Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 82746 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 414(@200wpm)___ 331(@250wpm)___ 276(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82746 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 414(@200wpm)___ 331(@250wpm)___ 276(@300wpm)
Moonlight glimmered from the single window of the small bedroom, casting a silvery glow over the space. The weight on his arm wasn’t a fallen comrade, half his face blown away, blood pooling beneath him.
Pushing those images firmly aside, he smiled down at the sleeping woman. It was good to know she was so sexually responsive, along with being deeply submissive. He’d been gratified by what had clearly been two powerful orgasms on her part. It was a terrific power rush to control her body, her pleasure, her pain.
He was glad now that he’d signed on for the auction, and even gladder he’d won this particular girl. This setup offered the best of both worlds—an intensive BDSM exploration without the complication of an underlying relationship and all the expectations that came along with it. He and Ellen had a finite contract. No matter how far he took her or how intimate their interactions might become, at the end of the week they could each walk away—no expectations, no regrets.
Carefully, he eased his arm out from under Ellen’s body, careful not to wake her. She sighed softly and rolled from her side to her back, her cuffed wrists resting between her pretty breasts. Her eyes remained closed, the hint of a dreamy smile curving her lips.
She looked very young and innocent in sleep. Gently, he brushed a swath of hair from her face. An unexpected tenderness swept through him, cracking open a door in his heart he thought he’d slammed shut years ago.
He’d met Liesel at a BDSM club in Berlin, back before he’d begun training for special ops. She, too, came from a military family, and understood the obligations and risks that went along with that. At first, they’d just enjoyed intense scenes together at the club. It wasn’t long before he was spending every spare moment off the base with her.
She had been heavily into the scene—more so than he at the time—and she, like Ellen, had a high tolerance for erotic pain and a submissive streak a mile long. He felt powerful and in control when he was with her. But it was more than that. For the first—and the last—time in his life, Damon fell deeply, heedlessly, headlong in love. He’d believed he’d found the one—a woman who fit his groove but would give him the space he needed to flourish in his military career.
But then things got complicated. Damon was given the opportunity to train for special ops, which had always been his ultimate military career goal. Liesel was adamantly against it, insisting that he choose a less risky path. Suddenly, what had been pure, easy love was now tainted by guilt, pressure and unrealized expectations.
The stupid thing was, he had still been crazy in love with her. Yet he’d remained torn, unable or unwilling to choose between love and career. In the end, she made the decision for him, breaking things off and breaking his heart in the process.
It had taken him a long time to come back from that. Longer than he liked to admit. He’d been a fool to give his heart so freely—to let himself be that vulnerable. He swore then that it would never happen again.
And, in the ensuing years, he’d found he could get his needs met just fine with casual BDSM play. Life, especially life while on active duty, was messy enough. Love, if there was such a thing, was for “someday.”
A glance at his watch told him it was a little after midnight. Rolling away from Ellen, he got quietly to his feet. He reached for the duvet, which had puddled at the end of the bed, and pulled it up to cover her.
Turning from her, he padded into the bathroom. He peed and then ran the water in the sink. After brushing his teeth, he splashed water over his head and face. Grabbing one of the hand towels from the nearby rack, he rubbed his hair and dried his face.
Wide awake now, he moved quietly past the sleeping girl and into the living room. The fire was mostly out in the grate. He added some kindling and lit it with the long utility lighter that sat atop the mantle. Once the kindling was blazing, he arranged three small logs in a teepee fashion over the flame.
Heading to the kitchen, he retrieved the bottle of wine, still half full, and poured himself a glass.
He returned to the living room and settled himself on the sofa by the fire. It was burning nicely, the gentle crackling and occasional pop nothing like gunfire. He reached reflexively for his laptop, thinking to check his work email. He let his hand fall away.
Everything was coming together for the Middle East project and things on the home front were under control. Jake, his number two man, could handle things until his return. This was the first time Damon had taken an actual vacation since starting the business two years ago.