Adored

by Tina Donahue

  He didn’t give her a chance to recover. “On your stomach. Push to your knees.”

  She obeyed. Her oiled passage allowed him smooth entry and he took full advantage, bringing her to orgasm first as he again massaged her clit. Once he’d climaxed, he allowed himself a few minutes to rest before he pulled out, grabbed the velvet-covered paddle, and trailed it over her defenseless ass. “Have there been men, other than me, in your recent fantasies?”

  She looked at him, rebellion in her eyes. “You know there have. What are you going to do about it?”

  She’d see, though for now he merely ran the paddle between her legs.

  She twitched.

  He sank deeper into his Dom role. “What did I say about you thinking of anyone other than me?”

  “You don’t share what’s yours.” Meekness weakened her voice. Beneath it defiance rose anew. “Tell that to your men. They once served on your pirate ship and kidnapped me on your orders, taking me from my father’s home to your island plantation. The workers there, some prisoners from your pirate raids, hadn’t seen a woman in years. Your men stripped and displayed me, demanding I be broken in for the master, made soft and compliant.”

  Her throaty voice grew more distracted with each word she spoke.

  He suspected she was witnessing the scene in her mind.

  She breathed deeply. “Their fingers and tongues prodded my openings so they’d know what you would soon possess. You watched from behind the palms, reluctant to interrupt. Your intrusion could start a revolt. You squeezed the whip you held as your men touched me before you could, filling my mouth, suckling my breasts, touching my clit. You saw how they craved and adored me. Only when they threatened to whip me for not responding quickly enough, did you stop them. My punishment belonged to you, alone.”

  Damn, she was something. He wasn’t certain whether to grin or pant, and ended up doing both. “Everything about you belongs to me. Yet you still disobey. Do you intend to behave like this in the future?”

  “Hell yeah.”

  Again, the defiance.

  He spanked her, holding her squirming ass so she couldn’t dodge the paddle. With her wrists still tied, she had no means of protecting herself. Her skin glowed pink. “Had enough?”

  She pressed her face against the comforter. The fabric muffled her impassioned voice. “No.”

  Over the weekend, they gave each other and his camcorder a real workout. Adam especially liked his shots showing Danni masturbating. They were X-rated artistic and brought back the night in the Vegas showroom where this started. In some small way, the acute bliss in her eyes also returned those moments from years ago when she’d spotted him at their conventions. Her delight seemed to mark their beginning love, though he warned himself she might have merely been in deep lust. She hadn’t said she adored him. She’d said she wanted him.

  Each moment they were together, she proved as much. While he played the recording of her masturbating, she insisted on licking his cock—as if he needed additional stimulation. No matter what he suggested, she didn’t say no, unless she pretended to be bad so he would spank her.

  By Sunday evening, he didn’t want her to ever leave, and might have suggested she move in if the crap with Roger hadn’t been hanging over his head. He walked her to his front door, kissed her like a teenage boy making out for the first time, then bolted to his window to wave as she drove away from his building.

  Well past midnight, he played their X-rated recordings, while trying to ignore his burning stomach. If things didn’t go well on Tuesday, these images might be all he had left of her. He figured that was why he’d thought to make them.

  Shit, don’t go there. He refused to admit defeat. Roger could be a colossal turd at times, but he wasn’t a fool. He’d listen to reason and Danni would never know what went on behind the scenes. They’d move forward with their lives. Everything would be fine. All he had to do was get through Tuesday.

  “You busy?” Sunny stuck her head inside Danni’s door, still in full makeup from the publicity shoot. Green glitter eyeshadow enhanced her eye color. “Can you drag yourself away for lunch?”

  Drag, yes. Walk, no. She remained pleasantly sore from her and Adam’s marathon weekend. “No buffets.”

  “Aw, come on, please. I won’t go through the line more than three times, I swear.” She stepped inside. Her mustard-colored sweats would have looked frumpy on anyone else. On her, they were hot. “This is my last chance to pig out before next week’s shoot. By then, I’ll be able to work off today’s calories.”

  “And I’ll be another week behind.” Danni’s obligations kept growing faster than she could manage even after working twelve hour days. “We’ll have to grab something fast. I’m up to my eyeballs concerning the launch.”

  “It’s getting to everyone. Adam seemed mega-tense when he walked out with Roger.”

  Surprised, she looked up. “They left the building?”

  “Yeah. To have lunch. I heard Roger telling Adam’s secretary to make reservations and to clear the rest of Adam’s appointments.”

  That didn’t sound normal. In fact, it seemed so weird Danni’s skin crawled. She recalled how Adam had looked when she’d asked if his job was in jeopardy and he said no, Roger was just a demanding prick.

  She gestured Sunny closer and spoke as quietly as she could. “Has Roger said anything to you about Adam? Whether he’s performing well or not?”

  “You mean with you?”

  Danni swung her arm to smack Sunny.

  She danced away and giggled. “No. We don’t talk about work. Roger doesn’t tell me anything, and you warned me never to mention your name.” Her smile faded. “Why are you asking?”

  Her only option was to lie. “I don’t want him coming down on Adam if the company’s not turning a huge profit in this economy.”

  “Roger’s been in business a long time. I don’t think he expects miracles.”

  Yet Adam seemed mega-tense. That was good enough for Danni and worried her even more. She’d been in the corporate world long enough to know a man could get the company presidency as the month began and have the job yanked from him a scant thirty days later, if the bottom line wasn’t improving, or if a major investor had a relative they wanted in the slot. Even if Adam had a good contract with Painted Ladies, it wasn’t unknown to have contracts bought out. In this economic climate it was business as usual, not to mention damn nuts and cruel.

  Sunny squeezed Danni’s shoulder. “Hey, you okay?”

  She lied again. “Just thinking about lunch. How’s Karkee’s sound?”

  “Oh wow.” Sunny staggered back fists to her chest. “I love their meatball subs.”

  “Me too. Go ahead and grab us a table. I’ll meet you in fifteen minutes.” She rushed to her door. “I have some business to take care of first.” She raced to Adam’s secretary to find out as much as she could about what had happened between him and Roger.

  Using his connections, Roger got himself and Adam a great table at Georas, a popular new restaurant in the financial district.

  Ordinarily, Adam loved Greek food, especially the dish he’d ordered, moussaka: a casserole boasting eggplant, potato, and spiced lamb. Today, he couldn’t stomach more than a few bites. He put his fork down and broke the uncomfortable silence. “As I was saying when our drinks arrived, the report I gave you clearly shows we need to keep the team intact to maximize profits. We need to look at the long-term, not the short-term.”

  Roger adjusted his glasses and dug back into his crispy duck.

  Adam warned himself to remain calm and professional, even if he felt like a schoolboy asking his dad for the car keys. He leaned back in his chair and glanced past to the window. Graceful cables on the Bay Bridge swept across the remarkably clear sky. He wished he were up there, rather than down here. “The launch is going to happen before we know it.”

  “Three weeks.”

  Adam drummed his fingers on his thigh. “Exactly. So, when do you think you’ll ha
ve a moment to go over my analysis?”

  “Not today.” He swiped his pink linen napkin over his mouth. “After you and I check out those buildings, I have another engagement.”

  With Sunny, no doubt. While Roger enjoyed his evening, Adam and the finance team would pour over the building bids to see which would be the best and cheapest new home for Painted Ladies. A few months ago, he wouldn’t have minded the extra work. Right now, he wanted to swear. “Do you trust my judgment, Roger?”

  He worked his tongue around his mouth and swallowed. “Sure. Why do you think I asked you to come along with me to check out the buildings?”

  “I meant helming the business, choosing the right people to do the job, creating a team to ensure profits down the line.”

  Roger stared. “I wouldn’t have made you president if I didn’t.” He motioned for their server. “I have a question for you.” He made Adam wait to hear it as he told the young woman to bring the dessert tray. “And coffee,” he called out before turning back. Leaning close, he spoke quietly. “Are you sleeping with Danni?”

  Adam’s throat tightened, preventing him from speaking. Rage he’d rarely experienced brought heat to his face, and not because Roger suspected the truth, but what he’d implied about her: that the only reason Adam would fight for Danni was to have her close so they could fuck like monkeys. As if her talent and brains didn’t matter. “Don’t ever ask that again.”

  Roger’s lids fluttered at the quiet threat in Adam’s words. “Fine. Believe me, I’m not accusing you of anything. How could I? I’m no saint. But I do have to wonder why you’re so adamant about keeping her.”

  “Read my report and you’ll know why.”

  “Not tonight.”

  “When?”

  He squirmed in his chair then gave the server a toothy smile as she brought the coffee.

  “Thanks…” He squinted at her gold-and-black nametag. “Gretchen. I can call you that, right?”

  She smiled and filled his cup. “More for you too?” She lifted the coffee pot.

  Adam shook his head. The moment she stepped away, he leaned toward Roger. “When?”

  He poured cream in his coffee. “On the flight back to L.A.” He sipped the brew, frowned, and added more cream. “I’ll give you my answer by Friday morning.”

  Three endless days from now and approximately two-and-a-half weeks before the launch.

  Roger gave him a hard look. “But I’m not promising anything.”

  He couldn’t deny facts, either, once he read the damn report.

  Danni gave up on lunch after a few bites, letting Sunny devour her remaining meatball sub.

  She couldn’t stop brooding about Adam. His secretary had known as much about Roger’s plans as the cleaning crew would. Back at the office, she buried herself in work to calm down. At seven a secretary called his name. Danni hadn’t known he’d returned.

  She hurried to his office, surprised to see the finance team gathered inside.

  Adam’s face didn’t brighten when he saw her. The last time he’d looked this tired and distracted was the night she’d seduced him into sleeping with her again. Prudence told her to back off and leave. Concern made her stay. “Can I see you for a sec? It’s important.”

  He followed her to a hall where they wouldn’t be overheard. She spoke quietly. “Is everything all right? Sunny saw you leave with Roger and you didn’t come back for so long. Are you okay?”

  “Yeah. Everything’s cool. We’re thinking about moving the company to a new location with better facilities. Roger and I toured the buildings this afternoon.”

  She slumped in relief. “Thank God. I was so worried he was coming down on you about profits or something.” She stroked Adam’s tie. He’d used it to bind her right ankle to his bed their first time at his apartment. “Want to come to my place when you’re through tonight? I’ll give you a massage after I make you something good to eat.”

  He smiled briefly. “I can’t. Sorry.”

  “Tomorrow then?”

  He glanced over his shoulder as if he’d heard something and backed away. “It’ll have to wait until this weekend.”

  She didn’t want to be away from him for even a minute, but didn’t have a choice, not wanting to nag him. “Sure. If you think you can last that long.”

  He hadn’t heard her teasing challenge. He’d already pivoted to return to his office.

  Chapter 12

  All day Wednesday and Thursday, Adam attended meetings, and so did Danni, making it impossible for them to be alone. At night, she expected him to call.

  He didn’t.

  She warned herself not to read anything into it and not to crowd him. If he was half as tired as she was, he’d have trouble forming complete sentences.

  By Friday morning she couldn’t stand the suspense any longer and called him.

  As he had in the past, he picked up instantly.

  She used her most seductive voice. “I have breakfast waiting for you in the storeroom near Sales. Homemade apple-spice muffins, gourmet coffee, orange juice, and scrapple.”

  “Scrap-what?”

  She smiled. “It’s a German dish my mom taught me to make. Think of it as flat meatballs made from pork rinds and cornbread, only far less healthy.” She dropped her voice a notch. “I’ve already had a bite. If you’re good, I’ll let you lick the crumbs off my lips.”

  He sighed. “Not right now. Sorry.”

  “Oh.” Her spirits dropped and she couldn’t hide her disappointment. “Are you sure everything’s all right?”

  “Yeah. I’m just busy.”

  Well hell, so was she. He could still take a few seconds to say hi and eat. Worry gnawed at her. Try as she might, she couldn’t shake it. “Are we still on for this weekend?”

  He mumbled something.

  She gripped her smartphone. “What was that?”

  “I better get this.” In the background, his office phone rang again. “Talk to you later.”

  Dead air greeted her.

  She turned off her phone.

  Adam’s gut churned. He swiveled his chair to answer the call on his office phone.

  Please, let this be resolved… in a good way.

  Once his and Danni’s situation was fixed and settled, he could eat scrapple with abandon and be with her endlessly, as much as they both wanted.

  The letdown in her voice when he’d brushed her off nearly killed him. Her disappointment didn’t come close to the frustration he felt.

  He touched the receiver on his phone, but didn’t lift it. The number on caller ID didn’t belong to Roger, unless he’d gotten a new line. Adam glanced at his closed and locked door then picked up. “Farrell.”

  “Mr. Farrell.” A female voice radiated pleasure. “Hi, this is Wendy O’Donnell. We met Tuesday when you and Mr. Boyce visited our…”

  He sagged in his chair, listened for a polite second, ditched Wendy as fast as he could, then checked his messages. Roger hadn’t called.

  Maybe it was too early. Could be he was in bed dreaming about Sunny.

  By one, Adam figured Roger had either forgotten to call him or never intended to do so. He speed-dialed the man’s private number.

  After two rings, the call connected. “Mr. Boyce’s office.”

  “Hi, Vida.” Roger’s secretary. “It’s Adam. Is he there?”

  “Oh, hi, Adam. No, he’s not. He left for the weekend.”

  Fuck. “Do you know where he went? It’s important.”

  “I believe he had a round of golf at the club. If he’s not there, he might be at the marina. Tonight, I do know he plans to see that new play everyone’s raving about. I purchased tickets for him several weeks ago.”

  Adam squeezed the receiver. “Do you know if he’s going to be in L.A. all weekend?”

  “He’s scheduled the corporate jet for a trip to San Francisco on Sunday morning and has a table reserved for brunch at Quintana.”

  In Sausalito. Possibly to eat with Sunny. “Thanks. I’
ll catch up with him when he’s in town.” He hung up.

  Several knocks hit his door.

  He flinched and opened it warily.

  Danni gave him a shy smile. “I know it’s way past breakfast, but I can’t finish what I made, and if Mohammed won’t come to the mountain…” She offered him a wicker basket stuffed with muffins and aluminum-wrapped rectangles he guessed were the infamous scrapple.

  Fighting laughter and renewed anguish, he wanted to hug her and admit his love, but couldn’t. His secretary and the operations crew just stepped into the outer office, returned from their meal. Worse, he still didn’t have an answer on her job. To declare his feelings now and have Roger turn around and fire her. God. He refused to imagine it. “I…”

  When he didn’t add anything, she put the basket on a chair near the door. “For later, if you want a snack. I swear the scrapple’s worth a coronary.” She lowered her voice further. “I do know CPR.”

  He smiled weakly.

  Concern pinched her lovely features. “You look really beat.”

  “I’m fine.”

  “No. Something’s—”

  Two customer service reps passed his office.

  Danni waited until they were far enough away not to overhear anything. “What’s wrong?”

  “I can’t make it this weekend.” He couldn’t allow himself to sleep with her anymore while he kept the truth from her. The mess he’d created would only worsen. When he had an answer, good or bad, he’d go from there and do his level best to prove his worth. “I have too much work on my plate.”

  Uncertainty flickered in her eyes. “I thought the launch was a few days ahead of schedule.”

  “It is. But I have other responsibilities.”

  She didn’t ask what they were, and he didn’t offer. It killed him to do this, but right now he wanted her to leave.

  She stepped back and gestured to the basket. “There’s also cream cheese in there. It goes really well with the muffins. Enjoy.” Wearing a hesitant smile, she left for her office.