by Ashe Barker, Lily Harlem, Katy Swann, Wendi Zwaduk, Lucy Felthouse, Dolly Watt
“Yes, Sir. I want you inside me.” She opened her legs more and arched her back. “Please, Sir? I need you to fuck me.”
That’s what he wanted, too. Elias opened the front of his dress slacks then freed his cock from his boxer shorts. Touching himself hardly compared to being buried in the silken heat of a lover. He lined his dick up with her pussy and rubbed, smearing her juices all over his cock.
“Sir.” She shivered again. “More.”
“You’ll get more.” He buried himself balls deep in her cunt, then used both hands to smack her ass. He punctuated each thrust with a spanking until her butt burned a bright red and glistened. Each whimper and grunt pushed him closer to coming apart. His balls tingled and the heat in his lower belly radiated through his body.
“Sir,” she pleaded. “I need to come.” She tensed and yanked on the bindings. “Please.”
“Come for me.” He slammed into her cunt, filling her with his seed. His restraint snapped and he growled.
She shuddered beneath him, but didn’t say a word. Elias ensnared her in his embrace, cradling her to his body until the aftershocks had worn off.
Fucking her had been everything he’d imagined the experience would be, yet not as satisfying as he’d wanted. Something wasn’t quite right. He pulled out of her and removed her bound wrists from the hook. With her in his grasp, he sat on the floor.
“You’re not happy?” She draped her arms around his neck. “What did I do wrong?”
“I want to see the face of the woman I’m with.” He could’ve said falling for, but how could he fall for someone he didn’t know—and in a dream, no less?
“Sir?” She tilted her head back just a bit. “Anything I have is yours.”
“Yes, you are mine.” He grasped the sides of the mask, lifting the white plastic from her face. He needed to see all of her before he could figure out his feelings. Maybe he was expecting too much from her, but when he moved the mask and revealed his lover’s face, he gasped. She had no face. Just blank. No. That wasn’t right. His mystery woman had a face. He knew she did.
“Your face…” he murmured, still in shock at what he’d seen. Just as quickly as she’d shown up in his dream, she vanished. He swatted the air where she’d been.
Elias thrashed, reaching for someone who wasn’t there. He blinked, slowly surfacing from sleep. When he glanced around the room, he gritted his teeth.
“It’s all a dream,” he said. “Nothing but a fantasy.” He scrubbed both hands across his face. He needed to catch some undisturbed sleep if he was going to function at all the next day. It wasn’t like him to get caught up in someone he didn’t know. Sean was right. Elias planned and plotted. What the hell was wrong with him? He’d only been with the woman once and he needed to see her again. God, he was fucked up.
Chapter Three
The next afternoon, Elias strode into Delight Tonight. Three servers were still down with the stomach flu. Once he’d called in replacement servers, he’d contacted Sean about getting the cleaning crew to do a thorough once-over of the restaurant—just in case.
“We need to hire more people,” he muttered to himself and took his position behind the bar. He sighed. He hadn’t been part of the wait staff for more than a year. At Sean’s urging, he’d moved to the office and relinquished his role behind the bar. The change had given him better focus on the business aspect of the restaurant, but little interaction with the employees. He’d even turned over hiring to the manager. Unfortunately for him, the manager was out with the flu as well.
The restaurant opened for the dinner crowd at four and he needed to be ready to serve drinks. He switched on the margarita machine, then each of the neon lights on the mirrored back of the bar.
“He conned you into bartending, eh?” Roxy keyed her code into the computer system. “Sean hates having to deal with customers.”
“I know. I needed time away from the clutter of paperwork in the office.” He tied his apron around his waist. “Say, I have a question.”
“If you’re going to ask me which of my girlfriends are single because you want to mingle— No.” Roxy tapped her order pad on the counter. “A, I’m not in the matchmaking business. B, I don’t want to get caught up in someone else’s mess. C, you’re a big boy. You can find a date of your own.”
“You know me so well.” He snorted. “I was going to ask you why you’re out here serving. We’re that short-staffed? Seriously? Or are there new hires that…are in need of your guidance?”
“Sean wants to have some more interviews next week, but since it’s Saturday, we’re always busy and I know the menu, so I offered to jump in.” She grinned. “I barely need the order pad.”
“True. You’re one of the few I can’t replace. Speaking of order pads, I need mine.” He dug through the drawer in search of the pad of paper. “Where does Louis keep stuff?”
“In the second drawer.” One of the other servers pointed to the correct spot. “He put them down there so they wouldn’t get wet.”
A sizzle ran the length of his spine. He knew that voice. She sounded just like the woman from Push.
“Hi. I’m Elias. You are?” He held out his hand.
“Sadie Lust. Louis hired me a year ago. If you’d come out of your hiding spot in the office, you’d get to know the staff better.”
“She’s got you there, Elias,” Roxy said and laughed. “Come on, Sadie. I have the feeling it’s going to get busy tonight.”
Elias watched the wiggle of Sadie’s ass as she moved between the tables. How had he not seen her curves and sweet nature before? How had he missed the glitter in her eyes or the irresistible need to kiss her? Because he’d been closed up in his office. Damn. She wouldn’t be into spanking, would she?
The third server walked into the dining room. “I’m Jenny. Nice to meet you.” She didn’t shake hands with him and instead walked away.
Elias debated Sean’s advice to get involved with one of the girls. Roxy was off-limits, being as she was already engaged to Sean and he was pretty sure Sean would wring his neck if he made a move. Jenny wasn’t his type, but Sadie… Maybe she didn’t feel it, but there was a definite spark.
Elias opened the main doors then resumed his position behind the bar. Being off to the side gave him the chance to observe. He kept an eye on the patrons, making sure everyone was happy and being served properly. When Tina came in for the later shift, the dinner rush also showed up.
Four hours later, he leaned against the bar and stared at the mess at one of the high boy tables. Shit. He needed to get over to the table, but hadn’t had time.
“Sadie?” he asked as she strolled past him. “Can you give me a hand?”
“Want me to bus table thirteen?” She grinned. “Sure. My last two tables have their food.”
“I owe you a beer when we close. Thanks.” He almost reached out to hug her, but he held back. God. That was all he needed. If he made a move and she wasn’t interested… He’d be slapped with a lawsuit.
Sadie returned to the bar with a couple of bills in hand. “There’s your tip.”
“Thanks.” He hesitated. Hell, if he didn’t open his mouth, he’d never know. Right now, he needed to be sure. “Have— Have you ever been to Push?”
The tips of her ears burned and she pressed her lips tight together to keep from gasping. Had she ever been to Push? She could snort or lie, but why bother? Instead, she waited for Jenny to leave the bar area before she answered.
“I have. Dancing there is a lot of fun.” She hadn’t given him a committed answer about playing at the club, but had admitted she’d been there. Part of her wanted to make him work to put two and two together—how could he not tell that was her behind the mask? But acting cool and detached wasn’t her style. When she liked someone, she got her whole heart involved. She’d fallen hard for him the first time he’d spanked her.
“Oh.” Elias stared at her for a moment. Was he realizing she’d been the woman he’d played with? Or was he still con
fused? “Just dancing,” he murmured. His brows knotted and he tipped his head to the side.
“Excuse me. I have tables to deal with.” Sadie left him at the bar and breathed a sigh of relief. At the club, he’d been so possessive and self-controlled. At the restaurant, the other side of Elias shined. He wasn’t perfect and he certainly wasn’t always polished, but that was part of his charm.
She cleared the soiled dishes and left the check at one of the tables, then headed into the kitchen. According to the clock, the restaurant would close in half an hour. Thank goodness. Her feet ached and a dull throb had started behind her eyes. With three servers out sick for the night, the three remaining servers had to work twice as hard.
At least she’d been busy and hadn’t had time to think about Elias. Her ass still hurt from the spanking. A delicious ache started low in her belly. Just remembering the feel of his hands and that paddle on her butt made her body hum all over again.
“What are you doing?” Elias touched her shoulder. “Hon, you’ve got a table ready to go.”
She snapped back to reality and closed her eyes. “Shit. Sorry.”
“No need.” He squeezed her shoulder. “I told them you’d be right there.”
When Sadie opened her eyes, she stood face to face with Elias. She bit back a gasp. She could get lost in the deep brown of his eyes. His breath warmed her cheeks.
“Are you okay?” He smiled, then curled his fingers under her chin. “Take care of your table, then have a sit for a little while. We’re slowing down.”
“Thanks.” She eased away from him and headed to the customers. Shit. He shouldn’t make her feel so good with just a look. Part of her wished he’d recognize her, but how? He hadn’t spent any time with her outside the one session at the club. When she reached the table, she pulled the bill from her apron pocket. “I’m sorry. I needed to refill some of the bread baskets in the kitchen. Whenever you’re ready.” She propped the bill holder on the table.
The male customer handed her a credit card. “Hope you’re not getting sick, too.”
“No, no. I feel fine. I’ll be right back with this.” She hurried over to the card machine and wished she could look in a mirror. She touched her cheeks. Damn. If Elias had made her blush, then she probably looked flushed still. She tore the receipts from the machine then headed back to the table for the customer’s signature on the slip.
“Thank you and have a great night.” She placed the holder in the middle of the table and finished clearing the last of the dirty dinnerware. Elias hadn’t been kidding. She did need a break.
Sadie strolled past the bar and noticed only Elias and two other patrons remained in the bar. Where was everyone else? She glanced into the dining room. Her single table of guests were still in their seats.
“Where’s Jenny and Roxy?” Sadie asked. She’d been too busy with her own tables to notice the other servers had gone.
“Jenny came down with the flu. Roxy and I picked up the slack, but thankfully that was only an hour ago. Tina clocked out because her son is sick.” Elias wiped down the bar. “Your table is the last one in the dining room. Correct?”
“Yeah.” She rubbed her temple. Time certainly had flown by.
“I’ll help you clean up. Won’t take us long.” Elias smiled. “You deserve the break. No working tomorrow.”
“I need the time off,” she muttered with a chuckle.
“You do.” His smile grew. “Your table is leaving.”
She waved at the patrons, then hurried to clean the table. Since the dining room had cleared, she plugged in the vacuum and cleaned the carpet. Staying up the night before had taken some of the wind out of her.
“We’re closed,” Elias called. “Go ahead and dim the lights when you’re done.”
She nodded then finished vacuuming. A delicious fantasy came to mind. She giggled to herself. She was so bad. In her mind, she wore a maid’s uniform, complete with a tiny skirt. As she pushed the vacuum, Elias stood behind her. He used the paddle to lift her dress.
“Sir, please.” She swatted at the skirt. “Not here.”
“No?” He eased up behind her and moved her dress off her backside, then brought his hand down hard on her ass. The sting resonated to her core. “You need punished.”
“I do, Sir. I really do.” She moaned.
“You do what?” Elias stood beside her. “Sadie?”
Oh shit. She’d said those words out loud. “I-I was singing.”
“Uh-huh.” He lingered at her side a moment longer, then wandered away. He said something she couldn’t understand.
She bit back a groan. Now she’d have to tell him the truth. She wound the vacuum cord along the back of the machine, then tucked the vacuum in the small cubby at the edge of the room. She finger-combed her hair back into her ponytail, then straightened her shoulders.
“Is Roxy gone?” she asked and made her way back to the bar.
“Yeah. She clocked out fifteen minutes ago.”
Sadie sighed. At least she hadn’t heard her. The remainder of the customers had gone, leaving her alone with Elias.
“I ran the last of the dishes through the dishwasher. The grill’s clean, and so is the rest of the kitchen, for that matter.” Elias turned over two short tumbler glasses. “What’s your poison? It’s on me.”
“I can’t.” If she did, then she’d say everything she wasn’t ready to disclose.
“Sadie, you worked hard tonight and didn’t complain. I owe you.” He grabbed the bottle of whiskey. “Please?”
She should’ve known. He loved the amber liquid. Not in huge amounts, but the liquor was his go-to kind.
“I’ll have a cola.” She rounded the bar and poured herself the drink. “Thank you, though.”
“Count up your tips while I’m cleaning the rest up so I can cash out for the night.”
Ah, there was the commanding side of Elias. She returned to the front of the counter and worked through the figures. With three large parties and two generous tippers, she’d be able to afford her rent and have a little extra.
“Should’ve been a good night.” Elias dried two of the tall beer glasses. “The bar was jumping.”
“I did okay.” She arranged the money in descending order, then counted. “Looks like I brought in a little under a hundred-fifty.”
“Cool.” Elias stopped in front of her. He placed the wadded up towel on the bar. “If I asked you a question, would you be honest with me?”
She folded the money and thought about her answer. He could be asking her something mundane—not about her scene in the dining room.
“Sure,” she said. “I’m game.”
Elias tapped his fingers on the bar. “If I showed you something, would you tell me if you’d seen it before?”
If you flash your dick, I’m out of here, she wanted to say. But she knew better. He wasn’t going to flash her. “Yes.”
He turned his back on her and rummaged through a drawer in the paneling. When he faced her again, he held something in his hands. “Look familiar?”
Elias offered up the item—his black mask.
“You’ve been to Push, too?” she blurted. “I haven’t seen you.”
“Oh.” He scratched his forehead. “I thought— Never mind.” He tucked the mask back in the drawer. “I really thought…”
“I’ve been there.” She slid the bills into her apron pocket then glanced at the door. They’d locked up everything, so she didn’t have to worry about them being interrupted.
“Yeah, I guess you have.” He shook his head. “I-I’m going to be honest. I thought I’d seen you. I was there and… I danced with this girl. She wore a white mask. Dolled up in feathers and white jewel things. Pretty girl.”
Was he trying to flatter her? He’d mentioned they’d danced. The only dancing they’d done was running to the rear of the club to play in the dungeon area.
“Anyway, I thought you were her.” Elias smiled, then shrugged. “Sorry.”
She t
oyed with the strings on her apron. He’d put two and two together. He’d figured her out—kind of. Now she owed him an explanation and the truth. “Did you take her to the back? You played, right? Something dark, you know, that other people might not approve of? Something kinky?”
Elias paused. His eyes widened and his lips parted. He slid the glass he’d been washing back into the water. “How—how did you…?”
“She likes to be spanked, right? Until her ass is red and she’s coming apart in your hands.” Her heart hammered. “I know all about her and you, Master E. She’s me.”
“Sadie?” He gripped the counter. “Really?”
“Surprise.” She eased off the bar stool. “Well, now you know. I’ll be going. You probably don’t want me working here now.” She grasped her apron in both hands and darted into the kitchen. She wasn’t sure what she’d expected from him, but she’d been honest.
“Wait.” Elias hurried after her and caught up with her in the rear of the kitchen beside the massive dishwasher. “If you knew, why didn’t you say anything?”
Words escaped her. She didn’t have an answer for him.
“Sadie, hon, I wish you would’ve told me. Would’ve made things much different.” He curled his fingers under her chin. “I’ve spent too much time in the office.”
“Shit happens and you’re the boss. You’re expected to be in the office,” she spat and wriggled away from him. She summoned her courage. Being strong wasn’t her forte. “I wanted to say something, but I work for you. How would that have looked? It was one time.”
“No one has to find out what you and I do. It’s not like it’s anyone else’s business.” Elias folded his arms. “Roxy and Sean dated. No one cared about that.”
“They’re different.”
“How?”
“Because.” Her confidence faltered. “He’s always liked her. Probably always loved her. When we played, you said you wanted someone like me—not me. You’ve never noticed me here, so why would you put two and two together now?”
“I didn’t realize the woman I was with was you, yes, but I wish I had.” Elias massaged his temples. “I had to abide by the same rules as you at the club.”
