Collared for a Night (Crimson Romance)

by Susan Arden

  She didn’t hobnob with many of the office staff to begin blatantly asking questions. Her less than social overtures to other Matrix staff were a valid reason why she wasn’t invited to more extracurricular shindigs. Now, she was glad. Fewer nosy work friends to keep at an arm’s length.

  “What shall I wear? I mean, if this is a business meeting.”

  “Come in your birthday suit. I won’t complain.”

  “Even with Fin and Tristen roaming about?”

  “I don’t think they’d take notice.” He looked at her quizzically. “They’re partners.”

  “O-o-o,” she strung the vowel sound. “I didn’t know.”

  “You don’t seem to take notice of others much outside of your projects. That laser focus of yours keeps you insulated.”

  “If they aren’t part of my world, then I don’t have the time to do small talk. It’s not part of my repertoire. Is that a problem?”

  “Not exactly for me. But you might want to work on that personality trait if you plan on getting further along in your career.” Smirking his full lips, he moved past her, tweaking her nipple.

  In the silence of the space left by his passing, she inhaled sharply. He had turned up the heat on her slow burn. She clamped her jaw shut, observing one alpha male who was quite full of himself this morning. Well, she mused, they’d just see about that, Mister Fancy Pants.

  She silently snickered, realizing as he swaggered past that he wasn’t wearing any pants. She swung around, not about to let the sight of his tight ass get away. Shawn was a product of Mother Nature’s best efforts and very much worth watching.

  She followed in his wake, certain that his sudden shift in attitude was linked to a greater plan. Early on, she’d gotten a sense of how his mind worked as her boss. He didn’t simply see the issues before him, he saw the ripple effects. He constantly prodded his staff to see cause and effects play out and to be two steps ahead of the client. Either he’d lost his keen analytical ability or he sucked with getting a woman — this woman — to bend to his will, if this was his new plan of the day. Right now she wanted to arm-wrestle him and make him bend.

  “I don’t think that’s any of your concern. I can handle myself. Just show me the ropes. After this week, we might just go back to business associates. Right, boss?” She gazed up at him, meeting his eyes that pierced her.

  Without a word, he crossed the distance dividing them. “Don’t underestimate what I may or may not feel. I promised to help you. What you need isn’t a short-term fix. This isn’t a type of bandaging situation, solved with a down-and dirty-bang. I’ve seen good people who let their natures get in the way. They think they look like humans most of the time, so why not live in denial? Things can get crazy. Fast. One day someone will punch the wrong button and you’ll be all leopardess, out of fucking control. And then what? You’re an alpha. Untrained, you’re a time bomb waiting to blow.” His voice was a deep rumble in his chest.

  Her head snapped up. The image of Cole flashed before her eyes. What Shawn said was true. No matter how much he pushed, he was teaching her to withstand, not react. Again, she’d reacted without thinking. “You’re right. I get that these are lessons. That’s why I’m here. No argument. I don’t want to shatter apart. Not because of someone else.”

  “Get dressed, kitten. We’ll go down, eat, and then we can decide how the rest of the day will play out. You may find that your heat is roaring and need to extinguish your lust. How do you feel right now?” He ran the tip of his knuckle under her jaw.

  A wave of chill bumps broke out. At the mention of lust, her body blazed into a wildfire, engulfing her in a conflagration. The flesh between her legs went hot and wet. Definitely his impact on her, all right. “I need you. Right now.”

  “I knew you were getting edgy for a reason. I’m about to lose it, too. Ride my cock. Fuck me, baby.”

  She glanced down. His ever-ready erection saluted her. This time it was she who hit the sheets first. She knelt on her heels waiting for him. He was right there, next to her. Shawn punched a few pillows before settling back against the headboard, one knee bent and lounging in a sexy repose in wait of her.

  “Let’s start with this.” Diana handed him a foil packet. The feel of his fingers brushing across her palm unfurled her claws from the tips of her fingers.

  The sound of the condom unfurling down his shaft held her rapt attention. His cock stood straight up from his balls that lay tight against his groin.

  Shawn was too gorgeous for her own peace of mind. She eased his knee down on to the mattress, and then straddled his legs before taking hold of the base of him. A few swipes of his flat, broad cockhead against her erect clit made her dizzy.

  “God, you feel so good.” His cocked pulsed against her opening, like a live wire connected to every nerve in her body.

  Then, all at once, she pushed down, moaning as her swollen tissue stretched around his crown, and then she lowered herself, taking in the length of him.

  If he’d fucked her hard last night, she was about to give him an encore production. Excitement spiked her pulse. Being on top, she relished each time he groaned or gasped. She ground her hips against his steely body, lowering her chest so her breasts could trace a pattern across his chest. He was so powerful under her, and his roaring groans spiked her desire.

  “Does this feel good?” he asked, letting her control how deep he went into her body.

  “Awesome.” She ground herself against him, taking his bottom lip between her teeth.

  His hands cupped her bottom and then he lazily traced a finger around her clit as she lifted up. Slipping lightly downward, she poised, and his feather touch disappeared.

  He sucked his finger, watching her intently, and then his finger swiped across her anus. Her breath caught. She lifted up and his finger returned, and this time went straight to her ass. One of his fingertips stayed put, the other probing her as he pushed in and she lowered herself.

  The pain made every nerve cell come alive. Her pussy clenched. She lifted up and had to slam back down on him. His finger pushed into her. She couldn’t stop moving up and down on him; closing her eyes, she gripped his shoulders.

  “Do you like this?” he whispered in a gravelly voice.

  “Babe, you’re driving me wild. I’m going to shatter apart.” Her body swayed, and then her climax hit full-blast.

  Her orgasm enveloped her; spasms wracked her pussy, tightly wrapping his swelling his cock. He flexed and shuddered, his hands driving her hips down as far as she could go against him. Shawn pushed her backward before he continued to drive himself into her. Ramming his way into bliss, he rode out another more-gasm and he moaned, kissing her face.

  She was accustomed to his way of climaxing, in which he made certain she’d found release to the point that her brain no longer functioned, yet her body responded, climaxing again and again.

  He groaned, “Kitten, I’ve got to have your ass. Soon, or I don’t know if I can survive this. I’ve got to release my semen into your body. Pussy or ass, you’re mine.”

  Chapter 10

  He sat at the head of the table with her on his right, exactly as he’d imagined. He ran his fingers along the wooden surface, smooth-grained from years of beeswax polish. If his parents were alive today, his father would be seated here, his mother at the other end, and twenty or so guests would be seated in between them. The mahogany dining table had been in his family for several generations. He’d grown up coming to this table in his parents’ home.

  Diana was a first in many ways for him, including being the first woman to visit here and occupy more than a single night in one of his apartments. Her scent swam in his veins. If he stopped after her cycle, he doubted they could ever return to staring at each other over a desk, calmly discussing retail design as though this had never happened. He scratched the side of his jaw as he watched her movements.

  Her refusal to wholeheartedly accept his idea of living together twisted his clear thinking. They both very mu
ch felt the same way. Or was that some illusion he’d harvested from fantasy? Now he was frustrated he couldn’t achieve the last objective: having her safely here. With him.

  She ate her food daintily, as if she had all the time in the world. There would have been no complaint from his parents on this arrangement, if there was a future for them. His parents might have balked at her severed ties to her own family, preferring to have the traditional daughter-in-law arrangement, but that would have been the only flawed part of this equation.

  And who knows, had he been the one to seek her hand, perhaps her family wouldn’t have cut her off.

  He tenderly picked up her hand, inspecting the lines along her palm. “No spilled milk issues?”

  “None,” she smiled over at him. “See anything good there? Tell me what’s going to happen.”

  “Yes, in your future there seems to be a move. High elevation … a home with lots of light.”

  “Too funny,” she whispered. “I meant the far future.”

  His future. Her family. After helping her sort through her issues of heritage, it would be right to help her heal her familial wounds. That issue was for another day to belabor; no use in delving into the realm of spilled milk in her past. Or his. Right now, he shelved the idea of getting her back in contact with her family, knowing this argument he would return to when he’d cut through her reservations.

  Shawn’s reverie was dissolved by the expression on the face of his housekeeper, Mrs. Wells, whose curious gaze sparkled with unspoken words. Mrs. Wells refilled their cups. “There’s coffee on the sideboard if you’d like more.”

  “Are you here all day?” Shawn wiped his mouth, remembering his plans.

  “Yes. I saw your note about a delivery. I’ll take care of the set-up of the furniture that’s been ordered. The corner room on the east wing?”

  “Yes. Have the furniture remain on coasters, in case there’s some wrangling.”

  “And dinner tonight?” Mrs. Wells asked.

  “Something that we can heat up when we return. We’ll be out for a while.”

  Mrs. Wells nodded and exchanged a smile with Diana before leaving. Even dressed in a simple blouse and skirt, Diana, with her hair hanging loose and her unaffected countenance, struck a chord and reminded him of his mother and sister. Shannon would easily welcome Diana. They’d shared a similar fate. But where the hell his sister was at the moment was a mystery.

  He’d been wrong in suggesting Diana should take an interest in those around her. More than likely, her reserve came from being deep in thought. His sister had been hell-on-wheels as a socialite. Not exactly a success story.

  He met Diana’s steady gaze. “I’ve ordered office furniture. I realize how important a connection to your work is and I don’t want you to feel stressed during this time. Just the basics to set up a place for you to work and get you going. You’ll let me know what you need.”

  “Thank you, I’m running on a deadline that’s getting shorter by the day.”

  “If you mean the Ikashi account, not to worry. They’ve sent over another revision pushing out the due date. A somewhat more complicated design and one I’m certain you’ll handle without batting an eyelash. The room will be ready by lunch and then you can take a look at the revised bid. Does that work for you?”

  “When did you find out? I’m glad I mentioned something.”

  “My kitten’s claws are showing. By phone. Before breakfast, while you were dressing. I have no plans on holding back from you. Not in business or here in our bedroom.”

  “My phone reception is awful. I checked and wanted to speak to you. I’m glad you brought up business. Did you plan on keeping me sequestered if I misbehaved?” She studied him before her mouth curved up into a teasing grin. “Am I given a choice of what works or shall you exert your will, leaving me little room but to agree now that we’ve crossed the boss-employee boundaries? I need structure is what I’m saying.”

  Damn. What he wanted her to do with her voluptuous mouth. The momentum and tension brewing between them didn’t seem to lessen over time. Right now, he wanted her more than last night. This was very much a hot cycle, never mind heat.

  “It’s my job to oversee. I don’t step on toes. Least of all yours. I fully intend to give you what you need to make this arrangement work. But we have to talk openly. First and foremost.”

  “I get that about you. I always have, yet now you do seem … possessive.”

  He looped his fingers with hers. “I promise, where work is concerned, I’d never second guess or countermand your design principles. But in the bedroom, I’m in charge. Nothing has changed in that regard, kitten.” He rubbed his fingers across hers. “Is that agreeable?”

  “More than agreeable.”

  “Good. We’d better begin preparing for our run. If you’re through with breakfast, we can begin training.”

  “You’ve hardly eaten a morsel. Aren’t you hungry?” She reached out stroking the top of his knuckles.

  His pulse pounded at the thought of chasing her up the side of the mountain. If he didn’t stop thinking about the things he’d do once he caught her, he might just give her a preview.

  “I’m fine. I don’t think eating will help the hunger I’ve got brewing.” He spoke between clenched jaws. Her touch infused him with the need to possess her. He’d acknowledged it without entirely acting upon it until now. He curled his hands into fists. Each second in her presence was a fight to maintain his self-control. Training Diana … hell, he doubted he could teach her to tie a shoelace at this rate. “Join me, and you can see for yourself. Am I correct, then, that this will be your first time being pursued?”

  He got up and held her chair. The sweet smell of her — now mixed with his own scent embedded in her skin — intoxicated him.

  “Yes. My husband and I were childhood friends. We escaped our families’ expectations together. He protected me. He never would have hunted me.”

  “Yet you’ve run freely this year. And still not one chase?”

  “I was lucky within the nature preserve. No leopards were present. I’ve escaped the plight of many leopardess shifters.” The amused curve of her lips coupled with the glittery look in her eyes kept him in rapt attention. “Sweetheart, make no mistake. I will track you down. If I have to move heaven and earth, I will.”

  “I’ve no doubt. Actually, from the moment we met, I fantasized this is where we’d end up. It’s also what I feared. Now, I see there’s really no choice.”

  “We both put a good faith effort into avoiding each other at work. As shifters, I think we knew the risks each presented to the other. You still have a choice. Diana, I want this to be what you freely desire.”

  “I only meant that once we connected, and with what we’ve experienced, it would be hard to forget you. Don’t you feel the same?”

  His gaze lowered when she brushed aside her hair, away from her neck. Several bite marks were revealed. By tonight, he would make many more marks over her body, if she acquiesced by agreeing to let him claim a part of her. Biting one’s mate was a time-honored leopard tradition if they were to be bonded. She had a choice to keep this simple or take their relationship to the next level even if wasn’t true bonding. The thought of mounting her assaulted his calm.

  This chase could be an exercise, a foundational step in her alpha training. Or … the second-to-last step for both of them. Considering their past experiences with lovers and mistakes, going slow together made sense regardless of what she might wish.

  “This is our destiny. We’re both alphas. No other type of leopard would bring us fulfillment or push us to boundaries where we need to … grow.”

  “Me. Yes, there’s no question. But you? Shawn, what do you need?”

  “You’re not the only one who has bad memories and issues with trust. But you are the only one who must learn that to gain power, you must let go of the walls that box you in and keep you small. Before you can stand tall, you must be comfortable bending, adjusting, learn
ing to put aside your ego. You will follow my directives without question. They are for your own good. We’re not going on some well-charted walking path up the mountain. Where we’ll cross has been worn, but only by strong and able leopards. This isn’t some pseudo-challenge I’ve arranged as a token ceremony. You’ll be pushed to use the prowess of an alpha leopardess. There are sheer drops, and plenty of places where rock ledges can give way.”

  Flinching, she stared back at him, blinking once. “And you’re confident that I’ll possess the required level of proficiency?”

  “I’d never suggest it otherwise. All I’m asking for is your trust.” Footsteps echoed in the hallway down the hall.

  “Is someone here?” Diana asked.

  “That should be Tristen. He’s here to help. Diana, you’ve nothing to fear. I put my trust in Tristen for years. I told you the extent that he helped me. I want your trust. I know it takes time.”

  “My trust? That’s more than obvious each time we discuss tonight. This feels more like blindly leaping without a parachute.”

  He laced his fingers through hers and looped his arm over her shoulders. “If you feel you can’t do what is asked, all you have to say is ‘no’ and I won’t push you. There’s still time for us both to step back. I don’t want you to give up, but I also can’t be the one to dictate how your life unfolds. Only you can determine which road to take and what bridge to cross. I’ll help you in all ways except making the decision.”

  “I do trust you in all the ways that are important. I just need some time to learn how to trust myself.”

  Tristen met them in the outer entryway. The man stood almost six foot four, with a severe expression. The way Tristen’s eyes flashed under a brooding stare expressed his concern. He jutted his chin out, settling back on his heels, waiting for them.