by BJ Wane
Uncomfortable with her wrong assumption, Lisa shook her head, juggling the plate and utensils to pick up a bowl of fruit. “I’m sure he treats all women, in and out of the club, the same. He’s a nice guy.”
“Nice?” Jen’s grin spread into a wide smile, her eyes sparkling with amusement. “Yes, he is nice, but I sure wouldn’t want to get on his bad side at Spurs. He is sexually dominant through and through, and overprotective to the point of bossiness with people he cares about. He’s dumped several women who didn’t take his concerns for their welfare seriously. One after her stupidity landed her in a bad scene when she thought to retaliate against Shawn’s orders by hooking up with a new Dom who was still on probation with the former owner, Master Randy. Man, that was a nasty altercation between the three of them. Here, take this corner table.”
Jen came around and led Lisa to a small, round table with two chairs next to the bay window overlooking the manicured back lawn. The morning sun splashed across the white-draped tablecloth and warmed Lisa’s shoulders as she took a seat with her back to the windows.
Curiosity got the better of her, and she gestured to the other chair before Jen took off. “Can you sit a minute and tell me more? What happened to that Dom?” She couldn’t imagine Shawn letting the guy off the hook with a warning if he broke club protocol.
“Sure. I just have to keep an eye on the food so it doesn’t run low. As you can see, the buffet is popular on Sundays.” Taking the empty chair, she leaned forward and said, “We were there and saw Shawn wrench the jerk’s arm back when he went to swing his crop again after he’d just broken her skin. I’ve never seen him so mad, and it took Masters Randy and Clayton to pull him back.”
Lisa shuddered and reached for the glass of ice water. She liked the bite of pain since she had discovered her heated response. At the time, she would have accepted anything that heightened her arousal, but imagining such excruciating agony left her cold. Not many could tolerate that kind of agony.
“What about the girl? Was he that pissed with her?” She munched on a piece of crispy bacon, unable to picture Shawn losing his temper with a woman, no matter what she’d done.
“Oh, he was just as furious, but like I said, he’s one of the good guys. He gave her a verbal set-down, and Randy hustled her away.” Jen sat back with a small shrug. “She hasn’t returned. That’s all I know. Shawn has a good reputation as deputy sheriff, strict but fair, and doesn’t hesitate when someone needs help. You’re lucky. He normally sticks to regular players, those he knows well. I can think of a few who will want to ask you what your secret is.”
“I don’t have a secret.” Lisa didn’t mean to snap at her, and realized how guilty she sounded. That’s what she got for keeping her reason for taking the temporary teaching job to herself. “Sorry,” she muttered. Jen cocked her head and gave her a quizzical look, and Lisa knew she needed to say something. “He stepped in when I was about to end the scene with Master Simon, and” – she spread her hands – “just took over. So, you see, I didn’t do anything. It was all him.”
“He must have seen something was off between you and Master Simon, then. He never hesitates to get involved if he thinks he needs to. Was that the case? Did he succeed?”
“More or less, and yes, better than anyone else anyway.” She stopped short of revealing the whole truth, that she still had a ways to go before she could admit she was completely rid of the coldness. She wondered if she would have to be sure her stalker had lost interest in her for that to happen.
Lisa’s second of her nine-week teaching job went as well as her first, but getting to know the students and staff better made her wish she could stay longer. She already knew she would miss Chelsea, the quiet, shy girl who reminded her of herself in grade school. Kim Delaney, the physical-education teacher, and Debra Devore, the fourth-grade teacher, were housemates, and had invited her for dinner Wednesday evening and to a movie in Boise this weekend. Since everyone else was married, Lisa appreciated their invitations, and hanging with them helped take her mind off Shawn and whether to risk returning to Spurs.
Until the closing bell rang on Thursday, and she saw him standing in her doorway. Her heart executed a slow roll, the odd sensation different from the immediate rush of blood through her veins. Leaning against the door jamb, crossed arms emphasizing his thick, corded muscles, his khaki law enforcement shirt stretched taut over his wide shoulders, and his lowered Stetson adding mystery to his face, who the heck wouldn’t have such a strong reaction?
Chad, the red-haired trouble-maker of the class rushed over to Shawn without permission. Lisa pushed to her feet, her throat going dry, her pulse leaping as Shawn turned a crooked grin upon the boy. She cursed that quick response, wishing she could stay detached from his charm.
“Hey, Deputy McDuff. Are you gonna arrest somebody?”
“Chad, please return to your seat and wait to get in line like you’re supposed to do,” she admonished lightly, walking to the door.
“I’m already here, so I’m first.”
“Chad.” Shawn’s deep rumble accompanied his hands falling to the little boy’s shoulders. Turning him around, he said, “Do as Ms. Halldor instructed. Setting a good example is important.”
“Fine, but I wanna watch you cuff ’em, so wait for me.”
Shawn shook his head, removing his hat and nodding to Lisa. “I’m here to visit with your teacher, not to arrest anyone.”
“Aw, shucks,” Chad grumbled, shuffling his feet back to his desk.
Lisa looked up at Shawn in surprise, itching to sink her fingers into his thick, dark-brown hair where it curled around his neck. She stayed a safe foot away from him as the students lined up, but that didn’t keep a small kernel of longing from forming, whether for the man or what he could do for her, she wasn’t sure.
“What can I help you with, Deputy Sheriff?” She was proud of her steady voice, so at odds with her quivering abdominal muscles.
“It can wait until you’ve seen your students off.” Moving out of the door, he made room for the kids to file past him, greeting several by name.
As she followed her students out, her arm brushed against his, the simple contact enough to deliver an electric jolt of awareness and put a dent in her already scorched defenses. He was still waiting by her classroom door when she returned from walking the kids out to the buses and waiting parents. Lisa squared her shoulders, determined to stick with common sense and not cave to her physical needs.
Before she could say anything, he followed her into the classroom and closed the door behind him. “We’re alone now, so you can drop the formalities. You’re good with the kids.”
“How do you know?” she asked, moving to her desk.
“I watched you the last fifteen minutes or so of class.” Undeterred by her less than enthusiastic response to his sudden appearance, he came forward and hitched a hip against the desk, his hat dangling from one hand as he scraped his other hand through his hair, just like she wanted to do. “You don’t need to worry about rumors of your attendance at Spurs getting out. This is a close-knit community, and despite the fast travel of gossip, those at the club respect other members’ privacy. If they don’t, they’re out.”
“I’m not officially a member, and I won’t be here long enough to be considered part of the community. Besides, who says I’m worried?” She feigned nonchalance, but his comment did stir up a ripple of anxiety. That was something she’d never had to consider while living in Phoenix due to the sheer size of the city.
Shawn’s deep chuckle vibrated down her spine as he reached out and gripped her chin. “You’re easy to read, Lisa. For instance, I can tell you’re not happy to see me. Why?”
She pulled out of his hold, his rough callouses brushing her chin, reminding her of the way he’d scraped across her sensitive nipples. Instead of answering, she asked again, “What brings you here, Deputy?”
His mouth curved in a sexy “I’ve got your number” hint. “Thursday is prime rib night at
the brewery steak house. I’d like you to have dinner with me.”
Lisa caught herself before she stumbled back in surprise, his invitation for a casual date something she hadn’t expected. As much as an informal evening out appealed to her, it was the strong tug of that lure that made her pause, that and her growing infatuation with the man she only knew as her childhood rescuer.
“Considering my temporary stay in town, that’s probably not a good idea, but I appreciate the offer.”
“So polite,” he murmured, those sharp eyes never leaving her face. “And troubled.” Leaning over the desk, he cupped her nape and drew her forward until his mouth hovered above hers. “It’s dinner, Lisa, not a marriage proposal. We both have to eat, and, unless you plan to stay away from Spurs during the next two months, I want to get to know you better before I restrain you again.”
And just like that, her pussy spasmed with dampness, and she craved the hard pressure of his mouth taking hers. She opened her mouth without knowing what she was going to say then laughter from the hallway reminded her where they were, and she pulled away instead, putting space between them that did nothing to quell the neediness his presence stirred up.
“I’ll pick you up at six.” Shawn pivoted and strode to the door, saying without turning around, “I’ve got your address.”
Flummoxed, Lisa stared after him. “How the heck did he do that? And why did I let him?” She couldn’t help the flutter of anticipation skating through her, wondering if it was just their brief past or a stronger reason for her consuming interest in him.
****
“It’s nice to see you again, Deputy Sheriff.” The perky brunette greeted them as they entered the restaurant, her eyes devouring him as if he were on the menu.
“You, too, Tiffany. A table for two, please.” He usually ignored the girl’s harmless flirtations but didn’t care for the cool look she gave Lisa.
Shawn removed his hat and laid a hand on Lisa’s lower back as they followed the waitress to a table. Lisa’s calf-length skirt swirled around her bare legs as she walked, the lime-green blouse a soft contrast to the dark denim. Her muscles tightened under his palm, but she didn’t shift away from his touch despite the guarded look that hadn’t left her face since she opened her door to him. The dim lighting in the restaurant wasn’t enough to disguise the shadows in her eyes that hinted at secrets and plaguing thoughts she’d thus far refused to share.
He couldn’t appease his curiosity and concern without answers, regardless of her continued evasions. Buck had taught them to meet challenges head on, and he hadn’t walked away from one since. That spark of defiance in her eyes she tried hard to suppress whenever he pushed her buttons never failed to get a rise out of his cock, a nice perk that went with his uplifted spirits since meeting her.
“Thank you.” Shawn nodded to Tiffany, taking the menus she handed him with a girlish blush.
“What can I get you to drink, Deputy Sheriff?” The quick glance she gave Lisa wasn’t as friendly.
“I’ll have a whiskey and Seven. Lisa?”
“A large Coke, please.”
“Be right back.” Tiffany spun around with a suggestive smile at Shawn.
Lisa regarded him with amusement as he sat down, one slim brow quirking. “Is she even out of high school?”
“Started college last fall, so no worries there if I was interested, which I’m not. I prefer women to girls, especially those who aren’t timid about exploring alternatives to meet needs left unfulfilled.” Handing her a menu across the candlelit table, he asked, “How long did it take you to try a private club as opposed to vanilla sex?”
“A few years and two failed relationships. Do you know everyone in town?” she asked without pause, smoothly changing the subject. She opened her menu and lifted it up between them, but Shawn saw through her attempt to hide her expressive face.
“Just about. I moved here twenty years ago. Did you grow up in Arizona?” Reaching across the table, he pushed her menu down and watched her brows dip in a frown as her eyes snapped up to his face. “Better. I like looking at you when we talk.”
Shawn could all but see the wheels turning in Lisa’s head as she formed her answer, indecision swirling in the green depths of her gaze. The look of resignation crossing her face as she answered puzzled him.
“I don’t recall living anywhere else. What do you recommend?”
“That you accompany me to Spurs tomorrow night,” he tossed out to throw her off her game of steering the conversation away from her. After checking her out and learning she hailed from the same state as he, his suspicion they’d met before had increased.
Her sigh conveyed irritation. “I meant from the menu, and I already have plans.”
“I know what you meant, but I wanted to see your reaction, and how hard you would try to come up with an excuse to turn me down even though you not only want to but need what I can give you. If you don’t want the prime rib, which you won’t find better, try the orange-glazed chicken. Saturday night works just as well. You’re welcome to go early with me, or you can meet me there.”
Tiffany returned as Lisa opened her mouth to reply, so instead, she thrust her menu at the girl. “I’ll have the prime rib special. Thank you.”
“I already know you want the special, Deputy Sheriff.” She gave him a warm smile while not sparing a glance toward Lisa as she set the drinks in front of them.
Shawn frowned at her, handing over his menu. “Yes, and, Tiffany, please show more courtesy to my guest.”
“Oh, of course, I’ll get that for you, ma’am.” She trounced off, looking flustered and embarrassed at his set-down.
“She called me ma’am on purpose. I’m only twenty-nine,” Lisa grumbled.
That made her about the same age as the little girl he’d rescued would be, and he could no longer discount the possibility. If she was that same girl, odds were the trauma had kept her from remembering much about that night, at least not enough about him to jog her memory. If she did remember, he couldn’t think of a reason for her not to say so. He needed to talk to Father Joe.
“You’ll get over it. I lived in Phoenix until I was fifteen,” he said, watching her closely. “It’s bigger every time I return for a visit.”
Lisa started to say something, seemed to change her mind as she took a drink of coke, then blurted, “I can meet you there Saturday.”
Whatever decision she’d come to that brought about her agreement, he hoped she planned to share it with him this weekend. In the meantime, he would talk to Father Joe. Lifting his drink, he nodded.
“I’ll look forward to it.”
Chapter Five
What was I thinking? Oh, yeah, I wasn’t thinking straight, that was it. Lisa shook her head at the mental conversation going on in her head, trying to find a way out of the corner she’d backed herself into with Shawn. She slammed the drawer shut on the bedroom dresser and sank onto the bed with a sigh of frustration. Telling herself she should have come clean with him from the very start wouldn’t help now. The suspicion on his face the other night after she’d let slip with her age, added to his already probing questions, had sealed her fate.
She was royally screwed.
Worse than wondering how she was now going to tell him where he knew her from, and dreading his reaction, was how much she longed to meet him at Spurs tonight, like they’d arranged. The mere mention of having his attention focused on her had sent a wave of heated longing through her. The chance for another escape from her troubles proved too tempting to turn down, prompting her to accept his invitation. She planned to bring up that long ago night afterward, provided she could get up the nerve and steel herself against his displeasure.
The stress of keeping that secret was too much to continue juggling with her growing need for his ability to break through the coldness where others had failed. Her stalker had robbed her of the one outlet it had taken years to find that helped her escape the memory of that childhood trauma. She wanted that relief a
nd ultimate enjoyment back but couldn’t, in good conscience, keep Shawn in the dark about their association after tonight.
Lisa blew out a breath, the decision made as she rose to look through the clothes she’d brought from home one more time for something suitable to wear. Last week, she’d known guests would get a pass on attire, but Doms liked access to bare skin, lots and lots of bare skin. She didn’t have a problem with nudity, admitting she enjoyed exhibitionism. The combined vulnerability of nakedness and bondage helped take her out of herself to that comfortable plateau where nothing mattered except the pleasure/pain sweeping her body.
God, how she craved to reach that pinnacle again.
She hadn’t heard from her stalker since leaving Arizona. She’d changed her number again right before taking off, but that hadn’t stopped him before, so she hoped her sudden disappearance had succeeded in finally putting him off her tail. Peace of mind wouldn’t come easy until she knew for sure though.
Speak of my phone. Lisa picked up her cell as it rang, noticing Jen’s number. “Hi.”
“Hey, just checking to make sure you’re going tonight,” Jen said.
“I planned on it, but after going through my things, I realized I didn’t pack anything appropriate.”
“No problem. Come on over, and if I don’t have anything that fits you, we’ll run into Boise. There’s a little boutique that carries the best outfits for the club. I can tell Drew I’ll meet him there, and we can go straight to Spurs after shopping.”
Lisa had always shopped for club clothes online, and she’d never associated with other members in the lifestyle outside the private venues. The friends and co-workers she socialized with in Phoenix knew nothing about that part of her life. She’d liked taking in the dinner and movie with Kim and Debra from school last night but hoped neither woman learned of her extracurricular activities. She was still struggling to reconcile Jen’s knowledge and similar interest.
After taking a mental calculation of her finances and remembering she got her first week’s pay yesterday, she agreed to the impromptu plans. “I’d like that. Thanks, Jen.”