Chloe's Rescue [The Black Iris Club 2] (Siren Publishing Everlasting Classic)

by Skye Michaels

“Please don’t say that. This is the groveling and begging part, so pay attention. I realized after you walked away from me that Saturday that I didn’t want you to go. It was the last thing I wanted. I missed you, couldn’t sleep. I was a mess. Please reconsider giving me another chance.”

  The waitress delivered their orders of enormous barbeque pork sandwiches and beers. Chloe was glad for the break. The conversation had been getting intense. They dug into the food and were quiet for a couple of minutes while they ate.

  * * * *

  John thought that Chloe looked doubtful. He was worried that he hadn’t made his case. Then he thought that she might be wavering when she said, “Maybe we could go on a date and see if the chemistry is still there. I don’t know. No promises. To be honest I’m not feeling that old glow right now. I am not up for another experience like the last time. I was a mess too. I waited for you to call, and you didn’t. We had been together six months, and you couldn’t spare a minute to see how I was. You did a number on my self-esteem, J.J.” Now she looked angry and not the least bit hesitant. “I do good work at BSO. Right now I’m working on the case of a young runaway girl who was found dead in a shipping container, and we think it may be connected to a human trafficking ring scooping up homeless kids off the streets of downtown Fort Lauderdale. It’s important work. Those are important kids, not throwaways. I don’t think I have to justify my career choice to you or anyone.”

  “You are absolutely right, Chloe. You don’t have to justify anything. Human trafficking in Fort Lauderdale? Is that how you became involved with the Sistrunk Shelter?”

  “That’s right. Human trafficking is a big problem in Florida. This is a hub. Anyway, I can’t discuss details of an ongoing investigation—just so you know I can be trusted with ‘confidentiality issues.’”

  “Please, Chloe, don’t continue to hang onto all that anger. Groveling and begging here. Give me another chance. Can I take you out to dinner tonight? I’d like us to just enjoy each other like we used to.” He thought she might be about ready to cave. He hoped so. He was realizing just how important a second chance with Chloe was to him.

  “I guess we could give it a try.” She took another sip of her drink.

  “Good. I’ll pick you up at six o’clock and we’ll drive over to Pier 66.” He was relieved. Now he just had to close the deal, and he was a hell of a negotiator and a deal closer. That was his specialty.

  * * * *

  Chloe was trying to decide what to wear. She stood in the door of her walk-in closet and shook her head. So many choices, so little time. She didn’t want to look like she was trying too hard. The Pier 66 Marina and luxurious Hyatt Regency Hotel could mean hamburgers or tacos on the dock or a five-star restaurant. She finally decided to go with a long, white, gauze, strapless sundress that was faintly transparent with straw wedge sandals and a small straw handbag. The white fabric made her skin look more golden tan than she actually was. Work definitely interfered with the pursuit of a tan. She twisted her hair up into a knot and let some fine tendrils escape along her neck. She wore a chunky turquoise pendant, matching earrings, and a cuff bracelet.

  Chloe didn’t know why she had agreed to this date. That was not true. She just did not want to admit that she still had feelings for John James Temple—strong feelings. She had been on the brink of falling in love with him all those months ago if she hadn’t already toppled over that edge. She dearly hoped this was not the mistake of the century. She had managed to power through the worst of the pain months ago. She had been busy at work and had made an effort to spend more time with her friends. She hadn’t moped at home. Well, she had moped for a couple of weeks, but she knew she had to get out and get moving for her own mental health. Signing up for another go-round with J.J. could be a big error. He sounded sincere, but she had put her faith in him before and had seen what had happened. If he thought she was going to trust him as a “Master” again, he had another thing coming. He would have to work long and hard for that.

  When John came to her door at six o’clock, Chloe was ready. He looked good in a pair of pressed Dockers, boat shoes, and a yellow polo shirt that stretched across the muscles of his impressive chest and shoulders. Who wore pressed Dockers in Fort Lauderdale? Las Olas Boulevard real estate attorneys, she guessed.

  “You look beautiful, Chloe. I’ve missed you.” She could tell by the gleam in his eyes that he appreciated the transparent nature of her dress. Just a hint of her figure could be seen through the folds of the gauze.

  “Thank you. I’m ready.” She picked up her bag and started through the door and onto the porch.

  “Aren’t you going to invite me in?” He definitely looked like he felt he was getting the “bum’s rush,” and to an extent that was true. She did not want to invite him in for a drink or to foster the impression that they were going to be intimate. She had to keep control of this encounter. He could be persuasive when he rolled into Dom mode, and she wasn’t going to let him go there. He had a way to go before that could possibly happen. He had spent enough time in this house and in her bed six months ago that he felt comfortable there. She had to move them along to dinner or she would find herself naked with her hands cuffed to the headboard.

  “No. I’d like to watch the sunset, so let’s go.”

  He gave in gracefully. Apparently he got the picture. They got into his red C70 Volvo convertible. He had remembered how much she loved to drive with the top down. They were quiet as he crossed the Seventeenth Street Causeway over the wide Intracoastal Waterway. The wind was whipping at the wisps of hair around her face, and the sun was shining on her shoulders. She knew he couldn’t see her eyes behind the large sunglasses perched on her nose. At the apex of the bridge the drawbridge was open, and they had to stop and wait for several large yachts and a barge with a construction crane on the deck to pass through the span. He reached over, took her hand firmly in his, squeezed it, and placed it on the top of his thigh. She could feel the muscles of his leg through the fabric. She tried to take her hand back, but he pinned it to his thigh. She had almost forgotten how strong he was. He smiled his devastating smile, and she could feel herself starting to slip under his spell again.

  The big ships in Port Everglades and the Convention Center could be seen to the south. The blanket of green comprised of tall, graceful palm trees, enormous spreading ficus trees, and the lawns of the luxury neighborhoods on deepwater canals was sprinkled liberally with the huge, red, flowering umbrellas of Royal Poinciana trees. The commercial areas lining Seventeenth Street spread out in the distance. Fort Lauderdale was known as the Venice of America for good reason. There were more miles of waterways than roadways. When they crossed the bridge, he turned into the entrance to Pier 66 and pulled up to the lobby entrance of the Hyatt Regency Hotel. He jumped out of the car as the valet opened her door.

  He came around and took her hand. “Where do you feel like eating, Chloe? Inside or outside?”

  “Oh, I always love to be outside, especially on the water.”

  “How about Pelican Landing? We can watch the boats and the sunset.” He put his arm around her shoulder possessively as they passed through the hotel lobby and out the back into the lushly landscaped pool area. They walked down the pier to the restaurant entrance at the end of the Pier 66 Marina. They were shown to a table on the deck against the railing right on the water. When they were seated he captured her gaze and looked deeply into her eyes. “I’m glad you’re here with me, Chloe. I wasn’t sure I would be able to talk you into giving me another chance. I’ve missed you.” He had that look in his eyes. She knew that look, and it didn’t bode well for her peace of mind. Apparently he could see that he was making her a little nervous and he eased up on the intensity. He smiled. “What would you like to drink, babe?”

  She raised an internal eyebrow. Babe? “A frozen raspberry mojito would be lovely. Thank you.” J.J. ordered their drinks, and they decided on fresh, grilled Mahi Mahi fish burritos, one of Chloe’s favorite dishes. J.J. se
emed to think they were going to take up where they had left off. She definitely wasn’t ready for that, and she sure wasn’t going to be calling him “babe” any time soon.

  “So, I take it the fundraiser went well?”

  “Yes, we raised two hundred and fifty thousand dollars. Thanks for your contribution, by the way.” She smiled just a little wickedly. A little strong-arm persuasion went a long way for a good cause.

  “Wow. That’s great. Actually, in this financial climate it’s amazing.”

  “The members of The Black Iris Club were very generous. I wish our investigation of the trafficking ring was as successful right now. We don’t have anything concrete to go on—just a vague description of one of the suspects and her car.”

  “Her car? It’s a woman? I can’t believe a woman would be involved in something like that.”

  “Women can be just as evil as men. Sometimes I think they can be more evil. I can’t discuss specifics, but it is a frightening situation. We’re keeping it out of the press because we don’t want our only suspect to go to ground or dispose of some possibly inconvenient hostages.”

  They enjoyed their fish burritos. J.J. told her about the ongoing dramas at his law firm and the struggles brought on by the sluggish economy. Business, especially the commercial real estate practice they had enjoyed through the boom years, had been more than a little slow, although it was finally starting to pick up. Some of his partners were feeling the pinch—especially the ones with families and demanding wives who had overextended themselves with enormous homes on the water, big boats, and fancy cars. They’d had to lay off several of their real estate paralegals, and he was definitely not happy about that. Chloe knew that J.J. had never bought into that overly lavish South Florida mystique. He had a nice home on the golf course in Coral Ridge and a nice car, but being single, he didn’t have the pressure they were facing to keep up their opulent country club and private school lifestyles.

  Chloe had another raspberry mojito, and J.J. had another beer. They shared a huge slice of wonderfully tart mango key lime pie for dessert. The blazing gold sunset surrounded by striations of orange, purple, and pink clouds was spectacular as it slowly sank toward the horizon. They watched as evening fell over the water of the Intracoastal. Finally, he said, “Chloe, can we go back to your place and see if we still have it?”

  “I don’t think I’m ready for that, J.J. I warned you that this was not going to be an easy process. We have not addressed the underlying problem that brought all this about in the first place. You didn’t trust me, and you were embarrassed about my job.”

  “I’m still sensing some hostility here, Chloe. I have sincerely apologized for my mistake. I think we should let the past go and get started on the future. How long are you going to hold a grudge?”

  “Oh, J.J., I’m just getting started.”

  “Babe, that is not a healthy attitude, and I’m not going to let this impasse continue.” He looked around the deck. All of the tables were now full of happily imbibing and eating patrons. “We can’t talk here. Let’s go back to your place. We can’t tie up our waiter’s table indefinitely.” He signaled for the check, took care of business, then reached for her arm and helped her up from her chair. He managed to surreptitiously brush his chest against her breasts as he took her hand and headed determinedly toward the door.

  “J.J.…” She tried unsuccessfully to slow his progress.

  “Chloe.” She wasn’t going to cause a scene in the restaurant. The rest of this argument would have to wait until they got out to the car.

  * * * *

  John didn’t know how much longer he would be able to hold out here. The last of the sun’s low rays were shining through Chloe’s semitransparent dress and outlining her spectacular body. His hands were itching to coast down her back and over her fabulous ass, taking the flimsy fabric with them. He wanted her hot and naked under him on that big, soft bed in her somewhat frilly and feminine bedroom. That bedroom always made him feel like a bull in a china shop—and he loved it.

  He held her hand despite her efforts to reclaim it while they waited for the valet to bring his car. He hustled her into the seat, hooked her seat belt, and drove with determination back toward her renovated bungalow in the historic section of east Fort Lauderdale called Victoria Park. There was no conversation, but he could feel her nerves all but vibrating from the seat beside him.

  Once they were through her door he pulled her into his arms and crushed her mouth with a kiss that bordered on brutal. When he came up for air she was whimpering. “This is what I should have done nine months ago.”

  * * * *

  Chloe gasped, and he took possession of her mouth again. When she was all but boneless he said, “The groveling and begging are over. This is where the Dom part starts.” His big hand reached down, covered her pussy, and squeezed through the thin fabric of her dress. “I want this. I want you.”

  “J.J., wait…”

  “I’m done waiting. I know you still want me. I can feel it in every muscle of your body right now.” He crushed her mouth again. Then he leaned back and looked directly into her eyes. “I’m going to fuck you until you can’t walk, woman. I have nine long months and a lot of sleepless nights to make up for—not to mention some unkind words I’d like to take back and some hurt feelings I’d like to soothe.” At his words a frisson of nerves ran up her spine.

  This was the man, the Dom, she remembered—the unapologetically alpha male who took what he wanted and brought her unimaginable pleasure as he did it. This was what she had missed. She had to be strong and in control on the job—she carried a gun, for heaven’s sake. But in her bedroom she found that she liked to be dominated—by him. “Admit you want this, Chloe. I need the words.”

  “I may want it, but I don’t want to want it, J.J.” She was still struggling with her anger and hurt feelings. They had certainly not yet been smoothed over.

  “That’s good enough for me. Unless you stop me cold right now, this is going to happen.” He glanced down into the melted chocolate of her eyes as though to give her one last chance to extricate herself from his arms before he swung her up and started for the bedroom.

  Chloe hadn’t planned to sleep with J.J. again, and certainly not so soon. As a result, her bed was strewn with a selection of clothes she had considered and dismissed for their date as well as underwear and shoes. How embarrassing. The mess seemed to testify to the importance she had assigned to this date.

  J.J. set her back on her feet where he proceeded to pull the elastic top of her gauze sundress down to her waist and unhooked her strapless bra. He leaned down and took one of her peaked nipples into his mouth. He sucked and licked until she was ready to collapse before he moved to the other nipple. He reached down, swept the detritus of her uncertainty off the bed, and pushed her, face down, over the footboard of her antique mahogany sleigh bed. He raised the long skirt of her dress until it was pooled at her waist. He slid his hand under the waistband of her panties and pushed them to her ankles and off. Oh, God. Her pussy was tingling. She had always loved the vulnerable feeling that invaded her mind and body when he took her from the rear. Her pussy was quivering in anticipation. If she were honest, she had to admit she needed this with every fiber of her being. “Last chance to say no, Chloe.” She said nothing and heard the soft sound of his zipper lowering. She felt the cool breeze from her ceiling fan on her exposed pussy and started to struggle again. He didn’t even wait to take his clothes off before he plunged into her. The exquisite feeling of his large, rock-hard cock filling her made her cry out. He began to rock into her, and she felt the hot sizzle of her orgasm beginning to build. It had been way too long for her as well. The handy-dandy vibrator she affectionately called Selfie was efficient, but it couldn’t replace the hot feel of him pounding into her wet pussy. She knew she wasn’t in control, and she hoped that he was. She was still on the pill, but she knew he hadn’t stopped to put on a condom. They had both been tested when they were together
and had gone skin to skin after that, but who knew what had transpired in the meantime. She had not been with anyone else, but she doubted that J.J. had become a monk while he pined away for her.

  Chloe’s nipples were tender and achy as they brushed against the bedspread. With her ass up in the air his cock rubbed against her pulsing clit and pounded against her G-spot. She knew she couldn’t hold out for too much longer. This encounter was going to be too fast and very furious. She felt her pulse quickening and then the blast of his hot semen in her pussy as he came inside her, and she followed him over the erotic edge as her orgasm shimmered through her. He collapsed over her back, and breathless, he kissed the back of her neck. “We’ve definitely still got it, babe.”

  After a few minutes he stood up, helped her to stand, and then deposited her in the middle of the bed. He lay down beside her and pulled her close to his chest. Her dress was still bundled around her waist, and he was still fully clothed. When they had calmed down, he reached behind her and pulled the dress over her head and tossed it to the end of the bed. He then removed his own clothes and pulled the bedspread over them. “It’s going to be a long night, baby.”

  * * * *

  John wished he had afforded Chloe the courtesy of using a condom, but he had been beyond control. The scent of her arousal had gotten into his head, and he had lost it. He had been with a few women since their breakup, but he had been scrupulously careful to always use a condom, so it should be all right. For some reason he was certain that she had not been with anyone else. Her pussy had been tight and her orgasm had been fast and cataclysmic. That didn’t speak of a lot of sexual activity. He was a Dom through and through, and while he would not ask her about it, he was glad. He wanted Chloe for himself. He didn’t share his toys. He had been very satisfied with their sexual activity when they had been dating. That had never been part of the problem. After resting a while, he got them both under the blankets and turned out the lights. Once they were in the dark he said, “Thanks for giving me a second chance, baby. I won’t let you down this time.”