Crave

by Sierra Cartwright

  He shook his head. “It’s not that low-cut.”

  In the mirror, she caught his gaze. “You don’t think it’s too much?”

  “I think it’s perfect.”

  She examined herself from a few more angles. “You have a talent for picking out things that suit me.”

  “We’re not done yet.”

  “Oh?”

  He sat on the bench, grabbed her wrist and tugged her over his lap. Breath whooshed out of her, leaving her a little limp. Before she could recover, he flipped up her dress, exposing her buttocks. “This dress will most definitely work,” he said.

  “Do you only think about one thing, Mr McRae?”

  “Several, actually.”

  She squirmed. “Spanking me and—”

  “You can think about the others for a while.”

  “Fucking me?”

  “That’s one of them, yes.” He brought his hand down hard on her right butt cheek.

  She yelped, more from shock than pain, he was sure. The sound echoed off the ceiling and sent a ripple of satisfaction through him. “You were right. There wasn’t a red mark. Now there is.”

  He liked the sight of it, his mark on her skin.

  “Thank you.”

  Reece shrugged off the sudden feeling of possessiveness and helped her up.

  While she changed, he sought out the saleswoman, made the purchase and instructed her to have the package delivered to his room.

  Sarah met him near the shop’s entrance. As the idea for his next stop tumbled through his mind, he realized that he intended to test himself as well as her.

  “Let’s go next door.”

  Outside the door, she paused and frowned. “It’s a jewelry store.”

  “They have chokers,” he said. “You can pretend it’s a collar.”

  Chapter Five

  For Sarah, time seemed to slow. “I’m confused,” she said. “I thought we only agreed to the weekend together.”

  “We did.”

  “So…” She searched his face, looking for something, anything to give her an idea of what he was thinking.

  His eyes, so blue and enigmatic, were unreadable.

  She had spent the first few weeks after she’d run from him feeling grateful that she’d gotten away. Then she’d spent a few months trying to sort out her life and re-establish her business. And when she’d started to date again, she’d begun to see Reece in a different light, and she’d started to regret her decision. For the past few weeks, she’d been consumed with the idea of seeing him, getting over him, moving on with her life.

  But after last night, she had realized that was impossible.

  Everything she’d once felt for him was still there, the passion, the energy, the joy. The sex had magnified it.

  The fear, though, if she was honest, was worse than it had been two years ago.

  He’d changed as much as she had. Part of her wished that he was the man he had been before. Kind, caring, willing to do anything to soothe her.

  This man was harsher, feelings and reactions buried beneath the hurt.

  Despite that, she was facing the fact that she wanted more time with him.

  And she recognized he had all the power.

  She had no doubt that he desired her. Though he hadn’t said so, she’d be willing to bet he’d scene with her, at least until he found someone else.

  That thought stung.

  How the hell had she thought she could do this?

  It had all seemed so simple when she wasn’t standing only inches from him, her body humming from a heady, dangerous combination of pheromones. “Help me out here. I don’t understand why you want me to wear a choker for only one night.”

  “It would look sensational with your dress.”

  The plunging neckline did call out for jewelry. “So that’s all?”

  “Let’s try it out. We’ll go in, select something together, and I’ll put it on you before we go down to Julien’s party. You’ll attend as my submissive, for the whole world to see.”

  A wicked combination of desire and apprehension unfurled deep in her stomach. He’d said he would test her. And this felt like a significant one. Carefully she asked, “Can we talk about what that means to you?”

  “If anyone asks, you admit you’re my submissive.”

  “I think your friends already know, or at least they suspect.”

  “They do.”

  “No one else’s opinion would matter.”

  “True.”

  “Now I’m really puzzled. Is there any specific behavior you demand from me?”

  “The same courtesy you usually show me.”

  She was aware of others walking by, but no one seemed to notice them. And why would they? Julien’s guests valued their privacy, and most of them were absorbed with their own lives.

  “No kneeling by your side while you feed me treats from your plate or give me sips from your champagne?”

  “Now that you mention it…”

  She scowled.

  “Sarah, when have I ever asked something like that from you? Some couples may enjoy that. But I certainly don’t demand that kind of behavior. It might be entertaining at a play party in Houston, if we both agreed to it.”

  “I still don’t get it. How would it change anything between us?”

  “That’s my point.”

  “Could you be a little less obscure? I feel as if we’re speaking different languages here.”

  “It changes nothing, except what happens inside your mind. It’s a commitment from you to me.”

  “But only for tonight.”

  “Only for tonight.”

  “You’re paying for it?”

  “I am.”

  “Then I want a really nice one.”

  “I want you to have a big, thick one. I want it to be so heavy that you to have a difficult time holding your head up.”

  She started to object, but then she saw it, a lessening of the tension next to his eyes. It was a contradiction to his serious tone. She wondered, over the years, how many times she had missed the subtle clues as to what he was thinking.

  “As long as it’s on your credit card, you can get me whatever you want.” Even as she said it, adrenaline flooded her system. This wasn’t the same as the collar she’d found in his drawer. It meant nothing as far as a lifetime commitment, but some of her old doubts were there, swirling.

  He offered his arm and she took it. “We’re looking for a choker,” he told the gentleman behind the counter.

  “Yes, sir. Anything specific? Gold? Silver? Platinum?”

  Reece looked at her and quirked his right eyebrow.

  “Silver or platinum.”

  “My lady has good taste.”

  “White gold would also be okay,” she said.

  The clerk pulled out a few choices. A few were delicate—a couple were stout enough to hold a good-sized pendant.

  “Anything appeal to you?” Reece asked.

  “Whatever you like, Sir.”

  Reece pointed to one and told the man they’d like to try it on.

  “Excellent choice. White gold.”

  The necklace was wide and there was no price tag, which told her a lot.

  “Lift your hair.”

  When she did, Reece fastened the choker around her neck and settled it into place. “How’s that? Too tight?” His voice teased her ear, warm and reassuring.

  She took a deep breath and released her hair. “No. It’s fine.”

  The clerk instantly offered a handheld mirror.

  Reece was still behind her, and she saw them together, with the choker snuggled against her throat, right above her collarbone.

  The expression on his face—pleasure and triumph—thrilled her. She didn’t take it as gloating, she took it as masculine pride.

  “What do you think?” the salesman asked.

  “What do you think?” she asked Reece, their gazes locked in the mirror.

  “I think it’s stunning.”
<
br />   “So do I.” She exhaled a shaky breath.

  “Would you like to have it?”

  “I—”

  “What?” His tone was tight.

  “I’m sure it costs too much.”

  The clerk named a figure that had a comma in it.

  “That would pay my mortgage for a couple of months. Like six months, really.”

  “Any objection beyond the price?”

  She turned to look at him, placing the mirror face down on the counter, aware of the clerk’s interest. “Reece, this is ridiculous. I may only wear it once.”

  “Any other objections? Emotional ones? Mental ones?”

  “Nothing other than the fact that it’s too expensive.” She looked at the clerk. “Can we see something less pricey? Maybe in silver?”

  “Sarah.”

  She faced Reece and realized her error. His lips were pressed together. “I…” She paused. “I’m still not very good at this, am I? If it pleases you, Sir, I’d be honored to wear it.”

  “Lift your hair.” He removed the choker.

  “Reece, I apologize.”

  “Wrap it up,” he instructed the clerk.

  The man smiled. “It looks lovely on you,” he said to Sarah.

  “It’s beautiful.”

  A few minutes later, they left the store with Reece carrying the bag.

  “At least I didn’t piss you off enough that you didn’t buy it.”

  “Good thing,” he replied.

  She was tempted to offer to go back to the room, anything to get away from his hostility, but figuring that would annoy him even more, she kept her mouth shut.

  “Breakfast?”

  “I’m starving,” she said.

  They went to another outdoor restaurant. Since they were later than most people, they had the place to themselves. The hostess seated them near a fountain. After promising to return with coffee, she left them alone.

  A grackle landed on the edge of the fountain, making its obnoxious jeeb-jeeb-jeeb sound.

  “That’s one of the ways I know I’m in the Keys,” she said.

  A bus person shooed away the bird. It left for thirty seconds before returning.

  A waitress brought coffee and took their orders.

  “Look, Reece, I’m sorry. I should have spoken with you, not the clerk. I was wrong. I get that you’re angry. And I don’t blame you.” She put her hand on the table, palm up, beseeching him. “I didn’t run. I’m still here. I didn’t freak out. Well, except for the idea of spending so much of your money.”

  “You mentioned that it would pay your mortgage for several months. It occurs to me I don’t even know where you live. I assumed you weren’t struggling financially, but I could be wrong.”

  Suddenly she realized how big the gulf was between them. It wasn’t a matter of her showing up, apologizing, getting a spanking and pretending that everything was fine, as if they’d never been apart.

  They might have agreed to keep the past behind them, but she was beginning to believe that was impossible. She had the unfair advantage of having been able to keep up with him, his successes, his struggles. “I am doing okay. I live in Colorado.”

  “Colorado?”

  “It was a big move,” she said. “Totally different from Houston. I thought I was going to freeze that first winter. With the humidity, Houston can feel cold, but not like that. The first time it was thirty below with the wind chill, I booked a vacation to Key West.”

  “Why Colorado?”

  “My college roommate was living in Denver, and geographically, culturally, it was light years away from Texas. I thought I’d stay until I figured out what I wanted to do, but I fell in love with Golden. I bought a town home in Golden, near the School of Mines. Amazing views. I can ride my bike almost any place.”

  “As long as it’s not snowing.”

  “True enough.”

  “And you still have your business?”

  She shook her head. “I sold that one. Not for much money, but enough to help me get re-established. I’ve done quite well with the new venture, thanks to the skills I learnt working for you. I found a niche.”

  “I’m not surprised.”

  When she realized he had no clue what type of business she was doing, she said, “I own a virtual assistant company. We cater to small business owners, entrepreneurs mainly, people who don’t really want someone in their office all the time or can’t afford a number of different employees. We do remote payroll, accounting, bookkeeping, HR services.”

  He nodded.

  “What makes us unique is that we also handle things such as social media, web updates, answering phones, PR, marketing campaigns, mailings. We provide one point of contact, and I have dozens of really talented people who work for me, some full-time, some part-time. We have about a dozen who freelance. One stop, one bill.”

  “Brilliant. Does Julien know about it?”

  “No. He was your friend. I didn’t think it was fair to ask him for business advice.”

  He sat back and pushed his coffee away.

  “I know. Nothing I did was fair.”

  “I didn’t say it.”

  “You didn’t have to. I can see it in your eyes. And you’re right to think it. What I did was monumentally wrong. I don’t deserve forgiveness. Nothing I do will change the past.”

  “Would you like a hair shirt now, or later?”

  Her half-smile faded quickly.

  Their food arrived and she slathered her waffle with butter and syrup. “I’m on vacation,” she said with a shrug. “And carbs make me feel better.”

  “No judgment from me.”

  “Says he who is eating a vegetarian egg white omelet.”

  They were finishing their meal when North Star and Magenta paused at their table. “Loved the set-up,” Magenta said. “I think I could get accustomed to this young man doing my bidding.” She traced his jawline.

  North Star grinned. “Had a hard time sitting this morning,” he confessed.

  “Too much information,” Sarah said.

  “You may want to put a salve on his marks when you finish with him,” Reece said. “Arnica works well. I prefer a cream to an ointment for my subs.”

  Stunned, Sarah curled her hands around the mug, unable to believe they were having this conversation in public with others nearby.

  “What did you use?”

  “My belt. This one.” North Star fingered it and grinned. “Bites like a sonofabitch.”

  “Check with Kennedy Aldrich. He might have packed some extra toys.”

  “Will do,” Magenta said. “Didn’t know he was a kinkster.”

  “He’s a Dungeon Master at a club on the east coast. And adult toys are big business. He’s invested in some companies.”

  “Makes sense,” Magenta said. “Shall we, North Star?” She looped his tie around her hand and pulled him in closer.

  “Yes, Mistress.”

  The two moved on.

  “I didn’t realize Kennedy is a DM.”

  “He also does some one-on-one instruction. Taught me how to use the looped flogger.”

  “When I first met him, he remarked on my training.”

  “He knows a few details. Nothing to make you too uncomfortable.”

  “About you wanting to collar me?”

  He nodded.

  “What did he say?”

  “Two years ago, he showed up as one of my best friends. Yesterday, after seeing the efforts you went to, to get here, he reminded me that there’s a difference between fear and cowardice.”

  “What do you think?”

  “I’m wondering where that line is.”

  What would it be like if the situation were reversed, if he’d walked out on her? Would she be quick to forgive? Would she try again? And if she did, would doubt linger, gnawing at the edges of their happiness?

  He’d placed the bag from the jeweler’s in the middle of the table, next to a small flower vase, ensuring that she’d have to look at it t
hrough the whole meal.

  He’d teased her about wearing a hair shirt. Maybe she was. Maybe she deserved it.

  “You’re scowling.”

  “I don’t like what I’m thinking about,” she admitted.

  “Which is?”

  “The shoe being on the other foot, so to speak. Imagining what I did to you.”

  “Uncomfortable?”

  “Very.”

  “I could try wearing yours,” he said.

  “Not sure you’d look good in heels.” She smiled because that was what he’d intended. But there really was no possible way to apologize for the damage she’d caused.

  “Forget it. For now.”

  Who knew it would be Reece who encouraged her to move away from the self-criticism? “You’re more magnanimous than I am,” she said.

  “More focused on the moment, maybe.”

  From their vantage point, she saw Magenta walk past, still leading her sub by the tie. “Are they married?”

  “No. They live in separate towns. So nothing beyond occasional hook-ups at events.”

  “I think after last night, it might become a little more serious. But really, with names like those, they seem to belong together. Who puts Magenta and North Star on a birth certificate? I mean, beyond movie stars?”

  “Not their parents. Alternate identities. When they come here, they leave their real lives behind. Magenta runs a publicly traded company and if her wild streak were known, her board of directors would vote her out. He’s an investigative reporter, network television. One of the only members of the press allowed at the event, but only because he left his credentials on the mainland. I’m surprised you don’t recognize him.”

  “I don’t watch much TV.”

  Reece signed the check.

  “I’m surprised they were so open…about what they did last night.”

  “They knew we were a friendly audience.”

  “Well, they’re not hiding it now, either.”

  “Tonight, Sarah, everyone will know about the nature of our relationship.”

  The waffle sat heavy in her stomach. “You’re trying to make me nervous. Test me again.” See if she was worthy of trust?

  He stood and pulled back her chair. “We’ve only got a couple of hours before getting ready for the big party.”

  “I heard a rumor that a cheerleader will be popping out of his cake.”