“Hmmm, today is Tuesday… If I get on it right away, you can pick it up by Saturday afternoon. I’m closed on Sundays.” Julian paused. “Would you like to choose the stones? Citrines run from pale yellow to a darker orangey hue.”
“As long as the stones are good quality. The lady has auburn hair and green eyes. I trust your taste.”
“Sounds good.” Julian smiled. He closed the folder and put everything away. “How about I text you a picture of the stones?”
“Perfect. Do I pay you now?”
Julian shook his head. “Totally unnecessary. I’ve done business with you and your family for years. Something you may want to keep in mind for the future, in this design, we can run an additional chain and attach it to a collar.”
Joe tapped his fingers on the counter. “Good to know. Thanks, Julian. You always know what I want. She’ll be happy with it.”
“I think she’ll love it.”
“Oh, which she will love it?” A feminine voice spoke behind him.
He swallowed, closing his eyes. Talk about the worst possible timing.
Danielle.
The dominant surfaced to help.
“Hello, Danielle.”
Her dark eyes gleamed; she flicked her fingers near his face, although she knew better than to touch. Stepping as close as she could without breaching protocol, she swayed her hips seductively. Her exaggerated movements were part and parcel of her communication with Joe. Danielle sprayed her clothing with a soft perfume he’d always enjoyed. Today, her strategy didn’t work. He remained unmoved.
She frowned. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.”
“You haven’t stopped by. No one’s seen you at the club.”
He tilted his head. “Didn’t I explain? I don’t like to repeat myself.”
Danielle blinked, and her eyebrows stretched up. “You did. Yes. We’re taking a break.”
“The time has come to find you a steady Dom, someone less inconsistent than me. I’ll ask Master Kurt.”
Danielle dropped her gaze to the floor. “As you wish, Sir.” Her voice cracked.
“Good girl.”
Joe tapped his forehead at a stunned Julian and walked out. He’d been a real fucking jerk. When karma finally got a hold of him, he’d pay big, big time.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
“IT’S ABOUT TIME you showed up!” Kelly’s exclamation ricocheted off the walls the moment Hunter stepped foot inside the bar. “You had me all worried, missy. Didn’t you get my texts?” Fists on hips, she glared.
Embarrassed and riddled with guilt, Hunter winced as she wiggled her fingers in a wimpy greeting. Kelly had every right to be pissed off. Her several texts had gone unanswered, and with good reason. What she wanted to know and what Hunter could disclose didn’t belong on a phone screen. The best method—Hunter had decided after her conversation with Soledad—was to spoon-feed Kelly details of her weekend, a bit at a time, while studying her response. And preferably not at the bar.
As she walked toward the counter, the smattering of customers scattered about the place followed her progress. Most showed mild curiosity. One pair of eyes did not.
Dan swiveled halfway around on his stool. Leaning his elbow on the counter and adopting an arrogant pose, he arched an eyebrow while he studied her top to bottom. The corner of his lip lifted in an ugly taunting curve. Hunter exhaled. Dan had never shown this much anger or malice toward her before.
Thankfully, her aplomb didn’t fail her. Ignoring Dan’s attitude, she kept walking without a pause, then slipped under the bar flap, and reached Kelly’s side. She threw one arm around her friend’s shoulder, then planted a sonorous kiss on her plump rosy cheek.
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry.” Hunter threw her other arm around her friend, enfolding a stiff Kelly. “Forgive me, please? I should’ve sent a quick answer. But that wouldn’t have been enough. I know you. You’d want to know more, and I…well.” She snickered. “I was really busy.” She finished, making sure Dan—who hung on her every word—could hear her.
Bastard.
“Hmmm.” Kelly’s frown and body relaxed. Still, she pouted, refusing to give up her mock anger. “I’ll admit you seem refreshed, relaxed even. The pinched look is gone. Was he good to you? He better have been.”
“Oh, Kel.” Out of the corner of her eye, Hunter spied Dan’s reaction. He fiddled with his beer, pretending to be miles away from her conversation with Kelly. He didn’t fool her. She chose her words for the best effect. “Dinner was delicious. The restaurant was elegant and beautiful. Everyone treated me like a star. I even found a long-stemmed rose waiting on my side of the table. And Joe… He was the perfect gentleman. He thought of everything to make my night unforgettable.”
Yes, he had. She sighed and shivered as a flash of a thrilling intimate moment passed through her mind.
Dan, meanwhile, paled as she’d hoped. Payback was a bitch. With every description of her marvelous date, he hunched over his glass, lower and lower, to a point where his hair fell over his eyes and his face was hidden from view.
“I’m glad he treated you well. You deserve that and much more. This ain’t fair, though,” Kelly grumbled, waving a finger at the slowly growing crowd. “I want to hear everything that went on, but customers keep coming in.”
“Silly girl, I can’t tell you everything.” Hunter winked. “A lady doesn’t kiss and tell. If Joe comes by later, you have my permission to grill him all you want.” Ducking under the counter flap, Hunter emerged onto the main floor. “I’m going to change my shoes.”
She sent a last look Dan’s way. He hadn’t recovered. Yep. Two could play this game. Chuckling under her breath, she rushed to the changing bathroom.
It took her five minutes to check her makeup and slip into her working flats. Once done, she sped around the corner and came to a screeching halt. Aaron had taken the stool next to Dan’s. By the look of their quick hand gestures and agitated conversation, the two men were involved in a serious discussion.
The near-invisible hairs on her forearms and along her spine stood at attention. This was a bad omen.
Aaron and Dan had never been friends.
Each man knew the other existed from the bar.
In the past, an occasional nod had passed between them, nothing more.
So…why?
A bizarre alliance was in the making, and if her instincts were correct, she was the common denominator between these two.
She came closer, and Aaron raised his head. “Ah, and she shows up.” He bobbed his developed shoulders side to side. He never wasted an opportunity to display his latest achievement at the gym.
“Hey, Aaron,” she murmured. Stuffing her pen behind her ear, she examined her drinks receipt pad.
He won’t get to you. You’re a cool, unaware cucumber. You see nothing. You hear nothing.
“So, sweet cheeks.” Aaron spoke at full volume.
Hunter cringed inwardly. He used the term knowing full well she hated it. But she’d die before she revealed her state of mind. Outwardly, she wore a mask of stone.
“You need somethin’, dog?” Kelly intervened, leaning her torso over the counter. Her face came close to Aaron’s. “You come to me. I’m working the bar.”
Aaron shifted back, raising his palms up in a conciliatory gesture. “Sorry, no. Just making conversation. That’s all.”
Dan’s startled gaze jumped from Aaron to Kelly and then her. In response, Hunter gave him a sweet, sardonic grin. She had protectors, and Kelly was one of the fiercest.
“I’ll be right back. Bob’s waving his mug.” Hunter jerked her thumb toward the main floor.
“Wait.” Kelly flipped her attention from Aaron to her. “What about our conversation? Give me something.”
Amused, Hunter shook her head. “I’ll give you two things, and then I have to work the floor. Joe’s taking me to lunch on Wednesday, and we’re spending my weekend, which is Sunday and Monday, at his place in Orlando. Satisfied?”
As Kelly listened, her mouth opened a little. Eyebrows raised, she blinked repeatedly. “Wow,” she whispered. “He ain’t wasting any time.”
Hunter stiffened. “What does that mean, Kel?”
“It’s been my experience…” Kelly picked up a cleaning cloth. Averting her gaze, she wiped the counter dry as she spoke. “That with very few exceptions, guys in general are weird. Even when they’re interested, they take their sweet time calling a girl back. That’s all.”
Hunter read Kelly loud and clear, despite the pretended casual tone. She wasn’t entirely comfortable with Joe’s speed. He’d arrived and had swept Hunter off her feet. Skeptical, Kelly frowned at such behavior.
But Kelly didn’t know Joe at all.
Joe traveled way outside the normal circles. He’d shown Hunter her truth. Then he’d plunged her into the vortex of his lifestyle, and in the midst of the swirling winds, she’d found a rare peace.
She couldn’t stay silent. “Joe is anything but average, I can assure you.”
“Affirmative,” Kelly said without pausing her work.
But Hunter’s words had come out with more passion than she intended. The knowing glance that passed between Dan and Aaron gave her the willies again.
This wasn’t the right time to call them on that conspiratorial look. She had nothing concrete to go on, and the two idiots would plead ignorance.
In her best casual demeanor, Hunter removed her pen from behind her ear. “Get a lager started, darling. If I know Bob, that’s what he’s waving for.” She spoke to Kelly, then turned her back on Aaron and Dan. Whatever they were plotting, she wouldn’t find out tonight.
The sun had just dipped below the line of downtown’s gray monoliths, creating a masterpiece of contrasting colors. Hunter gazed into the orange and red swatches. In a fantasy of flight, she was a mighty osprey. Spreading her wings, she banked and soared through the clouds, immersing her body within the vivid pools of color.
Hunter sighed as the soft western breeze caressed her skin. Her hearing perked. The wind carried new sounds over the lake: the fading voices and laughter of adults and children as they departed for home at the end of their weekend. Soon, the ethereal lights of Lake Eola fountain would illuminate the dark waters around it with fantastic hues of aqua, turquoise, gold, and blue.
“A penny,” Joe murmured, grasping her hand above the café table.
She smiled, still within the spell of her fantasy. “Sunset is my favorite time of day. This one is beautiful. Thanks for indulging me.”
When Joe had pulled into his building, she’d mentioned sitting outdoors. Instead of taking her upstairs right away, he’d parked his car in the underground garage and brought her to the lakeside sandwich shop for a quick bite and a beverage.
“I want your pleasure and excitement.” He captured her with his clear blue stare. A twinge of shyness surfaced. She might never get used to the intimate way he spoke to her. As if he read her mind, heart, and body.
“Don’t you know?” Slowly, he raised her hand to his mouth. She watched in a trance as he parted his lips, slipped her forefinger into his mouth, and slowly licked the tip with his tongue. A heady pleasure dizzied her when he added her middle finger to his play.
Arousal in slow motion took her. Inhibition disappeared. Her skin tingled with desire. Her brain demanded penetration, sex, completion. If they were alone, she’d jump on his lap, tear her top open, and cup her breasts with his palms.
She breathed deeply and exhaled. That didn’t relax her sensual tension. She repeated the action, and nothing happened. She was a live wire. “God… What you do to me.”
“I know, kitten.” Cocking an eyebrow, he settled back into his chair and separated his legs. He tilted his head toward his crotch. His sex bulged against the zipper of his pants. “See? The feeling’s quite mutual.”
Lowering her eyes, Hunter glanced discreetly around the patio, hoping their behavior had gone unnoticed.
Joe laughed. “We’re in America, and displays of affection make us uncomfortable. Trust me, no one’s watching.” He pushed his plastic tray aside. “Would you like dessert? A fruit pastry? How about a double chocolate brownie?”
“I love brownies, but I couldn’t eat another thing. That sandwich was huge.”
“Tell you what.” He combined her empty plates with his and stacked their trays together. “I’ll get rid of these trays and get us some brownies to go. And if you’re a really good girl tonight…” He leaned in to whisper, “That will be one of your rewards.” Holding both trays, he pushed his chair back and walked toward the cleanup, where he placed their used items in separate bins.
Although the opportunity to watch him from this distance was brief, she enjoyed it to the fullest. His movements were fluid and self-assured. The masculine elegance in his stride and the play of solid muscles under his polo shirt engaged all her senses. Her chest ached as he pushed the glass doors open and, despite his height, disappeared within the crowd of customers milling inside.
She’d fallen for complication personified. Had broken all her rules to be with him.
In the span of a few weeks, he’d changed her.
No.
That was unfair. Evolution was never one-sided. She had her part in this. He’d tempted, challenged, seduced, and called her out. He’d bludgeoned her stiff shell open, but he hadn’t yanked her out. She’d done that herself.
He’d displayed his talents and wares, and she was happy to buy it all.
Of her own free will, she’d come to the point of no return. Within the next few hours, a new Hunter, forged out of her past and present, would emerge. An ominous question mark appeared before her. She should fear it, run from it; however, Joe had promised to protect and guide her as she advanced and explored, and she trusted him.
How long would he stay in her life? A man like Joe Reid eventually moved on. To think otherwise would be foolish. What would she do then?
A thought to ponder another day…
Her throat stung. She blinked, wiped the moisture off her face, and turned toward the deepening gloom engulfing the park. Just when it seemed darkness would swallow up the land, magic sparkled. The fountain at the center of the lake and all the surrounding lampposts came alive with their cheerful message of hope and happiness.
“Deep in thought again.” Joe clasped her shoulder. “Can’t leave you alone for too long.”
She looked up to him, and he winked, holding a white paper bag by the top edges.
“Success. We have dessert.”
“Yum.” She forced a smile.
“Decent effort.” The corners of his lips curved up as he caressed her cheek with his knuckle. “You still don’t get it. Your mouth may utter words, but your body speaks the truth. So does the aura around you.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes, ma’am. Ah, there’s a real smile.” He circled her wrist. “Come on. We’re done here. I’m anxious to show you my city digs.”
She snickered. “You? Anxious? Mr. Cool, Calm, and Collected? I don’t believe it.”
“Hey.” He helped her up. “I said I’m a dominant, not perfect. Although that comes pretty close to the mark.”
“Um, forgot conceited.”
“Ouch.” Slipping his arm around her shoulder, he gently led her out of the patio and toward the sidewalk. “That hurt my feelings.”
“Must get my licks in when I get the chance.”
Reaching up, she kissed the edge of his jaw. Startled, he jerked his head at her.
“Hmmm… You meant a different kind of licks.”
Without breaking their pace, he pressed her close to him. She trembled against his solid body, wondering if her impulsive kiss had breached some unknown rule or protocol.
“Sir, I didn’t mean—”
Joe came to a full stop. Clutching her shoulder, he maneuvered her directly in front of him. “Spontaneity is a treasure, Hunter.” He brushed her lips with his. “I loved your kiss because it was genuine. It
came from your heart. You didn’t plan it ahead or attempt to change our dynamic.”
“Plan ahead? I don’t…follow.” She searched his face for the meaning of his explanation, the subtext escaping her.
“People scheme and play games,” he murmured, brushing her lips once more. “We need to go up, where we can talk and I can touch you, which I am dying to do, without the entire world watching. Okay?”
She nodded. “Yes.”
“All right.” He entwined his fingers with hers, then tugged her along. He reached the grass verge and paused to check for traffic on Robinson Street.
“Road’s clear.” He pulled lightly, and Hunter hurried across next to him.
He didn’t speak the rest of the way. Despite her increasing nerves, she followed his lead in silence. Keeping her under his arm, he passed the front of his building, turned the corner, and took the steps to the underground garage. Moving swiftly to his assigned parking, he unlocked the truck with his alarm fob, then reached one-handed into the back seat, dropped the brownie bag inside her overnight tote, then pulled the bag out.
“Ta-da.” He held it up like a trophy. “Not that you’ll need any of these clothes during the weekend.” He snickered. “But we’ll take it anyway.”
He hooked the strap over his shoulder and locked the truck. “Come on, the elevators are this way.” He signaled toward an overhead sign and walked on.
Hunter waited next to Joe in front of the metallic doors as a soft hum indicated the elevator was on the move. A drop of perspiration traveled down her back. Her pulse beat against her eardrums. Tiny sparks formed an irregular pattern in her vision.
“You need to breathe.” He squeezed her hand.
An eternity later, the doors opened. Inside the elevator, she inhaled deeply and closed her eyes. She opened them when all movement had ceased and the doors opened again.
“After you,” he murmured.
A short, ecru-colored carpeted hallway extended in both directions. Tall, white-paneled doors with elaborate brass knockers and no numbers stood on each end. She hesitated.
“I’m on the left.” He slipped around and ahead of her. Turning the lock, he pushed the door in and stepped aside, opening the way for her.
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