Six Signs of Submission (Desire Island 6)

He took a step back, bending down to retrieve the flogger. “As with the spanking,” he said, fixing her with an intent gaze, “I’ll ease into it and slowly edge up the intensity. I’m going to flog your entire body, from shoulder to calf, from breasts to thigh. As before, focus on your breathing and flow with the experience. You can cry out. You can tell me if it’s too much, or not enough. I’ll check in often to make sure you’re handling it okay. Your courage and grace during the spanking tells me you’re going to handle this flogging beautifully. You’ll rise to this challenge, too. I’m sure of it.”

Courage and grace. Lainey quite liked that description. Cooper had a nice way with words. He was kind, considerate and took control in a way that left her weak in the knees. And holy moly, he was hot.

Then he snapped the flogger in the air with a flick of his wrist. She jerked in her restraints, emitting a startled gasp at the whooshing sound of the leather.

He smiled—a slow, cruel smile that set her heart racing. His dark eyes hooded, his tongue appearing on his lower lip. “It’s time, Lainey. Time to suffer.”

Chapter 9

She glanced toward one of the mirrors as he took a position behind her. He had pulled his swim trunks back on, but she could clearly see his erection straining against the fabric. There was a dark gleam in his eyes and an edgy energy about him. The muscles in his arms and shoulders flexed as he bounced lightly on the balls of his feet.

And was that really her in the reflection, wrists cuffed to a restraint beam, bare breasts lifted high by her position, hair tousled, ass still red from the spanking? She met her own gaze in the mirror. The woman looking back at her had a wild, almost feral look in her eyes. There was fear, yes, but also…desire.

Looking away, she held her breath, tensing as she waited for the sharp bite of leather. What if she freaked out? What if she failed?

Millers don’t fail, she reminded herself. She’d won just as many trophies as her brothers, maybe more. Would any of them have the courage to do what she was doing now? It was one thing to compete and win based on your strength and skill. It was quite another to allow yourself to be completely vulnerable at the hands of another.

Oh, god. What was she doing?

Was it too late to back out? All she had to do was say those two little words. Because this was crazy. It was too scary.

She jerked at her restraints, panic rising inside her like a balloon. She opened her mouth to form the words, but managed only a strangled gasp.

All at once, Cooper’s body was against hers, his arms coming around her from behind. “Hey,” he said softly into her hair. “It’s okay, Lainey. You’re okay. You need to breathe. Remember, you’re safe with me. I’m not going to give you more than you can handle. I promise.”

She hadn’t realized she was trembling until he caught her in that warm, strong embrace. “Shh,” he murmured. “Easy, Lainey. You can do this. I know you can.” He dropped a hand to her mons, cupping her sex. As he’d done the night before on the bondage table, he moved his palm against her. His touch sent shivers of raw lust zipping through her body like sparkles of electricity.

She sighed with pleasure, leaning back into him.

“That’s better,” he soothed. “Your mind may be afraid, Lainey, but your body wants this.” He slipped a finger inside her and she moaned, unable to help herself. A gush of moisture slicked her sex as he moved his finger in a slow swirl, his palm still doing its perfect grind.

“A flogging is like sex for a woman like you,” he growled in a low, sensual voice. “The pain heightens the pleasure. It adds the spark that ignites your submissive fire. You just need to trust me, and yourself. You need this. You know you do.” As he spoke, he continued to stroke her. Her nipples throbbed, her legs wobbling as he brought her closer…closer…

All at once, his hand was withdrawn, his arms falling away.

She swayed on her feet, her eyes opening. Don’t stop, she wanted to beg. But then she caught his reflection in the corner of her eye, and her heart leaped into her throat. He had taken up that fighter’s stance again, the flogger balanced in his hand, his eyes sparking with that dark, frightening gleam. She watched as he drew back his arm and flicked his wrist. Dozens of leather tresses brushed against her ass.

She gasped reflexively, and then stilled, confused. That hadn’t hurt at all! It was more like a caress. She almost laughed aloud. Why had she been so afraid? She could totally do this. A piece of cake.