by Dawn Brower
Dallas continued to look at her saying nothing, forcing her to ask, “Why are you here?”
He walked farther into the room until he reached her desk. Dallas stopped once he reached the edge. “Well, there are many reasons. First though, I owe you a cup of coffee.” He reached across her desk and handed it to her. She took it out of his hand and took a long sip. It was perfect. How could he have possibly known how she took her coffee? Ginnifer had never gotten the chance to tell him. After a long groan of pleasure, she said, “Oh God, that’s good. How did you know how I like it?”
Dallas flashed his famous devilish smile. “I have my ways. Let’s just say I made it my mission to learn everything I needed to know about you before this meeting.”
Well, that was surprising. If he kept this up, she’d beg him to stay. Hell, who was she kidding? She was going to beg him regardless. She loved the blasted man, and now that he was here in New York, she wasn’t going to let him go that easy. Deciding she needed to fight dirty, she leaned back in her chair and crossed her legs, her skirt raising a couple of inches up her thigh. “I see. Did you learn anything interesting?”
Dallas stared down at her exposed leg before he pulled a chair out. “Oh, I learned a lot of interesting things, but that isn’t why I’m here.”
“Yeah and who helped you learn all those interesting details?” Ginnifer raised her eyebrow and asked, “Why are you here?”
“I had a lil chat with your bestie, Tori. I ran into her while waiting for my plane in Seattle. She was a font of information.” Dallas set the manila folder on her desk. “As to why I’m here—a number of reasons really. First, you needed these. Emma asked me to give them to you…”
Why hadn’t Tori told her she spoke with Dallas? The next time she spoke to her, she’d have a lot of explaining to do. Ginnifer picked up the manila folder and started to flip through it. It held the answers to her e-mailed questions. Well that explained why she hadn’t received them yet; Dallas decided to deliver them personally. She turned to look at Dallas. He had made himself comfortable and leaned his elbows on her desk, watching her intently. His stare was unnerving, and she didn’t know how to take it. So she looked into his eyes and asked, “What?”
Dallas kept looking at her with his face so serious it almost scared her. What could possibly be going through his mind? He had better start talking soon. The more he stared at her, the more nervous he made her.
After several minutes, he finally spoke, “There was another reason I came in to see you today. I have something that belongs to you.”
She expected him to say her phone, but she still asked, “What’s that?”
He surprised her by saying, “Me.”
She sat forward with surprise. “Excuse me?”
He got up and started walking around the office. When he got to her window, he stopped and looked outside at the same view that Ginnifer had been admiring earlier. His arms twisted behind his back, he stared out the window for a long time not saying anything. It was starting to torture her. Here he was in her office and nothing was happening. Nothing was going the way she had imagined it. Dallas was making things more difficult and painful by not speaking to her. He said he belonged to her. She needed him to tell her why he believed that. She didn’t understand any of this.
Dallas turned around and looked at her. A look of determination on his face, he gave her his full attention. “You heard me. I told you that we had unfinished business. You said you understood and you’d talk to me later. This is a hell of a lot later than I had planned, Gin. When I got back, I found you gone. Why’d you run away?”
She should have known he would want answers. Ginnifer had run away. There were so many ways she could have answered that question, but she chose the cowardly answer. “How’s Melody?”
With a cocky smile, Dallas tilted his head. “I wouldn’t know. I’m not her keeper.”
Ginnifer looked up at him and raised one eyebrow. “Oh, it didn’t look that way. Melody looked ready to dig her claws into you and never let you go.”
Dallas looked pissed. “What Melody wanted is irrelevant. I wasn’t going to fall in line with her plans. You should’ve talked to me before leaving.”
Ginnifer shrugged her shoulders. “I didn’t see the point. We made no promises to each other. Tori had to leave, so I decided to go with her.”
Dallas clenched his mouth together and glared at her. “Fuck if we didn’t. They may not have been spoken out loud, but plenty of promises were made.”
Ginnifer stood up and walked over to him. She looked him straight in the eye. “I’m sorry you feel that way, but I need words. I can’t read your mind any more than you can read mine. If you wanted more from me, you should have asked.”
“You never gave me a chance to. Before I had the opportunity, you were long gone.”
“Well, you’re here now. What do you want from me?” Ginnifer asked.
He stared deep into her eyes. “I want forever. Come home with me, Gin.”
Ginnifer thought he might want her, but she didn’t know exactly what he was asking of her, so she said, “You expect me to quit my job and move to Washington? Why should I do that?”
With a smile, Dallas grabbed her and pulled her into his arms. He leaned down and whispered in her ear, “Because it’s where you belong.”
Ginnifer shook her head and stated her concerns. “I don’t know for sure if that’s true. I need more, Dallas. I can’t leave everything because you want me to.”
“Please, Gin. Don’t fight me. I need you with me. I haven’t felt like this in a long time. There’s no way I could handle it if you said no.”
Ginnifer was confused again. Did he mean it would devastate him if she refused to move in with him? She tilted her head at him and asked, “What exactly are you asking me, Dallas? I need more in my life than a part-time lover. I already told you I can’t read minds.”
Dallas pulled her closer, hugging her tightly. “I don’t want a part-time lover. I want a forever wife. Marry me, Gin. I love you.”
Oh, thank God. She was beginning to think he didn’t really love her. Ginnifer never doubted for a minute he wanted her. The sex had been really good between them, but that wasn’t enough to build a relationship on. She smiled up at him and teased, “That’s all? Here I thought you needed me there only to help birth all of the baby horses.”
Dallas groaned. “You’re slowly killing me, Gin. Are you going to come back with me?”
She stepped back and put a little distance between them. “No.”
“Good…wait. What did you say?” Dallas said shock filling his voice.
“I can’t leave yet, Dallas. I have responsibilities here. Don’t look so upset.”
With hope in his voice, he ventured, “You said yet, not never.”
Ginnifer laughed and gave him a quick kiss. “Exactly, I love you too. I want to marry you and spend the rest of my life with you. Give me a little time to settle things here. Hopefully it won’t take too long. I don’t want to be separated from you for any longer than I have to be.”
Relief filled Dallas’s voice. “Oh, thank God. You scared me. I can’t wait to have you in my bed every night. By the way, please tell me you still have that outfit you wore on the camping trip. I think I need you to put it on so I can slowly strip it off of you.”
Ginnifer laughed with delight. “Of course I do. So you know, I learned some interesting things during Cowgirl Yoga that I’m dying to try.”
Dallas raised his eyebrow inquisitively. “I hope it’s not some new yoga moves. I’m not into that new-age stuff.”
“Please. Give me a little credit here. This is something much more enjoyable,” she mused. “Although it might be highly entertaining to see you do a few of those poses. It gives me something to think about.”
“That’s a bit scary. Let’s work on one idea at a time. We have plenty of time to try out everything your imagination can think of.”
“I’m glad you said that. I happen to
have one of those items you mentioned earlier, right here in the office.”
“Oh yeah? Which one? I’d ask you if you have that outfit, but I’d rather you be naked.”
A wicked smile began to grow on Ginnifer’s face. She walked over to her desk drawer and pulled out the lasso Tori had given her. The black silkiness rolled through her fingers. Her hips swayed with seductiveness as she sashayed over to his side again.
“Do you want to play a little game?” she asked.
“Does it involve you losing your clothes?”
“Maybe.” Coyness wrapped around every nuance of the word.
“Then I’m all in, baby.”
Ginnfer’s smile took on a sinful gleam. She surveyed the room for the best spot to enact her pleasurable torture. She located the right area to tie him up and have her way with him. She crooked her finger at him to come forward. He took a moment to let his gaze trail from her from top to bottom. Heat filled his gaze as he stared into her eyes. A flutter of anticipation filled her deep inside as she waited for him to join her. Dallas sauntered over to her side and waited for her next instructions.
“Stand right there and put your hands over your head.”
Ginnifer stood on the chair next to him and began to tie the lasso around his hands with the secure knot she learned at one of the lessons. With care she twisted and turned it around his wrists and secured him in front of her office window. The low ceiling hosted an overhanging hook screwed firmly near the side, and she trussed him there. Ginnifer didn’t do voyeurism, but she thought the idea of pleasuring him next to the window was incredibly hot. Of course she was pretty high up in her building, and the chances of anyone actually seeing them through the window wasn’t likely. The idea of it, though, turned her on.
“Now what are you going to do with me?” he asked.
“Oh I don’t know. Maybe I’ll leave you there for a while and enjoy the view.”
“You wouldn’t dare.” Dallas glared.
Ginnifer’s laughter floated around the room in response. She rolled her teeth over her bottom lip as her desire burned through her. Of course she dared. With Dallas she would do just about anything, but he was right in one respect. She had plans, and they didn’t involve staring at him all day. Reaching down she began to undo his pants, and with a flick of her wrist, pushed them down. They fell down and rested at his ankles. Looking down at his hard shaft she began to lick her lips in anticipation. Ginnifer placed her hand on it and began to stroke him up and down in languid movements.
“Please” Dallas begged.
“Oh you’re not enjoying this?”
“You know I am. I need more.” A bright blue flame sizzled from his eyes. His need was blatant with each stroke of her fingers down the entire length his growing shaft.
Ginnifer decided to have mercy on him and dropped to her knees. She licked her lips and brought the head of his cock inside her mouth, running her tongue over the tip and nipping at it with her teeth. When she heard Dallas’s intake of breath, she took it as encouragement and took him fully inside. With a stroke of her tongue down the side of his shaft, she could feel him begin to tremble. It made her feel powerful and in complete control. She wrapped her hand around his balls, massaging them, and began to roll her mouth over his shaft repeatedly; hitting the back of her throat as she sucked him in deep. Dallas began to rock his hips in sync with her movements. It took mere moments for his release to hit her tongue, and she tasted its saltiness. She licked the tip one more time and stood up to look into his passion-filled eyes.
“Are you going to untie me now?” he asked.
“I haven’t decided yet.”
“Oh I think you have. I can’t return the favor if you don’t.”
“That’s true, but this is a sight I’d like to savor for a while.”
A half smile tilted in up the corner of his mouth. His eyes told her he enjoyed every ounce of attention she gave him. He only appeared content to wait for her to let him off the hook. She knew that once he was free he would have his way with her—and it would be amazing. As much as she enjoyed having him tied up and in her mercy, she really did want to explore other ideas rolling around her head. So she hopped back up on the chair and untied him. As she worked the knots free, he leaned forward and nipped at one of her breasts. The action almost caused her to topple off the chair, but she readjusted herself, instead falling forward into him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him.
“If you’d rather stay tied up, I don’t mind.”
“No I want to touch you.”
“Then quit distracting me so I can loosen the lasso.”
Ginnifer once again began to untie the knots of the lasso. Once he was free, he pulled up his pants and secured them. When he finished, he wrapped his arms firmly around her. Dallas pulled her closer and kissed her senseless. Nothing ever went as planned; in fact, sometimes they went a whole lot better. When Ginnifer left for vacation, she never would have expected to meet the only man she could ever love.
Dallas stopped kissing her and whispered in her ear, “Oh yeah, there’s one other thing.”
Ginnifer looked up at him, still giggling with pleasure. “What’s that?”
He grabbed her hand and led her back toward her desk. He reached into his pocket and pulled out her phone and set it next to the folder on her desk. He sat down in the cushiony chair and gathered her into his lap. She wound her arms around his neck, leaning down to press her lips to his. “Oh, good. You brought me back my phone. Is that all, or is there something else? And does it really require us to be sitting? If so, it must be serious.”
Dallas flashed a smile filled with pure sin. “Oh, it’s very serious.” He pulled Ginnifer’s head down, turning it so his mouth caressed her cheek. Then with a hint of wickedness, he leaned in and whispered in her ear, “I do believe I owe you a spanking…”
Read further for an excerpt from Novak Springs book two: Unbridled Pursuit
Chapter One
Vitoria's eyelids were narrowed into tiny slits, still heavy from sleep. The sun’s bright rays bounced in a diagonal through the room and landed across Vitoria’s face in sync with the shrill of her alarm clock. The screeching noise reverberated against the bedroom walls and recoiled throughout her eardrums. The light blinded her sleep-filled eyes. Reaching out her hand, she batted her alarm clock with more force than necessary to end the constant stream of annoyingness.
Mornings and she did not get along very well.
They were her least favorite part of the day, but time waited for no one. It kept beating steadily on whether she was ready for it or not. Sadly, Tori was almost never equipped to take on the infernal clock constantly counting down the seconds of her life. She had so many things to do in a single day it was next to impossible to accomplish it all.
Today she had a plane to catch, a flight scheduled to take her to the west coast—to be more specific, Seattle, Washington. The state her best friend now called home. The past three months without her chipped away at Tori’s thick shell.
Loneliness invaded her world in a way it hadn’t in many years. Not since the days before she met Ginnifer Zeiss, or as she was often called, Ginny. Prior to meeting her best friend, she only existed and went through the motions of her day-to-day life. She gave the impression of happiness, but in reality, she was just an empty shell. Without someone to shake up her world, she feared she would sink into oblivion.
She missed the ability to drop in on her at a moment’s notice. Tori and Ginnifer didn’t go a day without talking. The difference now was it almost always involved a telephone, whereas before she stopped by for an impromptu lunch or a nightly glass of wine. Ginny had to go and fall in love and ruin it all.
Her dearest friend was getting married. The wedding was several weeks away. Now Tori had to fly out to Seattle to help with some of the planning and of course check in with her growing clientele.
Her work was never done.
Vitoria owned and operated a public re
lations firm. She also handled some legal work for her clients. She had passed the bar in several states. It gave her the opportunity to negotiate contracts when they were up for renewal. Her business wasn’t merely a public relations firm. It had been designed to meet any and all necessities that might arise. The sheer level of energy she required to get through her day took its toll. She wanted a change, and she missed her best friend terribly.
The distance between them was more difficult for her than anything else in her life. Tori needed to be near Ginnifer. So much so, she seriously considered a more permanent solution to her situation. While in Washington for this trip, she planned on scouting the area for a place to set up business. Thanks to her growing client base on the west coast, the transition should go smoothly. It made sense to move when the majority of her clients were on a different side of the country. The boon was her best friend lived there too. In her mind it was a win-win situation. So why did she have such a hard time making a decision?
Tori rolled out of bed and stumbled into her bathroom. She flicked on the light and rubbed her face. The lack of sleep played a toll on her normally gorgeous exterior. Her caramel-blonde hair could be compared to dried straw and her blue eyes were dull.
The constant back and forth had to stop. It didn’t matter if everything was completely settled. When she arrived in Washington she required a change. So she made the decision to start arrangements for her move immediately.
Resolution made, she picked up her cell and scrolled through the contact list. After several rings someone answered with a muffled hello.
“Alison, good you’re up.”
“Damn it Tori, do you have any idea what time it is?” she asked.
“Of course I do. I figured you would already be awake and ready to start your day.”
“If I had known how evil you were, I wouldn’t have taken a job with you after Ginnifer moved to Washington.”