Hit and Miss Read online

  Cupid snorted. “You know it pisses me off, which is why you call me that. And this whole thing about Cupid being a baby wearing a diaper is total crap. Movie propaganda.”

  Gabe forbore to mention all the classical texts with Cupid depicted as a baby. He didn’t think his number one client would be too impressed. “So how should I view you?”

  CB snorted. “Everybody sees me differently. Now!” He quickly changed the subject. “You got that database finished for the resort?”

  CB’s question dragged Gabe’s mind back to the matter at hand. “Hey, CupidYcom always gets the job done, so yeah, all finished.” He paused a moment. “Ah…but I’ve got a problem. I’ve screwed up royally.”

  “Huh? What are you talking about? You’re the best Information Technology specialist I’ve ever dealt with. Your input makes it easy for me to match couples. Well, the computer matches them. I’m just the instrument used to carry out the job.” He sighed, the sound filtering through the telephone connection. “Sometimes I wish I had more of a hand in the actual choosing. Then I could make even more people happy in love.”

  “Yeah, and…”

  “Imagine what a boost to the ego that would be. Manipulating human lives—”

  “Now that sounds more like the CB I’m used to.” Gabe chuckled. “Humble little bugger, aren’t you?”

  “Well, I am a god. Now, what did you do that was so bad?”

  As the three women at the table beside him stood and pushed their chairs back into place, Gabe’s attention wavered. The women turned and left the restaurant. Part of him wanted to follow Kat. In fact, he half rose to his feet to do so then he dropped back into the seat. Shit, she’d think he was a stalker if he did. Anyway, with his computer skills, it wouldn’t take long to find out all about her.

  “Hey, Gabe, you still there? Talk to me, man.”

  “Um, sorry. Got distracted for a moment.” Gabe took a deep breath, ready to spill his guts. “You know that couple you wanted matched? And then said you couldn’t because you were having a meltdown over that woman threatening to expose you to the world as Cupid if you didn’t marry her?”

  “I wasn’t having a meltdown! I just needed time to convince her—”

  “…that Cupid had to remain heart-whole and fancy-free. That you were the god of loovvve and it wouldn’t be fair to confine yourself to just one woman.” A slight grin tilted Gabe’s lips, although there was nothing funny about this whole situation. Damn it, he really had fucked up, and now it was time to ‘fess up. “Okay, enough fooling around. We need to get serious here. That couple you wanted matched? I didn’t get the job done.”

  Cupid chuckled. “Is that all that’s worrying you? Forget it, mate. Now I’m back on deck, I’ll get to it. And I appreciate you standing in for me this once.”

  “Yeah, well, that’s not the worst of it.” Gabe took a deep breath. “I shot the wrong woman. Smack in the ass with a golden arrow.”

  “You what?”

  As CB’s voice screeched through the speaker, Gabe winced and pulled the cell from his ear. Oh yeah, he was in deep shit. “Katherine Toomy. She’s not in the database, but I happen to know she’s about to turn up at the resort. What are you going to do? You have to find her a match now that she’s been bitten by the Cupid bug.”

  “Who, or rather what man, did she speak to immediately after you shot her?” Cupid was all business now.

  “Er, me?” He held his breath and waited for CB to explode again. “So what are you going to do?”

  “Me?” Cupid laughed. “I’m not doing anything. You screwed it up. You fix it.”

  He cut the connection and left Gabe staring at the dead cell phone. “Well, last time I do a client a favour,” Gabe muttered. Snapping the phone closed he tossed it on the table. “Crap, what the hell am I going to do now?”

  He cupped his chin in his hands and stared at the open laptop. Then he chuckled and drew the computer towards him. As an idea took root, the blood in his veins heated up and his cock stood up and made its presence felt. “Okay, Gabe, old man, time to get to work. You’re not the best IT specialist in the greater metropolitan area of Sydney for nothing.”

  * * *

  “Bow when you enter your Master’s presence, woman!”

  Kat ground to a halt at the threshold of the luxurious Fijian-style bure they’d assigned her as soon as she’d set foot on L’Amour Her mouth dropped open and her fingers uncurled, letting her carry-on bag drop to her feet. She rubbed her eyes to make certain she wasn’t hallucinating. After all, it had been a long day.

  First, the mad rush to get to the airport after work finished. Then an hour and a half flight from Sydney to Brisbane. Another flight to Shute Harbour in a small plane that scared the crap out of her, and finally, a boat ride to one of the seventy-four fabulous islands in the Whitsunday group on the edge of the Great Barrier Reef.

  Accompanying everything had been a maddening feeling that someone was watching her. Nothing concrete she could put her finger on. Just an odd fluttering in her gut and the occasional flash of gilded shimmering caught in her peripheral vision. Maybe the girls were right. She needed a break. Now, she was almost reeling from tiredness, but the sight before her went a long way towards waking her up.

  Holy Mother of God. No way. Kat took a deep breath. Why in hell didn’t I tell the truth, that I’d rather have a man at my beck and call, not be at his?

  “Wow, this place really believes in giving a girl what she asked for.” She stepped over her bag and advanced on her guest. “I take it you’re my Master for the weekend. Cool. Kinky sex.” Then she burst out laughing, partly from the delirium in finding herself at the mercy of her own joke. “Tell me, are you going to beat me into submission or tickle me to death?” Try to dominate me and die.

  The stranger in her private quarters stood in the middle of the living room of the little bungalow, boot-clad legs braced apart and arms crossed over his chest. Skin-tight leather trousers hugged his lower body, showing off the well-defined muscles of his legs. Kat glanced downwards. That’s not the only thing the tight leather shows off. She grinned at the distinctive bulge at the apex of his thighs. The zip of his pants strained over what looked to be an impressive erection. Whoa, baby, gonad central! Well, maybe just a little bit of letting him think he’s in charge here.

  The rest of him wasn’t bad either. Bare chest, with just a smattering of dark hair caressing his nipples and arrowing down the centre to disappear into his trousers. Kat had a sudden desire to trace the same path with the tip of her tongue. She tried to ignore the rush of heat that invaded her blood and concentrated instead on finishing her perusal of her Master.

  A leather mask, a bit like an abbreviated balaclava, covered the upper part of his head and face, ending just above the tip of his nose. Dark brown hair curled on the back of his neck. The eye slits in the mask were a little too narrow for her to pick the colour of his eyes, and for a moment, she wondered how he could even see.

  Two leather straps, punctuated by silver studs, crisscrossed his naked chest. They should have made him look tough and dominant, but all they did was emphasise the musculature of his chest. Studded bands wrapped his wrists, completing the picture. The only thing ruining the look was the feather duster in his hand. She moved close enough to curl her fingers in the feathers, the beginnings of a smile tugging at her lips.

  “Very sexy, I must say.” She walked a slow circle around the guy, stopping to admire the tight butt encased in the even tighter leather. “Although, I’d lose the duster if I were you. It doesn’t really go with the image. In fact, isn’t it supposed to be a whip? Not that I know a lot about this slave/Master stuff.”

  He spun about to face her, extended his hand and lifted her chin with the tip of the duster. “You want to be beaten, woman? I’m perfectly happy to accommodate you if that’s what you want. In the meantime…”

  With a delicate touch, he trailed the duster down her neck and chest, following the vee neckline of her light tan
k-top. Kat shivered at the sensual feel of feathers tickling her bare flesh. Goosebumps broke out on her arms. The breath snagged in her chest and her nipples tightened into hard little points.

  Kat shook her head in an effort to dislodge the sexual miasma that clouded her thought processes. She was only partially successful. Heat still licked at her veins. Raunchy pictures of her Master brushing the feather duster over her body filled her head. An image surfaced. Lying naked on a bed, the masked man kneeling between her spread thighs, trailing his hands—

  She cut off the thought before she creamed her panties.

  She braced her fisted hands on her hips and raised her eyebrows. “And in the meantime?” she queried. There was something exciting about bandying words with a leather-clad stranger when she couldn’t see his face, couldn’t gauge his reactions. Although he did have a very expressive mouth. Right now, one side kicked up in a sexy curve as if he was trying to restrain himself from laughing.

  It wasn’t the way she’d expected this to work when she’d arrived at L’Amour, but it sure was a turn-on. She couldn’t believe she was about to have a dirty weekend with someone she’d never met. Although…

  She leaned closer and peered at the slits in his mask. His eyes appeared dark, although not brown. A frown pleated her brow. There was something about him that tugged at her memory. “Hey, have we met—”

  “Woman,” he interrupted, “I have not given you permission to talk. I am the Master. You will learn to speak only when I give you permission.” He flicked the tip of the duster across the peaked crest of one breast. “Is that understood?”

  He didn’t wait for her to answer. Instead, he brushed his little feather toy down her front, following the curves of her body. Then he dragged it up between her legs, raising the hem of her short skirt. As the feathery softness brushed at her satin-covered pussy, Kat’s libido spiked, driving the blood through her body until it coalesced into an insistent throb deep inside her. Moisture gathered, dampening her panties. A flash of sensual excitement slid through her. Oh yeah, this is going to be some weekend.

  “You will go into the bedroom and change into the outfit laid out for you,” he growled. “But first…” He dropped the duster and grabbed her by the shoulders, pulling her close. His mouth slammed down on hers, demanding entrance.

  Kat wasn’t about to deny him. She wrapped her arms about his neck and opened her mouth. He took immediate advantage, his tongue brushing across her bottom lip and slipping inside. He increased the pressure, demanding she submit to him. Her lips rubbed against her teeth. His tongue stabbed, flicking at the side of hers. It became a dance of thrust and parry, a game of domination that Kat wasn’t of a mind to lose.

  She grabbed control from him, tightening her arms about his neck. Pressing her body against his until his hard erection nudged against her mound. She ground her mouth on his, pushing his tongue back and surging into his wet warmth. Sensation rolled over her at the taste of him. Dark erotic feelings peaked her nipples, slid through her veins and lodged deep inside her core. Shivers trembled up and down her spine. Her legs shook. Any minute now and she’d pass out, so great was the assault on her senses.

  The Master didn’t like not being the one to direct the proceedings. She knew how he felt. Up until now, her fantasy had consisted of her being the submissive one, dominated by a man who made her blood catch fire and her heart melt with need for him. Now she realised there was a part deep inside her that revelled in controlling the situation.

  He cupped her face with his palms, tilted her head and wrenched away from the kiss. Before Kat could complain, he nipped at her bottom lip. She gasped. He laved the bite with the tip of his tongue then sealed her mouth again with his. His tongue thrust, sweeping across hers. Driving her crazy. Tantalising. Teasing. Building the pressure inside her.

  Kat whimpered. It wasn’t enough. God, she felt as if her blood had turned to liquid fire. Every nerve ending was gloriously alive, snapping and sizzling with molten heat. She wanted to crawl inside him. Devour him from the inside out. Her hips jerked, rubbing against his hard cock. Even more moisture dampened her panties and bathed the swollen lips of her pussy. Tension tightened her internal muscles. Kat knew with much more she’d climax right here on the spot.

  With a groan, he broke off the kiss, staring down at her through the black mask. Kat shook her head and tried to get her thoughts in order. And her body under control. She felt bemused, or maybe that was brain-dead, because her mind appeared to have shut down. She made an effort to unlink her arms from around his neck, but nothing happened. Arms, move! Nah, definitely not co-operating. No doubt about it. She’d lost her mind.

  He seemed to realise the effect he had on her. With a slight smile, he pulled her arms down and crossed them over her chest. “Get dressed and we’ll go eat,” he whispered.

  His voice was a sexy drawl that slid inside her head and raised her body temperature all over again. She was on shaky ground, ready to melt and become the perfect submissive before the game even started. She didn’t mind a few games in the bedroom, a few new experiences, but giving up total control? Hell, this wasn’t like her at all. All she wanted was a weekend of fun and hot sex. Before she could rationalise her involuntary reaction to her satisfaction, her Master spun her about to face the bedroom.

  “Go change.” Then, as if he suddenly remembered the role he was to play, he snapped, “Move it, woman. I’m hungry and I’m not a forgiving Master when I’m made to wait for anything.” He pushed her towards the bedroom.

  Kat grinned as she closed the door behind her. Obviously, her macho man wasn’t used to this slave/Master stuff either. It seemed he had to keep reminding himself he had a role to play. Now to find out just how he wanted her to play her part.

  Her steps took her towards the bed. Her eyes opened wide and her mouth twitched. Lined up on the bedside table was an array of toys—toys she’d only seen in on-line catalogues or the sex shop her friends had dragged her to a few months ago. Not that she’d purchased anything that time. She wasn’t a prude by any means. She just hadn’t had a relationship with anyone who wanted to experiment. And after Jason the turd…well, ‘nuff said.

  Out of curiosity, she picked up the first item. Fluffy lavender fur-covered hand cuffs. She chuckled. Okay, she could see how being tied up might be fun. The ultimate in submission, and obviously that was what her partner had in mind, if the Velcro bondage cuffs attacked to the four corners of the bed were any indication.

  She checked out a few more of his toys, still in their original packaging. Hmm, stimulating gel. That had possibilities, but if he thought he was about to use those jelly butt plugs on her, he could think again.

  “I’m getting hungrier by the minute, slave.”

  Kat jumped as his voice carried through the closed door. Time to get her act together. Her suitcase had been delivered to the bure and placed on a luggage rack at the foot of the bed, but if she obeyed orders, she wouldn’t need any of the stuff she’d brought with her for tonight.

  A swatch of scarlet fabric sat in the very centre of the bed. She reached out and grabbed it, holding it up in front of her. Her mouth dropped open. “He expects me to wear this?”

  ‘This’ was the top of a pair of baby-doll pyjamas. The material was not quite see-through, but if she walked into a patch of light, it certainly would be. The material gathered into a frilly band front and back, with the frill continuing over the shoulders for straps. “I’ll look like an S&M Barbie doll in this.”

  She picked up the panties that went with the top and groaned. She didn’t mind thongs, but this scrap of nylon was no more than butt floss. These were so damned tiny that they were nothing but an embroidered thread from front to back. Then she spotted the object that the scarlet fabric had concealed. She grabbed it and burst out laughing as she read the labelling on the packet.

  “Love Egg. A sensual stimulator that can be inserted completely into the vagina.” It was the only other thing on the bed besides the baby-doll
pyjamas and she had no doubt her Master intended her to use it. A grin surfaced. Why not? She was into adventures, wasn’t she? And after that kiss in the living room, there was no doubt she was wet enough.

  Conscious of time passing, she opened the package and extracted the silver ball attached to a red silken cord. A quick rummage through her suitcase for a few extra items and she shut herself in the bathroom. A fast shower later and she was ready for the next step.

  She grabbed the packaging for the egg and turned it over. Hmm, no directions. Then she rolled the egg in her palm, inspecting it. No switch to turn it on. She shrugged. “Guess it’s my own movements that make it stimulating.”

  Bracing one leg on the edge of the bathtub, she inserted the Love Egg, tightening her internal muscles to hold it there. “Whoa, kinky.”

  She slipped into the bright red bikini she’d brought with her. Not quite the same shade as the pyjamas but close enough. I hope to God that slinky top covers more than these do. She didn’t mind running around in the baby-doll outfit here in the bure, but no way was she putting herself on show like that in a public restaurant. She slipped the garment over her head. It ended at the top of her thighs, and with the red bikini bottoms, it made her legs look a mile long. Hmm, not bad.

  She donned a pair of black sandals and left the bedroom to pose at the entrance to the living room. “I’m ready, Master.”

  He still stood where she’d left him, but this time his hands were tucked behind his back.

  He lifted his chin, staring down at her through the slits in his mask. “Come here, slave.”

  Kat sauntered forward, conscious all the while of the Love Egg inside her. It made her feel slightly decadent just to know it was there, although she wasn’t really certain what type of sexual kick she was supposed to get from it. Pulling one hand from behind his back, he indicated the floor directly in front of him. Kat lowered herself to her knees.

  All of a sudden, the egg inside her vibrated. Kat’s mouth dropped open. Her internal muscles contracted. She squirmed and gasped as the movement triggered a rush of sensation inside her. Tiny spasms slid up and down the inner walls of her pussy. Biting her bottom lip to trap the building moan inside, she clenched her muscles until the vibration subsided.