by Dace Everan
Sam stopped her from getting in her car. “Ah, no, that’s not cool, and is this in any way my fault?”
Paula shook her head. Well, yes, it was his entire fault. He had been there every day the last month and Luke had mentioned having your boyfriend sit in the office all day was not professional.
Sam growled and the sound brought shivers rearing through Paula’s body. He had that angry look in his eyes. She mustered up a smile. “Don’t worry about it. Luke was an asshole anyway,” she mumbled, motioning for him to move.
Sam didn’t budge. He was not leaving this alone, not leaving her alone.
His mouth slammed against hers and she stiffened. This was not what she had expected. She backed out of his kiss and was pressed firmly to her car.
His large, callused hand cupped her cheek. His gray eyes bore into hers and she could feel her soul reaching out to him. She moaned, didn’t mean to moan, and he took that as “kiss me more.” When she pulled up for air, both were panting heavily and her arms were around his neck, her hands buried in his hair.
“Join me, Paula. I know Blain would allow you in the room. I know your shift is only till midnight,” he coaxed.
Paula shook her head. No way was she going into that room with him. Not where she worked.
Sam saw excitement followed by uncertainty, a flicker of fear, and then lust filter across her eyes. She wanted this as bad as he did. She just wouldn’t give in to her carnal needs. “Maybe someplace else?” he pondered out loud and smiled inwardly as she nodded. He nodded. “Fine, I’ll pick you up after work and you can decide, mine or yours… Mine would be better, but I can handle yours,” he murmured.
Paula stiffened. What the hell had she just agreed to? Did he just mean her house or his house? Oh shit, she was in trouble now.
* * * *
Paula stared at her reflection in the mirror. He was out there. He hadn’t participated in any of the rooms like he normally did, just showed up at the end of her shift and waited. Jazz offered him a beer. He declined and had a bottle of water. She plucked out her cell phone, texting Lila, hoping to God she wasn’t waking her.
He’s here. Didn’t participate in any rooms. I think I agreed to something I shouldn’t have. She sent the message and waited. She would give Lila two minutes and give up. If she didn’t answer, she was obviously sleeping. Her phone rang to life with the ringtone of the latest, greatest song she loved.
What the fuck?
Paula grunted, her thumbs fast as she responded. Sam and me doing whatever he does! She waited.
It rang. You’re kidding. How the hell?
I don’t know one second he’s kissing me the next I’m nodding head like idiot.
LOL that is funny shit. Have fun, tell him not too tight. Delicate skin you have.
Paula groaned. Lila just had to remind her how delicate she was. She grunted. Thanks, hoebag, she responded, closing her cell and letting it slip into her purse.
Sam watched her cross the room. She looked like a little scared calf ready to be taken to the slaughterhouse. Jazz slid a shot her way. “Need a drink, sugar? You look like someone died, or maybe is about to.”
Paula laughed. “Funny, Jazz, real funny,” she grumbled, picking up the shooter. “You, soon, if you don’t watch yourself,” she uttered under her breath, slugging back the sweet, thick, creamy shot. Mmm, strawberry tequila, her favourite.
Jazz watched her circle the bar and stop in front of Sam. His eyebrows rose. Shit, she had finally given in. He shot Sam a “great job finally hooking her” look. Then he furrowed his brows. “Paula…may I say a word?”
Paula glanced at him, frowning. “Okay?”
Jazz looked at Sam then at Paula. Had she told Sam of her condition? He shook his head. It wasn’t his place. She needed to trust Sam in order for him to do the things he wanted to do to her. The only way she could do that was to have confidence in him. To be truthful and open about everything. Including her condition. “He’ll take care of you,” he assured.
Sam chewed his lower lip. He was missing something here. That was not what Jazz was going to say. He knew it wasn’t. Did Jazz know something he didn’t?
Paula nodded, sliding the empty shot glass at him. “Thank you, Jazz… See you tomorrow night.” She glanced at Sam. Her heart fluttered. She couldn’t believe she was doing this.
Sam held the door to his truck open for her. She glanced at her car then hopped in. It would be safe here.
Sam’s gaze darted to hers when he started the engine. “Your call, Paula. Your place or mine?” he asked, voice soft and husky.
She liked his voice. Would he settle for just sitting here, talking to her? She flushed. Of course he wouldn’t. She swallowed nervously, eyes darting to his.
“Yours,” she whispered, inhaling a steady breath. She clasped her hands in her lap to stop them from shaking. Shit, why was she so nervous? She had spent the last year standing up to this man and irking him every chance she could. Oh shit, and she was handing her body over to him.
Sam saw the panic enter her eyes. He reached out, cupping her cheek. “Paula…nothing happens unless you say so,” he assured.
Her eyes met his and she could see the sincerity there. She gave a hesitant nod.
Sam considered her for a moment, thumb caressing her round cheek. Tonight they would just touch on the lifestyle. He wouldn’t push her. She obviously needed time to adjust.
Chapter Three
Paula stared at the tall home. How many times had she driven by this place on the way home and wanted to see the inside of it? It was so unique, nothing similar to it in the area. It was three stories, the middle level solid glass all the way around but tinted dark enough that you couldn’t actually see anything inside of it. The lower level was stainless steel and looked slick to the eye. The top level was sloped with solar panels on the roof and high, arched windows. She loved this place.
“You live here?” she mumbled, stepping out, looking at the place.
Sam smirked. “Nope, I live in the garage,” he teased.
Paula shot him a look. He chuckled. It rumbled from deep in his chest and touched her intimately. She looked at the well-manicured front yard. Splashes of well-placed spotlights lit it up nicely. Her eyes widened at the exotic flower in the line of one light. “Oh my God, that isn’t a…” Her hand covered her mouth and her feet moved on their own, heading straight for the flower.
Sam smiled, hand clasping her elbow. “Careful. I have trip wires to set off alarms and the lights to flash real bright.”
Paula stopped and stared at him in awe. Was he serious? Then the laughter entered his gray eyes and she smacked him. “That’s not funny! You have any idea how rare those flowers are? My mother used to take me to see them in the woods,” she uttered, watching her step as she entered his yard, crossing the grass and crouching in front of the flower.
Her mouth widened in a smile. “Oh fuck, it’s pink,” she whispered, reaching out to touch it, hand ceasing as she neared. Her heart wept. One of the last things she had done with her mother before she died was pick flowers.
Sam crouched next to her. “I have another in the backyard. I like these ones. I’m working on a hybrid species of them,” he divulged, taking hold of her hand and leading it to touch the soft petals.
Paula looked at him, hope in her eyes. He would actually let her touch his flower? She whimpered, hadn’t meant to, but her mother had told her how delicate they were.
“They grow wild on the reservation,” he whispered, giving her hand control to caress the soft petals.
Paula smiled, releasing a soft laugh. “Mom never let me touch them. Said I would kill them,” she whispered.
Sam nodded. “Normally touching them would kill them. Very delicate species.”
She looked at the flower. She and her mother were like this flower, delicate. She pulled her hand back. She should tell him. Would he tell her to go home? He wouldn’t want to be with her if he knew how delicate she was.
His heat surrounded h
er. His male scent filled her nostrils and her pussy came to life. She bit her lower lip and scrunched her bows. She had to tell him. He would eventually find out when she was naked, see all the needle marks. She cringed and stood.
Sam glanced up at her. Someone was having some heavy thoughts. “Want to see the backyard, Paula? Much nicer.” He took her hand and led her to the side gate.
Paula stared in awe at the secret garden that was his backyard. “How did you get all these exotic plants here?” She stepped past him on the worn path. She wondered how long it had taken him to make the path. She smiled. That dirt path alone brought back so many memories. She glanced at him. “Mom and I used to run barefoot at the farm. Daddy always teased us and called us black-foots.”
Sam smiled, kneeling. “Here, lets relive a little of our youth,” he suggested, loosening the laces of her sneakers. Paula giggled, allowing him to remove her feet from the sneakers and bright orange socks. Sam smiled at the socks. He was sure he was blind now.
Paula watched in awe as he removed his black cowboy boots, followed by his black socks. He placed their footwear on the deck and led her through the little jungle. Paula giggled when she spotted the tree house. “Your nephews play here?” she asked, having to get on her knees to get below the low-hanging branches. She peeked into the house. “Ah, look at that. It even has table and chairs,” she squealed. She wished she was small again.
Sam chuckled, crawling around the building. “Come to this side, Paula,” he called. Paula followed, laughing when she peeked into the window. It was a mini bedroom. “My neighbor has a daughter. Little scamp snuck over and fell asleep in here. Her parents were so scared. We were all out searching for her. My sister brought the boys here and they found her asleep in here. The boys insisted I build her a bed to sleep on.”
Paula released a long, low “awww.”
Sam smiled. “There’s a sensor on the mattress. When she lays on it, a red light will turn on. Her mother can see it from her kitchen window.”
Paula looked at him. “You’re fine with your neighbor kid coming over and sleeping here?”
Sam shrugged. “Hey, if she feels safe here, she feels safe. As long as her mother is okay with it, I don’t care. Little Jo doesn’t bother anything else, just comes here and sleeps.” He squeezed past her to leave the area.
Paula looked back at the bed, touching the glass on the window. He had even put blankets on the bed and stuffies, a heart-shaped pillow, and everything was pink and purple. Her heart softened. This was a side she didn’t realize Sam had.
When she finally came out of the hiding area, she found him sitting on the bottom step of his deck, glass of water in his hand. He handed her one. She took it, sitting next to him. He pointed across the yard. She smiled. He hadn’t lied. There was another flower. “So you’re a botanist?”
He shook his head. “Just dabble in it, took some classes in college.”
She furrowed her brow. “Mechanic won?”
Sam shook his head. “Sexual education won. I only took the other classes because I was interested in the process of how things worked.”
Paula laughed. “I went to college to ensure I had a paycheck. Sometimes I think I made the wrong choice.”
He laughed. “Lot of people think the same way. Did you take any other classes just for the heck of it?”
Paula laughed. “Yeah, I took physical education. They kicked me out the third time I broke my arm, said it wasn’t for my type.”
Sam chuckled.
“Oh, I did take culinary! That was fun. I gained thirty pounds in the first semester. My teacher threatened to kick me out of that, too.”
Sam laughed. “Let me guess, you gave him a one-two and he shut the fuck up?”
Paula laughed, slapping his leg. “No, I would never have done that to him. He was scary. Chefs, you don’t mess around with them,” she warned.
Sam nodded. “Yes, I learned that at an early age when I continually stole my mother’s ingredients to do science experiments.”
Paula laughed. “Little mini scientist. Were you evil or trying to find the cure for the common cold?”
Sam grinned, taking a swig of water. “I was actually trying to figure out a way to make water safer to drink.” He glanced at her. “I was focusing on the wrong problem. It wasn’t the water that needed fixing. It was the pipes carrying the water.”
Paula frowned. “And how did you come to that conclusion?”
Sam smiled. “My father asked me what I was doing, nodded as I explained, then said we needed to take a walk.” His smile grew wider, his perfect white teeth flashing in the dim light. “He took me to where the water entered the pipes. He asked me to observe the area. I did, even took notes. Then he took me to the house and turned the tap on, and asked what was wrong.” Paula nodded, waiting for him to finish.
He met her gaze. “The water was coming out brown. I couldn’t figure it out. Jared had mentioned rust, had said the water looked like rust.” He smiled. “We decided the pipes were bad. We also got our introduction to digging up ditches that summer.”
Paula laughed. “Your dad made you dig up the pipes?” Her eyes danced with laughter.
Sam shook his head. “No, he asked if we wanted to see if it was the pipes that were making the water rusty-looking. It would be our only chance to dig up something big like that without Momma spanking us for it.”
Paula burst out in laughter. “That’s too funny. I like your mom,” she declared.
Sam raised an eyebrow. When had she met his mother?
Paula glanced back at the house. “Are you going to show me this place? I drive by here every day,” she revealed, standing.
Sam led her through the main floor, listening to her as she babbled about this and that. She raced up the second floor and squealed out at the view. No wonder she couldn’t see anything up here. There was nothing except a solid, rounded wall in the middle of the whole upper floor. Obviously a room was in there. She raced around the room till she found the door and pulled it open.
Her heart leapt at the sight. Her mouth went dry and she shivered. It was a dungeon!
Sam leaned against the doorjamb as she went about the room. Her eyes went wide at the St. Andrew’s cross at the back of the room. She let her fingers slide across the spanking bench and made a circle around the swing, touching the riggings. Her fingers were shaking.
Paula swallowed nervously as she made her way around the room. It was dark here. The walls were actually stone, a beautiful gray slate, and the floor was cushioned. His equipment was top-of-the-line and in excellent condition. She would know. It was her job to know.
She laid a hand on her heaving breasts. She couldn’t do this. She couldn’t let him strap her down and spank her, flog her.
Sam crossed the room as she slowly turned red in the face and her chest rose rapidly. “Paula, nothing happens unless you say so.” He cupped her face and made her look him in the eyes. “Absolutely nothing, till you say so,” he repeated slowly and watched as she slowly calmed. Her eyes closed and when they opened, tears welled in them.
Chapter Four
“I want to go home,” she whispered. Big tears rolled down her cheeks. Sam wiped them away.
He led her from the room. He shouldn’t have let her up here. He led her back downstairs. “There, away from the room,” he whispered, hugging her close. Shit, he hadn’t realized how afraid she was. He had thought she was interested, the way she had watched him with the others. He had seen the longing in her green eyes, the way they darkened. He rubbed her back.
She shook her head, cringing. “I want to go home, Samuel,” she ordered, more firmly than she had upstairs.
He looked at her. Did he actually repulse her? That was the look on her face. That and…was that hurt? “Paula, we need to talk about this. If that’s not what you want…”
Paula broke out in sobs. How could he say that? She wanted this more than anything! She pulled from his grasp and headed blindly back toward the back
door. He had left her shoes on the deck. She would walk home. She only lived a block away. She could make it.
Sam stalked after her. “Paula!”
She wiped away the stupid tears and sniffled. She couldn’t believe she had made it here just to chicken out and run like a big baby.
He grabbed her shoulder when she reached the patio doors. She cried out as volts of sharp, barbed pain shot through her. She stumbled, falling to the floor.
Shock ripped through Sam. Holy fuck, he’d hurt her! He knelt, trying to help her up. She swatted at his hands. Confusion reared through him. What the hell was she doing? Why was she fighting him?
“Get away from me!” she cried as more pain seared her flesh.
He growled. “Jesus, Paula, let me help you up!” he bellowed. Panic hit him when she wound her arm and aimed to punch him right in the face, and then turned deathly pale and flopped back and smacked her head of the leg of a chair.
* * * *
Jared groaned at the ringing phone, glancing at the clock. “That’s gotta be for you,” he mumbled, handing the phone to her.
Lila groaned. “You said you would pick her up.” She ambled away from him, finding a new comfort spot.
Jared grunted. “Hello…” he answered sleepily.
“Jar, Sam here. Can I talk to Lila please?”
Jared was instantly awake. “What happened?” he demanded, panic seizing him at the choked sound Sam made. He had Paula. Had something happened? Had she gotten hurt?
“Need to talk to Lila, please,” he demanded.
Jared nudged Lila. “Sam, he sounds panicked.” He handed her the phone.
Lila was instantly awake. Sam had Paula. Had she told him about her condition? “Sam?” she murmured.
“What the hell is wrong with Paula? I’m headed to the hospital now. She freaked out, fell, went to punch me in the face, turned pale, and passed out. Hit her head on the leg of the chair and blood was everywhere. What the hell?”
Lila gasped, struggling to sit. Jared helped her to a sitting position. “We’ll be there soon. You have her purse?”
