“A pleasure,” she said as she shook Tiffany’s hand and then Dante’s. “Please be seated, gentlemen. Thank you for making the drive down here. It gave me an excuse to visit my friend who owns the place.”
“It was nice of him to let us do the tasting here.”
“Mattie is a sweet guy. We attended the Culinary Institute together and stayed in touch ever since. Now, forgive me for not staying out here and chatting, but I have to finish preparing your food. I hope you like it. I’ll be sending the dishes out in three courses of breakfast, lunch, and dinner fare. Donna will serve you a small portion of sherbet in between the courses to cleanse your palates. Once you’re finished, I’ll come back out to see how you liked everything.”
“I’m sure we’ll love it,” Tiffany said. “I was impressed with the reviews you’ve gotten from several food critics in Miami.” On the drive to Key West, she’d googled Adley’s name and read through all the reviews and articles she could find. The chef had developed an exceptionally good following.
The woman’s eyes brightened even more than they had been. “Why thank you.” When the waitress returned with their beverages, and a bowl of water for Cooper, Adley added, “Okay, let me get back to work—your first course will be out in a few minutes. I’ll see you in a little bit.”
A half hour later, their table had been cleared of the breakfast samples. Everything had been delicious. Five dishes had come out, with just enough for them to appreciate the flavors of each one, without getting too filled up before the next two courses. If the lunch and dinner choices were as good as the breakfast, Tiffany was certain Sir would agree with Mitch about hiring Adley as the resort’s head chef.
Dante sat back in his chair and reached down to give Cooper’s ears a scratch. “So, Tiffany, have you given any thought to what position you want to take at the club?”
She took a sip of her sparkling water before answering him. She really liked the man. He was like the big brother she’d never had. A few times, while Sir had been busy, she’d helped Dante out as he’d mapped the island for the security plans, and they’d had some great conversations. He was easy to talk to—easier than most men she knew in the lifestyle. Maybe it was because he was a full submissive and not a switch like Ty. “Actually, I have.”
She glanced at Sir. For the past four weeks, she’d been following him around, reading the resort’s prospectus and plans, and learning everything she could about it. She’d been able to help him out by making phone calls, tracking down orders, fielding membership applications and inquiries, and so much more. “I was thinking, Sir, that I’d like to be your administrative assistant. Working from the ground up, I’ve been able to start learning everything you’ll need me to do. I know there’ll be more, but I pick things up fast.”
Holding her breath, she stared at Sir. He wasn’t smiling or frowning. In fact, she couldn’t read his blank expression at all. Her stomach sank. She’d thought for sure he would agree that being his AA was the perfect job for her.
Her eyes shifted to Dante, but he was no help. His gaze was focused on the table as if he wanted no part of the conversation that was quickly becoming uncomfortable.
When she turned back to Sir, her eyes were close to filling with tears. She couldn’t look him in the face. Instead, she focused on one of the buttons on his shirt and shrugged. “If you don’t think that’s a good idea, then . . . then I can think of something else.”
“Eyes on me, pet.” When she hesitated a little too long, his voice dropped. “Don’t make me tell you again.”
She lifted her gaze to his.
“You’re right. I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to be my administrative assistant. You’re overqualified for the job.”
Her lip trembled. “Okay, then maybe I can . . . wait, what? Over—overqualified?”
The corners of Sir’s mouth pulled upward. “Yes, pet, overqualified. In fact, I already spoke to Mitch and Ty, and they told me it was okay to offer you a different position.”
“Huh?”
He smirked. “I told them what an amazing job you’ve been doing these past few weeks, stepping in to help out when I’ve been busy with something else. I’m proud of you, Assistant Manager Tiffany Armstrong.”
Her eyes widened. “What? Assistant manager of what?”
Beside her, Dante burst out laughing. “Of the whole damn resort, Tiff. You deserve it. I’ve been watching you bust your ass for weeks now.”
She glared at him. “You knew about this?”
“Yup. Well, only since yesterday.”
“So, what do you say, sweetheart?” Sir asked. “The position is all yours if you want it.”
Before she could answer, Dante’s phone rang from where it was sitting on the table next to him. He picked it up and stood. “It’s Brody Evans. Pardon me while I take this.”
As he stepped away to talk to Trident Security’s computer genius, Tiffany was still gaping at her Dom. His words still hadn’t completely sunk in yet. “Are—are you serious, Sir? I mean, I don’t know anything about being an assistant manager of a resort.”
“You could’ve fooled me. Like Dante said, you’ve been busting that pretty little ass of yours. You’ve come up with some great suggestions for both the resort and club, and Mitch and I aren’t the only ones who are impressed with the work you’ve been doing. Several vendors contacted me to say they were pleased with how you handled their calls and sorted out any issues that’d come up when I wasn’t available. You might not have held a managerial position before, pet, but you definitely have the instincts of an administrator. So, like I said, the job is yours if you want it.”
Did she? It was a huge undertaking, but Mitch, Ty, and Sir wouldn’t have offered her the job if they didn’t think she could do it. And she really loved being involved in the startup process, and after the resort was up and running, it would be even be more fun—a lot of work, but definitely fun.
Her decision made, she jumped up and threw her arms around Sir, hugging him tightly. “Oh, yes, Sir, I want the job! I promise I won’t let you down. Oh, thank you! I love you!”
Tiffany froze. Oh my God, did I just tell Sir I loved him? Holy shit, what have I done?
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Author’s Note
The story within these pages is completely fictional but the concepts of BDSM are real. If you do choose to participate in the BDSM lifestyle, please research it carefully and take all precautions to protect yourself. Fiction is based on real life but real life is not based on fiction. Remember—Safe, Sane and Consensual!
Any information regarding persons or places has been used with creative literary license so there may be discrepancies between fiction and reality. The missions and personal qualities of members of the military and law enforcement within have been created to enhance the story and, again, may be exaggerated and not coincide with reality.
The author has full respect for the members of the United States military and the varied members of law enforcement and thanks them for their continuing service to making this country as safe and free as possible.
USA Today Bestselling Author and Award-Winning Author Samantha A. Cole is a retired policewoman and former paramedic. Using her life experiences and training, she strives to find the perfect mix of suspense and romance for her readers to enjoy.
Her standalone collection of short stories, Scattered Moments in Time, won the gold medal in the 2020 Readers’ Favorite Awards in the Fiction Anthology genre. Her standalone novel, The Road to Solace (formerly The Friar), won the silver medal in the 2017 Readers' Favorite Awards in the Contemporary Romance genre.
Samantha has over thirty books published throughout several different series as well has a few standalone novels. A full list can be found on her website listed below.
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