by Tia Siren
“Do you want to change?” he asked. “I’ll order us pizza.”
I nodded and walked to the bedroom. It was just like the rest of the place—a lot of brown with very little decoration, a plant that had to be fake given the good condition it was in, and a large bed that would suit someone as large as Luke. The adjacent bathroom had a pile of laundry in the corner without a hamper and an open tube of toothpaste. I smiled and shook my head.
When I emerged from the bedroom, Luke was on the phone with a takeaway menu in front of him. It looked like this happened often. He glanced up at me and froze for a moment, his eyes sliding down my body and back up before locking on mine. I blushed, feeling like I’d been touched with more than just his gaze.
“Yeah, half mushroom, half pepperoni, and a chicken mayo with a stuffed crust. Thanks.”
He hung up a moment later.
“How did you know I like it half and half?” I asked.
Luke rolled his eyes. “I practically grew up with you, remember? I can’t remember how many times Dalton made me order that when I was at your place. Pepperoni and mushroom for you and a vegetarian pizza for Dalton.”
I laughed. “With extra bacon.”
“Because that way you get all the good stuff at a better price than if you add toppings.”
We both laughed, and a pang shot through my chest thinking about Dalton.
“I wish he was here,” I said, looking down. I wanted to cry. My throat was thick.
“Me too,” Luke said. We were silent for a moment.
“What movie do you want to watch tonight?” he asked.
I shrugged. “Whatever. Just not horror.”
He grinned at me. “Yeah, I know.”
“You have a huge television,” I said, turning to the screen.
“Makes for a great experience,” he said. “You can choose a movie over there. I have a few DVDs.”
I walked over to the shelf he gestured at and read the titles.
“Oh my God, you have Ghost?” I asked.
Luke chuckled. “Don’t tell anyone. I have a rep to protect.”
I smiled and turned back to the shelf. I loved Ghost. Patrick Swayze was hot in that retro way, and it was one of my favorite movies of all time. The new stuff was all special effects and crazy actors, but the old movies were great. They had so much heart.
The pizza arrived twenty minutes later, and we settled in front of the television, watching Ghost together. I hadn’t spent this much time alone with Luke ever. I wasn’t surprised to find that he was a nice guy all the time, that the person I’d had a crush on for so long really was genuinely a great guy.
Which meant I was in trouble. Maybe I had to settle for something like this. Maybe I had to give up on my dream of being dominated. But I wasn’t going to give it up for Luke—he wasn’t going to date me—and I doubted I was going to find someone like him out there anyway.
No, I would go to Blush again. One last time, like I’d said I would. If I didn’t find someone then, I would take the hint. But if I did…
Chapter 13
Luke
Spending the night with Alexa had been amazing. She was different than the other women I knew. I’d known her for a long time, but knowing what pizza someone liked and what movies they despised didn’t say anything about who they were on the inside.
And on the inside, Alexa was golden. Which was why I sat through Ghost—the worst movie on earth—for her. The only reason I had it was because it had come in a double pack with a movie I’d really wanted. I hadn’t even opened it before.
But the night had been great despite the movie. It was as if Dalton had been there with us in some ways, reminding me that we could carry on and have a good time even though we’d lost him, and reminding me why I needed to look out for Alexa. Everything about her was gentle, and I needed to protect her.
That note she’d found pushed underneath her door had scared the living shit out of me. I hadn’t wanted to let her know—she’d been scared enough—but I wasn’t sure at all that the note was an accident. Someone was after her, and I had an idea who it could be.
And no idea how to look after her.
Keeping her with me had been the only thing I could think of. When she’d slept in my bed, I’d woken up before dawn and checked on her. I’d watched her sleep like a freak. I had already followed her around, so why not? She’d seemed so innocent and pure, younger looking and more vulnerable when she was asleep. If something happened to her, I would never forgive myself. I had to take care of her even if it was just as Dalton’s sister and not as more, which I realized I’d started to want.
I was going to take her to work just as I’d promised. She came out of the bedroom dressed in a crisp white blouse and a pencil skirt with black stockings and low heels. She looked so damn good in professional attire that I had to stop myself from staring.
In the car on the way to work, she was quiet.
“Are you okay?” I asked.
She nodded. “I’m just thinking about Dalton. Sometimes I miss him so much it hurts.”
I nodded. I knew what that felt like. I tried to distract her.
“Do you still have plans for tonight?” I hoped her answer would be no on two counts: that she wouldn’t be heading out to Blush again and that she would perhaps want to spend the night with me again.
She nodded, and my stomach tightened.
“You don’t have to worry about picking me up after work,” she said.
“You’re sure? Don’t you want me to drop you off at your friend’s place?” A small part of me hoped she was just going out with friends.
Alexa smiled at me. “You’re being awesome, Luke, but you don’t have to put your life on hold and chauffeur me around. At some point I’m going to have to get back to normal and do things for myself again.”
I nodded. I understood what she was saying, but I knew what her answer meant, too. She was going to Blush. I couldn’t be sure, but I had a feeling that was what she was going to do. It was the only time she ever got cagey about her plans.
When I stopped in front of her office building, she got out and walked around the back to retrieve her bag. I got out, too, and she hugged me. Her body was small, delicate, and it stirred something inside me that I didn’t recognize.
“Thanks for everything,” she said. “I really appreciate what you’re doing.”
“Anytime,” I said, smiling at her. She smiled back at me, and she was beautiful, her eyes a dark blue against her fair skin.
“I’ll call to check in on you again tomorrow,” I said.
“I look forward to it,” she said, still smiling, before she turned around and walked away. I watched her go, her perfect ass swinging from side to side as she walked to the door.
When I got back into the car, my stomach tightened. This was happening. Tonight I was going to Blush and meeting her as a stranger. I was nervous about it, which I hadn’t expected. Was that a good sign or a bad one?
I left work early and got dressed. I wore black jeans and a black shirt that shimmered and clung so tightly to my muscles that you could almost trace them with the naked eye. The sleeves were long enough to cover up the tattoo on my arm. I slicked back my hair with oil so that it was darker and different than my usual style.
When I looked in the mirror, I looked different, which was what I’d been going for. It wasn’t my normal style, but it would have to do. I left my apartment and drove to Alexa’s place. Her car was already parked outside, which meant she was inside getting ready.
I waited for her to emerge. I still held out hope that she wasn’t going to Blush, that I’d gotten it all wrong. When the front door opened and she came out wearing a two-piece black outfit that showed off her midriff and a lot of leg, I knew I had been right. Alexa was heading to Blush again.
God, for a gentle soul, Alexa was damn stubborn.
She got into her car, and I followed her to the club. I didn’t have to trail her like I had before and risk being caugh
t. I knew where she was headed after all.
I spotted her car when I pulled up to the club and found a parking space. I accepted a mask at the door. It was a black mask that covered most of my face again, but this one I liked. It made me look different when I looked in the mirror they provided.
I walked into the club. Alexa was at the bar ordering a drink. I walked to the bar and stood next to her.
“Let me get that for you,” I said in a deep voice when she was about to pay. I handed the bartender money before she could.
“Thank you,” she said.
I nodded. “A beautiful woman should never have to pay for her own drink.”
I glanced at her. She flushed a little. I ordered myself a whiskey and held up the glass when I got it so that she could clink hers against mine.
“So, why are you at the bar all alone?” I asked, looking around the room. There were a few lone men wandering around tonight and watching the plays. I wasn’t interested in what was happening on the floor, though.
“I didn’t come with anyone,” she said.
“Looking to find someone new?” I asked.
She nodded. “Something like that.”
She was very shy. It was a good thing. If she wasn’t, she might have been taken already. I made small talk and flirted with her a little until she warmed up. When her drink was finished, I bought her another without asking first. The alcohol loosened her up.
I looked down at her from behind my mask. “I have to say, you’re the sexiest thing I’ve seen all night.”
She blushed. “You’re not too bad looking yourself,” she said.
“Are you dominant or submissive?” I asked.
She looked down, blushing hard. “Submissive. At least, that’s what I want to be.”
“What do you mean, want to be? You’re switching?”
She looked up at me. Her blue eyes were dark and unsure. Her hair was loose tonight, and it framed her face beautifully.
“No. I’m new to the scene,” she said. She swallowed. “I’m a virgin, and I have a fantasy that I want someone to dominate me, to take it from me.”
God, the way she said that made my cock harden in my pants, and I shifted on my feet, trying to get comfortable.
“Is that what you’re doing here?” I asked. “Finding a dom?”
She nodded.
“Let me tell you something, princess. A relationship between a dominant and a submissive is very personal. It’s hard to find someone you can trust enough to let go that much when you don’t know each other at all.”
She looked a little embarrassed. “Well, I did say I’m new to the scene.”
I nodded. “I can be your dom,” I said.
She looked up at me, her eyes large. “But we’re strangers, too.”
I stepped closer to her and put my hands on her cheeks. She shivered when our skin connected.
“That can change.”
I was being forward because that was what she wanted. I lowered my face to hers, close enough that I could breathe in her desire. She wanted this so badly.
“Come to a private room with me, princess. I’ll make your dreams come true.” I was being demanding enough to tell her what I wanted her to do, but she still had the option to say no. She swallowed, her breath shallow, coming in quick gasps.
“Okay,” she said in a breathy voice.
I threw back the last of my whiskey. She did the same, downing her drink. When she put down the glass, she was gasping. I waited for her to slide off the stool, and I put an arm around her waist, my hand low on her hip, pulling her against my body, pretending to own her. We walked to the side where the private rooms were situated, and I paid for one.
When we were in the private room, I closed the door and locked it. I turned to Alexa. Her heart was racing—I could see her pulse in her neck—and she swallowed hard. I walked toward her with long, demanding strides, and her breath hitched in her throat.
I wasn’t going to push her too hard. I wanted to start slow, but I had to keep up the act and be dominant. That wasn’t very hard because, God, I wanted to dominate her. I wanted to take her and make her mine.
I lifted my hand and brushed a thumb across her lower lip. She gasped, and her lips parted slightly. I pulled her closer to me with my fingers on her jaw, taking control.
When my lips met hers, electricity coursed through my body and made my dick throb in my pants. I slid my tongue into her mouth, penetrating her. She sighed, melting against me. I slid my hands into her hair and held her head in place, kissing her. I pressed the line of my body against hers, grinding my hips against her so that she could feel how hard I was. When she gasped, I knew she could feel me.
“Do you want this?” I asked, rubbing myself against her.
“Yes,” she breathed into my mouth.
I gripped her hair in one hand and tipped her head back. She made a small whimpering sound, but it was from pleasure. I traced her lips with my fingers again, my thumb on her bottom lip. I slid my thumb into her mouth, and she closed her lips around me, sucking my thumb. Her mouth was hot and wet. Her tongue moved around against my thumb, and I shivered.
God, if this was how she used her mouth, I could just imagine the blow job she would give. We would get to that of course. I wanted to fuck her in a lot of ways, but for now I was moving slowly. I didn’t want to scare her off. I was going to dominate her just enough that I touched on her fantasy but hold back so that she came back for more—from me.
I was going to keep her away from everyone else by being the one she wanted.
I wanted her to want me was much as I wanted her.
Chapter 14
Alexa
Oh my God. This stranger was everything I had started to think didn’t exist. When he’d approached me at the bar, his body had made me sit up and notice. I had a thing for muscular men who took care of themselves, but I hadn’t wanted to get my hopes up. I had no intention of just going with any guy who approached me tonight to not let my fantasy die.
But this guy really was the real deal. He treated me with respect, but he still took charge, and that was the hottest thing ever, which was why I was in a private room with this stranger. I’d decided to call him Hunter because, God, I wanted to be his prey.
He had his fingers in my mouth. It was sexy as hell, and I was melting into my panties, which I hoped he would peel off me very soon.
The private room was decorated in all red—the wallpaper, the carpet, and the couch. I stared at Hunter’s face while I sucked on his thumb. Most of his face was covered by his mask. Only half of his jaw and his perfect lips were visible besides his eyes. His lips were parted, and his eyes were on mine as I stared at him. He interchanged his fingers, pushing his forefinger into my mouth instead, and I did the same thing I’d done to his thumb.
Hunter had a look of pure lust on his face. He stood looming over me, oozing sexuality, and I knew he was in charge. He was the one calling the shots. He was tall and muscular, with the attitude of someone who knew he was going to get exactly what he wanted.
After a while, as if he couldn’t hold back anymore, he pulled his finger out of my mouth and pulled me against him again, his hand on my lower back. His cock was hard through his black pants, and he kissed me, hard.
His lips mashed against mine, his tongue sliding into my mouth, and he kissed me like he knew what he was doing to me. I sighed into his mouth. I’d kissed a couple of guys in my life, but this…this was better than anything I’d ever experienced. This was better than I’d ever thought was possible. I was being cliché, but, God, this man was doing things to me that I’d only dreamed of.
When he broke the kiss, I looked up at him. His eyes were bright, and I thought I recognized the look in them. I lifted my hands. I wanted to see his face. I wanted to see who was going to make me his.
“Let’s remove your mask,” I said.
Hunter grabbed my wrists, and I gasped.
“You don’t tell me what to do, princess. I tell yo
u what to do. That’s how this works.”
I swallowed and nodded. He was strong. He could crush my wrist if he wanted to. Instead, he was gentle. Assertive, but not forceful. He wouldn’t hurt me. I trusted that he wouldn’t. I didn’t know him at all, but I knew he would take care of me.
“The mask stays on,” he said in a deep voice.
I nodded again. To each their own. Besides, the mystery was arousing even though I wanted to see his face.
He kissed me again, his hand behind my neck and beneath my hair. His tongue swirled in my mouth, exploring me. He broke the kiss and spun me around so suddenly that I yelped. His hand reached around my neck, holding onto me. He wasn’t choking me, but he could.
Every time he did something, it was with enough power that I knew he could hurt me if he wanted to. But he didn’t. It felt like the embodiment of dominance. He was in total control of himself and me. Raw power radiated off him with every movement and every touch. This was the man I’d been looking for all my life, the man I wanted to give myself up to.
His face was against my neck and his lips were on my skin. He kissed me and nibbled at the skin, using his teeth so that it was just this side of pain. Which meant that it was pure pleasure in way I’d never experienced before.
Hunter’s other hand moved down my side until he touched the bare skin of my thigh. I shivered, my attention divided between what he was doing at my neck and where his hand was headed. He pushed his hand underneath my skirt and ran his hand up to the apex of my thigh, brushing the tips of his fingers against the silk of my panties.
I jolted when he touched me there, and he tightened his hand around my throat the smallest bit, reminding me that he called the shots.
Hunter pulled my panties aside and pushed his fingers into my slit. I was hot and so wet. I gasped when he touched my clit.
“You’re so wet, baby girl,” he growled in my ear, and I moaned when his hot breath touched my ear. He rubbed my clit in circles, and I whimpered and moaned, sexual bliss running over my body.
