by K. L. Ramsey
She rolled her eyes and got back to stirring the batter for the pancakes. “Can you wake Lucy?” she asked. Laney squirmed in his arms, trying to get down.
“I can do it,” she said. Aiden put the rambunctious toddler down and watched as she ran back upstairs to wake her sister.
“You know she likes to torment Lucy to wake her up, right?” Zara asked.
“Yeah, but I think Lucy gets her back during the day. She is a little bossy towards Laney,” Aiden said.
“A little is an understatement,” Zara agreed. “Do you think she saw us together?” She knew she was worrying over something that was probably nothing but she couldn’t help it.
“No,” Aiden said. “And if she did, she’s too little to understand what she saw. Lucy is another story. If she caught us, we’d never hear the end of her questions.”
“We need to be more careful,” Zara whispered.
“How about we discuss all of your rules over our lunch today?” he asked. Zara nodded. She wasn’t sure what other rules they should have but she had time to come up with a few. She told Aiden the girls not finding out was her number one rule, but if she was being honest her first rule was to make sure that her heart knew the score. She was his sub and she needed to remember that was all he was offering her. Getting carried away and falling for Aiden Bentley wasn’t an option and she needed to remember that rule or she’d walk away from him with one very broken heart.
Zara spent the morning running around town, trying to make sure she got her list of errands finished before having to meet with Aiden. She wasn’t sure what to make of his request to have lunch at his office but she was hoping it was more of a date and less business. Zara didn’t date her employers, ever. Finding the fine line not to cross between business and pleasure was proving to be tricky. Aiden had seen to her every need and given her plenty of pleasure the night before, but today they would be in his office and anyone might see them together. That thought scared her but not enough to cancel their lunch plans.
She showed up a few minutes early and Rose greeted her at the elevator again. “Hi, Zara,” she said. Zara smiled and nodded, not sure how she was supposed to react. Rose had always been gracious and welcoming, but that was before she possibly knew Zara was the woman from the club Aiden had met.
“Hey, Rose,” she said. Zara looked to Aiden’s closed door and worried he had forgotten about their lunch date—if that was what this was. “Um, is he in?” she asked, nodding to his office.
“Yep and lunch just arrived,” Rose said. “He said for you to go right in.” Rose went back to her desk leaving Zara standing in the hallway, worried about going into Aiden’s office. She wasn’t sure if crossing the line between seeing each other in the privacy of his home and the public space of his office was such a good idea but she was about to find out.
“Who do we have here?” A man the size of a mountain was walking straight towards her and she wanted to jump out of his way. Zara looked around, trying to figure out who the man was talking about. “Please tell me you are here to see me?” he questioned, stopping so close to her, Zara had to take a step back from him to look up at his face.
“I’m, um—I’m here to see Mr. Bentley,” she squeaked. “Aiden—he’s waiting for me,” she stuttered. The man took another step towards her again, completely invading her personal space and smiled down at her.
“You shouldn’t waste your time on Aiden,” he dramatically whispered. “I’m a whole lot more fun,” Corbin wrapped an arm around her waist and winked down at her. Zara tried to slap him away but he was a lot bigger than she was.
“Corbin James, let that poor woman go,” Rose demanded.
“Oh Mother, you never let me have any fun,” Corbin teased. “Besides, I was just about to make my move,” he said.
Zara gasped and he had the nerve to laugh. “Get your fucking hands off of my woman.” Zara looked around the big man to find Aiden standing just behind him and the expression on his face was murderous.
“Your woman?” Corbin and Rose said in unison. God, Zara wanted to hide but there was no where for her to go. Besides, the big guy still had his arm around her waist and she knew there was no use in struggling.
“Yes, this is Zara,” Aiden said. He wasn’t really introducing them. It was more like he was issuing a warning and the big guy seemed to take the hint.
“Fuck, Aiden. Why didn’t you warn me? When a woman walks in our office looking like Zara here, you know what my first reaction is. A little heads-up would have been nice.” He reached a hand out between them for Zara to shake. “I’m Corbin Eklund. Aiden’s best friend and business partner,” he said. Zara placed her hand in his and he had the nerve to kiss the back of it.
“Zara,” she squeaked. She looked him up and down, noticing he was just as handsome as Aiden, about the same age but Corbin had more of an edge to him. His persona screamed bad boy and his outrageous attitude seemed to fit the bill. Aiden seemed to notice her perusal of his business partner, judging by the angry growl that escaped him.
“Well, it’s nice to finally meet you, Zara. Aiden has droned on and on about you, so it’s nice to put a face to the name,” Corbin released her hand and took a step away from her, giving her a full view of Aiden. He didn’t look very happy and she was starting to rethink being at his office.
“This was a mistake,” she said. “I’m sorry. I should just go,” she offered. Zara turned to leave and another frustrated growl ripped through Aiden’s chest, stopping her in her tracks. Corbin chuckled and Rose cleared her throat, as if in warning.
“How about we give you two some privacy?” Rose asked. “Corbin take me out to lunch,” she ordered.
“Sure, Mom,” Corbin agreed. “But listen Zara, if things don’t work out with the caveman who has obviously taken over my friend; feel free to look me up. I’m in the office right next to this Neandertal.” Corbin brushed past Aiden and slapped him on the back. Aiden shot him a look that would have frightened most men but Zara had a feeling Corbin Eklund wasn’t like most other men.
“I’ll be gone for an hour, Aiden,” Rose said. “And for goodness sake, stop growling at poor Zara,” she chided. “See you again soon, Zara,” Rose said and pulled her in for a quick side hug and then joined Corbin in the elevator. He smiled and waved at her as the doors closed and she was left alone with Aiden. She turned to face him, not knowing what he was going to do or say next but she was done hiding. If Aiden changed his mind about wanting her there, he was going to have to just tell her that himself. It would hurt to hear he had a change of heart about wanting her, but Zara had lived through worse and she’d get through this—but she wouldn’t run away scared, she was done with being afraid.
Aiden
Aiden watched as Zara slowly turned to face him and he hated he had acted so badly. But seeing Corbin with his arms around her made him half crazy. There was no way he’d let another man touch her—not now that she had agreed to be his. Zara wanted ground rules and he was about to give her them and then some.
“Why were you allowing Corbin to hold you?” he asked.
“Allowing?” Zara questioned. “I wasn’t allowing any such thing.”
“Then why did I just walk out of my office to find my best friend with his arms around you?” Aiden questioned. He wasn’t sure why he was so angry, but seeing Zara in another man’s arms made his inner caveman roar to life.
“I’m not sure why you are mad at me, Aiden but you have no right to be. I came here, as you requested, for lunch. I have no idea why your friend thought he should touch me and when I tried to get away, he seemed to think it was a game. He didn’t even know who I was until you stepped in and cleared things up.” Zara raised a shaky hand to her face and brushed back a strand of hair that had fallen from her ponytail. He was being an ass and seeing how he had shaken her up made him feel every bit as bad as he should.
“I’m sorry,” Aiden sighed. “I’m an ass,” he admitted.
“Yes, you are,” Zara quickly agreed.
He couldn’t help his smile. “You know you could lie and tell me I’m not acting like a jealous asshole,” he teased. “Just seeing another man touching you set me off, I guess—I don’t know.” He tried to shrug it off, as if the whole scene wasn’t a big deal but it was. He had blown things completely out of proportion and then when he had a chance to make things right, he blew that too. He needed to get his unruly temper under control or this thing between him and Zara would be over before it even had a chance to begin.
“Well, I’m not a liar. Telling you that you weren’t acting like a jealous asshole would be lying,” she sassed. “I think now would be a good time for us to go over those ground rules, Aiden.” He nodded, knowing she was right. They would have to find some way to navigate through his crazy political agenda and her being his girls’ nanny. The odds were already against them succeeding, but that didn’t make him want to give up. Quite the opposite—he wanted Zara now more than ever.
“Yes,” he agreed. “After this.” Aiden closed the space between the two of them and pulled Zara into his arms, sealing his mouth over hers. When she hesitated to let him in, he swatted her ass and she gave a surprised gasp that allowed his tongue access to hers. By the time he finished kissing her, she was breathless and needy, a combination he could work with. After their little discussion and lunch, he planned on taking her on his desk. Hell, if he had his way, he’d take Zara on every surface in his office, but there probably wouldn’t be time for that with her having to pick up the girls and Rose returning from lunch.
“When you look at me like that, I worry,” Zara whispered.
“Worry?” he questioned.
“Yes. I worry that you are going to eat me alive,” she admitted.
Aiden smirked and winked, causing her to turn an adorable shade of pink. “Well, that’s not such a bad idea, baby,” he teased. “Let’s go over the rules first and then we can talk about me eating you.” Zara shook her head and giggled and Aiden felt himself relax for the first time since they had coffee that morning. She just had that effect on him.
Aiden sat on the sectional that took up the corner of his office and pulled Zara down onto his lap. “Rose picked us up some lunch. I hope deli sandwiches are okay?” he questioned. “I wasn’t sure what you’d like,” he admitted.
“Sandwiches sound great,” she said. “We really don’t know each other, do we?” she asked. They didn’t but if Zara gave him a chance, he’d make sure to change that. He wanted to know everything about her but he also knew that would lead to her being more than just his sub. Aiden didn’t know if either of them were ready for that. How would he navigate a relationship that had to be hidden from the public eye? He told Zara before he wouldn’t keep her as his dirty little secret and he meant it. If they could just keep things quiet until after the primaries were over, he could somehow come clean with the press and introduce Zara as his—but would she want that?
“So,” she said around a mouthful of sandwich. “Ground rules.”
“Yes,” he agreed. “We have rule number one already down—no letting the girls in on our little secret.”
“Right and you almost blew that rule right out of the water this morning. We have to be more careful, Aiden,” she chided.
“You’re right and it was totally my fault,” he admitted. “I just can’t seem to keep my hands or lips off you,” he teased. Zara giggled as he gave her neck little butterfly kisses. She shivered against him and damn if he didn’t want to skip to the part where he took her on his fucking desk.
“The rules, Aiden,” she reminded.
“Sorry,” he said, even though he wasn’t. “So, what should rule number two be?” he asked.
“Um, well I guess you touched on rule number two already—we can’t be seen together in public,” she said. Yeah—he fucking hated rule number two. Aiden wanted to be able to take Zara out and show her off. Hell, he wanted to go to dinner with her and take her to a movie, but even those simple pleasures would instill a media frenzy.
“For now,” he amended. “As soon as these primaries are over, I would like to take you out—you know, on a real date,” he said.
Zara smiled and nodded. “I’d like that, Aiden,” she agreed.
“Let’s add an addendum to rule number two,” he said. “How about you let me take you to the club?” he asked. “The one we met at has rules in place for anonymity and as you know, I have a private room.”
“But what if someone sees us going into that place together?” she challenged.
“We will just have to take extra precautions,” he said. “I had Corbin sneak me in the few times I went, to avoid the press. I’m sure we can work something out. We don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do, Zara,” he said. “As my sub, you will have all the say so, all the power. I can ask but you have the right to say no,” he added.
“This is all so new to me,” she said. “I have very little experience and this whole Dom/sub thing is completely out of my league.”
“I know, baby. That’s why we are going to take things nice and slow. I thought the club would get us out of my house on occasion. Plus, it will be like research for you. We can watch other couples play and you can tell me what you’d like to try and what you are against experimenting with.”
Zara seemed to mull over his words and then slowly nodded her agreement. “I think I’d like that. I definitely liked watching some of the couples when we were there. I already know I liked when you spanked me,” she whispered. Her cheeks turned that cute shade of pink again from her admission.
“Judging by how wet you were, after I finished spanking your ass red, I’d say you loved me spanking you, honey,” he said. Zara’s tongue darted out and licked her bottom lip and he wanted to moan at the memory of Zara sucking his cock to the back of her throat.
“I liked when you let me taste you,” she admitted. “I would like to do that again, Aiden.”
“Fuck, baby,” when you look at me like that I worry,” he teased, giving her own words back to her.
“Worry?” she asked, seeming a little confused.
“Yeah, you look like you want to eat me alive,” he joked. Zara’s laughter filled his office and he decided the rest of the rules could wait. Two was a good even number to stop at and he had plans for her sassy little mouth. “Up, baby,” he commanded.
Zara didn’t hesitate; she stood and took his extended hand. “I’m going to give you what you asked for and then I’m going to make a meal of you and fuck you over my desk,” he said. Aiden sat down in his chair and Zara sunk to her knees without even being told to.
“Is this okay?” she shyly asked.
It’s more than fucking okay,” he said. “You are so sexy, Zara.” She gifted him with her shy smile and unzipped his pants, letting his cock spring free.
“Mmm,” Zara moaned. She ran her small hands over the head of his shaft and he thought for sure he was going to lose it right then and there. Zara leaned forward and sucked him into her mouth, taking most of him and Aiden wrapped her long blonde ponytail around his hand, taking her control from her. He worked his dick in and out of Zara’s willing mouth, loving the popping and sucking noises she made every time he pulled his cock free from her lips.
“That feels so fucking good, baby,” he moaned. “I’m going to come, Zara,” he warned. He tried to pull free from her mouth but she wouldn’t allow it. She sucked him to the back of her throat and swallowed around his cock and Aiden couldn’t stand anymore. He came in hot spurts down her throat and Zara took all of him, even licking his cock clean when he finished.
“You taste good, Aiden,” she said breathlessly.
He leaned back into his chair, catching his own breath and trying to remember how to form words. “God, baby,” he whispered. “That was incredible.” Again, her radiant smile lit up the room when he praised her. She was such a perfect submissive—from the way she took direction to the way she soaked up his praise; he couldn’t ask for more. Well, he shouldn’t ask her for m
ore but he was a greedy bastard.
“Up on my desk, honey,” he ordered. Zara hopped on top of his desk and he helped her out of her leggings and panties, leaving her bare for him, from the waist down to do with as he pleased. “My turn,” he insisted, spreading her legs further apart. He sat back down in his chair and was the perfect height to feast on her pussy. She was already wet for him and she tasted so fucking good.
He ran two fingers down through Zara’s wet folds and licked her clit into his mouth. She moaned and just about bucked off his desk. “Hold still, baby or I’ll tie you down.” Zara moaned again, as if telling him that idea made her hot. His girl was definitely into kink, he just wondered how far she’d let him push her.
Aiden pumped his two fingers in and out of her wet core, hitting her special spot while he licked and sucked her clit. It didn’t take long for Zara to find her orgasm and he loved hearing her shout out his name.
He couldn’t stop himself, he stood and let his pants drop to the ground. He was hard again and ready to play, anxious to get inside of Zara. “This is going to be hard and fast, baby,” he said. “Rose will be back any minute.” Zara whimpered and nodded.
Aiden thrust into her wet pussy and he had to stop and give himself a minute to adjust to the sensation of her tight core gripping his cock like a glove. She spasmed around him and he just about lost it. “Touch yourself, Zara,” he commanded. She looked up at him and he could see she wanted to tell him no.
“I—I don’t know what to do, Aiden,” she whispered.
“Give me your hand,” he said. She reached up for him and Aiden took her hand and guided it between where their bodies were joined. “Right here,” he said, taking her finger and running the pad over her sensitive nub. She moaned and ground her pussy against his cock. “See, you like that, don’t you?” he asked.
She shyly nodded and when he removed his hand from hers, she continued to work her clit. He could feel her orgasm growing and Aiden knew she would be finding her release in no time. He wanted to be with her so he pumped harder into her body, setting a punishing pace.