by Lucia Jordan
To her, it was a wonderful place. “I’m glad you asked me to come to New York, Gio. It’s amazing.” Even more amazing was their relationship. He treated her as his equal, even though she was a far cry from him in terms of wealth and status. None of that mattered.
Only in the bedroom did he take over control. The difference was, when they were ready to play, Taryn willing gave him the gift of her submission. He never took the choice from her—never demanded she submit. But once she did, she was more than happy to be his submissive.
“I’m glad you like it.”
She wandered to the tall railing, glancing at the view of Central Park. “How can you bear to leave? I know California has grand houses, but this is amazing.” On top of that, the services he commanded contributed to a very luxurious lifestyle.
“I worked out of the New York office until—”
“Until Stefano and Karyn got engaged?”
He looked sheepish. “Yes.” He sighed, setting down his glass of wine. “You won’t be able to remain my admin, Taryn.”
Her jaw dropped. “You don’t like my work?”
“You are a valuable employee. And that’s the problem. I don’t want to be your boss in the office. Bedroom, yes.”
Taryn sighed. It made some sense. “I suppose you’re right. I’ve enjoyed the job. I don’t suppose there’s another position where we won’t have the same boss/employee relationship?”
Gio stood, pulling her into his arms. He rested his chin on her head. “Oh, I think I might find something for you.”
Grateful, she smiled. It wouldn’t be nearly so challenging or fulfilling, but a job was a job. “Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me yet, Miss Jones. I’ll still be your boss.”
“Yeah, technically, you are everyone’s boss.”
He grinned. “So true. But you’ll answer only to me.”
She looped her hands around his neck and glanced up at him. “What will I be doing?”
“You’ll take over my job. You’ll have your own office and staff. Question is, are you willing to move to New York?”
Taryn’s jaw dropped. “You want me here? Will you be moving back here too?”
“Yes, and yes. I’m planning to turn over the California branch to Stefano and Karyn, and with you here with me, I’ll be free to oversee the company as a whole and pursue some new ideas and projects.”
“Really?”
“Yes, really. You’re good, Miss Jones. You have sharp instincts and good intuition.”
“Oh, Gio. I can’t believe it.”
“I find I cannot do without you, Miss Jones.”
Reaching up, she brushed the back of her fingers along the side of his face. “Then it’s a good thing you don’t have to do without me.” She had no idea what her future held, but she was absolutely sure Gio would be a permanent part of it. She and her twin sister had both found mates in two brothers.
“I love you, Giovanni DeMitri.”
“I love you, Miss Jones.” He leaned down and kissed her until she moaned. “Want to go play?”
Taryn grinned. “Yes, Sir. And just so you know, I’ve been very bad, Sir.”
“Have you now? How bad?”
“Very bad. I’m thinking I need lots of practice with anticipation and denial. Sir.”
Gio grinned, lifted her skirt, and found her naked underneath. “I can help you with that, my lovely sub. Let’s start with denial.”
He freed his cock, lifted her, and impaled her onto his shaft. Her shudder as he filled her pleased him. He strode inside, wondering if they’d make it to the bedroom. He found he wasn’t very good at denying himself when it came to this woman.
Taryn loved the way Gio filled her—claiming her. Every movement sent her sliding up and down his length. His harsh breathing made her both smile and groan.
“Bet we don’t make it to the couch before you’re driving us both over the edge,” she teased.
Gio glanced down into her amused gaze. “Is that a challenge, Miss Jones?”
She shivered. “It’s the truth. Sir.”
Determined, Gio made it past the couch and to the kitchen table. “I win,” he groaned, laying her gently onto the flat surface.
Laughing softly, Taryn held out her arms. “No, Mr. DeMitri, I think we both win this game.”
“Right again, Miss Jones.” Gio kissed her long and hard, taking them both on another wild ride.
THE END
Whipped Book 1
“Did you pick up my dry cleaning?” The shout came from the back office.
Avery rolled her eyes. “Yes, Margot,” she called out. “It’s hanging on the back of your door.”
“Did they get the wine stain out of my dress?”
“Why don’t you look for yourself,” Avery muttered, then answered more loudly, “Yes.”
“Did you call the groomer? Muffin needs a shampoo and a trim.”
Avery mouthed a silent scream. “Yes,” she snapped and looked over at the creature in question with a smile as he humped a nineteenth century pillow. “Good boy.”
When she didn’t hear another command bellowed from Margot’s office, she got back to work on the accounts payables that she had to complete before the end of the workday. It was Wednesday and she was already counting down the hours until Friday when she could get away from her boss and the shop. Maybe she would head up to Connecticut, spend the weekend at a little B&B. She hadn’t been out of town in months and even then that trip had been for work.
As her mind drifted, she remembered the vacation she and her little brother, Adam, had taken the summer after his freshman year in high school. He had complained incessantly that he was too old for an amusement park. But once they got there and started riding the roller coasters and eating corndogs and cotton candy, he was in heaven. They’d gone back to the same park every summer.
Avery missed Adam like crazy, but he would be coming home soon. He was just about to graduate from college and she would have him around for the summer before he took off to start his new job with an IT company on the West Coast. She hated that he was moving away but happy that she’d at least gotten to see him through high school, that she’d helped him graduate college.
Now that he was ready to take the first steps into his adult independence, she had the opportunity to restart her life again. The only problem was, she had no clue what to do with her life. She didn’t regret putting everything on hold to take care of Adam ten years ago. It had been the only choice she could make. He was the only family she had left and she wasn’t about to see him put into foster care for her own self-serving ambitions. But now that he didn’t need her any longer, she had no idea what she wanted to do. She knew one thing for sure, though. Working for Prentiss Antiques was not in her future. As soon as Adam left for the West Coast, she was quitting. Until then, she needed to keep her job. The meager salary she made barely allowed her make ends meet after paying Adam’s tuition. She just needed to stay put for another few months then she could look for something better, a place where she was actually valued. Not having a college education herself, she knew it would be tough, but she was willing to start at the bottom and work her way up, as long as the company appreciated her.
“I’m headed to the gym.” Margot’s sudden presence at Avery’s desk made her jump. “There’s a very important client coming in this afternoon. If I’m not back by the time he gets here, let him know I will be back soon and get him whatever he wants.”
“Of course.”
“Offer him something from my private stock.”
Avery knew this meant the alcohol her boss kept in a small refrigerator in her office. It was offered only to customers Margot deemed worthy of her attention.
“Okay.”
“Don’t try to engage him in benign small talk. And do not offer to show him around. You don’t have the expertise or education to handle a man like him. I’ll take care of him myself.”
Avery knew exactly what she needed to do when a client
, important or otherwise, came into the shop. Unlike her boss, Avery treated every client with the same amount of respect. Margot only catered to those who had enough zeros in their bank accounts to make it worth her while. But Avery wasn’t stupid. Margot wasn’t worried about Avery’s expertise or her education. She was clearly putting out the “hands off” warning.
“Fine.”
“Mr. Stone is a very…influential man. Someone I’ve been looking forward to meeting for a very long time. So, when he gets here, just greet him then leave him alone. But don’t let him leave.”
“Bitch,” Avery said under her breath as her boss walked away.
After she finished paying the bills, Avery went to the storeroom to uncrate a shipment of furniture that had been delivered earlier that morning. The first crate she opened contained a beautiful Swedish Gustavian period mirror, circa late 1700s. The finish was exquisite and she was amazed at the quality of the glass for the age of the item. The next crate held a pair of George III mahogany armchairs from the same time period. The fabric was a little worn but otherwise they were in pretty good shape.
As she started to unpacked a set of Wedgewood dishes, she heard the bell on the front door tinkle. She gently set the dish she held back into the crate and made her way out to the showroom.
Avery came up short when she saw the man standing in the shop. He stood well over six feet tall. His back was to her and she couldn’t ignore how broad he was. The expanse of his shoulders nearly blocked out the light from the window he was standing in front of. Avery lowered her gaze and appreciated how his torso tapered down to a narrow waist and thick thighs. She noticed that his hair was nearly black and was just long enough to show a little bit of a wave. All in all, he was pretty scrumptious from behind.
“Can I help you?” she asked as he turned around to face her.
Oh my god! He’s gorgeous!
Sky blue eyes, high cheekbones and full lips accentuated his face. The cotton fabric of his shirt pulled tight across his full chest and exposed well-defined pecs. His day-old stubble made him look dangerous and delicious.
This had to be the client Margot had warned her about earlier. He certainly fit the stereotype of the sort of wealthy patron her boss would fawn over. His tailored suit and Italian leather shoes screamed money. Avery now understood why Margot had been so territorial. He was the most attractive man she’d seen in a very long time. It was just as well Margot had called dibs. This man was way out of her league. She wouldn’t know what to do with him if she had him. But if the quiver of need that raced through her body was any indication, she would certainly be willing to try and figure it out.
***
It was her! He couldn’t believe it was her!
He waited for any spark of recognition from her, and when she showed none he breathed a sigh of relief. It would’ve been disastrous if she’d known who he was. He needed time to get to know her, needed her to get to know him, before she realized who he was and that his stepbrother had killed her parents ten years ago.
“I’m Burke Stone.” He extended his hand.
“Avery Martin,” she responded and the moment their hands touched, she felt a thrilling spark zing through her.
“Nice to…meet you.” He kept her hand in his longer than he should have, but he had difficulty letting her go. When she finally tried to pull away, he released her.
“Ms. Prentiss is out at the moment but she should be back shortly. Can I get you something to drink while you wait? Wine? Champagne?”
“No, I’m fine.”
He’d known she worked at Prentiss Antiques but he hadn’t expected to encounter her the moment he walked through the door. The instant he laid eyes on her, he knew she was the one he was looking for.
It had been nine years since the last time he’d seen her, but he would have recognized her anywhere. She’d hardly changed at all. She had filled out in all the right places and her blond hair was longer, but her face was just as beautiful as he remembered. Even through the grief he’d witnessed all those years ago, she was still the most amazingly stunning woman he’d ever seen. And time hadn’t changed that.
He’d thought about her thousands of times over the years, and had kept tabs on her and her brother to make sure they were okay. She wasn’t anywhere on social media so he had hired private investigators to find her and Adam, to keep track of them. He hadn’t asked for any photographs to be taken of her. That would have been too much like stalking. So he hadn’t known what to expect when he encountered her for the first time. But now, as she stood right in front of him, looking magnificent, he realized his imaginings of how she had matured were sorely lacking. And the stirrings of lust and desire he’d had all those years ago came back to life with a vengeance.
Avery expected him to turn his attention to the showroom to look over the pieces they had on the floor, but as she started to back away from him, his gaze remained fixed on her. He assessed her from head to toe, his eyes stopping on her most intimate places but eventually landing on her face. His intense scrutiny kept her rooted in place and she fidgeted under his watchful stare. She wasn’t used to being anyone’s focal point and it unnerved but excited her.
In two long strides, he was inches away from her. He continued to gaze at her, then reached out and brushed his thumb over her cheek. The gentle touch made her weak in the knees and she felt her eyes close in bliss.
“You have a smudge of dirt right here.”
Her eyes flew open, embarrassment plastered across her face. So that was what he was looking at, she thought, and felt a little deflated that his attention was born from her untidiness. “Thank you.” She waited for him to drop his hand away from her face, but he lingered and gently caressed her skin then stroked a strand of her hair.
“It’s so soft, like silk,” he marveled.
She trembled under his hand. “I, uh, should get back to work,” she uttered breathlessly. “If you’d like to take a seat and wait for Ms. Prentiss…”
“Why should we wait for Ms. Prentiss? Can’t you help me?”
Avery shook her head. “No, Ms. Prentiss likes to assist…certain clients herself.”
“Ah.” Burke knew what she was saying and it didn’t sit well with him. He had more money than he knew what to do with but he didn’t think he was any better than anyone else. He’d just been lucky enough to have been born into a wealthy family and had made a few good investments over the years. That didn’t make him better, just more fortunate. “Well, you’re here and she’s not.”
Avery hesitated. The insistent look he gave her made her feel as if she couldn’t deny him. She knew she’d catch hell from Margot, but she would get into more trouble if she refused him and he walked out of the shop. “Okay.”
Avery took Burke around the showroom, directing his attention to several pieces that were her favorites, explaining the era each piece came from, the builder, the history if she had it, anything that came to mind. Usually, she was very calm and knowledgeable when it came to talking about the antiques, but with Burke she kept tripping over her words and losing her train of thought. Every antique she pointed out inspired a very naughty visual to form in her mind. When she described the nineteenth century buffet to him, all she could imagine was him taking her on top of a dining room table, and when she spoke of the eighteenth century armoire, she imagined him throwing her onto his bed and making mad, passionate love to her.
Stop that! She couldn’t entertain thoughts like that. He wasn’t hers to fantasize about.
Needing a moment to compose herself, she stepped away from him. After taking a couple of fortifying breathes, she felt like she had her wandering thoughts under control. Then she felt him standing behind her and he mind scattered again. She turned and nearly swooned at the heat in his eyes.
“Have you s-seen anything th-that interests you?”
Oh, he’d definitely found something that interested him, but unless it was Avery splayed naked on the floor with him buried deep inside her, he c
ouldn’t care less about any of the antiques she’d shown him so far. Being so close to her was driving him crazy and his control was slipping.
When he didn’t respond, just continued to stare at her, she offered, “If n-nothing here is to your liking, I could show you what we have in the storeroom.”
He knew what he wanted her to show him in the storeroom and it wasn’t old furniture. Then, the little devil in him took over. “What do you think? Is there anything back there that might be…to my liking?” He didn’t try to hide his provocative tone. She had him twisted in knots. He’d been under her spell the instant he laid eyes on her. The sound of her voice, the sway of her hips, her scent. He took it all in and knew he would remember every detail the next time he jacked off in the shower.
Was he flirting with her? No, she had to be imaging his suggestiveness. There was no way a man like Burke Stone would be interested in someone like her. “I … don’t know. I don’t know what sort of space you’re trying to fill or what your tastes are.”
He knew exactly what sort of space he wanted to fill and what his tastes were. And she fit both categories perfectly. He hadn’t intended to ask her to his home but he couldn’t help himself. She’d provided him with the perfect opening. “Well, then, I think you should see my place. So you can assess what my…needs are, what…services you can provide me.”
Avery shivered at his words. She wasn’t imaging his sexual innuendos. He was actually flirting with her.
“I’m…sorry. I can’t.”
He knew he should slow down, should let her refuse his invitation, but he couldn’t. He wasn’t used to denying himself anything and he certainly didn’t want to deny himself of her. His conscience was screaming at him to leave her alone. Unfortunately, his conscience wasn’t the part of him getting hard and making his slacks tighter by the second. He stepped even closer to her and leaned in to her face. “Yes, you can.”
“Ms. Prentiss…”
“Still isn’t here. What time do you close?”