A Little Harmless Lie

by Melissa Schroeder

  Dee didn’t have to turn around to see what had made Keisha flee. Even without looking, she knew who was there. Her body seemed to be able to pick up on the vibes coming from him.

  His hand slipped over her waist, then around her tummy. He bent his head and nibbled on her ear.

  “Good evening, Dee.”

  The arousal she heard simmering in his voice had her heart tripping. “I thought you didn’t like public displays at work.”

  He drew in a deep breath and she had an idea that he was sniffing at her. She should be irritated with him, but there was something so primal about it that spoke to her soul. She didn’t have the heart to tell him to go away when she wanted him to touch her so badly.

  “We aren’t open yet. And I did leave you alone to stock the bar.”

  She had known he was there. His vette had been parked out front in his space. And she had been a little disappointed that he hadn’t shown up when she’d come in. Although she wouldn’t admit it to him.

  “That’s true.”

  He shifted closer, his body melding to her, his front against her back. He didn’t do much more than that, except lick her lobe. She closed her eyes as heat that had been simmering started to boil.

  “I had to have a taste. You look so cute in your uniform.”

  She snorted. “Yeah, not as good as Sheila.”

  Sheila was one of the weekend workers, who had saved all her tips up to add a cup to her bra size.

  He chuckled, his breath feathering over her neck. “Fishing for compliments?”

  She shook her head.

  “Sheila definitely has special attributes…but I find myself drawn to tight, little athletic bodies.”

  With each word, his voice deepened and her lust soared. He was barely touching her, barely trying to seduce her, but she could feel herself losing control. Every hormone in her body was begging her to turn around, grab him and kiss him until she couldn’t think straight. A state she wasn’t far from anyway.

  He sighed and stepped away before she was ready for him to do it. She liked the feel of his body heat against hers, the clean fresh male scent of him.

  “I need to let you get back to work.”

  She looked back over her shoulder at him. His dark eyes were watching her, lust easy to see simmering there. “Micah.”

  He raised his hand. “No. You and I both know it’s going to happen.” He stepped closer. “It’s just difficult to wait.”

  A yearning she didn’t know she had, something that almost overwhelmed her, rushed through her, pushed her up on her toes and had her brushing her mouth against his. Just that taste wasn’t enough, would never be enough.

  She sank back to her feet and looked up at him. A flush darkened his cheeks.

  “Thank you for being so patient.”

  He nodded once, then turned and strode away. She’d known from the beginning he was a temptation that would be hard to resist. He was just what she loved to read about. A hard-headed Dom, an alpha with a nice gooey center. While he might expect and demand everything from her, he had enough respect to take his time.

  God, she was in very big trouble.

  Micah woke up, his body covered with sweat, his heart smacking against his ribs. His cock hard and insistent against his belly. It was the fourth time this week he’d woken up from a dream so vivid he almost came. Seriously, he would have taken a wet dream over waking up frustrated. But apparently his body wasn’t going to give him the easy way out.

  He sighed. Waiting on Dee was right, but it didn’t make it any easier on him knowing that. Although, he figured if she wasn’t ready soon, he might just go insane. He was patient. He was actually legendary for it. But with each passing day, he was being pushed closer to the edge.

  He knew that she was pretty damned close to being ready. He hadn’t done much more with her other than a little kissing and petting, once after another dinner, then another time when she’d shown up in that little outfit she liked to wear to work out in. It had been almost liberating to sneak her up to his office and neck.

  It was almost as if they were courting. It was an old-fashioned term, but it fit, especially without sex. It was a totally new experience for him. He’d been living on the streets of Atlanta at such an early age that he didn’t do the high school dating thing. He didn’t have fond memories of backseat seductions or necking under the bleachers. His first woman had been a fellow juvie inhabitant, who did just about anything for five bucks. Crack addicts usually did. After, the women he’d been involved with had wanted him because he was a bit on the dangerous side, but they knew they could trust him on some other level. Then as he became known as a Dom, one who owned a club, ran a website and spoke to groups, women came to him to experience submission. And yes, there had been some sharing on the personal level, but nothing had felt this intimate before. Ever.

  Was it because she was virgin? He didn’t think so. He’d felt connected to her from the beginning, before he had even touched her. He must have sensed it on some level and that is why he’d avoided her for so long. But now he didn’t have those barriers, and the full force of his attraction was getting the better of him.

  He glanced down at his erection and sighed. Wrapping his hand over his cock, he stroked it. He closed his eyes and immediately a vision of Dee popped up. He couldn’t even summon the image of another woman. No other woman had monopolized his time. He knew once he had her, it would only get worse. He had seen two of his friends go through the same thing, and he knew he was sunk. The important thing was that she didn’t find out.

  He picked up his speed, his body quickening for his upcoming release. He could imagine Dee as she kissed her way down his body, her mouth moving over his stomach, her tongue darting out over the head of his penis.

  His balls drew up, his entire body locked up as he arched off the bed. He groaned her name as he came. Long moments later, he sighed and got out of bed. Something had to happen, and soon.

  Skilled hands moved over Dee’s flesh as she arched against them, her body shimmering with need. Wet heat wound through her veins.

  “You know you want to submit to me.”

  She threw her head back and forth, denying him even here where he did actually control her. His mouth skimmed the inside of her thigh, his teeth scraping over the tender flesh. The pressure between her legs increased, but with his body there, she couldn’t press them together to relieve the ache.

  “One of these days, you will give in to me.”

  Again, she denied him. She hungered for it, needed it more than she needed to breath, but giving in would be giving too much. She could never protect herself against him, against the emotions that he pulled from her every time they were together.

  His breath feathered out over her skin. She couldn’t stop the shiver. Oh, God, she needed this, needed a release. Breath warmed her sex the moment before he set his mouth on her. His tongue swept in, slipping easily between her dripping lips. With practice and ease, he pushed her, built her up, the tip of his tongue brushing up against her clit. It felt as if she had been shocked with an electrical wire. Shots of current threaded through her blood as the pressure built, her body stealing her sanity as it raced to the orgasm she knew was shimmering there right out of reach.

  The ringing of her phone brought Dee out of the fantastic dream. A thin layer of sweat layered her body, her heart beat against her chest and her breath came out in short, violent chops.

  She didn’t get to the phone in time. Her mind was still bleeding with images of Micah’s hands, his mouth, his body.

  Dee. Pick up.

  She narrowed her eyes at the phone when she heard Micah’s voice. Dammit.

  If you don’t pick up, I am going to assume that you are hurt, bleeding and need me to come there to take care of you.

  With an aggravated sigh, she leaned over and grabbed the phone.

  “I’m not hurt.”

  He chuckled, the rich sound wrapping around her heart. “I figured.”

 
; He was silent for a moment or two, and she wondered then where he was. It was early for both of them. It was just after ten and both of them had closed. She sat up and leaned against her headboard.

  “Is there something you wanted in particular?”

  “I think we established that a few nights ago.”

  She rolled her eyes. “If you want to be all cryptic and not tell me, fine. I’m going back to sleep.” And hopefully without the dream she was just having. She didn’t need any more temptation, real or imaginary.

  “I was wondering if you were busy this evening?”

  She pulled the receiver away from her ear, looked at it and then replaced it. “This is Micah Ross, right? I mean, it is Saturday night.”

  He chuckled again, and the sound sank under her skin.

  “Yes. I noticed you weren’t scheduled to work.”

  She pulled her bottom lip between her teeth. It was her first Saturday off in two months, and she had planned on working on plans for her move. The move she hadn’t told a soul about, especially Micah.

  “Dee?”

  She cleared her throat.

  “I…” No words came to mind. She knew he wanted her. He had made that pretty clear. “You want to go out again, as in on a date.”

  “Yeah. That’s why I called you and asked what you were doing. It’s not the first time for us.” He said it as if she were three years old.

  Yeah, they had, and each time they went out, each time he’d touched her over the last week, she had barely been able to keep her head straight. The last time they were together, she had almost begged him to take her. And that was a mistake. Although…she wondered now at her idiot decree. Granted, it had kept her safe over the years, but the way her body yearned to be touched…she was thinking she might have made a mistake in judgment.

  “And you’re still convinced you need to go against your personal decree of dating employees for me?” She couldn’t keep the disbelief from her voice.

  “Yes.”

  Just that one word, the tone, sent a rush of shivers racing over her body. He offered no more, but Micah wasn’t used to explaining himself. And truthfully, what woman wouldn’t go for it.

  A smart girl.

  Shut up, smart girl.

  “So, are you busy?”

  Of course, she wasn’t. He knew that more than anyone other than Keisha. She had actually planned on working on her new identity.

  The moment the thought popped into her head, guilt stole through her. God, she was sick of it, sick of being someone else, of pretending that her life was normal. For once she wanted it to be. She wanted to be the normal girl on a date with a sexy man, especially one that women yearned for. After just the few encounters, she knew she wanted more. More of him.

  She would just have to keep her head screwed on straight.

  “Okay.”

  He released a barely audible sigh. Had he thought she would say no? What woman would say no to him?

  A smart one.

  I told you to shut up.

  “I’ll pick you up at eight.”

  “Okay.”

  “Until then.”

  He said nothing else as he hung the phone up. Dee clicked hers off and held it against her chest. What the hell had she just done? She knew going out with him tonight would probably be a mistake. Ever since that first kiss, hell since she was first hired, she’d wanted him. With each passing day, she was drawn to him more. He was wooing her. She felt it deep in her bones. It struck her as odd for a man like him. Doms weren’t always the most romantic, but apparently Micah was. That combination of romance and domination probably made most women fall for him hard.

  She would enjoy the evening and pretend for once that she was normal. Tomorrow was soon enough to start working on her new life, away from here, away from Micah.

  Micah pulled the door to Dupree’s open and right into his face. With a few muttered curses, he stepped over the threshold, looking for his wayward business partner. He was at his wits end on why he kept walking into things, dropping things… Hell, he was worried about walking down the street at the moment. It was a wonder he made it to Dupree’s without killing himself. Of course, he knew it had to do with a certain virgin who had been driving him crazy. And that would end. Tonight.

  The door slammed shut behind him. May was manning the hostess stand.

  “Hey, Micah. That looked like it hurt.”

  He could feel his face heating up. “What?”

  She frowned at him. “You didn’t hit your head hard enough for a concussion, did you? I mean, you remember hitting your head, right?”

  He didn’t miss the twinkle in her eye or the humor lacing her tone. He decided ignoring her was the best option.

  “I wasn’t watching where I was going. Is your lesser half around?”

  “Yes. He’s back with Chris.”

  He nodded and headed back.

  “I can get you some ice for the bump if you need it.”

  He didn’t growl at her, but it was a close call. The woman had a mouth on her. He didn’t know how Evan put up with her. Of course, considering who he was hung up on, he had no room to talk.

  By the time he made it back to the office, he had calmed himself down. Still, he felt…odd. It wasn’t something he was used to, not anymore, not since he’d gained control over his life.

  The door was open and he found his two friends laughing.

  “Hey, Micah,” Chris said, a welcoming smile on his face.

  Evan turned with a look of surprise in his eyes. “What the hell are you doing here?”

  “I thought I would chase you down and see if you’d be at the club tonight. I’m taking tonight off.”

  Evan frowned. “So. I told you, we have good managers.”

  “I know that, but it’s Saturday night so I thought it would be good if you were there.”

  He cocked his head to the side. “Ah, so you broke down and asked her out again?”

  “Who?” Chris asked.

  “Dee.”

  Chris nodded. “They were here a few nights ago.”

  Evan looked at Micah with his eyebrows raised.

  “What the fuck? Why is everyone so interested in my love life all the sudden.”

  “Because you haven’t really had one in about six months,” Chris said.

  Evan settled back in his chair. “That’s when he started stalking Dee Sumner.”

  “I’m not stalking her.”

  “Yeah, I know. I got some money in the pool.” Chris glanced at him. “Could you hold off for another week?”

  “Pool?”

  Evan laughed. “Yeah, everyone at work has money on when you’re going to bed the woman.”

  He frowned as he collapsed in the chair. “Why would they be interested, and just how did they know?” he asked Evan with a suspicious glare.

  Evan held his hands up and laughed. “Don’t look at me.”

  He narrowed his eyes on Chris. Although he hadn’t been around much, he still had a lot of friends at the club. “You have to know they’ve been watching you, watching her. You haven’t been with a regular sub for at least six months. Granted, I’m sure you keep it away from the club—”

  Evan made a choking sound. Chris looked at him. “What?”

  His business partner’s smile curved evilly as he leaned forward. “I would bet you a thousand bucks our friend here hasn’t had a woman in that long.”

  Chris glanced at him, a smile curving his lips. “Really?”

  Evan nodded. Micah’s face heated as his temper soared.

  “I have no idea why the fuck you two are interested, but I have seen a sub outside of work.”

  Evan glanced at him and then said, “She wasn’t a student?”

  Irritation now crunched down Micah’s spine. So the woman had been a student, someone who wanted to be trained as a Domme. For someone to get the right to be a Dom/Domme at their club, they had to go through training as a sub. They had to understand the psyche.

 
“What does that matter?”

  Chris started laughing. “Oh, God, he’s worse than you. You were sleeping with everyone in sight. This one locks down, and lordy, he gets pissy when he doesn’t get some on a regular basis.”

  “Fuck you.”

  “No, thanks,” Chris said. “I have an idea Cynthia would disagree. Plus, you aren’t my type, even if you haven’t had any in six months.”

  “It hasn’t been that long.” Five months and sixteen days.

  “Damn near close, bruddah,” Evan said.

  “I just want to know if you are going to check in tonight.”

  “Sure. I mean, it’s dangerous to let you go without getting some.”

  He said nothing as his friend cackled. He knew he would be doing the same thing to them, and had given Evan a pretty hard time when he was going after May. But damn, neither of them had had to deal with a virgin.

  “What did you just say?” Evan asked.

  Shit. “Nothing.”

  “No, he grumbled something about a virgin,” Chris said.

  Dammit. What the hell was wrong with him?

  Evan hooted with laughter. “You’re telling me the woman is a virgin?”

  “I didn’t say anything and if you want to keep your balls intact, you better make sure that you keep your voice down.”

  “You don’t scare me.”

  “I might not, but that little woman might. She’s small, but she’s tough. I have a feeling she wouldn’t think twice about relieving you of your manhood. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

  Not wanting to face their speculative study, he slipped out the door. He said nothing as he passed May at her stand. Without looking up, she said, “There’s a door there, be careful.”

  “What the hell was that about?” Chris asked when they were alone.

  Evan shrugged, realizing that Chris was just figuring out what he had understood for a while.

  “He’s been hooked on her for months. At first, they were fighting all the time about work. Then he simmered down to that stalking thing he does.”

  Chris shook his head, his brow furrowing as he frowned. “No, I mean, did you hear the way he talked about her?”

  “Of course.” He had been lusting after Dee for months and now it was finally going to happen. The idea that he was waiting, being patient and not moving on to another sub already in the life told Evan it was serious. “Yeah. He’s stuck.”