Primed Suspect

Primed Suspect A Handcuffs and Lace Tale

By Ann Cory

Resplendence Publishing, LLC http://www.resplendencepublishing.com

Resplendence Publishing, LLC P.O. Box 992 Edgewater, Florida, 32132 Cuffed and Dangerous

Copyright © 2009, Bronwyn Green Edited by Tiffany Mason Cover art by Rika Singh

Electronic format ISBN: 978-1-60735-081-1

Warning: All rights reserved. The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000.

Electronic release: November 2009

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and occurrences are a product of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, places or occurrences, is purely coincidental.

Table of Contents

Chapter One.................................................................................................................................... 5

Chapter Two.................................................................................................................................. 12

Chapter Three ............................................................................................................................... 22

Chapter Four ................................................................................................................................ 31

Chapter Five ................................................................................................................................. 38

About the Author ........................................................................................................................... 42

Chapter One

Cassidy Valance sat on her hindquarters and licked both paws clean. Earlier she’d nourished her appetite with a small pheasant. It hadn’t been the feast she’d hoped for, but it quelled the hunger pangs. She swished her bushy red tail and wandered over to her favorite part of the garden. To her delight, several of the blue and goldenrod pansies had survived the winter. Soon spring would arrive and tiny shoots would pop up out of the ground. But tonight, spring seemed a long way off. An unusual chill penetrated through her fox fur straight to her bones. The evening frost bit at her paws and dried her nose. She needed shelter or risk freezing to death. For the past few months, she’d been content in her forest burrow. She’d stored enough food to graze on and spent considerable time asleep. Until the hunters woke her with deafening gunshots, causing her to flee for safety. February had come too swift, and with it brought the start of fox hunting season. Over the last two years, the estate had been a welcome sanctuary with its wrought iron gate, fountains and private garden. She couldn’t understand why it remained abandoned so long, but it was to her advantage. The inside sported five bedrooms, four bathrooms, a great room, a study, a spacious kitchen, a formal dining room and a breakfast nook. Floors were covered in hickory, pine and maple except for the entryway, which had an intricate marble tile. Her favorite room was the study with its cozy furniture, old books, sleek black piano and a slate stoned fireplace. But it was the garden that kept her coming back. For months, groundskeepers tended to the garden, but lately it had been left untouched. She knew to own a place of this stature would require money, something she had very little understanding of. In her experiences, money turned kind people into thieves and drove men to violence. It also motivated the nearby hunters into skinning and selling her fur. Cassidy stretched the kinks out her fox form and shivered. Another minute outside and she’d never warm up. The new moon made it dark enough for her to change into her human

form. She nudged her nose against the special rock with its hidden key, and with her tongue, slid the black piece open. Between her teeth, she gripped the key and allowed the transformation into a woman happen. Naked, she hurried to the doorway and thrust the key into the lock. With a quick turn of the knob, she entered. To get the blood circulating in her legs, she ran up the luxurious staircase and straight into the study. She raised the tasseled cushion of the window seat and grasped the lace robe. Though sheer and lightweight, it offered a covering while she lit a fire. She’d never bothered with a fire in the house before, but tonight she had little choice. Nothing short of an embrace from strong, powerful arms would temper her inner chill. While the flames crackled in the stone fireplace, Cassidy admired the familiar items inside the old trunk in the corner she’d discovered from an earlier visit. She considered it a treasure chest with its handheld mirror, jeweled hair combs, elbow-length satin gloves, and her favorite⎯a lace choker that she fastened around her throat. It made her think of a collar. Something she never wanted as a fox. But with the right Master, she would dutifully wear it and submit to all his demands. Many wintry nights she stole inside and sat with a book on her lap, envisioning what she would do if this were her home. She’d work out in the garden. Let her fingers sink into the cool earth and grow everything from fruits to vegetables to herbs and wildflowers. She would laze in the sun on a tree-strung hammock. Read a book by the water fountain. And always have a fresh bouquet of daisies on the dining room table. Most of her ideas came from pictures found in magazines left inside the old walnut desk drawers. The ones that depicted how domesticated women lived and the homes they kept. Showed how they dressed. Some wore elegant gowns that swept along the floor. Others dressed in outfits that exposed miles of skin. Both styles appealed to her. The pictures were a glimpse into a life she longed to be part of, but feared. Cassidy closed up the trunk and took a seat in the velvet chair. She loved its lush material against her skin. It fit her body well, as if made for her. She let the robe fall open so the heat from the fire bathed her skin. The soft texture against her bare sex sent tiny thrills along her spine. All the pictures and magazines couldn’t distract her from the gnawing need coiling deep inside her core. The insistent need for sex worsened at the onslaught of spring. Relief would have to come by her own hand tonight.

She had long since given up on being satisfied by strangers who thought only of their needs. Her cravings went further and more risqué than anything they could accomplish. She needed a man who could tame the wild beast inside her. Until then, she’d forever be at the mercy of an insatiable libido. Unsatisfied and sex-starved. She shifted forward and draped a thigh over the armrest. Her fingers moved down the triangular patch of hair along her mound and traced the smooth skin of her labia. She sighed in ecstasy against the first flicker of her fingertips along her clit. The sensitive pearl demanded more. Cassidy pushed her fingers inside her slick channel and her inner muscles clutched tight. What she wouldn’t give for a hard, thick cock to slake her carnal desires. She leaned her head back and let her eyes fall shut while thoughts of a Master filled her mind. **** The police radio crackled to life inside his patrol car just as he finished a piece of beef jerky. Ian wiped his mouth on his sleeve and snatched the receiver up. “Officer Valenti here. Pardon? Smoke from the chimney of the old Linton Estate? That is strange.” He scratched his head. “It’s probably just a bunch of teenagers with nothing better to do than make prank calls. No, I’m on it.” Like the teenagers, he didn’t have anything better to do either. The night was clear but cool. Old man winter had plans to stick around a while longer. Ian rubbed his hands together and then started the car. Heat blasted through the vents and made the ride bearable. At the next street, he turned left and took Chauncey Avenue, a shortcut to the Linton Estate. A slow jazz song from the stereo filled the quiet. He welcomed the less challenging assignment this evening. Not that he couldn’t handle some action, but since he’d woken this morning, he didn’t feel his usual hard edge. Most days he walked around the station all nerves of steel and managed to alienate the other officers. They never knew what mood he’d show up with, and in all honesty, neither did he. It was touch and go. Some days he was fine, others he relived the worst moment of his life. He’d tried counseling. Numerous times. It didn’t work for him, and he didn’t need to keep going back to find that out. He knew he’d been happy once. Had pictures to prove it. Home movies even. But when he saw the pictures and watched the movies, he saw a stranger. Some other man who shared his name and physical features. Ian took another turn and followed a long, winding road until he reached the wrought iron

gate. He’d often passed by the estate, drawn to its Victorian charm and architecture. But he’d never seen it at night. The few streetlights in the distance cast an eerie glow. He checked online several different times to see if the house was back on the market, and finally the other morning, he’d read it would be soon. While he had the money to buy it, he didn’t know if he had the fortitude to move. The privacy appealed to him, as did the chance for a fresh start. Seatbelt off, he stepped out of the car and leaned against the exterior, drawing his gaze upward to the chimney. Sure enough, wisps of smoke drifted out into the cold night air. “Well I’ll be damned,” he whispered to himself. What would possess a person to go in when no one lived there? Perhaps he was dealing with a squatter, someone who occupied the house during the cold season. Using his upper body strength, he hoisted himself up over the gate and sprinted to the door. With his flashlight, he inspected the lock. It didn’t look broken or sawed off. He turned the knob and cringed at the faint creak that echoed inside the entryway as the door opened. Breath held, Ian waited a couple seconds and then went inside. Flashlight in hand, he walked throughout the lower level of the house. Nothing appeared disturbed or out of out of the ordinary. He made a mental note of the well-made cabinets in the kitchen and wooden beams in the great room. The house was more striking than he’d imagined. With the downstairs thoroughly searched, he made his way up the staircase. At the top of the steps, he noticed a flickering light from a room at the end of the hall. With a quiet, steady pace, he walked toward the open door, stealing quick glances over his shoulder. The last thing he needed was someone to step out from the shadows and knock him senseless. In the doorway, Ian rested a hand on his pistol and looked in. Floor to ceiling bookcases lined one entire wall. A shiny black piano sat cater-cornered to the fireplace. He poked his head in a little further and his breath stilled. On an oversized chair in front of a roaring fire sat a woman with one leg draped over the armrest. Her pink slit parted and exposed. A long rectangular mirror hung above the fireplace and gave him full view of her. Head back, mouth agape, eyes fluttering with long dark lashes. The firelight illuminated the blushing sheen of her skin. Long dark russet colored hair tumbled in waves along her shoulders. At once, his cock twitched⎯a sharp reminder of the many years since he had last been with a woman. Entranced, he watched the way her fingers explored the nether regions of her body.

Breathy moans echoed around what appeared to be a study. He tried to look away but couldn’t, too engrossed by the way her fingers shifted in and out of her pussy, glossy with arousal. Ian’s thunderous pulse made him aware of his surroundings. And the tremendous ache of his erection taut against the zipper. What the hell was wrong with him? This wasn’t how he assessed the situation of a potential crime. The woman had clearly broken into the house somehow, and while, at the moment, she didn’t pose an immediate threat, it was the principle of the thing. No one was above the law. Not even the most exquisite and breathtaking woman he’d ever seen in his life. As an officer on duty, he needed to take control of the situation. Ian took a tentative step forward just as the woman tossed her head back and unleashed a series of seductive moans. His eyes fixed on the apex between her thighs and how she writhed with each swift thrust of her fingers. Sweat doused his forehead and upper chest. To watch the way she so expertly worked her pussy made for a distraction of the likes he’d never before witnessed on the job. He’d seen his share of violence, blood and brutality. He’d dealt with domestic disputes, runaways, shoplifters and gang members. But he’d never encountered a woman of such insurmountable beauty that it made him forget his own code of conduct. Ian acknowledged that his reaction wasn’t how it should be, but felt powerless. He rubbed at the back of his neck, hoping there was a down boy button back there somewhere. Perhaps a switch of some sort that would quiet his lower head and restart the one above his shoulders. The mysterious woman’s cries grew louder and more incessant. In a frantic pace, she rubbed her clit. His cock wrenched so hard he couldn’t see straight. He watched in awe at the way she thrust her other fingers inside her pussy and rode them until her hips bucked. Seeing her climax, Ian nearly dropped his flashlight. The woman turned her head in his direction, eyes half-mast and seductive. She didn’t seem startled or surprised. “Pardon me, miss,” he started, his voice hoarse. “I’m Officer Ian Valenti.” She rose from the chair and let the insubstantial lace robe fall from her shoulders to the floor. He didn’t want to stare, but her phenomenal body demanded his attention. All bare with her freshly creamed thighs. Her heady scent permeated the air and nearly knocked him on his ass. Ian desperately wanted to ignore the curve of her hips and the roundness of her breasts. How her legs stretched for miles. The copper patch between her thighs that served as an

arrow⎯alerting him to the hidden sweetness he could only dream about. He loosened the collar of his shirt to better swallow down the lump of lust that had formed. She took a step forward and he at once took a step back. There was a certain distance he preferred to keep. He learned on the job that his fellow officers also had their own personal space issues. Ian glanced toward the doorway to make sure no one else was there before he spoke again. “I hope I didn’t frighten you,” he said. “I knew you were there all along.” Her voice reverberated soft and sensual. “I smelled you.” He arched a brow. “You smelled me?” “I have a keen sense of smell. It was your masculine scent that helped me over the edge just then.” Heat fanned his face and shoulders. No woman had ever spoken to him with such bold abandonment. He didn’t know whether to be embarrassed or turned on. Both sounded accurate. Ian cleared his throat. “Is there someone else in the house with you?” She shook her head, the strands of her hair sweeping along her breasts. “No, officer. By the way, how did you know someone was here?” “Smoke from the chimney. Do you mean to tell me that you entered in here all alone?” Her jade green eyes sparkled against the firelight. “Do you think I’d be finger-fucking myself if someone else were here?” His pulsed jacked up. The brazenness of the woman shocked him. And judging by the pressure of his cock against his pants, he found it stimulating. He needed to regain his selfcontrol and overlook her obvious female charms. She was a possible suspect, after all. From his back pocket, he took out a pen and notepad. It would help to write things down and take his mind off the way she’d looked in the chair moments ago. “I apologize for the intrusion, miss, but I’m going to have to ask you some questions.” She brought her fingers up to her lips and licked the tips. “Mm. I taste good.” Ian gulped. The woman rested her hand along the curve of her hip and smiled. “What did you want to ask me, officer?”

Whatever he’d planned to ask vanished from his mind.

Chapter Two

Cassidy couldn’t believe the mouthwatering stud standing in front of her. His shirt stretched tight across his frame, as if painted on, and was tucked into an equally tight pair of navy blue pants. She’d always preferred a man in uniform. Much as he tried to hide his lust for her, there was no mistaking the considerable bulge in his pants. Her gaze moved back up his strong physique and settled on his handsome, chiseled face, etched with a hint of tension. His cheekbones were soft, and his squared chin firm. The deep brown of his eyes reminded her of wet pools of sand, framed by long, sooty lashes. His charcoal black hair was neat and short, the back barely touching his collar from what she could see. She liked a man who kept up his appearance. Last, she focused on his lips. Full and perfect to crush against hers. A slow blaze built up inside her at the thought of where else those lips would be perfect. It made her pussy flood. “About those questions you wanted to ask, Officer Valenti,” she prompted. “Yes.” He blinked long and slow before straightening his posture. “For starters, what are you doing in here? Are you aware this house has been abandoned?” They weren’t the questions she wanted to answer, but would do so for now. “I’m aware.” His mouth curved at the corner. “Oh?” “I’ve been here before and not seen anyone. I wondered why no one has bought it yet.” “The previous owner passed away and the sale of the house has been held up by paperwork and other legalities,” he explained. She pressed her lips together. Sounded like money issues to her. She would never understand the preoccupation with it by humans. “That’s a shame.” “I read yesterday that it would be back on the market soon.” Her lips spread to a smile. “How wonderful. It deserves to have someone take care of it before it gets rundown.”

“I agree.” Cassidy caught him staring at her again and heat filled her body. His eyes said so much about what went on behind them. Conflicted. Strained. Broken. Yet his stance gave him a commanding presence and she couldn’t ignore the strong air of confidence within him⎯a trait she’d thought lost in men. Despite his being distracted by her naked disposition, she sensed the makings of a true Master inside him. A Master every bit as loyal and committed to his slave as he was in his sense of duty. She would have to gain his trust and help him find himself again. He folded his hands in front of him and gave her a hardened look. “I’m going to need you to stick to answering my questions and not get off track. Okay?” She restrained from pointing out that he was the one who rambled on about the house and not her. Instead, she returned his serious look and nodded. “Okay.” “By the way, don’t you have any clothes to put on?” She raised a brow. “Why, does my body offend you?” “No,” he all but shouted. “No, it doesn’t.” “Then why should I cover it up? I’m very comfortable in my sexuality. Seems to me you’re getting off track again, officer.” His jaw clenched. “And you’re being cheeky.” He turned the page of his notebook and tapped the pen against it. “Now, we’ve established you were alone. So how were you able to get inside?” “I used a key.” “How would you get a key? Did you steal it and have a second made?” She crossed her arms, appalled by the assumption she’d steal anything. “What? Of course not. I found it in the garden hidden inside a fake rock. If you slide open the black piece, there’s a place to hide a key. Whoever thought that up was pretty clever.” She watched him scribble on the paper and wondered what it said. “I see. And what possessed you to break the law by trespassing on private property?” Cassidy chewed her lip. Now the questions were getting a little dicey. There were two ways she could go: tell him about her ability to change form, or keep her true identity a secret. “The truth?” His brows knitted. “It would be preferable.” “I’m not sure you’d believe me.”

“I’ve heard a lot of stories and a lot of excuses in my time as a cop. You would be surprised at what I believe now.” She worried he would think her truth as only a story. “I understand, but my situation is different. All I can say is that I’m safer in here than out there.” He stopped writing and looked at her. “Out where?” “Outside. In the forest.” His eyes widened. “Forest? Are you trying to say that you don’t have a home?” “I do have a home, at least a temporary one. It isn’t safe to be there right now.” “Miss, I⎯” “It’s Cassidy.” She could sense his irritation, but couldn’t help the evasive answers. If there was even a remote possibility to get with him tonight, telling him might ruin that. “Fine. Cassidy.” He exhaled forcibly. “Look, I can follow you home and check it out if it would make you more comfortable.” Right, she thought. And he’d think her a crazy person to live in an underground burrow. “It wouldn’t do any good. You don’t understand, and I’m reluctant to explain further at this time.” She’d lost her nerve to tell him the truth. What if she put herself out there and he didn’t believe her? It would show that he was like every other man she’d thrown herself at, and for some odd reason, she cared what this guy thought. Aside from the intense cravings of her body, she felt there was more to him. She could only find out by pressing him to see how open-minded he could be. If he could be the Master she wanted, she would come clean with him. Cassidy took another step forward. “I think I’ve been more than accommodating with your line of questioning. Would you mind answering a few of mine?” The crease in his forehead deepened. “That’s not how it works.” “Are you worried?” “No, why would I be worried?” “Then why not answer my questions? I promise they’re harmless.” He shifted his weight and tucked the notepad and pen in his back pocket. “Fine, I’ll humor you. What do you want to know?” “Did you enjoy the show?” “Pardon?”

She ran her tongue along her bottom lip. “Did you enjoy watching me pleasure myself earlier?” His face paled. “I—” “I know you did,” she interrupted. “Are you in the habit of watching women? Are you the voyeuristic type?” “No, I’ve never. I thought you said harmless questions. These sound personal to me.” She enjoyed seeing him squirm. “I think you can handle a couple more.” “No.” He looked around the room and then returned his gaze to her. “I think it’s time we wrap things up here.” Cassidy held her hands out and smiled. “Perfect. You can start with my wrists.” “Your wrists?” “Yes. Wrap them. Bind them. Cuff them. Anything.” Her pussy clenched at the images her mind concocted. “Listen, miss. I appreciate that you’ve been cooperative so far, but there are procedures I need to follow, especially when I’m on duty. If you can’t answer my questions here, I’ll have to haul you down to the station.” She made a subtle move forward, her eyes fixed on his. “What if I refuse to go?” “Then I’ll have to take you by force.” The words sent little pings to all her nerve endings. “I have no objection if you get a rough with me, officer,” she said coyly. “Pardon?” His face turned to a deep shade of red. “You plan to restrain me, yes?” “The handcuffs are just precautionary. If you come willingly, then I don’t need them.” “Oh, but I want them.” She sashayed a half-inch closer without him even realizing. His eyes darted from her face to the door. “I think there’s been a misunderstanding.” She understood that the extent of her need for him was becoming too much for her to handle. “If you’re going to use those cuffs on me, then I expect you to take full control, Master.” “Master?” Cassidy reached forward and grabbed his handcuffs. Before he had a chance to react, she lay on the soft rug near the fireplace, wrapped the chain around a piano leg, and then cinched the cuffs around her wrists.

She smiled up at him and watched his face change from one expression to another. “Let me be your number one suspect tonight, officer. I promise you won’t be sorry.”

What the hell? Ian considered taking a chunk of his skin and squeezing it between his thumb and pointer finger to be sure he wasn’t having some adolescent wet dream. The tightness in his chest and the ache in his groin told a different story. And speaking of stories, he wanted to know what this woman’s story was. She was racking up a series of felonies and he felt powerless. He did a mental checklist of each one. Breaking and entering. Lewd conduct, sort of. Stealing his handcuffs, and…well, he knew there were more, he was just too damned flustered to remember them all. The time for Mister Nice Guy was over. He needed to remind her who was in charge once and for all. “I’m going to unlock the handcuffs, remove them from around the piano legs, put them back on you, and then we’re going to the station. Understood? You’ve gone too far. I’m through playing games.” Her long dark lashes batted suggestively. “I’m not playing games, officer. Honest.” “No, then what do you call it?” “I call it desire. Hunger. Can’t you tell how badly I want you?” His throat felt dry and cottony. “No.” “Take a deep breath in. Smell my arousal? I can smell yours. It’s even stronger now than when you first walked in. I’m throwing myself at you willingly. Won’t you please accommodate me?” This was crazy. Was there some hidden camera in the room? Had someone from the station decided he needed to loosen up and sent him to the house to get laid? No, he couldn’t think of a single officer who would do that after the years of dealing with his moody ass. He didn’t want to hear she was a prostitute, but the thought crossed his mind briefly. “Lady, I’m running out of patience here. I don’t want to have to keep writing you up. I look at you and see a woman with so much potential, and it’s clear you’re intelligent. I have to wonder why you’re doing all this. Are you just looking for attention?” She shook her head. “I told you. I want you. I’m not some lady of the night seeking monetary reimbursement. I happen to be secure in my sexuality.”

Ian went red for having wondered in the first place. “My craving for you is unbearable,” she continued. “I’m soaked just from thinking about your lips on mine. Check if you don’t believe me. I dare you to.” He couldn’t help but draw his gaze to her thighs. The way she slid them together and swiveled her provocative hips. He moved his gaze up her body to her full breasts. His mouth watered at the thought of suckling the taut peaked tips. Ian warred with himself. He knew the right thing to do was take her into the station, fill out the necessary paperwork, and question her amid witnesses. Being alone with her in this inappropriate state of undress—with her propositioning him—was career suicide, if not a lawsuit waiting to happen. Or worse, jail time. He should be calling for backup, preferably a female officer to ease the situation and be a witness to testify he wasn’t the one to handcuff her to the piano. And that was the war going on inside him. He knew exactly what the procedures were and had all the rules memorized. The problem was that he couldn’t stop thinking about the lush pink mystery between her thighs. He was thinking with the wrong head. His cock wanted him to fuck the rules and fuck her. “I have to be honest here. While I find you attractive and sexy as hell, I can’t allow myself to touch you.” The firelight stroked and kissed her body in its fiery hues. She turned her body side to side. Her breasts bobbled. Teasing him. Crying out for him to reach forward and pinch the hard beads. “But you want to. Don’t you want to touch me?” “I can’t answer that,” he rumbled and waved his hand. She flashed him a wry twist of her lips. “Can’t or won’t?” Her green eyes held him hostage. Two beautiful orbs that reminded him of the ocean. Good looks alone weren’t enough to capture his attention. There was something else about her. Different from other women he knew. He didn’t fully understand the radiance of this mystifying creature who so adamantly sought his attention, but he longed to know her on a more intimate level. Ian sighed. It was the damn dilemma again. He wanted to do things by the book. Follow the rules he’d sworn to uphold. But he wanted to please her with every ounce of his being. She wet her lips with her tiny pink tongue. “You want me. Deny it all you want, but I

know. Inside you is a primal urge that you’ve buried down deep and your body aches to experience it again.” As if in agreement, his cock wrenched hard. “How can you know?” “I just do.” She held him spellbound with her gaze. Her beautiful face all exotic angles and almond shaped eyes. He wanted to kiss her small perfect nose. Everything about her was perfect, and it left him in a state of urgent need to take complete possession of her body. Find the control within him that he seemed to have misplaced. From the moment he saw her in the room, his dick stood up and took notice. He did want her. She had somehow reached in and stirred up the very sensations he fought so hard to ignore. And with it, she left him with a newfound curiosity. To see how far those sensations and urges could go. He wanted to run his tongue along the sensual lines of her body. Replace the lace choker around her throat with a diamond-studded collar that would make her belong to him. He wanted to rub away the scent of all the other men she’d ever been with. Take away their brief imprints on her skin and completely possess her. He’d never felt so predatory before. But damn if he could do anything about it. Ian watched her hypnotic lips part. “I’m not used to being denied,” she stated, and he believed her. He looked down briefly. “I don’t mean to make you feel that way.” “Then, why won’t you touch me?” “I don’t know you well enough.” The excuse was poor and he knew it. “Then get to know me,” she pled. “You’ve no idea how badly I need to feel your touch. My skin aches for your heat. Please. I’m begging here.” “I can’t,” he said, more to himself than her. “I don’t do this sort of thing.” “What do you mean? You’re a police officer, right?” He returned his gaze to her and nodded. “Yes. Twelve and a half years on the force.” Ian prided himself on sticking with the job, even though he didn’t think in the beginning that he could handle it. “Then, as an officer of the law, don’t you help women in need?” “Of course. All the time.” “I’m in need and you’re going to tell me you can’t help? How is that taking care of me?

It’s your duty.” She was clever. He would give her that. “I don’t work that way.” Her voice hardened. “What are you afraid of?” The words bothered him, but only because they had truth behind them. How could she know him so well? It wasn’t his nature to admit to his fears. Not to anyone. “I’m not afraid. Why would you say that?” “I don’t expect you to come right out and say it. But your fears keep you from acting on impulse. By not admitting you’re afraid, you’re in part protecting yourself and preserving your masculinity. You’re giving off all the signals that you want to fuck me, but you won’t. Why?” “This isn’t a conversation I am going to have with you.” He sighed and rested his hands on his hips. He’d let things get too far and he needed to make things right. “You know what; I’ve changed my mind about taking you to the station. I’m just going to let you go with a warning. And since you claim there’s a problem with your home, I can give you money for food and take you somewhere safe for the night.” Her eyes smoldered. “I’d be safest with your cock between my legs. You’ll have to come unlock the cuffs if you want me to leave.” A shiver ran down his spine at the thought of touching her. What if he grazed his fingers along hers, what then? Dammit. This was nuts. She wasn’t some convict armed with a weapon. Though her beauty made her dangerous. He had no other choice than to get close to her to remove the handcuffs. Ian grabbed his key ring. “Fine, just hold still so I don’t hurt you.” “Anything you say, officer.” He knelt down and she parted her thighs. She tilted her chin up, her lips close to his ear. “Tell me you can resist me. I want to hear it from your lips. Tell me that with my scent of arousal and my pussy aching for a single stroke of your cock, that you can deny me and send me on my way.” Her voice dripped with heavy eroticism as she spoke. A blast of heat zinged from his toes to his ears. “I will tell you that you don’t make it easy.” “I don’t want it easy. I want it hard. Fast. Rough. I’m not nearly as fragile as I might look. You’d be surprised by what I can handle.” Each word made his cock pulse. “I just can’t. You’re beautiful. More than beautiful,

but⎯” He stared into her eyes and his breath stilled. Such exquisite eyes, the color, and how she looked at him. He could see the need deep inside them. He could see the hunger. His resistance waned. When had he last acted on impulse? He hadn’t done a single thing in the past eight years that involved any kind of risk. She lay there, all supine and sinful. Her dark lashes brushing against the swell of her cheeks. Wrists bound. Captive. He struggled with doing the right thing and with wanting to know the very taste and feel of her body beneath his. “You watched me before,” she murmured, “so you know how I like to be touched. Only I’ll like it more if you do it.” He feared how her touch would affect him. But he craved her at the same time. “Why do you hesitate?” Her eyes sparkled in challenge. His mouth opened to say something, but he couldn’t respond. “If you won’t touch me, will you at least let me see you,” she pressed. “All of you. Give me something to get off to on the lonely nights that will no doubt consume me. You aren’t completely heartless, are you?” Again, he looked into her eyes and felt the urge to please her. She was the one in cuffs but he was the one held captive. “Whatever fears that you are holding onto, you’re still the one in control here,” she continued. “Do what feels naturally. Be comfortable with who you are and go with the flow.” Ian’s will dissipated. It was a simple request. “I suppose I could do that.” He set down the keys and unbuttoned his shirt, watching her eyelids flicker. “That’s it,” she coaxed. “Nice and slow. One button at a time as if I’m doing it myself.” Ian liked the way her gaze moved across his body. It had been years since he undressed in front of a woman. So long, it felt foreign. “Mm,” she purred, “you obviously keep in shape. I’ve never seen such well-defined muscles before. I want to run my tongue along all the grooves and planes of your abdomen.” Her eyes shone wild with need. If she was trying to stroke his ego, it worked. But the only real stroking he wanted to do was with his cock between her thighs. The way her gaze traveled the length of his body and stopped at his groin made his balls tighten. He felt his composure slip.

He started to unbuckle his belt and paused a moment. “I shouldn’t be doing this, but I’m reluctant to stop.” The corners of her eyes crinkled slightly. “I won’t tell. Honest. I just wish you’d give in to what you really want and have your way with me. If you don’t take me tonight, you’ll look back and wish you’d done things differently.” Her voice was low, breathy. Seductive. “How do you know?” “I just do. You’ll never be able to get me out of your mind. You’ll always wonder what it would’ve been like. You’ll see my face when you’re with other women.” At that moment, an internal switch had been thrown inside him. The one he’d on purpose left off all this time. Because it had made sense. Now nothing made any kind of sense except the need to dominate her. The irrepressible desire to give her a long, slow lick and taste the woman of her. Feel the flesh-to-flesh contact. The primal urge swarmed in his gut and he couldn’t deny her seductive pleas any longer. “Maybe I don’t want to be with other women. Maybe I just want you.” “Does this mean I’m going to get my way?” An impish smile followed. “You’ll get whatever I give you,” he growled. She went slack-jawed and arched her back. “Now you’re talking like a Master.” The title gave him a final push. “Then it’s time to put actions to my words.”

Chapter Three

Cassidy’s insides went liquid-soft at the sight of Ian’s bare and sculpted body. It wasn’t overly done like a body builder, but an impressive array of muscles nonetheless. Her flesh cried out for immediate contact. She wanted to rub up against his erection until her clit throbbed. Hell, rub up against his entire body if it would silent the raging hormones inside her. She had felt the moment his resistance waned and part of her wanted to cheer. Except at the same time, she noticed another change take place⎯a change that took place inside of her. It took just a moment of staring into his eyes to understand. At first, she hadn’t known why her intuition was so strong around him. Why she could read his thoughts much clearer than anyone else she’d ever met. And then it hit her. A connection. Cassidy never realized she could have a deep connection with a man. A connection that went beyond the physical bonds of sex. Since being in Ian’s company, she started to care about him. Started to learn the inner workings of his mind, and what made him tick. This wasn’t her usual romp with a human who she never bothered to know beyond the blips she saw in her mind during sex. For the first time, she had an emotional link, a sense of fondness and affection, and a desire to be more than a lover, but a longing to be his companion. She wanted to explore this growing attachment further, if he would let her. Of course, she knew he wouldn’t. Not if she told him about her ability to shape shift. The handsome officer tackled his belt and button. In anguish, she watched the slow dissent of the zipper and the glimpse of his dark briefs. As he pushed down his pants, her pussy dampened. For several seconds he stood, in only his briefs with the fabric extended. His fingers were hooked at the sides. She worried he’d changed his mind, and felt more helpless than before. “Please,” she whispered. He smiled and discarded the last of his clothing behind him. Her gaze fell on every breathtaking inch of his flesh and muscles. In the time it took for her to swallow and blink, he

was straddled over her, his face a hairsbreadth away. “I plan to kiss you all over. Any objections?” His hot breath shot goose bumps along her skin. “No. I wish you would.” He lowered his face and ran his tongue along the seam of her lips. His taste was spicy and unexpected. She wanted more and welcomed the hungry assault of his mouth. Cassidy strained against the cuffs at the animalistic way his lips crashed over hers. She wanted to sink her fingers into his hair and press her body tight up against him. At the same time, with her back against the faux fur rug and restrained, she was right where she wanted to be. She parted her lips and moaned at the exotic feel of his tongue against hers. His breath was hot and made her feverish for his lips to venture the length of her body. As if he read her mind, he broke the passionate kisses from her lips and trailed his mouth along her jaw line and down the sensitive slope of her neck. The tip of his cock pressed into the softness of her belly, taunting her with its firmness. He paused over her breasts and she arched her back, giving him full access. He cupped her breast in his warm, strong hand and brought his mouth close. She shivered as he rolled his tongue along her nipple. Moaned at the scrape of his teeth against the stretched tight nubs. If he kept it up for too long, he’d make her climax. Instinctively she raised her legs to wrap around his waist. She wanted his cock inside her so badly. To scratch the persistent itch that he alone could reach. He paused what he was doing and gave her a hard look. “If you try and rush things, I’ll stop.” His voice resonated with authority. “Sorry, Master.” “I mean it. I’ll stop if you can’t behave,” he warned. The threat sent a wave of fear through her. “I promise I’ll behave.” “Good.” He resumed his merciless assault along her body. Moving his mouth down, he trailed over her belly and lingered around her bellybutton. It took everything in her to fight the urge to beg him to fuck her. Finally, he positioned himself between the vee of her legs. His strong, warm hands stroked along her sides and hips, sending tendrils of pleasure all throughout her body.

He brought his mouth near her slit and inhaled. “You have the most addictive scent.” She shuddered at the close proximity of his lips. “Lie still,” he ordered. “I’m going to taste you.” Cassidy couldn’t draw her gaze from his mouth. She held her breath as she watched and waited. His lips parted and she sucked in more air. Oh god, she moaned inwardly. The moment his tongue lapped the length of her pussy, she saw stars. And damn if they weren’t the brightest she’d ever seen them. “Yes,” she groaned and opened her thighs wide as she could. He dragged his tongue along her slit again, deeper this time. Such exquisite torture. “Your taste is sweet, like you.” He traced his fingers along her clit and pinched it gently. Her body vibrated. “This is where you touched yourself.” “Yes,” she whispered. Though his touch was a thousand times more potent. “And here.” He delved his fingers between her folds. Heat curled inside her. She watched the muscles in his arms flex and bunch as he pumped his fingers inside her. “Mm, yes,” she moaned. “More.” “My primed suspect.” He laughed huskily. She was primed and nearing the point of no return.

Ian’s pulse thundered. He loved to watch the way she responded to his touch. The way her eyelids fluttered with each steady thrust of his fingers between her creamy thighs. The way a subtle blush streaked her flesh when he thumbed her clit. He didn’t realize how much he wanted to dominate, explore and control her skin-as-silk body. Wasn’t prepared for the aggressive lust he had for her. In the back of his mind, he worried he was getting too deep. He didn’t want this to be some casual one-night affair where he’d never see her again. He felt territorial, and didn’t want other men bringing her pleasure. His fingers stroked the tangle of curls between her thighs. A soft sexy moan escaped her parted lips. She stared at him with glazed eyes. He had her on the brink and planned to tongue-

fuck her into oblivion. It turned him on to see her wrists cuffed above her head, vulnerable and in complete trust of him. Ian lulled his tongue around her clit vigorously while pulsating his fingers deep inside her slick channel. His cock throbbed painfully as her tight heat clutched at him. He thrust faster and wrapped his lips around her clit, suckling intently. “Yes, yes,” she cried out and grinded her pelvis against his mouth. Her cries turned to whimpers as he made her come. A stream of juices soaked his fingers and ran down his knuckles, but he didn’t want to stop. Her taste left him wanting more. Craving more. Amid her mixed sighs and moans, he thrust his fingers back into her, the wet suction sounds sending heat to his toes. Her body writhed and bucked beneath him. She moved like a woman possessed, and it empowered him. He wanted to do take her and feel his cock pump swift between her thighs. But at the same time, it excited him to bring her such pleasure. “I’m close,” she whispered, her breath labored. He smiled. Her eyes pled to continue, and he would. Bent over, he flickered his tongue against her clit, his fingers swiftly thrusting into her pussy until she came a second time. When he’d licked her dry, Ian sat back on his heels and stroked her quivering thighs. Her eyes were calm and serene, unlike before when they were wild with need. “Don’t stop, please. I want all of you.” He didn’t want to stop. He had to. “I think it’s best. I’ve gone as far as I feel comfortable.” She blinked slow and nodded. “I understand.” “You do?” He hadn’t expected that. “Yes, and it’s okay.” He passed his gaze along her body one more time and then leaned toward the piano. “Guess I should take these cuffs off you now.” Ian released one wrist, but didn’t let her other wrist free. Instead, he cuffed it to the piano leg. She gave him a curious look.

“I might not be done with you yet,” he said and then winked. “I like this side of you.” He chuckled. “This isn’t like me at all. I don’t know what came over me.” “I think you let a part of yourself out that you’ve kept hidden way down deep.” “But the Master role is all new for me. I’m usually passive in the bedroom. I tend to save my orders for work.” “Well, if you do what you did with me, the women will be lined up around the precinct to get with you. I don’t doubt for a minute that you have plenty of female fans. Women go nuts for men in uniform.” Even if that were so, he’d never noticed. “That may be, but I haven’t paid any attention to other women.” She flashed him a quizzical look. “Why not?” His shoulders tensed. “My reasons are personal.” Her lips pressed together. “We just shared a very personal moment. You don’t think you can talk about it?” “No.” “Haven’t you heard about the freedom in talking with a stranger?” “I haven’t found that to be the case at all.” She chewed her lip. “Maybe you’ve talked to the wrong people. You’re at ease talking with me. I can tell by your body language. You’re more relaxed then you were before.” Ian couldn’t argue there. Earlier he’d been wound tight. “Since I walked into this house and saw you, I can’t say I’ve acted anything like myself. I don’t know what to make of it.” “Maybe you’re ready for change and just didn’t realize that until now,” she offered. “Maybe the right person needed to come along and help you.” He thought about it a minute. “Maybe.” Somehow, she’d gotten him to let down his guard. It didn’t cause him the turmoil he’d expected. “I think I’ve proven that I’m a good listener,” she said. “I obeyed my Master’s every command. Did everything he told me.” Her carefree style was a breath of fresh air. He didn’t want to burden her with serious talk.

“I appreciate the offer to listen, but I don’t want to spoil what we just shared.” “Is that what it will do?” “It might.” She rested her head on her arm and looked up at him, her eyes bright and warm. “I can handle whatever it is. Open up. I know you want to, but aren’t sure how.” “Why is it you know things about me before I even do? You keep saying that you just do, but I want to know how. It’s starting to freak me out a little.” “I don’t mean to freak you out. I’m intuitive. It’s a gift I’ve had since birth. I pick up on scents and signals the body gives off. Together they paint a portrait to me. Not a complete one, more like the foundation. My intuition has been extra strong with you.” “Are you one of those gypsy fortunetellers who travel in a wagon with mules? Is that why you mentioned your home is in the forest?” Her eyes narrowed. “No. I’m not a gypsy or a psychic, or even a witch for that matter. Honest.” “Well if your intuition is so strong, why do I need to tell you anything?” There, that ought to stump her, he thought. Stump her and then change the subject so he wouldn’t have to talk about it. “I only gather bits and pieces. Like I said, it paints a portrait of you, the bare bones. It isn’t magic where everything suddenly comes together.” Ian hated to ask, but had to know. “What bits and pieces have you seen so far?” “A sense of dread. Great fear. Terrible sadness. You’re holding onto something that has consumed you for years. Kept you from living. It’s painful, but you’re aching to let it out, and know that if you don’t, you can’t move on. Am I close?” His jaw went slack and his pulse pounded. “Too close. But you can’t sense what the dread and fear is?” “No, because you’ve got it stuffed down inside you pretty deep. I suppose I’m only freaking you out more.” “A little. You really hit on what I’m experiencing. I didn’t think I was so transparent.” Her eyes softened. “To others you aren’t. It’s because you are open to me that allows my gift to work so well.” “How can that happen without me knowing?”

“Some people are drawn to the energy or scent of another and it changes their body chemistry,” she explained. “Makes you susceptible to new experiences and allows you to feel safe in taking risks.” “Do you think I can move forward if I talk about my past?” “I do, and somewhere deep in your psyche, you know it too. Try it. If you lose your nerve and want to stop, or can’t go on, I won’t press for more.” He paused, his jaw clenching. The last thing he wanted was pity. And it always tore him up to relive the past. He wanted to forget it and move on, but without closure, he didn’t see how that was possible. “When you let go of stuff you’ve been carrying around with you, it’s freeing,” she continued. “It lightens your load. Helps you see things with a clearer perspective.” She’d had him convinced right up until then. “Now you sound like a shrink.” Her brows furrowed. “Sorry. I guess I was wrong in thinking we had a connection. I refuse to drag it out of you. If you want to let it bury you alive, that’s your business.” Hurting her feelings was the last thing he wanted to do. Tentatively he asked, “What kind of connection?” “Never mind.” Her frown deepened. “It’s dumb. Why don’t you release my other wrist and I’ll be on my way.” He leaned forward and removed the cuff. Now he felt like a total ass. It was one thing to push the guys on the force away, but he didn’t have to be so cold to a woman who was only trying to help. Free of the cuff, she started to stand when he held his hand up. “Wait. Okay, I’ll try and talk about it.” “I’m not forcing you.” “No, I know that. I want to tell you. I want it off my chest, and you may be the only one I can talk to. This isn’t easy, though, and I might change my mind in the middle of it.” She shrugged. “I have no expectations. I’m here to listen.” Ian took a deep breath in, held it, and let it out. “I lost my wife eight years ago and it’s something I’ve struggled to get over ever since.” “What happened to her?” “She was cleaning the bedroom. We were going to leave for the beach in the morning and

she likes to clean before we go so it’s spotless when we return. She had a lot of cute and quirky habits. Anyway, my gun holster slid off the dresser and my gun fell.” He paused to swallow a few times. “A shot went off. I was in the shower. Never heard it. It had to be the first and only time I didn’t put the damn safety on. When I’d dried and dressed, I came out from the bathroom to find her laying on the floor, barely breathing, a pool of blood that encircled her body twice her size.” She put a hand to her mouth, eyes wide. “Oh god. What you must have been going through.” “I rode in the ambulance with her, but she flat lined before she ever made it to the hospital. Too much time elapsed. Felt like I killed her twice. First, I didn’t put on the safety. Then I couldn’t revive her. The worst part is she hated guns. She supported my desire to be a cop, but she hated guns with a passion. Which is why I was always so careful.” “I’m not too partial to guns myself. They’re loud and always make me jump.” “I’ve never fired one on the job. I didn’t take the job to carry a gun.” She tilted her head. “Then why did you?” “With the idea I could make a difference. I knew I was hard-edged enough for it, but I had my boundaries. At first, I thought I was tough, but I’ve dealt with my share of criminals that made me question that level of tough. I stuck with it, though.” With a soft touch, she rested her hands on his forearm. “You’re a brave man.” “Am I? I haven’t felt brave for a long time. My head has been all over the place. I’ve gone over it and over it, to try to make sense of why I didn’t have the safety on the gun. It was my ritual when I got home. I did it in my sleep. There’s no explanation why the damn thing went off except that I screwed up.” “That’s a heavy weight to bear for one person all this time. No wonder you harbor so much pain.” “I took time off in the beginning at the demand of my captain, but once I realized that it only prolonged the pain and suffering, I came back in full force. Only, I refused to use my gun. I took lighter jobs for a while, just so I wouldn’t have to put myself in the position of needing to use my gun.” He chuckled wryly. “It’s funny. I always said if someone hurt my wife, I’d kill the bastard. That bastard ended up being me. I haven’t figured out what I’m still doing here.” “Someday you might have an answer for that. But I doubt you’ll find it if you don’t move

forward.” Ian noticed a huge weight had lifted from his shoulders. Even the knot in his stomach didn’t seem as tight. “I just try and take things one-step at a time now. Every once in awhile that means I take about three steps back and have to catch up.” She sighed. “That’s all any of us can do. Life works in mysterious ways. Sometimes it takes longer than we expect to figure out our destined path.” He heard a hint of remorse in her voice. “Sounds like something you can relate to.” “My life’s very complex. I’m afraid I’ll never know who I really am.” “What makes it complex? Maybe I can help?” She averted her gaze and smoothed her hand along the rug. “I doubt you can.” “Now hang on. You encouraged me to talk.” “My situation differs greatly from yours. Trust me.” “I’m going to use your own words against you if you don’t let me try.” Her eyes darted back to him. “There’s a good chance you’ll want nothing more to do with me if I tell you.” “You didn’t run off screaming when I told you my past. I can listen as well as you.” She pressed her lips together. “Hmm. I much prefer listening than talking.” “Out with it.” “Have you ever heard of a kitsune?” “A kit⎯what?” “Kitsune,” she repeated. “It means fox in Japanese. Part woman, part fox.” He shook his head slow. “Not that I’m aware of. Why?” “Because I am a kitsune. I am able to be fox and a woman. I can take on both forms.” Ian was certain he hadn’t heard right. Did she just imply that she was part animal? The hairs on his skin bristled.

Chapter Four

Cassidy noted his reaction. His eyes reflected a mix of shock and fear. The way all the men looked at her after she confessed her identity. Of course, with the other men, she hadn’t wanted anything more to do with them, and telling them gave her an easy out. In this case, Ian meant something to her. She’d been wrong to keep her identity a secret and she was more emotionally invested in him than before. If there was any hope of them crossing paths again, he needed to know the truth, even if it meant losing him. “Before I jump to conclusions,” he started, “what exactly does that mean? I’m not following.” “I have the ability to become a fox or a woman. I can change at will.” His eye twitched. “An actual fox. Bushy tail and paws kind of fox?” “I don’t know any other kind, but yes.” He rubbed at the back of his neck. “How does one become a fox? Do your bones snap and reposition like a werewolf?” “Have you ever seen a werewolf?” “Only in movies,” he replied sheepishly. She bit her cheeks to stifle a laugh. “It’s nothing dramatic like in werewolf movies. There’s no pain involved. I’ve never really explained the process to anyone before, and I’m not even sure I can. I simply morph into a different form other than the one you see now.” Cassidy liked that he asked questions. She’d rather he be curious than afraid of her. Plus, it kept him around longer. He let out a long, low whistle. “I’ll be honest; I didn’t see that one coming. Not in a million years. I thought I’d heard everything.” “It’s the way I was born, so it’s complete genetics, nothing strange happened to me or anything. I wasn’t bit or given some wild injection in a laboratory. And before you completely

freak out, it isn’t contagious nor will you change into anything.” Color spread along his face and ears. “I promise I didn’t think along those lines. I’m not freaked out, only curious and well, surprised. I’ve never heard of a⎯what did you call it again?” “A kitsune. I’m not surprised. We’re falling to extinction. It didn’t used to be that way. In fact, at one time, we were all over the place. There have been a lot of silly things written about kitsunes in books. Urban legends.” His brow rose. “What kinds of things?” “Oh stuff like we possess or drive men mad. That through sex we feed on a man’s essence, like a vampire. That we’re malicious demons. None of those things are true.” He chuckled. “I sure as hell hope not. Though, I believe the possess part. I swear you possessed me.” Cassidy laughed with him. “I promise I didn’t. At one time, my ancestors had magical powers, but in the last few generations, those powers have faded off. From them I’ve retained a few gifts like my keen sense of smell, my intuition, and being an excellent tracker. Beyond that of course, the fact I can shape shift between being a woman and a fox.” “So were you born a fox or as a human?” “A fox.” “How much time do you spend as a fox?” She felt reluctant to say. “Most of the time. It’s the form I’m most comfortable in.” He cocked his head to the side. “Why is that?” “I’ve often wondered myself.” She wrung her hands. “It’s what I know, I guess. It offers me privacy. It allows me to be someone else and not stay committed to anyone. The men I’ve been with can’t offer me what I want. Anyone I tell about my ability to shift either doesn’t take me seriously or they look at me like I’m crazy. And I get that, trust me, it isn’t an easy thing to accept, but it’s part of who I am. I can choose to accept it or choose the form that keeps me in solitude. I could never be with someone who couldn’t accept me for the way I am.” Several minutes of silence followed and she stared into the fire. She wondered what he was thinking. “Can I ask another question, or am I being too nosy?” “No, please ask away.” “Why do you change back into a fox? Why not stay as a woman?”

She felt her cheeks burn.” When I change into a woman, it affects my hormones and makes me crave the kind of release only sex gives me. And being a fox is like wearing a mask. It’s a way for me to hide away when I don’t understand or am afraid of things around me. The downfall is that I live a solitary existence. I’m just looking to be understood.” “And what about your home? You mentioned you were scared to go back.” “I live in a burrow in the forest⎯a dangerous place to be when fox hunting season starts. Hunters came near my home and tried to track me with their dogs. I had to run or risk being shot and skinned.” His face paled. “Shit. That’s messed up. I’m glad you weren’t hurt.” “I have good survival skills. And I knew I’d be safe here.” She decided not to add that he made her feel safest of all. “No wonder you didn’t know how to tell me. I’m glad you did.” “I wanted to, honest, but I chickened out. I was afraid if you knew, you’d want nothing to do with me. So, now that I’ve told you the truth about myself, are you completely turned off?” He reached out and stroked one side of her face, and then the other. “No. We all have our ghosts and things that make us unique. You’re just more unique than I realized.” Cassidy leaned her face into his hand, enjoying the warmth. “But,” he continued, “if you think I’m going to let you walk right out of my life because of a few issues, then you haven’t been listening to me.” She raised her head and looked him square in the eye. “I worried you wouldn’t be able to get passed the weirdness of my ability to change.” “Listen. I understand you more than you know. When I wear my uniform and badge, I become someone else. As a police officer, I’m no longer Ian who is lonely and tormented by his past. Instead, I’m tough and don’t take shit from anyone. The problem is I’ve spent so much time in work mode that I’ve left the real me behind. You helped me get in touch with that part of me again. My life’s pretty solitary too. Of course, it doesn’t help that I’ve shut everyone out. So see, we have a lot in common.” “Not entirely,” she countered. “You’ve just heard a complete stranger tell you she changes into an animal. I’ve been in this position before and I know what’s going to happen.” She let out a long slow sigh. “We were intimate and you now feel the need to be kind. The novelty will fade. Why prolong things? Both of us have hurt enough in our lives.”

This time he reached out both hands and pressed them gently against her cheeks, his eyes intent. “You aren’t hearing me. I’m not pushing you away.” Her eyes blurred with tears. “Then you’re just being nice. Or you pity me.” “Do you pity me?” His tone roughened. Cassidy willed the tears not to fall. “No.” “Good, because I don’t do the pity thing. Understand?” She nodded and sniffled. “Okay.” “What do I need to do to convince you that I’m interested?” “I don’t know.” He brushed her tears away with his thumbs. “I think I do.” Without another moment of hesitation, he took her into his arms. Captured her mouth and sealed his lips over hers. The kisses were far more passionate and demanding than before. Any questions about his feelings were quickly erased. Her pulse accelerated as he raked his tongue along the inside of her mouth. He released her lips long enough for her to take a breath and gasp how much she wanted him. Mouth fitted over hers again, he sealed in her throaty cries. The kisses turned feral, making her dizzy. Again he broke from the kiss and traced the bow of her lips with his fingers. “Are you convinced yet?” She smiled and shook her head. “You little imp,” he laughed, his eyes fiery with need. “I should put the cuffs back on you.” Cassidy reached out and filled her palm with his hard, thick cock. “Later,” she replied huskily. “Right now I want to feel you.” His hot flesh in her hand made her pussy flood. The need and want of this man far surpassed her previous desires for men. She stroked him slow and squeezed him gently. He took his hand and wrapped it over hers, simulating the action. “I like it harder and faster.” She found her rhythm and reveled in the feel of his texture. His male scent grew stronger as she stroked. Her lips trembled at the thought of going down on him. “May I taste you, Master?”

Cassidy swore his body jolted at the question. “Yes. Take my cock in your mouth.” She teased the head of his cock with her tongue and watched him watch her. “Mm,” she moaned. “Master tastes good.”

Ian shuddered the moment her moist warm mouth enveloped his cock. She didn’t waste any time drawing him in deep. He held her long hair up to get the full view of her lips stroking back and forth along his length. The sight made him that much harder. She teased his head again, swirling her tongue along the tip, and then took him in her mouth to the hilt. Her fingers grazed his balls while she sucked him and milked him, her lips locked around his length like a damn vise. He grunted at the multitude of sensations that barraged him. If he came now, he’d miss out on the one place he craved to have his cock most. “Okay, you’ve had your fun,” he growled. She slid her plump lips from his cock. “But I’m not done. I want to taste all of you.” “I’ll be done sooner than I want if you keep on. As your Master, you’re to do what I say.” He watched her bat her long lashes and then nod. “Yes, Master.” “That’s a good⎯” He didn’t even get to finish his sentence when she interrupted him, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. “What’s that long black stick hanging from your belt?” Ian looked across the floor to his pants. “A baton. It’s in case I run into trouble with someone I’ve arrested, though I’ve never used it.” “It looks nice and hard. Not as big as you, but I’ll bet it’s as hard.” “Is that so?” She flashed a mischievous glance his way. “I can think of some creative ways you can use it.” “I’m not sure you’ve been that bad.” “You make me want to be bad,” she whispered. Her seductive words made his cock wrench so hard he had to catch his breath. Far be it for him to deny her a damn thing. “If that’s what you’d like.” “Yes.” He swiped the baton from his belt loop and removed the encasing around it.

With the black tip, he took turns circling her nipples until they formed taut beads. Ian marveled at the way her skin flushed and eyes misted over. He leaned in and followed the same path as the baton with his tongue. She arched into him, her head back, moaning. So beautiful. So angelic. He could see exploring new territory together, and never tire of learning what excites her. To spend each day pleasuring her would be a welcome change in his life. The darkness had overstayed its welcome, and it was time to rejoin the world. He brushed the baton along the rise of her breasts, between them, and slid it down her belly. She spread her legs wider and he swept the object up and down her inner thighs. “Master, please.” He lightly tapped the baton against her clit and watched surprise streak her face. “Is that what you want?” She squirmed. “Oh, yes,” she gasped. Ian tapped the hard crest of her clit again and circled it along her silky rim. More breathy sighs followed. Her heavy lidded stare spoke volumes. While he enjoyed the foreplay, he couldn’t be patient any longer. “I’m going to fuck that beautiful pussy of yours,” he grumbled. A wide grin curved her lips. “Yes, please, Master.” He spread her thighs wide and rested his cock at her slick entry. Her heady scent infused his senses. “You’ll get it hard, fast, and rough⎯the way you said you wanted it.” She wet her lips and faintly whispered, “Yes.” With a single thrust, he entered her pussy. She was tight and wet beyond all belief. Waves of heat rushed through him. Time had made him forget how gratifying sex was. For every inch he sunk inside her, a new part of him awakened. “Damn you feel good,” he groaned. She tilted her hips and he wrapped her legs around his waist, wanting to get closer and bury his cock deep inside her. “Fuck me good, Master,” she pled. Ian thrust and pumped in steady strokes. His hands tight around her hips, bringing him into her further each time. He looked on at the beauty of her body in its bliss-filled state, skin streaked crimson and lips o-shaped. She fixed her gaze on him, eyelids fluttering, glazed over. Soft moans escaped her throat. He eyed the lace choker around her neck and again imagined a

diamond-studded collar. He thought of her ankles and wrists secured, leaving her spread-eagle and open. Envisioned her heart-shaped ass up in the air, and all the ways he would fuck her. She brought her fingers to her clit and rubbed the pink nub, which turned him on more. “You’d better come soon,” he said between ragged breaths. In response, she rocked her hips and met each of his long, hard strokes. Sweat streaked along his face and chest. An orgasm surged low in his gut but he fought its release for another few seconds. “Come for me,” he all but shouted. “Come now for your Master.” Her body jerked hard beneath him and she cried out. Ian closed his eyes and jetted his cock a few times more. He clenched his jaw and let loose the tsunami of a climax that refused to be ignored. Spent he stretched out beside her on the rug and held her close.

Chapter Five

It took several minutes before the last spasm rocketed through her. Cassidy breathed a sigh of contentment and snuggled close to Ian’s warm body. The fire crackled peacefully in the background. She’d never felt safer or more sated. “That’s one way to stave off the chill of winter,” she murmured. His hand trailed the length of her arm. “I’m surprised how comfortable this house is. It’s not even mine but it feels like home.” “I feel the same way.” He interlocked his fingers with hers. “What drew you here initially?” “The garden. I’ve seen many gardens over time, but this one is the most beautiful. You should see it when the flowers are in full bloom and smell so sweet. Everything else about this house is an added bonus.” “It is a beauty. I’ve been drawn to the architecture all along, but this is the first chance I’ve had to see the interior. There are a few things that could use fixing up, but otherwise it’s perfect. I’m tempted to see about buying this place. I’ve wanted to for a while now, but never had the nerve to follow through. What do you think?” Cassidy couldn’t think of anyone who deserved it more. “You’d be lucky to own a home like this. I think it suits you. Is your current place as nice as this one?” He chuckled. “No. Not by a long shot. I’m renting a one-bedroom loft with barely enough room to stretch out. I’m there just to sleep, shower and store my stuff. I sold my first house two years ago. Thought it would help aid the healing process. As you know, it doesn’t work that way.” “Nope.” She brought his hand to her lips and kissed his fingers. They were still scented with her

juices, and it made her smile. She longed for the day when she could cuddle up with someone she loved. As a woman. And just be. “What would you do if you owned this house,” he asked. “Me?” With that single question, her imagination went wild. “Where to start? I’d decorate it. Tend to the garden. Sit and read, maybe write in a journal that I’d leave behind for someone else to find. I’d paint. Learn to cook. Take nice long baths. Grow herbs.” “Is that all,” he teased playfully. “Not a chance. There are so many things I want to do. I have a special nook in my burrow where I keep pictures of things I want to do. One day I’d like to just open the box and start doing one thing after another until I’ve done it all, and then fill it back up again.” She propped up to her elbow and gazed into his big brown eyes. “What things interest you?” “Hmm. That’s tough.” He tapped his chin. “It’s been a long time since I’ve bothered with a hobby. Let’s see. Well, I’ve always loved to work with my hands. Especially woodworking. I’d like to restore old houses. Maybe this one should be my first project.” She knew with his strong hands that he could build anything. “That would be exciting.” “I feel like I can start fresh here.” “I can already see a difference in you,” she said. “Those bits and pieces of dread I sensed earlier are gone. There’s still some fear lurking, but I think that has more to do with trying new things.” “I think you’re right.” She liked seeing the worry lines disappear from around his eyes. He seemed more youthful and free. His newfound empowerment aroused her greatly. Cassidy hesitated to ask the question on her mind, but her curiosity won out. “I’m going to ask you something, and you don’t have to answer right away.” He arched a brow. “Okay.” “Do you think you can ever love again?” “Yes, I do. I needed time to straighten things out and make peace with what happened. But I know now that I have to move forward. It’s time. Why do you ask?” She shrugged. “I wondered if you’d be willing to let someone in.” “I already have.” “Yeah?”

“Yeah.” He tapped her nose. “You, as if you didn’t know.” “I just wanted to be sure.” And she liked hearing it straight from his lips. “Well, look around. This house is far too big for one person, and I’m not a gardener. Maybe you’d consider living here with me? We can start slow and go from there. No rush, no expectations.” She smiled. “I’d like that very much. We can have fun trying out all the rooms.” “You really are a wild one.” “That’s why I need a Master to tame me,” she added with a wink. “I’d like to stay here with you, but I have to take care of a few things,” he said and stood up. “Starting with going back to the station and filling out my report. Looks like I’ll have to make something up.” Heat fanned her face. “Oops.” His eyes crinkled as he smiled. “Yeah, oops. Little Miss Criminal.” She didn’t want to be the cause of him getting in trouble at work. “Uh, about that…” “No worries.” He thrust his legs into his pants and pulled his shirt on. “I’ll figure out something to write. I’ll make it professional. Once I’m done, I’ll swing by my place and grab some blankets, clothes and food. Then head on back here. In the morning, I’ll talk with a real estate agent about purchasing this house. Does that sound good?” Cassidy got to her feet and helped him with his buttons. “Yes, officer.” He leaned in and nuzzled her neck with his nose. “Now, can I trust you to behave, or do I need to cuff you?” She raised her right hand. “Honest officer, I promise to not cause any more mischief. At least for tonight.” “That’s what I’m afraid of.” When he was all dressed, she stood back and gave him a nod of approval. “I promise to be good.” She snatched his baton and sat in her favorite chair, thigh over the armrest just like when he’d first seen her. “I’ll be waiting right here for you. Your primed suspect.” “You aren’t making it very easy to leave.” Her nipple hardened as she circled the baton around it. “Then you better get going so you can hurry back.”

He leaned over and left a moist kiss on the needy bud. “You better be prepared, because when I return, Officer Ian will be off duty, and you’ll have your Master to contend with.” The thought sent a delicious shiver through her. “And I’ll love every minute of it.”

About the Author

Born with an overactive imagination, Ann Cory has always had a love of words and putting them to paper. With the loving support of her husband and son, she is able to devote her time to the very stubborn and demanding muse. Ann enjoys writing erotic romance where she delves into the dark realms of paranormal, vampires, shape-shifters, and urban fantasy, while adding excitement and spice to contemporary, BDSM, alternative, and historical themes. For updates and more, please visit her Magical Seductions website at www.anncory.com.

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Handcuffs and Lace Resplendence Publishing’s Erotic Romance Line of Law Enforcement Themed Stories

What the Cuff? By Celia Kyle God really should have reconsidered making werewolves. That, or Lyssa needed to get better taste in men and stay away from those with wandering eyes—and other things. Drunk as a wolf, she stumbles to her best friend’s house to sleep off her whiskey induced haze and wakes to…cuffs? Caleb sees his chance and takes it. His buddies on the force ribbed him but good for buying silver plated cuffs. But with a werewolf in his bed, the woman he’s yearned for since they were teens, he wasn’t taking any chances. Lyssa was his. She just didn’t know it yet.

Ticket Me More by Tia Fanning Hailed by the bridal flower world as an artistic genius, Meli works long nights making bouquets for women lucky enough to find love, while she herself lives a life of solitude. She yearns to share her heart and body with someone other than Bob, her Battery Operated Boyfriend, but acute shyness keeps her from engaging the “living” world. However, Meli’s quiet and predictable existence takes an unexpected turn when she is pulled over and ticketed by the most gorgeous cop she has ever encountered—Officer Michael Johnson. Though he doesn’t seem to notice her as anything more than a traffic violation, Meli makes plans to overcome her timid nature and seize the police officer’s attention…using any speed necessary.

Handcuffs and Lies by Bronwyn Green Sometimes promises to friends are the hardest to keep. Undercover police officer, Michael

Tanner, promised his dying partner that he’d take care of the man’s little sister. Trouble is, after her brother’s death, Doctor Tori Spinelli wants nothing to do with Michael—or any other cop for that matter. Tori has always fought against overprotective men and deception. Forced into protective custody with Michael, she’s now faced with both in the same package. Despite their differences, Tori falls in love with him, but how can she trust a man who lies for a living?

Search Me Baby, One More Time by Melinda Barron Wren Thornberry’s life isn’t going according to plan. She let her father talk her out of marrying Bryan Stockard, the man she loves, and moved halfway around the world. Now she’s back home in Texas, babysitting her grandmother while grandma and her boy-toy work through their list of sexual exploits, making themselves the talk of the town. But what Wren doesn’t know is that things in her hometown are about to heat up even more, and it will have nothing to do with her grandmother. It seems that Bryan Stockard is still around, he wants to get back into Wren’s life—by any means necessary, and now he has just the tools to do it: A police uniform, handcuffs, and the authority to make Wren assume the position.

Cuff Me Lacy by Demi Alex Three months is way too long to wait for some simple, low-down, straight forward sex. It’s not like Officer Chrissie Hansen is asking for prince charming to offer her the love of a lifetime. All she wants is a good orgasm that she doesn’t have to work for alone. At least with “The Bull” she knows what to expect. But when Patrick MacKlick returns to her life and tempts her with new options, she discovers that lace can imprison a heart better than handcuffs can.

Going Commando by Catherine Chernow Bounty hunter Shyra Lawrence listens to her favorite radio station one morning where the DJ’s are discussing “going commando” —a.k.a wearing no undies. Captivated by their conversation, she decides to shed her panties in favor of the freedom that wearing no underwear brings.

Enthusiastic, Shyra sends an email to her best friend, Donna, detailing the delights of pantyfreedom, but unbeknownst to Shyra, she’s hit the send key...to the wrong email addy! When Derek Grayson opens his emails that morning, he discovers that his #1 employee and top bounty hunter has sent him an erotic, enticing message about going commando. Derek has always been polite, professional, and so damned attracted to Shyra that it’s almost painful. Working day in and day out with voluptuous woman has sent Derek’s hormones into overdrive on more than one occasion. Now, Shyra’s shed her panties and Derek’s got all he can do to contain his lust when she announces that she’s... GOING COMMANDO.

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Scorcher by Celia Kyle Phoebe’s a salamander with a problem. Fire is her element, her very best friend, and the core of her nature. But she can’t control it worth a darn. One decent temper tantrum and poof! Fire galore. Good thing she lives in the desert with nary a tree in sight. Well, there are a few bushes and such. And her house. And a few cacti...sorta. At least until she’d gotten mad over getting stuck by one of the darned things... Brant lives by fire and dies by fire. Literally. As Fire Chief, it’s his job to stamp out fires in Winthrop, making sure residents of the small town in the back woods of Arizona don’t have to worry about fire taking their businesses and homes. As a phoenix, he has the ability to sense fires the moment they start. It’s a handy talent that keeps the residents safe. Except for his girlfriend, who seems to be able to blow up just about everything, including the stove.

Red: A Seduction Tale by Maddie James Garnet Boudreaux is going home. Not back to her nice little apartment in New York City, but to her childhood home in the bayou. She doesn’t want to go, and isn’t certain what will be waiting for her when she arrives. But standing there in the voodoo shop on Bourbon Street, in the middle of one helluva party, she’s told by Madame Madeleine Dupuis that she has no choice. She presses two pouches into Garnet’s hands, wraps a red cape around her, and tells her she must go—and go now—to see to her grandmother. Max LeBlanc spies the lovely redhead across the street and knows in a heartbeat that she is the one. A rougarou always knows when he’s met his mate. Some may call him a lycanthrope, a werewolf if you will, but in Cajun bayou lands, he’s known simply as The Rougarou. He’d waited several hundred years for this moment, and for her. There is nothing left for him to do but mark her and claim her as his mate. Soon.

Oriana and the Three Werebears by Tia Fanning Oriana Ricci has taken over the family business—flying cargo and rich tourists around Alaska’s barely inhabited Kodiak Archipelago. When her plane malfunctions and she’s forced to make an emergency landing, she finds herself stranded in the middle of a National Wildlife Refuge. With no civilization for miles and no hope of rescue, she thinks all is lost… Until she stumbles upon the entrance to an underground bunker. Jack, Jordan, and Jonathan McMathan own and operate a secret intelligence firm contracted by the US Government. Hidden away in an old Cold War spy station located the middle of the Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge, the brothers are not only able to do their top secret jobs safely without fear of discovery, but are better to protect their other, more personal secret: they have the ability to shift into Kodiak bears. Like a fairy tale gone bad, the brothers return home to find their lunch tasted—or eaten, their computer chairs adjusted—or broken, and a beautiful blonde sleeping in one of their beds. This situation poses a big problem for the brothers… Their location is now compromised. But more importantly, what are they to do with the lady?

Extinction by Carol Lynne Professor of Environmental Science/Wildlife studies at UNLV, Jack McBain has spent his adult life trying to track a legend overheard during his youth. Born and raised in the Canadian Province of Newfoundland, Jack remembers his grandparents telling stories of a race of people eradicated by European settlers in 1829. According to the legend, the Beothuk people didn’t die out as first thought, but were transformed into wolf shifters. When Newfoundland wolves began to appear in great numbers, the European settlers began killing them under the guise of population control. In 1910, the last of the Newfoundland wolves was shot, making them one of the few extinct species of wolves in the world. Following spotty leads, Jack begins to track what he believes are Beothuk/Newfoundland shifter wolves. His search leads him to the Lake Mead National Recreational Area outside of Las Vegas. There, on Spirit Mountain, he finally comes face to face with not only the shifter he’s been looking for, but the man of his dreams he didn’t know he needed.

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Immortally Theirs When Shayla McDormand first moved into her parent’s old mansion, she had no idea the property was already occupied by two very handsome vampires, Bastian Trabor and Armand Coudray. Over time, she gave into their affections and enjoyed all they had to offer. Bastian is all about powerful strokes and bringing her to a fierce orgasm every time. Armand believes sex should be artistic and savors her body with his tongue. Spoiled but satisfied, Shayla loves everything about their time together. Until they demand that she choose between them, or they will leave and never return. Can Shayla make up her mind before it’s too late? Or will fate make the decision for her?

Breakfast at Tiffany’s Cool smoothies and hot sex... Tiffany has dreamed of opening her very own smoothie bar. Creating fun and tasty concoctions is her specialty. But first she needs to sell her idea, and that will require bringing samples of her best recipes. She calls on Marcus and Shane, her hot and handsome best friends, to help her decide which ones to choose. Marcus and Shane have worshipped Tiffany for years and would do anything in the world for her, even share her if her heart so desires. In support of her opening her own smoothie bar, they agree to be her guinea pigs. However, a morning of taste testing quickly becomes more about pleasure than business.

Their Lady Liberty There’s nothing Liberty likes better than to spend her time with the two men who ignite her body

and show her pleasures like no others. She belongs to them both, and doesn’t want it any other way. Brandon and Neil can focus on little else but thoughts of Liberty’s hot body and carefree ways, both always dreaming of the next time they’ll be together. As Brandon and Neil see it, there are worse things to be than at the mercy of a sex goddess. Behind the steamed up windows of Brandon s van, the threesome meet up for an afternoon rendezvous. Here they can love freely and live out their most decadent fantasies with... Their Lady Liberty.

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