“Do I get to discover where we are headed to now?” Kindle asked when he got in behind the wheel of his car after holding the passenger side door for her.
“No. Just relax. I’m sure you’ll figure it out soon, but until then…” He smiled at her.
She returned the expression.
He took a moment to admire the pretty black woman beside him. She was dressed in a blouse, slacks and comfortable shoes, nothing spectacular or impressive, but she was the loveliest woman to him. Today her hair was down around her shoulders in soft curls. It was the first time that he’d seen her appear so soft and feminine.
“You look beautiful today. Thank you for allowing me the precious time of your company.”
She dipped her chin and lowered her gaze briefly to her hands resting on her blazer in her lap as if shying away from his compliment, then her brown eyes met his. “You’re welcome. You’re too kind.”
“Just honest.” He shifted into drive and headed out of the parking lot of her condominium complex.
They rode in silence for a moment as he maneuvered the car through the light Saturday morning traffic in Norfolk.
“I love fall in the Tidewater area,” she said as they progressed onto the interstate.
“I was just thinking the same thing. The tourists that bring the heavy traffic are home and it makes travel for us locals a lot easier.”
“Yes, it does.”
The two of them fell into a companionable silence as they traveled across the Monitor-Merrimac Bridge and merged into the I-64 eastbound traffic. Masaun knew he could have taken a quicker route to the interstate that would lead him to Richmond, but he wasn’t in any rush to get them to their destination. He wanted to spend an enjoyable day getting to know the woman beside him.
“So, besides Sugar Babies, what other kind of candy do you like?”
She giggled. “Why am I not surprised that the first conversation a candy shop owner would ask me about is sweets?”
Glancing at her briefly, he gave her a quick wink.
“How did you know I like Sugar Babies?”
“The day I delivered the basket to your office they were the first thing you pulled out. The only thing I might add and you had two of them.”
He could feel her gaze on his for a long moment as he kept his focus on the road. “Surprised?”
“Yes, I’ll admit it.” She looked away and out of her side window.
Turning, he noticed she still was staring away from him. He wondered what was going through her mind, but didn’t ask.
“Caramel.” Her eyes met his. “I love candy with caramel. Most older type candies I enjoy, though. What about you?”
“Red Hots. Anything cinnamon.” He noticed the spark of awareness ignite in her eyes. He wondered if she was recalling the time he’d handed her a box of Red Hots. It was the catalyst to their relationship.
“I’m a spice wimp. I don’t prefer the burn of food and especially not candy.”
“I’ll try to remember that the next time I prepare a meal for you.”
She smiled. “Chicken marsala is my favorite, in case you wanted to know.”
He chuckled and was happy that she didn’t shy away or avoid committing to having another dinner with him. “Making a note of it. Add steak to yours.”
“I’ll need a restaurant as well to order it from because my cooking ability is severely lacking. Unless you’re looking to get some time off from work with a vacation in a hospital.” She shrugged and grinned, unashamed of her culinary competence.
The laugh that broke from his lips was uncontrollable. This humorous side of Kindle was something new for him to see and he was truly looking forward to discovering more about the fascinating woman throughout the day.
An hour later, they arrived at their destination.
“The Richmond Metro Zoo?” Kindle asked as they drove past the sign.
“I enjoy them. A big park with animals, there’s nothing better.”
“True. You do know the Norfolk Zoo is down the street from my house, right?” she teased.
“Yes, but then we would not have had the informative drive.” Kindle had shared with him about almost burning down her college dorm with her terrible cooking skills when she attempted to bake chicken while studying for exams.
“Hey, no teasing!” She poked him in the arm.
He caught her hand before she pulled back and held it for a moment before letting it go. “Besides, I figured like everyone else in the area, you’ve been there several times.”
She looked down at her hands. “Actually, I’ve never been there before.”
“What?” he asked before he could temper his response. “How’s that possible?”
She shrugged again, this time with no humor in her gesture. “Work. There just never seems enough days in the week to do anything else.”
Hearing the forlorn tone, it almost broke his heart. He understood though how one could easily become consumed in achieving success, jeopardizing your own social life. Reaching over, he took her hand, laying his over her slender fingers and gave her a quick squeeze. Letting her go, he got out of the car and walked around and opened her door. Wanting to return the levity to their conversation, he said, “I promise I will not mention your cooking skills again today. Even though I’m now concerned how you manage to feed yourself on a daily basis.”
Her gaze glowed with appreciation and relief. She stuck out her tongue at him when she got out of the car.
They followed the stream of people headed to the entrance and ticket window.
Fifteen minutes later, they were inside the zoo with map in hand and starting out on their route.
“Have you always wanted to be a lawyer?” he asked as they moved along the path bordering the first exhibit—flamingos.
“I don’t know if I ever really thought about being anything else.”
“No princess, singer or model? Isn’t that what most little girls dream about?”
“As much as little boys all want to be firemen, pilots and candy shop owners.”
“Ouch.” They stepped closer to the kangaroo enclosure.
“Honestly, my father always enjoyed law show videos. Old ones like Perry Mason and Ironsides. There weren’t many cartoon or silly kid programs in my life. My father and I would sit and discuss cases after episodes. It was the only time he wasn’t buried in his research or writing professional reports. I developed a love for the law. I don’t know anything else that would make me as happy.”
Masaun listened to her, studied her as she watched the animals. There was something in her posture as she talked about the times she spent with her father. Instead of her looking joyous about the reminiscent thoughts, she appeared on edge and tense. He’d always heard that most little girls were daddy’s girls and he wondered if Kindle’s love for the legal profession was wrapped up in the attention and affection she wanted from her father. He was a damn good Dom but he wasn’t a therapist and was only guessing.
“What about your mother? She enjoyed the same shows as well?”
She shoved away from the rail and headed down the lane toward the lemurs. He followed her, allowed her a little space since it was more than apparent to him he’d struck a nerve and she needed it. Damned if he knew what the fuck it was all about.
Kindle passed one animal viewing post after another. She didn’t stop until she got to the giraffe habitat. When she just stood there, he slowly stepped up beside her.
“These are my favorite animals at the zoo. You’d think as tall as they are, they would be clumsy, but they’re graceful.” He was willing to change the conversation if it would help shatter the shell she was building once again around herself. He could use his skills to push her, force her to open up to him, but he didn’t want to do that. She was under no obligations, based on their mutual relationship agreement, to let him into her life or her past. Instead, he preferred that Kindle desire to share things with him willingly.
“My mother left when I was very young.” Her voice w
as low as she stared in the direction of the giraffes.
However, he doubted that she saw much of the tall animals. Leaning on the rail beside her, he waited.
“The Monday after my eighth birthday, my mother drove me to school as she did every morning on her way to work. I remember asking her why she wasn’t dressed in her suit like she always wore, because she was wearing a jean skirt, heels and a low cut top. She said it was a day off for her. I got excited and asked her if she would be home when I got there. Normally our neighbor picked me up with her daughter and I stayed there until my dad got home.” Kindle glanced at him, her eyes shadowed but shielded, not revealing any emotions.
All her emotions were caught up in her voice, giving her words a snap as if each word was cut on a chopping block.
“You see, that year my mother started going into work early and coming home really late. Lots of important evening clients to show houses to.” She looked away again. “She never said she’d be home, just kissed me before I got out of the car. It wasn’t until my dad and I got home that we saw the letter on the kitchen counter. She fell in love with a co-worker and moved away to start a business with him.”
“People can be extremely selfish at times in the name of love or what they perceive as the lack of love.”
Kindle turned and looked at him. There was a hint of a question in her gaze.
He realized that perhaps he’d said too much and allowed some of his own thoughts to intrude. Before she could question him, he asked, “Have you seen her since?”
Exhaling, Kindle stood and started down the path, at a slower pace this time. “No. I received cards every year for birthdays, Christmas and Easter.”
“Seems pretty cliché.” He was pissed that a woman could leave her child, Kindle for that matter, and never have contact with them again. “You think your dad refused her any contact with you?”
“No. He changed after that. I mean, he was always intensely consumed by his work, but he stopped smiling and put all his focus on publishing professional papers, his job and me. Having a successful career was the only thing a person had control over, he’d say.”
Masaun started to understand who Kindle Langston was now. The real woman behind the tough professional exterior. She had a big heart that he knew from Kindle’s reaction to her child client taking the stand. Anyone could clearly see she was smart and talented, very good at her job. However, the effects of the job he could see having on her concerned him.
“You ever consider opening up your own practice?”
She paused and stared at him, her brows puckered slightly in a frown. “Why would I do that? My career in the last six months has reached a pinnacle that few in our…rather my career achieve.”
He started them walking again. “That’s true, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s the right career for you.”
“You know we all can’t quit our jobs and open up a candy shop.”
It was his turn to halt.
She stopped also, but kept her gaze averted.
Continuing to stare at her silently, he waited.
Finally, she turned and looked at him. He had the urge to drag her to the bench four feet away from them and flip her onto his thighs and spank her ass right there before anyone who wanted to observe. Not because he was ashamed of his business; it was his choice and he wouldn’t turn back the hands of time for anything. But, it was because Kindle was hurting emotionally, he’d brought her attention to the scars on her heart and she was being snarky as a defense mechanism to lash out instead of opening up.
“I’ve had my success litigating for high-rollers; almost too much for any one man to have. However, success is like a card game. It is not about being in the game but knowing when it’s time to get up from the table.” He placed his hand on her forearm. The blazer she now wore covered her skin, but he could still feel the warmth through it. “You don’t have to give up what you love, just consider if there’s another way to do it.”
She nodded, showing she’d heard his words, but remained quiet.
He removed his hand and they continued on the path with the rest of the zoo traffic. They passed a family of five, the three kids seated on a bench finishing up ice cream cones. Masaun noticed the father was stooped before the youngest child, the only boy, and was wiping the smeared chocolate from his son’s face. Masaun couldn’t help but smile.
He’d never thought about having kids or even a family much during his career as a lawyer. With the demands of his job and moving from one woman to another, he’d always made sure to use protection. When he started the business with his brother, there just didn’t seem to be time between that and The Dollhouse. His ex was just as career driven as he had been so the conversation of children never came up.
Turning away, his gaze met Kindle’s, who he saw was taking in the view of the family as well.
“He sure did enjoy that ice cream,” she said, waving at the little boy when he glanced at her.
“I guess it’s not worth eating if you don’t get it all over you.” He took her hand and pulled her away. “Let’s get something to eat.”
She linked her fingers with his. “Great. I thought you planned to starve me on this outing.”
“Nope, just wanted to locate a food stop that had hot wings for you.”
“Oh, very funny.” She bumped her shoulder against his. He was glad her mood had lightened again. When she was stressed and tense, it bothered him. The Dom side of him believed it was because they were in public and he couldn’t do anything to help her relieve the problem physically. However, the other side of him recognized it was something different, he wanted to shelter and protect her from hurt, but it wasn’t his responsibility. But, try as he might, he could not stop himself from wanting it to be. That made his pulse race and his heart slam into his chest.
“Tell me about your childhood, Masaun,” she said, thirty minutes later, after they had eaten and were sitting on the Safari Sky Ride.
Glancing away from the zoo below, he glanced at her. “Not much to tell. My brother Sweet and I had a pretty normal childhood. My brother had some personal issues he had to work out, but got himself on the right track eventually. We were raised by our parents in a loving household. We played sports and got into trouble like most boys then went off to college. Our parents, Carlton and Debra, are now retired and living in Florida.”
“So, no tales of an overly cruel parent or anything? Something that made you want to be a Dom?”
He chuckled. “No. Nothing like that. I think most people assume that a person has to go through something traumatic to be drawn to the lifestyle. Rarely is that the case.” He took her hand in his and gentled his voice. “Those that find themselves in the lifestyle do it for different reasons but find out that what it fulfills in their life was something they needed all along. There’s no shame in that.”
Her gaze was focused on their hands. “A part of me doesn’t want to like it. I want to see what we do in your playroom as depraved and unhealthy. Usually, when I drive to your house I’m fighting those thoughts all the way to your door, frequently considering turning my car around.”
He used his thumb to stroke the back of her hand. “Why don’t you?”
She still didn’t look up from their linked hands, as she confessed, “Because when I’m there with you feeling the lashes or even the next day when I stand before my mirror and see the redness and welts, I feel peace.” Her eyes met his. “And it scares me to be so dependent on something outside of myself.”
Clear, trusting brown eyes held his.
“It’s okay. Those feelings are normal.” He squeezed her hand, reassuring her. “I would never think of you differently if you felt you couldn’t do it anymore.” His gut tightened with the thought of not having sessions with Kindle any longer or having her out of his life. But he would let her go if she desired, as hard as it would be.
“Thank you.” She leaned into him and kissed his lips softly.
The ride ended a
nd they disembarked.
“Let’s go see the Bengal tigers. Those are my favorite.” Still holding his hand, she tugged at him excitedly.
He stopped and pulled her into his arms, disregarding the people around them and focusing on her. This outing had turned out better than he’d anticipated. He figured it was mostly due to their being away from their normal surroundings and her being more relaxed without everyone recognizing her face from the trial. “I’m coming, but only if we get to stop and see the African lions and monkeys on the way.”
“You got it. Now come on.”
He kissed her twice on her smiling lips then allowed her to slip away and head down the walk.
~YH~
“Tell me about this love of yours that was selfish.”
Kindle saw Masaun’s hands tighten briefly on the steering wheel as he drove them along the eastbound interstate. They were a few miles away from the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel. It was early evening and they’d had a long, but wonderful day together. She didn’t even regret that she hadn’t gone into the office to work as she had planned. Tomorrow would give her plenty of time to bury herself in the case, this had been a much needed break.
“What makes you think I had a selfish lover?” He didn’t glance in her direction, just kept his gaze fixed on the road. A sign that the conversation was not one he wanted to have.
“When we were at the zoo, you made a comment about my mother’s selfishness. Something in your tone led me to believe you’d experienced the same in your life. Since you told me you had the picture perfect childhood, I assume it had to be a girlfriend…or submissive.”
Finally, he looked away from the road briefly and gave her a small smile. “I should have known better than to try and get something past a sharp lawyer.”
“Lesson learned. Now spill it.”
Entering the opening of the underwater tunnel. The change from the bright sunshine to the false fluorescent dull glare encased in the cement was something he’d never get used to. The only positive about the double-lane tubing was that it made the atmosphere in the car more intimate—shutting out all view and sounds around him but Kindle.
Red Hots Page 17