Yes, they were supposed to go to some stupid charity thing that weekend with his parents, but no way in hell was she going now, obviously.
Besides, she’d moved on. The Universe had showed her telling him off had absolutely been the right thing.
Hopefully, she’d chosen the right path. But one thing was for certain—Steve was definitely not the path she wanted to choose, and it irritated her she didn’t see through his bullshit sooner.
Chapter Five
At least Lara’s day had turned around by mid-afternoon. She sold one listing, which totally lifted her mood into orbit, and she’d received two offers on another before the deadline closed. Now it was up to the seller to go through all the offers they’d received and see what they’d accept.
By the time she got home, she was looking at dinner that night as the cherry on top of the delicious sundae of her Thursday.
She grabbed a shower and fixed her hair the way she wanted, a loose, flirty style Steve would have frowned over—
She groaned.
Fuck. Me.
Why the hell had she not seen all this before?
Worse, why had she tolerated it? She thought she’d been winning battles left and right with him…
And that was the sum of it, wasn’t it? Things between them had frequently felt like battles.
It’d never felt like that with Ev. Ever.
There’d always been a give and take with him.
Even more poignant in retrospect when she realized everything he gave up in an attempt to make her happy and make it work.
She grabbed a couple of large garbage bags from the kitchen pantry closet and quickly rid her closet of the “Steve approved” outfits and shoes she’d purchased mostly because of him. It wasn’t that she didn’t have any business suits or more somber apparel, because she did.
That’s when something hit her.
My sales have gone down since I started dressing to Steve’s “standards.”
Another groan.
And he was the reason she’d bought the Cadillac instead of an Audi, like she’d wanted. He’d insisted she was better off with it.
I’m an idiot.
She set the bags by the front door so she’d remember to put them in the trunk of her car in the morning. She passed a donation center drop-off where she could leave them on her way to work.
One less thing to deal with during her move.
She chose a fun, mid-calf, flowing sundress, very dressy, layers of gauzy material and a handkerchief hem with a beaded bodice. And she put on a pair of stiletto pumps that she usually couldn’t wear to work because they weren’t that comfortable, and Steve had hated because they put her at his height.
Somehow, she suspected Brad wouldn’t mind.
They also made her legs and ass look fabulous.
Ready to go when Brad knocked on time, she opened the door and nearly swallowed her tongue.
Her Florida Cracker cowboy chemist doctor was dressed in a designer suit and tie.
He smiled. “Good evening, ma’am. Ready to go?”
She swallowed hard, nodded, and realized she’d basically forgotten how to speak English.
His smile widened. “You look beautiful, ma’am. I take it I’m dressed all right?”
Nodding so hard she knew she risked looking like a bobblehead, she gave up trying to speak.
She grabbed her purse, a wrap in case the restaurant was chilly, and her keys. Her hands shook so badly she dropped her keys as she tried to lock the door behind her, but Brad swooped in and picked them up, locking the door for her before handing them to her.
“There you go, ma’am.”
“Th-th-thank you.”
There was more than a little playful evilness in his smirk as he extended his arm for her to hold on to for the walk to his truck. “You still want to take my truck tonight?”
“Why wouldn’t I?”
“It’s not a Cadi.”
“The AC works, and it’s clean inside. That’s all I care about.”
He helped her up into the passenger seat, and she held on to his hand, keeping him from pulling away. She pressed it against her thigh.
“You look really nice,” she finally said.
“Thank you, ma’am. I haven’t had a reason to dress up in a while.”
* * * *
Brad hoped she didn’t see the stiff bulge fighting for freedom in his slacks. He’d hoped seeing him dressed like this would make a nice impression…and apparently, it had, based on her reaction.
He smirked to himself as he climbed behind the wheel and got them headed toward the restaurant, an expensive seafood bistro on Siesta Key. He hadn’t eaten there in a while but loved their food.
Wouldn’t hurt his budget, and he wanted to impress her.
Yes, playing dirty, he’d totally own that.
Of course getting his hopes up this soon was crazy and irresponsible.
At this point, he wasn’t sure he cared anymore. His thoughts had been consumed by Lara all day, to the point he’d barely gotten a damn thing done and it was lucky he hadn’t been needed to do any thinking today. Just chores around the ranch and picking Mark up after his summer school classes.
When they arrived, he walked around to help her out and loved that her heels made her taller.
“Do you have a problem with me wearing heels?” she asked.
He smiled. “You want me to answer honestly?”
“Yes.”
“I love high heels on a woman. They put her boobs closer to eye level.”
Her eyes widened before she burst out laughing, grabbing his arm tightly and holding on to maintain balance. “Well, I did want honesty.”
“Let me guess, Steve didn’t like heels on you?”
“No. He said they looked trashy. I think he didn’t like that they put me at or over his height.”
“I’d suspect you’re right.” She held his arm during the walk inside, where their table by the window, overlooking the bay, was ready for them.
“Order what you want,” he insisted as they started perusing the menu. “Don’t worry about the prices.”
He felt a little measure of satisfaction when her eyes widened. He thought she might have muttered holy shit under her breath, too.
“So, tomorrow night after dinner,” he started.
“Yes?”
“Did you want to come over to our place to look at it so you can make your final decision? Or did you want to drive by tonight once we’re finished here?”
She met his gaze. “I think tomorrow is soon enough. I’d like to spend tonight talking some more. I suspect my answer’s going to be yes anyway. But I want alone time with you first. We won’t get as much of it as we’d like once I’m living there.”
Dinner was amazing. The more time Brad spent with Lara, the harder her fell for her. Deeply.
Irrationally.
In a way he’d never felt about someone before.
Her sense of humor and intelligence shone through. Steve wasn’t just an idiot, he was a fucking moron to treat her the way he had.
My good luck, for a change.
When they finished dinner, she surprised him. “We’re not far from the beach, right?”
“Right. Why?”
“Mind if we go walk?”
“Sure.”
He drove them to a public access point and she kicked off her shoes while he pulled off his loafers and socks and left his blazer in the truck. Walking down the sand, she stared out at the Gulf.
“You ready for an uncomfortable question?” she asked.
“Sure.”
She faced him. Without the heels, she was about five eight, five inches shorter than his own six one. “What are we talking about when you mean you want me to be in charge? How far are we talking?”
His heart fell. Maybe reconsidering her views on the dynamic had backed her off somewhat. “I’m not sure what you’re asking me.”
“Beyond the relationship itself. And yes, I agree
we need a prenup to protect your assets and mine, not that I have a lot. Are we talking outright BDSM?”
He stared down into her eyes. “It depends on how far you want to take it.”
“No. I want to know what you want. I did the whole ‘husband settled for less than he really needed’ thing before. I won’t put someone else through that. I need to know, ballpark, what are we talking about? Impact play? Pegging? I need honesty from you now. I need to know you aren’t holding back.”
His heart and cock both twitched at the same time and for different reasons. His cock, because two deep fantasies he’d long had, she’d just hit right on the head.
His heart, because he was worried where this was leading.
“Perhaps. We’ll be limited by Mark being around, and your comfort levels.”
“I’m not an experienced Dominatrix or something. I’ve never done that before. I don’t know what I’m going to enjoy or like doing, or even feel comfortable doing. Will that be a problem?”
His mental racing pulled up short, a record screech in his brain as he processed what she’d said. “Ma’am?”
She stepped in close and reached up to palm his cheek. “I can’t promise you I can be some hardcore bitch in latex for you.”
“That’s not what I want.”
“Then what do you want?”
He laid his hand over hers and kissed her palm. “I don’t want to be humiliated. I don’t want to be tortured. I want to take care of you, to serve you. Under the right circumstances, to be your play toy. If you need me to take charge, then that’s what I’ll do, too. My Lady’s obedient knight. Not her doormat.”
She stepped in closer, draping her arms around his neck. “Ev said there’s a BDSM club in Sarasota.”
His hands slipped around her waist, and from the way she leaned in, he knew she didn’t care she could feel his erection making a return.
“I’ve heard about it but I’ve never been.”
“Would that interest you?”
“Maybe. We might meet people like us there who can be mentors. I’m not looking to have wank-fodder fantasies fulfilled. I don’t want to dump a heap of unrealistic sexual fetishes on you, either. I’m first and foremost interested in having a loving life partner who will appreciate what I bring to the relationship and respect me for it and see the value in it.”
“Like Ev and Wylie.”
It wasn’t a question.
He nodded. “If that’s what they have, then yes. To me, being able to let go to someone is the ultimate act of trust, and it’s a mental vacation for me. I have a ranch to run and a son to raise and on the side, I have my other business and research projects to stay on top of. To me, letting go is a stress reducer. Taking care of you is an honor, to make sure you’re happy. Something tangible I can do, right that moment, and see you smile or hear you say thank you.”
She smiled. “So if I did tell you I wanted to experiment with pegging you?”
He swallowed hard, his cock throbbing. “We can try it. If I physically can’t do it, I’ll tell you.”
“You do have a very nice ass.”
“So do you, ma’am.”
She cupped one hand around the back of his neck and pulled him in for a kiss, long and slow. He knew a soft moan escaped him, and he couldn’t help it.
When she broke the kiss, she still stared into his eyes. “And if there are times I tell you I need you to take charge, even outside the bedroom?”
“I want someone I can take care of. If you tell me that’s what you need from me to take care of you, then I still see that as serving you. We both have to get what we need out of this relationship for it to work.”
“What if I asked you to drop to your knees for me right now?”
They unhinged as if on command. He held her hands in his as he stared up at her and felt a small measure of satisfaction that her gaze had widened slightly in surprise. Obviously, she hadn’t expected him to do it.
“I can’t do this in front of Mark. And I assume you have the discretion not to do this in the middle of a crowded grocery store or something. But as long as one of our rules is we don’t do anything to interfere with the other’s jobs, or expose ourselves to others, or permanent harm to each other, there’s not much I won’t do for you, ma’am.”
“Holy shit,” she whispered.
“Is that a good holy shit, or a bad one?”
In the moonlight, he could see her throat work as she swallowed. “Depends.”
“On what?”
“On whether me leaving a damp spot on your truck seat will be a problem or not.”
Chapter Six
Lara stared down at Brad, her heart galloping in her chest. She legit had not expected him to do that. Had she said the same thing to Steve, asked him to kneel, he would have laughed at her. Definitely wouldn’t have taken her seriously, even if she’d meant it seriously.
Then again, they wouldn’t be walking on the beach, either.
“I like when you call me ma’am,” she finally managed.
Brad smiled up at her. “Maybe it should be with a capital M.”
“I like that even better.” She squeezed his hands. “I’m really scared.”
“Why?”
“Because this is moving so damn fast and feels so right.”
“Maybe it’s our lucky break.”
She tugged on his hands for him to stand, and he did. She slipped her arms around him again, enjoying the feel of his wrapping around her.
“Give me a reason we can’t sleep together tonight, please?” she asked. “Because I’m liable to start begging.”
He chuckled. “I don’t have any condoms. And, no offense, even though it’s been years since I’ve been with someone, I probably should get a new round of tests done first, just to be safe.”
“Ah. Damn logic.” She hadn’t gone bare-back with Steve at his insistence despite the fact that she was on the pill.
He hadn’t wanted kids and wanted insurance to that effect.
Still, she knew she should probably get her own round of testing done. “I’ll call my doctor and make an appointment, too.”
Standing there being held by him, he felt solid and safe, the way Ev used to make her feel.
And there was still tomorrow night to get through. If he was an asshole to his son, no matter how much she was already falling for him, she wasn’t going to be with him, much less move in with him.
“Wait…years?”
“Yep. Because I wasn’t going to disrupt Mark’s life for a one-night stand, and I wasn’t going to bring someone into his life if I wasn’t sure about them. So I refused to sleep with someone just to get off. I have two perfectly working hands, thank you.”
“And you’re sure you’re not gay?”
He chuckled. “No, Ma’am. I’m definitely not gay. Nothing against Ev or Wylie, either. Just not my particular preference. Lots of straight men enjoy receiving anal play. Not quite sure yet if I’m one of them, but if that’s what you wanted to do, we’d find that out.”
She looked up at him. “So if I ordered you to buy a butt plug to start working toward wearing it all the time for me?”
The corner of his mouth quirked up into a handsome smirk. “I guess I’d go shopping then, wouldn’t I, Ma’am?”
Holy…fuckballz. That mental image was hot.
Here was a man who was obviously capable of taking care of himself. Definitely not someone at first blush she would label as anything less than “manly” or “masculine.”
And he was willing and eager to bend himself to her will because…he wanted to.
Yeah, that was hot.
Really hot.
Thermonuclear panties level hot.
Lara pulled him down for another kiss, which was even better than the last few she’d had from him. “Let’s go back to my place to talk,” she gasped when she finally managed to find the will to break their kiss.
“And another foot rub?”
“Oh, hell, yeah.”
Once they were back at her place, and she’d changed into a T-shirt and shorts, they sat on her couch with the TV playing but unwatched as they talked.
She wished she could suss Brad out more thoroughly without revealing Mark’s secret ahead of time, but there wasn’t any way of doing that, really.
Her feet lay in his lap, where he was doing delicious things to them with his callused hands. The man could give a nearly orgasmic foot rub, that was for damn sure.
“Were you close to the previous owner of Wylie’s property?” she asked, mostly for something to talk about.
Brad had left his blazer and tie in the truck, and unbuttoned the top two buttons of his shirt. He wore an undershirt beneath that, and had rolled his sleeves up.
Still hot.
“I’d known him all my life, but I can’t say I was especially close to him. I did some work for him when I was a kid, part-time in the summer and stuff. Mark and I kept an eye on him the past couple of years as I started to notice his health declining. Always friendly with him. He had us over for dinner, or he’d come to our place. Sometimes I took him to run errands when he needed to haul heavy stuff and he wasn’t sure he could manage it by himself. Then he’d usually buy me lunch or send a pizza to our house later.”
He smiled, his gaze developing a faraway look. “He was a good man. That’s why I’m glad Everett and Wylie are there now. I think he’d like them.”
“I’m glad Everett was able to set up his workshop there. He seems really happy.”
Brad let out a snort. “Glad that other fucker hasn’t come around again.”
“Who?”
“Wylie’s ex.” His fingers paused as he frowned. “Didn’t they tell you about that?”
“No.”
He started rubbing her foot again. “Massive jackass. Nearly put my foot up his ass. Me and Ev would have, if it hadn’t been for Wylie and Andy holding us back. That was the day they were moving Ev’s equipment and metal over from the other place.”
He told her the story of the guy showing up and Brad riding over to check on Ev when he had a gut feeling there might be a problem.
Fire in the Hole Page 5