The Job

by Doris O'Connor

  At least her body responded to him, even if her mind rebelled at the idea. Too bad he didn’t just want her body. He wanted it all, dammit. That sudden insight made his reply come out much harsher than he intended it.

  “What else could I do, though I reckon I should ask for a refund from the agency for—”

  “No, you can’t. I mean…” As quickly as she’d interrupted him, she seemed to think better of it. When he quirked his eyebrow at her she paled. Alex dropped her gaze, finding the study of the bedcovers most interesting all of a sudden.

  “I can’t what? Afraid you won’t get your cut, and lose this precious job of yours?” She visibly flinched at his words. He knew he wasn’t being entirely fair, but, dammit, he wanted the fucking truth from her. A heavy silence fell between them, and disappointment gnawed a hole in his gut.

  “Guess that asshole was right about one thing at least. It was only ever about the money with you.”

  That brought her head up at last, but, instead of the anger he expected to see, fresh tears clung to her eyelashes as she shook her head.

  “It wasn’t, but I knew you’d never believe me, so what’s the point.” She swung her legs off the bed, and made to rise, but he grasped her wrist pulling her back down again. Alex fell back on his lap. When she tried to get back up, he wrapped his hand in her hair, anchoring her to him.

  “Please. Just let me go. I shouldn’t be here.” He almost didn’t hear her whispered protest. Nat tugged her head up, until she had no choice but to look at him. The abject misery that shone out of her expression made his gut churn, and he shook his head at her.

  “Oh no, you don’t. We’re sorting this out now. What wouldn’t I believe? Give me the truth now, or so help me, I will put you over my knee. Trust me, that won’t be an erotic spanking, but pure punishment. Are we clear here, girl?”

  A brief flash of defiance showed in her expressive eyes, before the fight went out of her. Dropping her gaze to his collarbone, she murmured her reply.

  “Yes, Sir, crystal.”

  All the breath left his lungs at her whispered response. He gentled his hold on her hair, and smiled at her.

  “Good girl, now that wasn’t so bad now, was it?” A lone tear slid down her face in answer. Nat took a deep breath in to calm the myriad of emotions that battered against his soul right now.

  “I have big shoulders, pet, so let me take the burden of whatever is bothering you, and look at me.”

  Alex tensed momentarily. When he tapped her nose with his index finger she finally looked up at him again.

  “That’s better. I want to be able to see your expression. Now tell me what’s going on in that head of yours. Don’t ever presume I won’t believe you. That’s rude and will just earn you a punishment.”

  Her eyes widened in response. He smiled as her breathing sped up. Her eyes grew slightly unfocused as she slipped into her submissive head space and whispered her answer.

  “Sorry, Sir. I don’t mean to be rude, but why would you want to take this for me. I’ve brought you nothing but trouble so far. You should just let me go. I’m not your responsibility.”

  Nathanial cocked his head to one side, as he pondered his answer. To be honest with her would mean opening himself up to a world of hurt, but then again, this would never work between them if he wasn’t honest. He could hardly expect her to open up about what clearly had been a painful past for her, if he didn’t do the same. Besides, open communication was the very basis of this lifestyle. By calling him Sir, she had accepted his dominance over her, and he owed her the truth.

  “You became my responsibility the minute I paid for your company, girl.”

  Alex flinched and bit her lip. The act shouldn’t be erotic, but he barely swallowed a groan anyway. Nat pulled the soft flesh she was abusing away from danger.

  “Don’t do that. I didn’t mean what I said in a negative way. I don’t think any less of you, because you chose to be an escort. Let’s get that out of the way straight away. I was surprised to see it was you, I give you that. I don’t think you should lie to your mother about your profession, but I guess I can understand why you would.”

  Alex tensed up again. She opened her mouth as though to say something, but then slumped her shoulders, and sighed.

  “Words, pet. I’m pretty good at reading body language, but I’m not a mind reader. What’s going in that head of yours?”

  “I’m not lying.”

  He quirked an eyebrow at her, and tightened his hold on her hair.

  “Really? Then what are you doing here? Did I or did I not pay for your escort services tonight?” When she didn’t reply, he held up one finger.

  “That’s one swat to that gorgeous ass added to your tally.” A gasp escaped her and he grinned at her response. “I suggest you start talking or I’ll make it two.”

  “That’s not fair. I am talking. You won’t believe me, you…” She squeaked when he held up two more fingers and slammed her mouth shut. The sparks flying out of her green eyes, however, showed him exactly what she thought of his edict. Seeing her sass return tenfold, made him grow hard as nails. That was better. Besides he liked his subs with spunk.

  He knew the minute she realized about the rock in his groin, because she gave a little wriggle on his lap. The most delightful blush spread over her features. It was replaced by a scowl when he held up another finger.

  “You’re not being fair, Sir.” Alex gasped when another two fingers went up.

  “Keep going as you are, pet, and your ass will be a lovely red color by the time I fuck it tonight. Trust me I will claim you, just as soon as we’ve sorted this misunderstanding between us.”

  A short laugh was his answer this time.

  “At the risk of incurring yet more fingers thrust into the air, tell me, Sir. Is this what you hire escorts for? To get your kick without real responsibility?”

  ****

  Nathanial’s growl in answer was the sexiest sound ever. Dark, menacing, yet oddly comforting. While she half expected him to lose his temper and throw her over his lap to administer that punishment he had promised her, she knew deep down he wouldn’t.

  Nat was very much in control here. With that knowledge came the fierce need for her to let go. It had been way too long since Alex had truly allowed herself to let go. A scene was never quite the same, when you didn’t have an emotional connection to your Dom. Like it or not the connection between Nat and her shimmered between them like a living, breathing entity. It had the power to destroy her or give her the ultimate pleasure. She wasn’t entirely sure what scared her the most out of those two options.

  She almost wished he would just put her over his knee, spank her, fuck her, and they could both go on their merry way. Nat wouldn’t though. Right now he oozed dominance from every pore of his large frame. Alex realized that she could not coerce him into anything.

  Understanding that, the last of her misgivings fled. A weight lifted off her shoulders. No doubt he would want nothing more to do with her when she had told him the truth, but it would finally unburden the ghost of her past if she told him. She would be free.

  “I have already told you, you became my responsibility from the moment I hired you … well someone from the agency, and no, this is not the way I get my kicks.”

  His mouth set in a grim line as he said that. Alex felt the full force of his disapproval like a crushing weight on her chest. It made breathing difficult, and she blinked away fresh away tears.

  “I’m sorry, Sir. I don’t mean to make assumptions.” At his curt nod in answer, she went on. “It’s just … I don’t understand why you would hire escorts in the first place. I mean you must have women queuing round the corner to want to go out with you, so why all this?”

  She glanced round the opulent suite, cringing when he didn’t answer her straight away.

  “Women who can’t wait to get their claws into my money, yes, sure there’s plenty of them, but not women I can trust.”

  He let that stat
ement sit between them, and smiled when she frowned at him.

  “I prefer to deal with professionals. The agency supplies me with that. The ladies know what’s expected of them. They help me be seen with the right arm candy, as you so aptly pointed out earlier on this evening. When we part in the morning there are no hard feelings or expectations for anything more, and yes, I prefer my escorts with experience in the lifestyle, but it’s not necessary. After all nothing happens unless they consent.”

  “I see. I bet consent is never a problem.” Alex couldn’t quite keep her annoyance out of her reply, but, at least now she knew why Marissa had been so adamant that she would be perfect for this job. It had far less to do with her ability to hobnob with the rich and famous than it had with her being submissive, which meant she would be able to keep the client with his very precise requirements happy.

  Some of her conflicting emotions must have shown on her face because Nathanial’s grin turned positively sinful as he studied her.

  “Careful there, pet, I’m not sure I like that tone of voice or the thoughts I can guess are crossing your mind right now.”

  “With all due respect, Sir, my thoughts are my own.”

  She resisted the impish urge to stick her tongue out at him when he threw his head back and laughed.

  “Touché, pet. Now that I have told you why I use escorts, please do me the courtesy of explaining why you are one.”

  Alexandra’s stomach dropped at the quietly issued enquiry. She couldn’t bring herself to look at him when she murmured a question in response.

  “What does it matter?”

  All the breath left her body, when he released the hold on her hair he still had. Framing her face with his hands instead, he got so close to her their noses touched. Their breaths mingled. Alex inhaled sharply, taking in his clean woodsy cologne and the scent that was pure, unadulterated Nathanial.

  “It matters to me, Alex.”

  Chapter Six

  Nathanial drank in Alex’s confusion, the sweet scent of aroused woman. It would be so easy to kiss her senseless, free his aching cock, and shoving her panties out of the way, impale himself inside her sweet body. She wouldn’t resist him. His dick fair screamed at him to go through with this plan. Had she been anyone else, he would already be balls deep inside of her, after which he’d have put her in a cab. He’d have been on the phone to Johnson to clear the mess his earlier actions had placed him in. Then again, he wouldn’t have reacted in quite such an extreme manner had he not been with Alexandra, so this was all a moot point.

  “I’m not an escort.”

  He pulled back at the whispered reply. When he frowned at her she hurried on to explain.

  “I’m really not. I was helping out my flatmate. She desperately needs the money, only she’s come down with a chest infection. I didn’t want to do this, but she said there was no sex, and well, she’s taken out this loan. If she doesn’t make the payments then … please believe me, Sir. I’m not lying. I work in a pub to make ends meet, because there aren’t enough acting parts. I may have embellished the acting side for my mum, but, well … I want her to be proud of me. She doesn’t need to worry about me, and… Fuck, you don’t believe me, do you?”

  She ran out of breath and took a big heaving gulp of air, after having got all that out in one long tumble of words while ringing her hands in her agitation. She jumped when he put his large hands over hers to still the frantic movements of those digits.

  “Relax, baby, I believe you.”

  Her shoulders sagged in her seeming relief. He dropped a kiss on her nose, and she went a little cross eyed at the action. Nathanial breathed a damn side easier knowing that she was not in fact an escort. It wouldn’t have mattered to him, not really, but it would matter to other people, especially his father. He had disappointed the old man enough with his previous choice of wife, so…

  His head came up at his thought processes, and Alex grew agitated again as she studied him.

  “Are you sure, Sir?” she asked. “You don’t look as though you believe me. If you can’t accept that I’m telling the truth about this, then you’ll never believe what really happened with your cousin, and…” She bit her lip, and would have scrambled off his lap, had he not snared her by the shoulders and pulled her back down again. She landed awkwardly on his dick, and he winced. Lifting her off slightly, he adjusted his rock hard appendage with a wry grin at her.

  “Trust me, I’m sure. I wouldn’t be this hard for you if I wasn’t. I can’t abide liars. I had enough of that from Angela. In fact, just mentioning her name makes my cock want to hide.” He gave a self-depreciating laugh, as, sure enough his dick deflated like a limp balloon. Then again, the way Alex had looked when she mentioned Godfrey’s name had a lot to do with that too. Nathanial knew he wasn’t going to like what she had to say. It made him uncomfortably aware that he’d misjudged her back then.

  He’d known that already though, hadn’t he? It didn’t say a lot about him that he hadn’t sought her out before now to apologize for the way he’d acted all those years ago. He had been young, in love, and hurt, but that was no excuse for the way he had behaved toward her.

  Nathanial ignored the little voice in his ear whispering that he was still in love. He’d never fallen out of love in fact. He could only hope that Alex felt the same way about him.

  Her reactions so far had given him hope. Her next words made that hope soar high.

  “Were you really married to that bitch? It’s not common knowledge is it? I mean Mum never said when I asked af … erm I mean…” She stopped speaking and offered him an impish smile. The cutest blush stained her cheekbones, which meant he had to tease her a little.

  “Miss Farrington, have you been keeping tabs on me all these years?” Nat winked at her when her blush deepened, and she made a big show of shrugging her shoulders.

  “You’re a hard man to avoid. Your face is always plastered over the gossip mags… Oh my god, mine will be too, tomorrow, right? I need to phone Mum to warn her, and oh … this is all such a fucking mess.”

  Nathanial caught her flailing hands in his and pulled her in for a hug. After a moment’s hesitation, she relaxed into his embrace. He buried his face in her silky hair and inhaled. She smelled of the flowery shampoo she used, which made him smile.

  “It is a mess, but nothing that my lawyer can’t sort out. Besides it has done me a favor in a way. Angela broke the terms of the divorce settlement. That means I’m finally free of her. She won’t see a fuckin’ penny of my money in the future. That’s all she ever wanted me for anyway.”

  He smiled when Alex hugged him back in answer.

  “I’m sorry, she sounds awful.”

  “She is. For the life of me I don’t know why I fell for her limited charms in the first place. In my defense we met just after my mother passed away. I guess she was a shoulder.” He shrugged and straightened up, putting a little distance between them.

  An odd smile crossed Alexandra’s face, as she picked up his injured hand. His breathing sped up when she brought it up to her lips, kissing the bruised knuckles one by one.

  “A shoulder, huh? From what I’ve seen you’d get your eyes poked out by that shoulder. Somehow I don’t think there was much leaning on her shoulders going on, Sir.”

  She smiled as she said that. Taking his thumb in her mouth, she sucked hard. His cock jerked in response. Nat groaned when she released his thumb and grazed her teeth along its length.

  “Careful, pet, if you keep doing that, I’ll put that mouth of yours to better use.”

  Alex’s smile in answer didn’t reach her eyes, as she straightened back up again. He was glad to notice she didn’t relinquish her hold on his hand though and he squeezed her digits.

  “Yes, in the interests of being truthful, I was more interested in what was between her legs.” Alex flinched at his words. He cupped her face with his free hand and ran his thumb over her lips.

  “Sex is easy. It’s emotions that are the real kil
ler. As long as I was fucking her I didn’t have to look too closely at everything I lost, what a fucking disappointment I was to my parents.” When Alex looked as though she was going to say something, he shook his head at her.

  “No, let me get this off my chest. I was a disappointment. Oh not business wise, that was and is thriving, but my personal life was a shambles. Ever since I let my cousin’s lies stop me from going after who I really wanted.”

  Alex gasped and he smiled grimly.

  “I owe you an apology for that, for the things I said to you, about you. Lord knows Mum gave me a dressing down, but by that time, you’d already left for college. I convinced myself it was better that way. You were only sixteen after all, barely legal apart from other things.” He winked at her and frowned when her face screwed up. All the color drained from her cheeks.

  “I’m sorry, this is bringing up bad memories for you, isn’t it? Suffice to say, I cleaned up my act after the whole Angela debacle. I’m not even sure how she got me to Vegas, but I tell you I never sobered up as fast as I did waking up in that hotel room, married to her. Of course she wouldn’t go quietly, so Johnson made a deal with her. For her silence she’d get monthly payments. As she spouted her big gob about our marriage after I dealt with that scumbag of my cousin, that agreement is now null and void. I’m finally rid of her. No doubt she will do some sort of sordid expose in the papers, but that will soon blow over…”

  Nathanial thanked his fast reflexes, because he managed to catch Alex seconds before she would have face-planted on the floor as she swayed sideways. Nat swore out loud. After depositing her unconscious self on the bed, he frowned at her pallor and uneven breathing, as he picked up the phone to reception.