by Tori Carson
At five o’clock Angela threw her purse over her shoulder and headed for the elevator, second-guessing her decision the whole way. Angela, you’re being a fool. If it sounds too good to be true, it is. And yet, his arguments made sense. Or her brain was short circuiting. He was definitely eye candy and he smelled of sin and sex. He said all the right things and when his hand had covered hers, every nerve ending in her body had fired. How was she going to go apartment hunting with the man and not jump his bones?
As she exited the elevator, her eyes immediately locked on to Mr. Trouble leaning against the opposite wall. As always, he was dressed in an impeccable suit. She had to fight not to drool. Her brain was screaming “retreat”, but Angela chose to ignore it and walked toward him.
He leaned in and gave her a quick peck on the cheek. “You look stunning. No one should look this good after putting in a full day’s work.”
She didn’t know what to say. The kiss had thrown her. “Thank you.” How could she keep a wall between them when he was being so sweet? Where was his irritated and disappointed scary look that he used with her at the club? She’d have a prayer of keeping her distance from that man.
“How easy is it to walk in those shoes? There’s an apartment a few blocks away. Should we drive or walk?” He took her hand in his as they left the building.
No one had ever asked about her comfort before. “I’d love to walk, if you don’t mind.” She’d been a little nervous about being in a car alone with him. It was silly because she trusted him. She wasn’t afraid he would do anything wrong; she was just nervous about being in a confined area alone with him. He smelled too sexy, looked too handsome and felt way too perfect for her to be at ease around him.
“Most of the buildings are dual purpose. They’re business and professional offices on the lower floors and executive apartment suites on the upper floors. This building we’re going to look at is no different. I’m rather fond of a restaurant on the street level. After we view the apartment, let’s grab a bite to eat.”
“Only if you let me pay.” She really couldn’t afford it, but allowing him to pay for yet another meal was out of the question.
He brought her hand up to his mouth and gave it a gentle brush with his lips. “That won’t be necessary. The owner and I are friends. We have an arrangement.”
She wasn’t sure what that meant, but her conscience would let it ride. “In that case then, yes, I’d love to.” Walking hand in hand with Brett was nice. They fell into an easy conversation and before she knew it, they stood at the entrance.
Looking at the impressive building, she felt a twinge from the past. Her ex often took her to fundraisers or charity events in equally imposing buildings. Attending those functions was about the only time she was allowed out of the house. During the event, she was to smile, keep her mouth shut and fawn over her husband. Failure to do any of those three would result in a nasty consequence. Nothing physical, he preferred mental torture. She still felt tears burning her eyes each time she remembered one such occasion. During an evening out, he decided she hadn’t been affectionate enough, so he took her cat to an animal shelter and had him euthanized.
“What’s the matter? You’re trembling.” Brett paused with his hand still on the entry handle.
She shook her head. “It’s nothing. I guess I caught a chill.”
“Let’s get you inside then.” He opened the door and ushered her quickly to the elevator. “It’s not that cold out.” He put his hand on her forehead. “You don’t seem to have a fever. How’s your back? I wonder if you’re getting an infection.”
Her back was a little worse for wear. Sitting all day in a chair that pushed against the cuts didn’t help it any, but she wasn’t going to tell Brett that. “I’m okay. It’s sweet of you to care so much.” And foreign. She’d never had anyone fuss over her. It felt…odd.
He rubbed her arms vigorously as they waited for the elevator. “This apartment is on the fourth floor. It’s a two bedroom, two bath, with a den and a nice veranda. If you like to cook, you’ll appreciate the kitchen. According to the architect, it’s a gourmet’s dream.”
The fourth floor was the top floor. One of the things she liked about this area was that buildings weren’t generally taller than the surrounding trees.
She laughed as they entered the elevator. “I take it you don’t spend a lot of time touring the actual apartments.” Brett seemed to be touching her constantly. She wasn’t used to that either, but she liked it.
After the doors closed, Brett answered her. “No, my interests lie with the property as a whole, not the individual components. Are you warming up?”
“Yes, I’m fine now. Thank you.” As the doors opened, her jaw dropped. Across from the elevator was an elegant table with a three-foot-tall fresh floral arrangement. This was not at all what she’d expected. Holy shit!
“It’s down here on the end.” Brett led the way. “It’s been empty a while. They just finished a pretty extensive refurbishment. The new carpet smell in the bedrooms is pretty bad. I’ve asked them to see what they can do about airing it out.”
The first thing she noticed as he opened the door was the view. One entire wall of the living room was glass. There were vertical blinds pushed to one side, so privacy was possible, but who would want to cover up that view? Wow.
As they walked through the place, Brett pointed out various conveniences and she hoped she nodded and murmured appropriately. The apartment was far beyond anything she’d expected. It made the place she shared with her roommate look like a hovel. Even the Georgian mansion she’d shared with her ex paled in comparison. Yes, their home had been larger but not nearly as nice.
She dug her fingernails into her palms just to make sure she wasn’t dreaming. The bathroom was better than anything she’d ever seen in her life. She had to suppress the urge to strip and go for a swim in the tub.
Lost in her own head, she hadn’t noticed Brett was staring at her.
“You haven’t said a word.” He tugged on her chin until she was looking at him. “Are you okay?”
A smile formed on her lips. “I guess you’ve done the impossible and made me speechless.”
His eyes softened and the worry lines along his forehead eased. “I’d rather accomplish that another way.” Slowly, he lowered his lips to hers.
She knew she should pull away. Once she tasted him, she’d be hooked. A small squeak of alarm escaped before his lips touched hers. Her body went rigid with tension.
He was tender and coaxing, so different from what she’d expected. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d been kissed. How sad was that?
Brett slid his arm around her waist while his hand gripped the back of her neck, causing her knees to weaken. Angela leaned against him, reveling in his body heat. Emotionally, she’d been cold for so long. Her soul craved the warmth, though her mind shrieked in fear.
As his lips parted, she opened for him, her body pliant. Their tongues began an erotic dance that lit a fire in her blood. She pulled away, more frightened than ever. “We can’t kiss.”
“Then we were doing a damn fine imitation.” He dropped his forehead to hers. “Why do you run from me, honey? I would never harm you.”
“I like you too much.” As she began to pull away, he gave her a peck on the tip of her nose.
“That doesn’t make any sense. Why would liking me be a bad thing?” He shifted his hands to her hips and allowed her to take a step away from him.
“I think that conversation would be better in a public environment, not alone in an empty apartment.” She had to keep some distance from him to give herself time to rebuild the walls he was tearing down around her.
Brett let go and moved back against the wall. “Are you afraid to be alone with me?” His voice was guarded.
“Yes, but not for the reason you’re thinking. I’m not worried you’ll act inappropriately. I’m just worried I will.” She couldn’t look at him.
She knew he was studying
her. His gaze weighed heavily, but she refused to look him in the eye. Brett Mercer was the most dangerous man she’d ever met. He was seeping under her skin, no matter how hard she tried to keep a barrier between them.
Brett turned and walked back into the living room. “What’s your reaction to the apartment? Do you think this would meet your needs?”
Angela laughed sharply. “It exceeds my wildest expectations.”
“Great. Let’s have dinner downstairs and then we can look at the rest.” Brett was walking toward the door.
“Perfect.” She followed him, wondering if she had hurt his feelings once again.
One step forward and two steps back. With every passing moment he spent with Angela, he became more convinced that they were right for each other. Maybe not in the husband and wife sense, but certainly in the short term “this is something special” sense. Yet she kept pulling away. There was no doubt in his mind that she was just as attracted to him as he was to her. Hell, they could light a small city with the energy arcing between them.
“Were you married long?” he asked, as they stepped into the elevator. He needed to get her talking about herself. It wouldn’t do to slip and acknowledge he knew more about her than he should know.
“Five years. We married when I graduated high school.” She stared straight ahead instead of looking at him.
“Did you love him?” he asked gently.
Angela stole a quick glance his way as they stepped into the hallway and headed toward the restaurant. “I thought so, but what does an eighteen-year-old know about love? He was…” She tipped her head sideways. “Is, well respected in the community. My parents encouraged the match.”
“So he was older?” Brett walked to his normal booth. Since he owned the place, he knew there wouldn’t be anyone sitting there unless the restaurant was filled to capacity.
Once she was seated across from him, she answered. “Yes. Do we have to talk about this? It was a dark period in my life and I don’t like remembering it.”
“Of course not. I’m sorry. Let’s move onto more enjoyable topics. How did you discover Cat Tails?” One way or another he would get the details out of her. Unless there was something he couldn’t account for, her fear of commitment was tied to her failed marriage. Until he knew the details, going forward was akin to walking through a mine field.
“You know the weather was splendid today.” She began tapping her finger on the table.
Brett smiled. “I’m not big on small talk. What’s the point of discussing drivel just to avoid silence?”
“O-kay, my favorite music is jazz. What’s yours?” She started spinning her fork around her fingers.
The waiter brought over menus. “Mr. Mercer, it’s nice to have you in the house. What may I bring you and your lovely lady to drink this evening?”
“Angela?” Brett normally ordered for his dates but was leery of taking the lead with her.
“A diet Pepsi would be great.” She put the fork back onto the table and placed her hand over it.
“Iced tea, please, John.” Brett reached over and took her hand in his.
“Yes, sir, right away.”
As soon as John left their table, Brett continued with their conversation. “I love jazz. I’m a serious Kenny G fan.” He was watching her closely and decided it was time to push her comfort zone a bit. She needed to know exactly what kind of man he was. While he was willing to back off and give her space when she asked for it, he wasn’t one to let something important slide. “Now please answer my original question.” He loved the beautiful blush stealing across her face.
Angela granted him a shy smile and quiet groan of displeasure. “You’re like a hound dog sniffing out the facts.” She laughed before giving in. “My roommate, Jill, was harassing me to start dating.” She shook her head. “I don’t date.”
This was not the direction he expected. “Why are you against dating?”
“I refuse to string some guy along by going out with him. Dating implies that you are interested in getting to know him, that you consider him a possible candidate for something more, and I don’t want a man in my life. Once Jill understood that, she suggested I go to Cat Tails with her. I had never heard of BDSM, so I was curious. While Jill played, I sat at the bar and talked to Michelle. She helped me understand the dynamics. I like the concept of Top/bottom, a single encounter with well-spelled-out expectations. It seemed the best way to handle those troublesome needs without the entanglement of a relationship.”
“And yet, we’re having dinner together.” He put a finger across her lips. “Before you shoot me down, remember how fragile the male ego can be.”
Angela laughed and this time the smile touched her eyes. The sound did something to his insides and he longed to hear it again.
“Mr. Mercer, there is nothing fragile about you and that includes your ego.” Angela glanced through the menu. “What do you usually get here?”
“Either a steak or the seafood. I’m not big on pasta.” He found it interesting that she hadn’t heard of BDSM until she came to the club. He’d assumed the husband had introduced her to it. She was more of a newbie than he’d originally thought. It pleased him more than it should.
“I haven’t had a good steak in a long time, but I should probably eat something lighter, considering the large lunch we had. I’ll go with the chicken breast.”
If she’d been anyone else, he’d have ordered her a steak and been done with it, but with the hints she’d given him, he knew that would be a serious error. “Angela, our lunch was hours ago. If you want a steak, then please order one.”
Angela closed her menu and pulled her hands into her lap. “Since the waiter knows you by name, you must come here often. Why don’t you,” she swallowed as if what she was saying was difficult for her, “order for me?”
Brett was watching her closely. Her eyes had dilated when she’d turned over the decision to him. He got the impression he’d been given a rare gift, a small peek at her submissive side. “I’d be happy to.”
The waiter appeared with their drinks. Brett ordered a seafood platter for himself and a filet mignon for Angela. “How do you like your steak cooked?” he asked before John had the chance.
“Medium, please. Thank you for asking.” Angela’s tone was professional and distant. Once the waiter moved away, she sat up straighter in her seat. “What brought you to Cat Tails?”
He liked that she asked the question. Though he suspected she was trying to put him on the spot, he was glad she took the initiative. “That’s easy. At the club, thanks to the wristbands and the interest inventories we all fill out, everyone knows exactly what my sexual tendencies are. It takes away the awkwardness of having to explain to a perhaps vanilla girl that I get off on tying her up and flogging her.”
Angela chuckled. “I can see that. Even with my interest, I think I’d be a bit taken back by a conversation like that from someone outside the club.”
“Exactly. Imagine being out with a guy, he starts making his moves then leans in and asks if he can blindfold or gag you. Chances are you’re going to run to the police station.” He took her hand in his once again.
She granted him another laugh. Why the sound traveled straight to his groin he didn’t know, but he was beginning to associate the feeling with Angela. She was certainly the only woman to have that effect on him.
“If I may be so bold, I’m wondering if your experiences at the club have been as fulfilling as you’d like.” He began a slow caress of her palm.
Her smile vanished and he wondered if he’d overplayed his hand. Time to backpedal a bit.
“I’m lonely, Angela. In my professional life, I meet a significant number of people who are guarded around me. There’s a certain amount of power in my position and people tend to either fear me or try to garner my friendship. Meeting someone who is interested in me the person, not what they may gain from me, is a rare treat.”
“And yet, you are offering to rent me an apartment
far beyond my ability to rent, for an unbelievably small amount of money. Wouldn’t that put me in the ‘seeking to gain from knowing you’ group?”
He smiled and brought her hand to his lips for a quick kiss. “There’s a big difference. I sought you out. I initiated the conversation and I offered the apartment to you because I think it would be mutually beneficial.”
“The voice in my head keeps shouting, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.”
“I like that you’re cautious, Angela. If any of the apartments will work for you, then take the contract to a lawyer and make sure there is nothing in there that makes you uncomfortable.”
The waiter arrived with the salads and Brett allowed the subject drop while they ate.
“In answer to your previous question…no, they haven’t been as fulfilling as I’d have liked.” Her face was crimson as she looked down at her plate.
Brett’s pulse jolted began a rapid beat. She was giving him an opening and while he’d love to kick in the door, he knew he’d gain more ground in the long run with a more tempered approach. “In my opinion, it takes time to learn how to please your partner. If you’re with someone new all the time, you never have the chance to fully explore the dynamic. Do you believe my theory is correct?”
“Have you ever been married?” she asked, looking him in the eye for the first time in a while.
“No.”
“What about a long-term relationship?” She began tapping her fingers on the table again.
He held out his hand and it made him ridiculously happy when she took it. “A few. If your next question is how was the sex, I’ll save you from having to ask. It was good. Fireworks didn’t magically appear, but it was satisfying.”
