by L E Royal
She took one last breath, one last glance at the woman in the mirror who, for the first time in years, she truly recognized.
She turned and her eyes met Kristina’s, and she couldn’t help but lick her lips at the sight of her.
“You’re here, aren’t you?”
Wow, my voice sounds like sex. She was about to congratulate herself on that, but Kristina spoke again.
“I don’t do jealousy, sweetheart.” Smugness danced in those black coffee eyes, and she stepped so close Parker’s head wanted to spin.
“Really?” She studied her. Looking down at her, watching her chest rise and fall with short breaths, Parker was brave. “So her hands on me, her lips on my lips, her tongue in my mouth, doesn’t bother you at all?”
Kristina’s eyes were unfathomable pools. Something flashed across her face too fast for Parker to name, and then they were kissing.
Fingers in her hair tugged her head down, and Kristina’s lips crashed into her own with bruising force. When a tongue skirted her lips, pushing inside her mouth, it was insistent, claiming. A hand held her hip, keeping them close, and Kristina’s kiss was just as consuming as she remembered. Parker surrendered to it, lost herself in it.
When they parted, they were both breathless. Kristina’s eyes flashed to the door and then back to her.
“Go into the stall, Parker.”
It wasn’t a request, and her heart stuttered and stopped, then raced at it. She felt brave, and bold, and wanted.
“Make me…”
Kristina’s nostrils flared, disbelief flashed across her beautiful face, and then a hand closed around Parker’s arm like a vise. Parker let herself be dragged into the stall, and pushed back against the wall, hard.
Kristina closed the door and slid the little lock into place. She paused there, back turned. The anticipation made Parker’s body burn.
“Is this what you wanted?”
The words were barely above a whisper, but somehow they were loud in the quiet of the restroom. Kristina stepped toward her, predatory on five-inch heels. Impatient, Parker reached out to catch her around the back of her neck and pull her in to meet her mouth.
Hands were on her, a messiness in her touch that hadn’t been there before—whether it was due to alcohol or urgency, Parker couldn’t say. Fingers slid between her back and the wall, falling lower, lower, lower until Kristina was squeezing her ass, hard.
Lips attacked her mouth, trailing messily across her cheek, teeth grazing her chin, and then Kristina was feasting on her throat. Head back, eyes closed, Parker was lost and she was absolutely, gloriously found.
Kristina sucked rough over her pulse point, and Parker hummed a warning at the mark she knew was being left behind. When Kristina raised her head, there was fire in her eyes.
“Well?”
It was what Parker wanted, and she hissed her agreement as she shoved Kristina back into the opposite wall of the stall and descended on her greedily. She kissed her long, hard, thoroughly, braver now than she had ever been. She felt the stiff peaks of Kristina’s nipples through the thin material of their dresses, their bodies crushed together in the small space.
Since that very first meeting their chemistry had been explosive, but here, in a dirty public bathroom, working a thigh between Kristina’s, surprised when the move set a tan one between her own, Parker could barely believe her own actions. This woman was dynamite to her. She blew her wide open and set free a part of herself she’d thought was long lost.
Fingers twisted hard in her hair. The flash of pain was acceptable given the pleasure that spiked in her gut as Kristina pulled her impossibly closer, pressing her hips down into her thigh, while Parker pushed her own harder between tan legs. Kristina’s breath caught. Hands squeezed her ass hard. Parker felt them working on the back of her dress, pulling it up and up and up, and God I want it off, hers, Kristina’s, all of it.
Forgetting to be shy, she covered Kristina’s breast, lathing her tongue up the side of her neck, enjoying the soft weight of it in her hands, feeling the firmness of her nipple.
The hands on her ass dragged her forward, running the length of her along Kristina’s leg and grinding her own thigh into Kristina at the same time. Parker let out a shuddering breath, feeling Kristina’s body flex beneath her.
Dark eyes found her own; then fingers were around her throat, and she was falling backward. The hard expanse of the wall caught her, Kristina’s other hand behind her head, saving it from impact.
Kristina didn’t waste a second. As soon as they were moved she was reaching up to kiss her again, Parker’s dress hiked obscenely around her waist, taunting fingers running too soft over the wet material of her underwear.
Parker let out a whine.
“Isn’t this what you wanted?”
She didn’t answer the question, leaning down to kiss her. The hands in her hair turned to a vise, holding her back.
“I want to watch you, baby…”
Heat exploded in her chest. The hand between her legs cupped her, giving her just enough pressure to be absolutely maddening.
“That’s right…” Kristina’s eyes were dancing, triumphant, hungry. “You’re mine.”
Am I?
“What about your brand-new sub?”
Parker hadn’t meant to say the words, but they spilled out anyway, breathless.
A beat passed, and then the change in Kristina was immediate. The fingers in her hair went loose, the hand between her legs fell away, and Parker wanted to scream, to cry, to beg. Why do I ruin everything?
“You’re right.”
She watched Kristina run a hand through her hair, cursing.
“I need to end things with her first.”
God, she has morals? Parker knew she should be pleased, but holy crap, she just wanted to finish what they had started, what her body was coiled tight, hot, wet, aching for.
“I’m sorry, sweetheart. I owe it to her to do the right thing and end things respectfully.”
Kristina’s bottom lip was between her teeth, and Parker leaned back against the wall, unashamed. Kristina’s gaze ascended her bare legs slowly, lingering on her exposed panties at their apex for a few long seconds. Kristina grit her teeth.
“Pull down your dress.”
Parker did, grudgingly.
“Can I pick you up tomorrow, maybe at noon? We can get lunch and talk.” Kristina swallowed hard, hungry eyes searching Parker’s face as she continued, “Maybe finish what we started here?”
Parker didn’t want to wait, but what choice did she have? Drunk as she was, she wanted her, now.
“Fine.”
She was pleased with herself for the iciness in her tone.
Kristina nodded, smoothing her hair and straightening her dress.
“I’ll see you tomorrow then.”
She moved to the door. Her fingers lingered on the lock. Parker’s heart beat hard as she hoped, stupidly, desperately, selfishly, that Kristina would give up whatever moral high ground she was trying to maintain and just turn around and fuck her like they both clearly wanted.
“May I kiss you good night?”
She had not been expecting that. Kristina’s shoulders were stiff, the words careful.
“That depends on what you plan on doing afterwards?”
Kristina crossed the space back to her, trapping her against the wall. “I plan on taking Becca home safely and ending our arrangement respectfully.”
Parker wanted so much to be mad at her. Kristina’s dark eyes roamed her face. Her tongue darted out to wet full lips as her voice dropped low, rougher.
“And then I plan on going home and trying not to keep myself up all night thinking about you, Parker, while I wait to see you again tomorrow.”
The words hit her low in the gut, the thought of Kristina…keeping herself up…was sweet, sweet torture, as ridiculously keyed up as she already was. Kristina was studying her face, and Parker knew she was waiting. The question came again, softer.
“May I kiss you, sweetheart?”
Damn this woman. Parker swallowed hard. The intensity that had lived between them since their very first meeting was thick in the air now, and the need for her was like a physical ache. She had tasted the upper hand, and a little part of her enjoyed pushing Kristina’s buttons, playing with her.
She imagined Kristina wasn’t used to asking permission for anything. She paused, giving herself a moment to remember this, then took great joy in granting it.
“You may.”
Chapter Seven
THE SUN WAS high in the sky when the sleek black car pulled up to the curb. Parker struggled up from her doorstep, squinting in the bright light even behind her large, dark glasses.
“Morning, sunshine.”
Kristina looked fine, fresh even, and Parker hated her just a little bit.
“Why are you wearing workout clothes?” Parker asked.
She slid down into the seat, dumping her purse. Her morning run had been forgone in favor of an extra three hours in bed, and too much aspirin.
“Just finished yoga.”
God, she was not ready for those images… Kristina does yoga.
“Here, drink this.”
A metal travel cup was thrust into her hands. Parker eyed her over the console.
“If this is any kind of liquor, I’m going to puke in your fancy car. You know that, right?”
Kristina laughed, and somehow, the sound alone made her feel a little better.
“Just trust me. Try it.”
She took a healthy pull on the straw, scrunching up her face while she swallowed.
“Veggie juice?”
“Fruits, veggies, a few secret ingredients… Drink it all and you’ll be as good as new in half an hour.”
The liquid sloshed against the back of the cup as they pulled away from the curb too fast—how was she going to survive Kristina’s driving?
Grudgingly, she took another long swallow, holding her breath and drinking as much as she could, because really, what did she have to lose?
“You do yoga?”
The wind whipped Parker’s hair back, and the breeze actually felt nice on her face. Leaning back against the headrest, she continued to suck on the straw, watching Kristina, soaking up her presence again after being denied for so long.
“I do. Maybe I’ll show you some time.”
Kristina winked, and caught somewhere between wanting to purge her stomach and wanting to kiss her, Parker closed her eyes and tried to breathe.
“Where are we going?”
“I thought we could go back to my place…”
“Oh no, no…” She glanced at her across the console. “We need to talk, like actual words, somewhere public.”
“Are you saying you can’t control yourself around me in private, Professor?”
Kristina made a scandalized face. All Parker could think was that she was beautiful. She seemed more open now, somehow obtainable in a way she hadn’t been before.
Parker drained the last of the mystery juice, glad to be done with it.
“I’m saying we should talk first.”
They took a hard left into an IHOP, of all places.
“Like you wanted to talk last night?”
God, she was still too fuzzy right now to keep up with Kristina, who was clearly in fine form.
“You’re so full of it this morning, Miss Diaz.” She shot the words back. This new playfulness between them made something in her chest flip. “I demand you cut me some slack, at least until I’ve had breakfast.”
Kristina hopped out of the car while Parker was still fumbling with her seat belt. When she looked up, the door was being held open, and dark eyes were shining down at her.
“As you wish.”
Parker followed her into the restaurant, eyes lingering on her backside. Yoga pants are wonderful.
Kristina stopped at a booth, gesturing politely for her to sit. Parker slid onto the bench, surprised when Kristina sat down beside her instead of across the table. She slipped off her sunglasses and studied the menu, agreeing that water was fine when the server came by.
This was surreal somehow. Just twenty-four hours ago she was moping on her sofa; now she was here, slightly hungover in IHOP, with Kristina.
“So, last night…”
Kristina’s hand settled high up her thigh, and her body snapped to attention under the touch.
“What about it?”
Parker glanced sideways, tucking her hair back behind her ear, noticing Kristina watching her.
“I’m glad I ran into you.”
How did she get so intense, so fast?
A beat passed between them. Parker’s lips got hot under Kristina’s gaze. She licked them without thinking. The fingers on her thigh flexed.
She couldn’t think straight around her. She cleared her throat.
“Did you get your…friend home okay?”
She needed some distance; she needed to eat and feel a little more human and get through some of the questions she had for Kristina, before she let herself be tugged back under her spell. This time, she needed to do things right.
She wanted this. Somewhere between losing it all, and finding Kristina again, she had become sure of that much at least. She just wished she had a little better idea of exactly what this was.
“Yes.” The hand fell away. “Are you still upset that I left?”
Parker shrugged, turning her eyes back to her menu.
“You didn’t leave me with anything I couldn’t take care of myself.”
It was true. She had touched herself last night, at home in her new bed, her body still aching from their time together in the bathroom.
Kristina’s breath caught audibly. Good.
“Are you ladies ready to order?”
Parker smirked to herself at the irritation in Kristina’s voice as she ordered some obnoxious-sounding smoothie and two buttermilk pancakes. Parker took her time, ordering bacon pancakes and a coffee, hoping the grease would soak up the last of the hangover and leave her free to enjoy the afternoon with the woman.
When the server strode away, Kristina reached into her purse and produced a small stack of paper.
“Standard NDAs. We both sign, so we’re both protected. Take all the time you need to read it, but it basically says we both agree not to disclose what we do together in private or the nature of our relationship to anyone outside it.”
Suddenly they were back to all business, any trace of levity gone from her voice.
Parker thumbed through the pages. Was this just standard procedure for Kristina? She hated the thought, an unpleasant reminder that she was one of many, the next in a probably long line of subs.
“And what exactly will be the nature of our relationship?”
She kept her eyes on the printed lines, though she wasn’t really absorbing the words.
“Domination and submission, sex, mutual pleasure…”
Kristina’s eyes were on her, but she didn’t look up.
“So we just meet for sex? We don’t…talk or go out to eat or…date?”
“I don’t do dating, sweetheart.”
The reply sounded rehearsed.
“Like you don’t do jealousy?”
When she glanced up Kristina was frozen, her mouth twisted into a grim line as she watched her.
Parker signed the NDA with a flourish.
“Parker…I’m not looking for a relationship. I like to interact in a very particular way in bed, and in my private life. We have great chemistry, and I believe we’re compatible in that respect, but beyond that…”
She sounded…scared?
“We can talk, and of course we’ll build a connection. Submission is about trust, and I’d like to earn yours. I’d also like to give you a good spanking for your attitude last night, but I need to know you understand. I just don’t date, period.”
Kristina was beautiful, even with her hair pulled back, her makeup lighter than Parker ever remembered seein
g it. She had an effortless sort of beauty, the kind that shone even under the harsh restaurant lights.
Parker wondered briefly how she had become this. How someone so young, and clearly bright, so full of potential, had arrived at the point where the only kind of personal relationship they wanted was based around power play.
“I just got out of a fourteen-year marriage. I’m not looking for a relationship right now.” The words felt like a half-truth to her, but she swallowed the feeling down.
“But eventually, you will be, and then our time together will end. You’ll move on to your happily ever after, and I’ll move on to my next sub.”
The thought of Kristina with someone else dug under her skin more than it should.
“Like the girl who was with you last night?”
Parker rearranged her cutlery, not looking at Kristina, trying to process the casualness of all this, the fact it was temporary. Kristina had filled a void for her. Even in her absence, missing her had somehow replaced her previous feeling of not being in control of her life. The thought of removing her from her world entirely was…uncomfortable.
“Now who’s jealous?”
She didn’t dignify that with a response.
“We have something to offer each other right now. Our arrangement stands until either of us decides that’s no longer the case.”
Parker nodded. Her headache started to fade, though she still felt foggy, deflated by the conversation.
“Until then, you’re mine.”
Her head snapped up at that, though Kristina was busy smiling up at the server who was setting down their food.
Parker cut into her pancakes, letting the joy of grease and carbs in her mouth smother the tension still hanging between them. She was aware of Kristina watching her, but they ate in silence.
Kristina pushed her pancakes around her plate, taking a few bites, then set them aside. She settled for sipping her smoothie. Parker watched one hand, with perfectly manicured nails, disappear deliberately under the table. It landed so high on Parker’s bare thigh that it made her jump, her cutlery scraping her plate.
“So…” Heat was already building embarrassingly in her stomach. The pads of Kristina’s fingers pressed between her thighs even though she squeezed them tight, and a flush crept up Parker’s neck.
