Intense 2

by Hebert, Cambria

  The guys all laughed at that.

  “He has too many women to choose from. Why only have one?” Ken said, punching me lightly on the shoulder. “He dates college girls who only want to party. But Drake’s getting old. Soon, he won’t be able to keep up.”

  “Someone will catch you,” Mrs. O said, nodding as if she’d made a decision. “Take it from me, Drake. Life’s awfully lonely when you’re single and old. You can only fill your day up so full with work and the band.” She had only recently lost her husband of thirty years to a heart attack, so she must have been feeling her widowhood particularly hard that night.

  “I have a busy practice. I have the company,” I said, forcing a smile. “I have the Foundation. The band. I keep really busy. I’m not lonely, so don’t worry about me.”

  Mrs. O pointed at me and squinted. “You find someone. Don’t die alone.”

  She walked off, and the other guys all glanced at me for my response. I stayed steadfast in my silence.

  “No new girlfriend?” Johnny asked. “You and your last girl broke up. Nothing new on the horizon?”

  “As a matter of fact, I’m seeing someone new.” I didn’t say anything more, but I couldn’t keep a huge smile off my face.

  “Uh, oh,” Ken said, grinning like a mad man, cuffing the back of my head. “That smile betrays you, my single but soon-to-be attached friend. Tell us all about her.”

  “It’s not really a date,” I said, trying to downplay it, but my gut told me I was more excited about seeing Kate than I let on. “I’m meeting her and her parents at Carnegie Hall for a concert tomorrow.”

  “Holy crap – her parents? Why haven’t we heard about her?” Ken said, making a face of mock anger. “That’s huge!”

  I shook my head. “It’s nothing serious. Just the daughter of a family friend.” I took a drink and avoided Ken’s eyes, not wanting to see the huge grin on his mug.

  “What’s her name?” Cliff asked, leaning forward expectantly.

  “Kate,” I said, putting my empty beer glass down. “And that’s all I’m telling you bastards.”

  “Come on,” he added. “How old is she?”

  “Is she pretty?” Johnny chimed in. “What color is her hair?”

  “What does she do for a living?” Ken added.

  I laughed at their exuberance. “Twenty-four, beautiful, chestnut brown, journalism grad student, nice rack.” I stood up, trying to escape the inevitable twenty-questions. “And that’s really all I’m saying.

  They all laughed and protested when I started to walk away.

  “Have you nailed her yet?” Cliff asked, his face poker straight.

  I frowned. “Have I nailed her yet? Jesus. Are you in high school?”

  They all laughed uproariously at me and for a moment I was pissed, but then I saw the shit-eating grin on Ken’s face. “He really likes this Kate woman. Could she possibly be ‘the one’?”

  The others nodded, not even trying to hide their amusement.

  “The one to haul in the big fish.”

  “Seriously, I have to go,” I said when Ken grabbed my arm to stop me. “I have early surgery in the morning.”

  “One of these days, Drake will realize the emptiness of all that free sex, medicine and rock’n’roll. He’ll succumb like the rest of us,” Ken said, releasing my arm and holding up a glass to everyone. “Let’s toast the impeding end to Drake’s bachelor days.”

  The guys all laughed at that and toasted me, raised their glasses as well, but I was pretty much convinced that I’d die a bachelor. Marriage and family were not in my cards.

  On my way out of the pub, I walked by Mrs. O’s office, where she sat sorting through the night’s receipts.

  “Drake,” she said as I passed. I stopped and leaned into the office. She glanced at me over her reading glasses. “I hope you didn’t take what I said the wrong way.”

  I bent down and kissed her on the cheek. “Not at all. I know you’re only being motherly. I was married. I didn’t do a very good job at it. Don’t worry about me.”

  “What happened?” she said, although we’d spoken of my divorce before. She couldn’t seem to get her head around the idea that my ex-wife, or any woman, would reject me.

  I shrugged, not willing to get into it again at that late hour. “It didn’t suit my temperament.”

  She nodded. “You were younger. Just a boy. You’re a man now. You’ll find someone.”

  I smiled and pecked her cheek once more before leaving.

  Monday passed quickly, and I was glad to have a full slate of surgeries for the day. It kept my mind off Kate and the concert. I had some time to kill at lunch, and it was only then that I thought about the night and how I’d approach her.

  Kate was the proverbial good girl who tried to please her father, obey the rules, and make people happy. It was obviously not making her happy and she felt oppressed by her own obedience and yet unable to break out of the mold. She wanted freedom, but was afraid of it as well. She was also uptight sexually, but had an undeniable attraction to BDSM and the idea of sexual submission. If it didn’t appeal to her on some primal level, she would have never even considered it for a research topic. That was an excuse to indulge her fantasies.

  As much as she balked at being under her father’s thumb, she craved submission to someone strong. She wanted personal freedom but at the same time, someone strong who knew what he was doing sexually. That’s why she wanted to interview a Dominant. She wanted to see what it would be like to be with a man who was in complete control – who wasn’t her father. Someone who made her feel secure and protected but who controlled her sexually.

  Lara was right.

  I was perfect for her.

  After my day was done at New York Presbyterian, I went to my apartment and showered, changed into a suit of slate grey with a white shirt and black tie. One last buff of my shoes to remove the dust and I was off to Carnegie Hall to listen to the concert. I arrived just before the start of the concert so Kate would have little time to respond to my presence. I’d show up and sit down beside her and that would be that. No protests. No escape.

  I wouldn’t put it past her to run, given her history with me. She couldn’t run tonight. I knew I had Ethan on my side.

  I found my way to Ethan’s box and slipped through the door, catching Kate’s eye immediately. In contrast to Kate’s glare, Ethan smiled, and reached out to shake my hand.

  "There you are, my boy. So glad you could make it. Come and join us!"

  Kate frowned. "Drake…"

  Kate looked … beautiful. I tried not to leer at the delicious amount of cleavage showing from under the low neckline of her dress as I stood over her but I couldn’t help myself. I pulled my eyes away only when I had to, focusing instead on her hair, which was up in a loose up-do with tendrils falling around her neck, and then her lips, which were red and slightly pouty.

  I had the crazy urge to kiss her, pulling her into my arms and damn discretion.

  Ethan was gracious, as usual, and took a seat farther away so I could take the empty one beside Kate. The look on her face… It was priceless. Shock. Confusion. I smiled and took her hand, leaning down to kiss her cheek.

  "I ran into your father at the health club and when he asked me if I was joining you, I told him I was able to rearrange my jam session with my band to another night and was pleased to keep you company."

  "Oh," she murmured. "That's … good to know."

  I said hello to Elaine, commented on her dress and then sat beside Kate, enjoying that I’d completely thrown her off balance. That was key – she had to be kept off balance so I could retain control over her and the situation. If she felt too in control, she might just shut things down between us. I would not accept that.

  I leaned in close to her, breathing in her perfume, the scent intoxicating.

  "Don't sound so pleased to see me. Nice move, by the way, forgetting to invite me to sit in your box as your father asked," I said, my lips hovering over
her cheek. I fought my urge to kiss her there and then and almost gave in, but Ethan turned to me and began asking me questions about Mersey. I answered, keeping half my attention on Kate as she sat in silence beside me. Petulant silence, a frown over her beautiful eyes.

  Ethan showed me his opera glasses and I pulled out mine, which I found in my father’s belongings after he died. I remembered them at the last minute and brought them with me so I could watch the performance.

  Kate was completely shut off. She sat rigid, her hands folded in her lap, twisting the program in her hands nervously.

  Finally, she leaned over to me, avoiding my eyes. "I consider this pushing my limits."

  I smiled and leaned down to her. "I'm a good Dom, Kate," I whispered, my arm slipping over the back of her chair. "We push our sub's limits. It's the only way they experience anything new or as intensely as they could because they're too afraid on their own."

  "You said you'd honor the agreement to the letter."

  "It hasn't taken effect yet. Not until November 15th, if I recall correctly. This is just me being who I am."

  She sat back and frowned even more deeply. If she thought she’d convince me to leave, she was sadly mistaken. I was here for the duration.

  "This is a special event for me," she said, her voice low. "I don't want you here."

  "What do you mean?"

  "Why don't you ask my father?"

  It was my turn to frown. I leaned over to Ethan. "Kate said this is a special night for her."

  "Oh, yes, that's right. Katherine used to go with her mother each year to hear this performed. Symphony No. 3 by Gorecki. About the Holocaust. Lost some family on her mother's side in the camps. Isn't that right, dear?" he said and smiled at Kate. "Katherine and her mother used to cry like babies when they listened to it."

  Kate turned away from her father as if she couldn’t stand to look at him. She was not pleased. At all.

  I thought she’d be surprised, but I didn’t expect her to seem so adverse to my presence. I hoped I’d be able to warm her up, lean down and whisper in her ear, but she wasn’t buying it. She pulled out her phone and texted. Who was she texting? A friend? Was she complaining about the man who was bothering her?

  Then my cell dinged with an incoming text. I took out my phone and checked. It was from Kate.

  I frowned and read it.

  Drake, please, can you find some excuse to leave during the first part of the performance? It has special meaning to me and I get very emotional. It has to do with my mother. I'd rather you not be with us. Can't you pretend to get a page about a patient and leave for half an hour? I'm asking you this as one human to another…please…

  Damn…

  I didn’t want to leave, especially during a very emotional moment. I wanted to be there to share it with her.

  Still, I wanted the evening to go well, and for me to end up between her luscious thighs. If I didn’t leave, she would resent me.

  So I took the high road.

  I typed a message on my phone and sent it to Lorraine, the unit clerk on the surgical ward where I had patients.

  Do me a huge favor and buzz my pager in a minute – I need an excuse to leave and you’re all I have. I can say someone on the ward needs my attention. Are you game?

  Of course Lorraine was game. She was an apple-cheeked women with Albinism who joked with me constantly when I was at the nursing station to read charts.

  Sure thing, boss man. Woman problems?

  I chuckled to myself and answered.

  You have no idea…

  She sent me one last text.

  You have to tell me all about it when you’re in tomorrow… Promise?

  I replied, knowing damn well that she’d grill me if I admitted that I needed her to help me with a date.

  You drive a hard bargain but OK. Tomorrow. Thanks for this.

  I slipped my phone back in my pocket just in time for Ethan to ask me more questions about my band. Kate was still silently fuming beside me so I answered, happy to pass the time until the program started.

  As the lights dimmed to mark the start of the concert, my pager went off, so I pulled it out and checked it.

  "Ah, damn," I said and showed it to Ethan. "Gotta run out for a bit. Have a patient post-op who's experiencing complications. I'll run back to the hospital and check on him, but I'll come back as soon as I can."

  "That's too bad, Drake,” Ethan said. “You'll miss the first part of the performance. That's Katherine's favorite part, isn't it, dear?"

  "That's too bad," Kate said and turned to me, our eyes meeting. It was the first time that night she actually looked in my eyes. I sensed relief and appreciation in them so it was a good thing I decided to be a gentleman and honor her request.

  "I'll be back as soon as I can," I said, holding her gaze. "I'm sad I'll miss your favorite part."

  I made my way to the door, glancing one last time at Kate before I left the box, but I had no intentions of missing the performance or Kate’s response to it. I had my own seat a few boxes away and the angle would afford me a profile view of Kate.

  I stood in the back of my box for a few moments, until the concert was underway and the soloist had begun, before moving forward and training my opera glasses onto Kate. I only half-listened to the performance, my focus on her, but soon even I was diverted from my observation of Kate to listen to the music. It was very emotional, and I glanced at the program, which included the lyrics in both Polish and English. The words were by a young Polish prisoner to her mother, asking her mother not to weep for her. Extremely emotional, I couldn’t help but calculate how Kate would respond to it. Based on what I knew of her already, she’d be emotionally overwrought by it and – to be honest – more open to me.

  While I watched her, I saw her break down completely, a tissue to her mouth, tears in her eyes. When the audience rose for an ovation, she sat back, gathering her composure.

  Then she glanced around and saw me watching her.

  She leaned back, trying to hide but I didn’t stop watching her or hide what I was doing. I wanted her to know I saw her. It would be one more moment we shared. One more intimacy. One more brick I’d removed from the wall between us.

  I left the box at intermission and made my way to the mezzanine where people were congregating. Ethan had already left his own box with Elaine and was standing with a small group of people I didn’t recognize. I went up to him and of course, we shook hands and he introduced me to everyone. I glanced around, but Kate was nowhere to be seen.

  “She’s in the washroom. Always gets a bit emotional during the concert. She’ll be out in a minute.” Ethan nodded at me knowingly.

  Ethan’s friends all spoke of the music and how wonderful Upshaw was, but all I could think of was Kate and how much the music affected her. She was a delicate young woman, her emotions close to the surface. I hated being so calculating but the thought excited me. I knew I could get a lot out of her and that’s what I wanted more than anything.

  Finally, Kate emerged from the washroom and when she saw me standing with Ethan, I smiled at her. She wasn’t ready to face anyone and left the mezzanine, almost racing back to the box.

  “Excuse me,” I said to Ethan, who raised his eyebrows at me as if he understood.

  I followed her back and when I was inside, I sat down and put my arm around her on the back of her chair.

  "How are you?" I asked, keeping my voice soft.

  She tried to avoid looking in my eyes, glancing everywhere except at me directly.

  "Fine,” she said, pausing. "Thank you for understanding and leaving."

  "You're welcome." I moved a bit closer. "I've never heard that piece before. It was…" I searched for the right word, wanting to convey how much it moved me. "Devastating."

  I took out a handkerchief from my jacket pocket and wiped a spot of mascara from her cheek. I wanted her to know I knew she had been crying from the music. It was a moment of emotional nakedness that would lead – eventually
– to one that was physical.

  "Here, let me get this," I said. "Your mascara ran a bit from your tears."

  When she resisted, I took her chin in my hand and turned her face so that she could no longer avoid me. Finally she met my eyes and a jolt of adrenaline went through me, surprising me at how much I responded to her.

  I kissed her, my hands on either side of her face. A kiss meant to knock yet another brick out of the wall between us. Soon, there’d be nothing there and she’d be mine completely.

  Of course, Ethan and Elaine returned so my brief moment of intimacy with Kate came to an end. I turned to Ethan and smiled at his expression. He wanted us together so badly. I felt more than a touch of guilt at taking advantage of his fatherly desire to match me with his daughter. But only a touch.

  I wouldn’t be bad for Kate. On the contrary, I’d help her find out more about herself.

  I turned to Ethan and Elaine, welcoming them back. Kate was clearly trying to hide that she had been so emotional, her face turned away from us. I let her have her moment to recover her self-control and then sat back beside her as the program started.

  Getting her into my bed would take a bit of finesse, even though I could feel her cold reluctant exterior starting to crack under my constant pressure. My mind was occupied with thoughts of her seduction and so I barely took note of the performance, the music a distraction from my mental images of Kate lying beneath me, blindfolded and restrained. When she stood up and excused herself, I thought at first she had to use the washroom, but then I realized that she was far too emotionally overwrought and was probably trying to escape.

  I followed her out of the box, patting Ethan on the shoulder when he made a face of concern.

  “Is she all right?” he whispered.

  “I’ll take care of her,” I said, my voice quiet. Ethan nodded as if he approved and was glad to know I was taking care of his daughter.

  God, he was making this so damn easy…

  I couldn’t find her down the hallway and so I checked the mezzanine but it was empty. Finally, I saw a side door and realized she might have taken it so she could get some air. I opened the exit door and saw her leaning against the wall, staring up at the night sky.