by Sara Brookes
Brogans was owned by Ryan and his brother, Sam. He stood behind the bar, loading up a waitress’s tray with a few pitchers of beer. There was always a game on at some location in the world and Brogans would show it on one of the many oversized televisions lining the walls. A group huddled around one of those sets gave a loud shout as their team scored.
Patrick shook his head. “Place never changes.”
There was comfort in the knowledge that no matter how long you stayed away, whenever you came back, it was exactly the same. He’d spent a lot of time here after he’d moved into the warehouse years ago, picking up tourists looking for that no-strings-attached summer fling. Most of the things they’d done he’d never repeat out loud, but doing crazy things when you were young was the point of being young and carefree.
Patrick made a mental note to bring Allison here sometime. She’d be amused by the ambiance. It seemed to be a place that would be right up her alley. Loud, raucous and just plain fun. The three men settled on stools, waiting for Sam to finish. Then he set three mugs of freshly poured draft beers before each of them.
“Dade. Patrick. Haven’t seen the two of you in a long time. Out causing trouble tonight?”
“You wouldn’t know what trouble was if it knocked you over the head,” Ryan fired back as he took a sip of his beer.
“Unlike you, dear brother, who goes out of his way to find a problem. You’re the AAA of trouble.”
Dade snorted into his beer.
Yeah, sometimes it was damn good to come home. Patrick glanced around. “Business seems to be doing well.”
Sam scratched at the three days’ growth on his jaw. “Not booming, but never is this time of year. The regulars keep me busy luckily. I’ll get by until the tourists hit in a few weeks. What about you? Heard you and Alex opened a place over on Main. A coffee house or some other such bullshit.”
“Don’t knock it. Just like beer and sports, people need caffeine. They line up for it in fact, sometimes eight or nine people deep. And that’s just the regulars.”
“Damn, I went into the wrong business.” Sam laughed sharply as he leaned against the bar.
“No, you’re right where you belong.” Patrick couldn’t imagine Sam pulling shots of espresso. It just didn’t suit his boisterous personality. Never mind a demitasse cup would look utterly ridiculous between his large hands.
Patrick caught a glimpse of the name stitched onto the front of Sam’s shirt. Beckett. He’d been away from the pub so long, he’d forgotten about the bone-deep love the man had for some television show back in the eighties. Some science fiction fantasy about a guy who leapt through time, saving people from themselves. Quantum Leap or something. Allison would probably know, given one of their conversations about her affinity for most science fiction television, especially the older stuff. He’d have to ask her. Whatever the name of the show, it reminded him that the deep abiding love for that show had caused Ryan to start calling his brother Beckett instead of Sam.
“How’s Tessa?” he asked. Given Beckett’s deep frown, he wondered about his timing. Beckett and Ryan’s niece used to hang out at the bar after school while she did her homework. That was when she wasn’t off on tour with Ryan before he’d quit. Patrick relaxed a little when Beckett gave a wide grin indicative of being a proud papa.
“Doing great. Aced her finals. All ready for college in the fall.”
“Is she going anywhere special for the summer?”
Beckett’s smile faltered. “Denver. To see her father.”
“Patrick, what hot number have you been spending your nights with?” Dade’s abrupt change in the topic of conversation warned him that the subject of Tessa wasn’t up for further discussion.
“Her name is Allison Stuart. She works for Bullseye Technologies over in Farpoint Square on the other side of town.” A small thrill zinged through him at the simple mention of her name. It was easier to talk about his current lover with his friends than his brother. Maybe that was because they wouldn’t judge him for his unusual choices. He’d been down Argument Road with Alex before about the very subject.
Ryan folded his hands in front of him. “Really? You don’t usually go for the secretary type. Guess there’s a first time for everything.”
“She’s an IT specialist.” The statement came out sharper than intended. While there was nothing wrong with secretarial work, it bothered him Ryan made the assumption about her. “She installed the new setup at the shop for us. WiFi, security, new top-of-the-line touchscreen registers. The works. Damn smart. Sexy as hell too.”
“You’re dating a geek? Talk about really not in your spectrum.”
“Not that it matters, Dade, but brains are sexy. Not everyone is as superficial as you are.” From his pained expression, Patrick had hit where it hurt the most. Dade’s tumultuous love life was no secret because he complained about it frequently enough. He often went after the wrong type of lover simply because of the way their hair was styled that day or how well their body had been sculpted. To say Dade had never been lucky in love was an understatement.
Yes, Allison was physically striking, but he would still be happy with her if there was no sexual attraction between them. The draw he felt toward her certainly enhanced their scenes, but he loved that he could have an intelligent conversation with her about just about anything. Books, movies, even coffee. She seemed to know a little bit about everything. It made her one hell of an interesting person to talk to when she wasn’t cuffed with his leather or screaming from the latest orgasm he’d pulled from her.
Just as Dade opened his mouth, Patrick’s cell phone rang. A quick glimpse at the screen showed it was Allison. “Hang on, I have to get this.” He exited the bar, pulling up the collar of his coat as he stepped out into a light rain. “I was just thinking about you.”
“I’m flattered. Unfortunately, I can’t return the favor as I’ve been too damn busy to think about anything else but work.”
Frustration filled her voice. He wished there was something he could do. He could probably duck out on Ryan and Dade, but he’d already committed to them for the next few hours. Besides, he suspected she’d be fast asleep even if he were to show up on her doorstep. While the prospect held promise because he’d already thought of several different creative ways to wake her, he didn’t want to deny her the rest she needed.
That didn’t mean he couldn’t make her rest a little more pleasant. Time he pushed on her comfort zone again. “Where are you?”
“Home, thankfully. Thought I’d never see the inside of my place again. I’m about to collapse into bed and see if I can’t forget today happened.”
“Good.”
“I’m glad my exhaustion pleases you,” she responded wryly.
He nearly chuckled but bit his lip. “Do you have a pair of shorts you can wear to bed? Preferably ones that are made of denim. They’re sturdier.”
“Uh, sure.”
“Get them, but don’t put them on.” Fabric shifted, a drawer closed and then he heard her mattress give as she sat down. He waited a few beats, enjoying the thought of prolonging the moment. “I suspect you keep your toys in your bedside nightstand.”
“Damn. I hate being predictable.”
Patrick smiled at a couple who walked past, waiting while they disappeared inside Brogans. “Based on a few of our conversations, I suspect you also have a variety of toys in the drawer.”
Her soft chuckle filtered over the line. “You know, I changed my mind. I do like you knowing me so well.”
“Remember the harness I had made? The piece that sat inside—do you have anything similar?”
“I do. It’s just a dildo though. It doesn’t do anything.”
“Actually, that’s perfect. I want you to slide it into your pussy. Full tilt and nothing else. No moving it once it’s in place, just as before. You don’t get to fuck yourself. I’m the only one who gets that honor. Understand?” His words were met by silence, followed by a quiet moan of satisfaction. He let t
he quiet stretch out, making her wait because he wanted to listen to her measured breaths.
The image of her lying in bed, her long legs spread wide as she held the device in place inside her cunt filled his mind. The fantasy intoxicated him more than any liquor the bar behind him served. His body hummed with arousal, his cock pressing unbearably hard against the seam of his zipper. It took every bit of restraint he possessed to keep from going to her so he could climb into bed and find out how mad he could drive her before burying his tongue in her cunt. His mouth salivated at the thought of that first precious taste of her release.
His name whispered softly over the phone line.
“Put the shorts on.” His voice wavered enough that he had to quietly clear his throat. Never had he wanted to be somewhere else more than right now. Another quiet sigh sounded over the line, a sign she’d done exactly as he’d commanded. “How’s that feel?”
“Full. I’m so full. But still so empty. God, Patrick, I need more. So much more.” A subdued moan filled his head. “I need you filling me instead a toy. Oh please come over.”
“I’ll be inside you soon enough. I promise.”
“What next?” The low and seductive tone of her voice caused his eyes to flutter closed.
“Go to sleep, baby.” He snapped his phone shut, tilting his head back against the wall while his imagination kicked into overdrive. Demands were nothing new. He’d issued them before and would again without hesitation or regret.
The need to ditch Ryan and Dade and go to her became a power struggle. His body nearly shook from the power of his desire. However, the thought he would see her at the coffee house tomorrow after a night where she slept with one of her toys placed securely inside her because he’d commanded it was also an alluring temptation.
He’d never done anything in this vein, nor had he ever had a submissive drive him this powerfully. Knowing she lay there, wearing a look of sheer contentment as she slept was highly erotic. Hard to harbor an ounce of regret knowing he was the one responsible for that kind of pleasure.
He wanted obscene dreams to plague her the entire night. Sexually charged dreams explicit enough in detail that she would wake in an enhanced state of arousal. Dreams he would ask her to describe to him in exact, highly erotic detail the next time they were alone. The thought of those words spilling from her luscious lips caused his dick to harden even more.
The smoky atmosphere of Brogans hit him full force as he stepped inside. All of his senses were now on full alert. The lusty phone call had made him hyperaware of everything. Every scent. Every person. His intent had been for Allison’s pleasure, but something told him he wouldn’t get any rest tonight until he bled off some of this excess energy. The warehouse was empty tonight, his for whatever use he deemed necessary. Granted, his hand was a poor substitute for the feel of her slick, hot heat surrounding him, but it wasn’t as if he’d never jerked off.
However, it wouldn’t be fair to make Allison wait while he found relief. Granted, the whole point of their power exchange wasn’t about fairness, but the lines continued to blur when it came to her. Enough that he would deny himself tonight simply because he’d deprived her. When they came together after this much tension, it would be explosive.
The lure of that kind of power was enough to make him keep walking forward.
Ryan and Dade both stared as he settled onto the barstool he’d vacated for the phone call. He ignored them, instead taking a long swallow of his beer. The icy liquid was a shock to his overheated system.
Dade broke the silence. “Find yourself in need of the warehouse tonight after all?”
“Nope,” he said as he signaled to Beckett for another round. “She’s otherwise occupied for the rest of the night.”
“Aw, the big bad Top was shot down,” Ryan teased as he finished off his drink.
Patrick knew of plenty of instances when he’d watched Ryan get slapped down in front of a crowd of people. Just when he was about to point out that fact, something else caught his attention. Something—or rather someone—who was out of place. “Be right back.”
He tapped his hand against his thigh as he approached the small table in a darkened corner of the restaurant. The three women who sat around the table looked up at him. While they were all dressed for a night out, the woman who sat with her back to the corner wore a frown that marred her angular face. He didn’t blame her scorn. He was probably the last person she wanted to see.
“Vivian.”
His estranged sister-in-law scowled as she tossed her black hair over one shoulder. “Spying for Alex?”
Her two companions laughed, shooting him vile looks. “No, Vivian. Not that I need to explain to you, but it was a last-minute decision to come here. What’s going on with you and Alex is between the two of you. I have nothing to do with it.”
She gave a dismissive snort. “I think you have more to do with it than you realize, Patrick. Good night.”
Unwilling to continue the confrontation, Patrick backed away from the table. He knew when to cut his losses, as it was clear Vivian was not in a friendly mood. Arguing with her over some cryptic remark would ruin his high spirits.
She wasn’t worth ruining this kind of buzz.
An empty beer glass on the bar served as a paperweight for the twenty he used to pay his tab. “Thanks for the beer, gentlemen. Unfortunately, I’m going to call it a night.”
He ignored the rude comments made about just where he was really headed as he pushed through the front door. The brisk air cleared the smoke from his lungs, and despite a quick glance to his right, he turned in the opposite direction toward home.
Vivian’s comments had left an unpleasant feeling in the pit of his stomach. There was something his brother hadn’t told him. He intended to find out just what that secret was. But the clock on his cell phone indicated it was too late to do anything about it now.
Chapter Nine
An orgasm ripped through Allison the moment her eyes opened.
She frantically grabbed for the sheet in order to have something to hold onto as she careened out of control. The release was a sharp hit that faded so quickly, it caused her to blink at the ceiling a few times as she tried to gain her bearings.
Her entire body tingled. Both from the remnants of the orgasm and a night spent sleeping with one of her toys inside of her. It hadn’t been hard to follow Patrick’s request once he cut the phone call. Exhausted from the rigors of the day, she’d nearly been out before her head hit the pillow. In a deep sleep, her dreams had been filled with stunning images and explicit imagery she never thought her own brain capable of.
She’d thought life with Patrick couldn’t possibly get any more interesting. Yet she’d just discovered this fascinating world he’d plunged her into had another layer. She’d never been this interested in sex. Never been this aware of her body and most of all her sexuality.
Patrick had just made her come harder than she ever had before and he hadn’t even been in her home to witness the explosive moment. His rumbling voice seemed to still ripple through her, even though it had been hours since they’d talked. Her breasts were swollen and tight, her nipples pebbling to sharp points as they were teased by the cool air from her overhead fan. Her muscles trembled under her hands as her palms skimmed over her thighs. A quiet gasp filled the air as her thumbs brushed against her mound.
What she wouldn’t give to have him lying beside her so she could climb on top of him and ride to her heart’s content. She wanted to stay home and simply bask in the delicious way she felt—in the way Patrick made her feel so out of control and special.
Holy geez, when had she turned into such a kinky woman?
A quick glance at the alarm clock indicated that she was running a few minutes late. The idea of staying right here in bed and calling Patrick sounded better and better. The silent argument was brought to an abrupt halt when Boolean, the homeless cat who’d adopted her two years ago, jumped onto the bed and whined loudly.
; Twenty minutes later, freshly showered and owner of a cat with a full belly, she locked her front door and trotted down the stairs. The bright sunlight of the morning greeted her as she automatically headed for her little piece of borrowed heaven—Perfect Shot.
She strolled down the sidewalk, thinking of Patrick and how he’d given her the instructions. Even on the phone, he’d been authoritative. She would have followed his every demand regardless of what he’d had to say. The need to obey was there simply because there was no other option in her mind. Amazing how easily she’d slipped into the role of submissive.
And the bondage? Wow. Surely she never would have imagined herself actually craving the idea of being tied up and helpless. But she wasn’t helpless when Patrick tied her up. She was overwhelmed with pleasure so intense she was…unrestricted. That wasn’t helpless.
She’d never had this much fun with sex. Never been this fulfilled. And she’d certainly never imagined being this involved with BDSM. Just thinking about his control in that room at the warehouse made her all hot and bothered. Patrick’s world was as heady as a drug.
And she wanted more.
She’d come to learn she didn’t want to submit to just anyone. It was only Patrick she wanted to surrender to time and time again. Sure, she could go back to having plain old vanilla sex, but why the hell would she want to after seeing this exciting world and the possibilities that were presented before her? She loved the balancing act between a Dom and sub. The skillful way Patrick seemed to know her desires and needs even as she anticipated his.
He was so unexpected.
Though he’d been firm and demanding, she’d been able to detect a hint of strain to his voice over the phone line. He hadn’t been as calm and collected as he probably would have preferred. It was the second time she’d identified a crack in his tough exterior. That knowledge was a little secret she would hold close to her heart for the time being. When the time was right, she’d tell him.