“Back off,” Tara told her.
Eloise smiled. It wasn’t a pleasant smile. “Of course. I’m only trying to be helpful.”
Tara wasn’t fooled. The other woman was angry. Tara just couldn’t work out why.
“Is Ryan in?” Maybe she could pass these things off to him.
“No, he’s with Tim in Chicago,” Eloise snapped. “Really, Tara, you were fired. You need to give me the laptop before I call the cops.”
“So call them. I’ll make it easy on you. I’ll even wait right here.”
There was something wrong with the other woman. Why the hell did she want the laptop so bad? All the documents were passcode locked on both the laptop and the pen drive and what would she want with them anyway?
But Tara had learned to listen to her instincts and they were screaming at her not to leave anything with Eloise.
“Fine,” Eloise said. “Leave. But I’m going to tell Tim about this.”
She turned and stormed away. Tara rolled her eyes at the other woman’s dramatics. As soon as she got home, she’d call Tim and see what the hell was going on.
Leaving the building, she headed toward the bus stop. She didn’t really feel like heading straight home, though. That encounter with Eloise had left her feeling unsettled. So instead of getting a bus back to her apartment, she decided to head over to see Tilly.
Tara got off at the bus stop closest to the diner where Tilly worked and walked the rest of the way. The smell of fried food hit her as she entered, making her stomach rumble. She glanced at her watch, surprised to see it was already four in the afternoon. She hadn’t eaten since dinner last night when Alex had brought over some Chinese. He brought dinner each night, always calling her first to make sure he got something she could eat, knowing she was gluten intolerant.
It was those little ways he took care of her that made her feel special, like she actually meant something to him.
She waved at Tilly who was serving a young couple. After taking their order, Tilly worked her way over to where Tara had grabbed a seat at the counter.
“Hey, how are you?” Tilly asked.
“I’m okay. What time do you get off? I need a drink.” She didn’t often drink but right then she really needed one.
“Give me forty.”
***
A few hours later, Tara made her way down the corridor to her apartment, feeling better and yet absolutely exhausted at the same time. She and Tilly had walked to one of their favorite bars. Tara only had one drink; she couldn’t really afford more, and then stuck to water while Tilly had indulged. She’d seen Tilly into a taxi before grabbing a bus home, still carrying her laptop.
She unlocked the door to her apartment and walked inside, shutting and locking it behind her. She frowned as she realized the lights were on.
Had she turned them on before leaving?
“Where the hell have you been?”
Tara screamed and jumped back, her heart racing. She stared over at Alex in disbelief as he glared at her from where he sat in an armchair in the living room.
Tears threatened as she struggled to pull herself together.
Do not cry. Do not cry. Get mad. Kick his butt.
“What the fuck do you think you are doing?” It came out shakier than she would have liked but Alex still looked at her in surprise.
“I’m waiting for you,” he said in a cold voice. “Where have you been?”
She didn’t like the accusing tone of his voice.
“That’s none of your business. I’m allowed a life, unless you expect me to wait here all day, naked and on my knees, in case you want to come over and get some.”
Wow, okay, where had that all come from?
Alex frowned and stood. “Well, that would be nice. But I know better than to suggest it. It’s nearly nine at night. You knew I would be coming over so I would like to know where you have been.”
She needed a moment to calm down. She placed the laptop on the other chair then sat on the sofa to pull off her shoes.
“Were you with another man? Have you found someone else?”
She gaped up at him. “We signed a contract less than a week ago and already you’re accusing me of sleeping around?”
“Well, are you?”
“No,” she said shortly. “Just because I’m not where you left me doesn’t make me a whore.”
His gaze widened and he took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “You’re right.”
“And I didn’t realize I had a curfew,” she continued. “You should have told me there was a certain time you wanted me to be home so you could fuck me. Here, I’ll start stripping now so we can try and make up for lost time.”
Okay, so she hadn’t been successful at calming down. She stood then dragged off her sweatshirt and t-shirt.
“Tara, stop.” Alex took a step toward her as she stood and pulled off her jeans. “I said stop.” He used his Dom voice and she froze. Damn him.
She just stared at him, dressed only in her bra and panties.
“Sit. Please.”
Tara sat again. But it was only because he said please, she consoled herself. Not because she wanted to do what he told her to.
“I’m sorry,” he said surprising her. She glanced up at him and he nodded. “Yes, I mean it. I shouldn’t have just entered your apartment without your permission and I really am sorry for scaring you.”
“It’s your apartment. You pay for it, you should be able to enter it when you like.”
He sat next to her. “No, that’s not fair. This is where you live. I want you to feel safe here. I scared you. I never wanted to do that.”
She nodded.
“And I don’t expect you to wait around for me. I was just…surprised when you weren’t home. I was worried about you.”
Her anger deflated at those words.
Alex took hold of her hand. “I don’t want you to hate me and I certainly don’t want to use you. Sometimes I steamroll over people to get what I want.”
She smiled. “Yeah, but you do it so politely and calmly. It’s kind of annoying actually.”
He barked out a laugh. “My politeness is annoying?”
Tara nodded.
“I’m sorry for jumping down your throat,” he said sincerely.
Her stomach grumbled.
“Shall we start over?” he asked.
“Okay, I’d like that.”
“I thought I’d order Indian, how does that sound?” he asked.
She placed a hand over her stomach. “Yes, please, I’m starving. I’ll just go get changed.”
“You can put a t-shirt on, but lose the panties and bra,” he commanded.
While he ordered the food, Tara moved into the bedroom and pulled on a long t-shirt. When she came out, he was sitting on the sofa. He’d poured them both a glass of red wine that he must have brought with him because she didn’t have any alcohol in the apartment.
Tara sat and took a sip. Alex pulled her close against him and turned on the T.V. They lay snuggled like that until the doorbell rang.
“I’ll get it,” she said, jumping up and putting her glass on the coffee table before running to the door.
“Really? Dressed like that?”
She glanced down at herself and cursed as she realized she was dressed only in a t-shirt. Grabbing her purse, she thrust it at him.
“There’s some cash inside, use it to pay for dinner.” She moved back into the living area. She heard a low murmuring and then Alex returned with two bags and her purse which he handed to her.
She opened her purse, scowling as she saw all her cash was still there.
“I wanted to pay for dinner.”
Alex snorted. “I don’t think so. I’m an old-fashioned guy, sweetheart. When we’re on a date, I pay.”
“It’s just takeout. I’ll grab some plates.” She grabbed some plates from the kitchen and spooned some onto a plate for him. He took the plate with a murmured thanks. She filled her own plate then forked s
Tara paused as she noticed Alex watching her rather than eating, a small frown on his face.
She swallowed. “Something wrong?”
“You’re starving. When was the last time you ate?”
“Last night,” she said.
“Last night?” The disbelief in his voice had her turning to stare at him. “Tara, you can’t afford to skip meals, you’re losing weight.”
“Charmer,” she said, wrinkling her nose at him.
“I mean it,” he said sternly. “That’s another rule for you. No more skipping meals.”
“You know, I don’t think grown women need rules.”
“You do. And I will happily enforce them.” His grin was evil.
“I bet.”
They ate in silence then tidied up together. Alex sat on the sofa and Tara curled up beside him, tucking her head against his chest.
“I really am sorry I jumped down your throat before,” he said. “My ex-wife used to turn up at all hours of the night and would refuse to tell me where she’d been.”
Tara tried to sit up so she could see his face, but he held her against him. She figured he didn’t want any sympathy so she relaxed back against him.
“I was having a few drinks with Tilly,” she explained as he ran his fingers up and down her arm.
She inhaled the scent of him, her body growing warm and heavy with his closeness.
“Where did you go for drinks?”
She told him the name of the bar.
“How did you get home?” The question was casual, but Tara stiffened. Damn it, she’d forgotten his rule about taking public transportation at night. Well, not forgotten it exactly. Just discarded it, thinking he’d never find out.
“Umm,” she procrastinated, knowing she’d soon be in trouble.
He slipped his hand under her t-shirt, running it up her bare thigh and stomach to cup one breast. He pinched her nipple firmly. Tara let out a shaky sigh.
“Part your legs.”
She moved her thighs apart as he continued to toy with her nipple, making her insides light up like a sparkler.
Alex moved his hand to her other breast, pinching and tugging at the nipple. Tara dropped her head back, closing her eyes.
“It must have been dark when you left. How did you get home from the bar, Tara? Because the first thing I did when I got here and saw you were gone was call my car service. They had no record of you calling them.”
Oh God, she was in such trouble. And at the moment she didn’t even care. She just wanted him to keep touching her. He moved his hand down between her legs.
“Stay very still,” he whispered.
A small shiver ran over her, causing her to inhale sharply as he ran his fingers through her slick folds, gathering up moisture. He tapped her clit lightly, fast then slow.
“Tara?” he whispered in her ear.
She wiggled slightly, hissing as he slapped her thigh. “No moving.”
“I can’t help it,” she cried.
“You can.”
Huh, easy for him to say.
“I’m waiting for an answer.”
There was no hint of impatience in his tone. He just calmly continued to play with her pussy. He moved his fingers away from her clit and she whimpered a protest.
“Scoot forward then lean back against the sofa. That’s it, tilt your hips up. Now hands behind your head. Good girl.”
Her head spun at the rush of pleasure she felt. Alex pushed two fingers deep inside her, using his thumb to toy with her clit.
“Ohh,” she cried, trying desperately hard to remain still. Her pussy clenched down on his fingers. She was so close to coming.
“Don’t come without permission,” he warned her.
“Anyone ever tell you that you’re a sadistic bastard?”
Alex chuckled. “Tell me and I’ll let you come.”
“That’s blackmail.”
“My favorite kind.”
Tara gritted her teeth, but she knew she couldn’t last forever. Why put herself through the torture?
“I took the bus,” she told him.
“At night. You know you’re not allowed to take public transportation at night.”
“I don’t like the word allowed. Please may I come, Sir?”
“I don’t think you deserve to.”
“You said if I told you then you’d let me come.”
“So I did. All right, you may come.”
Had she been in her right mind she might have heard the dark note in his voice, but she was swimming in an ocean of arousal.
As she shuddered with pleasure, Alex arranged her so she was lying over his lap. He raised the bottom of her t-shirt up over her ass. She still didn’t realize what was happening, not until the first heavy smack landed on her ass.
“Oww, what was that for?” Her orgasm had been rudely interrupted by that spank. She attempted to climb off his lap, but he held her there firmly, her stomach pressed against his thighs.
“Tell me why you aren’t allowed to ride public transportation at night.”
Crap…crap…crap.
“Because you think it’s dangerous.”
“I worry about you, Tara. Walking around on your own at night is dangerous.”
“This neighborhood is really safe. You worry too much.”
“You don’t worry enough.”
“I’ve been taking public transportation for years. Nothing bad has ever happened to me.”
“You were mugged the other night,” he said with disbelief.
“I wasn’t on the bus then.”
“But you were walking to the bus stop. This stops now, understand me? I gave you this rule for your own safety and you disobeyed me. Part of the reason I jumped down your throat before was because I was worried about you. While I was waiting for you, I was imagining you hurt, alone, afraid. Another half an hour and I would have started calling the hospitals. I can’t have that, Tara. You will follow the rules for your safety.”
He smacked his hand down on her ass. There was no play involved. Immediately her ass stung. There wasn’t an inch he didn’t cover. By the sixth smack her eyes were stinging along with her butt. Tears started dripping down her face and she kicked her feet, unable to help herself. There was nothing sexy or sensual about this spanking.
Tara soon lost count of the spanks. All the pain and worry from the last few weeks bubbled up and burst out of her in a huge sob. She tried to hold back but she couldn’t. Sobs shuddered through, rocking her body.
Immediately, Alex stopped and pulled her up, settling her on his lap and holding her tight. Tara buried her face into his chest and simply let go. She cried until it was hard to breathe. She was choked up, each breath more difficult than the last.
“Tara, calm down. Calm down, baby. Breathe in then out. That’s it. Just breathe, sweetheart.”
Tara drew in one deep breath then another. Oh hell, had she really just broken down like that?
How embarrassing.
Wiping her cheeks, she tried to gain some composure, certain her face was as red as her ass.
“I’m sorry.” She attempted to climb off his lap, but Alex held her tight.
“Stay still,” he ordered. “Why didn’t you use your safe word?”
Tara shook her head. “It wasn’t the spanking. Well, it was. I just…I don’t know…”
He turned her, arranging her so she straddled him. Tara kept her gaze on her lap.
“Look at me.”
“I’d rather not.”
“Tara,” he said warningly.
She raised her gaze up to his.
“What is going on?”
“It’s just been a crazy couple of weeks, you know?” Make that months, years. She was so tired. Tired of being so strong, of trying to do everything herself. When was the last time she’d allowed someone to help her? Alex was the first person she’d truly leaned on in years.
It would be so easy just to let go and tell him everything. But they didn’t have that sort of relationship. No emotional entanglements. She was sure he didn’t want to hear about her cold father and having to raise her younger brother. Alex shared very little of himself and he’d never asked her about her past so she figured he wasn’t all that interested.
After all, they weren’t dating. Just fucking.
“Yeah, I guess it has. The mugging, losing your job, getting evicted. Hell, that’s enough to make anyone cry.”
“And there’s the break-in as well.”
He grew stiff beneath her. “What break-in?”
Whoops. “Oh, umm, I meant to tell you before. My apartment was broken into.”
“What? When? Why didn’t the manager tell me?”
“Why would he…oh, not here,” she explained. “My old apartment.”
“Explain.” His voice was clipped.
“The other day I arrived home to find my apartment had been broken into.”
“When was this exactly?”
“Umm, the same day I was evicted.”
“What did they take?”
Tara gazed up at him to find his eyes had grown cold; his face could have been carved from a slab of marble.
“Tara?” His voice was calm, controlled. She wasn’t fooled. He expected answers. Immediately.
“Nothing,” she said quickly. “That’s what is weird. There is nothing at my place to take. You’ve seen it.”
“Why am I only hearing about this now?”
“I was going to tell you, but the right moment never came up.”
“Then you make a moment,” he told her. “Wait, this happened the day after you were mugged?”
“Yeah. It must have been the mugger because they used a key. It was a really bad week.”
“How did they get your address?”
“I think I probably had a bill or something in my handbag, it was full of junk.”
“Did you call the police?”
“Derrick did.”
“Derrick was there? Why would you call Derrick instead of me?”
“I didn’t call Derrick. The alarm company did.”
“Why would the alarm company call Derrick?” he asked.
“Because he put in the alarm.”
“Derrick? Derrick put in that alarm? Why?”
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