by Diane Leyne
Quickly setting the vase down on the nearest flat surface, she knelt to help the poor victim who was on the ground, covered with water and roses.
“Get away from me!”
Kneeling back, Eve saw a tall, thin, and very angry brunette woman struggle into a sitting position while staff milled around, many attempting to hide smiles.
“What are you people doing? Someone call security. This crazy woman stole my flowers and then assaulted me.”
“I’m so sorry. Knocking you down was an accident, it really was. But the flowers? They are mine. See?” She held out the envelope with the word Angel on it. “Angel. That’s me. I’m Evangeline Brookdale, Eve for short at work, but my, er, boyfriend calls me Angel.”
“Your boyfriend. How nice. But if they are yours, why were the delivered to my office?”
“I’m so sorry about that. I was using your office Thursday and Friday while you were off and they were getting my workstation ready. I am so sorry. Can I help you up?”
The stranger looked at the hand she’d extended and ignored it, struggling to her feet in her tight, chic suit. She was tall and thin and looked so elegant. Eve knew that on her best day she’d never look half as good as this woman did after being knocked down and assaulted with a vase of roses.
She took a deep breath. “Can we start over?” She held out her hand. “Evangeline Brookdale.”
The dark-haired woman looked at her, her eyes narrowing. “I heard you the first time. I know who you are. You are the interloper who convinced Alexi to throw out my design for the new Club Libertine? Clearly he’s thinking with a part of his anatomy not connected to his brain. I’ll speak to Maksim right away. He’s the senior partner and he’ll soon get you and his brother straightened out.”
“Oh, Maks isn’t in his office.”
“And where might he be?”
Eve checked her watch. “He’s probably in the air right now. He’s headed to Chicago. But Alexi should be back from the airport any time now. Maybe we can chat about the design changes. You had some wonderful ideas, but in a BDSM club you have to minimize the use of fabric in the actual play areas. There are a lot of, well, body fluids involved, and you’ll constantly be cleaning and sanitizing. Leather is much easier to keep clean.”
“And you know this how?”
* * * *
The day had gone downhill from there. The vase had been cracked in the struggle, but she didn’t realize it at first. In fact, she didn’t realize it until she returned to her desk after a meeting and found that the sketches she was supposed to present to Irina and the rest of the design team were drenched.
There wasn’t time to redo them. She couldn’t even photocopy them. Besides the fact that the design was on a three-by-two-foot piece of cardboard, she couldn’t even photocopy it. Add the fact that it had fabric swatches and paint samples attached, and she was so screwed. All she could do was dry it off the best she could using the blow drier in the ladies’ room and hope they would all concentrate on the design work, and overlook the fact that parts were damp and the rest was starting to buckle and ripple from the water.
Pasting a smile on her face, she hurried into the meeting room carrying her design for the bar and lounge area. Aware she was late, she placed it on the table, feeling Irina’s eyes burning a hole through her as the rest of the team looked on with sympathy. Beth moved to stand and help her, but after a quick glance at Irina, she shook her head and Beth subsided in her seat.
It didn’t look too bad, did it? Oh, who was she kidding? The cardboard was continuing to warp as it dried, and some of the samples seemed to have come loose. She looked around.
Irina stood and pushed her chair back. Eve felt her stomach drop at the smile on Irina’s face. She looked like a cat about to pounce on her prey and Eve knew just who the prey was. Irina walked two steps and then gracefully bent her knees, reaching down and picking up some fabric. She walked back to the table.
“I believe this is yours.”
“Um, yes. I, well, the vase must have cracked, when, I mean, it cracked and the water leaked out on the design. It looks a bit…well, you can still see my ideas. I’ll redo everything, but maybe we can walk through…”
Irina gave an exaggerated sigh. “Amateurs.” She stood and walked around the table, studying the design from different angles.
“And what is this?”
“The Virgin Bar.”
“Virgin Bar?”
“And who thought up that ludicrous name?”
Eve glanced over at Beth who had gone pale.
“I did. I approved.”
“You thought it up or you approved it? Which is it, Miss Brookdale?”
“I…”
“Never mind. It must be changed. Virgin Bar? This is a club for sexual perverts. I doubt most of them have been virgins for a very long time.”
Eve took a deep breath. “It refers to the fact that the bar will only serve virgin drinks. It can do virgin versions of all sorts of fancy drinks, daiquiris, margaritas, and so on. But there will be no actual alcohol in the club.”
“No alcohol? Seriously? How do you think a bar makes money? Not serving iced tea or diet Coke. Besides, alcohol will lower the perverts’ inhibitions.”
“The bar is for people who are there to play. That means no alcohol. The motto is safe, sane and consensual. You can’t consent if you are drunk.”
“You seem to have intimate knowledge of such things, Miss Brookdale. Are you perhaps one of the member perverts?”
“I am a member, but you might want to rethink the term pervert.” Eve was getting mad. Pervert? Didn’t she know that Maks and Alexi were members? Judgmental bitch.
Nonetheless, Eve tried again. She smiled. But before she could say anything, Irina was moving on to the swatches. She picked up the leather swatches, ruffling them like a small deck of cards. Left on the board was one lonely little piece of fabric that Eve envisioned being used for the pillows.
“So much leather, Eve. Is that perhaps, what do they call it, a fetish of yours? Do you know how expensive leather is? Fabric will do for the perverts.”
That was it. Enough was enough. Between the condescension and ignorance, Eve was ready to punch her. She took a deep breath. Control. Control!
“Irina…”
The door opened. “Irina, designers.” It was Alexi. Eve smiled and started to move toward him, but Irina got there first. She halted at the sight of him and Irina embracing. “How nice to see you all. I thought I’d stop by and see how things are going.”
“So glad you could stop by, Alexi. We were just going over some design ideas Eve has done.”
“What do you think, Irina? She’s very talented, isn’t she?”
“She has a certain something, Alexi, but she is very…green. One cannot simply pick up a pencil and call oneself a designer. There are issues of proportion, color and function that one must understand. It takes much study and practice.”
Eve watched as Alexi circled the table.
“I apologize for the poor quality of the work, Alexi. Eve is not used to the high standards of the firm, but under my tutelage, she will learn. For example, the fabrics to be used…” She pointed to the board to which only the single fabric adhered.
Alexi frowned. “That’s not leather.” He turned to Eve. “You should know that we need to use leather. So many body fluids. Leather will be easier to clean.”
Irina grinned. There was no other term for it. “You are so right Alexi. I believe these, yes, these might work.” She laid the swatches on the board. “We must ensure that the members are comfortable as they relax before or maybe after their activities.”
Alexi nodded and then turned his attention to the design. “Is that what I think it is? I really don’t know if we should have a bar. Maybe—”
She pointed. “And here is the Virgin Bar. I feel that it is important that no alcohol is served. But having the bar, it is familiar. It can…” Her face lit up and if Eve didn’t know better, she’
d think Irina had just had a brainstorm. “They could even make virgin versions of all sorts of popular drinks. It will be fun. And it will be for the safety of the members, of course.”
Alexi beamed at Irina who looked like the cat who’d swallowed the canary. She looked around the room. Was no one going to speak up? She saw Beth studying her hands and looking miserable. And no one else would make eye contact.
She looked up at Irina, her hand on Alexi’s arm as she showed him the rest of the design. She wondered if Irina was jealous of her and Alexi or if she just couldn’t stand to see anyone else, particularly a female, get praised.
She looked for signs of flirting or familiarity on his side, but she’d be willing to bet that Irina and Alexi had never been intimate. But he was Maks’s brother. She heard Irina throw out his name multiple times until she had Alexi’s agreement to run some things by his brother. Yes. It was clear either she’d dated Maks in the past or wanted to date him in the future. Eve decided that the attention to Alexi was simply the response of a woman who was always the center of all masculine attention. It didn’t make her like Irina any more than before, but it did explain some things.
But then Irina did something Eve didn’t expect after lunch was delivered and Alexi decided to join them. She changed tactics and threw her and Alexi together. She commented on what a great couple they made. It puzzled her at first. But then she realized that her attitude had changed the minute she made a snarky comment about the flowers and Alexi had made it clear that Maks, and not he, had sent Eve the roses.
She’d seen Irina watching her assessingly then. She’d seen the exact moment the other woman’s strategy had changed. Instead of running Eve down, she started complimenting her and talking about what a wonderful couple they were. She wasn’t that obvious, of course. A woman like that knew how to be subtle. And poor Alexi, a typical male, just ate it all up.
Chapter Eight
Alexi looked across the table at Eve. He wasn’t sure what he was eating. It could have been cardboard for all he tasted it. It was some kind of pasta dish. They’d done takeout and gone back to his condo. All he could think about was making love to her. They weren’t going to be Dom and sub tonight. They wouldn’t be Sir and Angel. They’d be Alexi and Eve and he couldn’t wait.
After dinner, he put on some soft jazz music and pulled her into his arms. She clearly wasn’t expecting him to want to dance. He held her tight in his arms and let her feel just how much he wanted her. Damn, his cock was ready to burst through his pants. But he wasn’t going to drag her to the bedroom and just fuck her. Irena had taken him aside and given him some good advice.
His brother had shown his romantic side with the flowers. Alexi would show it this way. Slowly and sensuously he moved against her, holding her tight as they swayed to the music. He let his hands drift down her body to grip her ass and grind her against his erection. She groaned and wrapped her arms tighter around his neck.
He gradually slowed his steps until their bodies were swaying in time with the music, but their feet were still. He lowered his mouth to hers and kissed her lightly. He nibbled her lips. He kissed his way along her jawline and then down to where her neck met her shoulder. Reaching down, he grabbed the hem of the lace camisole she was wearing and pulled it up over her head. He returned to kissing her, moving lower until his face was buried between her breasts.
She moaned. “More!”
He scooped her into his arms and strode to his bedroom. Carefully, he placed her on his bed and stood back. She looked so damned right. There was just one thing. Leaning down, he reached around her and unfastened her bra. Then he stood back up to enjoy the view.
She lay back and massaged her breasts. He cock pulsed with need. He’d come in his pants rather than rush this night. He loved over to the bed and stretched out so that he was half on his side and half lying on her. Slowly he ravaged her mouth until she was writhing with need.
“Please, Alexi!”
He slid lower, unfastening her pants and pulling them down. Pausing, he removed her sandals before pulling her pants off. Now she wore only a small lacy thong. Pressing her legs apart, he lay between then. He pressed her nose against her damp panties and inhaled. She smelled so good. She smelled aroused.
He tugged on her thong. It was a delicate wisp of lace and almost disintegrated from the rough treatment. He looked up.
“I’ll buy you a dozen more,” he promised. “I’ll buy them and then I’ll rip them off you. As good as you look in lace, you look better naked.”
He pushed closer, placing her legs over his shoulders. Using his fingers, he parted her labia and just looked at her for a moment. She was perfect. All of her. Why had it taken him so long to realize that she was more than just a play partner?
He licked her from her puckered rosette to her clit and back again. He heard her sigh with pleasure so he did it again and again until she stopped sighing and started begging.
“Please, Alexi. I want you inside me, now!”
* * * *
Alexi pulled away from her.
“No!”
She looked up, ready to spring up off the bed and pull him back down, but then she realized that he was stripping off his clothes, ripping his T-shirt in his haste. And then he was back on the bed with her, pulling on a condom and surging into her almost in a single motion.
Then he went still and it seemed like he was thinking about something, something that was taking all of his focus.
She flexed her hips. “Please.”
“If I move now, I’ll come after two strokes. I want to make this good for you, so I’m reciting multiplication tables in my head trying to gain some control.”
“Is it working?”
“No,” he said ruefully.
“Good. I want you to fuck me hard. You can take your time later.”
So he did. Twice. Then later, he woke her up sometime in the wee hours of the morning and made such slow sweet love to her that she wanted to cry from the beauty of it.
In the morning, they got up early so she could go home and change for work. He wanted to make love again, but she didn’t want to be late yet again. She knew that her relationship with the brothers was probably common knowledge, but that didn’t mean she wanted to take advantage. It was bad enough she was late once.
When she finally got to work, the place was a madhouse. There was some kind of problem with the San Diego job and Alexi had to fly out personally to deal with it. So she had to sleep alone that night. She tried to convince herself that this was a good thing. She needed some time alone. Maks would be home Wednesday, and she needed to get some perspective. What did she really think of these two amazing men? Could she love them both? Did she love them both? And could a ménage relationship work?
To make things even better, Irina was now her BFF. After such a rocky start, Irina was now openly soliciting her ideas, even as she improved them before taking them as her own. The woman was so transparent in her attempted manipulation. Eve had no illusions that her mentorship would last once she saw that Eve was also involved with Maks. Oh, well.
* * * *
Maks’s return was delayed by a night. By the time he was on the plane, he was going crazy with the need to see and touch Eve. They’d had such a short time together. Was it all real or had he just been carried away in the moment?
He didn’t know. Part of him wanted it to be real. His memories of making love with her and spanking her and fucking her were so vivid. He wanted that for the rest of his life. And as for sharing her with his brother, it was actually a good thing, he thought. She was an amazing woman and deserved to be treated like a goddess. With two of them, they could give her the life she deserved.
And he had to admit to himself he was turned on by watching her come, even if the reason was his own brother. He was six years older than Alexi and had always looked out for him. It wasn’t a huge age gap, but sometimes he’d felt almost like a second father and their own had worked long hours to provide for his fa
mily.
He just hoped that Alexi wanted to share with him. What if Alexi was just slipping back into the role of little brother and going along with what Maks wanted? Surely not. Surely if he truly loved Eve, he’d fight to be the only man with her unless he, too, wanted to give her what only the love of two men could give a woman.
And Eve. Sweet, sweet Eve. He couldn’t wait to be back in his own little piece of heaven between his Angel’s legs. That’s why he was flying back now. The client had wanted to go out and celebrate the successful negotiations, and he should have gone back to the hotel, but he’d gone to the airport and taken the last possible flight home. Soon he’d be at Eve’s. He had a key. He’d let himself in and slide into bed with her and sleep with her in his arms. In the morning, he’d wake her up with his mouth on that sweet pussy.
Life was good. He closed his eyes. In a few hours he’d be with her again and all of his doubts would slip away once he was in her arms again.
Everything went wrong from there. There was a problem at the airport and the plane circled for half an hour. Then his luggage hadn’t come out and he’d had to fill out a pile of stupid forms. Then the cab got caught in traffic. It was after 2:00 a.m. How could there be a traffic jam?
Finally, the cab pulled up in from of her home just after 3:00 a.m. He debated heading home. It was late. He would see her in the morning, he told himself. But he couldn’t wait. He gave the cabbie her address and thought of being with his angel again, alone with her for the first time. He bounded out of the cab, so eager he almost forgot his luggage. He laughed and tipped the cabbie a fifty for reminding him to take his bags and computer. Then he moved silently toward her bedroom, shedding clothes as he went.
Carefully he opened her door. Should he make a noise so she wouldn’t be scared when he slid into bed? Should he surprise her? In the end, he called her name. When he didn’t hear an answer, he called louder. Then he turned on the light. Not only was the bed empty, but it didn’t appear to have been slept in.
