“What were you wearing?”
“A black jumpsuit.”
“What the hell is a jumpsuit?”
“Come on. You know how much clothes cost but you don’t know what a jumpsuit is?” Feeling more confident, she throws her hand on her hip, goes to make another sassy remark but whatever she reads in my face makes her words drop off. She answers, “It’s a one-piece. Top attached to the bottom. It looks like a sleeveless shirt with pants. Happy now? Can I go? I’m supposed to be meeting someone.”
“Fine. But you really shouldn’t walk these streets alone at night.”
I leave her, heading back to the club. I brush past the bouncer, scanning the crowd. I’m seeing dozen of women in jumpsuits, but she’s nowhere in sight. Then I catch a flash of dark, shiny mane. The back of a woman in a black outfit. Thin straps on the top, cinched at the waist, flowing down into trousers. I’d know that ass anywhere.
I push past the crowd, just as she snakes through the back-exit door. “Unbelievable.”
I slam the door open wide. Find her running down the street, heels in hand. Her arm locked inside a man’s.
I stop dead in my tracks. My breath catches and I feel sick. They go around a corner, disappearing from my sight. I take off in a sprint.
When she’s back in my line of vision, I call her name. “Adrianna!”
She stops. Turns. Her gaze meets mine. Her face almost breaks out into a smile, her eyes widens, shine. Then her mouth turns into a scowl. “What do you want?”
I jog to catch up to them. The guy is my height, similar build. He crosses his arms over his chest. Eyes me, parroting her words, “What do you want?”
“No one is talking to you, asshole.” I turn to Adrianna. “Where the hell do you think you’re going?”
“With him.” She cocks her head toward the dude, smirking. I want to take her over my knee right here on the city streets and spank that look right off her pretty face.
“What’s his name?” I nod to the meathead beside her.
She stutters, “Ah... err.” As I suspected—she has no fucking clue.
He steps forward. “The name is Mike. And maybe you should take a hike.”
“Oh, good. A poet.” I hold my arm out to her. I’ll only offer once before I drag her ass down the street, kicking and screaming. “Come with me, Adrianna. We’re going home.”
He steps in front of her, blocking her from my view. “Not so fast, buddy.”
Seriously? I mean, I admire his balls, but my fist is cocked before I can congratulate him. “I don’t have time for this shit.” I pull back my arm and before he can think to block me, I land the punch and the dude falls the ground like a bag of rocks.
“Dante! What the hell?” Adrianna tosses me a dirty look and hovers over him. “Why did you do that?”
“He had a big mouth. I could tell this was going to take a lot of time. So, I solved the problem. Don’t worry, your Prince Charming will wake up in a few minutes.” I grab her arm, pull her over him and down the sidewalk.
She tries to tug her arm free. “You didn’t have to do that!”
“What do you care? You didn’t even know his name.”
She stops. I drop her arm and face her. Her eyes touch mine briefly, then lower. She says, “What’s it to you?”
“I don’t know—I’m only responsible for your life. Since you obviously don’t give a shit about your own safety, someone has to.” I grab her hand. I’m walking fast and she’s struggling to keep up. I tighten my hand around hers, tugging her behind me like an errant child. “What the hell were you thinking?”
She’s struggling to keep up. “I just wanted to have some fun. Let loose.”
I stop dead in my tracks, her words forming icicles in my stomach. My heart lurches in my chest, my jaw clenching. I stare at her, my words a low growl. “Just how loose were you planning on being?”
Her eyes go cold. “What the hell business is that of yours?”
Her hair is mussed. The strapless jumpsuit emphasizes her figure in a way that—despite my infuriation—has my cock hardening in my jeans. Her bare feet send a wave of anxiety through me. “Put your shoes on. There could be glass... needles... God damn, Adrianna. What were you thinking? Leaving the club with a dude you don’t even know? He could have raped you—”
“He wouldn’t have had to.” Her gaze cuts me like a knife.
Her terrible words hang in the air between us. A chill runs down my spine. “Surely you weren’t planning on sleeping with him?”
“Why not?” She shrugs as if sharing her body with a complete stranger who has no interest in her safety, her worth... means nothing.
“You don’t even know him. You don’t even know his name and you’re going to... you know what—never mind. Let’s just get home.”
She slides her heels back on. I take her hand in mine, holding it gently this time. We walk back to the Village, side by side in silence. When we get to the stone wall, I press my thumb on the black box. The gate swings open. We step inside. The gate shuts behind us. Trapping us alone between the first and second gate.
I take her chin in my hand. Tilt her face to meet my gaze. “I care about you, Adrianna. I don’t want to see you getting hurt.”
“It’s not your problem.” She wiggles from my grasp.
“Maybe not. But your safety is. And what you did tonight was reckless. And dangerous.”
“And?” Her eyes shoot daggers at me.
“And you will be punished.” I press my thumb to the pad. Take her hand in mine and lead her through the gate into the Village.
Chapter Six
Adrianna
My stomach is in knots. My knees feel weak, making me teeter on my heels. He offers me his arm and though I’m furious with him, I gratefully accept. I’m feeling unsteady, nervous. I hold onto his strong bicep and center myself as we make our way silently down the sidewalk.
He glances at me out of the corner of his eyes. Just catching his gaze for a moment sends shivers down my arm where I’m touching him. In his eyes I read anger and disappointment.
I met the guy at the bar. He bought me a drink. We flirted. He seemed nice. Hot. The muscles in his shoulders reminded me of Dante’s. I thought I’d like to see this man with his shirt off. I’ve got to start somewhere. And if Dante won’t have me...
One drink led to a second. He asked me if I wanted to hang out somewhere quieter. Maybe his place? I agreed. Told him I just needed to change first.
The Beauties informed me they were leaving in a few minutes. I lied—telling them Dante had just texted me and was going to come and walk me home. That he’d be here any minute. They ooohed and ahhhhed, their eyes lighting up at the possibility of a new Bachman romance.
I found a girl who was leaving the club—one that looked to be about my size with dark hair. Showed her the label in my dress and asked her if she wanted to switch. She said that the dress cost more than she made in a week waiting tables. Was I sure? I told her I’d been admiring her black jumpsuit all night. Told her she could keep the dress or sell it—I didn’t care.
We made the switch and I bolted from the bathroom. Waited in the shadows. Watched the Beauties leave. Saw the girl in my dress duck out the front door a few moments later. Made it back to the bar where he was waiting. Finished my drink and followed him out the exit.
I took off my heels, linked arms with his. The man from the bar gave me an eager look. One that should have made my insides melt. Instead, my gut twisted. I felt sick.
Then I got scared. Pretended to laugh at his jokes all the while feeling dread forming inside. Wondered what the hell I had done. Worried I would throw up.
But I was too far in this thing now. There was no turning back.
“Adrianna.”
As long as I live, I’ll never forget the way my heartbeat doubled, relief washing over me as I turned around and saw Dante.
He was furious. And beautiful. And when his eyes locked on mine, my heart fluttered, and my knees wen
Making me remember why I hatched my stupid plan in the first place—I have to move on from him. One dark glance from his eyes and I’m a puddle.
And if he won’t have me, I’ll find someone who will.
Now we’ve reached my front door. He easily unlocks it with his thumb.
“Your prints are on my door?”
“Looks like it.” He holds his arm out, gesturing for me to enter first. I want to cover my ass with my hands as I walk past him, but I don’t.
The reality of what I’ve done, what he’s about to do, sets in. I have a feeling this punishment is not going to be like the spanking I got in the bathroom of the airplane.
I turn to face him, backing away from him as I talk. “Listen, Dante. I know what I did was stupid, but I really don’t think there’s a need for you to... spa—err... punish me.”
He folds his arms across his massive chest. “Say it.” His words are hard and send a shiver down my spine.
“Say what?”
“Say the word, spank. Because that’s what I’m going to do to you.”
“No.” But the look on his face quickly makes me change my mind. “Okay, okay. I really don’t think you need to... spank... me.” My cheeks burn as the word comes out of my mouth.
He ticks his grievances off on his fingers. “You lied to the Beauties. Lied to an innocent girl. Made me clock a dude. That’s enough to earn yourself a trip over my knee. Oh, and the clincher—choosing to put your life in danger.”
I take a step backwards. “I wouldn’t say my life was in danger, per se. He seemed like a nice guy.”
“A nice guy. Whose name you didn’t know? Going to an apartment where no one would know where you were?” He’s getting angrier with every moment that passes.
I raise my hands in surrender. “Okay, it was a stupid mistake. But I’ve learned my lesson—”
“Learned your lesson? I have no doubt if I don’t put a hard stop to this nonsense right now, you’ll be trying to sneak out of the Village tomorrow night to find a little action. Which, by the way, you won’t be. You are grounded.”
“You’re treating me like a teenager. I’m a grown woman... you can’t ground me!”
He lunges toward me, grabbing my arm and tugging me to him. Our faces are inches apart. His gaze burns into mine. “You’re not even acting like a teenager—you’re acting like a little girl. One who’s earned herself a good hard spanking.”
He tugs me to the bench in the foyer. I’m over his knee. I’m clawing and fighting. My legs kicking, my arms waving. I’m trying to get away. To stop this injustice. “You can’t do this! You can’t spank me for going out with another man!”
“You think that’s what this is about? You think I’m jealous?” My efforts to run away are in vain—this man is six foot three and all muscle. He’s pinning me down. Grabbing both of my wrists into one of his. He’s swinging his leg around mine, pinning both of my legs between his strong, pillar-like legs.
“Yes!” I’m not going anywhere. I can barely move.
He holds my hands against my lower back. He growls, “I’m not jealous. I’m pissed. Pissed that you would do something so damn stupid. Livid that you would put your safety in jeopardy. And for what?” He slaps my ass hard, and I cry out in pain. “A night out? A cheap thrill?”
He’s spanking me in earnest and the pain is spreading quickly. His big, open palm slaps my ass over and over as I wriggle and squirm. It’s no use, I can’t get out of his hold.
If I can’t fight with my body, I’ll fight with words. “Not a cheap thrill, Dante. A good, hard fuck.”
He stops spanking. My words hang in the air. The silence is deafening. My limbs freeze, knots forming in my stomach. Should I apologize? Before I can form the words, his hand is coming down, hard and fast. The pain is blinding. I’m shocked by how quickly my entire ass in on fire and throbbing. Tears come to my eyes and I cry out, “Stop!”
“Not when you think you can speak to me like that.” He’s spanking every inch of my poor aching ass. The tears stream down my cheeks, collecting mascara and makeup with them as they go. But I don’t care. I’m in too much pain and I’m upset that he’s upset and... I wail, “I’m sorry!” Because I am. I’m truly sorry. The precision he’s putting into punishing me makes me realize... he cares. He’s angry because I put myself in danger. Leaving the club, changing clothes, fooling the Beauties, running off into the night with a total stranger, no one knowing where I was—“It was a stupid, reckless mistake and I’m sorry. I really am.”
“Damn right it was.” His hand is on the zipper on the back of my jumpsuit. He releases my wrists—he knows I’ll no longer fight him. He kicks his leg from around mine, shoving it beneath me so I’m laid fully over his lap, and yanks the zipper down. Cool air covers my bare skin. I hear him hiss between his teeth. “Where the hell is your bra?” He pulls the zipper down further and I don’t need to see his face to know his jaw is clenching, his eyes flashing with anger. “Where the hell are your panties?”
“I... I changed in the bathroom. The outfit was strapless so I couldn’t wear a bra and the fabric was too thin—my panties would have shown.”
He’s pushing the fabric down and around my hips. The suit falls to the floor, puddling around my feet. He’s mumbling, “Unbelievable.” The spanking continues. I thought the material of the jumpsuit was thin—not offering much protection—but now that his hand is smacking my bare ass, the stinging is worse than before. He’s never been this mad. Never punished me this long, or this hard. My ass is on fire, my skin swollen, throbbing. But all I can think of is how angry he is that I went off with that man.
I lay over his lap, completely nude. Sobbing. Ass blistered. A total wreck. My face is soaked with tears. My heart heavy as a cannonball in my chest. My eyes are sore from crying about the spanking, but now, new tears well from my hurt feelings. My ass aches. My heart aches. When I speak, my tiny words sound broken, like my heart. “What’s it to you, anyway?”
He whispers, “Damn, Adrianna,” and his voice catches.
Suddenly, he’s lifting me gently. Bringing my naked body into his lap. I wince as my bare, punished bottom rubs against his jeans. His arms wrap around me. Strong and protective, the heat from his body warming my naked skin. I’m curling into his chest. My damp cheeks burrow into his shirt, the scent of that lemongrass soap he uses. My arms rise, winding around his neck. Tears roll down my cheeks, my breath ragged.
His lips brush against my damp cheek. His soft words tickle my ear. “Why’d you do that? Why would you give yourself away like that? To someone you don’t even know?” The pain in his voice tugs at my heart.
I sniffle, wiping at my eyes with the backs of my hands. I say, “I was solving a problem.”
His words are hoarse. “What problem could possibly be solved by sleeping with a stranger?”
Now I’m trembling. He tightens his hold. Kisses my cheek once more. Giving me the strength to confess. To tell him my truth. “Because the person I really want doesn’t want me.”
I can’t meet his gaze so I tuck my head further underneath his chin. Hide from him. The words I’ve said are too big. My heart has escaped, out into the open. Hanging between us.
His finger lightly touches beneath my chin. He tilts my face up, our eyes locking on one another’s. He says, “I do want you, Adrianna. I’ve never wanted anyone else like I want you.”
My brow knits. I should feel elated by his words but too much has passed between us. I need more. “Then, why the distance between us?”
“I saw myself as your protector, first. I thought I couldn’t be what you needed if I gave myself to you. That I needed to keep our relationship a business relationship.”
“But you can do both. Can’t you?”
“It’s not that simple, Adrianna. There’s something else.”
“What?” My hands clutch his shirt, anxiously awaiting his words. I search his face.
“I’m not a casual person. I’m not able to do as other men. When I give myself, I give fully. I give my all. After losing my sister, I’m no longer at the luxury of playing around with my heart. You’re young, you’re inexperienced. You deserve to be flighty, to date, to take life lightly. I didn’t want you to choose me, just because we had those magical few days together.”
All I want in this world is more of those magical days. With him.
I take his face in my hands. “I may be flighty, and a daydreamer, and forgetful and unorganized. But there is one thing I will never, ever take lightly. And that is matters of the heart. Yes, my family protected me. Yes, they helped to procure my virtue. But that’s only half of the truth. I let them. No man that pursued me ever made me feel the things that I needed to feel. The butterflies, the electric touches when our skin meets. Just knowing that seeing their face will bring a fullness to my heart. I had to have all that, to give myself to a man. And I never felt half of those things. For anyone. Until I met you.”
His gaze burns into mine and it touches me in my soul. I know his thoughts without the sound of any words. His mouth is on mine. Kissing me. Tasting me. Claiming me as his own. When he pulls away, there’s a soft grin on his face. One that makes him seem lighter, younger. I whisper, “I guess we’ve solved the problem, haven’t we?”
He smiles back. “Not quite.”
“What do you mean?
“We haven’t made it official.”
I smile. “And how would we do that, exactly?”
He kisses my cheek. “We have to make love. To solidify the union.”
“Solidify the union? That sounds so much prettier than boyfriend and girlfriend.”
His brow creases. “I don’t do ‘boyfriend.’”
“What do you mean?”
“A boyfriend is someone who holds your hand. Watches movies with you. Takes you to dinner.”
Sounds wonderful. “But I like those things. I want those things.”
He tucks a strand of my hair behind my ears. “You’ll have them. But so much more. I want to be your man.”
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