by M. S. Parker
She was a friend of Penelope’s. I couldn’t remember her name, assuming I’d ever known it, but she’d been out with Penelope the day I’d tried to go shopping for some new clothes, and Penelope had all but had me thrown out of the shops. Max had been there to save me, bringing Dominic’s name up and the women running the store had looked like they’d had their mouths stuffed with rotten fish.
Now, Penelope's friend was looking at me and laughing. As I stared hard at her, she leaned over and whispered something to one of the others with her and the entire table broke out into laughter. Though I couldn’t hear it, I imagined I could. I'd spent enough time getting laughed at to imagine pretty well.
Jerking back around, I stared at Dominic, my face hot. I was blushing. I knew I was. Embarrassment churned inside me, although I had no idea why. I hadn’t done anything.
“I’m…” Shoving upright, I stared at him blindly. “I’m going to the ladies room.”
Dominic gave a small nod, still staring toward the table.
I hurtled off away from the table and the eyes I could feel on me.
I didn’t even know where I was going, but somehow, I ended up in the ladies room anyway. I didn't even consider this might've been a mistake until the door opened behind me as I stood there clutching the edge of the counter. I cringed inwardly and when I recognized the pretty woman who’d been with Jefferson, I was only barely able to manage a smile.
“Hi.” She glanced behind her at the door and then toward the stalls.
My dread increased when she came closer and pressed on the doors. The stalls were all empty and as I watched, she walked back to the door and leaned against it, arms crossed over her chest.
“Jefferson wanted me to make sure you were okay. You looked…” She hesitated and then sighed. “Upset.”
“I’m fine.” I lied through my teeth. “I'm just a bit overheated.”
“Please.” She rolled her eyes and jerked her head toward the restaurant, and presumably the crowd out there. The crowd I still didn't fit into. “You can’t stand there and tell me you weren’t feeling the burn out there. I bet you grew up feeling it plenty.” She gave me a knowing smile. “I know I did.”
“Please, spare me.” I shook my head. “I don’t want some sister to sister bonding.”
A rich, friendly laugh escaped her. “Jefferson said I’d like you. He’s probably right.” She grinned at me. “I'm Shaynelle, by the way.”
Her eyes were warm and dark, shades darker than the smooth brown of her skin, her hair a smooth, neat cap against her skull. It was the sort of the style that took a lot of confidence and the right kind of face to pull off. She had the features and the confidence in spades. She also had the honest sort of face that made me want to trust her. Not because any sort of friendliness or kindness that she seemed to radiate. Actually, it was the honest thing. Something about her made me think she’d tell me exactly what she was thinking, whether I wanted to hear it or not.
I shifted my gaze past her shoulder, as if following an invisible line back toward the dining area, where so many had been watching me. “You ever get the feeling that you’re in a room full of people and you’re the only one who didn’t get let in on some little joke?”
“More than once.” She raised one beautifully thin eyebrow. She pursed her lips and I immediately knew that she'd been let in on this one.
“Okay. So.” I planted my hands on my hips and stared at her. “Tell me.”
“You aren’t going to like it,” she warned.
“I can deal with that. I’ve dealt with worst.”
***
After she told me, I proved that I could deal with it. That didn’t mean it was easy to walk out of there with my shoulders back and my head held high. My new friend walked along with me and we laughed together as we came out of the hall—okay, she laughed. I nodded and smiled.
“You’re doing fine,” she said, giving me a hug. “Be sure to call me. We should definitely have lunch and soon.”
I nodded. I don’t know if I meant I was going to actually follow up on it or not, but it was something to say as we made our way through the tables. When we reached mine, she leaned over and gave me a quick kiss on the cheek. “Chin up, girl. You know how this game goes. You never let them see you cry.”
“Never.” I squeezed her hand and then slid into the chair.
Dominic’s eyes slid to mine. If I hadn’t known him, if I hadn’t had him imprinted on my very soul, then I probably wouldn’t have seen it. He rose and gave Shaynelle a polite kiss on the cheek and that was enough to tell me something else about her. He knew her and liked her. Dominic didn’t waste his time on the empty courtesies of society, when it came to physical contact.
Once we were alone, Dominic looked at me again.
He was no longer drinking the wine. He had a new glass in front of him. I’d bet anything it was scotch, a double. He tapped a forefinger on the rim as he studied my face. I could read him. He could read me as well as I could read him.
“Jefferson’s girlfriend…” I forced a smile. “She’s nice.”
“I don’t think they’ve progressed that far.” Dominic gave a small smile, but it was more reflex than anything else. His eyes were hard and flat.
Our food came out and we made a lousy attempt to make idle talk before we finally lapsed into silence and ate our food. I could feel eyes all over me and, worse, now there were the faintest echoes of whispers reaching my ears.
Not just mine, either. Dominic grew more and more tense and by the time the server came by to offer dessert, we were both ready to leave.
We were outside, but when the valet offered to get the car, I caught Dominic’s hand. “Let’s walk. For a while at least.”
He gave the valet a terse shake of his head and then we started to walk. The farther we got from the restaurant, the more the muscles in my shoulders relaxed and I heaved out a breath of relief.
“We need—”
“I was talking—”
We both stopped and turned to face each other. Dominic lifted a hand and cupped my cheek. “Go first.”
“They were talking about us.” Everything that Shaynelle had told me came spilling out, and the more I spoke, the faster the rest came. “About us, about me…and about you. Somehow…they…dammit, Dominic, people know about…about…”
He put my panicked rambles to an end by leaning forward and closing his mouth over mine. His tongue licked across the seam of my lips and I eagerly parted them. The tension in me eased as he slowly and thoroughly explored my mouth.
When he finally pulled away, he pressed his forehead to mine and sighed. “I know. Jefferson came over and talked to me while you were in the ladies room. Apparently…” He lifted his head and looked down at me, his jaw tight. “Somebody has been talking.”
“About us.”
“About me.” He rubbed his thumb across the line of my jaw. “You’re involved with me so you’re being drawn into it, but you’re not the target. I am.”
“I sure as hell feel like I am.”
“I’m sorry.” He slid his hands down my back and tugged me in closer, curling his arms around me. His voice was full of regret. “I’m so sorry, Aleena.”
“Who's doing this?” But even as I said it, I thought of the smirking blonde I’d seen in the restaurant. The woman I’d seen with Penelope. Just like that, I knew. Slowly, I lifted my head and met his eyes.
I could tell he'd already come to the same conclusion.
“I’ll deal with it.” He pushed a hand into my hair and tangled it there, tilting my head for better access to my mouth. He nipped at my bottom lip.
“I’d rather deal with it and her.” I scowled. “By punching her right in the middle of her pretty, perfect teeth.”
A wolfish grin lit Dominic’s face. “Well, if you have the option, darling…”
We stood there for another minute, neither one speaking, before we turned to head back to the car. I reached out for his hand and laced my fing
ers between his.
“I think I’d like to go to the club tomorrow.”
He shot a look at me, his expression unreadable. “Would you?”
Heat crawled up my cheeks as I blushed painfully hard. But I managed a nod. “Yes. We weren’t able to enjoy our meal tonight, thanks to everybody being more interested in gossip than being decent human beings. I wanted your birthday to be special and they ruined it. So we'll celebrate tomorrow.” I hesitated, then added, “If you want to.”
He skimmed his fingers down my back, leaving a new trail of heat. “Oh, I definitely want to.” He slid his hand down to my ass and squeezed. “But who says the night's completely ruined? I still have plans for you and that necklace.”
Chapter 8
Aleena
I felt bruised.
Bruised and raw, and it had nothing to do with the way Dominic had barely waited until we were through the door before he’d put his hands on me.
That had been cleansing. Rough, real, desperate.
He’d bent me over the couch and spanked me. When I'd screamed, he’d used his tie to gag me and I’d loved every second of the pounding he'd given me. My ass was still sore, rubbing against the material of my dress.
But that wasn’t what was responsible for the ache that seemed to permeate all of me.
I hadn’t wanted to hide in the penthouse all weekend, so I’d gone out for coffee at my favorite little café. Instead of just taking my drink back, I'd sat down to read, telling myself I’d enjoy my morning off. Dominic was out doing something. His brain never slowed and although I was gathering up the information for the foundation he wanted to start, he was too bored with Trouver L’Amour to focus any more attention there.
I'd gotten the feeling he was doing something else and it likely had to do with his parents—his birth parents. But I wouldn’t ask. He’d tell me when he was ready. Until then, I’d leave him to his private time and enjoy mine.
That was what I wanted.
But I couldn’t have it.
I hadn’t been at the café for more than ten minutes when I started hearing the whispers.
Heat flooded my face and I was glad I’d elected to sit at a table near the sliding glass doors. They'd been left open to allow the fresh summer air in. It would be too hot later, but now, it was perfect and it gave me the perfect excuse to keep my sunglasses on. With them shielding my eyes, I was able to look around without moving my head as I searched for the source of the whispers.
It wasn’t hard to find them.
My jaw clenched into a hard, straight line when I saw her.
Penelope Rittenour.
She was sitting with several friends and all of them were casting glances my way before snickering down into their coffee. Deliberately, I reached for mine and took a sip before turning the page on the book I was no longer reading.
I kept that act up for an excruciating ten minutes and was congratulating myself on how well I’d pulled it off when a shadow fell across my table.
I looked up to see Penelope standing over me.
Maybe I’d pulled it off too well.
She stood there with a friend at her side, both of them looking rather amused.
“Yes?” I gave them both my best blank face.
“Aleena.” Penelope's voice gushed with false warmth. “How nice to see you getting outside for a change.”
“Thanks.” I injected just the right amount of dryness into my tone as I pushed back from the table. My phone started to buzz and I looked down. It was Dominic. “Nice chatting with you...Penny.”
Her face went slightly red, but I was already turning and walking away before she could sputter a response.
“Hello.”
“Where's Penelope now?” he asked casually.
“Probably glaring holes into my back.” Purse hooked over my arm, I stopped in the middle of the sidewalk and looked around. “How did you know? FYI, the stalking thing isn’t sexy, Dominic.”
He chuckled. “Stuart saw her going in the café after you did. He wanted me to give you an out if you needed one.”
I glanced up and saw the doorman across the street. He casually glanced my way as he held the door open for a genteel-looking older couple. Torn between wanting to kiss the sweet guy and shake my head at him, I turned away from the penthouse and started to walk. “So we’re still on for tonight, right?”
“Wouldn’t miss it.” His voice lowered. “You’ll be wearing the real collar tonight.”
My breath hitched a little. “Is that so?”
“Yes.” His voice dropped to a rough growl, making me long for him.
“Maybe I should dress for the occasion. Would you like that…Sir?”
“I would like that very much, Ms. Davidson.” The formality of the conversation made me smile, but it also made me ache. This was how we’d been when we first came together, when he'd first started teaching me.
He was still teaching me, although some things weren’t as new as they’d once been. They were all still exciting though.
“What would you like me to wear, Sir?”
“Something that pleases you.” The words were like a warm, velvet caress across my skin. “If it makes you happy, then I’ll be happy.”
I waited a beat. “Pajamas, then?”
He chuckled. “Cute. Keep it up and I’ll be punishing you before we even get out the door.”
“I can’t wait.” Love and happiness made my belly light and I pushed Penelope aside. She didn’t matter, not really. Not to us. “I’ll find something. See you tonight.”
“Yes.”
It was a promise in a single word, a sensual one that warmed me all the way through.
***
The outfit I’d found was more revealing than anything I’d normally wear.
It was also damn sexy. I couldn't wait to see the look on Dominic's face when he saw it.
I wore no underwear.
No bra and no panties. There just wasn’t any way to wear either one with this particular outfit, and really, the top part of the dress was more bra than anything else anyway. It was a cage design, lattice-work pieces of material forming the bodice, while solid pieces of black covered my breasts.
The same lattice design held the front and back panels of the skirt together and the thing was so short that if I bent over, I’d be giving people a show. I had plans to do that very thing for Dominic…alone.
I was waiting on the couch, slowly zipping up the platform boots I’d bought to wear with the outfit. I’d spent half the afternoon walking in them and making sure I could do it without tripping. I was pretty sure I had it now. It was all about placing the feet slowly and deliberately. It also made my ass move in a way that even I had to admit was enticing.
I was just pulling on the second boot when the door opened. I slid Dominic a slow smile as I tugged the zipper up.
He stood in the doorway, his hand tightening on the doorknob until his knuckles went white.
I wanted those hands on me.
Now.
Rising from the couch, I stood before him and waited for his approval.
“Well?”
He lifted one hand, calling for silence as he closed the door behind him. I kept my hands at my sides as I watched him walk towards me. He didn't stop though, or say a word. Instead, he went around me. My stomach twisted, but I reminded myself that I could trust him. So, I waited.
A few moments later, he came up behind me and my breath caught as he settled my collar around my neck. I didn't need a mirror to know how it looked.
The black and silver, so sexy, an erotic brand on my skin.
His brand…on me.
He came back to stand in front of me and lifted my chin.
After I’d found the clothes, I'd gone to the salon and had them straighten my hair. It would only last until I washed it, but it was now completely straight and I’d gathered all the dark, heavy locks up and twisted them into a high, tight ponytail. It left my neck on display. Which meant the collar
would be on display.
He caught my ponytail and tugged on it, tilting my head back so he could take my mouth. The kiss he gave me was rough and possessive and my toes curled inside my boots. If I'd been wearing panties, they would have been soaked.
I made a sound of protest as he pulled back.
“If I don't stop, I'll spend the rest of the night fucking you senseless.”
That didn't sound like a bad idea to me.
“And as good as that sounds.” His heated gaze ran down to my feet and back up again. “I want to show you off.”
I shivered. A part of me was disappointed, but I was more pleased that he wanted to show me off. “Whatever you wish, Sir.”
A faint grin tugged at the corner of his mouth. I turned away and reached for the long, sheer wrap I planned to wear outside. It was far enough away that I had to bend slightly to get it.
Dominic’s hands grabbed my hips, and a moment later, I found myself bent over the arm of the couch. He pushed up the back of the skirt and my skin heated. I could feel him staring at me.
“You did this on purpose,” he said lightly, tracing his fingers over my hot flesh. “Were you trying to tell me something, Aleena?”
Mute, I nodded. My heart was pounding against my ribs.
“Do you want me to fuck you?”
Shuddering, I whispered my answer. “Always.”
He drove inside me without warning, fast and hard. My back arched and I cried out, my knees threatening to buckle. He leaned over me and put his mouth against my ear.
“I’ll fuck you, but I’m going to punish you as well. You were going to go out bare under that dress without asking for my permission. You wanted to tease me, didn't you?”
I knew better than to lie. Besides, I was getting what I wanted.
“Yes, Sir.” I whimpered and clung to the arm of the chair as he slammed himself into me.
His cock was thick and hot, stretching and pulsing within me. He gripped my ponytail and pulled, using it to guide my head up. The position was awkward, back arched, thighs open, but I moaned, enjoying every stroke. The head scraped over the bundled nerve bed deep inside. Once. Twice.