Zane's Way

by Maggie Casper

  His normally smooth chin was covered with dark stubble. Disheveled brown hair reached just to the top of his collar. One disorderly curl hung rakishly over his forehead. Intense hazel eyes, currently the color of weak tea, were positioned below thick brows. Not normally a vain man, Zane gave himself a last once over before he slipped into his tan sports coat.

  Zane decided to walk the two blocks, allowing himself some time to think. The weather was neither hot nor cold. He could easily do without all the traffic and the noise that went along with it.

  That was one of the things that made it so tempting to move back home. Not only would he be close to his brothers, but he would be out of the city.

  Early on, city life had been fulfilling, but not any longer. Now it felt stifling. Too much traffic. Too much noise. It no longer held any promise. The idea of moving home brought along with it a whole new set of circumstances. One thing at a time, he muttered to himself. Let me get through today then I’ll focus on the move.

  Once he reached his destination, he pushed through the heavy wooden door. The interior was dark, and it was like a second home. His early days in the city had been lonely ones until Patrick O’Connor had taken him in as a friend. Now everyday he spent his lunch hour with Pat. The white-haired pub owner was a stout man of undetermined years. His heavy accent told of his Irish upbringing. Zane was sure a friendlier, more loyal friend could not be found.

  The inside of the pub reminded him of O’Malley’s, his brother Sean’s place back home in Texas. It was probably one of the reasons he felt so comfortable there.

  “Hey, O’Malley,” Pat called. “Will you be having your usual today?”

  “Not today,” Zane answered. At Pat’s questioning glance he added, “I’m meeting someone.”

  Pat gave a wink and a knowing smile as he skirted his way back behind the bar. “Fine then, lad. You just be lettin’ me know when you’re ready.”

  Zane picked a booth in the far corner of the room. It was shadowed and fairly private. His fists clenched and unclenched in an attempt to release some of the tension coiled in his body. It didn’t seem to be helping one bit. He couldn’t understand why on earth he was so nervous.

  It wasn’t like he was going to take the woman somewhere and start right in.

  They would talk and get to know one another before things could progress. Then if they were compatible and in agreement to the terms they’d both set forth during their brief cyber relationship, they would proceed.

  Zane would not allow things to go any further than talking until he opened up to Serena. His throat worked furiously past the lump there at the thought of causing sweet, unassuming Serena pain. He would also ask the same of ESKAY.

  She would have to break free of the relationship she was currently involved in if she wanted to go any further with him. It was something they’d already agreed upon, but he would be sure to bring it up again because once he found a submissive to love he would never let her go.

  He watched absently as the lunch crowd milled around while he casually sipped at the glass of water Pat had insisted on delivering to his table.

  Every ounce of his willpower was currently being used to keep his baser needs at bay. He wanted to pounce on the woman the minute she walked through the door. At the moment he could care less what she looked like, or even what she wanted or needed. He had an almost overwhelming need to dominate. Just the thought caused his cock to thicken. Thoughts of a woman bound increased the pressure behind the zipper of his slacks. At least one good thing came out of his change of dress since becoming a businessman and living in the city. There was a lot more room behind the zipper of slacks than there was behind the button fly of a pair of jeans.

  He’d given some consideration to dressing like he used to. Jeans instead of slacks, and a Stetson to cover his unruly waves. Replacing his loafers with a pair of comfortable boots would be great, but that look was of the past. Not something he’d given into since leaving Texas four years earlier. Soon enough though, he would be back home. And as the saying goes…when in Rome.

  He chuckled a bit. He could only imagine the look on Serena’s face. She would probably have to be reminded to pick her jaw up off the floor when she finally saw him in his cowboy clothes.

  The last thought was like a bucket of ice water. Thinking of Serena while meeting with another woman was more than enough to cool Zane’s ardor, leaving him with emotions he wasn’t quite ready to deal with.

  Zane checked his watch. Five minutes after the hour, which meant she was five minutes late. If she were already his submissive, he would surely have to think of some way to punish her for her tardiness. His idea of punishment was completely different from what he’d read of other dominants.

  The idea of hurting or humiliating never entered the scene in his mind. Instead, he would tease and tantalize until she begged for release, then make her wait. A good spanking could also prove useful if both parties were to consent. There was much to talk about between them before a relationship could begin.

  Many ideas had been gathered from the Internet. A large number of Dom/sub couples signed contracts specifying what they were willing to do. A safe word would need to be agreed upon. He had even prepared a sexual questionnaire for ESKAY to fill out. It would help him better prepare for their time together if he knew her likes, dislikes, things she was willing to try and others that were completely off-limits, before they took the next step.

  Just as his mind moved back to sensual punishment the front door opened. The silhouetted figure standing just inside the door was very familiar. His pulse increased as the figure moved further into the room. His eyes raked the lone form from top to bottom then slowly back up again. No way! It couldn’t be, but it was.

  “What the hell!” Zane swore as he rose to his feet. Raking a large hand through his hair, he moved away from the booth and into the light. The sight before him took his breath away.

  Spiked heels covered tiny feet. Sexy as hell legs were encased in thigh-high hose. He knew they were thigh-high because he could see a single lacy top peeking out the side slit of her dress.

  A dress that left bare as much as it covered. Green soft-looking fabric hugged every curve of the voluptuous braless body. Beaded nipples begged for release from the confines of the low-cut bodice that was held up as if by magic by extremely thin straps.

  What caught his attention most of all was the wide-eyed angelic face staring back at him. He knew every curve of her body. Instant recognition of the slight smile tilting her soft bow-shaped lips brought every nerve in his body to full attention. Upswept hair looked as though it had been thrown carelessly together. It was perfect. About the time she finally spoke, it finally hit him. This was his woman!

  “It’s you,” she whispered. “Oh, my god, Zane! It’s you.”

  Chapter Four

  Sit or fall, those were pretty much her options. Her head felt light, and emotions ran rampant through her overloaded brain. Serena moved, her legs shaking so badly she wasn’t sure she would make it to where Zane was standing.

  “I need to sit,” she said. It was all that was necessary evidently because Zane was by her side instantly, helping her into the seat of the booth. He slid in next to her and watched as her eyes lowered abruptly blocking his view of the emotion-filled orbs.

  She couldn’t bring herself to look up. There was so much to think about, her mind couldn’t grasp it all. She drew a blank. For that brief moment, she probably couldn’t have remembered her name to save her life. It was a strange feeling. More than likely a defense mechanism.

  Slowly, it was all coming back. She wanted to be angry, but at what? Yeah, he may have placed the ad, but she was the one who answered it.

  Had he been meeting with other women? Did he answer other ads? The idea hurt more than she could imagine. It felt as if a fist had gone and squeezed off her air supply at its source. When had she become so emotionally attached to Zane?

  She peered at her white knuckles as she brought her
hand up to her mouth. Serena then pushed the tiny fist against her teeth welcoming the small bite of pain. It shook her enough to keep the keening wail from escaping. What in the world had she done? And why now? Why must she only now realize she was in love?

  Holy shit! Love?

  “Oh, no,” was muffled behind the hand still at her mouth.

  “Stop that!” Zane said sternly. “You’ll hurt yourself, Rena.”

  She felt the warmth of his hand as it tugged hers down and patiently unclenched her fisted fingers. Once done, his large hand did not release her, instead the thick, hair-smattered fingers intertwined with hers, holding her tight.

  How could a basic touch feel so intimate? The heat radiating from his body made her skin sizzle. Her hand felt hot where his palm was pressed tightly to hers.

  So much of the past few weeks suddenly made sense. The fierceness he had showed her in the kitchen. The sexual aggressiveness that was not usually present. The feeling of drifting apart from him, it all made perfect sense now.

  Finally, Serena felt strong enough, brave enough to look up into Zane’s face. Starting at the thick cords of his muscled neck, she worked her way up. His square jaw looked stubborn. It was something she’d never really noticed. He seemed much more tenser than the easygoing man she was used to. The right side of his lip curved just the slightest bit. It wasn’t really a smile, but it helped to ease her nervousness. Bronzed skin was stretched taut over strong cheekbones and a straight nose, but it was his eyes that held her. Hooded, hazel eyes stared back with a hunger like nothing she’d ever witnessed.

  Goose bumps appeared on her arms and a shiver ran the length of her spine. Serena’s body wanted to take over. Its fight or flight system was evidently malfunctioning because she didn’t know whether to run far and fast or throw herself in his arms begging him to take her home.

  She sensed his inner turmoil when his hand tightened almost painfully on hers taking the choice from her. The corner of his mouth curved the tiniest bit higher. Between the wicked little grin and the twinkle in his eyes, Serena was lost.

  His voice broke the silence. “Rena, I never knew…”

  He couldn’t seem to go on. Instead, he continued to watch her. His intense perusal of her face left her shaken.

  The skin covering her thighs tingled with anticipation. Memories of their shared e-mail confidences flashed before her. Things she had only ever dreamt about. Things she had never felt comfortable telling another living soul. She could remember what he wrote as if it were in front of her.

  If this works for us you will belong to me, I will settle for no less. I will use your body and bring you great pleasure in the process. My will, will be your will.

  How could the man sitting next to her have written those words? They were nothing like what her Zane would have written. He was laid-back, a man not afraid to compromise. The e-mails she’d received were from a commanding presence. One used to being obeyed. Could two such personalities live inside one man and did she want to find out?

  He already seemed so different. If she gave herself to him the way her body craved, the way he would now insist upon, could they ever reclaim their carefree selves? For some reason she didn’t think so.

  Over the past few weeks, so much about him had already changed. It brought home just how much she didn’t know about the man whom she’d lived with the past four years.

  Zane was watching her. His hazel eyes raked over her as he waited. The flash of heat within those eyes bore right into her soul. She would never again be free, she would never escape. Serena feared that from this moment on she would do whatever he asked of her. What if he asked too much?

  “Don’t look at me like that, Rena,” Zane growled. “If you keep it up, begging me to fuck you with those wide, green eyes of yours, I’ll do just that no matter who is watching.”

  Her gasp was audible. “Zane!” she cried while looking around to see if anyone might have heard.

  His smile was slow coming and then its strength was torturous. Her mouth had attracted his attention. In her nervousness, she licked her lips then jumped at the growled curse Zane released.

  “Damn Rena! I won’t warn you again,” he said in a deadly calm voice.

  She could feel her eyes widen as her hands began to shake. Lord, what in the world had she gotten herself into? Quickly, she looked away. She wasn’t sure what she was doing wrong, but evidently it was making Zane angry. In the four years they had lived together, not once could she remember a time when he had been truly angry.

  “I don’t… I mean… I’m not sure wha—” She was cut off by Zane’s deep baritone voice.

  “Don’t, Rena,” he said soothingly. “It’s not just you, baby, it’s both of us. We have a lot to talk about. I want to get that over with now, okay?”

  It might have been phrased as a question, but Serena felt it more as a demand. They would talk now, she bristled a bit at that thought, but he was right. Now was just as good a time as any. With a nod, Serena gave her answer.

  “I still can’t believe it’s you, but now that I know, we need to get things straightened out. You do realize we can never go back to the same old dull routine?”

  Still unable to speak, Serena once again nodded.

  “As I’m sure you now realize, I’m not the man you thought I was. It’s been a hell of a long four years hiding my true self from you. I wanted to protect you, especially after you told me about your ex-husband, but now that I know what you want and need, there will be no going back. If you want out, say so now, Rena, because once I have you where I want you, I’ll never let you go.”

  Serena couldn’t quite swallow past the lump in her throat much less talk. Realizing she loved the man sitting next to her had been a surprise. The timing was way off and it left her at a disadvantage. Vulnerable. “I don’t know, Zane,” she whispered hating the weakness in her voice. “I don’t know you anymore.”

  “You know all the important stuff, Rena.” She watched as a brief flash of panic crossed his features.

  “It’s my sexual preferences that are new to you, nothing else. I know what you like, baby. What your wants and needs are. You know I would never hurt you or force you, but I won’t lie to you, Rena. I’ll push you every step of the way.”

  He wasn’t leaving anything out. Laying it all on the line. Right up front so there would be no confusion. There could be no turning back. “I can be rough. Damn, but it’s been hard holding myself back. I’ll challenge you every chance I get. Just as we talked about in our anonymous e-mail, you are your own person in all aspects of your life, but in private, you will belong to me. I won’t go back, I can’t. Not now, now that I’ve read your fantasies. Now that I know what you crave.”

  “Oh, god,” she groaned aloud. Her fantasies! How could she have forgotten the things they had shared during their time online. Things that were much easier said while typing at a keyboard. She could feel the slow burn in her body. The heat in her cheeks was nothing compared to what she felt between her legs.

  * * * * *

  Zane watched as a flush worked its way up Serena’s neck and into her cheeks. He could only imagine what the rest of her body would look like all pink and pretty.

  It angered him to know that they’d wasted so much time dancing around each other. The fact it had taken for the both of them to go as far as looking for another to fill those needs upped his blood pressure.

  He watched as she once again licked her lips. His mouth ached to taste her, but now was not the time. Now was the time for answers.

  “Tell me what you’re thinking, baby.”

  “I know what we—what we shared in our e-mail,” Serena cleared her throat. Zane could tell by her flushed cheeks that her embarrassment was mounting. “I meant it. All of it, but that doesn’t mean I’m not afraid, Zane.”

  “Afraid of what?” he asked as he rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb. The normally warm skin felt chilled, her eyes seemed a bit panicky.

  “Mostly of my
self, I guess. Of my feelings, my needs. I’m not sure if I can put myself in this situation again.”

  Zane’s eyes narrowed. He didn’t like where this conversation was going. “It took me a long time to trust again, to find myself. Now I’m used to doing pretty much what I want, when I want. I don’t know if I can give that up.”

  “First of all, don’t ever, and I mean ever put me in the same category as your lowlife ex. We may not have had the best relationship these past four years, but I believe I deserve at least that much. Now, as for the rest—I’m not asking you to give up your life, but I will from this day forward demand total obedience in our private life. Can you live with that?”

  He could tell she wasn’t sure, at least not one hundred percent sure. Her emotions were plain for all to see. Of course, he hadn’t given her much choice.

  “I can try, Zane. That’s all I can promise.”

  “It’s a start, Rena and for now that’s enough.” He felt triumphant, it was just the tip of the iceberg, but it was a start.

  Fear and frustration were evident in the way she held her body so still and stiff. As if she might shatter at the slightest move. He wouldn’t ease her fears just yet. Fear of the unknown could be a good thing. It would increase the intensity of her arousal while honing her senses.

  Senses he wanted to send into overdrive. Of course, that would have to wait because Pat chose that moment to collect their order.

  “Have you decided what you’ll be having, O’Malley?” he asked.

  “Hey Pat, you remember Serena, don’t you?” Zane said in way of a reintroduction since Rena had only been there a few times before. Serena, polite as always, murmured the appropriate response. Once the introductions were made, they ordered their meal. Zane ordered a beer for himself and a piña colada for Serena. For several minutes, they sat in silence.