“You could say that,” I admit.
“Would you like me to turn the tables?” the highwayman says.
“What do you mean?” Rick still sounds nervous.
The highwayman strides closer, arms folded across his chest. A ring glints on his index finger. The spoils of a hold-up?
“I’m inviting you both to join me for a private party,” he says. “The rules are simple. You will both follow my commands.” His ice-blue gaze flits between us. Desire flickers though my chest. “Do you know, I believe it would amuse me to be a little harder on Rick than on Arden?”
“It would amuse me too,” I say.
“I’m not sure it amusesme,” Rick says.
The highwayman laughs. He sounds so alive, as alive as he looks in the painting downstairs.
“You will enjoy yourself, little demon, have no fear on that score. My days of inflicting cruelty are long gone.” He crosses to the dark window and looks out, but there’s nothing there that I can see. I wonder if he’s thinking of the people he robbed. Did he ever hurt them? “All I desire now is to inflict, if that is the right word, joy. I am told that I have a talent for command. I have been told that it can be quite pleasurable for those who submit.”
Rick and I look at each other. Rick still has that stunned, exhilarated look on his face. Plus obvious arousal. This whole thing is crazy. But he wants to stay right here as much as I do. Still, I haven’t had a total personality transplant, no matter how hot the highwayman is.
“What… what if we want to stop?” I say. Ghost or not, there’s no way I’m agreeing to anything without a safe word.
“The door will not be locked,” the highwayman says. “You may leave at any time.” He squares his shoulders as a proud, haughty look takes his plump lips. “But I very much doubt you will want to.”
“If we say the wordchampagne, everything stops,” Rick says.
The highwayman shrugs, a gesture that looks both casual and dashing. “As you wish.”
I glance at Rick. His neck is flushed, his hand sweaty in mine. He doesn’t seem as self-assured as usual. He’s too turned on. As am I. The highwayman’s arrogance is to blame, much as I hate to admit it.
“You sure?” I whisper to Rick, like the highwayman isn’t right there listening in.
Rick nods, his pupils dilated, and not just because of the dim light. I nod back, squeezing his hand. The highwayman watches us make up our minds.
“You two are quite adorable together,” he remarks. “Now, are we ready?”
“Ready,” we say together.
My heart thumps so hard I fear it’ll explode. Are we actually doing this? Having a threesome with a ghost? Those dare cards have opened up a part of me I didn’t know existed. Risk-taking. Dangerous. And the best part is, Rick is right here with me sharing every moment. Every breath.
“Disrobe, my pets,” the highwayman says.
My knees weaken. Looks like my body enjoys being calledpet. And that body, currently trembling with curiosity and want, would never forgive me if I walked out the door without finding out what’s next. My hands fumble as I obey, unbuttoning my shirt. As I peel back the fabric and expose my torso in the light of the fire, the highwayman’s eyes begin to heat up. His pale fists clench as he watches. I let my pants drop to the floor and standbefore him in my underwear. His eyes linger on my pink collar. He licks his lips.
“Allof your clothes, pet,” he says. His voice is a low purr, with a center of commanding steel.
I strip off my underwear for him. Rick submits too, losing his clothes with haste. The black pants with the tail and the tight waistcoat fall to the floor. Soon he stands beside me, naked except for his mask and horns. I’m naked except for my mask and collar. Both of us are hard. Completely under the control of the highwayman. So far, he hasn’t made a move to touch either of us.
“Now tell me what happened earlier,” the highwayman says. “Your little game.”
“I sucked Rick off and he didn’t reciprocate,” I say. “I’ve been waiting to come ever since.”
The highwayman lets out a low chuckle as Rick flushes.
“Did he indeed? The beast,” the highwayman says. “My poor pet.” He strides back and forth across the room, thinking, long coat trailing behind him. Firelight sends shadows dancing over his strong jaw, his black mask. “Well, now I want you to take off this collar and put it on the little demon.”
“Wait, what?” Rick says.
“On your knees,” the highwayman whispers.
