy.”

His deep, hearty laughter was the most gorgeous sound in the world, filling the hollows in her soul to overflowing. “You’re the one who likes efficiency, baby.” His chin lifted, and his compelling gaze melted her objections faster than the wax had dripped from the candle. “Say. It.”

The words slid from her. “I’m perfect just as I am. I don’t need to change to be loved.” Then she wiggled her hips, making him laugh again. “Now let’s—”

“Again.”

“I’m perfect just as I am. I don’t need to change to be loved.” She huffed out a breath. “I’m beginning to have doubts about your perfection, though.”

Grinning, he let her struggle to pull herself up. Her eyes half-closed at the hot slide of his cock. Thighs straining, she stopped near the top, quivering with him barely inside her.

And then he yanked her down so rough and fast, a mini-climax pulsed through her, leaving her surging with need.

“Say it again.”

“Jaaake.” Was that whine hers? Her skin was searing hot, sending off heat waves into the room. Her clit throbbed, her insides burned, and— “I’m perfect just as I am. I don’t need to change to be loved.” And then she added two more of the damned affirmations for extra measure.

“Good girl.” Chuckling, he gave her three magnificent thrusts that almost sent her over.

“Please…” At his raised eyebrows, she chanted, “I’m perfect just as I am. I don’t need to change to be loved.” Over and over.

“Louder.” He lifted her slightly.

“I’m perfect just as I am. I don’t need to change to be loved. I do need to hit my Master really hard. I’m perfect just as I am.”

His laugh made her insides quiver.

He moved, finally, finally. Up, down.

A coil of pressure grew inside her, a burgeoning upsurge of release rushing toward the beach. The tsunami of sensation was terrifying in its size and strength—and his thrusts quickened.

God, God, God.

Just as the tidal wave rose and rose, he gripped her hips and pushed her up off his erection. Holding her there on the peak. “Look at me.”

Her eyes opened. Every muscle in her body was rigid.

“Rainie, I love you. I love you just the way you are.” His lips curved, and he jerked her down on his cock, burying himself so deeply she felt possessed by infinity.

And the climax slammed into her and through her and around her in such a massive fireworks of exquisite sensation that even her cries of pleasure held her answer, “I love you, love you, love you.”

Eyes closed, Jake lay on the dungeon room couch with the softest, roundest woman in the world on top of him. Satiation radiated through him like a Florida sun in July. Eventually—perhaps sometime tonight—he planned to stand up. Clean the equipment. Get his woman home.

Right now, he was disinclined to budge.

From somewhere nearby, a sound drifted to him.

The noise repeated and settled into something recognizable. A man was courteously clearing his throat.

Jake opened his eyes.

Z stood near the couch, a faint smile on his face as he gazed at Rainie’s immobile form.

Politely, he handed Jake a bottle of water before draping a fluffy blanket over Rainie’s bare back and butt. “Peggy will clean up the equipment,” he said. “No need to move anytime soon.”

The Dom was a saint.

“Thanks, Z.” Jake ran his hand through Rainie’s silky hair and let his fingers curve around her nape. The surge of possessiveness was disconcerting…but fucking nice. “By the way, I appreciate the talk we had…and the bet.”

“My pleasure.” Z tilted his head slightly. “Should I assume I lost another trainee from the program?”

Rainie lifted up, her gaze on Jake’s face.

“I’m afraid so, Z.” He touched her cheek and smiled into her joyful eyes. “This submissive is mine.”

Chapter Fourteen

“I’m sure Jake is here somewhere.”

At the sound of his mother’s voice, Jake grunted and looked up from the paperwork on his desk. “It can’t be seven already.”

She strolled into his clinic office, attired in tan casual slacks and a tailored silk top. “I’m afraid so, my darling.”

His father and Jennifer filled the doorway.

“Hurry up, J. I’m starving,” his sister announced.

He grinned at the nickname they’d shared through childhood and tossed his pen on the desk. “Me, too, J. Did Rainie let you in?”

“Ceecee did. She was on her way out,” his father said. His gaze took in the papers neatly stacked in the inbox and the pile of stamped envelopes with letters awaiting his signature. Approval accompanied his nod. “Very tidy.”

“Rainie’s work.” Jake rose. “She must be in the back. If you wait here, I’ll grab her and we can go.”

In the hallway, he heard footsteps trailing him, and he grinned. Of course, they wouldn’t wait. His mother’s curiosity about Rainie had peaked—thus the maternal directive that they all go out for dinner.

He passed the feline room and entered the larger room containing the dog kennels.

Empty.

To his surprise, raised voices—Rainie’s and one of the new kennel attendants—came from the small supply room.

Rainie stood in the doorway, her back to Jake. “Dr. Sheffield pays the staff to care for the animals. That means the cages are kept clean, the food and water dishes full.” Her hands braced on her hips. “I don’t know what you’ve been doing, Duke, but it sure isn’t your job.”

“Aw, c’mon, Rainie. So I slipped up a little.”

“The dogs are sick. Their recovery depends on them getting the basics. Food, clean kennels, water—attention. That’s not much to ask. Because of you, we let them down.”

“Fuck, cut me a break. It won’t happen again.”

She sighed. “If you screw-off during the honeymoon period of a new job, you’ll be a total loss later. I’m afraid this is a difficult way to learn about consequences, but you’re done here.”

Jake’s mom whispered, “Now there’s a natural mother.” His father rumbled his agreement.

Despite his anger at the asshole attendant, Jake smothered a grin. Way to go, sweetling.

“Jesus Christ, you can’t fire me,” Duke sputtered.

“I can. I did.” When she shook her head, her previously French-braided hair spilled down her back…because she’d spent her break playing with a litter of kittens. “None of us have time to monitor you constantly. Head on out.”

“You can’t afford to sack me. Hell, this place never has adequate staff—you going to shovel shit yourself?”

“That’s why Jake and Saxon hired me. Because I’m good enough to have on hand half-a-dozen workers eager to fill in.” She glanced at her watch. “Your position will be filled five minutes after you’re gone.”

She motioned toward the employee lockers. “Collect your things and meet me at the front. I’ll write out your check.”

“Bitch. Just because you fuck the boss, you figure he won’t dump you when he finds someone prettier?”

She paused in the act of turning. “Actually, I don’t think he will. He loves me.” Her voice softened. “And I love him—enough to fire your worthless ass.”

Now that last sounded like his woman. Jake grinned…and blinked his eyes. A guy didn’t tear up in front of a younger sister.

Mouth set in anger, Rainie had taken four steps when she spotted Jake…and the people behind him. Oh no, no, no. She stopped dead. Jake’s family couldn’t have missed hearing her argument with Duke.

Not fair. Totally not fair. Rainie glanced around. No escape route in sight. Where was a good hole in the floor when a girl needed one?

A quick glance told her life could truly get worse. Jake’s sister was beautiful, and his mother was one of those women who always looked perfectly put together.

Rainie’s slacks bore muddy tracks from a Jack Russell that liked to jump. A huge mottled print decorated her left thigh where a Great Dane’d planted a paw to remind her to pet him. Her hair was straggling down her shoulders. A scratch had bloodied one sleeve of her white shirt.