A half hour later, Darcy wrapped up her speech. It had gone well, so much better than she expected, and she had Theo, the mysterious Dom who showed up out of nowhere to save the day, to thank. While she wouldn't have tanked if he hadn't interfered, she wouldn't have charmed the audience to the extent she had.
Her main client, Victor Snyder, was a lovely man. Kind and generous, he donated huge sums of money to charity through the foundation she had set up in his name. Next week she would turn operations completely over to him, and she needed to line up her next big job. The smaller contracts kept her going, but they didn't pay out like the larger ones that required long-term commitments.
Snyder Corporation now had over half a million dollars available for grants. A full year of her time had gone into developing grant opportunities and guidelines for the corporation. She had hired and trained a full staff to oversee the department. Victor wanted her to stay with him, to run everything. Darcy didn't want to give up her business in order to do that. Scott seemed to be the only one who had understood how her work fulfilled her. He alone had urged her to hold fast to her dreams. Actually he had ordered it, and she had loved him all the more for it.
She was under no illusion that her mystery Dom, Theo, would or could give her what she really needed. On occasion Scott had provided a stern reprimand or two to another submissive. Darcy had never been jealous because she knew it wasn't sexual or emotional. This outward display of his generous spirit had drawn her to him in the first place. Theo seemed to be cut from the same cloth. She had to be careful to not transfer her feelings for Scott to Theo. It wouldn't be a true emotion, and it wouldn't be fair to any of them.
Perhaps he would want to buy her a drink or let her buy one for him. She would thank him and call him “Sir.” If anyone had earned that title, Theo had.
As she sat at her assigned seat on the dais with the other presenters who would make up the panel of experts Sunday morning, Darcy looked around the room. It didn't take long for her to find Theo. The rich depth of his dark brown hair stood out in this crowd from the west side of Michigan with its large Dutch population. Most people were blond or bald. Even her light brown hair blended in with everyone else. Not Theo. Even if he were blond, which wouldn't look right with his angular, olive-complexioned face, he would stand out. The authority he carried on his shoulders shone like a broadcast beacon, pulling every eye toward him.
Theo wasn't handsome in the traditional sense. His cheekbones were too sharp, and his long nose had a hawkish bend to it. A scar crossed his left eyebrow, interrupting its thickness and giving him an air of danger. She could study his lips for hours. Already she wondered if they were soft or if they were as hard as they looked. She could easily picture his face as a granite bust.
A pang of guilt hit her chest, and she drew a deep, ragged breath. Scott would want her to move on with her life. He would want her to find another Dom. He would want her to be happy.
The event organizer sat to her right. Colleagues took up the remaining seats. Theo had said he would find her afterward, and she trusted him to follow through. She didn't really have anything on which to base her assumption other than intuition and hope. Having been around the scene for more than a few years, she'd seen good Doms and bad ones. Theo struck her as the former. She wasn't necessarily looking for another relationship, but she could use a friend.
For the first time since those horrible weeks after Scott disappeared, Darcy felt a knot of peace unfurling in her chest. She turned her attention to the people around her and focused on staying in the moment.
After dinner Darcy tried to make her way from the room. Various people stopped her along the way. Some exclaimed over her speech. Several business owners pressed cards into her hand. Others told her they looked forward to attending her portion of the conference the next day.
She smiled and made eye contact. She shook hands and memorized names. Using what she hoped were surreptitious glances, she scanned the room for Theo. The vacant seat where he had eaten offered no clues as to his whereabouts. She fought disappointment and concentrated on the man who had held her hand in his for far too long.
“I saw you speak last year,” he said. “We were seated together for breakfast both mornings.”
She stared at him. His nondescript brown hair and eyes offered no clues to jog her memory. If the conference had been a year ago, she had likely attended with Scott. Though their schedules had sometimes conflicted and he couldn't always travel with her, he tried his best to attend the larger gatherings where her nerves presented the worst. Thinking of Scott brought her up short, derailing her attempt to remember the man.
“Which conference was this?” She smiled encouragingly and tilted her head a bit to soften the man's coming disappointment. She tried tugging her hand free again, but he didn't relinquish his grip.
“San Diego. You were there with your Master. I don't see him around.”
Panic spiked through Darcy, the kind of icy fear that came with gooseflesh prickling down her spine. She and Scott had kept that aspect of their relationship relatively private. He didn't overtly dominate her in public, and she rarely used his title outside of their home.
Warm hands landed on her shoulders. “Darcy, are you almost finished here?”
Darcy shrank back against Theo's broad chest, taking refuge in a place she considered safe. She felt his solid strength flowing into her, and she finally mustered enough courage to blatantly pull her hand free. “I'm sorry. I don't recall your name. A year is such a long time.”
“Darcy.” Theo's stern warning couldn't be missed.
She turned as much as she could with his hands gripping her shoulders to find his gaze focused on the man she couldn't place. His warning hadn't actually been directed at her. “I'll just be a minute, Theo.”
“One minute. That's all.” He glanced down at her for a second, but it was long enough for her to catch the slight lift of his brow. It was a small gesture with a loud message. If she wanted to continue the conversation, she could. If she wanted it to end, he would provide a way out. When he returned his attention to the man, she followed suit.
The man's smile cracked a bit, but he didn't seem at all cowed, merely annoyed. “I also work for Victor Snyder. Security.”
She used this new set of parameters to search her memory. He wore a casual dress shirt and khakis. Nothing about his face or build marked him as distinct. Perhaps if she saw him in his uniform, it would sufficiently jog her memory. She wasn't usually so bad with names and faces. She shook her head. “I'm sorry. I still can't place you. Perhaps if you told me your name?”
“Thirty seconds.”
The relaxed tone of Theo's voice gave no clue to the tension radiating from his body into hers. Darcy shivered, uncomfortable with the situation.
The man flicked his gaze back up to Theo. A brief flash of distaste caused his lip to curl before it settled into a cold smile. “You must be Darcy's new Master. A word of advice? Her Masters tend to disappear. Watch your back.”
Blood drained from Darcy's face, leaving behind a cold, sticky feeling. Her limbs trembled. Victor had been there for her after Scott disappeared. He had provided her with a lawyer when she was too dazed and grief-stricken to think to ask for one. “How dare you say something like that? One word to Victor and he'll fire you for this.”
“Time's up.” Theo peeled her away. With his hand firmly planted on the small of her back, he guided her out of the room.
Few people loitered in the wide main hall in front of the banquet room. Darcy took in a few deep, calming breaths. Theo watched, an unreadable expression on his face. Finally she managed a tenuous smile.
“I'm sorry about that. You don't have to stay with me. I understand if you want to call it a night. Thank you for helping me earlier.” She didn't use his title because she wanted to make it clear that he owed her nothing.
Theo slid his fingers along her cheek until he cupped the side of her head. He brushed his thumb over her eyebrow. Then
his caress moved down. The tips of his fingers rested lightly against her jaw, and he used his thumb to rub the same arc along the edge of her bottom lip. The depth of intensity in his bottomless brown eyes stirred a recognition deep inside her.
At last he spoke. “Sir.”
Her lips parted. “I'm sorry, Sir. I just don't want you to think I expect anything from you. I'm more than grateful for your help, both before the speech and just now.”
He nodded and dropped his hand. “I like you, Darcy. I don't go around rescuing subs from themselves and jealous wannabe Doms. I'm not a bighearted fool or a generous man. I'm doing this because I hope to get something out of it.”
The spell he had been weaving over her broke. Of course he wanted something out of it. What man didn't? She bit her lip and took a step back. “I don't sleep around, Theo. I'm sorry if I said or did something to make you think I was offering sex. I wasn't.”
He took one step forward, negating the distance she had put between them. “I don't expect anything more than your company, Darcy. You did great tonight. I was completely entranced by your speech even though I'm a computer geek, not a grant writer. I thought you'd like to get a drink with me.”
She blinked up at him. “Is that my reward?”
Theo lifted a brow. “We met barely two hours ago. Given the newness of our acquaintance, don't you feel praise to be an appropriate reward?”
Heat crept up her neck. Even if he had been her Master, praise would have been the appropriate reward. Any reward he would have chosen would have been appropriate. Rewards and punishments were a Master's purview.
Her gaze landed on his shiny shoes. “I'm sorry, Sir. I overstepped my bounds.”
“No, you didn't. I encourage you to be open and honest with me. It's the only way we'll know whether this bit of chemistry between us is going to go anywhere.”
Darcy's breath caught. She liked this kind of brutal honesty. Though she meant to keep her gaze lowered, she couldn't help looking into his eyes. He didn't flinch or hide his appreciation for her. “Is Sir asking me out for a drink?”
He shook his head. “Sir gave you praise. Theo is asking to spend some time with you.”
Many men had asked her out since Scott's disappearance. Theo was the first who tempted her. That tiny knot of peace deep in her chest grew. She didn't try to temper the soft smile his declaration elicited. “A drink sounds nice.”
Theo offered his arm. When she gripped his bicep tentatively, he placed his other hand over hers until she accepted his reassurance. She slid her hand deeper and allowed him to pin her wrist between his arm and his body. This drew her closer and kept her there. She allowed his display of possessiveness, and she let herself enjoy the feeling of security he evoked.
Friday night at the hotel bar with a convention in full swing meant a wall of noise blasted them the moment Theo opened the door. He smiled apologetically. “I guess you'll have to sit close to me so we can hear each other.”
Darcy laughed and released his arm. She stepped into the dimly lit room. He immediately placed his hand on the small of her back. He paused, scanning the room, and she paused with him. She visually measured the height difference between them, estimating six inches. That put him at around six feet tall.
At last he turned his head to smile down at her. “There's a table back there.” He pointed to his right and shifted her to that side. Grateful his height allowed him to see above the crowd, she let him guide her toward the table he had chosen.
The little rectangular table fit two people. Shoved against a wall next to a fire exit, it seemed forgotten and alone. Theo pulled out a chair and motioned for her to sit. His gallantry caused her to swallow an uncharacteristic giggle. She couldn't remember the last time anyone except a maitre d’ had treated her this way.
A waitress pounced before Theo had settled in his chair. She flashed a quick smile that did little to change her harried air, and she tucked a strand of blonde hair behind her ear. “We got five-dollar drafts tonight. What can I get for you?”
Darcy could tell the woman hoped they would both order drafts. Thoroughly not a beer person, she smiled apologetically. “Can I have a glass of cabernet sauvignon?”
“Yep.” She turned to Theo and lifted her brow. “What can I get for you?”
The amused smile tipping the corners of his lips made Darcy want to feel them against hers. She swallowed and looked away, uncertain what to do with this visceral reaction.
“I'll have the same.”
The waitress left, and Theo reached across the table. He took her hands in his, holding them loosely. The choice of whether to let him have this contact lay with her. She relaxed into his hold and leaned closer.
“You like wine?”
He shrugged. “Sometimes. I'm not a picky drinker.”
She laughed and let her gaze follow the planes and angles of his face. “You could have ordered something else.”
“I'm aware.” That amused grin returned, tempered with a bit of slyness that made his dark eyes shine. “Since I'm hoping for a good-night kiss, I think I'll stick to drinking the same thing you drink. That way you won't be turned off by my breath.”
Darcy chose to dodge that one. She looked down at their hands. “Tell me about yourself, Theo. You said you were a computer geek. What do you do, exactly?”
He didn't look like the image that came to mind when she thought of a computer geek, though he wasn't far off. She could see where he might have been an awkward, gangly teen, but even if his arms and legs had once been too long for his body, the rest of him had caught up and filled out nicely.
“I can do pretty much anything. I can write programs, design Web sites, interactive databases, you name it.”
Such a vague description told her nothing. “Who do you work for?”
“I freelance.” That sparkle in his eye warned her against assuming his skills were outdated. “I own my own company, and I keep very busy. I'm here because I'm doing some research for a job I'm planning to bid on. Your turn, Darcy.”
This time she shrugged. “You already know what I do.”
“The conference brochure only tells me so much about you.” He rubbed the palms of her hands with his thumbs. The little circles of pressure put her at ease. “Why don't you tell me how you found your submissive side?”
She had expected this, just not so soon. This topic was inextricably linked with her memories of Scott. She swallowed and tried to get her hammering heart under control. She licked her lips, and that's when she noticed the hungry look in his eyes. It made laughter bubble inside and calmed her nerves.
“I was in a relationship. We were invited to a fetish party. We only went because we thought it would be interesting. It blew our minds. The next day, he brought a flogger home, and it just grew from there.”
She left off the part where she and Scott had been so turned on by the demonstrations that he had pushed her against the car and fucked her in the parking lot. Then he had played with her pussy for most of the drive home, keeping her on the edge of orgasm for nearly thirty minutes.
Once they got there, he had pounded into her and slapped her ass until she couldn't stop the onslaught of orgasms. They had fucked until they both passed out. She tried to banish the picture of Scott trailing the long falls of the flogger over her quivering flesh the next day, that cocky grin quirking his lips. Her pussy had grown moist, and then he had pulled out a blindfold. That was the first time he had asked her to kneel at his feet, a place where she'd discovered a profound inner peace he encouraged her to embrace.
She became aware that Theo watched her closely, and she squirmed in her seat at the idea he might guess her thoughts.
“What was his name?” The softness of Theo's tone shocked her into the moment.
“Scott.”
“What happened to your relationship?”
Darcy studied the way his hands held hers. Though the topic couldn't be remotely comfortable for him, given that he had declared his interest in
her, the way he touched her hadn't changed. He handled her gently, and his thumbs never stopped their barely there massage of her palms.
She withdrew her hands and crossed her arms over her chest. “He died eight months ago. I don't really want to talk about it.” She most definitely didn't want to talk about the hours of interrogation she had endured and the vicious rumors that circulated about how Scott mistreated her. The experience had nearly broken her. Only the certainty that Scott would want her to rise above it all had kept her going.
The waitress returned. She threw down two square napkins and set their glasses of wine on top. “Are you going to order food?”
Theo raised a brow at Darcy. She shook her head. He lifted his eyes to the waitress and bestowed an easy smile. “No thanks. That's all for now.”
She disappeared, and Theo sipped his wine. Darcy felt like an ass for ruining the light tone of their evening, but that knot of peace remained intact.
Theo leaned closer. “Is this your first time with someone else?”
The verbal answer she attempted didn't make it out of her mouth. She nodded instead.
He twirled the stem of his wineglass with one hand, caressing the smooth glass the same way he had caressed her palm. His warm brown eyes never left her face. The shades of understanding and the depth of his patience floored her. He reached for her hand, and she gave it to him.
“It's just a drink. Nothing will happen between us that you don't want to happen. Ever. If I kiss you tonight, it's because you want me to. I respect your boundaries and any refusal that should cross your lips. It's always your choice. Remember that.”
He played his thumb across the back of her hand, and then he released her completely. Wanting something to do with her hands and mouth, she sipped her wine. It tasted horrible. She made a face and set it back down.
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