SAMPLE
The rest of the drive was pure agony. We’d had such a nice conversation in the car, I was feeling closer to Shane than I’d ever felt. He was opening up to me, letting me see glimpses of the man he really was—the one some people, like Alexis, might never see. I felt like I was the luckiest woman alive.
When the car rolled to a stop outside of his house, he gave me a wicked I’m-going-to-eat-you-up look and every cell in my body ignited. Oh yes, this was going to be a night to remember.
Shane started things off by saying, “I have something very special planned for you tonight.”
“I can’t wait.”
In, we went. In the front door, down the hallway, to the room he’d shown me on our first date. That night I’d called it his torture room. But after a brief introduction to the pleasures that room promised, I’d re-named the room the pleasure palace, even though I was fully aware of the fact that there would be times when I was punished instead of pleasured. It was all part of the game. And, as I was beginning to understand, the anticipation of a punishment was almost as thrilling as the anticipation of pleasure. The punishment added a level of danger to my experiences. As it turned out, I kind of liked that.
“This way.” As I’d come to expect, Shane placed a hand on the small of my back. With a little pressure right or left, he steered me around the bulky bondage furniture toward the big X-like structure at the very back of the room. My gaze followed the line of the wooden beams, up to each corner then down to the ground. At the ends were big silver loops. And there were leather cuffs chained to them. I pretty much knew what those cuffs were for.
My wrists and ankles.
“Undress.” His voice had taken on that sharp edge that made my tissues heat up. I just loved it when Shane shifted from sweet and open man to demanding dom. It was so freaking sexy.
Feeling a smile pull at my lips, I turned my back to him. “Would you please unzip me?”
He pulled the zipper down, but to my disappointment, he didn’t touch me.
He’s building anticipation.
Despite the fact that he hadn’t touched me, outside of that one hand on my back, my skin tingled everywhere. I turned around, facing him, and let my dress slide off my shoulders.
I swear flames flashed in his dark eyes.
The beaded silk garment shimmied down my body, catching on my hips. I gave it a little push and down it fell, forming a puddle of expensive silk on the floor. Wearing my crotch-less panties and a lace bra, I stepped out of the dress and bent over to pick it up.
“No, I didn’t tell you to move.”
Fighting a grin, I straightened back up. I still had a lot to learn about this domination and submission stuff. We’d had some other issues to work out the last few weeks and had spent very little time here. I felt a little out of my element, unsure.
“I’m sorry,” I said.
Shane circled me, stopping to pick up my dress. He draped it over a nearby bondage chair thing then continued his three sixty around me. He moved slowly, deliberately. As he prowled around me, he reminded me of a jungle cat. Like a big cat, quiet strength emanated from him. And danger. He was deliciously dangerous. “This way.” Touching me very softly, he moved me into position to be restrained. Back to the cross. Arms up and out in a wide vee, legs spread. Before securing my arms, he unfastened my bra. He left it on, hanging from the shoulder straps.
My heart started pounding as he secured one cuff around my wrist. It didn’t hurt, and I wasn’t afraid. But I was anxious, unsure what to expect.
“When we experience pain, endorphins rush through our system,” he said, his voice very low.
Pain?
My hands clenched into fists as he secured the second cuff. He was talking about pain. I didn’t like pain. Pain was something I avoided.
My breathing quickened. My heart rate too. He knelt at my feet, moved one closer to the post so he could secure my ankle. “Remember Bristol, say red if you need me to stop.”
“O-okay.”
Once he had the first ankle buckled in, he fastened the other one.
Now I was powerless to move.
“Comfortable?” he asked. “Does anything hurt?”
“No, nothing hurts.”
“Good.” He gave me an up and down perusal before stepping up to me. “You look so sweet, Bristol.” His voice was husky, and dark carnal hunger shone in his eyes. That alone, coupled with the nervous energy charging through my system was making me clench, making my burning tissues throb.
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” His fingertip traced a line down the center of my chest, between my br**sts, down to my belly button. “Mmmm.”
Mmmm indeed.
My stomach tightened as little jolts of heat sizzled under his fingertip. I’d never felt this way with a man before, as if any touch, even the smallest, sent a current of electricity charging through me.
The second he pulled his hand away, I was whimpering, my body craving his next touch. When would it come? How long would I have to wait?
Chapter 1
“Miss Deatrich, I need you to come with me.”
Now, that was strange.
Mr. McMillian rarely ever poked his head out of his office. In fact, rumor had it most days he locked himself in there and took eight-hour naps. In three years, I’d seen him a total of once. On my first day. Thus, to have him waiting for me at my desk was very weird. It was even stranger to have him asking me to follow him to his office. He’d never, ever done that before.
He shut the door, motioning for me to sit in the chair facing his desk.
Puzzled, I sat.
“First, I want to say that you’ve done a fine job for Tamby Systems. Absolutely fine. So what I have to tell you is no reflection on your performance.”
It sounded like he was about to…was he…?
He cleared his throat. “I’m afraid we’re going to have to let you go.”
Fired. I had just been fired.
Ohmygod!
“I’d be happy to give you a recommendation,” he continued, as if he hadn’t just shattered my world and turned my life upside down.
Fired. Couldn’t be. No.
He added, “And of course, you’ll qualify to collect unemployment until you’re able to find another position.”
Unemployment paid five hundred dollars a week. Five hundred dollars a week wasn’t enough to pay my bills.
He said, “And you can continue your medical coverage. You’ll have to pay the premiums, of course.”
Of course. I’d pay the premiums with all the money I wouldn’t have. Because I’d been fired.