by Sophie Oak
“Calm down and breathe. Focus on one thing and one thing only. Let the world narrow to a single point.”
It wasn’t a suggestion. The man next to her commanded. His deep voice ran over her like warm, rich chocolate. She took a long, steadying breath, filling her lungs with humid air. She gripped the door but found herself doing exactly as he ordered. She settled her eyes on the air conditioner vent. Four little lines. That was all that mattered. She stared at them.
“Excellent. Now concentrate on slowing your breathing. Flex your hands. Remind yourself that you are in control of your body. It does not control you.”
“I am in control.” The words felt foreign. She hadn’t been in control for a long time, most of her life. Most of her life had been about outside forces controlling her. Her concentration slipped. She panted. What was she going to do?
The car came to an abrupt stop. Dani looked around. They were on the edge of town, just off the highway. Was he going to leave her here?
The man beside her turned in his seat, and Dani got her first good look at him. Holy crap, she’d gotten in the car of some damn movie star. He had to be. He was absolutely perfect. She felt her jaw drop. He had dark brown hair that was pulled back in a low ponytail at the back of his neck. His silvery eyes dominated a face made of strong bones and sharp angles. From what she could see, his body was long and lean. His shoulders were encased in an expensive-looking dress shirt, though he wore no tie, leaving a V of smooth, tanned skin exposed. He looked a little like an angel, but one who had fallen from grace long ago.
He took her hand, sliding it between both of his. Her hand, so cold a moment before, was surrounded by warmth now, and that warmth started creeping up her skin.
“Focus on me, Annie.”
She thought about correcting him, but the panic was threatening again. It had been like this for six months. The panic attacks were getting worse. She’d nearly passed out the night before. Finn had held her and asked her over and over if she was sure she wanted to do this. Damn it. She’d started down that aisle, and he’d been so beautiful standing there. Her groom. Finally she was where she belonged, walking down the aisle toward her love, Finn. Only Finn wasn’t there for her. He never had been, not that way. She’d turned and ran, and now she was in a car with a gorgeous god of a man who might be a serial killer. The way her luck went, he probably was. She would end up chopped up and buried all across east Texas.
“Oh, you are such trouble.” He sighed, those gray eyes rolling, and then he pulled her close. “Luckily, I know how to handle you, little one.” He let go of her hand and twisted in his seat. One hand captured her face, cupping her cheek, and the other went to her waist. He pulled her in, a mountain of tulle between them. “The key is giving you something to focus on.”
She was focused all right. But if his plan was to get her heart rate under control, he was going about it all wrong. She could feel it pound, though not in panic anymore. It was something else, anticipation. Was he going to kiss her? He leaned in. She could see the dark beard beginning to come in all along his jaw. She could smell the mint on his breath and feel the heat of his body. She was completely paralyzed as he pressed his mouth against hers. He moved his soft lips along her mouth gently, as though simply exploring. Dani felt her shoulders relax. This was so nice. This was in another league from Jimbo’s sloppy, halfhearted attempts at kissing before he gave up and just stuck his penis in. This was meltingly sweet. Dani gasped a bit, and her mouth opened.
He took immediate advantage, his strong tongue invading. Dani heard herself groan and let her whole body go soft in his hands. As his tongue danced around hers, she realized she’d never been kissed, not once in her life. She’d been pecked and assaulted by men who didn’t know what they were doing, but this, oh, this was a kiss. This was an overwhelming request for her every sense to come alive for him. His hands didn’t move, but she wanted them on her skin. She wanted to be under him. She wanted this to never, ever end. She didn’t know his name. He didn’t really know hers. It didn’t matter because for the first time in her life, she wanted, really wanted, to spread her legs and let someone in. Not even Finn affected her the way this stranger did. She felt her nipples get hard, begging for his lips to find his way there.
He raised his head in a smooth motion. Dani stared at him. Her skin felt flushed and alive.
“Now, are you more in control, Annie?”
Nope. Not a bit. But he was. As far as Dani could tell, he was completely unaffected by the kiss that had blown her mind and had her body begging for more. She swallowed and nodded her head, turning back in her seat. “Yes. I am feeling much better. Thank you.”
“So polite,” he murmured. His hand found the stick shift again. “I don’t suppose there’s anywhere I can take you, Annie?”
“It’s Dani. Danielle.” Her mind raced, but the panic was gone. “Just drop me off at the diner. It’s called Christa’s Café, just a couple of blocks over.” It was where the bus stopped. Although she didn’t actually have any money for a bus. Maybe she could call from there, and her sister could bring her the purse and bag she’d left at the church. She couldn’t face Finn. She might never be able to face Finn again.
“Hungry, are you?”
“No.”
“Then why should you go there?”
It was none of his business, and yet she answered immediately. “It’s where the bus stops.”
“Ah, you intend to flee for good, then. Well, you’ll have to buy two tickets because I doubt that, um, dress you’re wearing will fit in one. Just buy the whole row, little one.” He put the car in first gear and the sports car purred down the road. He turned onto the highway, away from town.
“Hey, the diner is back that way.”
He nodded. “Yes, you mentioned that.”
The car kept on its path.
“You’re not taking me to the diner, are you?” She found herself settling into the seat, relaxing. Any more time in this car with him meant another moment before she had to face the fact that she no longer had a home to go to, or a future. She knew she was being an idiot. She could hear her sister bitching at her. She didn’t think about anything. She wasn’t careful about selecting her friends. She didn’t fit. She was an embarrassment. Now that she thought about it, maybe she wouldn’t call Val at all.
It was easy to push aside her sister’s constant complaints as he drove. She looked up at the wide Texas sky and something eased inside her. She found herself actually smiling a little. “Where are we going?”
It didn’t matter. Somehow, someway, she knew she would be safe with him. After a lifetime of doing everything that was asked of her and getting very little in return, she felt like she didn’t know what her next day would be like. It was exciting.
His head turned, and he arched an elegant eyebrow as he looked at her. The left side of his face tugged up slightly, and the sweetest dimple formed in his cheek. “We’re going on vacation. You should be glad I packed light, little one, since I seem to have found a bit of extra baggage along the way. My name is Julian Lodge, though I suspect by the end of the night, you’ll just call me Sir.”
“Yes, Sir.”
Dani had no idea why, but it seemed to fit him.
She sat back and let Julian Lodge take the reins.
Chapter Three
Julian turned the Audi down the long gravel drive that led to the Barnes-Fleetwood ranch. A warm sense of satisfaction poured over his system. Jackson Barnes was a man he admired. Jackson had done well. He’d come from less than nothing and truly built a life for himself. The house in the distance was lovely. He could see a large main house and a guesthouse. From Jackson’s descriptions he knew there was also housing for something Jackson had called the “hands.” It was his first visit to the ranch, and he suspected his former protégé would teach him all about ranching. Despite having been born and raised in Texas, Julian had never been close to a cow that wasn’t sitting on his dinner plate and cooked to medium rare.
Danielle sat up straight in her seat now. It had taken roughly ten minutes to get from that tiny town she was fleeing to the ranch. He’d been amused at how quickly she’d relaxed and allowed her eyes to drift closed. She trusted quickly. It could be a dangerous thing if she met the wrong person. He had the feeling the woman beside him was a true submissive. She’d probably been taken advantage of all her life for that reason. She needed a strong, dominant partner. It was a good bet she wouldn’t find one here.
“He’s a friend,” Julian replied simply. She didn’t need to know that Jackson Barnes used to be the Dom in residence at the sex club Julian owned and operated. The Club was his own personal haven. It was for experienced Dominants and their submissives. This soft little thing was obviously submissive, but she would never see the inside of a BDSM club. It simply wasn’t her world. Despite her attempt at freedom, Julian knew she would end up right back in that church marrying the yokel next door. People didn’t change.
He studied the curve of her porcelain cheek. She wasn’t a delicate girl. She was all curves and breasts. And the ridiculous gown she was wearing still overpowered her. If he had been dressing her, he would have kept it simple. He would have put her in a tailored simple gown that showed off her perfect skin and what looked to be an hourglass figure. Julian was surprised at how aroused he’d been at kissing the woman beside him. She’d gotten to him, and he wasn’t sure how. Somewhere between making the decision to calm her down and that moment when she sighed and went languid in his arms, she’d flicked a switch on. Julian wasn’t sure he wanted it switched off again. His cock certainly didn’t. He was still hard.
“Are you staying here, or just saying hello?”
He had an almost irresistible urge to reach out and place his hand on her hair. He wanted to smooth it down and calm the panic he could see was clearly rising in her. He forced his hand to stay on the steering wheel. “I told you I was on vacation, little one. I’m spending the week here with my friends.”
He had to admit it felt good to want someone. He would really enjoy peeling back her layers and getting to the woman underneath. A smart idea? Perhaps not. Danielle seemed to be trouble. The tight feeling in his groin told him he might not mind a bit of trouble. He would have to ponder it. He never made snap decisions. Getting involved with the woman next to him carried certain risks he would have to carefully consider. He would sit down after dinner and give the decision the consideration it deserved. She obviously needed kindness. He needed to decide if he could give that to her.
She was staring at her hands. It seemed to Julian that she was trying to make a decision. Perhaps she needed a bit of space. “When you’re ready, come inside and find me. If you choose to stay, I’ll have Jackson make up a room for you. If you choose to go, I will arrange transportation. Is there anything you need right now?”
She shook her head and didn’t look at him, instead staring at her hands as they twisted in her lap. He thought briefly about kissing her again. It had worked the first time. He discarded the idea as dangerous. He set the parking brake as the door to the ranch house opened. Jackson was suddenly in the doorway, a wide smile on his face and something odd attached to his chest. It moved, then appeared to yawn.
“Julian! Damn, man, it’s good to see you.” Jackson Barnes’s voice carried over the huge front lawn. He was a tall, broad man with dark hair. It wasn’t covered with a cowboy hat this afternoon. Julian had rarely seen Jackson without a Stetson on his head in years.
Julian slipped out of the car and had his hand out as he crossed the yard. “I thought I would never get here. This is a beautiful place you have.”
“That’s all Abby’s work. She’s whipped this place into shape. She has your room all fixed up.” Jackson’s face split in a wide grin as he shook hands with Julian.
Julian studied the contraption Jackson was wearing. It looked like someone had tied a large scarf around his neck and back and formed a pouch. It was not what he had expected his tough cowboy friend to wear. The small child on his chest opened its eyes. Emerald green orbs studied him carefully. A tuft of dark hair sat on top of the baby’s head.
Julian stared at the small human. “Well, there is no question who fathered this child, Jackson.” He was the spitting image of his father. He yawned like a little lion.
Jackson flushed slightly. His big hand came out to cover the baby’s belly, holding him close. “They tricked me. Abby wanted one more baby. I agreed. What I didn’t agree to was Sam getting a vasectomy while I was away on business. Let me tell you, that was a whipping he won’t forget.”
“Why on earth would Samuel do that?” The very thought made Julian’s blood boil. If one of his subs had done that, he would have dismissed them immediately. Any decision like that should have been cleared through the sub’s Dom. But of course, Jackson couldn’t dismiss Sam. They had a family together. This was why marriage could never work for Julian. “If Abigail wanted another child, why should Sam cut out half of her chances?”
“They wanted this baby to be mine.”
The black-haired baby smiled, his sleepy green eyes were barely open. He really was a cute thing. “I thought the three of you decided you wouldn’t do a paternity test on Olivia unless it became medically necessary.”
Jackson’s hand gently smoothed the baby boy’s hair down. “Yeah, well, sometimes you don’t need a paternity test. Look at little Josh here.”
“But Olivia looks like Abigail. You can’t know which one of you fathered her.”
There was a tremendous crash as the front door slammed open, and a small ball of energy ran out of the house at breakneck speed. Julian had a brief glimpse of a red-haired girl in overalls and sneakers.
“Look, Daddy!” the girl screamed at the top of her lungs. “I’m running. I’m running, Daddy!” She motored across the yard and then began sprinting in circles, giggling madly. Her small face was turned up to the sun. “Watch me, Daddy.”
Jackson watched the girl with the softest look in his eyes. “We’re watching you, baby girl. Josh and me wouldn’t want to watch anything else.” He kept his eyes on the three-year-old. “She has Sam’s smile. She might look like Abby, but everything else is pure Sam.” Jack turned, and his whole face was lit up. “She is hell on wheels. Keeping her alive is a full-time occupation. She’s already climbed the bookshelves, tried to surf in the pool, and tried to ride a bull. She’s only three. I can’t wait to see what she tries next.”
It sounded perfectly atrocious to Julian. A child couldn’t be reasoned with. A child wouldn’t understand what Julian was willing to give and what he needed to withhold. A child simply needed everything. There was no contract one signed with a child. There was no out clause. Being a parent was messy. Like being a husband was messy. But being a Dom, that was neat and clean, with firmly placed boundaries.
He stared at the tiny girl. She was petite with a mass of wild red hair. She grinned as she ran, her joy completely infectious. Like Sam. Sam had a child. Six-month-old Josh was more awake now. He watched his sister with a lazy smile on his face. The baby looked almost indulgently affectionate, just like his father. What did Jack feel when he looked into the face of his son? A strange sentimentality stole across Julian. His own father had died when Julian was just a child. Had his father had the same odd look of wonder on his face when he looked down at Julian as Jackson had on his?
Olivia Barnes-Fleetwood continued her crazy play. Jackson’s eyebrows crept up, and he suddenly was focused on the car in the drive. “Is there something you would like to announce, Julian? Has this little vacation turned into a honeymoon? It looks like your bride is getting away.”
Sure enough, Danielle was making her way slowly down the drive. She walked lopsidedly, as though one of her heels had broken. Julian wondered where she was going. It was apparent to him that she had no one to rely on and nowhere to go. He checked the sudden urge to chase after her. If she wanted to go, he should allow her to do so. He�
��d never once forced a girlfriend to stay with him. Girlfriend? He hadn’t had one of those in so long, he almost didn’t remember the last one’s face. He didn’t have girlfriends or boyfriends. He had submissives. And he had never forced one to stay when they wanted to leave.
“She says her name is Danielle.” Julian was well aware that Jackson was studying him carefully. He’d trained Jackson himself, and one of the things he had been very good at was reading body language. Julian worked to keep his face as placid as possible.
Jack obviously had lost that particular talent. His eyes went wide, and his mouth dropped open. “Danielle Bay? You married Abby’s clinic manager? I thought she was supposed to marry that mechanic Jimbo today. Sam and Abby went to the wedding.”
“Not my bride, but she is very insistent on running away. Oh, look, your daughter is much better at catching her than her poor groom.”
Jackson threw his head back and laughed as Olivia parked herself on Danielle’s train. She sat right down on the extra long satin extension.
“Daddy, I’m getting a ride!”
Danielle stopped and pulled at her train. When she couldn’t dislodge the child, she pleaded for a moment. Julian waited to see if she would shove the child off. She simply sat down next to the little girl in the middle of the driveway. It was mere seconds before she began to sob into her hands.
“Damn, things must have gone awfully wrong for that girl.” Jackson started to walk across the lawn.
Little Olivia stood, walking across the white train. She placed her little hand on the strange woman’s head and started to speak. Whatever the girl said made Danielle open her arms and draw the child in. She clung to her small body and wept.
Julian sighed and couldn’t stand another moment. He gave in to his instinct. He reached the crying bride long before Jack could. In the end, he simply kneeled and wrapped his arms around both woman and child. As Dani’s hands found his shoulders he realized just how much trouble he was in. He really shouldn’t have stopped at that light.
