Reflection (The Chrysalis Series)

by Sallinger, Elene

  Victor had even gone so far as to provide strappy, stiletto sandals and jewellery as well as instructions on how to wear her hair. She didn’t even have the option of deviating since he’d be there tonight.

  The net result was that Bridget looked sexy and powerful yet inside felt nothing but nervous and scared.

  She wanted her man back, and she was determined to get him, but she wasn’t sure he wanted to be gotten. There’d been not one word from him. No phone calls. No messages. He’d even left what few belongings of hers he’d had in her office after hours one night.

  She’d cried for a long time over that discovery.

  Then she’d gotten the invite to his show. He’d written on it in scrawling print, “I hope you’ll come.”

  Mona, the traitor, hadn’t said a word. She hadn’t been a bit sorry about it either when Bridget had confronted her. She’d just shrugged and said, ‘He swore me to secrecy, so I guess you’ll just have to take that up with him.’

  Bridget wasn’t going to. She was too happy for him. She hoped it meant that he’d put his past into perspective as she had been working to do.

  It was still a work in progress for her, but between her sessions with Cathy and the reading and talking she’d been doing with other kinky folks courtesy of Evan, she’d come to accept that her desires weren’t something to be ashamed of.

  She’d even had a really sweet offer from a hunky morsel of man at the munch Evan had organised just for her. The gathering of like-minded kinky folks had been a real eye-opener for her. She’d had only one embarrassing moment when Jean and Louis had shown up, but they’d quickly laughed, hugged, and moved on.

  She hadn’t even truly considered the offer she’d received. Exploring kink involved deep trust and the only man she trusted at that level was Connor. Her reluctance must have shown because Evan had pulled her aside asking, ‘You OK? Is he pressuring you?’

  She’d quickly reassured him that everything was fine before continuing, ‘It’s just that I don’t see how I could do any of this with a stranger.’

  He’d smiled indulgently and replied, ‘I don’t personally recommend it.’

  He’d laughed at her clear surprise and continued. ‘Look, of course people hook up in this life, but lots of times that takes place at play parties or dungeons where there are other people and monitors to make sure safewords are respected and everything stays safe, sane and consensual.

  ‘Kink doesn’t mean throwing out the rules of common sense. If anything, you probably need to be even pickier.’

  Relief flooded her at his words. She definitely was not ready to jump in with just anyone. Truly, the only person she would even consider doing any of this with at this stage was Connor.

  ‘Have you thought about calling him?’

  Bridget scowled at him. She really didn’t like feeling so exposed.

  ‘When it comes to Connor, you wear your heart on your sleeve, babe.’

  He wrapped her in a warm hug and she drew comfort from him to fight back the tears that always hovered whenever she thought of Connor.

  Pulling back, she swiped away an errant tear.

  ‘I think about it, but so far it hasn’t become more than a thought.’

  ‘Well –’ he tipped her chin up ‘– don’t wait too long. He seemed like a good guy.’

  He was a good guy and she planned to do a hell of a lot more than call him tonight. She was going to claim him once and for all.

  Tonight, there would be no more barriers between them.

  Taking Skyler’s hand, she squeezed it.

  ‘You sure you’ll be OK, darlin’?’

  Skyler had been struggling with her worries over being a single mom. Just that morning she’d received the papers from Whittier relinquishing all parental rights. She’d been stoic, but it had been obvious that she’d been crying when she had finally emerged from her “nap” several hours later.

  ‘Yeah.’ She smiled at Bridget. ‘Mom and Lenora are coming over and we’re going to head over to Ten Fingers and Toes to get me registered.’

  Bridget was so happy that Skyler’s family had embraced her during this time. More than that, they’d welcomed Bridget with open arms, making her an honorary family member.

  ‘OK, sugar.’ She gathered the velvet wrap Victor has also provided and the small, quilted clutch. Equipped with all her feminine armour, she went to claim her man.

  Without question, this was the best night of his life. Connor surveyed the crowd that had turned out to Bean There Done That and felt himself get a little choked up. He might lose his “man card” over it, but he was definitely damp-eyed. In his wildest dream, he hadn’t expected this.

  Mona had pulled out all the stops once she’d viewed his collection. Especially his centrepiece for the show. She’d closed the shop today, and within hours it had been transformed from casual hangout to urban art gallery.

  She’d called local contractor, Wade Stalls, who’d ensured they’d met their deadline. That interaction had been something to see. He’d never seen Mona so flustered.

  Connor was feeling flustered himself. So far Bridget had been a no-show. He’d be lying to say he wasn’t severely disappointed. But, no matter the outcome, he couldn’t regret putting on this show. He’d already sold two canvases and a local art critic had promised a glowing review in the paper.

  It was as if he’d come full circle. That the two ends of his life had finally fused together. For the first time in a very long time, Connor felt whole. He had his art back without shame or recrimination. He no longer needed to hide it lest his parents’ ghosts rise up to haunt him. He was sharing his art with the world and it felt right.

  The only thing that could have made this night better was if Bridget had turned out to share it with him. The time they’d been apart had proven to him that he wasn’t going to get over her any time soon. He missed her deeply.

  He’d wanted to do this on his own, though. He’d wanted to prove that he’d meet her halfway if she was willing to try. Now, he was kicking himself. He’d waited when he should have acted and it looked like he’d lost her.

  ‘Your neck is going to cramp if you keep that up. This is an art show not a tennis match.’ Victor handed Connor a flute of champagne. ‘She’s not here, but just be patient.’

  ‘How can you be so sure? The show started over an hour ago. You know she’s compulsively punctual.’

  ‘Well, everyone has an off day.’ He chuckled. ‘I’m willing to bet she’ll be here.’

  Connor sipped his champagne, wishing it were something stronger. He and Vic had grown close after their first meeting. Vic had been another of Bridget’s champions who’d wanted to kick his ass in the aftermath of their break-up.

  He’d threatened Connor quite eloquently when Connor had gone back to return the unused toys. By the time Connor had finished explaining, Vic was offering to buy him a beer and pretending not to notice his tears. A bond had formed that night over drinks and nachos at Lou’s, a local pool hall. They’d hung out regularly ever since.

  ‘You seem awfully sure of yourself.’ Connor glanced at Victor and stopped short at the smirk on his friend’s face. ‘Hold up.’ He set his glass down. ‘You know something.’

  Vic held up a hand to stave off any more questions, ‘Don’t even try it. I’ve been sworn to secrecy and I never break my word.’

  Connor wanted to shake the smug grin from his face. This was definitely not funny.

  ‘Besides –’ Vic gestured over Connor’s shoulder. ‘I just won that bet anyway.’

  Connor spun and felt his jaw hit his chest at the vision Bridget made.

  ‘You’re catching flies, brother.’ Vic laughed and clapped him on the shoulder before moving off to embrace Bridget.

  She returned the hug and whispered something in his ear. Vic, the bastard, grinned at Connor before taking her hand and kissing it.

  He’d kill him for that later. Right now, he needed to get his dick to cooperate. It was joining the party and
he definitely did not want to be standing in a crowd at his first art show sporting a hard-on.

  Could you really blame a guy when Bridget looked like sex on legs? Every man in the house had noticed her when she walked in. He’d managed to close his mouth, but he was rooted in place. Hell, part of him just wanted to watch her walk.

  The way she moved in that dress had his imagination running wild. And that was not where he needed to be. He needed to get his little head out of the equation.

  Mona had obviously seen her. As had Claire. Both women came over and hugged her. Whatever words were exchanged resulted in Mona pointing in his direction.

  When she finally saw him, her face transformed. She smiled radiantly. It damn near knocked him on his ass. She’d never been so completely unguarded before.

  Hope, furious and hot, burned in his heart and he wrangled it down. This was not the time to get ahead of himself.

  She navigated her way over to him. When she was finally within reach, he debated throwing caution to the wind and taking her in his arms, kissing her breathless, and tossing her over his shoulder and making off with her.

  He settled for taking her hand and saying, ‘You look amazing.’

  She flushed prettily, snorted rather inelegantly, and said, ‘I feel as if my rear end is on display for the world to see. I should give Victor a piece of my mind.’

  ‘Victor?’ Her words weren’t computing.

  ‘He designed this for me.’

  She did a 360 and his jaw came perilously close to hitting his chest again. There was no way in hell she had underwear on. In that moment, he didn’t know whether to kick Vic’s ass or buy him a beer to say thank you.

  ‘Well, you look amazing.’

  She smiled again and his heart clenched. She was definitely still under his skin.

  A waiter walked by and she accepted a flute of champagne. Turning back to Connor, she waved a hand, taking in the room.

  ‘I’m so happy for you, Connor. I hope this doesn’t sound patronising, but I’m really proud of you.’

  ‘That means a lot to me, Bridg.’ He blew out the breath he hadn’t realised he’d been holding. ‘I’m really glad you came.’

  Tender green eyes met his. ‘I wouldn’t miss it for anything, sugar.’

  His groin tightened at all that Southern coming his way, but he commanded himself to behave.

  ‘Would you like the tour?’ Anticipation rolled through him like an itch he couldn’t scratch.

  ‘Lead on.’ She smiled.

  He offered her his arm and she took it. She felt good tucked into his body. He didn’t want to let go of her.

  He took her around, showing her the pieces he’d chosen for the show. Many of them she’d seen at his place. A few were new and she exclaimed excitedly over them, making him feel quite accomplished.

  Their progress was slow since patrons regularly stopped Connor to ask him about his work or offer their compliments. Finally, they made it to the last piece. A crowd surrounded it. Connor politely pushed through to the front, making sure Bridget’s view was unobstructed, and waited for her response.

  Bridget was stunned speechless. Nothing could have prepared her for the sight hanging in front of her.

  Connor had taken the image he’d drawn at their first picnic and blown it up to life-size proportions. She gazed out from the canvas with a look in her eyes that could best be described as tortured yearning. It was as if he’d seen into her soul and put it on display.

  He’d seen what she’d not wanted to acknowledge. That he’d understood what she’d refused to was evident in the painting’s title: Yearning to be Whole.

  Tears welled in her eyes. She didn’t know what to say. She’d pushed him away and he’d been right there the whole time just waiting for her to see it. She’d been a class-A idiot.

  ‘Hey.’ He tipped her chin up. ‘What’s wrong?’

  She started to respond, but became highly aware of the people surrounding them. Taking his hand, she led him to Mona’s office. Once inside, she shut the door.

  ‘Bridget –’ he began.

  She cut him off with a kiss. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she clung to him and poured all her pain and sorrow at pushing him away into it. He matched her fervour. His tongue duelled with hers even as he gripped her ass and pressed her tightly against him.

  When she finally broke the kiss, they were both panting and breathless.

  ‘Hell, I’ll paint you every day if that’s the response I’ll get.’

  She laughed and felt all her tension drain away.

  ‘It wasn’t the painting, even though it’s gorgeous.’ She took his hand and pulled him over to the chairs in front of Mona’s desk. ‘It was how you saw me. How you knew I wanted more.’

  She looked away from his all too knowing eyes and smoothed her skirt.

  Meeting his grey eyes again, she said, ‘I’m so sorry, Connor. Everything you said was right. I did keep you at a distance. I was comfortable in my box, as much as it chafed, and I didn’t take any risks.’

  Grabbing his hand, she continued, ‘I’d like to change that.’ She was reassured when he squeezed her hand in return. ‘If you want to try, that is.’

  Connor was silent, his eyes suddenly unreadable, and she began to doubt whether or not she’d get her man after all.

  When he finally spoke, his voice was soft. ‘I owe you an apology. I was demanding something from you that I wasn’t even doing. It was hypocritical.’

  He brought her hand to his mouth and kissed it.

  ‘I love you, Bridget. I want to be with you, but I guess I’m asking how you see this going?’

  Hope flared in her chest. He was willing!

  Tears welled and she couldn’t stop them. ‘I don’t want any barriers between us. I’ve been seeing a rape counsellor and I’ve been talking with Evan and other experienced people about the kinkier stuff. But I only want to be with you. I don’t want to be with anyone else. I want to try these things with you.’

  Tears flowed unchecked and she felt ecstatic at this second chance. He tugged her into his lap and held her close. She breathed him in, taking in the scent of soap and clean skin, the warm hardness of his chest and the steady thrum of his heartbeat.

  She sighed contentedly. ‘I love you, Connor.’

  She felt him grin against her hair. ‘There’s no way you’re getting away now.’

  She chuckled. ‘Oh really. How do you plan to keep me?’

  Squeezing her tighter, he teased, ‘Maybe I’ll just have to tie you down and keep you in my bed.’

  ‘Hmm.’ She snuggled in closer, nipping his neck. ‘That might work, but what if I don’t cooperate?’

  A deep laugh rumbled in his chest at her flirting, ‘Maybe I’ll have to spank you if you’re bad.’

  She grinned into his neck. ‘Promise?’

  His cock leaped under her hips and she laughed.

  Pulling back, he tipped her chin so that their eyes met. His had deepened to a charcoal grey and were filled with heat. ‘Are you serious, Bridg?’

  She nodded, ‘Yes, darlin’. I’m dead serious. I want you to do all that to me, Connor.’

  He put her out of her lap and tugged her towards the door.

  She laughed harder. ‘Connor, what are you doing?’

  He grinned that lopsided grin she loved so much. ‘We’re leaving. I’ve got a lot of time to make up for.’

  She was laughing so hard she could barely speak, but managed to force out, ‘What about your show?’

  He stopped short and she almost ran into him.

  ‘Shit!’ He raked a hand through his hair. ‘I guess I can’t run out on my own show. But, woman, you are not getting away from me again. Understood?’

  She rose up on tiptoes and brushed a kiss across his lips. ‘I’m all yours, sugar.’

  His grin melted her heart. ‘Damn straight!’

  Taking her hand, he pulled her back out into the crowd.

  Chapter Thirty-two

  S
he was magnificent. Naked and on her elbows and knees, her ass in the air, Bridget looked resplendent. Her skin was cherry red from the spanking he’d given her and her pussy glistened in the low light.

  He dipped his fingers into her core and then brought them to his lips, sucking her moisture from them. She was tangy and ripe, but, as much as he wanted to bury himself inside her, he wasn’t near done with her.

  He’d returned everything he’d bought to Victor, so he was improvising. He’d found a scarf shoved in his closet that had been a present years ago and he’d bound her wrists together.

  That had been a tense moment. He’d thought she’d balk then, but she’d locked eyes with him until her breathing had calmed down. It had tested all of his self-control to take it slow with her, but ensuring her re-entry into this was uneventful was crucial and he didn’t want to fuck it up.

  Spanking her had been sublime and she’d nearly come as he’d played with her clit in between strikes, but he’d backed off. He wanted her mindless when she finally came.

  ‘Roll over, baby,’ he directed.

  She obliged and he kissed her deeply, enjoying her taste and her soft submission. He was going to ensure she didn’t regret giving him this gift.

  * * *

  Bridget felt the cracks in her mind filling in. As ironic as it was, with each strike, she’d felt more at peace. When Connor had bound her wrists, images of Trent had threatened to overwhelm her, but staring into Connor’s eyes, so filled with love for her, had kept her grounded.

  Right now her butt was on fire and the cotton of his sheets abraded the tender skin. She arched and moaned under him, thrusting her breasts in the air, silently begging for more.

  She got it.

  He smacked first one nipple then the other. Pain, sharp and hot, radiated across her breasts before fading into a pleasant sting. He leaned over and sucked gently on her nipples, soothing the tender buds before striking them again.

  She cried out, amazed to feel her clitoris pulsing. She arched and writhed as pleasure filled her. Inside she began to coil, like a string being pulled tight. Her pussy pulsed; she wanted him inside her.

  ‘More!’ she demanded.