Bailey: Independence #1

by Karen Nichols

  Gabriel didn’t think she even realized he’d removed the restraints before lifting her from the bench and carrying her to the bed at the far end of the room. The end shrouded with small dim lights all along the corners of the room. He sat back against the headboard, one palm stroking over the curls while the other cradled her against his chest.

  He slipped the blindfold off, her tears soaking into his shirt. Some Dom he was. He’d never given a thought to how she’d feel about a woman looking like her, dressed like her but no longer alive like her. His palm stroked gently over her head until her breathing leveled off.

  His palm slid behind her, the small hooks holding the decadent red corset in place opened one at a time. She shifted against him in an uneasy sleep and the corset was pulled free and dropped to the floor. One palm gently stroked over the indents from the ribbing, a gentle soft sigh breaking free beneath his ministrations.

  Gabriel slowly, cautiously, wrapped her in the soft sheet before pulling the blankets up over them both. It had been a very long time since he’d allowed a woman to stay with him all night. Longer since he’d actually wanted one to be there in the morning when he woke.

  Making a decision that he intended to have her in his life, he carefully removed the blankets and moved to stand beside her. Lifting her was simple and easy enough. She snuggled against him like a purring kitten, wrapped in the sheet. He tapped the lights as he left the playroom and climbed the stairs to his bedroom.

  He liked how she looked in his bed. In his bedroom. He brought a small bottle of water and one of the soy shakes she drank and left them on the nightstand beside her before heading into the shower.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Bailey pushed her face further into the pillow and inhaled. Citrus, she thought, a little frown making it into the fuzzy, sleep shrouded brain. One eye opened slowly to peer through intermittent lines of dark hair.

  Morning.

  She sighed and yawned.

  Morning meant the night before had ended. And the scent of citrus and soft blankets weren’t the last memory she had of the previous evening. Slowly, she pulled her hands from above her head and tucked them into her sides. Her naked sides. Naked with no clothes on, her mind pointed out, connecting the dots between the night before and the morning after. And she slept. Really slept.

  Her head popped up, her arms pushing against her sides and palms covering the tops of her breasts, which her brain pointed out, had been displayed to the world in the red dress she wore. Both eyes were blinking through thick curls now, taking in the expanse of empty bed to the right of her and the nightstand to her left.

  Gabriel entered his bedroom in time to see her head and upper body literally pop upright. He heard her gulp in several breaths and watched the pert behind wiggle as she levered herself high enough to reach the bottle of chocolate milk on the nightstand.

  He leaned against the doorjamb to the bedroom, his hands holding the ends of the towel around his shoulders.

  Bailey went slowly straighter, carefully keeping the sheet around her front and neglecting to cover the back side. The bottle cap snapped and opened after she shook it. Her stomach growled and then thanked her as she drained the bottle with a long sigh.

  Gabriel saw the pink toes peeking out of the blankets and how she used her good knee to maneuver herself to the edge of the bed. He smiled, watching her try and hold onto the sheet, move her hair out of her face and hold herself upright on the edge of the bed. He cleared his throat and watched her freeze.

  “You’ve been watching me,” she said without looking over her shoulder.

  “A better hobby a man couldn’t have,” he admitted, pushing off and striding to stand against the window she faced. “Are you feeling better?”

  “I can sit down, so that’s a good sign,” she murmured, baring her teeth at the chuckle from in front of her. She hadn’t looked up but could make out a pair of running shoes and shorts. The man had seriously muscled legs. “Thank you for the chocolate milk. How did you know?”

  “I saw a bottle on your drawing table. Somehow I see you easily getting involved in things and forgetting to eat,” he answered honestly.

  Bailey sighed and squirmed as gravity took its hold on her bladder. She looked up, avoiding him and searching for doors that led somewhere. Like a bathroom.

  “Leave the sheet, Bailey. The bathroom is the right door.”

  “I don’t have my pajamas,” she pushed the words out and ground her teeth at the same time she tried holding her thighs tighter.

  “You wear pajamas to bed.” Gabriel didn’t bother hiding either his curiosity or amusement. He was positive his vision of her night wear was vastly different than what she selected for herself. “Let me guess, they come with feet, flannel and zippers?”

  Bailey’s head shot up, thick lashes narrowed as she pushed to stand up. One foot kicked out to sweep the sheet aside, her hands trying to adjust it at the same time he reached forward. Before she could get a firm hold, he’d ripped it away like a magician clearing a table with glassware on top. And she was left just as bare.

  She scrambled for the lost covering at the same time her body told her the clock was ticking.

  Gabriel tossed the sheet aside and took her arm, gently guiding her past him to the open door. “I’ll find you something to wear since that dress is definitely not daywear,” he released her and brought his palm down with a snapping swat on her behind. “I put things on the counter you might need, Bailey.”

  Grumbling darkly, she somehow mustered the dignity to walk instead of bolting. But she did slam the door, wincing when she realized what that might get her. But for the moment of relief, she was grateful.

  She stared down at the collection on the counter. A new toothbrush. The small purse she’d carried that held a comb. She slid the heavy shower doors open and wondered how someone got a shower the size of her whole bathroom, complete with a convenient bench if you got tired running all the hot water out.

  She thought about him while lazily lathering her hair, nails digging in while the steam formed around her. He’d been dressed in a very snug fitting tee shirt and shorts. His hair looked disheveled, like he’d run his fingers through it. Then she remembered he’d told her about a workout room.

  Bailey knew she was in seriously trouble when the towel was big enough to swamp her. She wrapped it around after rubbing it briskly over her head. She used her fingers to comb the thick mass back and pulled a small clip from her bag to keep it to the side of her face. She stared into the fogged mirror and made a face. No make-up to hide the freckles. She shrugged and reached for the door knob.

  One eye peeked out before she opened it a little.

  “I thought you could use this for now,” Gabriel held out one of his button down shirts by one finger. He grinned when she kicked at the door seconds after her head hit it. “Bailey, you’re going to seriously harm yourself,” he laughed when her hand grabbed the shirt and disappeared back inside the bathroom, the door closing firmly.

  “Then stop sneaking up on me!” She shouted through the door, hanging the towel over the shower doors and somehow managing to button the front of the shirt. She stared into the slowly clearing mirror, her head shaking. She looked lost inside it. Then her nose twitched. It smelled like him. She rolled the sleeves to the middle of her forearms before declaring this was as ready as she was ever going to be.

  “I don’t mean to sneak up on you,” Gabriel said when she’d stepped from inside, steam and fragrance wafting in her wake. He looked down at the hem of his shirt and how it barely stopped past her ass. He’d yet to have her spread out for him. That would happen this weekend, he’d decided instantly. He’d held himself back from joining her in the shower and wasn’t sure why. But he was discovering, with Bailey, he had more unanswered questions than ever before in his life.

  Bailey jumped and stared at him. His hair was damp and he’d put on jeans and a plain tee shirt. She’d wondered if he would join her in the shower, the usually conf
licted girl emotions uncertain about her feelings.

  “I can’t go to my apartment in just your shirt,” she said, quietly moistening her lips. She crossed the room and collected the empty chocolate milk bottle. Something to keep her hands from shaking.

  “I’ve made some breakfast,” he held his palm out. “Your dress and corset are in the living room. But that looks good on you. Easier to get through than flannel with zippers and feet,” he teased.

  Bailey liked his palm around hers and walked with him down the wide hall to the kitchen. She’d smelled food once the soaps of the shower cleared.

  “You’ve a lovely house.”

  “Thank you,” he answered, gesturing to one of the bar stools and trying not to laugh when she tried sitting on the leather. She tugged and tried to make the shirt longer until he laughed and just lifted her to the padded top. “Just sit, Bailey.”

  “It’s cold!” She squirmed but didn’t jump off, glaring at him.

  “I’m sure that cute little behind will warm it quickly.” He went to the oven and using a glove, pulled a plate out and set it in front of her before pulling another out for himself. “Simple stuff. Scrambled eggs, toast and Canadian bacon. I have jam if you want.”

  “Marmalade?” She asked hopefully, watching him settle two large glasses of juice on the breakfast bar before going to look into the large stainless steel fridge. “Thank you.”

  “You’re thinking too hard again,” Gabriel said after a few minutes of quiet eating.

  “I was thinking of last night. The police…”

  “They brought your phone back this morning while you were sleeping,” he nodded toward the living room. “I put it with your dress. They don’t know anything new. The message was sent from one of those buy as you go phones. No records, nothing to trace. The lieutenant offered you protection, Bailey.”

  “I don’t need protection,” she answered instantly.

  “That was my answer, too, but she wants to hear from you. I told her I’d have you give her a call when you woke up.” Gabriel watched the faint hint of blush on her cheeks. “I told her you didn’t have a good night. That you’re blaming yourself.”

  Bailey stared at the toast she was slathering with marmalade.

  “Logic says I can’t control the actions of others,” she said, an almost robotic tone in her voice. “There has to be a reason someone wants to blame you for someone’s death, Gabriel. Whether it was me or someone else.”

  “I have a friend checking into a few things,” he sighed at the instant interest in her eyes. “The lieutenant mentioned the principals of the reclamation collecting property for future projects. I eliminated that easily enough since I’m friends with them. But that only means the attempt to buy up property isn’t coming from them.”

  “The problem with puzzles are the pieces you don’t have,” Bailey knew he wasn’t telling her everything. “I didn’t mean to…I’m not usually a wreck like I was last night, Gabriel.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me you were having problems sleeping, Bailey?” Gabriel winced at the wide, sharply accusing eyes.

  “I haven’t seen you or spoke to you since…” she stuffed the last bit of toast into her mouth. “I don’t have your number and I am old enough to take care of myself. Lots of things make me lose sleep. It just so happens that this time, it was something…something really bad,” she finished in a hush.

  “I put my numbers in your phone when the lieutenant gave it to me, Bailey. All of them.” Gabriel drained his juice and went to the fridge for the bottle, carrying it with him to the breakfast bar. “I apologize for not getting in touch with you. We’re a tech company and there’s no excuse because you are important to me and I don’t want to lose that.”

  Bailey felt the warmth begin in her middle. He had such good words, she mused, looking up with a crooked tilt to her mouth. “Do I get to spank you?”

  “Not in this lifetime,” he replied instantly, his lips firm but humor in his eyes.

  “Apology accepted,” she returned grudgingly. “It probably wouldn’t be near as much fun anyway.”

  “We agree on that,” he laughed, taking the empty plates and setting them in the sink. “More juice?”

  “I’m good, thanks.”

  “We have a private party to attend this evening,” he glanced at the clock. “We’ll leave here about six. Jeremy and Emma are having an anniversary party at their home on the island.”

  “I need to go home. What should I wear?”

  “You can wear the red dress.”

  “The…you destroyed my underwear,” she reminded him.

  “You were being obstinate,” he returned with a casualness that he knew would annoy her. “And you don’t need panties. That corset and the dress and shoes will work just fine. You won’t be in the dress long anyway,” he watched her swallow, the pulse at her throat jumping wildly.

  “Yes, Sir.”

  Gabriel lifted her to the floor. “Call the lieutenant and assure her you’re not being held captive, Bailey. I’ll be down the hall in my office. You can explore or just rest. I’ve books and an extra computer if you have things you want to do.”

  She nodded, watching him stride barefoot down the hall and turn into a room.

  Bailey went to the clothing lying on the chair and sunk into the cushions, her phone against her ear.

  “Lieutenant Templeton,” came the brisk voice on the other end.

  “Bailey O’Conner, Lieutenant. Gabriel said you wanted me to phone you this morning. I’m…I’m sorry I couldn’t help last night. I hadn’t been sleeping and…another body didn’t help,” she finished softly.

  “I just wanted to make certain you’re alright, Bailey. I offered Mr. Garrett police protection, but he said you wouldn’t need it as he was handling that task personally.”

  “If Gabriel said he was, then he will,” she said with a little smile. “I’ll be at his house until at least Sunday evening. Then I’ll be at work. I will not follow any instructions unless they come direct from the source,” Bailey listened to the light laugh. “I want to help but I don’t know how.”

  “Bailey, the best help you can give me is to stay with Garrett and let me handle this,” she said firmly. “I might find objection to some of his arrogance, but it’s not anything new since I’ve been married.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” but she rolled her eyes.

  “I told Garrett and I’m telling you, Bailey. If you get any messages or something is off, you call me immediately. Please.”

  “Who…who was she? I haven’t seen the news…”

  “Penny Hayes. Twenty-seven, works for an insurance company on the east side,” Natalie shook her head. “No connections I can find and Garrett said he didn’t know her.”

  “I’m sorry. I don’t, either. I don’t know why they targeted me to get to Gabriel. We didn’t know each other before Friday night when I went to the club for the first time. I met him there. I think I kind of stuck out,” Bailey said with a nervous laugh.

  “My sources say he’s a good guy, so I’m trusting him to watch out for you. Remember, call me if you need to,” Natalie repeated firmly. “Try and have a nice weekend. Good bye.”

  “Thank you. You, too,” Bailey closed the phone and let her head drift to the back of the overstuffed chair.

  She glanced down at her phone and then out the thick glass of the double patio doors. Ten-thirty on a very grey Saturday morning. So, she mused, basically, you’ve discovered you enjoy being ordered around, by the right man, she clarified; two people have died because there’s a lunatic out after either Gabriel or you, or both of you; and here you sit in the owner’s house of the company you work for. She closed her eyes wondering if she missed anything from the last brief seven days.

  Oh, she sat up with a smile. He has an indoor pool. Bailey dropped the phone back on top of the dress and headed for the stairs, padding quietly to the large pool area and standing on the edge staring at the perfectly still blue water.

 
; She gave a brief seconds thought to not having a swimsuit and realized if she was going to be part of Gabriel Garrett’s life, she’d best get used to being nude. With a hard swallow, she draped the loaned shirt over one of the lounge chairs and dove head first into the deep end. The warm water flowed around her as she struck out, setting a comfortable pace for her laps.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Gabriel listened to the end of her conversation and stared at the screen and the correspondence he was going to work on this weekend. At least he’d told himself he would be able to concentrate better once she was near. And for a short time, he’d actually believed it. He made it through three inquiries about the club, forwarded them to his part-time secretary and closed the files.

  He collected what he wanted for Bailey’s next indoctrination into being his and went to the pool area after checking the internal cams and finding her swimming laps. Briskly, too, he noted with a nod at the naked redhead in his pool.

  He left everything on the side of the pool and stood watching her until she surfaced at the far end. The curls were gone and long, dark copper hair went a good four inches past her shoulders when she stood, hands sweeping the water up and back.

  Bailey cleared the water from her eyes, blinked and stared into the grey mist outside and the amazing but fuzzy reflection in the glass. She turned to speak to him and abruptly turned back, swallowing and trying to breathe.

  “A problem, Bailey?” Gabriel laughed at the pink tinting her cheeks.

  She was glad she was in the deep end of the pool, the nakedness was below water level. Unless you counted the man standing casually at the side of the pool.

  “Oh, no…no, not at all…”

  “You’re lying to me, Bailey,” he chuckled but didn’t move down the steps into the water. Not just yet. All she’d had to do was look at him with that wide, stunned look and sultry long hair soaked and slick and his cock was semi-erect.