by Anthology
“Let me have those, Susan.” His voice was firm, rich and smooth. Every time he spoke she thought of a dark coffee blend that filled her senses with warmth and lifted her spirits first thing in the morning.
She stared up at him from her kneeling position. His expectant gaze and forceful tone sent a shiver down her spine rekindling an urge Susan had shunned years ago. The desire to hand him the files with an accompanying statement of Thank you, Sir was almost impossible to resist—Almost.
“Thank you” She handed him the files with trembling hands and then stared at his outstretched hand.
God, what did she do now? Twelve weeks working for Dean and Thompson Associates and she’d managed to successfully avoid this moment. Just being in the same room as him caused her to nearly dissolve in a pool of arousal, what would his touch do to her? She tried to think of an excuse so she wouldn’t have to. Nothing came to mind. He cleared his throat impatiently, his stare changing from an expectant request to a silent command.
Susan tentatively reached her hand toward his, deciding if she moaned or showed any sign of her arousal when they touched she was going home to kill herself. The embarrassment just wouldn’t be worth returning to work. As she grasped his hand and he assisted her to stand, she stifled a groan. Susan decided a groan was better than a moan because at least she could explain it away on stiff joints or some other lie.
Blake silently moved her toward the table before he let go of her hand.
“Stay there.” He instructed as he placed the files down and then moved out of her line of vision. “Okay, it’s safe to sit down. I’ve got the wayward chair under control for you.”
Susan felt leather touch the back of her knees and sat as he pushed the seat in toward the desk. She didn’t know how on earth she managed to let the chair slip out from underneath her when she’d tried to sit before. The damn thing didn’t even have wheels on its base.
“Thank you, Blake,” Her polite, softly spoken response elicited a contented smile from him before he returned to his seat.
Susan hoped everyone would assume the redness in her face was due to the fall and not the fact Blake had been in such close proximity. God, she felt like a school girl with a crush on one of the popular boys, instead of a thirty-five-year-old woman working for a prestigious law firm. Taking a deep breath, she exhaled slowly. At least she was secured in place now, and if she didn’t look across the table at Blake as she took the minutes, she should make it through the meeting without incident.
At least, that was her plan.
Toward the end of the meeting the request for her relocation within the office structure sent a wave of panic surging through her. Her mouth dried instantly and she reached for the glass of water that sat in front of her. At least she didn’t spill it. However, the fact she choked on the first mouthful, spraying her brother with the liquid as she coughed and tried to catch her breath wasn’t her best moment.
“I take it the spray of water indicates you may have issues working directly with Blake until he hires a new legal assistant.” Her brother raised a questioning eyebrow as he wiped the water from his face.
“No not at all. It’s…I’m just—” Susan’s stammering attempt at a response was cut short.
“Having a clumsy day.” Blake’s voice was laced with amusement. “I think I’m going to enjoy having you under me, Susan. We’ll make an excellent team.”
Susan gulped, then cleared her throat in an attempt to counter the fact she was suddenly unable to speak, she smiled and nodded as an alternative. Visions of being under Blake filled her mind, but they had nothing to do with work.
“So it’s settled.” John stated. “Susan, you can move desks today, brief the temp from the agency who will take over your receptionist role and then, as of tomorrow, you’ll belong to Blake until further notice.”
Belong to him…wait a minute…
“Meeting closed.” Her brother’s voice barely registered as her mind stalled on the belonging to Blake statement.
Susan remained seated as the room cleared, everyone scurrying off to their designated roles. She slowly gathered her items and attempted to gather her thoughts as well. Talk about having a bombshell dropped on her. How was she going to do this? They’d be working together everyday, probably some evenings. She didn’t cope when she saw him around the office on an occasional basis— how was she going to work with him exclusively? The sight of him made her mind go blank, her body flare with arousal, and every word in her vocabulary disappear. Well, not every word she could articulate tiny sentences and utter gibberish. By the time Blake found a new assistant she would have either resigned or be dead from continual horniness.
Can you die from being overly aroused? I guess I’ll find out soon enough.
Susan rested her head in her hands and willed the sudden onset tension headache away. She hoped Blake was prepared for an assistant that constantly fumbled, blundered, and generally messed-up everything she touched, because that’s what he turned her into—a walking disaster area.
“Are you sure you’re alright with this move?” She looked up to see her brother sitting back down across the table from her.
Susan didn’t know whether to be grateful for the opportunity to work as a legal assistant or punch John in the face. Her stomach knotted as she swallowed her annoyance at him.
“Why can’t the temp do it?” Susan asked matter-of-factly, refraining from adding a winey why me at the end of her question.
“The temp doesn’t have legal experience, you do. In fact, you’re underutilized in this firm and you know it. When I agreed to give you the job I assumed that, at some point, you’d realize that and go looking for a position that was more suited to your skill set. Instead you seem happy to just sit at the reception desk and waste away.” John’s expression was serious. “Consider me allowing Blake to claim you as his own, a little push in the right direction to get your career back on track.”
Susan gazed at her brother suspiciously. Why was he using the term claimed in relation to this role change? It didn’t make sense. As her big, protective brother he knew her history with men. Knew she’d once been active in the BDSM scene. That she’d had a dominant and been a submissive. She’d never hidden the fact and John had always been supportive of her choices. He also knew she’d walked away from it all and the reason why.
“I don’t want my career back and I don’t want to be claimed by anyone, especially Blake Daniels. It’s not the middle ages you know,” She snapped.
John eased back casually in his seat, a wry smile on his face. He looked smug, and Susan hated when he got that look. Like he knew something she didn’t.
“That’s not what the Susan I knew fifteen years ago would have said. There was a time when you delighted in being not only claimed, but chained as well. So, if Blake asks you out I suggest you say yes. Who knows, you might end up with a life as well as a career.”
“John!” The word snapped from her lips as shock registered over his statement.
He’d chosen the word intentionally and the smug look he’d given definitely meant he knew something she didn’t. Well if she was honest with herself she did know. Blake Daniels was a Dominant. There was no other explanation.
“He likes you, you know.” John looked at her cautiously. “He asked me after your welcome home party if I’d object to him taking you out to dinner, and he checked again after you started working here.”
“I beg your pardon.” Susan tried to sound offended. “You might be my brother, but as head of this firm you shouldn’t be encouraging partners to date the office workers. Anyway, he hasn’t asked me out and I doubt he will. Besides, it’s totally inappropriate.”
Until Blake had smiled at her during the meeting and said they’d make a good team he hadn’t shown the slightest interest in her. Well, except for that one fateful encounter when he drove her home from Rubens. If he had been interested in dating her at one time that had changed, probably due to her clumsy, inept behavior wheneve
r he was near. Since she started at the firm, he spoke to her when he had to, it was always work related and he never tried to engage her in anything other than that. They weren’t the actions of a man interested in dating a woman. Maybe he’d been joking and John had misunderstood, or maybe he’d just been toying with a frumpy old divorcee and she’d misunderstood.
“In this instance I’m willing to overlook anything that might develop between the two of you.” Her brother’s face filled with concern. “If I thought you weren’t interested I would have told him no, but I think he might be good for you and I know that both of you will keep anything…discreet.”
“What makes you think I’m interested in Blake Daniels?” Susan scoffed.
The fact she was interested didn’t matter. After her divorce Susan had determined she would never again allow a man any sort of influence over her life. Yes, she might find Blake attractive and get flustered around him because of that attraction, but that didn’t mean she was interested in pursuing a relationship.
“He makes you blush when he enters the room. You have clumsy days when you have to deal with him and you avoid eye contact with the man. I might not have seen you around men for a few years, Susan, but I remember the signs of you being attracted to someone.” He sent her a cheeky smile which only made her glare at him angrily.
She’d only ever told two men what the signs were that she was sexually interested in someone. Until now John had never used that information against her, never spoken of it. Unlike her ex-husband who continually monitored her for every nervous action or flush of color to her face when she was around other men.
“Why are you doing this, John?” She stared furiously across the desk. Her brother had never been the sort of man to interfere in her life and she had no idea why he was starting now.
“I miss my sister and I want her back.” The concerned pause in his answer was met with silence on her part. “I don’t know what your husband did to you. I accept that you don’t want to talk about it, but you’re different now. You used to be vibrant, fun, happy, confident. Now…”
“People get older and change, John. I’m just not as young as I used to be.” She gathered her things together and stood. She was not having this conversation with her brother any more.
“That’s bullshit, Sue. And you know it.” He rounded the table and intercepted her. “You’re thirty-five for God sake, that’s not old. Whatever your ex-husband took from you, you need to take it back. If Blake can help with that then why not let him.”
Her day had turned into one from the pit of hell. Humiliation at the meeting, being given to Blake without consultation, and now her brother bringing up topics she wanted left buried. Life changed a person, end of story.
“You don’t know what you’re talking about. And I’d appreciate you minding your own business when it comes to me and men.” Susan pushed passed John and headed out of the room.
She hated when her brother was right. It had irked her when she was young and it irritated her just as much now. Her husband, Grant Webster, had taken something from her. A lot of something’s actually.
His jealous rages everytime she looked even slightly flushed near a man made her steer clear of social settings where she could meet someone of the opposite sex. His constant criticism of her appearance had undermined her self confidence. He didn’t want her to dress like a whore, something he accused her of if she’d tried to look even a little bit feminine and sexy. Now she wore clothes that covered her body, that didn’t cling, that hid her curves. Finally, he’d taken any dignity and pride she had left when he walked out on her, parading the mistress he’d kept secret for the last five years around their small community and flaunting that she was the only woman he’d ever loved. The humiliation was too much to bear. That’s when Susan called John and asked if she could come and stay until the divorce was finalized.
John was right, she had changed. She’d lost herself. She had no idea who she was anymore and no-one could give that back to her. Not even Blake Daniels. Even if by some miracle he did want to date her, it wasn’t worth the heartache. Once he got to see she was an insecure mess he’d lose interest. If that didn’t do it, then her sagging double D’s and the caesarian scar on her stomach would seal the deal.
Susan carried the few personal items into her new work space. The door leading into Blake’s office was closed, but she could hear him talking. Sitting down and starting the computer, she placed her coffee mug and coaster on the desk, positioned the cylindrical metal container that housed the collection of charity pens she liked to use within easy reach, and popped her bag in the empty bottom drawer of the desk.
“Let me know when you’re ready to move your gear in here and I’ll give you a hand.” Susan startled as Blake’s voice sounded behind her.
“Thanks for the offer but I’ve already moved everything.” She watched the computer screen as the desktop icons appeared in rapid succession. If she didn’t face him then she might be able to maintain a conversation.
“Good, then get your coat and bag because we’re going out on a lunch date.” She spun around in the chair to face him.
“What…Why?” The shock was clearly evident in her voice and she couldn’t understand why he chuckled when he looked at her.
He walked over and placed his hands on either arm of her office chair. Susan leaned back and stared into his eyes as he leaned in closer.
“What…would be, lunch…you and me. Why…would be, because I’ve waited over three months for you to feel more comfortable around me, so we can finish what we started the night I found you at Rubens and I’ve grown impatient. It’s time to address what makes you so flighty around me, Susan Dean, and we’re going to do it over lunch.”
3
Blake waited patiently as the waiter cleaned up yet another mess from the table. This time Susan had not only managed to spill her wine, she’d accomplished shattering the goblet during the process. Their table edged closer to resembling the scene of a blood bath rather than a pleasant dining setting, the choice of red wine a clear error in judgment on his part.
“So what’s the tally now?” He asked with a smile as Susan quickly placed her hand over the glass the waiter returned with and was about to fill. A quick shake of her head had the waiter nodding before retreating to safety.
“Two glasses of water, your wine once, mine twice.” She smoothed her hands down the napkin, now hanging from the front of her blouse like a bib. “Three missed mouthfuls of food, most of it on me, some on the floor. And there are two forks and one knife somewhere under the table. That’s about it I think.”
She was completely adorable sitting across from him trying to contain her nerves and failing miserably at it. He’d waited long enough though, being around her, keeping his distance and giving her time to become accustomed to his presence hadn’t worked. He needed to force the issue and if the destruction of a table cloth was an unwitting victim in all this, then so be it.
“And yet you managed to list everything without stumbling over your words once. I’d call that progress.” Blake chuckled.
For the first time since he’d met her Susan appeared to relax. She eased back in the chair, her shoulders lowering a fraction, a short sigh of relief escaping her lips. Then she smiled at him and it was breathtaking.
“Pretty messy progress.” Susan laughed as she gestured toward the table, narrowly missing the clean wine goblet. She quickly placed her hands in her lap. “I still don’t think the two of us working together is a good idea and I don’t understand what this lunch is all about. Unless it’s because you enjoy watching me create chaos.”
“Actually I’m more interested in why the chaos only occurs when I’m around.” Blake watched color fill her cheeks. She was gorgeous when she blushed like that.
Susan pulled the napkin from her shirt and began to fidget nervously with it. He was happy to wait for her to answer. He realized she could go either of two ways. Decide she could trust him with the truth or give a
flippant response in the hope he’d change the topic. Blake wanted the truth and prayed, despite their limited time together, that Susan trusted him enough to provide it.
“It’s not just you. It has happened with others…other men.” Blake wasn’t sure he liked the thought of her reacting this way around other men, but at least it confirmed his suspicions. Susan was attracted to him. Blushing, nipple hardening, accelerated breathing, lip licking, attracted to him. And they were just the signs he could see without touching her.
He hardened beneath his pants as he thought of what else could be happening underneath her clothes. Was the flush of color confined to her face or did it spread down over her skin, her breasts? Just as it had done the night he’d met her at Ruben’s? Did her breasts ache for his touch? And what would those tight little buds feel like as he sucked them into his mouth? How moist would she be if he slipped his hand beneath her panties and slide his fingers between her lower lips?
Patience man… patience.
If nothing else, spending time at the restaurant accomplished one thing. The conversation between them no longer seemed stilted. Her verbal responses to him were becoming more fluent and relaxed. Still, he wasn’t sure whether the next topic of conversation would change all that.
“So tell me about before you were married, I want to hear about when you were a sub.” He tried not to smile as a look of surprise filled her face. “Close your mouth, sweetheart. It’s prompting impure ideas about what to do with you.”
The thought of her kneeling before him, like she had been in the meeting, filled his mind. Except he’d have her naked, hands tied behind her, her mouth open ready to receive his cock.
“How did you…? Oh, I am going to kill my brother.” A frown creased her forehead. “It’s none of your business what I did in my twenties. John had no right to mention it.”
