by Riley Murphy
She groaned.
Then a few minutes later she reluctantly went down to Tia’s. Not that she wanted to eat at the moment, but Rene wanted her to, so she would. As she walked by a bustling Santo’s restaurant she stopped at the door and searched through the glass front to see if Rene was right. Did some of the guys from the office eat down here? She’d never been asked, which wasn’t so strange. She and Michael had a reputation for being workaholics so they’d probably skipped the invite knowing that the dynamic duo, or so they’d been dubbed, would decline. Finding no one she knew at first glance, she’d just turned away when that familiar laugh made her swing around and take a second look.
Yep, right in the very far corner a group of people from the office sat drinking their coffees. Lunch for them had been over some time ago, as most of their plates had been cleared. In fact, two of the women were enjoying dessert, which was all good, except there at the head of the table, looking very comfortable and very relaxed, was Michael.
And although she told herself, as she picked up a Cobb salad and headed back upstairs, it was better that he hadn’t invited her, she still felt left out. No, it was better to keep some distance between them, at least for now. Something was bugging her though. Something about the way he sat at the head of the table. Like a grand master presiding over a parade. Why hadn’t she noticed this kind of arrogance from him before?
At close to two o’clock she was debating on whether to press send or not. She read her text back.
After I came that night in the maze, you told me I was a good girl and deserved a reward because I pleased you. You slipped two fingers inside me and found my G-spot. You drove me wild, over and over again until I begged you to let me come again.
Should she send it? She closed her eyes and bit her lip. It was… Her eyes popped opened. Screw it. She pressed send and tossed her stupid phone on the desk. All this remembering those old times was really getting the best of—
Buzz.
She frowned and snatched it up.
That’s fifty-one words, Alexis. Redo it the way I want it done.
“Dammit.” Her face flushed and she swallowed. In her worry over whether to send or not she’d forgotten to check the word count. Her hands shook as she typed one word.
Sorry.
She stuffed her hair behind her ears and redid the message without the “again” attached. When her phone buzzed a minute later she was almost afraid to look.
Good girl.
A heady rush of euphoria swept through her and she wasn’t surprised. Didn’t she always want to be Rene’s good girl? Even after what he’d done, she still ached to do what he told her to do. She desperately wanted the freedom of not being in control, but she had to remind herself that she couldn’t trust him anymore, no matter how much she wanted to.
At three o’clock she stopped working and sent her next text.
The night in my front hall, when you ordered me to strip and get down on my knees in front of you. You fisted my hair and asked me if I wanted your cock in my mouth. You made me say the words. I want your cock in my mouth.
Hot and familiar tingles prickled her breasts and the sweet spot between her legs. She shifted in her seat, trying hard to stay focused on work, but her mind wandered as scintillating visuals hounded her.
Buzz.
She checked the text.
You don’t mind saying those words, do you? Because you love kneeling at my feet. You crave my cock between your lips…all your lips. Don’t you?
There was no hesitation on her part and she knew why. He’d finally reached in deep enough and somehow managed to stroke a part of her she couldn’t turn off. The piece of her that belonged to him in some unseen way. The girl who wanted to please him no matter how mad she was at him. With an excited shiver she answered him in a way that would make him happy.
Yes. I love kneeling between your legs and sucking your cock. I do crave you inside me.
She hadn’t put her cell down, so when it buzzed she read his message, That makes me happy, little one, and a liquid pool of desire gushed right over that sweet spot, soaking her panties as she pressed her legs together.
Four o’clock arrived and she was dying to send this text, which was inspired by the recollections of the last one.
The afternoon on the couch at your house. When you played with me for far too long until I cried and begged you to fuck me for the first time and you did. You whispered in my ear, “I want to feel you as I go all the way in”.
She waited for him to answer back. But when he didn’t, she went through her messages until she realized the only two times he responded was once to correct her and the other time was when she mentioned something she did to him that turned her on. Now she was dying to see if she could get him to respond to her next time. She could barely wait until five.
At quarter to five her cell went off. She read his directive to change, send her last text to him at five and then leave work at five fifteen and go to Morelly’s for a drink. She hadn’t met him after work at a bar since they’d had their fight. She was actually looking forward to it and since she’d had the foresight to change earlier, she had nothing to do until five but work out her last text to him.
She knew she wanted to text him about the night he made his deepest desire known. An admission or rather an action that sparked something to life inside her. At first she’d thought it was silly. Playful. But then when he was done a chord was stuck and she knew there was nothing funny about what she was left feeling.
It happened the night she was preparing to leave on her first business trip away. This had been the first time since they’d been together that she was going to unfamiliar surroundings while Rene stayed at home. He talked at length about expectations and schedules and when he’d finished he’d stripped her naked and had her lie on his bed.
He’d stroked her from head to toe. Heating her up until she was ready to do anything for him.
“You know this trip is different from when I travel and we’re apart because I can’t leave you safely in my bed. In my condo. Sleeping with my things. You’ll be on your own, so I need to give you a small reminder of me, don’t I?”
He always knew where to touch her to get her to agree. That night had been no exception. He’d gone straight for her neck. Right to the soft spot below her ear as he licked and bit her.
“Yes, please.”
“But you have such beautiful skin. So white and soft and smooth.” He’d leaned over and collected the permanent black marker off his nightstand. When he’d uncapped it, it had made a popping noise she recalled. “It’s a shame I have to mar this beautiful landscape.”
He’d slid down low in the bed and spread her legs. “Stay still, Alexis. Hold your breath for me.”
She’d done it. She’d let him write words on the inside of her right leg first.
“You can breathe now.”
She had, but then he instructed her to hold her breath again as he wrote on the inside of her left leg.
When he was done he said, “There.” He’d kissed each of her thighs and then nipped and sucked his way to her center, paying some serious attention there until she’d violently come.
Quivering, she asked, “What did you write?”
“Owned by Rene Tanner.”
The kiss he’d given her then had branded her as surely as his words had. “Rene.”
“When you go to bed at night, I want you to place your palms over those words. I want you to remember their meaning. In the dark before you fall asleep I want you to say them aloud three times. Do you understand?”
Just recalling that night, her heart pounded. She licked her lips and checked the time. Five o’clock sharp. With shaking hands she sent her last text to him.
The night before I left to go on my first business trip away from you, you wrote on me with permanent black magic marker. The words you used and the place you put them took my breath away. Between my legs you wrote, Owned by Rene Tanner.
Rene rep
lied, Text those last four words to me again.
Owned by Rene Tanner.
Again.
Owned by Rene Tanner.
Again.
Owned by Rene Tanner.
She had to fan herself, but when she was sure he wasn’t going to text back, she left instructions with her secretary and then made the trek over to Michael’s office.
Chapter Three
“Jennifer, will you tell Michael I had to leave early tonight? If he needs me he can call my cell.”
Jenny blinked and nearly knocked over the stack of papers on her desk. “Yes. I’ll tell him.”
“Great.”
“Ms. Tanner?”
Alexis turned back and found Jennifer standing with her hand outstretched.
“He left this for you.”
Frowning, she accepted the small sealed envelope and asked, “Why didn’t he come by my office? It’s not a very long hallway.”
Jennifer shrugged. “I told him I’d take it to you, but he said no. So…?” She shrugged again and sat down. Without another word she returned to typing on her keyboard.
Alexis shoved her purse under her arm and tore open the envelope as she made her way to the elevator. She half expected it to be an “I’m sorry, it will never happen again” notecard. Unfortunately, it wasn’t a card at all. Just one piece of paper that read, I am not sorry.
Under normal circumstances she probably would have taken more of an exception with the sentiment, but right now she figured she was feeling sorry enough for the two of them, so she’d let it go. He had to know that there was no way she’d ever consider anything between them. She was a married woman. And even if she and Rene couldn’t work all this out, she didn’t look at Michael that way. Once she told him, he’d understand. He’d have to understand.
When she got to Morelly’s she checked her coat and walked into the busy lounge, not stopping but going directly to the bar. Whenever she met Rene she always waited for him at the stools. She ordered a ginger ale and looked around.
Did she imagine it or were these after-office crowds getting younger? She took a sip of her soda and scanned the other side of the room. Nope, no imagining about it. Some of these children didn’t look old enough to drink, let alone be wearing thousand-dollar suits.
“Hello.”
She half expected it to be Rene, but it wasn’t. The guy who shouldered in next to her was chunky and blond. “Hi.”
“Would you like another drink?”
Looking down at her three-quarter-full glass, she shook her head. “No thanks. I’m waiting for someone.”
He smiled. “Aren’t we all?”
She was just about to say she didn’t think so, but then she spied Diane, one of the team members from work, and she seized the opportunity to escape.
“Diane?”
“Alexis. I didn’t know you were coming.”
Alex looked at blondie and shrugged. “Gotta go.”
She hopped off the stool and grabbed her drink.
Diane motioned. “We’re over here in one of the booths.”
She was happy to follow as she figured she could keep an eye out for Rene from a booth just as easily.
“Alexis!” John Woo, the VP of accounting, half stood, hindered by the tabletop. “It’s great to see you. You just missed Michael.”
“Thanks. I did? How are you?” She smiled, and then turned to the two other people seated at the table. She recognized them from accounting but had never been formally introduced. “Hello, I’m Alexis Tanner.”
One of the guys stood and offered her his seat, asking, “Tanner? Tanner as in Tanner Tools, Tanner?”
She nodded. The poor guy looked as if someone had shit in his ice cream. She was used to this type of reaction. A lot of people hated to hang with the owner’s wife. That’s what she always found so refreshing about Michael. He didn’t seem to care.
For a full hour, Alexis sat with the group, trying to follow the conversation while at the same time keeping an eye on the door. After another half an hour passed, and she realized Rene wasn’t going to show, her heart sank and she made her excuses.
At the coat check her phone rang. Thinking it was Rene, she didn’t look at the caller ID, just answered, “Where are you?”
“Sitting at your desk. Where are you?”
“Michael?”
“Yes, were you expecting someone else?”
She accepted her coat from the girl and walked toward the entrance. “I thought you were Rene. He was supposed to meet me at Morelly’s.”
“You’re there? I must have just missed you.”
“Sure, about an hour and a half ago. And hey, what was with lunch today? I saw you down at Santo’s eating. Don’t I rate an invite?” She figured if she behaved as normal as possible, maybe he wouldn’t bring up anything uncomfortable.
“Why didn’t you come to me?”
“I didn’t join you and the gang because I was busy. Doing ‘our’ work.” That off-the-cuff comment was met with silence. Gee, she sounded kind of bitchy. Taking a deep breath, she held it for a second then let it go. “Sorry. What’s up?”
“I need your help.”
After he explained about the problem he was having, Alexis told him she’d be to the office early in the morning to give him a hand.
“That will be fine. Now, did you say you’re meeting with Rene? Why?”
Alexis shrugged into her coat, switching her phone from one hand to the other. “Why what? He is my husband.” She thought now was the perfect time to remind him of that fact.
“He stood you up, didn’t he?”
She didn’t want to answer that. “Look, I’m kind of in the middle of something with him.”
“Al, tell me. Did he stand you up?”
She rolled her eyes. “Yes, but it’s not what you think. It’s complicated.”
She wasn’t about to explain to him the dynamics of her and Rene’s special relationship. She’d come close to admitting it to him months ago. So close that she thought he might have suspected. But suspecting and being told point-blank were two different things. She certainly wasn’t going to start sharing intimate details now. Especially when she hardly understood things herself and Michael was “not sorry” about that kiss. “Look, I’ve got to go.”
“He’s playing you. Tell me, were you looking forward to seeing him there?”
“W-what?” She needed to stall. He always made so much sense and knew things. He’s a guy, he knows the code.
“You better not have been looking forward to seeing him there. If you were, Al, I hope you know that’s exactly what he wanted.”
Alexis denied it and by the time she got off the phone and into her car she really was furious. How dare Rene do this to her? Play on her weakness for him. Make her all hot and expectant and needy. Michael was right about one thing. She’d have to be more careful.
* * * * *
Rene was at his desk working on his laptop when Alex stormed in. She looked awesome. Burnished blonde hair a mass of wavy ribbons around her face. A face that was dominated by stunning green eyes that sparkled over her prettily flushed cheeks. He almost groaned when he saw her pout. Her lips were full at the best of times, but when she pouted the sight was heaven and reminded him of all the hellishly good times he’d had using that mouth for his pleasure.
“Are we even now?”
He eyed her over the rim of his readers. “Even?”
“Yeah, you invite me to Morelly’s and then you’re a no-show. Quid pro quo. Tit-for-tat. And quit doing that with the glasses. You know how much it annoys me.”
Actually he knew how much it turned her on. That’s why he did it, but she looked to be royally pissed at the moment so he took them off and tossed them on the desk. “I didn’t invite you to go to Morelly’s. I told you to go, there’s a difference.”
“Well, I went and being stuck there all by myself some guy tried to pick me up.”
He didn’t doubt that. He let his gaze roam over he
r tight little black dress, which hugged her many curves until he latched onto the spot between her legs and focused all his burning attention there. “Wouldn’t blame him. It was probably the dress that did it. It’s too short.”
She gasped and slammed her purse down to act as barrier between her and his examining eyes. “You don’t even care, do you?”
“The problem is I do care.” He snapped up his readers and paused before he put them back on. “Go get something to eat and then go to bed.”
“Is that an order?”
He took his time sliding the glasses up the bridge of his nose and stared at her over the rims again. “Yes.”
She squared her shoulders and remained standing just like she was, with her purse as a pussy shield and her eyes narrowed on him. This scraped-together bravado of hers was really getting old. He’d thought after their exchange today she would have softened up a little. “If you’re going to stay, lose the purse.”
“I will not.”
Leaning forward, he placed first one forearm flat on the desk and then the other. His shoulders shifted, making his biceps swell and stretch the sleeves of his shirt, testing the seams. It was an intimidating position, even though he was sitting, and he could tell it was getting to her. The pulse at the base of her throat beat faster and more erratically as seconds ticked by. “You will because I said you will.”
For a minute he thought her inner brat was going to win and she’d call his bluff and move the purse. Not that he’d mind. He could think of a lot less desirable things to do than stare at the area of her crotch until she folded.
She glared, and then huffed. “You’re impossible.”
“Make sure you eat something,” he called out as she left and when he heard her affect a deep tone to mock his last command he added, “Don’t push me.”
