by Anne Rainey
“Look at me, Roni, really look. My mother used to eat when she was upset. She used to dress in clothes every bit as conservative as mine, and do you know the last time I had sex?”
“Uh, no,” she said, a note of concern in her voice.
“It was with that dork, Philippe. He was so lame I couldn’t wait to get him out of my apartment. How pathetic is that?”
“That guy really was a dork. I hated that nasally laugh, and the way he used to go on and on about himself made me want to hit him.”
“See what I mean?” Lydia’s voice rose a notch as her hysteria grew. “Maybe half the reason I’m so stressed at work is because my personal life has gone down the toilet. I’m a younger version of my bible-thumping mom.”
Roni rolled her eyes and reached across the table to grab her hand. “That’s a load of crap and you know it. You are not your mother. Maybe you need to loosen up a little, but that doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with you, Lydia.”
“But what if—”
“No what ifs. I’m a psychologist remember? I say there isn’t a damn thing wrong with you.”
“You’re my friend; you have to tell me that,” Lydia bit out.
“You’re letting that boss of yours make you crazy. Just chill, I have a plan.”
Lydia sighed in relief and sat back. “Thank God. I really need a plan right now.”
Roni bit her lip, as if unsure how to proceed. Lydia had never seen Roni unsure. It was more than a little disconcerting. “Do you remember me telling you about that club I go to sometimes called Kinks?”
“Yeah, but what does a fitness club have to with anything?”
Roni blushed. Right there in the middle of Alejandro’s restaurant, Roni Smart actually turned red. If Lydia hadn’t seen it she never would have believed it was possible for Roni to feel embarrassment. Suddenly Lydia wasn’t so sure she wanted to hear any more of Roni’s plan.
“It’s not a fitness club.”
Confused, Lydia asked, “What is it then?”
“It’s a BDSM club.”
The acronym meant nothing to her. “Huh?”
“Bondage and submission.” Lydia was still confused so Roni explained further. “You know, masters and submissives, whips and masks.”
Roni was into kinky sex games? How could she not have known about that? They’d been closer than friends for years. Hell, they were practically sisters. Roni was watching her, worry pulling at her brow. Lydia wasn’t sure what to say. “Oh, uh. Wow.”
“It’s not so strange,” Roni grumbled. “Don’t look so horrified, damn it.”
“I didn’t say it was strange. Just…shocking. I never knew you liked that sort of thing.”
“Yeah, well, we aren’t sleeping together, so how could you know?”
Lydia’s lips twitched. “Okay, you got me there. But, what does any of this have to do with me?”
“I’d like to bring you there, as a guest.”
Lydia knew she couldn’t have heard right. “Can you say that again?”
“You and me at Kinks Friday night. Is that clear enough for you?”
“Yep, that pretty much clears it up.” Lydia looked around the restaurant, wondering if anyone could read lips.
Roni blinked several times before asking, “Then you’ll go?”
Lydia’s gaze shot to hers. “Not on your life.”
“So you don’t trust me, is that it? You think I’d take you someplace depraved, teaming with pervs?”
“Of course not, it’s just that—”
Roni pushed her plate away and sat back. “Be honest, Lydia, you think it’s weird.”
Lydia didn’t want to hurt her friend, but she wasn’t about to be led into something she had no experience with either. “Uh, sort of, yeah.”
“Come with me Friday night. Let me show you how wrong you are.”
“What makes you think I’d ever say yes to this? I’m not into that sort of thing, Roni. I’m not judging you, but it’s not my scene.”
“I’m not saying I know your sexual preferences, but I do know you need something to shake you out of this lull you’re in.” Roni looked her over, then said, “Besides, you might just surprise yourself.”
Lydia shook her head. “Do I have to do anything? Like have sex or something?”
Roni laughed. “Don’t be ridiculous. It’s not like that. There’s just music and a lot of people enjoying a common passion. I won’t lie to you, it can be shocking at first because you’ll see people doing various sexual things. But all you need to do is stick with me, observe and who knows, maybe you’ll meet someone.”
“Various sexual things?””
Roni bobbed her eyebrows. “Yeah, it’s sort of hot to watch.”
“I can’t believe I’m actually considering this. What do I even wear?”
Roni cocked her head to the side. “I think I have something that would fit you. A sexy skirt. We need to show off your assets a little.”
Her clothes were her shield and she wasn’t comfortable losing it. “I’m really not sure about this, Roni.”
“Your fantasy was to have sex with a stranger. This is a good opportunity to make that fantasy a reality.”
“But bondage and submission? That’s a little out of my comfort zone. Hell, that’s a lot out of my comfort zone.”
“How do you know if you’ve never tried it?” Lydia still hesitated, which prompted Roni to plead her case a little more. “Let me ask you this then: When you sleep with a man, do you prefer he take the lead or do you like to take the lead?”
That one was easy; she’d always preferred the man to run the show. “I like it when he leads.”
Roni nodded. “I thought as much, though I do think you have a bit of a dominatrix in you too.”
Lydia couldn’t begin to wrap her mind around that little tidbit so she didn’t even try. “Your point is?”
“Can you really tell me you aren’t intrigued by the idea of meeting some gorgeous stranger and having him dominate you? Don’t you think it’d be just a little exciting to explore that forbidden side of your nature?”
Lydia imagined meeting some tall, dark-haired man. Someone who knew how to please a woman, who knew how to wring every last drop of pleasure out of an orgasm. It wasn’t a bad image. And for some reason it vaguely resembled Dane. Damn, she needed to get that man out of her mind. “Yes, it’s intriguing,” she blurted out.
Roni’s face lit with excitement. “Then come with me. Who knows, maybe we’ll both get to fulfill our fantasies and then we’ll win the bet.”
Lydia frowned. “Is this cheating? Should we tell Jeanette?”
The waiter came with their checks. Roni winked at him and he sauntered off practically whistling. “It’s not cheating,” Roni replied. “Stop worrying.”
Lydia couldn’t believe what she’d just agree to. Had she lost her mind completely?
Roni stood and grabbed her purse from the seat beside her. Lydia followed suit. As they left the restaurant, Roni turned to her and said, “No second guessing this. It’ll be fine, you’ll see.”
“Friday nights I usually watch all my shows that I’ve recorded throughout the week.”
“Quit making lame excuses. Come over to my place early so we can get you ready.”
Lydia laughed. “Uh, we’re so not the same size, Roni.”
Roni hugged her, then stepped back. “Don’t be such a pest. Just come over and I’ll take care of the rest.”
“Fine, but Roni?”
“Yeah?”
“I’m only going for the drinks and music, and maybe because I’m a little curious, but that’s it.”
“We’ll see,” she replied, then walked away, waving at Lydia over her shoulder.
3
Lydia still couldn’t believe she’d agreed to go to a bondage and submission club. What had she been thinking? Roni had always been good at talking her into things, but this time Lydia could very well be in over her head.
After Roni wiggl
ed an agreement out of her to go with her on Friday night, Lydia had gone back to her apartment, intent on sticking to her plan to take the rest of the day off. The responsible thing would’ve been to go back to work. Dane could be looking for her replacement even now. As she sipped her diet cola and stroked her spoiled cat, Socrates, her mind conjured up the image of Dane just before she’d stomped out. His sensual smile and the heat in his gaze could melt a glacier, but why had it been directed at her? The doorbell rang, disrupting her thoughts. Lydia was only too grateful for the interruption. If she kept thinking about Dane Gentry she’d surely go insane.
She moved Socrates to the cushion next to her, smiling when the sleepy animal let out a disgruntled growl. “I’ll give you a treat later,” Lydia promised, before heading toward the door. As she opened it, her heart nearly stopped beating.
“Mr. Gentry,” Lydia cried, “what are you doing here?”
“Dane,” he gritted out. “Will you ever call me Dane?”
Lydia almost smiled at his disgruntled tone. “Probably not.”
He pointed behind her. “Care to let me in?”
She should tell him to go away—the last thing she needed was his powerful presence destroying her control and invading her personal space—but a naughty voice in her head urged her to take a chance. She stepped aside. “Please, come in.”
Thanks,” he murmured as he moved around her, his hard body brushing against her curves. God, the man was deliciously muscular. Just that simple touch and she could feel the strength beneath his black slacks and white dress shirt.
Electricity arced between them and Lydia had to force herself to keep it cool, casual. He’d most likely come to see if she really was planning to return to work. His visit had nothing whatsoever to do with lusty cravings.
“Can I get you a drink?” Lydia asked, as she watched him move about her living room. She tried to pry her eyes away from his firm ass, but she wasn’t very successful. She was only human after all. “I-I have cola and iced-tea or I can make a pot of coffee, if you prefer.” Damn, she was babbling.
“Nothing for me, but thanks,” he said as he looked at her bookshelves, then his attention caught on the pictures hanging on one wall. There was only one predivorce family photo, the rest were pictures of herself with her best friends Jeanette and Roni.
“Is this your mom and dad?”
She really didn’t want to discuss her parents. “Yes.”
“You have your dad’s eyes.”
“Thanks.”
His gaze went over her body before he replied. “You resemble your mom, but to tell the truth, you’re prettier.”
She didn’t know what to say to that, so she stayed silent. As he moved closer, her body temperature spiked. “Why only the one picture of your parents?”
“My dad died six years ago, he had a heart attack. My mother and I don’t speak.”
“I’m sorry.” He shoved his hands in his pockets. “I’m not terribly close with either of my parents. They’re both workaholics. I don’t think having a child was part of their plan. I learned long ago to stay out of their way.”
Her heart went out to him. She, better than anyone, understood the need for a parent’s love. “My dad and I were close; he was very loving. Mom always had a rather depressing outlook on life though. I never quite lived up to her expectations.”
His gaze held a wealth of emotion as he stared down at her. “Her loss.”
Lydia shrugged. “Surely you didn’t come here to talk about my parents.”
A muscle in his jaw twitched. “No, I wanted to know if you were serious about coming back to work.”
“Yes. I’m sorry for storming out the way I did. I’m just feeling stressed.”
“It’s my fault.” He reached out and stroked her cheek. Lydia had to bite her lip to keep herself from leaning into his touch. “You work too hard, Lydia.”
“It’s a high-stress job.” She cleared her suddenly dry throat. “More vacation time would be helpful.”
“I agree. I’m sorry for not thinking of it sooner,” he murmured.
“Is that all you wanted, Mr. Gentry?”
“No,” he whispered as his fingers continued to caress her cheek. Lydia had never felt so turned on by a mere touch. “I wanted to ask you something. And I want you to be honest with me.”
“I’m always honest with you,” she said, unable to contain the desire coursing through her.
“Are you attracted to me, Lydia?”
Lydia put her hand against his chest in attempt to push him away. He didn’t budge and she suddenly became pleasantly distracted by the hard body beneath her fingers. “You’re my boss,” she squeaked. “This isn’t appropriate.”
When he dropped his hand and stepped back, giving her distance, Lydia knew she should be grateful he wasn’t going to push her, but she already missed the connection.
“I know,” he growled. “I shouldn’t even be here. Staying away didn’t seem like a good idea either though. I’ve tried that and it hasn’t worked out so well.”
Lydia recognized his disgruntled tone, but she couldn’t allow him to breach her defenses. It would be way too easy to lose herself in a man like Dane. “I don’t know what you want from me.”
He shoved his fingers through his hair, a scowl marring his handsome features. “I want to know the truth. I want to know that I’m not the only one fighting an attraction here.”
Lydia looked down at the floor and took a deep breath, then let it out slowly. She should tell him to leave. Keep things professional. She should never let him see how vulnerable she could be to him. “Please,” she groaned.
He stepped forward and cupped her chin, forcing her to look at him. “I’m not going to push for more just because you admit you’re attracted to me, sweetheart. Just put me out of my misery. I’m begging here.”
The sincerity in his chocolate brown gaze tore at the last threads of her defenses. “I call you Mr. Gentry because it reminds me that you’re my boss and I shouldn’t let my feelings get in the way of work,” she admitted.
Dane smiled and leaned down, placing a gentle kiss to her forehead. “And how’s that working for you?”
“Not well,” she muttered as she pushed her glasses higher on her nose.
He chuckled. “It doesn’t seem to matter how hard I try, Lydia, I still can’t seem to stop thinking about you.”
Lydia couldn’t believe her ears. Surely she was dreaming. “You think about me?”
He dropped his hand and stepped backward. “If I told you I’ve fantasized about you, would it shock you?”
It was too good to be true. In fact, she wondered if he was playing her. Men didn’t fantasize about dowdy women. They fantasized about women like Roni. “You’ve always dated women that were model perfect. I’m not even close.”
He tilted his head to one side. “You think because you dress conservatively that men can’t possibly be attracted to you?”
Lydia let her silence speak for her. She had a mirror; she knew what she looked like.
Dane shook his head, his thumb stroking her lower lip. “You don’t know how wrong you are. You’re the whole package, Lydia. An intelligent, honest, pretty, kind woman who has me in knots every single time I see her. One of these days I’m going to show you how desirable you are, inch by inch, then we’ll see.”
Oh, God, she’d never survive it.
“Until then, there’s this…” his voice trailed off as he leaned close and touched his lips to hers. It was soft, undemanding, and Lydia melted. He slipped an arm around her middle and pulled her in close before he slid his tongue along the seam of her lips. She sighed and gave him entrance. Dane delved inside, tasting her as if starved. She wrapped her arms around his neck and let out a moan as he worked her into a fever pitch. When he pushed his hips forward, Lydia felt the rigid length of his cock. Her body ached for him to fill her, driving them both over the edge of pleasure.
Little by little he pulled his mouth free, but he ke
pt his strong arm tight around her waist. His brown gaze was nearly black as he murmured, “You taste sweeter than I imagined, baby.”
Lydia shuddered, already aching for more. “We shouldn’t—”
He placed two fingers against her lips. “Shh, it was just a kiss.”
Lydia’s cheeks heated. “Of course.”
“I want you to think about us together. Will you do that for me, baby?”
She let out a nervous laugh. “After a kiss like that? I don’t think I have a choice,” she whispered.
He dropped his arm and stepped back. “Ah, but that was just the beginning. A mere teaser. I’m going to make you beg, baby, and it’s going to be so fucking sweet too.” He moved toward the door and opened it, then turned. “And no more Mr. Gentry either.”
Lydia watched him close the door behind him. She could barely catch her breath as she collapsed onto the couch, her blood rushing through her veins. “What just happened?” she murmured as she touched her lips, not surprised to find them still warm from his scorching touch. Beg? Hell, she wasn’t far from it now and all because of a kiss. What would it be like if they actually made it the bedroom?
Nope, she’d never survive it.
Lydia had made it through the rest of the week without begging Dane for another of his delicious kisses, which was a miracle. Each time he looked at her, she could feel his lips all over again. His wicked smiles told her he knew exactly what she was thinking too. He’d called her at home Thursday night, but she’d been too much the coward to pick up the phone. When he’d seen her the next morning, she’d known the challenge in his gaze was meant for her alone. He wouldn’t let her pretend the kiss had never taken place. Part of her was thrilled, but part of her still worried where it would all lead.
Now it was ten minutes after eight Friday night and she stood horrified in Roni’s penthouse apartment bedroom staring into the dresser mirror. “This can’t be legal.” She turned and stared at her ass. “This skirt is way too tight, short and…leathery. Also, I can see my nipples through this shirt.”
“You look hot. Quit bitching.”
