by Lucia Jordan
She shouldn’t. She couldn’t. “8 o’clock.” She couldn’t believe the words came out of her mouth. Why hadn’t she just said no?
“I’ll come by and pick you up. We can grab a bite to eat then I can…take you home.” He knew he shouldn’t speak so impudently to her but he couldn’t help himself. She stirred him on a level he hadn’t felt in a very long time. And he knew his insinuations weren’t lost on her. Her nostrils flared and her body shivered.
Margot would kill her if she knew what she was doing. But she couldn’t tell him no. There was something about this man that drew her. The sexual pull was something she simply couldn’t deny. She hadn’t felt it in so long that her brain felt fried just standing so close to him.
“O-okay.”
“I’ll see you later,” he said with a smile as he caressed her cheek again.
As she watched him walk out of the shop, she wondered how much trouble she was going to be in.
***
“You idiot! How could you just let him walk out of here,” Margot raged as she paced. “I give you one task. One! And you screw it up. I should fire you right now for your incompetence!”
Margot had threatened to fire Avery several times over the years but had yet to follow through. But Avery feared this just might be the time she did it. She couldn’t lose her job so close to her brother’s graduation. She had to calm Margot down.
“I’m sorry. He just couldn’t…wait any longer. I’m sure you won’t miss out on any…sales.”
“You’d better be right,” Margot warned as she pointed her bony finger at Avery. “If you’re not, it’s going to be your ass! When did he say he was coming back?”
Oh, shit. She hadn’t thought about that. What could she say? “He, uh, said he’d be back…tomorrow.” She would have to convince him to follow through with her promise.
“I guess I’ll have to rearrange my schedule to make sure I’m here all day long, considering you’re not capable of keeping a man around for more than two minutes,” Margot huffed as she stalked away.
“Go to hell,” Avery muttered quietly at her boss’s back. She was so sick of Margot’s tirades and bullying that she was on the verge of telling the woman to go fuck herself, but she didn’t. She needed to keep her mouth shut, do what she was told and then, when Adam left after the summer, she could tell Margot where to go.
Suddenly, Margot stormed back into the room. “I’m too upset to work. I’m leaving for the day. Do not lock up one minute early. Come on, Muffin.”
Boss and dog left the shop with a loud slam of the door.
“Good riddance, you unbelievable bitch.” Avery stretched her arms above her head and took a deep breath. Now that that little crisis was over, she could focus on what was really important—seeing Burke later.
Their earlier encounter had left her needy and confused. She couldn’t deny her reaction to him, couldn’t deny that he had awakened a yearning in her that had long lain dormant. And he had seemed interested in her as well. But what did he see in her? They were from two completely different worlds. She was an underpaid sales assistant with a high school diploma. He…well, she didn’t know much about him at all. Other than that he was wealthy. And sexy. And gorgeous.
Oh, god, how he made her feel. The things she’d imagined him doing to her made her blush. She’d never envisioned doing those things with anyone before, but within minutes of meeting Burke, she’d pictured him taking her fast and hard against any surface she could think of. Even after he’d gone, he mind still wandered down the prurient path of debauchery. She was wet just thinking about him and that had never happened before. She wondered if he would be as good in real life as he was in her…
What the hell was she thinking? She couldn’t get involved with this guy. If Margot found out, it would cost her her job. It really didn’t matter if she was attracted to him or not. It didn’t matter if the sexual pull was so strong that it made her heart ache. Margot had made it clear that she was staking her claim.
She should cancel. She should call him and tell him that she couldn’t go with him. Even if every cell inside of her was screaming go, go, go, she knew the right thing to do was back out.
But when she reached for her phone, she realized she didn’t have his number, had no way to get in touch with him.
“I’ll just tell him when he gets here,” she said, felling both equal parts elation at seeing him again and sadness at having to send him away.
***
Burke couldn’t focus on anything other than Avery. The way she smelled, how her breasts pulled against the buttons of her blouse, how her legs jutted from the bottom of her skirt and begged to be caressed. She invaded every corner of his mind. If he thought it had been torture not being near her for the past nine years, waiting to see her again knowing he’d have the chance to touch her in just a couple of hours was pure agony.
He was in so much trouble. He knew himself well enough to know that when he wanted something, he went after it. And what he wanted was Avery Martin. But she wasn’t like the other women he had dated in the past. No, he usually picked his partners very carefully. They had all been very much aware of what he was, of what he needed and expected. Every woman he’d ever chosen to take as his had known he was a Dominant and every one had agreed to be his submissive. But Avery wasn’t his usual partner. He had no doubt she’d never been in a Dom/sub relationship before. But if she would agree to it, he would be honored to show her what it was like, what he could offer.
He needed to slow down the direction his mind was headed. He had to restrain his carnal desires, otherwise he’d jump on her the moment he saw her. He had to find the control to sit and have dinner with her without caressing her thighs, to listen to her sweet voice without stroking her breasts, to watch her mouth move as she ate her meal without nibbling on her lips. Her lips. So full, so kissable. He wanted to taste them, to see them wrapped around his thick cock.
Fuck!
How was he supposed to keep his hands off her when his brain turned the most ordinary activities like eating dinner into something erotic? How was he supposed to act like a gentleman when he was sitting at his desk with a raging hard on just thinking about her?
He checked his phone again. One more hour to go. He’d checked the damn thing about a dozen times in the last couple of hours.
He was hopeless.
He had planned to let things progress slowly, to let her get to know him before initiating sex with her. But that noble notion was quickly disintegrating. He would be lucky if he could stop himself from taking her in the backseat of the way home.
***
At precisely eight o’clock, Burke walked through the front door. Avery hadn’t realized how anxious she was to see him again, but the moment he stepped into the shop and smiled at her, she crumbled.
“Hello,” she said as she forced herself to remain seated.
Just seeing Avery again made Burke’s cock twitch with anticipation. “Are you ready?”
She stood and wrung her hands. “I don’t…this isn’t a good idea.”
Burke went cold. No. He’d just spent the last few hours in misery waiting to see her, had spent the last nine years yearning to get his chance with her. He wasn’t about to just let her walk away. “May I ask why?”
She couldn’t tell him it was because her boss had laid claim to him. Even to her, it sounded ridiculous. It was clear he was attracted to her and she couldn’t deny that she wanted him. They were all adults free to make their own decisions, but life was never that simple.
“I just…we’re so different, Burke. I can’t imagine what you see in me.”
He crossed the room quickly, caught her in his arms and lifted her to him. “Not as different as you might think. Besides, you’re beautiful, kind, and sweet. What more could a man want.” He crushed his mouth to hers and took what he’d been thinking about all afternoon. “And I’ve wanted to do that since I first saw you.”
As he set her back on her feet, she mo
ved her hand up and set her fingertips against her lips. They were moist and warm and tingling. Oh, she was in trouble. She looked up into his face and found him staring down at her, his gaze penetrating and powerful and fixed on her. A shiver ran down her spine. This could end up being the greatest night of her life or the beginning of the end, but she wasn’t going deny herself the chance to find out.
“Let’s go,” he encouraged.
With a small nod, she walked outside, his hand on the small of her back, and nearly tripped when she saw the car sitting at the curb. “A limo?”
“I wanted to give you my undivided attention tonight, not worry about driving.”
His smile made her heart flutter.
“Oh, well.” She’d never ridden in a limousine before. Then she remembered her own transportation parked out back. “Shoot. My car. I should probably just meet you at the restaurant. I’ll need my car to get home later.”
Burke hoped she wouldn’t need a ride home until morning but kept that thought to himself. “Give me your keys. I’ll arrange to have your car taken to your place and I’ll get you home after you’ve seen my house.”
Avery hesitated. She was handing over her ability to leave whenever she wanted to a man she barely knew. Did she want to be at his mercy? To be that vulnerable? Yes, she did, and she quickly dug her keys out of her purse.
Her hesitation wasn’t lost on Burke and he breathed a sigh of relief when she handed her keys over to him, knowing she’d just given up her first bit of control for the evening.
***
They arrived at a quaint Italian restaurant and were greeted by a robust woman.
“Good evening, Mr. Stone. Right this way, please.”
Burke put his hand on the small of Avery’s back again and guided her through the restaurant as she looked around in surprise.
“Burke, there’s nobody else here,” she whispered.
He chuckled. “I know. I rented it out for the evening. No distractions, remember?”
Avery’s mouth dropped open.
Burke leaned down and traced his fingertip over her lower lip. “You better close that beautiful mouth of yours or I might be tempted to put something in it.” He pulled her back against him so she could feel exactly what he had in mind.
Her face reddened as she quickly snapped her lips shut. No, there was no mistaking where this night was headed.
The hostess led them to a table out on the patio. Burke held her chair out for her and then said something to the hostess in Italian before he took his seat across from her.
“What did you say to her?”
“I asked her for a bottle of wine that I think you’ll enjoy.”
A waiter returned with the bottle, poured a sip into Burke’s glass and let him sample it. When he nodded his approval, the waiter poured two glasses and left the bottle.
Avery looked at the label and nearly choked. “That’s a Bruno Giacosa! It’s like two thousand dollars a bottle.”
Burke was impressed she knew the wine. “Try it.”
Avery took a taste and couldn’t argue with him. It was the best wine she’d ever tasted, but the extravagant price tag made her sip slowly. As she set her glass down, she looked over at Burke who was staring intently at her. The combination of his piercing gaze and the silence that surrounded them had her fidgeting in her seat.
“So, tell me something about yourself,” she urged.
He really didn’t want to talk about himself. He didn’t want to slip and alert her to their convoluted past. “What would you like to know?”
“What brought you to the shop?”
You! But he couldn’t tell her that just yet. “I just moved town and the house I bought needs…something.”
“And how did you hear about Prentiss Antiques?”
“Oh, I’ve known about the place for years,” he said with a mischievous grin.
“And why’d you come to town?”
He felt like he was being interrogated but he didn’t mind. Just the fact that he was sitting across from her after all these years was amazing. “I own a winery out in Napa and needed a printing company to print labels for the bottles. Dalton Printing was…on the market, so I bought them.” He didn’t bother telling her that he’d been searching for an opportunity to buy something in the area for the last couple of years. When nothing had come up, he had gotten tired of waiting and approached Dalton with a very generous offer.
“I know Dalton Printing. My little brother worked there for a couple of summers,” she offered. “Good company, good people.”
Ah, so she was going to open up to him. He liked that. “You have a little brother?”
“Yes. But Adam isn’t so little any more. He’s just about to graduate from college. He’s leaving for San Francisco after the summer to start a job with an IT company.”
Burke already knew this. The company Adam would be working for was his. He’d made sure that when Adam started looking for jobs in his senior year that his company made the young man an offer he couldn’t refuse. “That’s exciting. You must be so proud.”
She nodded bleakly and she looked down at the napkin in her lap. “Yes.”
Burke didn’t like the sadness on her face. He reached across the table, put his finger beneath her chin and forced her to look at him. “This upsets you.”
Avery sighed. “Yes and no. I’m happy he’s moving on with his life but…it kind of leaves me at loose ends. It’s been just Adam and me for the past ten years. And now he doesn’t need me any longer. He’s grown up, starting his own life.”
He caressed her cheek. “He’ll always need you. You’re his big sister. You just don’t have to take care of him any longer. You can focus on yourself now.”
And that was the problem. If she wasn’t taking care of Adam, what was she supposed to do? She realized she was bringing down the energy of the evening and needed to change the subject. “Enough about me. Aren’t we are supposed to talking about what furniture you need for your house?”
“We’ll get to that when we go home. Right now, I’d like to feed you,” he said, just as a waiter brought out several dishes and set them on the table.
“But we haven’t ordered anything yet,” she protested.
“I ordered for us. It’s a sampling of several of their signature dishes.”
That was a little presumptuous on his part but she didn’t say anything.
The waiter removed the lids off the dishes and steam filled the air.
“Smells delicious,” she responded as she inhaled the scent of spicy tomato sauce. “Oh, before I forget, you need to come back to the shop. Margot was very upset when she returned and you were gone. I told her you’d be back tomorrow.” She looked at him pleadingly, hoping he’d agree. “Please?”
Burke looked at her with a critical eye. “She’s not the easiest person to work for, is she?”
Avery only spoke ill of Margot to Adam, but she didn’t want to lie to Burke. She shook her head slowly.
“Then why do you stay?” Burke questioned as he dished out a small portion of pasta onto her plate.
She shrugged. “I won’t be there much longer. I just need to get my brother through school and then I can start looking for something else.”
“What do you want to do?”
“Well, I’m…rather limited.” She didn’t want to admit to her lack of education. Margot constantly reminded her of this shortcoming. “I like antiques. I’ve studied my ass off trying to become more familiar with them and I think I’ve done a pretty good job. Not that Margot would ever say that, but I have a real feel for them. Knowing what would look good where, spotting a reproduction or a forgery, valuations.”
“That’s a talent,” he encouraged. Then she licked a spot of sauce off her lower lip and his libido took over. “Hmmm. What other…talents do you have?”
“None, really. Working for Margot is the only job I’ve ever had,” she admitted quietly, then noticed the lascivious grin on his face. “Oh.”
/> He reached across the table and took her hand. “I think we should try to discover what other hidden talents you might have,” he offered with a wink.
She quivered at his words and the indecent look he gave her. She would definitely like to explore anything Burke wanted.
***
“Your house is beautiful, Burke.” Avery was in complete awe. She’d driven by the house hundreds of times over the years but had never seen the inside. So far, she’d seen the foyer, parlor, dining room, living room, den, library and Burke’s office. All these were on the main floor. The kitchen had been recently updated and there was nothing she could add to it to make it any better. But there were so many pieces she could suggest to him that would help complement the rooms.
“I can hear your wheels turning. Have you come up with some idea?” He hung back a little just so he could watch her reaction, and watch her ass.
“Oh, god yes. I’m just making mental notes of all the pieces we have both on the showroom floor and in storeroom. I just uncrated this beautiful late sixteenth century mirror that would look great in the foyer and…”
He was staring at her with a small grin.
“What?” she asked.
“You look like a kid in a candy store.”
“I’m going to take that a compliment,” she responded with a smile.
Burke chuckled. “You should. You’re completely wide-eyed and absolutely beautiful.”
She felt that shiver again. She wasn’t sure if it was the two glasses of wine she’d had at dinner or the fact that he didn’t hide that he wanted things to go further, but she suddenly felt bold and she closed the distance between them. On her tip toes, she reached up and gently brushed her lips over his.
Burke lingered for a moment, loving the feel of her soft mouth against his, then drew away. “I think we should talk a little.”
“Oh. Okay.” She retreated sadly. Had she done something wrong? Misread his desire for her? She thought his suggestive comments and his constant caresses were an invitation.
“Stop whatever you’re thinking.” He wanted her more now than ever but he needed to prepare her. He took her face between his large hands and looked deeply into her hurt eyes. “I think you’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. And I would love to take you to bed but…I want to make sure you’re ready…for what I like in the bedroom.”