Club Wonderland

by Christine d'Abo

  If he hadn’t wanted her here, why did he offer?

  The only way to find the answers to her questions was to talk to him. She kicked off her shoes and followed him.

  “You have a beautiful home.” Nice understatement there, Alice. “Are those countertops granite?”

  “Yes.” He pulled out a cork opener that with two simple moves effortlessly pulled the cork free.

  Gael continued to move around his kitchen, avoiding looking her way as he aerated the wine, took two glasses down, and generously filled each of them. It wasn’t until he turned to offer her the glass that he finally looked her in the eyes.

  Alice didn’t accept it. “Why did you ask me here if you didn’t want me in your home?”

  “Because you needed a place to go.”

  Well, he sounded sincere, but Alice was smart enough to know there was more to the story. Taking a fortifying sip of the wine, she paused long enough to enjoy the smooth roll of the spicy wine down her throat. “This is nice.”

  “It better be, considering how much I paid for it.”

  “Nice to know I rate the good stuff.”

  Gael made a noncommittal noise as he took another sip. Whatever trepidation he’d been feeling must have disappeared, because he held her gaze until she was forced to look away. Alice was starting to appreciate that his hard edge was part of his appeal to her.

  “What happened to you tonight?”

  They didn’t know each other well enough for her to spill the story and yet other than Petra, he was the only other person she’d want to share this with. Kinky sex was apparently a great equalizer when it came to confessions.

  “I had a bit of a fight with my mom.”

  “You told me that.” Another sip of wine. “What was it about?”

  Cupping her wineglass, Alice let out a sigh. “Honestly, you’re going to think I’m an ass.”

  “I doubt that. You’re not normally the type of person to intentionally hurt others.”

  Sure, go all sweet on me. Make this even harder.

  “It’s just...I love my mom. More than anything. But my entire life she’s been the one in charge of things.” She took another large sip, and gave herself a moment to let the alcohol start to work its way through her body. “I told you I was a child model.”

  “And she was upset when you retired at sixteen. The world’s loss.”

  Alice felt the blush spread across her cheeks once more. Dammit, she hated that he could make her do that so easily. “Thanks.”

  “So she showed up and you had a fight. About what?”

  “She wanted me to take some time off and spend it with her.” Saying that out loud made her feel even more of a shitty child. “I don’t know exactly what’s wrong with her. She’s had some tests recently, been complaining about health issues without going into specifics. I think she’s lonely and is looking for an excuse for me to stay with her.”

  “Would that be so bad?”

  “She wanted me to come to Barrie for two weeks so she could set me up with a friend’s son.” Alice took another large sip of wine. “Bad enough.”

  Gael kept his gaze locked on hers. Every place it touched, her skin itched from the attention. She wanted it to be his hands, scratching and caressing her instead. She wanted to remove the fabric barriers between them and throw herself into his care.

  “I don’t like the idea of her handing you over to another man.”

  Oh my. “I...okay.”

  “I know we haven’t talked about where this thing between us is going. I don’t even know if you want it to go anywhere now that you know what I look for in a sexual partner.” Gael leaned closer, and she lost the ability to think. “But I think it’s only fair to warn you. Now that we’ve acknowledge this connection, I won’t let you go to another man without a fight.”

  Wow.

  How the hell was she going to explain that one to her mom? Sorry, I can’t go on that blind date. No, no, my Dom doesn’t approve of me flirting with other men. Maybe next time!

  Gael was starting to speak when his phone rang. Growling, he marched over to the wall and snatched the receiver from the cradle. “Yes.”

  Alice didn’t want to listen in, but she couldn’t help doing so, especially after Gael’s entire demeanor shifted.

  “Of course, sir. The file will be ready for court next week. Yes, I have everything you need. Yes. Certainly. I’ll make sure there won’t be any issues. Bye, sir.”

  He replaced the receiver, but Alice could tell the erotic pressure that had been building between them, had now bled away. “Who was that?”

  “Mr. Gibson.”

  “He calls you at home?”

  “He can call me whenever the hell he wants. He’s my boss.”

  “I don’t get you.” She pressed her hand to the side of her neck, which immediately drew his attention. “You’re an associate lawyer, and yet you can afford to live in a place like this. You’re almost the corporate whipping boy for the partners, and yet you have this whole other part of you that needs to be in control. I thought the more time I spent with you, the more I’d understand the type of person you are. I’m just getting more confused.”

  “I do what I have to, in order to get what I want. I have things I need to prove to my family and myself.”

  Yes, and he was the type of person who wouldn’t back down. “Is that why you like to be a Dom? So you can take what you want?”

  “BDSM doesn’t work that way.” He crossed the distance between them to stand beside her. At this proximity, she could feel and smell everything about him. The mix of the wine, his cologne and a hint of sex. Though it was possible Alice was imagining that last bit. “BDSM is a power exchange.”

  She blinked a few times. Pay attention, girl. “What?”

  “I might be the one in charge, but that’s only because you have given me permission.” He took her hand that was still touching her neck and gently pulled it away. Replacing it with his own, he shifted his fingers so they curled around the front of her throat. “When we were at Wonderland and I told you I was going to share you with the others, what happened?”

  “I said Red and you stopped.”

  “That’s part of the promise between a Dom and his sub. You agree to put your trust in me, to listen to what I say, to accept the things I do to your body. In return, I agree to listen to you. I need to understand, to learn what makes you tick, gives you pleasure, scares you. It’s my job to push those boundaries, to take you places you’d never go on your own. I’m in control, until you tell me that I’m not.”

  Alice’s lungs had stopped working halfway through Gael’s speech. Not only was that the largest amount of words she’d ever heard him string together at one time, but the implications of what he was telling her had her reeling.

  “But...” His grip tightened on her, sending a bolt of pleasure straight through to her pussy. “How is this different from...?”

  “From your mother?” He squeezed harder still, making it difficult to pull air in. “Say Red.”

  “Red.”

  The pressure disappeared and Gael took a step back. There was no big dramatic explosion, no arguments about why she should continue on, nothing about how he was disappointed in her for not trusting him.

  He simply stopped.

  “What’s the one thing you’d always felt was missing from your life, Alice?”

  “Control. The right to make my own decisions without being questioned.” It was why she’d turned her phone off the second she’d left the restaurant. Why she would conveniently forget to check her voice mail when things were tense between them. “I love my mom. I’d do anything for her.”

  “But you can’t live your life for her. That’s a line no parent should ask a child to cross.”

  “You say that as if you’re speaking from personal experience.”

  For the first time since they’d first arrived, Gael broke eye contact with her first. “Not exactly. But I’m doing something that they don’t ap
prove of.”

  “So your parents know you’re a Dom and they don’t approve?”

  “They know. My mom has even given me a few tips over the years.”

  Her mouth had fallen open. “No way.”

  “My mother is a Dominatrix. Dad might run the family business, but she’s the one in charge at the end of the day. They didn’t parade it in front of me growing up. She didn’t have him tied up in the kitchen. But as I got older, I started to notice things were different between them. Their dynamic was not similar to my friends’ parents. It was after I’d met Sandy and we’d played around for a bit, I realized this was a part of me. I started to recognize the same traits in my parents. Thinking back, I realized why mom was so proficient with the strap.”

  Alice couldn’t quite wrap her head around that. “Wow.”

  “Now, their business is suffering and they need extra money to keep it afloat. I was able to convince my uncle to put me forward for partner, but I have to jump through his hoops before he’ll do it. I need the extra income so I can cosign my parents’ loan. My parents don’t approve. He’s my mom’s brother, and they haven’t gotten along for years now.”

  “That’s hard.” She’d put up with shit while trying to help a parent. It also explained a lot about him, his serious streak and his frustrations. “So your mom and her brother fight a lot?”

  “He wouldn’t dare. She’d kick his ass.”

  Gael’s smile reached his eyes, sending Alice’s heart racing. “You need to smile more.”

  “It’s been a rough few months. I haven’t had much reason to smile.” He inched closer to her again. This time Alice could feel the shift between them. He wasn’t going to simply educate her about BDSM. No, there was something else there, something deeper calling to her. “I’ve had to put my focus on this new position. I was told by my...Mr. Gibson that if I wanted any hope of making partner, then I had to keep my nose clean. Do my job, don’t get involved with the office gossip.”

  “Or with the legal assistants?” Ouch. Well, now at least she understood why he’d tried to keep his distance from her. And in the next moment, everything clicked into place. “Oh shit. Mr. Gibson is your uncle, isn’t he?”

  The muscle in Gael’s jaw jumped. “One of his rules is that no one was to know. Please don’t say anything.”

  “I won’t. I’m sorry. I never meant to put you in such a bad position.”

  Gael reached out once more, only this time he cupped her cheek. “I’ve come to the conclusion that you’re worth gaining his wrath.”

  “But not jeopardizing your parents’ business.”

  “We can be careful.”

  Dammit, she hated that he always managed the perfect thing to say. “I wouldn’t want you to blame me if he found out.”

  “I make my own decisions and deal with my own consequences.”

  It was clear what he was offering. This was her chance to explore a side of her she’d never been aware of. Only this time she couldn’t blame being caught up in the insanity of Wonderland. This was her choice, and she’d have to accept the consequences.

  “So do I.” Desire spread throughout her body, making her nipples bead and her bare pussy wet. “And I want to learn more.”

  Gael’s gaze narrowed. “We need to establish an agreement. A contract of sorts. I need to know what your hard limits are, the things you absolutely won’t do. The things that you’re nervous about that I might be able to push you toward. I also need you to understand what I’m looking for. What I need to get out of this.”

  She’d assumed what he got out of it was kick-ass orgasms. “Sounds fair.”

  “This isn’t something we can do quickly. It will take time.”

  “How much time?”

  “I want three days.”

  The thought of spending so much uninterrupted time with Gael, learning what fueled his desires, was a siren’s call she wouldn’t be able to avoid. “I think—”

  “Tomorrow. Give me your answer tomorrow at lunch. If you say yes, I’ll make the arrangements for you to have the time off. Friday to Sunday.”

  “Tomorrow at lunch.”

  “You can crash here tonight if you want. I have a spare room.”

  The thought of being so close to him without touching wasn’t a temptation she wanted to face. Not if she was going to give his proposal serious consideration.

  “No. I should go home and face Mom. She didn’t deserve me walking out on her the way I did.”

  Gael nodded. “I’ll take you.”

  Alice regretted the decision as soon as she slipped into his car. What the hell was she thinking, saying no to the opportunity to sleep under the same roof as the man of her dreams? Clearly she was a bigger idiot than she’d originally thought. Petra would no doubt give her hell.

  Petra, shit. She’d forgotten about her friend. Tomorrow she’d need to give her a call and find out what the hell was going on between her and Darcy. She’d never gotten all the dirt on their one-night stand. Though they couldn’t call it that anymore. Alice would give Petra a call tomorrow, and she’d be able to help her figure out what to do about Gael.

  Because the idea of becoming his submissive was a thought she couldn’t get out of her mind.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Alice’s morning hadn’t gone according to plan. The night before, she’d managed to sneak into her house. But her mother, who had in fact decided to stay the night, had taken up residence in Alice’s bed rather than use the guest room. Left with no other options, Alice had grabbed her nightgown and tried to sleep without her normal comforts.

  Not that she’d been able to sleep. She’d spent most of her nighttime hours tossing and turning, while her mind raced through all of the possibilities of Gael’s proposal. Regardless of his current role with the firm, he was still a lawyer on the path to becoming a partner. Did she really want to be one of those women who started an office romance with a boss? It didn’t matter how their relationship started, there would always be people on the staff who would look down on her for chasing after Gael.

  And it didn’t matter that he said he wouldn’t hold things against her; if their being together was discovered by his uncle and ruined the opportunity to cosign the loan, Alice would feel like absolute shit. So as she tried to doze, her mind went back and forth on the idea of spending a long weekend with him. At one point, she gave up trying to sleep, grabbed her smartphone, and did a search on BDSM.

  There was some really scary shit on the Internet. But she managed to track down a few sites that were more about education and less about the kink itself. They even recommended a few books on what it meant to be a Dom and a sub. She’d bought copies of each for later reading. The end result was an overload of information that refused to allow her mind to shut down, making what little rest she’d been able to get fitful.

  The lecture she’d received this morning at breakfast hadn’t helped either.

  It had been a long time since she’d truly pissed her mother off. Alice had been sixteen and had just told her that she was quitting modeling.

  Her retreat to the office hadn’t provided any relief. As usual, Gael was at work early. She’d been hoping to have at least a few minutes with him before the office filled up, so she could ask him a few questions. Get a bit more perspective on what exactly he was offering her.

  But no, the fates wouldn’t even give her that today. Within two minutes of her arrival Carmella stepped into Gael’s office to chat. The conversation quickly turned to a whole bunch of extremely obvious flirting on her part. And the more apparent Carmella got, the more Alice contemplated the various merits of starting an office cat fight. She could totally take Carmella out.

  Instead of discovering more about what a weekend in Gael’s capable hands would involve, she was forced to keep her annoyance in check. Not something she normally had to account for.

  “Package for the most stunning woman in the office.” Brian dropped a courier envelope on her desk. “Why the long face, su
nshine?”

  “Just having a bad morning. Thanks, hon.”

  Brian looked behind him at Carmella, who now stood directly in front of Gael’s desk, blocking her view. “Boss lady giving you a hard time?”

  “No.” Boss lady is making the moves on my guy.

  “Oh. She’s pissing in your pot without permission. My wife always told me never get between two women who are after the same man.”

  Alice snapped her gaze back to Brian. “I’m not—”

  “Sweetie, everyone here knows you’ve got a crush on Hernandez. Especially that one.” He nodded toward Carmella. “She should know better than to play with fire. Anyway, it’s time for my next drop-off.”

  Having lost the ability to speak, Alice could only watch as he left. Everyone knew she had a crush on Gael? How was that possible? Shit, did Mr. Gibson suspect? She’d never said anything to anyone besides Petra. She’d never chased after him in an obvious way, not even the type of flirting that Carmella was embarrassing herself with right now. Alice would smile, make a little small talk, and help him out. The same thing she’d do for anyone in the office.

  “Thank you for bringing this to my attention.” Gael’s voice snapped her out of her funk and brought her attention back to the matter at hand.

  “I saw that it was important and would need to be dealt with quickly.” Carmella smiled at him. Dear God, was she trying to bat her eyelashes too? Oh honey...

  “I never doubt your expertise in these matters.” Gael followed Carmella out of the office and stood by his doorway.

  “Thanks. I’ll get Alice to look after the file—”

  “Unfortunately,” Gael said, his voice loud enough to draw a few curious glances, “I require Miss White’s assistance on another matter. I’ll leave the Gruber file with you. Miss White, can I see you for a moment?”

  “Of course, sir.” Okay, so calling him sir wasn’t exactly playing fair. Alice was tired and annoyed enough that she honestly didn’t care. “I’ll be right there.”

  Gael held his ground while she got herself organized, watching her every move. She had no doubt it was his way of getting even for the sir comment, and she had no intention of letting him know he was getting under her skin.