by Julia Sykes
Shay flushed, anger rising within her. “Don’t call me ‘sub,’” she snapped. “And you’re the one who didn’t call me.”
Lucas clucked his tongue at her, shaking his head. “Where is all this fire coming from, little one?” He asked. “I can’t deny that I’m intrigued by it, though.” His eyes turned suddenly hard. “But you have to know that I won’t tolerate it this weekend.”
Shay’s jaw dropped. The nerve of him! They hadn’t discussed this weekend since their first meeting at Tempest, and now he just assumed she was still up for it? Especially after realizing that she was in his employ?
Well, a part of her admitted to herself, you do still want him, don’t you?
She couldn’t deny that merely being in his presence sent heat shooting through her body, and she had been truly disappointed when he hadn’t contacted her. She had wanted so badly to see him again, to experience more of his dark seduction.
But now that was impossible. It would be completely inappropriate.
“And who says I still agree to seeing you this weekend?”
His smile was wolfish. “Don’t play coy with me, Shay,” he said, a knowing twinkle in his eye. “I can tell you want to just by looking at you. It’s written all over your face. And your body. I felt your pulse quicken when we touched in your office. And don’t think I don’t notice how you are struggling not to defer to me.”
His voice turned gentler. “You don’t have to fight it, Shay. There’s no use trying to hide your desires from me.”
Her cheeks burned, and she wasn’t sure if it was from indignation or from arousal at the way he stripped away her defenses with his clear green gaze, just as he had done at the club that night as he had held her, teasing her, dominating her…
“No.” She tried to sound firm, but the way she licked her lips betrayed her.
His grin widened; he knew he had her right where he wanted her. It was time to turn the tables on him.
“You don’t call for days, and now you just expect me to give in when you show up in my office out of the blue? I’m not a submissive in the professional world, and you can’t just expect me to be a spineless pushover if we’re in business together.”
His expression softened. “I wouldn’t dream of demeaning your work, Shay. Your designs are truly brilliant. I can’t deny that I’m deeply impressed that someone of your age has come so far in such a short time. But,” he pinned her with his gaze, “the woman I met at Tempest desires me, and I know it. You need to submit, Shay. I can see it. Being a submissive doesn’t mean you’re spineless. Actually, it’s usually just the opposite. Many of the submissives I’ve met have been the most independent women I’ve ever known outside of the BDSM scene. There’s nothing wrong with wanting the release from responsibility, to give yourself over to someone else for a night, to let him make the decisions for you. “
Shay eyed him doubtfully. He had just described her needs perfectly, but could she really submit to him sexually and maintain his professional respect?
“But it’s wrong,” she tried to insist, but her protest sounded hollow. “We can’t work together and have a sexual relationship.”
Lucas studied her intently, almost imploringly. “I understand your concerns, Shay, but I promise you that our sexual interactions won’t have any effect on our professional partnership. I will always respect you. Your being a submissive doesn’t mean that I don’t respect you. In fact, I hold women who can admit their sexual needs to themselves in high regard. Especially a woman who ventured into a BDSM club on her own for her first time. It was very brave of you. A bit foolish, perhaps, but brave.”
Shay flushed at his praise and peeked up at him through her lashes. Was he telling the truth? Could he really respect her and dominate her? She wanted to believe him, wanted to further explore the world of BDSM with him more badly than she had ever desired anything.
Lucas’ smile turned triumphant; even without her assent, he knew he had won. “Will you be my submissive for the weekend, Shay?”
She was captivated by his gaze, the intensity of his eyes. His power washed over her, his question demanding only one answer. “Yes,” she heard herself answer, her voice a whisper.
“And you will obey me in all things?” He asked, that hardness returning to his features, forbidding any protest.
Unable to speak, hardly believing what she was agreeing to, Shay nodded.
“Excellent,” his expression lightened and he beamed. “Then I expect you to have a bag packed and ready to go at eight AM tomorrow. We’re going to London for two nights.”
Shay’s jaw dropped. “London?” She squeaked when she finally found her voice. “I can’t go to London! I have too much work to do.”
“Shay,” he said, his tone brooking no nonsense. “I believe that as your client, I will excuse you from working on your project for a few days. Besides,” he said, a slightly dangerous edge to his grin, “you did agree to obey me in all things.”
Chapter 3
Something odd fluttered in Lucas’ chest as he waited for Shay on the tarmac. Was he… nervous? No, surely not. Anticipatory, maybe. But not nervous. Not at all. He couldn’t deny that he was pleased that the gorgeous redhead had agreed to come to London with him, but that didn’t mean he liked her.
Like her? He thought to himself ruefully. You’re not bloody twelve years old. Lucas Cross didn’t like women; he fucked them.
Lucas’ stuffy Cambridge family wouldn’t approve of his sexual predilections, but luckily they had no clue what he really got up to on the weekends. Ever the hard worker, his family accepted his perpetual absence as the result of his business. And they didn’t question it because they didn’t dare pry when it came to the gobs of money Lucas sent their way. The Crosses had been part of the English landed gentry for hundreds of years, but old money only lasted so long when no one in the family earned any new wealth.
It was truly incredible how many distant relatives Lucas had discovered when his millions began rolling in. Many of them had shown up at Sandra’s funeral, trading false condolences in the hopes of a handout.
Lucas’ fists clenched at his sides.
Don’t go there.
Sandra was gone, and there was nothing he could do to bring her back. He shoved down his guilt over his planned betrayal for the weekend.
I don’t care about Shay in that way, he assured himself. Lust and love are totally separate things. That had been his creed for the last three years, since he had lost Sandra. It was the only way he could justify sating his lust without betraying her memory.
It wasn’t as though he was planning on courting Shay; he was going to dominate her lush body in ways that she had never imagined. The thought made his cock twitch, and he struggled to calm his thoughts. It wouldn’t do if he had a raging hard-on when Shay showed up. God, he really was acting like a schoolboy. He hadn’t felt this out-of-control since…
Well, if there was anything that would douse his lust, nothing was as efficient as thinking of Sandra. He again felt that twinge of guilt that had been nagging him ever since he had met Shay.
But Shay wasn’t just sexy. She was… intriguing. Her skill at architecture was akin to artistry, and she had proven to him that she was a competent businesswoman who was determined to forge a reputation for herself.
She was doing incredibly well. At twenty-seven, she had managed to impress Lucas enough to trust her with what was arguably the biggest contract in the country. In fact, her fast track to success and her drive reminded Lucas of himself. He had managed to build Augustan Technologies from scratch, starting with tinkering with computers at university and turning his pet projects into a multi-billion dollar company by the time he was thirty. With the brilliant marketing help of his partner, Jonathan Manning, their success had skyrocketed within a few short years.
And if there was anything that turned Lucas on, it was a strong, independent woman yielding to him, taking release from her responsibilities by giving herself over to him completel
y. The conquest was all the more sweet when playing with a woman like Shay. He couldn’t wait to take her deeper into the world of BDSM. And she would get quite the education this weekend.
His smile wavered. But only this weekend, he told himself. He was already pushing his routine by keeping her for more than one night; more than a weekend would never do. He grimaced as he thought about how difficult it would be to work with her in the coming months without touching her, her hot little body tempting him every time he laid eyes on her, her gorgeous green eyes captivating him…
Only for the weekend, Cross. Better make the most of it.
Shay’s stomach was in knots. She sat in the back of Lucas’ black Lincoln, heading for the airport. The car had come to pick her up at eight o’clock sharp, and she had already been waiting by the door. She had hardly slept the night before; she was too nervous. And excited, she admitted to herself.
Still, the prospect of spending three days as Lucas’ submissive was more than a little terrifying.
You did agree to obey me in all things, he had told her sternly, reminding her of her foolish agreement. What did that entail? What did he expect of her?
She unconsciously fiddled with her favorite silver and emerald ring, a nervous compulsion. It had belonged to her grandmother, and the ghost of Meemaw’s warm embrace often seemed to enfold her as she traced the smooth metal band. Today, it was absent. Shay couldn’t think of her sweet grandmother and Lucas at the same time. Meemaw might have been a tiny Southern spitfire, but Shay doubted she would approve of her little jaunt to London.
Meemaw always said I took after her. She told me I had an independent streak a mile wide. And a fairly wide wild streak, too.
Well, Shay couldn’t think of anything wilder than going to a foreign country to explore BDSM with a gorgeous billionaire. Who was mostly a stranger and – even worse – a client.
She swallowed hard. She could see that they were pulling onto the tarmac now, driving towards Lucas’ private jet that would take her across the Atlantic and into uncharted territory. Her heart rate picked up, and she twisted the ring around her finger almost frantically.
Sooner than she would have liked, Lucas was opening her door for her and taking her by the hand. She suppressed a shiver at the contact. God, would she ever get used to him? Just the slightest touch seemed to set her insides quivering with lust and a hint of trepidation.
“Hello, Shay.” His smile was warm, but the twist at the corners of his lips suggested something predatory lurking within him.
She couldn’t help dropping her eyes submissively at the sight. Her reaction to him was so visceral; he brought out her need to submit more strongly than she ever would have thought possible. And the feeling was all the more magnified by the fact that he clearly had the upper hand here, sweeping her off to an foreign place, into an unfamiliar world.
He led her up the stairs into the jet, and she followed him in silence, still unable to meet his eyes. She still couldn’t bring herself to speak as he lowered her into one of the large, plush seats, but he seemed content to let her take the time she needed to gather her wits about her. His hands lingered at her waist as he buckled her in, and her cheeks flamed as she tried to hide the desire that bloomed inside of her.
When he was situated in the chair beside her, he gently took her hand in his, rubbing the pad of his thumb over her palm, tracing little circular patterns. Shay twisted her ring on her finger over and over again. Snakes danced in her belly, rising up in her throat and choking her, robbing her of her ability to speak. The longer the silence stretched, the more anxious she became. Was she boring him? Did he think her a mute idiot incapable of carrying a conversation?
It wasn’t until the plane had leveled out and the captain told them that they could unbuckle their seatbelts that Lucas finally spoke.
“Shay,” his voice was brusque and business-like again as he said her name, and something shuddered within her as she recognized the Dom in him talking to her. He would no longer allow her to escape his gaze; he wouldn’t allow her to avoid him.
His strong fingers gripped her chin, turning her head and forcing her to lift her eyes. When she met his bright green ones, she had to fight the urge to drop her gaze again. The lust and power that she saw there were nearly overwhelming. What was she doing here? Why had she agreed to this?
Her breathing turned fast and shallow as fear began to take over.
“Calm down, Shay,” he ordered. “Take a deep breath.” Rather than being soft and reassuring, his tone was commanding, and she responded instantly. She breathed in deeply through her nose and out through her mouth, struggling to release the tension in her chest.
His thumb traced steady circles across her palm. The soothing sensation contrasted with his implacable expression, but the combination of the two spoke to something deep within her. She found a well of calm at her center, and she settled into it.
“Now,” Lucas continued, as though she hadn’t just been on the verge of a panic attack, “we need to discuss your limits. And my demands.”
He reached into the pocket on the side of his seat and pulled out a clipboard. Attached to it was a neatly typed document.
“This,” he explained, “is your contract. We will discuss the terms of what I require of you and then you will sign it, pledging your compliance for the next three days.”
He handed the document to her, and Shay swallowed hard. Her fear began to creep back.
“Read it,” he ordered.
Again, the touch of harshness in his command was just what she needed. His firm refusal to allow her panic to engulf her kept her grounded.
She took the… contract with shaking hands. What the hell have I gotten myself in to? Breathing deeply, she focused on the solid warmth of Lucas’ hand upon hers, and she began to read.
For the duration of three days, the submissive – Shay Greene – agrees to the following principal terms:
To obey all commands given by her Master, unless they breach the limits agreed upon.
To use her safe words if at all uncomfortable.
To address her Master with respect at all times, using either “Sir” or “Master.”
Not to speak without the express permission of her Master.
The submissive will not lie to her Master.
Any violation of these terms will result in punishment until her Master deems that the transgression has been corrected adequately.
Play will be within the parameters of the following limits:
No blood play
No scat
No water sports
No tickling
That’s a rather short list, Shay thought nervously. There was a blank space below for more limits to be enumerated. She swallowed again, her hands still trembling.
The first thing that jumped out at her was the word “Master.” She knew that it should fill her with resentment, but all she felt was heat blooming between her legs. When connected to Lucas, the title was sexy. And completely appropriate. He had already demonstrated his mastery of her body. It wouldn’t be hard to form the title on her lips when speaking to him.
The mention of safe words made her blush, and she remembered how Lucas had chastised her on that first evening for not using them while Bobby was beating her.
And the term “punishment”… It made her pussy throb.
So far, Lucas had shown her nothing but pleasure, but she could tell by his demeanor that he desired more from her, that he wanted to… discipline her. And, she admitted to herself, she wanted that too.
Wasn’t this what she had fantasized about for years? Hell, Lucas far surpassed any fantasy she had ever managed to conjure up.
When she finally looked up at him again, her eyes were heated. His lips quirked up at the corners as he recognized her lust.
“Are you ready to discuss your limits, sub?” Lucas asked.
“I…” She began nervously. “I’m not sure where to start. That’s not much of a list you have there.”
Lucas chuckled. “My tastes are quite varied. I’ll start by asking you questions about different kinds of play, and you tell me whether or not you’re comfortable with them.”
“Okay,” Shay agreed softly. The only experience she had with any of these things was what she had learned from the internet, and she wasn’t sure if she would like all of the things that Lucas asked her about. But then again, she wasn’t sure that she would dislike them either. She did know that she whole-heartedly agreed with everything that was already on the list.
“I’m assuming that you are fine with bondage, spanking?”
Shay nodded. Okay with it? She practically panted at the prospect. And the thought of Lucas doing those things to her…
“Have you ever had anal sex?” He asked bluntly.
Shay blushed. “Yes.”
“And did you enjoy it?”
“Yes,” she whispered.
Lucas smiled roguishly. “Excellent,” he said, evidently pleased. “I will thoroughly enjoy taking your ass, Shay.”
Her face turned crimson, but her core pulsed.
“What about knife play? How do you feel about that?” Lucas moved on, jerking her thoughts away from him fucking her.
Knife play? Something cold formed in the pit of her stomach as she balked. “I…” she said faintly. “I thought you said no blood play?”
He gave her hand a gentle squeeze. “I wouldn’t cut you, Shay, but the trust involved in that can be very exciting for some submissives.” He waited a moment, letting her consider. “You can say ‘no,’ Shay,” he assured her.
She pursed her lips. She wanted to trust Lucas, but this was a big ask; she hardly knew him, after all. Hell, she was already certifiable for agreeing to this weekend.
“No,” she said finally, firmly. “I don’t think I’m ready for that.”
“That’s fine, Shay,” he assured her. “We’ll add it to the list.”
He pulled a pen out of his pocket and wrote “No knife play” on the contract. Shay breathed a sigh of relief.