by Red Phoenix
Lea’s face instantly brightened up. “I’m glad at least one of us two girls will know what it’s like to be swept off her feet.”
Tono smirked at her comment, knowing the plans he already had for the little skater.
When he came out of his room, Tono found Lea busy writing the letter. She looked up and whistled. “You look so hot, Tono. Autumn is going to totally flip.”
“Tonight will be a special night. I thought it only appropriate to dress for the occasion.”
She leaned her chin against her hands and sighed wistfully. “I wish someone would feel that way about me.”
“Patience, Ms. Taylor. Your day will come.”
She shrugged, looking down at her paper. “I figured I’d get it over with or I would keep stalling until I convinced myself not to.”
Tono nodded. “Wise move. Think of it as clearing the path for your true partner to enter your life.”
Lea put the pen down and smiled at him. “Tono, I hope tonight is everything you planned.”
He bowed slightly to her. “Thank you, Ms. Taylor.”
“But before you go, there’s one thing I need to do,” she said, getting up and rushing out of the room. Lea returned a few minutes later holding a bunch of makeup in her hands. “You don’t want your jaw taking away from the romance of the evening.”
She directed him to sit as she meticulously covered the bruised area and finished with some kind of powder to set it. “There!” she announced when she was done. “Still sexily rugged, but not quite so shocking to the eye.”
Lea handed him a mirror so he could admire her work. “Nicely done,” Tono said, looking into the reflection. “A definite improvement, Ms. Taylor.”
Tono drove straight to Autumn’s office. He walked in and, with the receptionist’s permission, headed over to her desk unannounced.
“Autumn,” he called out as he approached her.
She looked up, and her jaw dropped. “Ren? What…what are you doing here?”
“I’ve come for you.”
She smiled nervously, glancing around the office as a blush crept over her cheeks.
Tono held out his hand to her. Autumn slowly rose from her chair and grasped it.
Sweeping her off her feet, Tono cradled Autumn in his arms as he kissed her passionately on the lips. He carried her toward the door to the enthusiastic applause of the office staff.
Autumn stared up at him in wonder, saying nothing as she gazed into his eyes.
Tono felt a rush of emotion and desire. “You’ve never looked as beautiful as you do right now.”
“And you are incredibly hands—” Her eyes flashed with concern when she noticed his swollen jaw. “What happened?”
He smiled as he pushed through the doors and carried her out to his car. “It was a parting gift from a passionate Russian.”
“Why would he do that to you?”
“A simple misunderstanding.”
“Shame on him!”
Tono grinned in amusement. “I hold him no ill will. He sent me home on his private jet.”
Autumn leaned up and gave the tender area a light kiss. “Well, he better not touch your handsome face again.”
Tono chuckled, setting her down next to his sports car. “I want to steal you for the day. Is that a problem?”
She pulled her phone out and fiddled with it for a moment. “There, I’m officially out of the office for the day.” She looked up at him with a glint in her eye. “Now tell me about these plans of yours…”
“It starts with a little romance.”
Her cheeks blushed a rosy pink. “Well, I think you’ve already got that covered.”
He opened the passenger door and helped her inside. “I wanted to surprise you.”
She giggled. “I will never forget it, and neither will my office mates. I’ll be the talk of the watercooler for weeks, I’m sure.”
“I hope you didn’t mind the attention.”
She leaned over and kissed his cheek when he got in. “Not at all, Ren. It was extremely romantic.”
As they drove toward the mountains, Autumn asked, “So the fact you’re here must mean that Mr. Davis is improving.”
“Unfortunately no, but it does mean Brie has someone else to look out for her now.”
“So Mr. Davis isn’t any better?”
“Outwardly, no. But I sensed his active consciousness and feel confident he will awaken soon.”
“I’m thrilled to hear that. As much as I have missed you, I’ve genuinely been worried about both of them.”
“There is still reason to keep them in our thoughts,” he said.
“Something else is going on, isn’t it?”
He sighed. “I’m not free to talk about it. However, I hold out hope that Rytsar Durov will be able to set things right.”
She leaned over and kissed him again. “Well, selfishly I’m tickled you’re back.”
He smiled. “As am I.”
Autumn shook her head as she sat back in the seat. “All that fuss I made about you leaving, but I was worried for nothing.”
Autumn hadn’t been wrong, Tono thought to himself. The trip had been far more difficult than he’d anticipated. However, he was grateful he’d been able to maintain his connection with Brie without crossing that line. Instead of his feeling for her causing conflicted emotions now, his inner struggle had only emphasized his desire to pursue the woman beside him with ever greater diligence.
A rare flower was worth the extra care needed.
“So where are we headed, Ren?”
“First, I dine you,” he answered. “So I’m taking you to an exclusive restaurant, known for its mountain vistas and intimate dining experience.”
Tono was determined that by the end of the day, Autumn would know body and spirit just how much he cared for her.
“Strange how life works,” she mused. “I started the day headed to work missing you, and now I’m headed to lunch with you.”
“Life certainly is full of surprises.”
Already he could sense a change in Autumn. The time apart seemed to have benefitted her as well. He smiled to himself. Brie would be grateful to know that—she’d been so worried.
During the meal, Autumn looked at him shyly. “So about that letter, Ren…”
“Yes?”
“It was very provocative.”
He smiled. “It was meant to be enticing.”
“It was definitely that and then some.”
“So you weren’t offended?”
“Challenged, yes, but not offended.”
He put his hand on hers and asked, “What were your thoughts after reading it?”
“At first I was just plain shocked, really. I mean no guy has ever said anything like that to me before. It was so…erotic.”
Tono answered with a slight smirk, “I warned you in the letter I would be frank.”
“Well…” she took a deep breath, “it wasn’t just frank, it was wickedly hot.”
“After you got over your initial shock, what did you think?”
She swallowed hard before answering. “The idea of being in front of people without my prosthetic totally freaks me out.”
“More than being publicly tied and suspended?” he asked with interest.
“Well, that…” she giggled, “that’s a whole other can of worms.”
“So the idea of that doesn’t intrigue you?” Tono asked, probing her to gain more insight.
“Now I didn’t say that.”
A feeling of providence washed over him and his heart started to race. In a calm voice he encouraged, “Go on.”
Autumn’s eyes grew wider when she confessed, “The power and freedom of not hiding my scars—but actually embracing them—gives me the chills.”
He smiled, nodding his head. “You are a very powerful woman, Autumn,”
She looked down at the floor momentarily before gazing back into his eyes. “You make me believe that.”
He tightened his gr
ip on her hand. “I only want to celebrate the strength that is already a part of you. It may inspire others.”
She took a deep breath. “Ren…it would be amazing to be an inspiration to other people who carry the trauma of losing a limb.”
“You would make a beautiful vision of inspiration. I’ve seen it in my dreams.”
She shook her head, blushing. “You…”
“What?” he asked, amused.
“You see more in me than I see in myself.”
“I simply see you without any filters.”
She started to cry. “You’re too much.” Autumn got up and moved closer, wrapping her arms around him, whispering, “Thank you.”
Tono turned his head and kissed her, pressing his mouth against her supple lips. He felt an inner rush and grabbed her when she tried to move away, kissing her a second time.
She wobbled slightly when she made it back to her seat and sat down. “Your kisses make me weak.”
He winked. “Just think what they could do other places.”
She fanned herself. “Holy heck, Ren.”
“Autumn, would you seriously consider doing a scene in public—at some point?”
Her green eyes held his gaze when she answered. “I would, but only with you. In fact…” She took a deep breath, releasing it slowly. “I have watched Brie’s documentary countless times since you left.”
He raised an eyebrow, surprised by her confession.
“I am fascinated by the D/s dynamic. What Brie and Lea do, it…excites me on a level I never thought it could. The more I watch the film the more I long to explore such things. Could you…” Taking a quick drink, she asked, “Would you ever consider training me as a submissive?”
She immediately looked down, the rosy hue returning to her cheeks.
Tono lifted her chin and gazed into her eyes. “That is your honest desire?”
Autumn looked at him earnestly. “I don’t want to go to a school. You’re the only one I trust to teach me.”
He noticed she held her breath as she waited for his answer.
“I would be willing.”
She let out her breath. “I was so afraid to ask.”
“Why?”
“What if you said no?”
He shook his head. “Silly girl.”
Autumn’s eyes twinkled with glee.
“You really decided all this since I’ve been gone?”
She gave him a seductive smile. “After that letter I became intrigued, and the more I listened to Brie’s experiences the more certain I became that I wanted to explore that side of myself—with you.”
Tono tilted his head. “You can’t know the honor I feel having you ask me to be your trainer.”
She looked away for a moment, seemingly embarrassed, but she soon faced him again. “Ren, let me be upfront with you.”
“Please.”
“I don’t want to learn the generals of how to be a good submissive. I want to learn how to be a good submissive to you.”
He sat back in his chair. “Are you hoping for a collar at the end of your lessons?”
“Only if I am worthy.”
Tono nodded, taking all of this in, a bit shocked by the turn of events. He had come here to seduce her, and here she was asking to be trained and possibly collared in the future.
“Before you say anything, there is one thing I have to tell you. Something I wish with all my heart that I didn’t have to say.”
Tono could feel her tension growing and suddenly grew cautious. “What is it, Autumn?”
She looked like she was about to cry. She held up her hand, asking the waiter for another glass of wine before she would answer.
He looked at her with concern. “That bad, is it?”
She only gave him a tight-lipped smile as she took the glass from the waiter. She finished the entire glass before she spoke again. “Ren, my parents are good people.”
“I assumed they were. They created you, didn’t they?”
Autumn nodded, but then started shaking her head. “God, I wish I didn’t have to tell you this…”
“Whatever it is, I can handle it.”
She gave him a look of sympathy. “They are racists.” Her face crumbled in profound guilt. “I’m so sorry, but they will not accept me dating an Asian man.”
Tono chuckled.
“It’s no laughing matter, Ren!”
“This would not be the first time I’ve faced discrimination, Autumn.”
“Well, it’s killing me inside because I know how wonderful you are, but the only thing they will see is the color of your skin.”
“What is your plan, Autumn? To hide me forever from your parents?”
“Oh, goodness no! I’m too old to play those kind of games. Besides, I will be proud to bring you home as my date. My first serious date—ever. I’m just warning you it is going to get ugly and I don’t want you to hate them because of it.”
“I have experienced something similar, but the roles were reversed.”
She crinkled her brow. “How so?”
“My father did not like the girl I introduced to him and was openly rude to her.”
“What happened?”
“His rejection of someone I loved hurt me deeply and caused her to choose someone else.”
“Are you hinting that you don’t think it can work between us because of my parents?”
He took her hand and held it tightly. “No, not at all. Later on, after my father had time to reflect, he changed his mind about her. Your parents will do the same. The only difference is that I won’t allow them to chase me away.”
“And if they don’t ever change their minds?”
“Then we deal with it. This relationship is about you and me—not them.”
She let out a nervous sigh. “I hope you still feel that way after you meet Mom and Pop.”
He cupped her chin. “First we concentrate on us, then we will worry about your parents.” He kissed her tenderly on the lips for emphasis.
She smiled shyly when she asked, “Ren, I know your father passed away last year, but how do you think your mother is going to react to me?”
Tono kept his pleasant expression but was brutally honest. “We have parted ways. It does not matter what she thinks.”
“I’m so sorry to hear that.” She looked uncomfortable but hesitantly added, “Please don’t mention that to my parents. They believe that you can tell how a man will treat a woman by how he treats his own mother.”
“Since she is the one who severed the relationship, I think they would still approve.”
“What kind of mother does that?” Autumn protested.
Tono shrugged, having been used to it his whole life. “She and I never understood each other. It was my father who kept us together. Without that bond there was no reason to continue. I’m actually relieved. She required a lot of energy.”
Autumn frowned. “I wish I could tell you that my mother would love you like her own.”
“I don’t need a mother’s love. I had my father, and he more than made up for her lack of it.”
“Even though he rejected your girlfriend?”
Tono lifted her hand to his lips. “I would thank him if I could. His actions led me to you.”
Her breathing became increasingly shallow and rapid. Tono was unsure of the reason, but waited patiently for her to reveal it.
“Ren, I’m ready.”
Tono was pleased, knowing exactly what she meant, and immediately signaled for the check.
Chasing Cars
“Shall we head to my place then?”
“Isn’t Lea there?”
He shook his head, grinning when he told her, “I went home first and let her know I wanted to spend time alone with you. She readily agreed to leave the house for the night.”
“Does anyone else know you’re back?
“Only you.”
She reached over to hold his hand. “I like this being our little secret, because it means no one
will be disturbing us.”
He kissed her hand. “The rest of the day to ourselves.”
Once they arrived at his new place, Tono got out of the car and moved to the passenger side to open the door for Autumn. He noticed his neighbor walking toward him on the sidewalk and called out a friendly, “Hello.”
As soon as she looked up and saw him, the odd woman pressed her hands together in prayer and bowed her head, staring hard at the ground as she passed by in silence.
Not once had the woman responded to any of his attempts to engage her. He was unsure if she was highly religious or if she was afraid of men in general, but decided after this last exchange that he would respect her need to remain aloof.
Tono helped Autumn out of the car and led her to the entrance. When he opened the door, they were greeted to a room full of shining, battery-operated tea lights.
“What is all this?” Tono asked, looking around at the hundred or more flickering lights.
“Lea!” Autumn cried. “It has to be Lea. This is definitely her handiwork.”
Tono spied a bottle of sake on the kitchen counter, along with a note. He picked it up and gave it to Autumn to read.
Hello, my dear friends!
I got these to set the mood.
I know the candles are fake and all
but I didn’t want to burn down the house!
Romance is in the air…
Love, Lea
Autumn smiled sadly at the note. “Poor Lea is having a rough time right now, and then she goes and does this for us…”
Tono put his arm around her waist. “Sometimes it soothes the heart to support a friend’s happiness. I’ve learned that truth from experience.”
He took the note from her and laid it back on the counter. “Shall we make use of her gift, Autumn?”
She giggled nervously, the reality of what they were about to do was beginning to sink in for her.
To ease Autumn’s mind, Tono told her, “I have a song I’d like to share with you,” as he walked to the stereo.
“Certainly.”
He took off his jacket and tie before he turned on the stereo. “This song holds a lot of meaning for me. Do you mind lying on the floor with me while we listen to it?”
“I’d love that.”