“You’re not free,” he said. “You’re mine. I claimed you, remember?”
He kissed her hard, his breathing harsh like her own. “I love you, honey,” he said.
“I love you Rick.” She knew she could never say it enough.
He grinned and rolled onto his back with her on top of him. He wrapped her in his arms and she knew she was right where she needed to be.
# # #
Taken
Chapter 1
It was like the lottery in a way. Either she would win or she wouldn’t, depending on who bought her at the auction tonight. Whatever happened, her fate for one weekend was in someone else’s hands.
Tonight was for fun. Fun she needed in the biggest way. Her gaze moved around the room of people at the wine and cheese mixer and she smiled. No matter what happened, she would enjoy herself.
Kelley Bachman slipped into the elite crowd. The whole room sparkled like one big diamond and she felt almost blinded by the glitter and dazzle of the wealth in the room.
She moved away from her friend Leslie, whom she had just been talking with, wishing she had Leslie’s cool confidence and the easy way she seemed to manage her life.
Is anything ever easy? Kelley mentally shook her head. Not for her.
She was everyone else’s pillar of strength. From raising her brothers and sisters, to working off her ex-husband’s debts, to being head nurse at a large hospital, she was always in charge.
She took a deep breath and shook off the tension that always seemed to be with her as she repeated to herself, Tonight is for fun.
Yes. It was all about her secret fantasy… A dominant male bidding on and winning her at the auction. A Dom who really liked to take control so that she wouldn’t have to do anything but please him. That was exactly what she wanted. One weekend of letting someone else make all of the choices in her life would be heaven. And one weekend pleasing someone else however he wanted her to would be amazing.
There were probably better ways to go about finding a male dominant who would fulfill her fantasy, but when she heard about the auction and the inclusion of a group that she’d belonged to a short time—a group that practiced BDSM—something stirred deep inside her that she hadn’t felt before. Something almost primal. A need she had to be taken, to belong to someone.
Hopefully the right man would get her. There was an element of danger that excited her. Giving up control to someone she didn’t know well was a hot thought. She had to have a connection, though. If that wasn’t there, it might be a long weekend. Worst case, she had her own room on the weekend of the trip and there was always the headache excuse.
A cool breeze in the room brushed against her bare back and she shivered. Her sparkly red dress scooped all the way down her back to the base of her spine. It was sexy, glamorous, and far more daring than anything she’d ever worn before. She glanced at her left shoulder to make sure her ornate gold circle pin was still there and she saw it glinting in the low lighting.
The circle would tell any dominants at the auction that she was a submissive. The Kink Club, KC, had multiple members who were discretely participating in the exclusive charity auction. Doms wore triangle pins and tonight there were several men and women with triangles in attendance.
And some of the men were really hot.
Unfortunately, she had arrived late, thanks to the doctor who had kept her overtime at work. She hoped she’d have time to meet a couple of interesting dominant males before the auction itself started, but she wasn’t sure there was enough time left.
She wandered through the crowd, trying to avoid catching the attention of anyone who did not have a triangle pin. She ducked past a man who didn’t have one and caught sight of someone just a few feet from her who took her breath away.
Nate Davis. Her heart beat a little faster. She hadn’t seen him since the night of the party at his home two years ago.
He looked better than ever.
Not only that, to her pleasure she saw that he was wearing a triangle pin—he was with KC.
About five-eleven, well over her five-four inch height, he had dark blond hair and sage green eyes. He was talking with a woman, an obvious submissive, with a circle pin, and he had the sexiest expression when he smiled at whatever the woman was saying. She remembered him telling her he was into mixed martial arts and it was clear in his bearing and build.
There was a sense of power about him, and that power had always attracted her and tonight it drew her in, making it almost impossible to do anything but get closer to him. Hopefully the woman would move on so that she would have a chance to talk to him. She had always felt some kind of soul-deep attraction to him, one she didn’t fully understand but tonight she intended to investigate it.
She moved a little closer then held herself back as she watched him listen to the woman who was talking animatedly and without pause. Kelley couldn’t hear them, but by the woman’s expression she was more than attracted to him. Kelley wasn’t sure about him, though. Was he just flirting back or did he have a strong, genuine interest in her?
Nate raised his gaze and met Kelley’s. He winked.
Warmth heated her cheeks and she bit the inside of her lip. It was almost as if he was telling her something, telegraphing to her that he was amused by the woman he was talking with and that he wanted Kelley to wait for him.
That or he was amused with her.
Her face grew hotter and she debated on whether to move away or stand her ground and take the chance that he could be interested in her again. The man made the choice for her by excusing himself from his conversation and moving toward Kelley. In the background she saw the disappointed woman staring at her with an expression that bordered on anger.
“You weren’t planning on leaving without saying hello, were you, Kelley?” The man’s smile was even sexier up close and personal as she gave her full attention to him. “After all, you never said goodbye.”
Another warm flush went through her. She returned his smile as her cheeks cooled. “I wasn’t going anywhere.”
“What happened the last time?” He didn’t act upset, just curious. “After our lunch together and after the night of the party, I thought that you were interested. But you never returned my calls.”
Lunch had been fun and so had the party. He owned a medical supply company and had thrown the party for his clients. That night they had talked and talked and talked.
She’d had an incredible time with him but she thought she owed it to Ray to give their relationship another try.
She looked down for a moment then met his gaze. “You caught me on the rebound. My then boyfriend wanted to get back together right after we went out. At the time I thought I loved him. I just didn’t know how to tell you. I didn’t handle it well with you. I am sorry.”
“I saw you in the auction program.” He referred to the booklet that had been put together with pictures and bios of all the men and women who were being auctioned off tonight for charity. “I take it you’re single now.”
“Yes.” The attraction Kelley had felt when she first knew him seemed to double as he spoke. She had been totally smitten with him. If it hadn’t been for Ray… Things could have been different.
She had always loved Nate’s voice and she imagined what it would be like to have that voice commanding her, telling her what to do. It was a pleasant fantasy that she allowed herself to indulge in.
“Do you still work at the hospital?” he asked.
“Yes,” she said. “I haven’t seen you stop by there.”
“My company lost the contract with the hospital,” he said. “When the big staff change happened, someone brought in a medical supply company they had already been working with.”
“I thought about you a lot.” She wasn’t sure if she should say it, but she let it out anyway. “When I broke up with my ex-boyfriend, I thought about calling you.”
“Why didn’t you?” He looked genuinely curious as well as interested.
“
I wasn’t even sure you’d want to talk to me since I never returned your calls,” she said.
“I would have welcomed your call. It was a long time before I could get you out of my mind.” The look in his eyes told her that he meant what he said.
“And look at you now.” He looked her over from head to toe in a way that made her feel attractive. “It’s great that you’re here. And you are with KC. I am surprised, but I love that you are.”
“You being with the club surprised me, too,” she said. “I’m really glad you’re a part of it.”
He still looked amazed. “How long have you been with KC?”
She tilted her head to the side as she thought about it. “A few months. There’s something about it that concerns me about being seen in public. I’m not very open about my personal interests.”
“I understand and can relate to that.” He glanced around the room. “Everyone here who’s involved with KC is to be discreet.”
Kelley gave a nod. “That’s what I was told.”
“It’s been a while since I’ve been active,” he said. “What made you decide to get involved in the auction?”
“I needed something fun. Exciting.” She pushed a wave of blonde hair over her shoulder. “Something different. And not only is there the potential for fun, it’s all for a good cause with the charity.”
His lips curved into the sexy smile she’d seen him wear before. Only this time there seemed to be something added to it, something even hotter. “What kind of exciting?”
With a laugh she said, “I’ll tell you because I’m sure you’ll get it, considering that you’re involved to some extent in the BDSM community. As crazy as my life has been, anything that gives me pure release, an escape from being in charge of everything, will be heaven. Someone I can trust…someone to whom I can turn everything over to.”
“You want a man to be in charge of you?” He lowered his voice and it had a sexy timber to it. “Someone to make all the decisions in your life.”
That hadn’t been exactly what she’d said, but it was what she wanted, and this man had seen right through to her deepest desires.
“What about you?” she said.
“I don’t want a man making my decisions for me,” he teased her and she smiled. “What I am looking for is a woman who wants to be cared for.” He seemed to grow a little more serious. “I appreciate you being so open and direct. Usually it takes a while to learn that someone has those kinds of interests. Personally, I need someone who needs what I can give her in every aspect of her life.”
Little tingles ran up and down her spine. “Then we make a good match.” She hurried to add, “For one weekend, anyway.”
“One weekend,” he said in agreement although something told her that he was looking for more than that.
Seeing him again, and finding out that they had more in common than she’d thought, excited her in a way that she hadn’t expected.
“Ladies and gentlemen.” A man’s voice said, over a sound system. “Please join us in the ballroom. The auction is about to start. Bachelors and bachelorettes, please meet behind the stage. Everyone else find a seat and we’ll get started.”
“It’s been fun talking with you.” She smiled. “I hope to see you later.”
He took her hand and squeezed it. “You can count on it.”
The way he said the words sent a thrill through her belly.
His words repeated in her mind. “You can count on it.”
In her crazy life she didn’t count on anything that she didn’t have some form of control over. But something told her that if she could count on anyone, it would be Nate Davis.
Chapter 2
Kelley waited behind a curtain for her name to be called and then she would walk onstage. She rubbed her arms with her hands, feeling a sudden chill that caused goose bumps to rise on her skin.
Now was the time to wish for a little luck and a man named Nate Davis.
“Kelley Bachman!” came the booming voice of the MC.
She pushed her hair over her shoulder, took a deep breath, and walked onstage. As she stood by the auctioneer she tried to peer into the crowd but at first the lights were too bright for her to get a really good look. She thought she saw Nate but wasn’t sure.
What a great Dom he could turn out to be. Something about him made her excited. Made her believe that relationships could be real and honest.
It’s silly to get your hopes up, Kelley. She mentally shook her head. “Kelley is a nurse at a local hospital,” the auctioneer was saying. “One of you lucky gentlemen will get to take the lovely nurse to San Francisco for a getaway weekend.”
The bidding started out at a fairly high number. She had heard the unbelievable amounts that were paid for earlier bachelors and bachelorettes, and had been curious how much she would go for.
As the bidding went on, Kelley tried not to squint to get a better look at who was bidding on her. Instead she just smiled and waited until the auctioneer hit the gavel and said, “Sold, to Mr. Nate Davis.”
Butterflies looped around in Kelley’s belly as she was escorted to the steps leading from the stage. At the bottom of the stairs, Nate waited and he was smiling. She smiled in return as she met his gaze.
He glanced at his watch. “It’s early. Would you like to head out for a drive around the city?”
She nodded. “I’m in no rush to get home.”
Downstairs, she waited for him in the lobby while he went to get their coats and her purse.
“Hey there, hot mama.” A man spoke from behind her.
She ignored him and hoped that Nate would hurry.
Two men came around to face her, crowding her personal space, and she took a step back.
“Wanna have fun some tonight?” The taller of the two men said. He had dark hair and a goatee. He was the one who had spoken from behind her. He pointed to his crotch. “Come and get some of this, baby.”
Heat burned her cheeks. She tried to turn away but the shorter man stepped in front of her.
“What do you have under that dress?” The shorter man leered. “Come on, show us.”
She glanced around her in the huge, almost empty lobby, looking for help. She would scream if they came a step closer.
She heard Nate’s deep voice. “Someone needs to teach you boys some manners.” He stepped in front of her and got within two feet of the men. “I think that might just be me.”
Nate’s presence was powerful and intimidating. He made her think about a tiger ready to slam into the men and tear out their throats. It was easy to see his mixed martial arts training in the way that he held himself, the controlled tension in his bearing.
Both of the men backed up. “We were just having some fun,” the taller one said.
Nate took another step toward them. “You come near her again and I will take you apart.”
The shorter man shoved the other guy. “Let’s get out of here.”
They both took off. The taller guy looked over his shoulder, as if making sure they weren’t being followed.
When they were out of sight, Kelley took a deep breath and turned to Nate. “Thank you.”
He took her by her shoulders. “Are you all right?”
“They didn’t hurt me.” She was surprised to find she was a little unsteady on her feet.
“You’re shaking.” He rubbed her upper arms. “It’s the adrenaline kicking in. If I could have taken those two out, I would have.”
“I know.” She straightened and managed a smile. He’d been her protector, had chased off the two men from what could have been a really bad situation.
He picked up their coats and her purse from where he had laid them on a nearby couch and after he helped her put her coat on, they headed out the front doors. He’d already had the valet bring his car around. He assisted her in getting into his gorgeous silver Mercedes and pulled away from the curb and headed away from the hotel. The car was so smooth riding that it felt like they were gliding along the road.
She didn’t know a lot about cars but it beat her Toyota by a long shot, and she loved her Prius.
Thrills of excitement went through her belly while they talked as they drove around the Tyson’s Corner area just outside of D.C. She loved the time they spent together in the car and found herself more than looking forward to the weekend in San Francisco that went along with the auction. If she read it right, he seemed just as attracted to her as she was to him, as if their relationship had continued instead of ending two years ago.
After they had driven around for at least an hour, Nate said, “I’ve moved since you were last at my home for the party. Would you like to stop at my new house for a tour, and maybe a drink?”
Anticipation hummed in her veins. She had thought about asking him into her home when they returned but had wondered if it would be too forward and too much too soon. He’d just taken care of it for her.
She smiled. “Yes.”
It wasn’t long until he turned onto a road with huge homes set back aways with long drives. She could barely see the lights in the homes because there were so many trees.
He pulled into a driveway and directed his car toward an old colonial home. Before she could say anything, he said, “Welcome to my place.” He was at her side of the car and opening the door before she could. He helped her out of the car.
She looked over the front with its big white columns and shuttered windows as they walked up the short flight of stairs to the front door. He unlocked the door and escorted her into his home. Once they were inside, he helped her slip out of her coat and he put it and his own in a coat closet near the front door.
“I love your home,” she said.
He looked down at her. “I enjoy it.”
The place was filled with colonial furnishing and décor and she admired everything she passed. When they entered a room toward the back of the house, she blinked, a little surprised. This room was warm and inviting, and altogether modern. As she took in her surroundings, he slipped off his suit jacket and laid it over the back of a couch.
The Auction Box Set Page 26
