by Julia Sykes
Jonathan seemed to truly enjoy her company, and he certainly wanted to see her again. Not to mention that the passion between them was undeniable. Just because his brand of dominance was so different from Lucas’ didn’t meant that she enjoyed it any less. She should just take him up on his offer, answer his calls.
But hadn’t she been thinking of Lucas while she was with Jonathan? If she couldn’t expel him from her mind even in those heated moments with the gorgeous blond, how could she possibly bring herself to go out with him?
She would cling to her professionalism, pretending that she didn’t have lingering feelings for either man. And that she didn’t lust after them. Heat flooded her cheeks as the memory of her kinky dinner with Lucas in London popped into her mind of its own accord.
That was it; she couldn’t take the heat anymore. Wiping the sweat from her brow angrily, she unwound the scarf from around her neck. She closed her eyes and breathed a sigh of relief as the cool air hit her overheated skin.
“Shay?” Her stomach dropped as she recognized the voice, and all of the blood drained from her face.
Please god, no. Why was he here? Why right now, when she had just exposed her shameful mark?
Swallowing hard, she opened her eyes. Lucas was standing in the doorway to her office, his large frame filling the space. His presence was even more intimidating given the harsh scowl on his face. His eyes were riveted on her neck, and they were filled with disgust.
Oh, god. He knew that she had slept with Jonathan. And now he was judging her, seeing her for the slut that she was.
“Hi,” she forced out a shaky greeting. “What can I do for you?” She struggled to put on an unconcerned, professional front.
He pulled his gaze sharply away from her throat to meet her eyes. The scowl was replaced by a hard mask, the lines of his face taut with an obvious effort to hide his contempt.
“I just wanted to see how the plans are coming along. You know that we start construction in two weeks.”
“Good,” she forced out. “I’m just triple-checking everything.”
“Alright then,” he said curtly. And then he turned on his heel, leaving her feeling ashamed and dirty.
Jonathan ran a hand through his hair in frustration. Why wasn’t Shay answering his calls? He had done everything he could to woo her: he had been charming, complimentary, and he had seduced her thoroughly. Or so he had thought.
Usually, it wouldn’t concern him if a woman didn’t want to see him again; he had already fucked her, after all. And although the sex had been great, she wasn’t anything particularly special. Redheads weren’t really his type. Neither were women with a brain. Sure, he liked playing sexual games, enjoyed the power struggle that he would inevitably win, but a woman challenging his intellect? That he didn’t care for.
But after seeing the look on Lucas’ face as he had wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her close… That made the chase worth it. He could tell that his business partner cared for Shay; it had been obvious ever since Lucas had stared him down at the fetish club in London.
Jonathan had deferred to him then, letting the tension drop between them. But he had decided then and there to steal the submissive away from him.
Jonathan and Lucas had always had a friendly rivalry. At least that’s what Lucas thought it was. For Jonathan, the “friendly” part was just a façade. In truth, he hated losing to his partner, something that happened far too often, both with women and in business. People were always looking to him as the leader of Augustan Technologies, something that rankled with Jonathan.
When they had met at Oxford, he had seen the potential of Lucas’ projects, and he had been responsible for launching them into the global market. Where would Lucas be if it hadn’t been for him getting their business off the ground?
Nowhere. He would just be an anonymous geek tinkering away at his inventions in some modest apartment.
But his time was over; he had outlived his usefulness. Jonathan now had a whole team of geeks working for their company, people who could replace his partner. He already had a few board members in his pocket, men who were ready to help him push Lucas out of the company, leaving Jonathan in charge.
But that was months, maybe a few years away. So for now he would settle for stealing Shay away from his partner, taking the one woman who he had shown any real interest in since his wife had died.
But the little bitch wouldn’t answer his calls. He again cursed the fact that this submissive had a backbone. If only he could get her alone again, seduce her so thoroughly that she forgot about Lucas completely…
It was time to take action. He would no longer allow Shay to avoid him. He picked up the phone and dialed the number for the architecture firm.
“Hello. Thank you for calling Ponderosa Designs. How can I help you?” The receptionist asked.
“Hi,” he said warmly. “This is Jonathan Manning. Could you please tell Miss Greene that I need to see her at my office as soon as possible?”
“Of course, Mr. Manning.”
Jonathan hung up the phone. It was time to show Shay who was in charge here. She would submit to him, body and soul. Then Lucas would learn who the superior Dominant was. Jonathan was about to knock the smug bastard down a few pegs.
Shit. Shay was pissed. After days of successfully avoiding both of her sexy clients, she was going to have to face both on them on the same day. She was still shaken by her encounter with Lucas. And more than a little hurt. The way that he had looked at her, the disgust in his eyes…
Any sliver of a chance she had of winning him back was now gone.
Hell, who was she kidding? She hadn’t had a shot in hell with him anyway.
Still, that didn’t do much to lessen the sting of his contempt. She had wanted so badly for him to respect her, and he had promised that he would. He had sworn that to her before she had agreed to go to London with him.
But now that respect was destroyed. She was sure she would have been fired if they weren’t already so far along on the building project. Lucas was still a very powerful man, though, one who could ruin her professional reputation with a few words. Had she destroyed her career as well as her chances with the man that she couldn’t seem to get over?
And then there was Jonathan. He wanted to see her, and Shay was fairly certain that this meeting was about more than just business. Leave it to a determined Dom to manipulate her into facing him again. She had initially planned to callously use him to snag Lucas, but now it was clear that she had lead him to believe that she was interested in him. And she felt like shit about that.
Then stop being an idiot and go out with him, she told herself. He was sexy, fun, and obviously attracted to her. What more could she ask for? Give him a chance. You’ll get over Lucas eventually.
Yes, she resolved. If he asks me out, I’ll accept. She would be a fool not to. And she had to admit, her body burned for him, even if her mind had reservations.
But it was still with considerable trepidation that she approached the office where he had temporarily taken up residence until the new headquarters was completed. The door was closed, so she rapped her knuckles against it tentatively.
“Come in.” A small flutter rose in Shay’s belly at the sound of his sexy Southern twang. She entered and then shut the door back behind her.
Jonathan’s face instantly lit up.
“Shay,” he beamed. “So good to see you again. Finally.”
“Hello,” she said softly.
Instead of inviting her to sit, he stood and crossed the room, prowling toward her. He didn’t stop until he was only inches from her, invading her personal space. She suddenly felt very small as he towered over her. He lifted his hand and traced his index finger down her jawline. Shay shuddered at the intimate contact.
He cupped her face with both hands, the intensity in his blue eyes drawing her in. He brought his mouth to hers slowly, increasing the sudden erotic tension that filled the space between them.
When his lips finally met hers, they were gentle and teasing. He gradually increased the intensity of the kiss, stoking the fire that had suddenly arisen in her belly as he drew her lower lip into his mouth, biting it hard.
Then their tongues were dancing with one another, each of them fighting to control the kiss. Jonathan indulged her in the power-play for a few minutes, but soon he grasped the nape of her neck firmly and drew away from her. When she met his eyes, they were hard and reproving.
“Why haven’t you answered my calls, sub?” He demanded of her.
“Umm…” She fumbled. She didn’t want to admit her feelings for Lucas. Not to Jonathan and not to herself. “I was worried that becoming more involved might further compromise my professional integrity.”
“Well, you have to agree that it was very rude. And I don’t tolerate rudeness from submissives.” Abruptly, he ripped her scarf from her throat, causing the material to scratch across her skin, bringing her nerve endings to life. “And don’t hide my mark from me,” he practically growled.
Pulling her towards him, he resumed their passionate kiss, but this time he didn’t allow her to challenge him; he was clearly in control. All thoughts of resistance left Shay’s mind as she melted under his assault.
He unzipped her slacks, barely breaking contact with her mouth as he shoved them down her legs along with her panties. He unbuttoned her blouse in a passionate frenzy before snapping open the clasp of her bra. In moments, she was completely naked before him. When he pulled away from her again, she was panting, struggling to catch her breath. But he didn’t allow her a moment of reprieve. He grasped her shoulders and roughly pushed her forward, applying pressure in the center of her back so that she was forced to bend over his desk.
Shay heard the loud smack just before the pain registered. Jonathan had cracked his hand across her ass. Hard. She cried out in pain, but at the same time her body betrayed her, her sex growing wet.
“What are you doing?” She asked, rather stupidly.
“Spanking you,” he answered matter-of-factly.
“Why?”
“Because I want to.”
This was so different that how Lucas had treated her. When he had doled out pain, it had been to punish her, to correct her behavior. But Jonathan used it to establish his dominance, to show her that he was in utter control of her body, that he could treat her as he wished on a whim. So different, yet her body’s reaction was she same.
His hand came down on her again, and this time her strangled cry was more of a moan. The blows didn’t stop. In fact, they increased in intensity, turning from stinging smacks to thudding, bruising hits. But the pain only heightened her need for him. Adrenaline rushed through her, and she rode the high as a pleasurable tingling spread throughout her entire body.
She was barely aware of the sound of his zipper being undone before his cock drove into her. Before she could even gasp at the intrusion, he was thrusting into her fast and hard, his hips slapping against her ass.
The way he took her so roughly only heightened her pleasure; she reveled in his utter dominance of her body. The hard, unyielding desk beneath her pressed against her breasts, and her hips hit the edge of it each time Jonathan drove into her.
When he slapped her ass once again, the resulting contraction of her pussy around his cock sent her over the edge. She moaned as she came, the intensity of her orgasm causing stars to shoot behind her eyes, the brightness of them reflecting the joy soaring through her body.
Jonathan came with a howl just after she did, his hot seed shooting into her as she quivered around him. He collapsed atop of her, his weight keeping her trapped against the desk. They both stayed there for long minutes, breathing hard.
Eventually, he straightened and slid out of her before helping lift her up by her shoulders. He tenderly dressed her, and she couldn’t help a rush of pleasure at his gentleness, his caring treatment contrasting so sharply with how he had just fucked her. She sighed into him as he kissed her softly, sweetly. This was what she wanted, what she needed: a man who gave her fabulous sex and felt an emotional connection to her.
“Will you go out with me, Shay?” He asked, his eyes earnest.
“Yes,” she said decisively. And this time it wouldn’t be to make Lucas jealous; she was going to go out with him because she actually liked him.
Jonathan grinned. “Excellent. I’ll pick you up tomorrow at eight.”
Shay couldn’t deny the warm glow that filled her at the thought of seeing him again. Maybe it wouldn’t be so hard to get over Lucas after all.
Chapter 4
The next day, Lucas was still furious. Seeing that bite mark on Shay’s neck – a hallmark of Jonathan’s – had filled him with rage. But now he was angrier with himself than anyone else.
He had taken out his ire on Shay again, when she didn’t deserve the blame here. It was his own fault; he had driven her away, had practically shoved her into Jonathan’s arms.
Well, perhaps he was angrier with someone than he was with himself: Jonathan. This wasn’t the first time that he had picked up a woman after Lucas had finished with her, but it was the first time it had bothered him.
Only, “bothered” wasn’t a strong enough word. It pissed him off. And a part of him was sure that his partner had marked Shay just to spite him. He never should have challenged him in London. It was only because his possessiveness of Shay was so apparent that Jonathan was doing this. Hell, she wasn’t even his type.
He had to get his mind off of her, to drive the sickening images of them together from his thoughts. Tempest was having a fetish night tonight. He would go and find himself another woman, lose himself in the joy of dominating a submissive.
But deep down he knew that no woman would be as satisfying as Shay.
You’re doing the right thing, Shay assured herself. There was potential for a real relationship with Jonathan, and she couldn’t deny excitement at the prospect. Occasional thoughts of her time with Lucas still popped into her head, but she told herself that Jonathan’s style of dominance was just as enjoyable as Lucas’, even if it was different.
She struggled to shut down her inner monologue and make conversation with Jonathan, who was sitting across the table from her, sipping champagne. He had brought her to one of the nicest Italian restaurants in the city. Sshe should be enjoying the wine and the atmosphere rather than getting lost in her own muddled thoughts.
“So,” he began casually, “how long have you known that you’re a submissive?”
Shay almost choked on her champagne. Well, this wasn’t exactly the dinner conversation she had been expecting.
“Ummm…” She hedged, but he was looking at her expectantly. After a moment, she let out a sigh, capitulating. But she made sure to lower her voice as she spoke; she didn’t want anyone overhearing this conversation. She was suddenly very grateful that they had been seated in a secluded corner of the restaurant. “For a few years now, I guess,” she admitted.
“And how long have you been in the community?”
“The community?” She asked, puzzled by the term.
“You know,” he said, “going to clubs and stuff.”
“Oh, ah… Just a couple of weeks.” Her cheeks heated. It was going to be obvious now, obvious that her only other kinky sexual partner had been Lucas.
“So your only other experience is with Lucas?”
Wow. He had just come out and asked it. Shay pursed her lips, not wanting to admit it aloud. Was he trying to make her feel as awkward as possible?
“Yes,” she finally admitted.
He detected the irritation in her tone, and held up his hands as though to allay any offense. “Sorry,” he said earnestly. “I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable. I just wanted to know how extensive your experience was. You see, I’d like to take you to Tempest tonight, if you’re willing.”
“Oh,” she said, a bit dumbly. Did she want to do that? Tempest was where she had first met Lucas, and going there again might br
ing back memories that now caused her nothing but pain and confusion.
But maybe she could replace those memories, write new ones over them. “Yes, that sounds nice.”
“Excellent,” he beamed.
“So, how long have you been in the community?” She fired his own question back at him.
“Quite a few years,” he answered simply. “But I want to hear more about you, Shay. Tell me, when did you first know that you wanted to be an architect?”
He continued firing questions at her throughout dinner. Although the conversation never stopped flowing, he always managed to skillfully direct it back at her. Was she just over-analyzing or was he intentionally evading having to give up information about himself?
Stop being an idiot. You’re upset now because a gorgeous man is interested in getting to know you?
But by the end of dinner, the most she had found out about him was that he had grown up in Georgia and that he had gone to college abroad at Oxford to study marketing.
But she supposed that was fine. It really was only their second date.
When they had finished eating, Jonathan took her arm and escorted her to the car that was waiting for them at the curb. Shay was secretly relieved that he didn’t try to do more than rest a hand on her knee during the short ride to Tempest; she didn’t want the driver to see them making out. Or engaging in… other activities.
Before they entered the club, Jonathan handed her a small box. “I want you to wear this tonight,” he told her. “And nothing else.”
Her curiosity was piqued, and to be honest she was relieved that he had brought something for her to wear. She would have felt very out of place wearing a simple black cocktail dress at a fetish club.
When she was in the club’s dressing room, she opened the parcel. It contained a long-sleeved dress made of sheer black lace, but it was so short that it would barely cover her ass. Jonathan had forbidden her to wear a bra and panties, so minutes later she found herself in nothing but the see-through dress and her strappy pair of black fuck-me heels. She checked her appearance in the mirror, and she wasn’t displeased by what she saw.