Kate sipped the white wine. It was a cheap vintage they’d become addicted to in college. “It’s not that simple.”
“Explain it to me.” Ann grabbed a handful of chips. “What’s the difference between what you do at Hooded Pleasures and what you’d get at the club?”
“It’s—” Kate waved a hand in the air. “It’s not the same. If I go to the club, I don’t want to be that woman, the one picking out a guy for nothing more than sex. It’s not what I want, it’s not me.”
“And this type of work is?” Ann raised her eyebrows.
“Yes.” She sounded more confident than she felt. “I go in, get the job done with no expectations. Turn the guy on and leave him wanting. I go home, and if I want to get off, I can—” She wriggled her fingers.
Ann frowned. “Yeah, but it’s a lot better when you’re not giving yourself carpal tunnel syndrome, right?” She pressed on. “You’ve been doing this for a year. You should know when it’s not just a job. Maybe it’s time for you to move on from Carl, get out of this scene.”
“I’m not going to change who I am.” Kate chomped down on a thick chip and sent potato shards flying across the freshly mopped kitchen floor.
Ann smiled. “I didn’t ask you to give up being a Domme. I’m asking you to think about being open to possibilities.”
Kate couldn’t help chuckling as she plucked chip shrapnel off her shirt. “That’s an odd word choice. Besides, I’m fine where I am.”
“So fine that you called me over and we’re standing here chugging wine and eating chips while you sob into your tissue. After telling me you’re taking two weeks off from, and I quote you from a year ago, ‘a dream job’.”
Kate couldn’t hold back a scowl. “You’re not helping.”
Ann reached for the wine bottle. “I’ve already offered to set you up with some nice guys. Multiple times. And you’ve refused me. You want a specific type of guy, I understand. But you can’t suck and blow at the same time, play the game without getting burned at some point.” She grinned. “Yeah, I went there. Sue me.”
Her expression changed to serious, all humor gone now. “Now you’ve got something going on with Alex, but you’re not sure what it is or if he even feels the same way.”
The mere mention of his name shot her back to straddling him on the floor, to the taste of his mouth and his fingers on her ass.
Oh God.
“You got it bad.” Ann snapped her fingers, bringing Kate out of her reverie. “I see that look in your eyes. You like this guy a whole lot.” She smiled. “He makes you happy.”
“Yes,” she admitted. “But it’s not all about me. I don’t know if he’s interested in me or the scene or—” She shook her head. “I don’t know what to do.”
“It’s out of your hands, right? So you wait out the two weeks like your boss said.” Ann refilled both glasses to the top. “If it’s right, then it’ll work itself out. If not, then you’ll know.”
“I’m not used to letting someone else decide this sort of thing,” Kate grumbled. “I don’t like it.”
Ann laughed and raised her glass. “Welcome to the world of love, sweetheart. It’s a bigger and bitchier Domme than you are or ever will be.”
Danielle was…nice.
A nice woman.
An excellent Dominatrix.
She’d picked up on Alex’s profile with unerring precision.
The sweat dripped from his forehead as he pressed his face into the pillow, spread-eagled across his mattress as he’d been so many times before.
The flogger slapped across his shoulder and sent shockwaves straight to his groin, his cock hard and aching for release.
She was good.
But she’s not Kate.
He closed his eyes and called up one of his dreams, imagining Kate taking charge.
It helped, but not enough.
The soft chime signaled the end of the session. He heard Danielle cross the room and tap in the code on her phone.
Alex sighed and turned his head.
Danielle smiled, holding the leather flogger in one hand. She wore a red-and-white leather outfit, the bands crisscrossing her tanned skin in all the right places.
He’d gotten hard watching her approach the house, sliding from her car and striding up the driveway. It was difficult not to appreciate a good woman, a strong woman, and a woman who knew what she wanted and how to get it.
Like Kate.
But she’s not Kate.
Danielle undid the restraints and stood back, waiting.
Alex rolled to one side to get off the bed. He knelt at her feet, eyes on the floor. His head spun, the momentary faintness tinged with arousal.
It was…okay.
He didn’t reach out for her, didn’t grab her like he did Kate.
He didn’t feel the need, didn’t feel the urge.
She didn’t notice.
“Thank you,” Danielle purred as she patted his head. Her fingers rolled through his short hair. “I appreciate your willingness to allow me this. Mistress Kate has trained you well.”
Too well, his inner voice yelled.
And yet not enough.
She sat beside him and pulled him into her lap for a long leisurely hug, sharing an energy bar with him.
Alex sighed, feeling the endorphins slowly ease out of his system.
“You’re a lovely man,” Danielle said as she stroked his shoulders. “I’m very happy to have shared this time with you.” She opened the bottle of water and offered it to him. “There aren’t too many who take to this so quickly. According to your file, you’re still relatively new to the scene.” She smiled. “You’re a quick learner. Such a prize.”
Alex sipped the water and nodded. Danielle wasn’t Kate, but he’d be a fool to pass up a cuddle session with such a beautiful woman.
Her hands slipped around the leather collar and undid the tiny lock. She carefully pulled it free and relocked it before handing it to Alex.
He tossed it up on the bed before curling up into her embrace, now familiar with his own recovery cycle.
Finally, Danielle gave him one last tight hug and sighed. “I think we’re done for the day. Thank you again.” Danielle reached for the cell phone and tapped in her code.
Alex got to his feet. He picked up a nearby towel and wiped his face before going to his wallet.
It sat atop his neatly folded clothing on a chair in a corner of the bedroom. He took the extra time to wrestle himself into his underwear as Danielle tucked her equipment into a bright pink backpack.
She smiled as he offered his credit card, shirtless and only wearing his jeans. “Thank you.”
It only took a minute for her to finish the transaction and hand his card back.
Alex jammed his wallet into a back pocket.
She cocked her head, the long blonde curls dancing around her face.
“Are you okay?” There was true concern in her voice.
“I’m fine.” Alex put the damp towel around his neck. “Why?”
“You look,” she paused, “unhappy. Is there something wrong?” Her voice dropped to a whisper. “Didn’t you enjoy yourself?”
Alex felt bad. He didn’t want to tell her the truth, because there was nothing she could do about it.
You’re not Kate.
“Yes, thank you. I’ve just got a lot on my mind.” Alex shrugged. “You know how it is. Hard to relax when you’ve got heavy stuff going on.”
He held back from saying something as trite as it’s not you, it’s me.
Even if it was true.
“I understand,” she murmured. “I hope the next visit will be more helpful in alleviating your stress.”
Alex gave her a warm smile.
Don’t shoot the messenger.
“Thank you again. I apprec
iate you stepping in for Kate.”
“No problem at all. I hope she’ll be well soon.” She nodded and picked up her backpack.
Alex escorted her out and went to the window to watch the car back down the driveway.
She was nice.
She was good. His skin tingled with the memory of the flogger, the carefully administered whipping pushing him right to the edge.
Then…nothing.
He was turned on, his cock rubbing against the sheets, begging for release.
But it didn’t feel the same. The only thing that came close to explaining it was having a cheat code for a game that allowed you to pick up all the prizes without doing the work.
Or plundering a bottomless chest without having to work for the rewards.
All he knew was that he couldn’t get there with Danielle.
She was a lot of things. A lovely lady, a fantastic Domme.
But she wasn’t Kate.
My Kate.
Alex picked up the phone and called Hooded Pleasures. While it rang, he wondered if they had people on the switchboard around the clock, ministering to the last-minute emergencies and calls for help from customers and clients.
“Yes, Alex?”
They also had caller ID, it seemed.
“I’d like to add a tip to Danielle’s account. I didn’t think about it until she left.” It was a weak excuse to call them but he was sure she’d heard worse.
“Of course. I’m sending you an email right now. Thank you for your generosity.”
“Thank you for your help,” Alex said. “I was also wondering when Kate was going to be available again.”
“Please hold, and I’ll check.” The canned music started up.
He contemplated putting the phone down, walking away from it.
From all of it.
He couldn’t. He had to find out what was going on with Kate.
The retro remix disappeared with a click.
“Mr. Hanson?” The woman’s tone had changed, signaling trouble with his request.
I asked the wrong question.
“Regarding Kate—she’s still a little under the weather and not available. You understand, I’m sure.”
A flash of anger shot across Alex’s mind, hard enough for him to bite his tongue, holding back a curse.
There was no point in getting upset with the woman at the other end of the phone.
She was saying what she’d been told to say.
A hollow ache started in his gut, washing away the calmness Danielle had created.
“Please tell her I hope she’s better soon. I—” He bit down on his lower lip. “Tell her I need to see her again.”
“I’ll pass it on to her. Thank you again.” The line went dead.
Alex headed for the shower, feeling a sudden urge to punch a hole in the wall.
Kate twisted the pencil between her fingers before flinging it at the wall. It slid down to join the others on the floor, a small pile of wooden martyrs.
She reached for another one from the mug on the table and scowled at seeing there were only three pencils left.
Damn it.
Kate picked up one and chewed on the end, hoping for some sort of creative inspiration.
Maybe she should set fire to the condo, get some hot firemen to break the door down and save her.
With your luck, they’d hose you down and leave you on the floor like a chewed dog toy.
It’d been a long hour; a frustrating hour.
She couldn’t get her head in the game.
The sketch was supposed to be something easy, something to let her mind go on, something she never intended to show to anyone else.
It looked like projectile vomit in black and white.
She ripped the page out of the pad and wadded it up in a tight ball before tossing it at the wall.
It bounced atop the stack of pencils, teetering for a second before sliding off to land on the floor.
Kate looked at the clock for the third time in the last ten minutes.
Ann wouldn’t be off work for another two hours.
Kate fidgeted with the pencil. While Ann’d told Kate to call anytime during her “vacation” if she needed to chat, Kate doubted it included work hours. Ann worked hard enough helping to run a chain of flower shops. With her recent promotion, she had even less spare time and didn’t need the distraction of having her best friend endlessly whining on the phone.
And there was Eric. The man was a saint, but there was only so far you could push a husband by squandering his wife’s free time. He wouldn’t say a word, but he’d get grumpy, and then Ann would be grumpy, and it’d all go downhill fast.
She might not presently be in a relationship, but Kate had some idea of how men thought and worked.
Besides, it wasn’t fair to Ann. She’d offered her shoulder, and Kate had taken it way too often during this past year. First with Carl and now with Alex.
Kate chewed on the edge of the pencil, grinding the wood with her teeth.
In a nutshell—Kate needed a distraction. Something to take her mind off Alex, off her stalled creative attempts, off the entire bloody grid, if that was what it took to figure this out.
Maybe a movie marathon. Some silly cheap monster films, classic kaiju stomping through cities.
Mindless entertainment.
Perfect.
Kate smiled as she put the sketchpad down and headed for her DVD shelf. She’d picked up a boxed set recently of old favorites and was just waiting for the right time to see Oda Castle get destroyed again and again.
The phone rang.
She snatched it up and laughed as she spied the caller identification.
“Kate?”
“Ann.” She scanned the back of the hard plastic case. “I was just thinking about you.”
“Good. Because I was thinking about you.” She laughed. “I have a proposition for you.”
“You’re beginning to scare me.” Kate plucked the first disc out and walked over to the entertainment center. “Sing out.”
“How would you like to be a plus-one?”
Kate shuddered. “How much do you hate me? Besides, I told you I wasn’t looking for a date.”
“No, silly. I want you to be my plus-one.”
She frowned as she slipped the disc into the player. “Are you switching teams? Because Eric—”
“Okay, okay. Give me a second to explain,” Ann said. “There’s this big charity event going on for Alzheimer’s, and Pretty Petals, my company, is catering the flowers. They need someone to be on site and make sure the displays are correct and everyone’s happy, not to mention pressing the flesh and passing out our business cards. I got chosen to attend, and I want you to come along.”
“I’m following you so far.” Kate picked up the remote and started the movie. “But why aren’t you taking Eric?”
“Eric’s got some damned business retreat that weekend. You know, where they go up and shoot paintballs at each other and do that male bonding crap? He can’t get out of it, and I’m sure as hell not going to waste a ticket to a faboo shindig like this.”
Kate watched the atomic bombs go off, filling the screen with black-and-white devastation. “So you want me to go with you?”
Ann laughed. “Of course. You’re my best friend, and I couldn’t wish for a better wingman. Or wingwoman, I guess.”
“What—”
“This place is going to be crawling with rich men looking for hot women to take home. I might be married, but if I don’t have someone with me, it’s going to be like offering red meat to hungry lions.”
“And I’m going to be your date?” Kate smiled at seeing the toy boat model bounce up and down in the bathtub waves.
“You’re my protection. I want to chat with the businessmen,
promote the company, tell them to look at the lovely centerpieces. But I can’t do it if I’ve got puppies snapping at my heels and you know a wedding band won’t put the worst of them off. You come with me, watch my back and use that voice of yours to chase them away.”
Kate allowed herself a chuckle. “What voice?”
“The one that says not to mess with you, or you’ll tie their dicks in a knot.”
“You mean my Domme voice?”
“Whatever you call it,” Ann said. “It’ll be a nice night out. I’m emailing you the information. It’s in a few weeks and just what you need to clear your mind.”
“Okay.” Kate grinned as the dark shadow loomed over the small fishing village. “I’ll pencil it in.”
“And if, you know, you happen to find someone—”
“I’ll talk to you later.” Kate cut the connection with a firm jab of her finger and settled down to watch the man in the rubber suit run wild through Tokyo.
Chapter Eleven
Another Sunday.
Another visit from Danielle.
Alex enjoyed it, he loved it, he almost came when she whispered in his ear from behind.
Because in his mind, it wasn’t Danielle.
It was Kate standing behind him, her fingers tracing down his hot and sore muscles.
Kate binding his hands together and hanging them from the hook, the dark gouge in the wood capturing and keeping his attention. Kate pushing him to the edge as she applied the flogger with unerring accuracy to his shoulders and back, the tails licking his bare ass and thighs.
Then he remembered it wasn’t.
He held back a sigh as the chime went off and Danielle helped him bring his arms down to his sides.
So close.
So close but not there.
His heart sank with the realization that he’d never get there without Kate to guide him.
Later on, he dressed in silence as Danielle packed up her gear, tucking his dress shirt into his jeans and waiting for her to hand him her phone.
Strictly Business: Hooded Pleasures, Book 1 Page 16