“Is he what?”
Andi leaned forward. “A Dom?”
“Yeah.”
She popped another olive into her mouth. “I knew it. So how did you find out?”
“I think I owe it to you.”
“Me? What do I have to do with it?”
The server brought a plate of hummus, surrounded by carrot and celery sticks along with pita chips.
“Thank God,” Andi said. “I didn’t eat today.” When they were alone again, she scooped up some dip and said, “Continue.”
“He confronted me about wanting to go to Deviation.”
“How did he find out? Did you tell him?”
Kelsey shook her head. “It was his brother. I’m not sure how, but evidently the manager recognized my name when you called. And Connor notified Nathan.” Kelsey swirled her glass to dislodge some of the chocolate syrup clinging to the inside. She could see the teardrop-shaped piece of milk chocolate at the bottom, sitting there like a reward for consuming every delicious sip.
“I’m going to need another drink,” Andi said. “This is going to be interesting. Until yesterday, I didn’t know you were into kinky shit. I mean, I know you won that paddle, but you flushed about seventeen shades of red when I smacked you on the butt with it. So I was sure you were scandalized.”
“Well, you haven’t talked much about it, either.”
“I like working over a sub or two occasionally.”
Kelsey choked on a drink. “You’re a Domme?”
Andi shrugged and signaled for their server to bring another round. “More of a switch. I like to bottom sometimes, just because I get sick of being in charge all the time. But mostly, I like being Queen Bitch, and I love to use a flogger on a woman. Their asses are so much hotter than a man’s, rounder. Softer. Though if I could get Lorean to drop his leather pants for long enough, I’d use a carpet beater on his tight butt. That’s a man who needs a serious ass-whooping.”
“You’re not his type.”
“No?” Andi took a bite from a carrot.
“Isn’t he… Wait… What?” She drained her glass. Kelsey hoped the server returned soon. She definitely needed that second drink. “You’re serious? You have a thing for Lorean?”
“Confounded drama queen.”
“Lorean?” Kelsey repeated incredulously. Her friend had worked with the man for at least three years. Constant arguments, challenges and upsets seemed to be their norm. Kelsey had no clue there was any interest there.
“Stupid, right?”
The server arrived with their beverages, saving Kelsey from an immediate answer.
“Are you finished here?” The man reached for Kelsey’s glass.
“I think she’ll break your fingers if you try to take it,” Andi said.
“Are you kidding me?” Kelsey pickup up her cocktail straw. “This is vodka-infused chocolate we’re talking about.”
“Not just your fingers,” Andi said to the server, wagging her artful eyebrows. “You’re in danger of losing your whole arm if you try to move it.”
“I’ll be back.” The man grinned and made a show of stepping slowly away from the table.
Kelsey tilted the glass and used her straw to guide the little slice of heaven into her mouth.
Since her whole body seemed warmer, she decided to go a little slower on the second drink. “Does he know?” she asked when they were alone again. “Lorean, I mean.”
“Oh, hell yes.”
“And you two…?”
“We have.”
Kelsey had known the conversation this evening was going to be wild, but she’d had no idea it would be anything like this. “So what’s the problem?”
“His lack of seriousness. Try snuggling on the couch with him.”
“Uhm. No. Good. Pass. Thanks.” To drown the image, Kelsey took the last, long drink of her martini.
“I do everything at Mach speed, and he slows me down. And it takes him longer to get ready to go places than it does me. Two of us in the bathroom doing makeup. And he even wore some of my earrings.”
“I…” She shrugged helplessly. “I’ve got nothing. I don’t even know what to say.”
“Doesn’t really matter. We’re on a break now.”
“Since last night,” Kelsey guessed.
“Exactly.”
“You okay?”
“I will be. Or I am as long as I don’t think about him. So. Enough about all that. Entertain me. I want to hear about Nathan and what happened between the two of you. And, oh, wait. Have you had the opportunity to get me a referral with Erin Donovan yet?”
“In the last twenty-four hours?” Kelsey scowled at her friend. “Not everything is about your business.”
“I forget that.”
“I did meet Zoe McBride today. Sofia’s sister.”
“How’s her hair?”
“I’d be surprised if she wasn’t already one of your clients.”
“I’ll send her a coupon. You know, if you send people to me, it won’t cost you much for me to add some burgundy lowlights to your hair. Normally, as long as it is, it would cost you a fortune, but—”
“I like my hair as it is. Thank you.” Kelsey took the first sip of her second drink.
Andi sighed. After falling silent, she went after some more hummus and waved a chip, encouraging Kelsey to get on with the story.
“We had coffee after work, and he gave me a ride home. And when we got there…”
“Go on.”
“He told me about the call from Connor, and he said that if I wanted to go to Deviation, he would escort me.”
Andi’s hand froze on the way to her mouth. “You’re going as his sub?” She fanned herself. “There’s more, isn’t there?”
“He wants to train me this week.” Kelsey took another fortifying drink. “He, uh, gave me an introduction last night.”
“What did he do? Tell me he spanked you.”
Kelsey hesitated a couple of seconds. “He did.”
“And how was it?”
This was unbelievably difficult to answer. “Amazing. Mind-blowing. Left me with about a hundred thousand questions.”
“Anything I can help with?”
“I don’t get why I like it.”
“Why is that a question?” Andi demanded.
Kelsey made little circles on the base of the glass. “It’s that I think I shouldn’t.”
“Because of being a badass executive assistant who’s fought male oppression half her life.”
“Well, when you put it that way…” She smiled and took a bite.
“And did you feel oppressed last night?”
“No.” Kelsey shook her head. “It was weird. It was more liberating to be that honest about what I wanted.” She remembered being bent over and the way reality had been so skewed that it felt as if she were fantasizing. “The orgasms were devastating.”
“Then why not enjoy it? Suspend judgment for the week. If you decide at any point that you don’t like something— Wait. Tell me you have a safe word.”
“Yes.”
“Then if you don’t like something, don’t do it. Problem solved.”
Problem solved? As if it were that easy.
Andi popped the rest of the carrot in her mouth. “You could decide not to judge yourself for what you like and don’t like. Think of it as new food. You didn’t know you liked hummus until you tried it. Now you order it every time we come here.”
Kelsey rolled her eyes. “It’s a little more complicated than that.”
“Doesn’t have to be. BDSM isn’t a one-size-fits-all thing. There’s no right or wrong, and don’t listen to anyone who says there is. Everyone has limits, things about it they like, things they don’t. Some people are lifestylers, others practice it in the bedroom. Others mix it up, like doing it only on vacations or weekends. A bunch of us mostly keep it confined to clubs. For example…”
Now Kelsey was the one desperate to hear the dish.
Andi leane
d in a bit. “I didn’t really like bondage all that well. Took too damn long. I normally prefer impact play. But when I tied up Lorean one time—wait, do you want to hear all this?”
“I’m not sure.” She took another sip. “Okay. I’m ready.”
“That pink rope around his…well…”
“I get the picture.” Not that she wanted to.
“I kind of want to see him in it all the time. It takes a long time, but surprisingly, I find it kind of Zen. Like yoga.”
“You gave up yoga.”
“They make you breathe. Child’s pose. Downward dog. Only got time for that in the bedroom. But anyway, I digress. Sometimes my knots aren’t as beautiful as he’d like them to be. He doesn’t care if I spend three hours tying him, but if the knot isn’t perfect, he throws a fit. That boy needs an ass-whooping,” she repeated. “And I’m thinking I’m going to be the one to do it. Really soon. Oh. Oh. Incoming.”
“Incoming?”
“I could be mistaken, but I’m not. Nathan Donovan is heading our direction.”
“What the hell?” She swung her head to see Nathan devouring the distance with long, purposeful strides. Andi wasn’t wrong. Kelsey was his intended target.
He was still dressed as he had been at the office, dark-gray suit and power tie. His shirt looked as crisp as it had this morning.
She’d been planning to freshen up before calling him, but he’d caught her off guard.
He was totally devastating.
“Ladies,” he said by way of greeting when he stopped at their table. “Kelsey.”
There was something mesmerizing about his eyes. Even though the restaurant wasn’t brightly lit and nighttime had fallen, his eyes were fiery, and he was focused entirely on her. Her throat went dry. “Is there a problem, Mr. Donovan?”
“Not at all. If you’d like to scoot over, I’ll join you.”
Andi busied herself scooping the last of the hummus onto a chip.
Reluctantly, Kelsey made room for him.
“Are you going to introduce me to your friend?” he asked as soon as he was seated.
Instead of replying, she asked, “What are you doing here?”
“You didn’t answer my phone calls or text messages.”
“My phone’s in my bag. Under the table.” She gripped the base of her glass. “I told you I’d call when I was done.”
“You did. And when we spoke earlier, you said you’d be an hour, hour and a half at the most.”
“And?”
“It’s been closer to two. You’re always welcome to spend as much time with your friends as you want. I was simply concerned your phone wasn’t working, so I figured I would make sure you weren’t waiting on me, wondering where I was.” With a smile that devastated, he said, “Am I intruding?”
“Of course you are.” Kelsey was annoyed.
“It’s fine,” Andi said. “I’m the friend who’s the bad influence, Andi Malloy.”
“I’ve heard of you.”
“You have?”
“The party. Where Kelsey won the paddle.”
Of course he’d remember everything she’d told him.
“Well, now that we have that out of the way…” Andi laughed. “When I’m not corrupting my friends, I own From Hair to Eternity. It’s a salon not far from here.”
“Delighted to meet you. Nathan Donovan.” They shook hands. “Your hair is your advertisement, I take it.”
“Getting it to look like this takes magical unicorn powder, a master artist, two glasses of wine and four hours.”
“I’m willing to bet my sister would be interested in that.”
“Are you kidding me? I’ve been begging Kelse to get me a referral.”
“Consider it done,” he replied. “Do you have a business card?”
Andi dug in her oversize black tote emblazoned with a vibrant sugar skull and pulled out a purple card.
“Good marketing,” he told her. “No one has cards like this.”
“I’ll give your sister her first service free.”
Kelsey rolled her eyes. “What happened to half-price?”
“My kingdom to have Erin Donovan at my color bar.”
“Is that what it’s called?” Nathan frowned.
“At From Hair to Eternity, we have a separate area where we do color. We have magazines and some interactive tablets where we take the customer’s image and show them various colors, highlights, lowlights, balayage. Sort of a ‘try it before you wear it’ kind of thing. And we want to keep them entertained while they process, so we have complimentary wine and mimosas.”
“I’m sure that’s a good idea.”
Kelsey was sure he had no idea whether or not it was.
“I keep trying to get my hands on Kelsey.”
He turned and looked at her. “Me too.”
“Hair, Mr. Donovan. She wants to get her hands on my hair.” But his softly spoken words had sent an illicit ripple through her.
“It’s perfect as it is,” he said.
“Copper,” Andi went on as if he hadn’t spoken. “Forget burgundy. We could add some copper. Highlights, maybe. Brighten it up.”
“Up to Kelsey.” He shrugged. “Personally, I wouldn’t change a thing.”
Andi glared.
He held up his hands in mock defeat. “No one asked my opinion, though.”
The server walked over and asked if he could bring anything else.
Nathan ordered a Texas single malt, neat.
“Anything else? Maybe some sliders? Chicken wings? Happy hour ends in about twenty minutes.”
Instead of answering for them, Nathan looked at each woman in turn. “Ladies?”
How did he manage to do that? At once, he was annoying and charming.
Even though another chocolate martini sounded like heaven, she shook her head, consciously making the choice to scene with him when they got back to her place. The simple decision made waves of anticipation roll through her stomach.
“Did you eat anything besides hummus?” he asked Kelsey.
She shook her head.
“Would you like to go somewhere else for dinner or eat something else here?”
The idea of going out to dinner with him didn’t appeal to her, but she was still hungry. “Sliders,” she said.
“Andi?” he asked.
“I’d eat some.”
“Two orders, for the table.”
“With French fries,” Andi added.
The server committed the order to memory before leaving.
Over the next half hour as they ate, she was surprised by how charming Nathan was, asking Andi about her business and listening to her plans for expansion. But the whole time, with the way he touched her beneath the table and looked at her when she spoke, he made her feel extraordinarily special.
A master of conversation, the way he was with everything else, he directed the discussion toward the upcoming weekend. “I invited Kelsey to go to Deviation with me this weekend. I know you were the one to call to get her on the guest list, and I apologize most sincerely for interfering in your plans.”
Kelsey knew he wasn’t sorry, and she was sure Andi knew it as well. But she appreciated him for owning up to being the one to step in and alter things.
“Since it’s unexpected,” he said to Andi, “I’m happy to pick you up if you’d like to ride together.” With his words, he made it clear he was offering transportation and nothing more.
“Thanks for the offer, but no. And honestly, I’m glad,” she said. “I’d forgotten it’s my dad’s birthday party. I wouldn’t be able to get out of it. I was going to see if you could reschedule, Kelsey.”
Kelsey studied her friend, looking for signs of lies.
Andi turned up both palms as if to say she was telling the truth.
When the server brought the check, Nathan handed over his credit card.
“That’s not necessary,” Kelsey said.
He put his hand on her knee and caressed her. “It’s an
honor to have dinner with two beautiful women.”
After the bill was settled, he asked, “Can I give you a lift somewhere, Andi?”
“Thanks, but I valet parked.”
Outside, both of them handed over claim tickets, and he said, “Get the lady’s car first.”
Andi was already safely on the road before the valet brought around Nathan’s SUV. He handed Kelsey into the car then gave the valet a tip that was bigger than she would have expected before getting in the vehicle.
“Is the temperature comfortable?”
“Fine. Thanks.” She was still slightly annoyed with him for showing up and cutting her time with Andi short.
This evening, he didn’t need directions to her house, and when her phone chimed, she pulled it out of her bag. As he’d said, he’d sent a couple of messages and called. Because of the background noise, she obviously hadn’t heard the notifications. And she could see it from his point of view. He’d been waiting to hear from her, and he hadn’t contacted her until after six-thirty, the time she’d said she might want to leave. Even then, he’d given her another thirty minutes before seeking her out. He hadn’t insisted she leave. And he’d paid the bill. Maybe she was overly sensitive to the overbearing male syndrome.
“I’m sorry that I didn’t hear the phone.”
“I enjoyed meeting your friend.” Since they were at a stoplight, he looked at her. “And I can’t wait to get you home.”
She wiggled against her seat. He’d dropped his voice before adding the second part, and he’d wrapped her in his cloak of intimacy.
Concentrating on anything but him, she looked at the text from Andi.
Holy hotness. He’s sex on a stick. I’ll do him if you don’t want him.
With a grin, she shook her head, turned off the screen then dropped the phone back in her bag.
At this time of evening, traffic was light.
“Have you done any thinking?” he asked. “About proper behavior.”
In an instant, he’d gone from general conversation to something that only concerned them. “I was hoping we could skip that part.”
“I’m sure you were.”
“Don’t tell me you’ve actually had time to think about it. Aren’t you busy snapping up companies all over the city?”
“The state, actually,” he replied.
Boss Page 15