by Tawny Taylor
So much for that.
I grunted with frustration. And determination.
Soon. It would all be back soon.
My cable.
My internet.
My stability.
* * * * *
Shane knocked on my door at exactly four o’clock. Not a second earlier. Not a second later. Shane lived by the clock. He was never late. Never. I liked that about him.
I liked a lot of other things about him too. Like how he made me burn when he touched me. And how his mouth possessed mine when he kissed me.
The second he was in my door, his arm was wrapped around my waist. He hauled me into his arms and slanted his mouth across mine. The kiss was more than a greeting. It was a promise. A promise of a lot of wonderful things to come. When the kiss was over, I was wobbly and dizzy and ready to tell him to forget about dinner.
He gave me no chance, however. “Let’s go.” His gaze flicked to my empty hands. “Purse?”
“Right here.” I pointed at the table next to the door. The one loaded down with unpaid bills.
“We’re going to be late.” Stepping aside, he waited for me to get my purse and then motioned for me to precede him out the door. I twisted the lock on the doorknob before stepping out. Shane pulled the door shut behind him, and tested it. The knob rattled. The door shook. “You should have a better lock on this door, Bristol. A two year old could break into your place with a hairpin.”
“The building’s doors are locked too. A bad guy would need to get through those first. Besides, I can’t remember the last time there was a break-in in this area. It’s very safe.”
He shook his head. “No place is completely safe.”
Yes, there were times when dating a controlling, alpha male became a little trying on the nerves. “I’ll look into adding a deadbolt if it’ll make you feel better.”
“Thank you. Yes. It would. I’ll have a locksmith out ASAP to install it.”
Ah, my overbearing boyfriend was at it again, solving my problems for me. My pride stung a little. It should be me paying the locksmith to install the lock on my door. Should be. But at the moment I didn’t have the money. And I knew he would harass me endlessly until I had the work done.
I put up a sign of resistance, “You don’t have to—“
“I know.” He held the building’s main door for me. “You aren’t upset with me, for stepping in again, are you? I realize I’m being a little selfish. I want to keep you safe for my own purposes.”
His own purposes. For some reason those three words made me smile. “You aren’t being selfish.”
“You say that, but I don’t believe you mean it.” He pulled me into his arms, and I immediately forgot what we had been talking about. “Forgive me.”
“You’re forgiven.”
He kissed me again. This kiss was exactly like the first. It was a gentle, seductive promise and it made my head spin and my heart thump and my knees weaken. But all too soon it ended and I was clinging to him, trying to catch my breath.
Sounding a little breathless too, he uttered, “If we don’t stop this now, we’re not going to make it to dinner.”
I couldn’t help giggling. Normally I wasn’t a giggly type of girl. But Shane’s kisses sometimes made me that way. “And whose fault would that be?”
“Not mine.”
“Oh, really?”
“It’s most definitely your fault. For looking so damn beautiful. And sexy. And…” He growled. “Perfect.” Moving suddenly, he grabbed my hand and charged down the walkway, heading toward his car. I trotted along beside him, smiling. Maybe he was a bit bossy, but when it came to me he did have a weakness.
And I thoroughly enjoyed knowing that.
Chapter 2
Up to this point it had been such a nice night. The appetizers had been delicious. The service had been excellent. And the company had been, as always, delightful.
Had been.
Past tense.
Things changed dramatically when she showed up and invited herself to join us.
I’m referring to Alexis.
The first time I met Alexis, I’d learned she had some very troubling ideas about her relationship with Shane. Specifically, she believed she would someday be Shane’s wife. Shortly after that first face-to-face meeting, I caught Shane and her looking cozy at a restaurant. Of course, I jumped to conclusions. I thought the worst. But Shane later explained they were meeting to discuss a charity event. He was able to convince me that he had no interest in pursuing a romantic relationship with Alexis. But I wasn’t stupid enough to think she’d given up trying to convince Shane that she would make a better girlfriend than I did.
The fact that she was gorgeous, like Shane, and rich, like Shane, and had some kind of history with him sure didn’t make me feel any better about the situation. Neither did Shane’s willingness to allow her to interrupt what had been a perfectly wonderful date tonight.
“Thank you so much for inviting me to join you. I was positively horrified when Robert called to cancel at the last minute,” Alexis said while batting false eyelashes at my date.
I wondered if she hadn’t planned this whole thing. Maybe there had been no Robert. Maybe she’d learned, somehow, where Shane was taking me and…okay, maybe I was becoming a little paranoid.
“It’s okay,” Shane said, voice low and soothing, his expression friendly. “He’s done the same to me. More than once.”
“Well, I’ve learned my lesson. I won’t come inside until he calls and tells me he’s in the parking lot.”
“Good idea.”
I sat there, silent, watching the exchange, noting the familiarity and comfort in their banter, the smiles on their faces. My insides twisted, and suddenly the thought of eating anything made me feel a little sick.
Yes, Shane had told me that she was an old friend, nothing more. I believed him when he told me he wouldn’t ever entertain the notion of having a relationship with Alexis. Even if we broke up. She wanted him for only one thing—his bank account. She’d never even tried to deny it.
But still it was clear to me that she was trying her best to make him rethink his stance on her.
What made it more awkward was that they had so much to talk about. I had absolutely nothing to add to the conversation. They spoke about people I didn’t know, charity events I had no part in, and business matters I didn’t know squat about. By the end of the meal I was feeling like the third wheel.
Shane paid the bill and escorted us both out. Alexis sashayed over to a sleek little black Porsche, parked in front of the building. Shane, being the gentleman, always the gentleman, opened her door for her. She beamed a thank you, said she would talk to him later, and gave me a little side-eyed glance before waving at him one last time.
Finally Shane turned his full attention to me. “That was hell for you.”
“Hell is such a strong word,” I said.
“Then you enjoyed it?”
“I wouldn’t say that either. It was… unpleasant.”
“Unpleasant.” Stopping next to his car, he moved to block me between the vehicle, which was now behind me, and his bulky frame in front of me. “I’ll have to make it up to you then.” A wicked gleam shimmered in his eye.
Oh, that meant I was about to be rewarded. Rewarded well.
Leaning in, he caught my hair in his hand and tugged, pulling my head to one side. “Let’s go home,” he whispered as his teeth grazed the uber-sensitive skin of my neck. “I don’t want to make you wait for your justly-earned reward.”
I shivered. It was a combination of the goose bumps that were tingling all down the right side of my body and the heat I heard in his voice that made me do that. “Sounds good to me.” I wriggled against him. Just as I was about to say something, a pair of blinding headlights illuminated us. Instantly, I reacted, jerking back against the car, thinking we’d been caught groping in public by the police.
A car door swung open, and a shadowy figure came closer. As it mo
ved toward us, it became clearer.
That was no police officer.
“Sorry if I…” Alexis’s flinty gaze raked up and down my body. “…interrupted something,” she practically sneered. “But I need to speak with Shane for one moment.”
He closed his eyes for a second then turned pleading eyes my way. “I’m sorry,” he whispered before stepping back.
That had better be one hell of a reward. I had something extra special coming after this.
I yanked open the door, sat and then slammed it shut. The brilliant lights cut off, so I sat there, in the car, in the dark, for what felt like ages. A quick check of my phone made it clear my estimation of time had been off by at least a millennia, but still it was a long time. Shane returned to the vehicle after just over ten minutes. He sat, stuffed the key into the ignition. “I’m sorry. I’m going to have to sit Alexis down and have a long talk with her. It’s my fault. I’ve been avoiding it, which is inexcusable.”
“You’re a busy man. And you’re trying to keep the peace, since the two of you work on so many projects together.”
“Yes.” His gaze locked on mine. “That’s exactly right.” He flipped his hand palm up and rested it on my knee. I wove my fingers through his. “I don’t know what I’ve done to deserve a woman like you.”
My cheeks burned at the compliment. “I’m nobody special.”
“Yes, you are. You are special. Very special.” The passion and conviction in his voice made my insides light up. In that magical moment, I felt like the most appreciated, cherished woman on the planet.
“I think you’re special too,” I told him. Something else, three words, popped onto my tongue. I wanted to say them. I wasn’t sure if I had the courage. I wasn’t sure what he would say if I did summon it up.
I stared out the window for a moment. As I sat there, his hand gently cradling mine, I swallowed those words. Once, twice, three times I gulped them back down. It was too soon. He wasn’t ready to hear them. I wasn’t ready to say them yet.
By the time we’d made it to his place, those pesky words were safely wedged deep inside. As always, he opened the car door for me. We walked up to the building side-by-side, rode the elevator up to his floor. He opened his condo’s door for me, and I stepped inside.
Once again, I marveled at how gorgeous his place was. A converted factory, the building was old, with a history that showed here and there. The massive windows and brick walls and soaring ceilings. In contrast, the furnishings were all modern and super stylish and sleek.
We had been seeing each other for a while now, and this was far from my first visit to his condo, and still I hadn’t gotten used to the place. It felt more like a museum than a home to me. Perhaps I would never get accustomed to it. Perhaps it was better if I didn’t.
Rather than escort me directly to the dungeon like I expected, Shane directed me toward the living room and invited me to sit. “Drink?” he asked.
Now, I hadn’t spent a great deal of time in Shane’s private playroom, aka the Cave of Wonders, but I did remember that he generally didn’t take me there if I’d had any alcohol. As I recalled, he’d once told me it wasn’t safe to play if I had been drinking. And so, when he offered me something to drink, I responded with, “Some diet cola would be great. Thanks.”
“I thought you would appreciate spending some time just…relaxing,” he said as he went to the open kitchen area to pour some cola into a glass. He returned with two full glasses, set them on the coffee table then picked up the remote, which had at least twice as many buttons on it than mine did at home. In an instant, the room went from cozy to romantic. A fire ignited in the fireplace, the lights dimmed to a sultry level, and some soft music played from hidden speakers.
Making myself comfy, I kicked off my shoes and lay against him, relishing how perfect it felt, being held in his powerful arms, being stroked by his gentle hands. “This is nice.”
“What do you think of this place?” he asked. The question seemed to come out of the blue, and I wasn’t sure how to respond.
“I…it’s amazing.”
“I sense you aren’t comfortable here.”
“I am,” I said, my gaze meandering through the space. “It’s just…so perfect. It’s like walking into a showroom or something.”
“Too modern?”
“It’s your home. I wouldn’t tell you how to decorate it.”
He pulled me tighter against him, found my left hand and wove his fingers through mine. “Well, maybe I’m asking you to tell me how to decorate my next place.” His thumb stroked across the top of my hand. “I have an agent coming by tomorrow. I’m selling this condo and moving into the house when it sells, whether the house is finished or not.”
The house to which he was referring once belonged to me. I sold it to him after having inherited it from my mother. It was in rough shape when he bought it, but I knew he was doing a massive renovation on it. He hadn’t mentioned any details since the day we’d closed on the property. I was a little (okay, more like very) curious to hear what his plans were. “For some reason, I thought you might fix that place up and flip it.”
“I considered it. But I changed my mind. The place holds some memories for me. Of you when you were younger. Your mother. Those were good times, happy times. I guess I have a sentimental side I’d never known about.”
“Then I’m even gladder you decided to buy it.”
“So am I. I’ve been working with a couple of interior designers, and I have some proposals. I’d like to get your feedback on them.”
“Sure. I’ll look at them. But it’s still your house, your money.”
“Yes, mine.” His voice was soft, somewhat dreamy, as if he were thinking about something else, or somewhere else. Somewhere far away and wonderful. He cupped my chin and searched my eyes. “Do you still feel the way you did before, Bristol? Do you still want me to crave you?”
“Yes, Shane. I do feel that way. Because I crave you, too.”
He groaned and kissed me. Hard. Like his life would end at any moment and he couldn’t kiss me enough. His hands cupped my face, holding me in place so his mouth could claim mine. The kiss started as a ravishment, a rough claiming that made my toes curl and my heart thump. I slid my hands down his chest, feeling it swiftly rise and fall as he inhaled and exhaled. Within seconds we were writhing, our limbs entangled, our bodies heating.
A moan of pure ecstasy bubbled up my throat and slipped between my lips. “Shane,” I whispered. “I love you.”
Abruptly, he broke the kiss. His gaze drilled into mine. “What did you say?”
In one instant my body turned to ice. I’d said those words too soon. Much too soon. Why had I done that? Why? “I…was just wrapped up in the moment.”
His expression softened slightly. “Then you didn’t mean it? You didn’t mean what you said?”
“I…” I had meant it. But what did he want to hear? I could lie and tell him I didn’t, but that idea didn’t sit well with me. I couldn’t do it. “I meant it.”
“Say it again.”
“Shane,” I said as my heart hammered against my breastbone. “I’ve fallen in love with you.”
He stood, swept me into his arms and carried me toward the dungeon. “I didn’t want to hear those words. Not from you. Not from anyone. But now, I can’t hear you say those words enough. Bristol, I love you. I. Love. You. And that scares the shit out of me.”
Chapter 3
My head was spinning. And it had nothing to do with how he was carrying me or how fast he was walking.
He told me he loves me. Shane loves me!
I was so happy I could barely hold back the tears. My arm was looped around his neck, and while he walked, I sprinkled kisses everywhere I could reach. His neck. His shoulder. His cheek.
He pushed open the door to the dungeon and eased me onto my feet. Once I was steady, he stepped back and studied me thoughtfully.
What would he do next?
“You decide,” he
said.
“Me? Decide what?”
“Tell me what you want.” He swept his arm in a wide arc.
My gaze meandered around the room. There as the swing. That swing was intense. In a good way.
Then there was the table. I liked the table a lot. I felt so utterly out of control on that table.
Oh, and there was the kneeler. I’d had quite a bit of fun on that piece of equipment before.
And then there was that…
The big cross thing. Like a giant X, standing against the wall, with cuffs bolted to all four ends of the crossed boards. Two for ankles. Two for wrists.
Up until this point, Shane had avoided using that one with me. I wasn’t sure why. But at the same time I’d been grateful. When I was really worked up, which happened pretty quickly with Shane, my knees got wobbly. I would have to stand up if he strapped my wrists in those cuffs.
Shane followed the line of my focus. Putting on his serious dom face, he leveled a dark gaze at me. One side of his mouth curled. A buzz of electricity zinged through my body. “I like the way you think.” Without waiting for me to respond, he placed his hands on my waist and walked me toward the cross, one, two, three steps. When I was standing directly in front of it, he whispered in my ear, “Undress, minx.”
He stepped back to watch.
This was one of the most thrilling parts of the game. I didn’t want to rush it. I took my time removing my shirt. As one more inch of my flesh was exposed, the heat in his eyes intensified. So did the fire burning in my body. By the time I had the garment completely off, he looked so feral and dangerous, I could barely stand staring into his eyes. He watched with such intensity. I felt as if he were studying every minute movement I made.
As I let my top slip from my fingertips and fall on the floor, he approached me. His fingertip traced a line up the center of my stomach, starting from my bellybutton. It climbed to my bra.
“Say it again,” he murmured.
“I love you.”
His eyelids lowered. His mouth curved into a dreamy smile. “Again.”