by Lauren Dane
Slaves. Leah hated that word. 'What about for someone who's not a slave?'
Master Venom turned to her with a sneer. 'Everyone's either a master or a slave. My name's Master Venom. You'll address me as Master Venom, got it? Now, say, "Yes, Master Venom.'"
Brandon took a step back. Getting out of her way, Leah realised. She set her jaw and stepped closer. 'You know, "master" only means something if it's given to you by the other person, not if you demand it. And I don't call anyone master. Ever.'
A small knot of people had gathered, watching, but Leah didn't care. She took a deep breath and faced down the man on the other side of the counter. He was every reason she'd never wanted to be part of the lifestyle and a few reasons she hadn't thought of before.
'Dude, not the best way to sell your products, bitching at the customers,' Brandon said.
Venom turned, his face getting red. He looked at Brandon from top-to-toe, then turned to Leah with condescension dripping inhis tone. You should leash your pet.' lslBrandon gave a low, angry noise and stepped in front of her. 'Don't talk to her like that.'
Pansy let out a small peep and got the hell out of the way. She tugged at the chain holding her tight to the back of the booth. 'Oh, shit. Maurice, back off. This guy's big.' 'MY NAME IS MASTER VENOM!'
Leah put a hand on Brandon's arm to hold him off. She gave Maurice a long hard stare. I don't need to leash him to get him to do what I want.' Her tone made it clear what she thought of anyone who had to rely on chains to get obedience.
Master Venom sputtered. A couple of people in the crowd cheered and clapped. Pansy yanked the chain and ducked behind the curtain at the back of the booth. Venom followed after a second.
Asshole,' Leah heard someone mutter from the booth next door.
'He really gives us all a bad, bad name,' said a man wearing faded jeans and a plain white T-shirt, his blond hair in a ponytail. He gave Leah and Brandon both a smile. 'Look, if you want something to wear that's a little more mainstream than a spiked collar, I've got some great pieces at my booth. Show discounts, too. I'm over there. C'mon and stop over.'
The crowd dispersed. Venom and Tansy didn't return. Leah reached for Brandon's hand.
You know I said I'd never put a collar on you.'
'I know. But Leah ... if there was something . . .' He hesitated, looking around, then waved a hand. 'Some people wear bracelets, or collars, or get tattoos. Some people get off on wearing chains. I think it would be kind of cool to have . . . something. To wear when we're not together. Then when I looked at it.
He gave her the grin she never could resist.
'What?' she prompted, aware they were not alone, they were in the middle of a thousand kinky lifestylers who wouldn't think twice if she ordered him to his knees to eat her cunt right then and there. And that the thought of it made her clit pulse. 'It's like the lists,' he said. You know. I'd look at it and think of you.'
'Ah,' Leah said and looked towards the booth the blond guy had pointed to. 'Well, then. Let's go see what there is.'
Chapter 17
'Don't let this go to your head or anything but, muthafucka, you look hot in that tux.' Kate walked around Dix in a slow circle to take him in fully. 'What? Am I lying? It's OK, I won't hurt you if you answer. I swear,' she said, looking to the sales associate. Dix simply laughed and let her look. The salesgirl too, why the fuck not?
All right, please thank Marcus for this. I'm sure it's not easy to find a tux to rent on New Year's Eve.' Kate, all business, handed the clerk a discreet tip while he paid for the tux rental.
Who is Marcus, darling Kate?' He nuzzled her neck as he followed her from the store, his tux in a bag over his arm.
'My lover.' She tipped her head back to look him in the eye. 'What? Oh was I not supposed to have a lover?' Laughter spilt from her lips and he smiled before tipping down to kiss her quickly. 'Marcus is the guy who hooked us up with the room and the tickets for tonight. I told you, big legal trouble.' She shrugged and he shook his head, amused.
Clearly I made a mistake going into in-house work.'
We can't all have favours lined up from coast to coast. It's difficult to be so respected.' She winked.
This needs to go in the room and then I want to watch you tiy things on. The first time she'd let him accompany her shopping, he'd worked his way into the dressing room. After a minute and a half, he couldn't keep his hands to himself and she never let him go with her after that. He found the intimacy of the secret world of women to be ridiculously sexy.
I'll wait down here. If I go up there with you, you'll get fresh and we'll lose hours of time. Not that I'm complaining that you take your time or anything. But tick-tock, others will be last minute shopping too. This is already gonna cost a pretty penny so I don't want to spend a month's salary on some lime green atrocity. You go on and I'm going to get a coffee. You want one?'
You sure you don't to come up with me? You know how hot it makes me when you get sassy and all girly at once.'
She grinned, tiptoeing up to kiss him. 'Insatiable. Now move that stellar ass or I will go without you. Maybe I'll pick up Dne of these leather boys and have them watch me try things on.'
The look in his eyes thrilled her right down to her toes. Possessive, masculine, heated. Mtnmm.
'You'd break one in less than ten minutes. The sweet thing you wear is a total lie. You're a wolf.' He flashed a grin at her and she couldn't suppress a shiver of delight. 'I'll be back and, yes, I want a mocha.'
Smiling, she stayed where she was to watch him amble to the elevators. Hot damn, she was one lucky woman. 'Is he yours?'
Kate turned to the two women who'd also stopped to watch him. 'Yeah. Lucky me, huh?'
'He's delish. Are you here for the con? He's a Dom, right? You share?'
'Yes, no, not in the sense you mean it, and no. I take it you ladies are here for the con?'
The taller one, a blonde about Kate's age nodded. 'Mara and I got into the lifestyle two years ago. It's hard to find a good guy, you know? They all come with baggage or lies. Mara's seeing a guy now, though, he's nice. I want that too. Thought I'd tag along with them to see if I'd get lucky. He's lucky.' Blondie tipped her head towards the elevators where Dix had disappeared.
Kate laughed. 'He is very lucky. But he comes with baggage. About five and half feet of baggage in the form of an ex-wife who plays helpless and uses their kids to try to break us up.'
'Bitch!' Mara said.
'Word.' Kate nodded.
So you're not letting her, right? Women like that don't deserve tasty bits like him.'
'He could be a total asshole for all you know. I could have been the secretary he was fucking on the side.'
Blondie looked her over and shook her head. 'No you're not. You don't look like the type to take any shit. And you're hot enough, but in charge, you don't need to steal anyone's man.
Kate shrugged and snorted a laugh. 'Good to know, thanks. And no, as a matter of fact, I'm done letting her get to me. Ladies, enjoy the day. I'm off to procure caffeine for me and my tasty bit. Keep your standards high, the right guy is out there. Even if he comes with baggage.'
Truer words were never spoken, she realised as she walked towards the tiny coffee bar in the lobby. He was, without being overly mushy about it, the best thing in her world. He got her. He respected her. He wanted to be with her and she saw how much he loved her in everything he did. All that made him worth it. Made the work of accommodating his stuff"into a working relationship worth the struggle and the effort.
The Pickles thing would be a problem, but, while she was being honest and all, she was hotter, smarter and not Eve. As a woman, Katherine was far better suited to a man like Charles than Eve was. He needed a woman who would push back, who did for herself, but allowed him to do for her too. The doing was a gift, freely given, not expected or a burden.
It was his connection to Eve through the kids that Kate found so difficult to get over. Having children with someone was a million times more inten
se than just about anything else you could do with a person. Katherine couldn't compete with what Eve was on that level. She wasn't jealous of Eve romantically or sexually, but it was that level of intimacy and connection Eve would always have with him. For a while when she first got to know his daughters, all she could see was that they were a physical manifestation of Charles Dixon loving another woman enough to create life with her.
Kate wanted to have his children. So much at times it was hard not to blurt it out. It wasn't as simple as just going out and getting pregnant. She was very much aware, though, of the children he already had. And the part of her who wanted that with him also realised those girls needed a while to be used to the idea. And she loved them, not only because they were Dix's kids, but they were both pretty exceptional people. He loved them, and she respected that and held it in a place of deep importance. She had fears that Eve would attempt to turn them against her, knew it would most likely cause tension when they moved in together. As much as she wanted to avoid that, she wanted to be with him, and he continued to feel hurt when she put him off about it. Her priority was him and she had to make a choice and do her very best to do things right.
He didn't love Eve. Hadn't in a very long time. He did love Kate and she knew that quite surely. They would have children someday, there was time for that. There was no reason to feel threatened, and continuing to hold him off about moving in together and marriage only meant that bitchface won and he still felt hurt and rejected.
And as for bitchface, Eve had a reckoning due and Kate had a few ideas on how to make it happen. Kate would not be outmanoeuvred by a cow like Eve Dixon. No way. No how. It was like necessary for freedom, justice and the American way or something not to let that skank beat her.
His hands encircled her from behind, his body fit against hers as his lips found her temple. 'I'm not sure I want to know what you were thinking about just now. That look often spells trouble.'
She shrugged and handed him his coffee. 'Not for you, gorgeous. By the way, two hot women and I objectified you when you went up to the room. They asked if I shared. I had to decline. They thought you were a Dom here for the con.'
He laughed and the way his eyes crinkled at the edges made her all gooey. 'Awesome. Did you make out while you did it? Cause you can totally do it again, or describe it to me in great detail. As for the Dom thing? You like it when I tell you what to do.'
'In bed. We didn't make out, but I can make up some salacious stories for you later on. They were both hot and told me you were a tasty bit. They're very right. Doesn't mean I'm going to share you. With anyone.' She sucked down the rest of her latte and tossed the cup. 'Come on. I have a dress to buy.'
The street was busy, full of revellers not bothering to wait until midnight. He walked close, his arm around her shoulders and she felt good. Comfortable and loved.
Where are we going?'
'Leah and I hit the mall, I bought stuff, but not the right dress for tonight. I browsed the shops in the hotel, but all these big luxury hotels have boutiques now. I thought I'd check out a few.'
Wherever you go, darling, I will follow. I need to escort you everywhere it seems, there are a lot of horny men in Las Vegas who like to stare at your tits. Now, I can't blame them, I quite like to stare at them too. You get my point, though.'
'Oh you'll spoil me with such flattery. Plus, you're good for carrying things.' She winked. 'Since my money will now be going into two mortgage payments until I can sell my place in the city, I may as well be frivolous before the year ends.' She walked through the doors of the swank, designer boutique in one of the nearby hotels. 'You could really go broke in Vegas on the clothes. Fuck gambling, look at that dress.'
It was red. Bright, brilliant red and it called to her like a siren. She had to touch it. Had to own it.
The sales clerk happily showed them to a dressing room and Dix eyed her while she shucked her clothes and got ready to get into the dress.
'I like it already,' he murmured when she tossed her bra aside.
She smirked at him over her shoulder as the material made her want to sing a song of thanks. 'Zip me up, please.'
Dix's fingertips brushed against the bare skin at the small of her back as he zipped. What there was of a zipper. The little red piece of heaven was mostly backless and had just a wee bit more fabric in the front. Enough to cover the indecent parts of her breasts and to make her thankful she'd been exercising regularly. The cut would not hide any lumps or bumps.
'Christ almighty, you look ..." He met her eyes in the mirror of the dressing room and flicked a thumb over her nipple. It sprang to life at his attention.
Eve wouldn't wear this dress, she thought, looking at her reflection and then back to the man behind her. His eyes refocused and then he turned her around. 'Wait a minute. It just hit me that you said you'd move in with me. You'll buy a house with me.'
'Don't muss me. This dress is obscenely expensive.' She smiled and he pulled her close, hauling her up against him and taking her mouth in a kiss so raw she nearly came. His mouth was inescapable, his tongue sliding along hers, his taste bursting through her. His teeth caught her bottom lip, his arms held her tight. She sighed, letting him take whatever he wanted, responding to such raw sexuality she grew drunk with it. When he let her go, she had to hold on because her knees were rubber.
'Wow.' She licked her lips, savouring his taste a few moments more. If he'd have asked her to many him right then, she'd have agreed.
'Katherine, I love you. Let's get this damned dress paid for so I can get you back to the room and fuck you. Twice.'
She looked at the price tag and steeled herself. 'One, I need shoes and a bag. Two, we have to talk before there's any fucking.'
'One, fine, but I'm going to totally look down your shirt while you try shoes on. Two, you've made me so damned happy I'm paying for the dress and three, all right but if we talk about Eve too much I'm not going to be as interested in sex.'
'Empty threats, Charles, empty threats. We both know you'd be able to fuck after just about anything. You're just that kind of man. And if you think I won't take you up on your paying for this dress, you're wrong.'
'Goddamn, you're something. You bring me to my knees and I can't get enough.' He sank to his knees and looked up her body. He was something else. That wicked grin was on his mouth and she gave in, sinking her fingers into his hair, yanking his face forwards.
His hands went to the back of the dress, unzipping it so it fell from her body. She stepped from it and laid it aside. Shall I lick your pussy right here and now?'
Her breath caught. His hands caressed up the back of her calves as he breathed against the front panel of her panties just before pressing his tongue through the silky material, right against her clit.
'Ear me,' she whispered, a shiver breaking over her as he slid the panties down her legs.
'Lean your back against the wall behind you.' He said it without peeling his eyes from her cunt as he spread her open. The look on his face made her muscles clench - wonderment and hunger. It always made her feel like a queen.
And there she stood, watching in the mirrors, one foot up on the bench in the dressing room, back against the cool wall, Dix's face between her thighs. From all sides they were reflected, the look on her face as she took herself in, the colour of her skin as a flush built, the way he bent over her cunt like in benediction. So beautiful, so decadent and luscious.
'Mmm, oh, God, yes that feels so good,' she moaned as she watched the pink of his tongue against the pink of her cunt. Watched the flick and caress as he devoured her. The clerk was just on the other side of the door, the store was full of people and she was just inches away from coming all over Dix's face.
Dix took the taste of her into himself, knew she was getting off on not only his mouth there on her, but on the nearness of the people right on the other side of the door. Her thighs trembled and when he looked up the line of her body, it was to watch her tug and roll her nipples as she looked
down at him.
Her tongue darted out, sliding over her bottom lip and he groaned against her. Her eyes first widened and then went sleepy, half-lidded and sexy. A knock sounded on the door.
'Everything all right in there? Can I get you a different size?'
'Fine, thanks,' Kate managed to say before Dix sucked her clit into his mouth the way he knew drove her crazy. Instead of stopping him, she let go of one nipple and grabbed him by the hair, hauling him closer. 'Nearly done.' Even with a man's mouth on her cunt in a public dressing room she had a sense of humour.
He finished her with three fingers pressed deep, stroking her sweet spot, sucking her clit in and out until she came with a growl of his name.
He stood as she slumped onto the seat. 'I'll go pay for this while you get dressed, shall I?' Licking his lips, he grabbed the dress and headed out, wearing a smile.
True to his promise, he did look down her shirt as she tried shoes on, but she barely noticed anything but the hard-on pressing against the front of his pants.
'Keep looking at it like that and I'm going to pull it out and shove it into your mouth right here and now,' he said as he took the packages from her to carry.
'We move in together within the next few months. Once we find a house we like with enough room for all our combined baggage,' she began as they walked back to the hotel. 'I'll put my condo on the market when we get back.'
'Good thing I'm used to the way you just wander around between topics,' he muttered. 'Fine. Agreed. I'd like you to stay over at my old house when I have the girls with me. I know it'll be a bigger hassle work wise for you, but aside from wanting you with me, it sends a very clear signal to Eve. You and I are together no matter where we are. And to the girls that you're behind me being where they need me most when they need it. I know you don't want to be an underline, but this is much more than that. This is the truth staring her in the face without letting her look away.'