“Nate’s a Dom? Holy shit, Lisa! Nate does this, too?” Brianne fell back on the pillows.
Lisa laughed. “That’s what you got from that explanation? I just spilled my guts about my sex life, and all you hear is that Nate is a Dom!” Lisa laughed until tears ran down her face. Brianne blushed. She had a tiny crush on Lisa’s divorced brother-in-law, Dr. Nate Hart. Lisa was constantly trying to push them together, but it was just too soon after her divorce.
“Of course I heard you, Lisa. It’s just I had no idea about Nate.” Brianne bit her lip as she studied her best friend. “Is Nate going to be okay with you spilling his secret? I don’t want him to think I was prying.”
“He will be fine with it. We have talked about telling you, and he wasn’t against it. He was, of course, worried that you wouldn’t want to hang around us anymore, just as we were. But Nate should be proud of his accomplishments. He is an extremely well-trained and disciplined Dom. He gives lessons to other people at the club and is well respected in the BDSM community, not just locally but throughout the US. Subs throw themselves at his feet and beg him to train them.” Lisa rolled her eyes.
“We are okay, right? Has anything changed?” Brianne could see the worry in Lisa’s expression.
“No, nothing has changed. You and Conor are still my best friends in the whole world.” Now that the shock had worn off, she wasn’t all that surprised. She felt closer to Lisa than ever. She knew that it was a big deal for them to reveal this to her.
“What about Nate? Do you still want to be around him?”
Brianne was shocked that Lisa needed to ask. “Of course! This doesn’t change anything. I like Nate. I enjoy his company, and he is a lot of fun. Nothing has changed. I swear.” Well, it had changed a little. Now she would be fantasizing even more about Nate than before. Oh hell.
* * * *
Nate Hart held his hand out to Brianne. She and Lisa were sitting on the back patio watching the kids play when Nate had joined them. Brianne gave him a perplexed look.
“C’mon, Brianne. We’re going for a little walk.”
“I’ll watch the kids, Bri. You go for a walk with Nate.” Lisa smiled encouragingly at her. Brianne felt a moment of trepidation. Perhaps Nate hadn’t been as okay with her learning about him as Lisa said he would.
Brianne placed her hand in Nate’s and let him tug her from her chair. It was large and warm, and Brianne couldn’t help the tingle that ran up her arm at his touch. He held her hand as they walked down the tree-lined street toward the park at the corner of the neighborhood. Brianne didn’t speak and neither did Nate as they strolled toward a bench in the shade. It was already hot and muggy, and it was only ten in the morning. Brianne peeked at Nate’s expression from under her lashes. He didn’t seem angry. On the contrary, he seemed quite calm. She liked looking at him, she had to admit. He was handsome but not a pretty boy. His dark brown hair was cropped short with just a wave falling over his forehead. His piercing blue eyes were framed with dark lashes any woman would die for, and his jaw was square and strong. At six feet tall, he towered over her, but then just about everyone did. He kept himself in good shape running and playing tennis but wasn’t a fanatic about it. He smiled easily and had a relaxed, laid-back personality that seemed to pull people toward him. Well, at least she seemed to be pulled toward him.
Nate laced his fingers through hers and gave her a grin.
“Lisa and Conor tell me you and I are going to have an awkward conversation.”
Brianne blushed and hoped Nate would blame it on the infamous Florida heat.
“Seriously, are you okay with this? Lisa said you took the news very calmly and that it didn’t make any difference to you. I don’t want this to affect our relationship.”
Brianne could see that her reaction was important to Nate. She certainly didn’t want to tell him about the fantasy she had the night before.
“Really, Nate, I’m fine with it. I would hope you would know by now that I’m really open-minded. As far as weird stuff, this is actually pretty low on the creepy meter, if you know what I mean. It’s not like you run about in a red cape and talk to animals.”
Nate chuckled. “Well, that’s true. I am completely out of red capes, and I gave up talking to animals when they didn’t talk back.” Nate leaned back on the bench.
“Knowing you as I do, Brianne, you probably have a lot of questions. I would be happy to answer any that you have, if you are curious. In fact, I encourage you to ask any questions you may have. I know about your and Lisa’s reading material, so you know some, but books don’t always tell the real, or whole, story.”
Brianne rolled her eyes and dropped her head into her hands, hiding her face, at Nate’s revelation that he knew about the books she liked to read. Nate tipped her chin up so she was looking into his warm blue eyes.
“Hey! There’s nothing to be embarrassed about. You’re only reading about it. I read about horror, but I wouldn’t necessarily want to meet a vampire or a crazed serial killer.”
Brianne had to laugh at Nate’s analogy. He did have a point, but after all, he usually did. He was smart, and she had always been attracted to very smart men.
“I’m afraid I might ask you something too personal. I’m not sure where the line might be here. This is something pretty personal.”
“I’ll make you a deal, Brianne. You ask your questions, and if you ask something too personal, I will let you know.”
Brianne took a deep breath.
“How did you know you were a Dominant?”
“You mean did I wake up one day and know? Kind of. Jen wanted to try some things she and Lisa had talked about, and I was immediately intrigued. There was no hesitation on my part. When I was at UCLA, me and some of my friends went to a BDSM club. I was floored when I saw what was going on, but I somehow knew it was something I needed to do. Then as I learned more, it was as if a missing part of me was found. I guess I never went through the denial or the shame that some people go through. I need this. It’s who I am, Brianne. It’s what I am. I couldn’t be anything else. I know that after all these years.” Nate smiled a gentle smile as he swept her overlong bangs out of her eyes.
“That question wasn’t too bad. What else?”
“Do you ever have just regular, um, you know, oh hell.”
Nate laughed at her embarrassed expression and stammering.
“Do I have vanilla sex? Is that what you are asking?”
“Um, well, yes.”
“Sure. You know how it is when you’re married with kids. You can barely get time alone when you are both awake and in the mood. But even when I am having so-called vanilla sex, I am in charge. But please understand that this is not just about sex. A person can be in a Dominant/submissive relationship and not have sex. I have helped train subs for other Doms and not had sex with them. I have dated women since my divorce, had a sexual relationship with them, but not dominated them in the sense you think. I am in charge, but I can only push it so far with them.”
“Oh. I guess I just assumed it was all about sex.”
“Yeah, most people think that. But Jen was not just my wife, she was my submissive. We had a 24/7 relationship. That means that I was in charge in the relationship, not just in the bedroom. She turned all decision making over to me. I chose her clothes, gave her a daily agenda, and even made the decision about what she would make for dinner. While it was very satisfying to take care of someone like that, it was also fucking exhausting. It was like having a second full-time job. But having a 24/7 relationship was very important to Jen. She needed to serve me. That’s how she defined herself. And a Dom’s most important responsibility to his submissive, besides always keeping her safe, is to give her what she needs, whether it is what he needs or not.”
Brianne couldn’t believe that any woman would allow a man to run her life like that. She sure wouldn’t, but she would try not to judge. Still, it made her wonder what kind of women attracted Nate’s attention. He really didn’t seem li
ke the doormat type.
“I thought the submissive was supposed to put her Master’s desires first. What she wants doesn’t matter?”
“Yes, a submissive should put her Dominant’s pleasure and desires first. But a Dom must give his sub what she needs, not necessarily what she wants, when she wants it. Think about how fulfilling a relationship can be if each person is focused on the other’s happiness. Too many relationships fail because people are focused on their wants and needs, to the exclusion of the other person.”
Brianne could see Nate’s logic. Certainly, Rick had been focused on himself for most of their marriage. He had rarely thought about what she needed to make her happy.
“Any more questions?”
Brianne gave a heavy sigh and a shrug.
“Probably a bunch, but I think I will chew on those answers for a while if you don’t mind. It’s pretty cool that you are so open about it.”
“I wouldn’t say I am open about it. I don’t advertise it, but you are a friend. A close friend that I spend a lot of time with. I want to be open with you.” Nate gave her a big grin and threw his arm around her shoulders. Despite the heat of the day, Brianne snuggled closer. He smelled amazing. Whatever cologne he wore should come with a warning label.
“Well, you have been. I have had quite the education today.”
Nate stood and pulled her up next to him and gave her a big hug.
“Let’s get back before they send out a search party for us.”
Brianne smiled and finally relaxed. This was Nate. Handsome, smart, easygoing Nate who was such a good friend. Nothing had to be different between them. She just needed to stop fantasizing about him all the time.
* * * *
Nate’s fingers tightened around Brianne’s. He had been concerned about her reaction. Brianne was open-minded and non-judgmental, but this might have been more than even she could process. Not many people knew his secret, but he had wanted Brianne to know for a long time. He wasn’t afraid to admit that she fascinated him. He hadn’t been fascinated by a woman in a long time, maybe ever. His relationship with his ex-wife, Jennifer, had started back in high school, but of course he had been fascinated by all girls then.
Brianne was smart, funny, strong, and sexy as hell and the complete opposite of his ex. She was independent, feisty, and didn’t take any of his crap. Her submission would be a prize to win. He would have to be worthy to be her Dominant. She would make him earn her submission over and over every day of their lives. And she was submissive. His years of training and his own intuition told him that she surely was. Her preferred reading material aside, she responded to changes in his tone of voice and body language. She also went out of her way to please him, so he made sure to give her positive reinforcement when she did.
She had been through so much with her asshole of an ex-husband that he hadn’t wanted to push her into anything she wasn’t ready for. Brianne was wary of men, and rightfully so. He knew that the only reason he wasn’t lumped in with the rest of his gender was that she didn’t find him threatening. He went out of his way to make her feel safe, cared for, and respected.
It was time. He could feel it in his bones. She was ready for a relationship, and that relationship was damn well going to be with him. Now that she knew the truth and hadn’t bolted, he would start slowly advancing the relationship. He would start touching her more, invading her personal space, using all the tricks he had learned over the years. He wanted this woman so much.
“C’mon, sweetheart. Let’s walk back to the house and get something cool to drink. Man, is it hot out here.” Nate tugged her to her feet and slid his arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer than he normally would but not so close that she would freak out. Her body felt soft and warm next to his, and he breathed in the delicious scent—a cross between vanilla and something softly floral. He could feel his cock starting to fill and shifted his stance a little to release some of the pressure. Down, boy.
“It is hot, and I need an iced tea. How about you?” She smiled up at him, and his heart beat a little faster as he gazed into her beautiful green eyes.
“Iced tea, huh? I think I will have a cold beer instead, sweetheart.”
“Fine. Let’s go get you a beer.” Brianne laughed as they walked slowly back to the house.
Chapter 2
Brianne didn’t have time to feel weird or uncomfortable around Nate. He was at her house for their weekly dinner, as usual. Sunday dinner meant that Brianne cooked and Nate cheered from the sidelines. Luckily, he was an appreciative cheerleader. He always helped with the dishes afterward, too. It never hurt to have a handsome man in the kitchen.
Nate flicked on the music dock, and the sounds of Lady Antebellum filled the room. Brianne smiled as Kade groaned at the music choice from his position in front of the TV. She and Nate liked many of the same songs, but the kids wanted to hear hip hop or rap. Kade was more vocal and raucous than usual tonight. Summer vacation wasn’t mellowing him, and Brianne found that all week she had bordered on a headache. Her ex-husband had canceled his weekend with Kade at the last minute, and she had had to deal with an upset six-year-old. Rick had some bullshit excuse about having a cold and not wanting Kade to get sick. The last time he had made this excuse, she found out he canceled to take his blonde, twentysomething wife to Nassau for a long weekend.
She was beyond grateful that Nate had come over for dinner a little early this evening and distracted Kade while she cooked.
“Man, that smells good! I’m starving!” Brianne shook her head as Nate peeked in the oven where her baked ziti was bubbling away.
“Shoo! You are going to let all the heat out.” She waved Nate away from the oven and began slicing up the long loaf of bread. The bread would go in the oven as soon as the ziti came out. Nate laughed as he took a draw on his beer. He looked handsome tonight in khaki shorts and a light blue polo that made his eyes look even bluer. His shoulders were broad, and she could see his muscular arms flex as he lifted the bottle to his lips. He had kicked off his shoes at the door, and even his toes were sexy. Must not fantasize about the hunky Dom in the kitchen.
“Lisa and Conor are really missing out tonight. Big brother really loves your ziti, almost as much as I do.”
“I was in the mood to fix ziti tonight. You know your brother and Lisa have dinner every Sunday night with her parents. They wanted to come when I talked to them, but couldn’t think of a legitimate reason to cancel.” Unlike Rick who would just make crap up and then do whatever he wanted. Stop this. Let it go.
“So, how was your week? You look tired, Bri.” Brianne could see Nate’s blue eyes soften with concern. She could feel her heart open a little as she looked at him. She didn’t have a crush on him because he was handsome, although he was. She had a crush because of things like this. He genuinely cared about her. He was protective but respected her independence. He was solid, and if she wanted to, she knew he was someone she could lean on. After her disastrous marriage, it was almost irresistible. Almost. Her natural fear of getting involved kept her from throwing herself at him. She would never want to embarrass Nate that way.
“Long. Kade doesn’t start day camp until next week, so he was home with me. It makes for long days trying to entertain him and still try and get some work done. I have three book covers due next week, and I didn’t get much done this weekend either. Rick canceled at the last minute. Apparently, he has a cold.” She said the last part with a touch of sarcasm.
“Should I write Dick a prescription? I know how fragile his constitution is.” Nate’s mouth twisted in derision.
“You writing prescriptions for sinus antibiotics? I don’t think even Rick could afford you.” Nate was an accomplished and respected orthopedic surgeon. He wore his success casually like a pair of comfortable, faded jeans. He was completely down-to-earth. If you don’t count the whole “he likes to whip women” thing.
Rick was successful, too. He owned several restaurants in the state of Florida. He also made s
ure everyone knew how successful he was. When they were married she made the excuse that he was insecure. Now she just called him an arrogant prick.
“Dick has insurance, doesn’t he?” Nate threw his empty bottle in the trash and picked up a butter knife to help her smear garlic butter on the bread slices before popping them in the oven.
“Rick is always fully prepared, as you know. And stop calling him Dick. Kade might hear you.”
Nate glanced into the living room where Kade was engrossed in a video game.
“Kade can’t hear anything, and I just call ’em like I see ’em. He’s a dick to you and a dick to Kade. Even my kids know that he’s a dick.”
Brianne turned away so that Nate wouldn’t see the unshed tears in her eyes. Rick’s treatment of her didn’t bother her anymore, but she wished that Rick could be a better father. He was just too damned selfish. He tried, but he always did something to fuck it up.
She pulled the ziti out of the oven and transferred the bread under the broiler. As she turned, Nate pulled her close for a hug.
“I’m sorry, baby. I didn’t mean to pick at old wounds. I just hate to see Kade pay for your ex’s immaturity.”
Brianne hugged him but quickly pulled back. She should have known she couldn’t hide anything from Nate. He seemed to have some sort of superpower when it came to reading her thoughts and emotions. Maybe it was being a Dom that made him that way, or maybe he was a Dom because he was that way.
“It’s okay. You know, you didn’t tell me about your week, Nate.” Changing the subject was a good idea. Dishing up dinner was a good idea, too.
Doctor's Orders [The Martinis and Chocolate Book Club 1] (Siren Publishing Everlasting Classic) Page 2