No Accounting for Love [Club Libertine 3] (Siren Publishing Everlasting Classic)
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Club Libertine 3
No Accounting for Love
Andie Cooper is a buttoned-down accountant sent to straighten out the books at Club Libertine. Duncan Rider is part owner of the club and a Dom who thinks she's his perfect match. They have to work closely together to get the club back on track.
She knows all about numbers but has no idea about what it takes to make a successful BDSM club, so she takes him up on his offer to pose as his sub for a night at the club, and find out firsthand what makes it so successful.
She's shocked by how much she's attracted to the lifestyles and to Duncan, her temporary Dom. But given her track record with men, she decides that giving in to that attraction can only end badly, so she tries to keep her distance, until they are thrown together on a business trip and the passion explodes. But can it last, or will her insecurities derail them?
Genre: BDSM, Contemporary
Length: 25,216 words
NO ACCOUNTING FOR LOVE
Club Libertine 3
Diane Leyne
EVERLASTING CLASSIC
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
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A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK
IMPRINT: Everlasting Classic
NO ACCOUNTING FOR LOVE
Copyright © 2013 by Diane Leyne
E-book ISBN: 978-1-62242-691-1
First E-book Publication: April 2013
Cover design by Harris Channing
All cover art and logo copyright © 2013 by Siren Publishing, Inc.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission.
All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.
PUBLISHER
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
Letter to Readers
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DEDICATION
To all the Siren-BookStrand authors who inspired me to write and have now welcomed me as one of their own.
NO ACCOUNTING FOR LOVE
Club Libertine 3
DIANE LEYNE
Copyright © 2013
Chapter One
Andie Cooper stood in the elevator looking up at the little television that people stared at to avoid looking at the other occupants of the elevator. Really, what had people done before those screens were installed? Had people actually had to make eye contact? Maybe a little small talk?
She’d been called to the office of the president himself. She wasn’t sure if that was good or bad. She thought it was good, but why wouldn’t anyone tell her what it was about?
She smoothed down her skirt and checked that all the buttons on her conservative button-down shirt were done up and there were no stray hairs on her dark jacket. She had a tablet computer in her hand for note taking, and she was ready for… something. She checked her watch. Right on time.
The floor dinged. She was now on the top floor of the Whelan building on her way to see Mr. Whelan himself. She stepped into the foyer. She didn’t even have a chance to look around. She just got the impression of rich dark wood and lush carpets. The receptionist smiled and ushered her through to the inner foyer. There was an assistant here. A male assistant at the massive desk in front of a massive set of double doors that she assumed led to Mr. Whelan’s office. She wasn’t sure what to do. Standing awkwardly, she was about to clear her throat to get his attention when the door opened and an attractive brunette carrying an expensive-looking briefcase exited, laughing, accompanied by a tall blond man she recognized as Sean O’Mally, head of Corporate Security. She noticed his hand was on the woman’s lower back, butt really, in a very familiar manner.
The last one through the doorway was the big man himself. She watched as he stopped the brunette and planted a big kiss on her mouth, using tongue, before she laughingly left with Sean. Andie wondered if this was Michelle Edwards. She’d heard that the high-powered lawyer was seeing both men, but had written it off to gossip. And if she even considered it was true, she’d never thought that both men seemed fine with it. And Michelle, if that was Michelle, looked radiantly happy.
Andie felt a rock in the pit of her stomach. She hadn’t even been able make one man happy, and, if the smiles were anything to go by, Michelle was making two men happy enough to share her.
She kept her face carefully neutral and looked away so that none of the wistfulness showed. She’d be happy to have the love of just one good man. But starting with the father she could never please to the husband she could never satisfy, she’d always failed in her personal relationships with men. However, she was very good in business relationships with men. She was the “go to” person. If there was a problem, just call Andie. She could solve it and she would work whatever hours it took because she had no personal life whatsoever.
“Miss Cooper?” It was the assistant. “Mr. Whelan will see you now.”
She walked into the office. Mac Whelan himself escorted her across the huge office and indicated he wanted her to sit on the large leather couch instead of one of the chairs across from his big desk. And then he startled her when he offered to get her some refreshments. “Water, coffee, soft drink?”
She started to say no automatically when he stopped her.
“I’m getting something for myself, so please don’t refuse out of politeness.” And then he smiled, and she knew he meant it. So she asked for a Diet Coke.
&n
bsp; When they were both settled on the couch and had taken a sip, he began. “First of all, I want you to know I’ve gotten nothing but glowing reports from your superiors. You are definitely someone who has a big future here at Whelan Corp.
“Why I’ve called you here today is that I have a somewhat sensitive problem to deal with. I need someone who can take on a special project. You would be reporting to me directly on this and working full time on it until it is done. It should probably take a month to complete. If all goes well, and you are amenable, it could turn into another six months or even permanent, if you like. However, you can say no at any time, and I assure you, your refusal will not be held against you.”
She looked at him, puzzled.
“Perhaps you can tell me something about the assignment?”
“See, there’s the problem. The whole thing is highly confidential. I can’t even tell you about the assignment until you sign a confidentiality agreement. My personal lawyer, Miss Edwards, was just dropping it off. It basically says that you can’t repeat a word that you hear in here to anyone, even if you turn down the position. It’s a pretty standard contract. You can take it to a lawyer to review it, if you like, before we discuss this. But I need your answer by end of day tomorrow. If you don’t have a lawyer, I can get Michelle to set you up with someone, as you can’t use any in-house counsel.”
Andie looked at Mac Whelan. She was hugely curious. This was very odd in the extreme, but if she took this assignment, she would have a chance to show her stuff to the head of the company. When would she ever get that chance again? He was her boss’s boss’s boss. Before today, she’d only met him once, at last year’s Christmas Party. She didn’t know he even knew who she was. She’d be a fool to throw away this opportunity. And she knew how to keep a secret.
She picked up the pen that was sitting on the contract. “Where do I sign?”
And it was done. She slid the contract over to him. He signed and gave her a copy, and then he started explaining the details of what he wanted her to do, and she quickly understood the need for confidentiality.
“As you may be aware, I own a number of businesses. One of my lesser known businesses, in fact one that you would not even be able tie directly to me, has a problem. I have five partners in this business. I’m the primary investor along with Sean O’Mally. Connor and Liam O’Hara run day-to-day operations, memberships, vetting, et cetera. Duncan Rider manages the bar and restaurant activities, the premises, and the service staff. Jake Hughes is the Dungeon Master.”
It all sounded so normal until that last title.
“Dungeon Master?”
“Yes. I own Club Libertine, the most exclusive BDSM club in town. And not one of my partners can tell the difference between a debit and a credit.” He sighed. “The club is massively successful, but Con Ed was threatening to turn off the electricity because of non-payment of our bill. I need you to go there and get them straightened out. Set up a system. Hire an accounting clerk or two. Whatever you need. And make sure you document everything. We’re looking to expand to other cities, starting with LA next year, and I don’t want to go through this again. In five years, I can see us with four or five clubs in the US and one or two overseas. Maybe even one on a tropical island somewhere south. If you want the job, you can oversee the expansion and be CFO of the new operation. Or you can come back here when you are done. Your choice.”
“I had no idea the, er, BDSM business was so lucrative.”
“It’s not.” He laughed. “I don’t ever expect much of a return from this. I expect it to pay for itself and provide a safe location for consenting adults to have some fun without the press or moralists who don’t understand the lifestyle judging. Which means a high degree of confidentiality. One of the reasons you were chosen for this assignment is that, in addition to your accounting skills, you also have a good knowledge of computers. We need to automate our membership records, and we’ll need you to set that up, too. Again, hire whatever help you need. And as with any Accounting staff you bring in, we’ll need to do full security background checks on them, same as we do with prospective members, and they’ll also be expected to sign confidentiality agreements. Sean will take care of the security checks. Just give him the names when you find them.
“Any questions?”
Chapter Two
And that was how Andie Cooper, accountant, ended up on her way to a BDSM club in the middle of the afternoon.
She wasn’t alone in the private elevator. When she’d gone to the security desk to get her access card for the delivery and staff entrance to the club, she’d noticed the very attractive delivery guy. He had one of the handcarts loaded down with half a dozen cases of water. She’d admired the bulge of his biceps until she realized that they were both headed for the same bank of elevators. He had short, thick dark hair, piercing dark eyes, and a square jaw. She was average height, but even with her bright-red, high “power heels” she wore to give herself confidence, he was a head taller than her, making his at least six feet. He was muscular and clearly strong, but didn’t have the build of a gym rat.
And then she’d colored when she realized they were getting off on the same floor. Luckily, he had to brace the handcart, so he was partially turned away from her in the small elevator. Oh, god. He was delivering to Club Libertine. And he’d realize she was headed to a BDSM club. She wondered what he’d think. She didn’t look like a dominatrix or whatever it was called. Maybe he would think she was going to the club looking to get spanked or whatever. She felt her face grow hot as she snuck a look at his butt in tight jeans and the large hands holding the water upright. She wondered, just for a second, what it would feel like if he wanted to spank her.
Then she pushed the thought from her mind. Where had that come from? She wasn’t that kind of woman. In fact, she was unbelievably prim, proper, and boring in bed, according to the ex-husband she’d caught in bed with her former friend. And then he’d invited her to join them in a three-way so she could “learn a thing or two about pleasing a man.” She could still hear their mocking laughter as she’d rushed out of the house. Of course, she wasn’t a total pushover. She’d gone straight to a lawyer and demanded her freedom. But then she let him have pretty much everything in the settlement. She’d just wanted the marriage to be over, and that was what it had taken.
And now she lived 1500 miles away in a small apartment, but she had a good job, and if she ever stopped working twelve hours a day, she would make new friends, ones that wouldn’t sleep with her boyfriend or husband. Of course, it had now been three years, and that was approximately how many dates she’d had since then, so there was no romance on the horizon. But now she had this great opportunity. She’d get the Libertine Club on its feet, and then, why the hell not, she’d manage the expansion around the country. Andie Cooper, CFO. She liked the sound of that.
She exited the elevator. There was a single door marked “office.” Visitors needed special card access to use the service elevator, even if they made it to the Club Libertine floor, they still couldn’t get in with a key card. Security was tight.
Briskly, she walked up to the door and knocked.
She was so nervous that she’d temporarily forgotten about the hot delivery guy behind her and jumped when he cleared his throat.
* * * *
Duncan smiled to himself when she jumped. She was so damned nervous. And cute. He’d noticed her right away when she was at the security desk getting her elevator pass from Herb. He’d noticed her shoes at first. Those were some pretty impressive “fuck me” heels she was wearing. And they showed off her lower legs to perfection. He wished they’d showed off more of her legs, but her skirt came down to just below her knees.
But what the tight skirt did show off was her amazing ass. She was curvy the way a woman should be curvy, with a full ass that made his dick harden. He wondered if she was as curvy from the front and was able to sneak a peak as he walked by.
She was. He could see her full breasts stra
ining at the conservative blouse she wore under the conservative suit. The colors were also bland. If it wasn’t for her shoes, he’d have thought she was a typical conservative little accountant, but he should have known that Mac wouldn’t send him just anyone. Her hair was a light brown, not quite blond, and she had it tied back and flowing down her back. He imagined pulling off the elastic and having it cascade over his cock as she sucked him off with those luscious lips. He could feel his cock react to the fantasy, and he turned slightly away from her in the elevator, pretending to adjust the load of water he was schlepping in, but really, he just didn’t want her to see his erection straining against his zipper. He sighed. What he actually wanted to do was drop the water and press her back against the wall of the elevator and grind his cock on her as he ravished her mouth but that probably wasn’t a good move so early in their acquaintance. He’d have to wait until they got to know each other better before he tried that.
Actually, he thought as he sighed, he was in desperate need of someone to take the financial side in hand, especially with the planned expansion. As much as he was feeling lust at first sight, he knew he had to keep it professional. He needed her services even more than he needed to get inside her. At least for now, his dick would have to wait. Since they’d be working closely together, he foresaw many cold showers in his immediate future. Hell, he didn’t even know if she were single. And, just as important, would she be interested in a relationship with a Dom?