by Marie Tuhart
Damon studied her. “But you left me a note. That’s when I realized you knew who I was. I’m glad you left it.”
“I didn’t want you to think I ran out because of you. It was more me. I wasn’t ready for anyone else to know who I was.”
“What aren’t you telling me?”
“Let’s say my family is in the spotlight a lot, and it’s taught me to be very careful.”
“Care to elaborate?” He wondered what her family was involved with? Politics? Lobbyist? Something else? There were a hundred choices.
“Not tonight.”
Damon let it go. He’d get the full story out of her another night. “I’ll give you some time, but I need the full story.”
“What about yours?”
“What do you mean?”
“You said you got into kink in college, but never told me how you came to be a partner in Wicked Sanctuary.”
“I didn’t.” He glanced at his watch. “How about we save that for another night. It’s almost ten, and I believe you have to work tomorrow?”
“And how do you know that?” Her eyes narrowed.
Damon signaled the waiter for the check. “I asked a little birdie.” Once he’d paid for their meal, he escorted Tessa to his car. The ride was silent, and he wondered what Tessa was thinking. When they arrived, she waited for him to open her door and didn’t say anything when he escorted her up to her apartment. She even handed him her keys.
“Thank you,” he said.
“I don’t want to argue with you.”
“I appreciate that.” He opened the door and slipped inside, checking the rooms quickly. “All clear.”
“Why do you check my apartment?” She dropped her keys and purse on the table by the front door.
“Safety.”
“Really?” She tilted her head. “I think it’s a control issue.”
His lips tilted up. “I want to make sure you’re safe.” Damon lifted his hand and trailed his fingers over her cheek before curving his hand behind her neck. “I want to kiss you.”
“I want that too.” She lifted her face to his.
He captured her lips.
A sigh left her mouth, and his tongue delved in. He tasted the barest hint of coffee. His dick pulsed.
Tessa’s arms encircled his neck as his free hand curved around her waist and pulled her to him, her body soft against his hardness. He wanted more. More than a kiss.
She shifted, and her pert nipples pressed against his chest. Damon barely restrained the need inside him to do more than kiss her. It wasn’t time yet.
He lifted his head. Her eyes were dreamy, and her lips red from his kiss. “I want to tumble you into bed,” he whispered.
Tessa didn’t reply, but she didn’t move away from him either. She was going to be the death of him. Mustering up every ounce of control he had, Damon released her neck and took a step back.
“No,” she whispered.
“Yes, sweetheart.” He took a deep breath, then took another step back. “It’s too soon, no matter what my body wants.”
“Mine wants it too.” Her hands fluttered to his chest.
“Another night.” He captured her wrists and pulled her hands away from his heated body. “Are you free on Sunday?”
“I have an early meeting Monday so I can’t be out late.”
“How about lunch? I’ll pick you up at noon.”
“I can do that.” Her eyes were clear and focused.
“All right. I’ll tell you more about myself and the club then, and we can go over your questionnaire together. In private.”
Color bloomed in her cheeks.
“Good night.” He leaned down and brushed another kiss over her soft lips, before releasing her and stepping out the door. Damon reached back and pulled the door shut. He waited until he heard the locks click and made his way down the hall with a spring in his step.
Sunday. Maybe a picnic lunch at his house. Plans started swirling in his head. Tonight had gone well, and he was delighted even if he did have a hard-on that wasn’t going to be satisfied until he bedded Tessa.
CHAPTER SIX
Tessa tossed yet another outfit on her bed. What the hell was she going to wear? Saturday had passed in a blur of work and thinking about Damon. Now it was eleven on Sunday, and she still couldn’t pick out an outfit to wear.
He’d said picnic. Jeans would be practical, but which ones. Blue, stone washed, black, tan…ugh…she wanted to pull her hair out. Her cell rang, and she glanced at the display. Sierra.
“Hey, Sierra,” she said as she answered the phone.
“So, heard you went to dinner with Damon Friday night.”
“I did, and do you have time to video chat?”
“Is everything okay?” The worry in Sierra’s voice was evident.
“It’s fine. I need some help.”
“Sure.” A second later, Sierra’s face appeared. “What do you need help with?”
“Damon is picking me up for a picnic lunch in less than an hour. I can’t figure out what to wear.”
Sierra giggled. “Jeans would be good.”
“Funny. What color?”
“You have way too many choices. Put on a pair of blue jeans.”
Tessa grabbed a pair and put them aside. “Top?”
“Let’s see…show me your closet.” Tessa turned the camera toward her closet. “The blue-black one with the design on the sleeve.”
“I forgot I bought this.” She pulled the blouse out. “What am I thinking? It’s February. How are we going to have a picnic?”
“It’s not snowing,” Sierra offered.
“No, but it’s not warm enough to be outside either.”
“True, the temp is forty out. A little cold for a picnic.” There was another voice in the background. “Be right there, honey.”
“I better let you go.” Tessa rubbed her forehead.
“Don’t stress out. Wear the outfit, I’m sure Damon has something special in mind. Bye.” The screen went blank.
Tessa sighed and grabbed her clothing. A picnic in February. What was Damon thinking?
There was a knock at her front door on the dot of noon. She looked out to make sure it was Damon before opening it. The building lock was still broken; she’d complained again yesterday.
“Hi,” she said.
“Hello, beautiful.” Damon leaned down and brushed a kiss over her cheek. “Nice outfit.”
“Thank you, but isn’t it a little cold out for a picnic?”
“It is, but I have a special place in mind. As long as you’re okay with being alone with me at my home?”
There was that consent again. Tessa’s insides melted. “I’m fine with it.” She reached back for her jacket and purse.
“Let me.” Damon took her jacket from her and held it out.
“Such a gentleman,” Tessa commented.
“I try.”
She pulled the door shut behind her and locked it, and they were on their way. “How far out of town do you live?” Tessa asked as he drove.
“On the outskirts. I’m not as far out as Max.”
“Why out there?” There wasn’t a lot of housing in that area.
“I needed space for my other business.”
“What do you do besides run the bookstore? I know you have degrees in engineering.” Until he said that, she’d forgotten she didn’t know what he did for a living, but he said he’d gone to MIT and picked up some industrial engineering books at the library.
“Mechanical and electrical engineering.” He turned down a small paved road.
“Those are your degrees. Not what you do.” The trees were beautiful this time of year. The fir and pine trees are so green. If a winter storm came in they would be covered with snow. Tessa shivered.
“Cold?”
“No. I was thinking how the trees would look when it snowed.”
“They’re beautiful, but the snow makes driving a little hard.”
“I bet. I…” Her
voice trailed off as the road opened up and a beautiful home came into view.
It was a single story, somewhat modern home. There were angled roofs with intricate carvings on the archways. Wood-looking columns. Green grass and shrubs and trees that would bloom come spring.
“It’s gorgeous,” she whispered as Damon pulled up the stone driveway.
“Thank you.” He pressed a button, and the garage door opened. He pulled inside. “It will be warmer this way.”
Damon was there when she opened her door. “Normal garage,” he said.
“It’s warm.”
“I had it insulated when I had the house built. Keeps the cars warmer in winter.” He unlocked a door and opened it. “Utility room.” He flipped the lights on.
The tile was a beige color, and a front loading washer and dryer were off to one side, white cabinets above. On the other side were more cabinets with a place to fold laundry and a small bench with baskets beneath it.
“This is very nice.” She’d kill for a laundry room like this.
“I like it.” He shut the door to the garage and slipped off his shoes. “If you don’t mind slipping off your shoes?”
Tessa was glad she wore her sneakers. She slipped them off and set them in an empty basket. Damon, she noticed, placed his boots in one of the cabinets.
“There’s slippers in the other basket,” he said as he straightened.
“I’m fine.”
“All right. He reached past her and opened the door to the house. “Welcome to my home.”
“Thank you.”
“I’ll give you the tour, then we can have our picnic.” He guided her into the house and down the short hallway. The hardwood gleamed under her feet. No wonder he’d wanted her to take her shoes off.
“Off to your left is technically the study, but I use it as a library.”
“Oh?” She looked in the door. The walls were lined with bookcases. In the middle of the room sat a leather chair with a small table next to it. Her tummy turned over in anticipation of being able to check out his library. “Very cozy.”
“I figured you’d appreciate that.” His eyes gleamed as he guided her into the open area of his home. “Guest bedrooms on the other side of the family room down that hall. Master bedroom over there.” He pointed to a door on the left. “Then we have the formal dining room off a little behind us, and this is the family room and kitchen.” He waved his hand to the left.
Tessa’s breath caught when she saw his kitchen. The gleaming stainless steel appliances, a six-burner gas stove. Light brown marble counter tops with a stone-looking backsplash. “Very nice kitchen.”
“I like to cook now and again.”
Tessa followed him deeper into the family room and stopped. The breakfast bar stone was like the outside of an old English cottage. She turned and saw the fireplace had the same type of look. “I love the granite.”
“I wanted that rustic look.” He flashed her a grin. “I bet you’re wondering how we’re going to do this picnic?”
“It did cross my mind.” His house was beautiful, and it fit Damon. Not too modern, but fit his style.
“Then let me show you.” He led her to the small nook area she hadn’t noticed before and opened the door to go outside into the backyard.
“Oh my.” Tessa stepped out onto the lanai. The sides fully enclosed in glass, with high wooden beams and roof. The room was warm. A table and chairs were pushed up against one side, and in the middle of the lanai, a blanket had been spread on top of a super thick area rug. “This is beautiful.”
She circled the lanai and looked out the glass. Off to one side was a barbecue inlaid with the same granite as inside the house, along with a fireplace. A large wicker table and chairs were covered with heavy plastic sheeting. Outside the center glass door were granite steps down to another patio and a covered pool. “You have a pool?”
“Yes.” He came up behind her. “It’s nice to have during the summer and great exercise.”
“Like you need exercise.”
He laughed. “Make yourself comfortable, and I’ll go get our picnic.”
“Can I help?”
Damon regarded her for a moment. “Let me take care of you today. Can you do that?”
Surprise hit Tessa’s blood stream at his words. “I think so.” It was an honest answer. He smiled and disappeared back into the house. Tessa stared out at the view. The rolling hills were soothing.
She turned when she heard the door open. Damon stepped out with a large basket and a couple bottles of water. Tessa started to help him, and he glared at her. Okay, the man was serious about taking care of her.
“Come sit down.” He set the basket and water on the blanket, holding his hand out to her.
Tessa put her hand in his, and he helped her to the ground before he knelt and unloaded the basket. Skewers of chicken and veggies, tiny sandwiches, a plate of bite-sized fruit, and another plate of cheese and crackers. Then plates and utensils.
“Dessert is in the fridge,” he said, setting the basket aside.
“This all looks delicious.”
“The sandwiches are ham and cheese or turkey and cheese.” He held up a plate. “What would you like?”
“How about a little bit of everything.”
“Sounds good.” Using tongs, he placed two sandwiches on her plate, along with two skewers of chicken, some fruit, and some cheese and crackers. He held the full plate out to her. Tessa took it and waited until he’d served himself before she picked up a sandwich.
The flavors flowed over her taste buds. Honey mustard along with mayo. She wiped her fingers on the napkin. “That is so good. What kind of cheese?”
“That one has mozzarella. There’s Swiss and cheddar on the others.”
“And the turkey?”
“Cheddar or American, smoked turkey with a mayo and a light cranberry spread.”
Tessa’s stomach growled. She picked up the chicken skewer and pulled a piece of chicken off to pop in her mouth. She groaned in ecstasy.
“Good?” he asked with a grin.
“Did you marinate the chicken?” She couldn’t quite put her finger on the flavors.
“I did.”
Tessa waited for him to continue. She’d never experienced flavors like this.
“Mixture of soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, honey, peanut and sesame oil, garlic, onion, and a little bit of ginger.”
“I’ll have to try that.” She was always on the lookout for new ways to cook chicken. Or easy ways to cook chicken. She was helpless in the kitchen.
“I have lots of recipes.”
“Is that an offer to share?” Where did that come from?
“Depends on what you’ll give me for them.” He gave her a grin.
Her core tightened. Damn, he was sexy. Tessa tilted her head and thought for a minute. “A kiss.”
He smiled. “One for each recipe.”
She laughed. “Trying to take advantage, are we?” She was getting better at flirting with him.
“Only if you’ll let me.”
They finished eating, and Damon cleared everything away. “I had Max email me your questionnaire.”
Heat rushed to Tessa’s cheeks. “Okay.” It was hard to take a breath. Yes, she wanted Damon to be her trainer, but at the same time, this was scary.
“Would you like to read my questionnaire?”
“You’d let me?” That was surprising.
“Of course. You have a right to know who you’re playing with. Or I’m more than willing to tell you whatever you want to know.”
She was impressed. “I’d like to read it. It’s not because I don’t trust you; I do. I’d like to see how we compare.”
He inclined his head. “I’ll have Max email mine to you. I looked yours over. We’re very compatible. But I do have some questions.”
“All right.” Putting her fears aside, Tessa tried to relax. She was ready to do this.
“It’s mainly around the toy section. The one a
bout beads or balls insertion, you said vaginally only and a hard limit on butt plugs.”
“I’m not ready to do anything anal.” She shivered.
“That’s fine. Is it something maybe at a later date you’re willing to try?”
“Maybe.” She wasn’t sure she would ever be ready. Anal play had looked painful to her the few times she witnessed it.
“All right. You didn’t circle hard or soft limit on toys in public when under clothing.”
“I need more clarification on that.” She was aware of the statement, but she wanted to hear from him what his thoughts were.
“For me, it would mean, maybe a wireless vibrating bullet I put in you and turn on and off at a restaurant or party. Or vibrating panties.”
“Oh?” She’d seen a lot in DC, including women who wore vibrating nipple rings under their clothing. You’d think people in the political eye would be more circumspect, but they weren’t. Well, probably most people outside the lifestyle wouldn’t notice or, if they did, even know what they were.
“What’s bothering you?”
Tessa shifted on the blanket. “I’m fine playing in public at the club, but not anywhere else.” That was really it. She’d been under media scrutiny for so long, she still lived in fear they’d find her, and it would be a shit show. Past betrayals still weighed heavily on her mind.
“I can live with that. What about playing here at my home or your apartment?”
“As long as we’re discreet, I’m fine with it.”
“You don’t seem to mind being seen at the store or the book club.”
She shifted again. “That’s different. I’m really there for the book club and nothing else.” But she did look around the other night. She needed to be more careful. Yes, it had been years since the press followed her around, but that didn’t mean they wouldn’t start again if they figured out where she was and who she was.
Heck, that reporter had hounded Jordan and Crystal about their case. It wasn’t something Tessa wanted to deal with again. She needed her privacy.
“Interesting.” He grabbed a pillow and lay back on the blanket and turned his head so he could see her. “How do you feel about being my sub?”
Instant heat flowed through her veins at his words. “Shouldn’t we go through the training program first?” Chicken.