I glanced over at Zeke to see him watching the screen.
“Where is he?” I nodded toward the phone. “Tank.”
“Back in Chicago. Doggy daycare,” he said. “They’ve got cameras so I can check in on him anytime I want.”
Okay, now I’d heard a lot of people treated their dogs like children, but I’d never known anyone who sent their pet to doggy daycare. And to be honest, Zeke was probably the last person on earth I would’ve expected to do that.
“Do you like animals, Miss Tinsley?”
“Sure.” I took a sip of my coffee as I leaned against the counter. “Who doesn’t?”
“Oh, you’d be surprised.”
“Does he go to daycare a lot?”
“Only if I can’t take him with me.”
“Why didn’t you bring him?”
“Because I’m on assignment,” he said, as though that was obvious.
I smiled with my lips close to the rim of my cup. “I happen to like dogs. So, if you’re gonna be stuck with me for a while, I wouldn’t mind if you brought him with you.”
He didn’t say anything, but I noticed an unusual light in his eyes. The man was obviously really attached to his dog.
“So,” I prompted as I moved to the chair opposite him. “How do you know Trent?”
He smiled and turned his attention to me, setting his phone on the table. “Me and the boss man go way back.”
“So you work for him?”
“No. Not in an official capacity, at least.”
“What do you do?”
“A little of this, a little of that.”
I wasn’t sure if he was being obnoxious on purpose or if it was his default setting. “So a jack of all trades?”
“Master of none.”
I stared at him. Surely that wasn’t what his resume said.
“Fine. I’m in security.”
“So you’re a bodyguard by trade?”
He shook his head. “Actually, girl, I do this for fun. I’m in cybersecurity.”
I never would’ve guessed that. However, I had caught on to the fact that he continued to call me girl. That was a common way of addressing female submissives in D/s. It wasn’t meant as derogatory, so I took no offense to it, but it led to my next question. “Are you a member of Dichotomy?”
“I am,” he said.
“Are you a Dom?” I knew he wasn’t a submissive, but I asked anyway.
“Sadist,” he corrected.
“Oh.” I fought the surprised reaction, but not before he saw it.
The smirk he shot me was devious and it was then that I realized the man was as wicked as they came. And more than a little scary.
Despite the fact Zeke Lautner was absurdly attractive in an aggressively dangerous, not-quite-handsome sort of way, there was something in his coal-black eyes that softened him. Outward appearances would likely have people giving him a wide berth from his enormous size alone, but when the man looked at his dog, it was clear he had a soft side hidden underneath.
Not that I would tell him that. I wasn’t an idiot.
“Don’t worry, girl. You’re not my type.”
I grinned. “Because I’m not a masochist?”
“Because you’re not a man,” he stated firmly.
I chuckled. “Got it.”
*
That evening, I was doing everything I possibly could to keep my mind off the conversation I’d had with Trent yesterday at lunch. I was trying to psych myself up for a trip to Illinois—which I had learned from a lengthy email from Trent’s assistant would be taking place bright and early Wednesday morning.
I’d been surprised by the level of depth Troy had gone into, informing me about the weather in Chicago, as well as what could be expected once I arrived at the airport. It was refreshing considering I hadn’t gotten much out of Trent, only that he would be tagging along.
For some reason, I hadn’t been able to tell Troy I couldn’t make it. It had me wondering whether or not Trent had known that, hence the reason he’d left it to his assistant to handle. While being in Trent’s presence made me absurdly nervous, I figured I had nothing to lose by entertaining a potential client, so what the hell.
But now, even with the multitude of boxes I was managing to pack—with Zeke’s help—I couldn’t keep my thoughts from drifting to Trent.
All day, my mind had been rehashing every detail of yesterday’s erotic lunch meeting. The way he’d so easily played my body in a public place. Even thinking about it had a foreign sense of anticipation filling me. I was eager to see Trent again, although it was against my better judgment. I had too much to do to even entertain the notion of seeing Trent Ramsey in any capacity that wasn’t business. He was way out of my league. Not to mention, now was not the right time in my life to get wrapped up in someone who could easily become a distraction I couldn’t afford.
So, I had spent the majority of the afternoon making a few phone calls to some people Xander had referred me to. While I didn’t have any definitive leads, I wasn’t willing to stop pursuing potential clients when it was the only thing that could keep me afloat.
When I wasn’t doing that, I was trying to get used to having Zeke under foot while clearing out my house so I could move into Mercedes’s condo and get my place on the market. Today alone, I had managed to pack six more boxes, storing them in the garage until I could move them over to the storage unit I had rented. I was just about to go through my email when my cell phone rang.
I expected it to be Xander because he had called me twice since I’d spoken to Mercedes last. It appeared my friends were now greatly concerned for my well-being, and the ornery Dom was trying to come up with a plan to solve all my financial problems, despite my insistence that he couldn’t. Since I had shared some of the details of the Chicago trip with Mercedes, I knew they were curious.
My heart erratically kicked into high gear as I grabbed my phone and glanced at the screen. Not Xander.
Trent.
“Hello,” I greeted, keeping my voice firm yet pleasant. I purposely ignored my inner urge to call him Sir.
“Good evening, sunshine.”
I was taken a little off guard by the pet name—which he had used at least once already—but I pushed through.
“Good evening.” I felt my cheeks pulling back in a wide grin and I was grateful he couldn’t see me.
“You don’t realize how much I wanted to hear your voice.”
The rough grind of Trent’s voice did nothing to take away from the sincerity I heard in his tone. There was a slight quiver in my belly, and try as I might, I couldn’t ignore it. On the other hand, I had no idea what to say to that. Did I say, Thank you? Or, maybe, You, too? Neither seemed appropriate.
Fortunately, he spoke again before I had to come up with something.
“I’m sending Troy over to pick you up for dinner.”
“Umm…” That was a shocker. Why would he send Troy if Zeke was already here?
“He should be there in about ten minutes. Unfortunately, I couldn’t come for you myself because I’ve got a call I have to make. But I look forward to seeing you at dinner. And just so you know, Troy will also be joining us.”
Turn him down. Tell him you can’t make it. That you have something else to do.
“Okay.” I sounded like an idiot, but what did one say to Trent Ramsey when he called to tell you he was inviting you to have dinner with him and his assistant?
“Is everything going okay with Zeke?”
I looked up at the big man still sitting at my kitchen table. “It is.”
“Good. I’ll see you in a little while, sunshine.”
“Sure.”
The phone disconnected, and I sat on my couch dumbfounded.
“Who was that?” Zeke asked.
“Trent.”
Zeke simply stared as though waiting for the rest.
“He … uh… I’m having dinner with him tonight.” Did I seriously just accept a dinner date? Without so m
uch as Trent asking me if I could make it?
Yes. It appeared I had.
Before I could explain more, Zeke’s cell phone buzzed and he glanced at the screen. My gaze dropped to the floor as I replayed the last few minutes in my head. I gave in to Trent so easily. Too easily.
I wasn’t sure what that said about me.
Not that I could call Trent back and tell him I wasn’t able to make it. I didn’t have any plans, which he could’ve easily figured out by simply talking to my new bodyguard. While I did have a good excuse—packing to move and all—I had absolutely no plans for the foreseeable future.
I knew I should’ve gotten up, probably needed to spend what few minutes I had taking a shower, making myself presentable. I didn’t even know what we were having for dinner. Were we going somewhere? Staying in? Was it formal? Casual? Would there be other people besides Troy and Zeke? How did I know what to wear?
Before I could get my legs to listen to reason, there was a knock on my door.
Crap.
I launched to my feet and skipped to the door, but I halted mid-skip when Zeke cleared his throat. I slowly pivoted to see the intimidating man walking to the door.
He gently guided me out of the way before peering through the peephole. He then stood up tall and opened the door.
I watched as a handsome, dark-haired man stepped inside. Definitely Troy. I’d seen his picture in the tabloids a time or two since he was what most people referred to as Trent’s errand boy. He looked just as young as he did in pictures.
I admired him for a moment, taking in his strong jaw, lined with that sexy stubble. His cheekbones were high, his eyebrows thick, his nose perfectly symmetrical on his face. And his hair… The dark, shoulder-length strands were slightly wavy. I wondered if it was as soft as it looked.
Taking a deep breath, I squared my shoulders and smiled.
Troy’s eyes darted to Zeke, then me before he appeared to relax.
“Good evening, Clarissa. I’m Troy.” His smile transformed him from merely handsome to downright lethal. “I’m the one who sent you the email about Chicago.”
I nodded, but my eyes continued to absorb every nuance of his handsome face.
Okay. I knew I wasn’t supposed to be ogling the man. I was having dinner with Trent Ramsey. Probably made me look like a hussy to be thinking his assistant was hot while fantasizing about the man’s boss.
But he was hot. Extremely hot. In that just-out-of-bed, mussed look that was hard to resist.
“Please, come in,” I urged. “I … um…” I giggled like an idiot.
“I’ll wait outside,” Zeke said, rolling his eyes as he closed the door behind him.
“I’m sorry,” I told Troy. “But I’m not ready. Trent just called and…”
Troy seemed to take up a lot of space. He wasn’t quite as big as Trent, but he wasn’t a small man. Probably close to six feet. And it was obvious the guy spent some time in the gym.
“Let me guess,” Troy said as I motioned for him toward the living room. “He just called and informed you I was on my way.”
“Actually, yes.” I smiled shyly. “Like less than two minutes ago.”
“Figures. I left half an hour ago and specifically asked him to call you.” He smiled as though he was amused by Trent’s ability to ignore instructions. “Well, please, take your time. The food won’t arrive until seven, so we’re not in any hurry.”
I glanced down at myself. I was wearing my tried-and-true shorts and a T-shirt because I was packing, and those were not the least bit appropriate for a dinner date with Trent Ramsey, regardless of where we were going or who would be there.
“Wait. You said the food would arrive at seven? Does that mean we’re eating at Trent’s house?”
“It does.”
That settled some of my curiosity.
“Would you mind if I showered?” I asked.
“Not at all.” He raised his hand, showing off what appeared to be an iPad. “I can get a little work done while I wait.”
“I’ll just be…” I nodded my head in the direction of my bedroom.
“Please take your time. I’ve got plenty to do in the meantime.”
If first impressions were anything to go by, I really liked Troy. Not only was he nice to look at, he was pleasant. And not the least bit intimidating. Unlike Trent.
“Thank you.”
Knowing I was now simply wasting time, I hurried to my room. With a heavy sigh, I raced into the bathroom, stripped off my clothes, and hopped in the shower. It was only a little awkward knowing there was a complete stranger in my house. Then again, I felt somewhat safe knowing Zeke was close by. I hadn’t known him long, but the man made it easy to feel secure in his presence.
While I went through the motions, my mind raced a million miles a minute. I was having dinner with Trent and Troy.
Trent and Troy.
Hmm.
For some reason, my hands felt especially good as they traced over my soapy skin.
Instantly, I shook myself out of that thought. No way was I going to fantasize about Trent and Troy while I was in the shower. I mean, sure. I was undoubtedly due for some sexual release. Not counting yesterday, it had been months since I’d even played with a Dom. A couple of years since I’d…
“Stop it,” I hissed as I stuck my head under the water and let the spray rinse the conditioner from my hair.
I was acting like an idiot. This was simply dinner. With Trent. And Troy.
Then it hit me. If Trent had invited Troy to have dinner with us, perhaps this was related to business. Maybe about Chicago. Surely, with his assistant there, Trent didn’t intend for… No. No way. Unless…?
God, I hoped I found some sense of decorum before I walked out of this room. Otherwise, I feared I was going to make a great big fool of myself.
And wouldn’t that be the worst possible thing that could happen?
Well, actually, no. The worst possible thing would be for me to fall in the shower, break my leg, have to be carted to the hospital. Troy would likely wait for me because he seemed polite. Dinner would get cold, Trent would wonder what happened…
I was an idiot and this worst-case scenario was stupid.
After shutting off the water, I quickly dried off, then grabbed my short silk robe. I pulled it on, then hurried to dry my hair. I took a little extra time putting on my face and trying to make myself presentable. Business or not, I was still having dinner with one of the most famous men in the world. Trent Ramsey was a household name. Like Tom Cruise. Or Bruce Willis. When people mentioned his name, no one questioned who they were talking about.
And I was having dinner with him.
Holy shit.
It was stupid to be nervous. Trent was a regular human being like the rest of us. Maybe not quite like the rest of us. He was the sexiest man alive. He was an incredible actor, he had friends in the highest of places, he was handsome, sexy, smart. And if you became his … friend … then it appeared you needed personal protection.
Oh, and he was a Dominant who had rubbed me to orgasm in the middle of a crowded restaurant.
I was fairly sure I’d lost my mind somewhere along the way.
Shoring up my nerve, I strode into my closet and peered through the selection. I’d packed up most of my clothes, knowing I wouldn’t need them until after the move. I had kept out a few T-shirts, shorts, some business outfits, and jeans.
Since it was August in Texas, I wasn’t about to pull on too many layers. Considering the hot flashes I had while in Trent’s presence, I would undoubtedly be uncomfortable if I did.
A white maxi dress caught my attention. Thanks to the halter top, there was only a partial back, which made it sexy. The flowy skirt, dotted with tiny flowers, went all the way to the floor.
“This’ll have to work,” I said aloud as I retrieved it from the hanger. I snatched a pair of black strappy sandals from the shelf and headed back into the bathroom.
A few minutes later I was changed,
and I had to admit, the end result was far better than what I’d expected. Grabbing a small black purse, I headed out of my bedroom and into the kitchen. For a brief moment, I forgot that Troy was there, so when he cleared his throat, I nearly went through the roof.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you,” he said with a rusty chuckle.
I blushed but managed to smile. “I sometimes get locked up in my own head,” I admitted.
“You look lovely.”
The blush intensified. “Thank you.”
“Whenever you’re ready, just say the word.”
I noticed his eyes were perusing me from head to toe, then back again.
Good news was, I thought my outfit would suffice. If the glimmer in his dark brown eyes was anything to go by, I had chosen wisely.
Bad news was, I was going to be spending the evening with two intensely handsome gentlemen and I wasn’t sure how I was going to make it through without making a complete fool of myself.
I grabbed my keys to lock up and followed Troy out of the house.
It was then that I noticed another man standing beside Zeke. He was big, not quite the monstrosity that Zeke was, but he was just as intimidating.
“Is that your bodyguard?” I whispered to Troy.
He chuckled. “Yep. He’s my new shadow.”
While both men remained there until Troy and I were safely in the car, they quickly moved to Zeke’s car before Troy started the engine.
This was definitely awkward.
“So, I have a question for you,” Troy prompted when we were pulling out of my driveway.
I glanced over and studied his profile. He really was an attractive man. He peered over at me and I noticed a slight blush on his cheeks.
“Trent asked me to fill out a limit list,” he admitted, his eyes darting from the road to me and back.
“A limit list? Trent asked … you?”
He nodded toward the folder in the center console. “Would you mind explaining some of that sh— I mean stuff to me?”
I grabbed the folder and opened it.
Sure enough, it was a limit list. Troy hadn’t made it very far.
I grinned. “Which ones did you need more information on?”
Their Famous Dominant (Office Intrigue, 4) Page 14