Black Obsidian

by Victoria Quinn

  My heart was beating fast, but I hid my anxiety. I wore the mask I always wore, appearing indifferent despite the range of emotions deep inside me.

  He grabbed the chair beside him and adjusted it so I could sit—right next to him. The chairs were only inches apart, and our legs would brush against each other under the table. “I’ve been saving this seat for you.”

  I lowered myself into the seat and kept a stoic expression, not reacting to what he just said. “You knew I was coming?”

  “I wore my lucky tie, and that thing works like a charm.” He gave me that slight smile, the kind that reached his eyes and gave him a boyish aura. He crossed one leg and rested his ankle on the opposite knee. His chest and shoulders were large, covering the chair that supported his back. Even though he was covered in clothing, the details of his body could be determined by the hug of the fabric. He had a wide and powerful chest, muscled arms, and shoulders that could lift a mountain.

  “You should let me borrow it sometime.”

  “Not if you’re going to use it for another guy.” His hand rested on his thigh, and the top of it was corded in veins. His forearms were probably the same, masculine with tight muscles. “But I will if you use it on me.”

  “I don’t need a tie.” I crossed my legs under the table then poured some wine into his empty glass. I brought it to my lips and took a drink.

  He watched me, his eyes growing darker.

  I was never this flirtatious with anyone, and I wasn’t even sure what was happening. My hormones took charge, and my mind was dulled.

  “Congratulations on your award.”

  “Thank you. I’m sorry I took it from you.”

  He smiled again, the genuine kind that reached his eyes. “I’m not. You earned it.”

  “That’s nice of you to say.”

  “And sincere.” He took the wine glass from my hand and took a drink. “Where are you going to put it?”

  “In my office at work. I think it’ll look nice.”

  “I’m sure it will.”

  “Where do you keep yours?”

  “In my office on the bookshelf.”

  “Want to know something interesting?”

  He leaned closer to me, far too close for a work function. “As long as it’s coming from you—always.”

  I wondered if he laid these moves on everyone. Even if he did, they worked. I was turning into a puddle at the very moment. “I applied to your company twice a few years ago. Never got an interview.”

  His eyes narrowed in surprise. “That’s a shame. We missed out.”

  “After that, I opened For All, so everything worked out. But I was so disappointed when I didn’t get the job. It was the first thing I applied for out of college. I’m such an admirer of your work. You do so much for so many people and never expect anything in return.”

  “If you’re still interested, I could find you something.”

  I smiled at his generosity. “That’s very nice of you, but I’m okay. I love my little company. In fact, I’m glad things worked out the way they did. I love having control in what we do.”

  “It’s a great organization. I’ve respected your work for years.”

  He might just be saying that, but I suspected he wasn’t. “Thanks. That means a lot.”

  His eyes scanned across my face, taking in my eyes and my mouth like I was a work of art rather than a person. He didn’t hesitate to study me, not caring if I noticed. “I’m going to say something, and I want you to accept it without saying a word.”

  “Okay…” His intensity was frightening, but it sucked me in. I felt the magnetic pull on my body as I fell deeper into him. This man turned me into a weak deer that could barely stand on its legs.

  “Ever since you slapped me, I haven’t stopped thinking about you. You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen—and your palm is even more beautiful.”

  I breathed through my reaction, keeping my lips immobile even though there were a few things I wanted to say. Instead, I held his gaze, feeling my body elevate in temperature until even my ears burned. My palms suddenly felt sweaty and my thighs squeezed together under the table.

  He hadn’t blinked since he said those words. He stared at me with his piercing gaze, seeing right through me and all my defenses. His eyes slowly migrated across my features, taking in my lips, my neck, and then my eyes.

  The air suddenly felt heavy, the nearby conversations turned silent, and it felt like we were the only two people in the world. His natural power and masculine strength made me tense in his presence. I’d never met a man who made me feel like such a woman. I wanted his hands on my body, those lips pressed against my mouth, and his cock buried deep inside me. I wanted all of him—tonight. “Can I buy you a drink sometime?”

  His eyes narrowed in response, focusing on mine. “No.”

  I stared at him in confusion, assuming I heard him wrong.

  “I’m buying your drinks—for a very long time.”

  He offered to take me home, and I accepted his offer so I could be with him a little longer. We sat in the back seat of the town car while his driver took us to my address. I sat on one side of the car and he sat on the other.

  There was no touching—but there was heat.

  Just before we pulled up to my building, I remembered Christopher. I didn’t tell him I was leaving, and now I felt like a bitch for ditching him. I pulled out my phone and sent him a quick message. Sorry, I just left. Calloway took me home.

  He responded immediately. Good. ‘Bout time you got some D.

  I rolled my eyes and typed back. Hooking up with that woman?

  Already did in the bathroom.

  I cringed before I tucked my phone into my clutch.

  “Your brother seems like a nice guy.” His gaze was focused out the window, so he didn’t peer at my phone while I was typing. It was simply a good guess.

  “He is.”

  “I like him.”

  “Everyone does.” They found his humor charming and even his insults endearing. “Do you have siblings?”

  “One brother. Jackson.”

  I kept my hands in my lap and stared out the window. My fingers naturally rubbed together, and I forced them to stop so he wouldn’t know I was nervous. He kept his calm and indifferent façade, and I wanted to play it cool as well.

  When we arrived at my apartment, we walked up to my floor then stopped in front of my door. The hallway was run-down with torn carpet covered in stains. Most of the light fixtures were broken, so it was unnaturally dark. It smelled damp, like a few pipes were busted in the walls and an entire colony of mold was growing. I knew he was extremely wealthy, so this place was definitely a dump in his eyes.

  But he never acted like it.

  I got my key in the door with my heart racing, prepared to invite him inside. But reason descended on my shoulders, and I knew I was doing this for the wrong reasons. I finally found a man I was excited about, so I wanted to jump the gun. But in reality, I really didn’t know anything about him other than his charms and his charity work. I had to slow this down before I did something I regretted.

  I turned around and kept my back to the door. “Thank you for taking me home.”

  He hid his disappointment so well I actually believed it. He must have assumed he would come inside tonight, but he didn’t voice that expectation. A guy like him must get action left and right—without lifting a finger. “It was a pleasure. I’m glad I ran into you tonight.”

  “Me too.”

  He inched closer to me until I was backed up into the door. My back pressed against the old wood, and I felt his chest move into mine. Both of his hands pressed against the door, on either side of my head. I was caged like an animal with nowhere to run. He eyed my lips before he leaned in and pressed a kiss over my mouth. It was soft, a contradiction to how hard he was, and he didn’t use his tongue. He kissed me slowly before he gave my bottom lip extra attention. He pulled it into his mouth before he released me. His eyes lev
eled with mine, and he stared me down, the veins in his neck protruding harder than they did before. He took a deep breath to restrain himself, feeling that scorching kiss with the same intensity. “I know you aren’t the kind of woman to sleep with a guy on the first date. So I’m not gonna push my way through this door until we’re rolling around on your sheets.” He eyed my lips like he might kiss me again. “But just know I want to.”

  5

  Calloway

  I jerked off twice when I got home.

  Ever since I laid eyes on this woman, I’d jerked off five times. And I never jerked off. I preferred the real thing rather than my imagination and a slick hand. I wanted her tight pussy around my cock—along with her ass and mouth.

  I wanted all of her—right this very moment.

  Just watching her walk turned me on. She held herself like a queen, her head high and her shoulders back. It didn’t matter how tall her heels were. She could still strut across the floor like her feet were bare.

  When I first met Christopher, I feared the worst—that she had a man. When I saw them together, I seriously considered killing him. Whoever he was, he didn’t deserve her. He wasn’t man enough to handle a woman like that—only I was. Fortunately, Christopher was a sibling in her eyes—no threat whatsoever.

  I stayed at my table because I wanted to observe her. When we spoke, I detected the arousal in her eyes. Her chest and neck were flushed pink, and her pretty lips were moist from constantly licking them. She hid her desire better than most women, but I could see it if I looked hard enough.

  So I left the ball in her court.

  And like I hoped, she came to me. Once she saw Patricia making her way toward me, she stepped up and intervened. She sank into the chair I’d been holding for her and claimed a stake.

  She wanted me.

  Thank fucking god.

  Because if she didn’t, I was going to make her mine anyway.

  I put all my cards on the table and told her what I wanted—her. And when I took her home, I really thought I was going to sink into her and come deep inside her. When she said otherwise, I was surprised I wasn’t irritated. I accepted her dismissal when I could have seduced her until I got what I wanted. She was attracted to me and clearly wanted me, but that wasn’t a road I wanted to take. I wanted her to want me, to beg me, before I finally had her. I respected her too much to take something that wasn’t freely given.

  Which wasn’t like me at all.

  I kept picturing her tied up in my safe room, her wrists chained to her ankles with her ass in the air. I pictured my big cock sinking into that tiny puckered hole and making us both come at the same time. I wanted to gag her pretty mouth so she would have to scream louder to be heard. I wanted to slap her ass as hard as she’d slapped me. I wanted to break her until there was nothing left.

  But that would take time.

  I wasn’t sure if that was a lifestyle she participated in because I couldn’t find any information about her. Judging by her ruthless confidence, I had a feeling it was something she’d never experimented with before. But she did have the courage to explore new territory, so there was hope. Maybe she would agree to be my submissive after she got to know me. I wouldn’t be the only one getting pleasure out of it. She would get even more.

  I waited a few days before I contacted her because some restraint was necessary. If I rushed her too quickly, it would chase her away. It was okay to tell her I wanted her, but if I showed her just how truly obsessed I was, it would turn her off.

  It would terrify any woman.

  It was a Tuesday afternoon when I walked into her office on 10th. It was a small building with two stories. The top was a psychic palm reader, and on the bottom was her nonprofit organization For All. A small sign was next to the door. Something about the quaint space was innately charming—unlike her apartment. That place was a dump, and it took all my strength not to buy her a condo right then and there.

  I walked inside. The place was about five hundred square feet with a small waiting area, a bathroom, and a large white desk against the window. A vase of fresh flowers sat on the corner, a white MacBook was in the center, and a stack of stationery was on the opposite corner.

  Her voice sounded from the break room. “Oh my god, Tay. This guy is from another planet. He’s so gorgeous I actually want to throw up.”

  I grinned when I realized she was gossiping about me to her girlfriend. I took a seat in front of her desk and rested my ankle on the opposite knee. I’d stopped by my office at Humanitarians United to do a few things that morning, so I was dressed down in jeans and a long-sleeve shirt. I relaxed and listened to the rest of their conversation.

  “He’s the director and founder of that nonprofit I told you about. He’s a gentleman—”

  I wanted to laugh at that part.

  “He’s funny and sweet. And he’s just so…hot. I can’t explain it better than that. I haven’t felt this way about a guy since…I can’t even remember.”

  Now I was grinning like an idiot.

  Her voice turned somber after Taylor said something. “No, he’s nothing like that asshole. I can tell.”

  My smile dropped instantly.

  “Tay, I’ve got to go. I’ve got so much stuff to do today, it makes me wish I had the money for an assistant.” She hung up then walked back into the room, holding a steaming mug. She didn’t notice me right away. When she reached her desk, she nearly jumped out of her heels and spilled her beverage all over her body. “Oh god…how long have you been sitting there?”

  I grinned in response.

  She set her mug down and sighed in humiliation. “Will I ever not embarrass myself in your presence?”

  “I hope not.” I rose from the chair and came around her desk, entering her personal space quicker than I normally would. After hearing that conversation, I knew she was seriously into me. That gave me some leverage.

  Her cheeks started to flush rose pink in embarrassment. She ran her fingers through her hair anxiously, her green eyes no longer possessing their usual fire.

  “I’ll even the score. After I dropped you off, I went home and beat off twice—thinking about you.” That was personal and true, and to most people, probably a little embarrassing. I should have walked out before I invaded her personal conversation, and now I actually felt a little guilty about it. “Does that help?”

  She swallowed the lump in her throat and her cheeks tinted a darker shade. Instead of just being embarrassed, she was aroused. At least the latter was better than the former. “Yeah…I guess.”

  “And after we met in the bar, I did the same.” I put more of my cards on the table, wanting her to know the exact hand I possessed. Her charming personality and her flushed cheeks made me even more fond of her. Unlike most women, she was real. She was upfront and honest, and she wasn’t too proud to admit when she was vulnerable. Only a truly confident woman could be that way.

  “Getting better.”

  “And I haven’t felt this way about a woman in…forever.” That wasn’t some lie to get her to open her legs. That was the truth, and I didn’t even understand it yet. I saw her in that bar, fell hard, and when she slapped me, I fell even harder. My fascination wasn’t just with her appearance and her boldness. It ran deeper than that, but I still couldn’t explain it. I wanted her to be my submissive, but since she was nothing like a submissive, I couldn’t figure out why I wanted her so much. Maybe because she was a challenge—the biggest one I’d ever faced.

  Her eyes softened and her cheeks finally returned to their naturally fair color. The freckle in the corner of her mouth contrasted against the pale skin, and her bright eyes reminded me of stars. “We’re even.”

  I took her to lunch at a Mediterranean place just down the street. To my annoyance, she ordered a side salad instead of anything on the entrée menu. Maybe she had a big breakfast and she wasn’t that hungry, so I didn’t give her shit about it. She was extremely thin but curvy, and I hoped she didn’t starve herself to look t
hat way.

  Natural light filtered through the window and cast her in a good view. Her eyes reflected the winter sunlight, and her brown hair looked almost red under the bright light. Like an angel with a halo, she glowed.

  “What’s the next project you’re working on?”

  She was asking me about work, the biggest thing we had in common. “With the holidays around the corner, we’re organizing a gift drive. We’re raising money for Christmas gifts for ten thousand working families in Manhattan.”

  With passion, her eyes lit up. “That’s so wonderful. Are you mostly collecting toys?”

  “We’re collecting gifts for adults too. That way the whole family has something to open on Christmas morning. It comes with a tree, ornaments and lights, and a dinner.”

  Her eyes glowed even further. “That’s such a great idea. That will make their day so wonderful.”

  “You’re more than welcome to participate.” I knew her organization had their own projects, but it didn’t hurt to team up together. After all, we were all working toward the same cause.

  “I would love to.”

  I knew she would agree, and I was hoping she would for selfish reasons. “What are you working on?”

  “Food kitchens for the homeless. They usually receive canned goods from the Salvation Army, but we’re trying to get more nutritious foods all year round. Around the holidays, volunteers put the effort in to help, but after January, the homeless are abandoned all over again. I really want to change that.” She took a few bites of her tiny salad then sipped her iced tea.

  “That sounds great.”

  “I’ve got a good team to help me out. I can’t be everywhere at once, so they’re my eyes, ears, and hands.”

  “Do you do this full-time?” I already knew the answer from Charles, but I wanted the answer from her.

  “Yeah. I founded this company right after college, and I’ve been doing it ever since. Sometimes, I do family therapy on the side for extra cash, but my schedule is usually so busy I can’t do that very often.”