Safe Word: Oasis 3: Out of My League

by Michele Zurlo

  She wondered how much he’d look like Kaelen, and how disappointed he would be when he found plain old Mia sitting at the desk, waiting for him. The chances of them finding someone exactly six-two who had the same build and coloring as Kaelen were slim. She’d take shorter, but he had to have those smoking-hot eyes and that heart-stopping smile.

  His outline had specified she wear her dark hair in a ponytail. The instructions actually called for dark brown hair, which was good because Mia wasn’t willing to dye it or wear a wig. It allowed for very little makeup. Mascara and lip gloss, but only if she insisted. No powders, no eyeliner, no lipstick. He didn’t want to see earrings, piercings, or a necklace, but a bracelet or an anklet was okay.

  That was fine. Mia occasionally wore bracelets and anklets, and she only trotted out necklaces for special events. Her ears weren’t pierced, and neither was any other part of her body.

  SHE PUSHED OPEN the door and looked around curiously. There were four rooms. The main room, which could have been a living room, contained the bare bones of an office set. One desk sat in the middle of the room. Armoires were arranged against one wall. Two windows faced a small clearing in the back. Looking out, she couldn’t see how it was different from the front. A line of trees blocked her view past the clearing. Since it was late autumn, most of the leaves had already fallen to the ground. They would be brown and soggy from the rain they’d been having.

  She wandered through the doorway to the left and found a kitchen. The cupboards were full of cookware, plates, glasses, and flatware, but no food. It didn’t matter. They wouldn’t be there for long. She had eaten a good breakfast, and she could grab a quick dinner on her way to the airport.

  Two closed doors greeted her on the other side of the room. One had to be a bathroom. The other was probably a bedroom.

  She’d waited until she got there to open the box containing the outfit she was supposed to wear. It wasn’t very different from what she normally wore. She would have worn her own clothes, but this outfit had weak seams that would allow him to rip it off. She’d fantasized about Kaelen ripping off her dresses. In this fantasy, he had agreed to be Kaelen for her. Maybe he didn’t know the name of her secret crush, but he knew he was playing a role, just as she knew she was playing a role for him.

  It made her feel better to know he was using her the same way she was using him. And she didn’t feel all that weird about the fact she’d have sex with a stranger in an hour or less. It appealed to a decadent side she’d kept hidden, a part of her that wanted to throw off society’s constraints and her parents’ expectations and live on the wild side for just a little while.

  Of course, given the background checks and the sex safety classes Oasis had made her attend for the past six weeks, she had complete faith in their selection process. Their advertisement said they reserved the right to reject anyone’s fantasy for any reason. They’d chosen to accept her fantasy, and they’d even worked with her to come up with something she could afford.

  She wondered why there wasn’t at least a sofa in the “office.” She guessed they’d have to make do with the desk and chair for her part the day's fantasies. She honestly hadn’t thought through what would happen beyond the spanking and fucking. That might only take a half hour. She didn’t know how quickly her fantasy partner would deliver the details.

  With a sigh, she headed for the bathroom with the unopened box. She had about fifteen or twenty minutes before he was supposed to arrive, plenty of time to get ready.

  The bathroom was huge. It had a walk-in shower that could fit several people and a large jetted bathtub. The massage table gave her pause, being in the bathroom and all, but she could appreciate that it might go with a fantasy about being pampered.

  She closed the door and examined the steel hooks screwed into the back and the bar across the top. Restraints dangled from it. Because she didn’t know the man she was meeting, she hadn’t consented to bondage. If she had, this door would definitely have been in her fantasy.

  Ripping open the box, she peeked inside. The black polyester mass was a shapeless dress that would cover from her chest to the middle of her calves. The straps over the shoulders fastened like a jumpsuit.

  Reaching back inside, she pulled out a knit sweater to wear over the top of the dress. Patent leather shoes, the utilitarian kind, and crew socks were the only items left inside. She dumped the box upside down just to make sure there wasn’t anything extra. She hadn’t asked for the shoes or the socks, but they were a nice touch.

  A scrap of paper fell out. It looked like the fortune found in a Chinese cookie. Do not wear underclothing. She squinted at the note, puzzled at the command. But then she shrugged. It made sense to forgo a bra and panties.

  Five minutes later, Mia surveyed her costumed appearance in the bathroom mirror. It only showed her top half, but she didn’t need to see the rest. She had a couple dresses like this in her closet at home, and the sweater looked like one she wore frequently because the office tended to be a little cold.

  Her hair was already in the requested ponytail. She headed to her desk, which had some papers stacked on it, waiting for her to grade them. Nothing felt different. Even the lack of panties and bra didn’t make her feel naughty or decadent. She picked up the contract to read it one last time.

  * * * *

  Kaelen followed the long, winding drive to a little cabin that didn’t look at all like what he had specified in his fantasy. An older-model Malibu was parked outside. He started, a little surprised at that level of detail. He hoped the woman inside had those same simmering chocolate eyes and the same rich chestnut hair as Mia. His fingers itched to free those long tresses and comb through them. That kind of detail mattered to him more than her driving the same make and model of car that Mia drove.

  He wondered what she would think about the outfit he’d chosen for her to wear, and he wondered what she expected from him, exactly. Oasis had been very open about the fact they were fulfilling one another’s fantasies.

  Spanking a woman turned him on like nothing else, except maybe watching her climax. Lingerie and cleavage were nice, but a pink ass made his cock stand up and take notice. He wanted to hear those kittenish moans of pleasure from Mia, but this woman who had agreed to be her stand-in would have to suffice.

  If anyone asked him to describe the perfect woman, he would describe Mia. He suspected she hid a sexy body behind those shapeless sack dresses and baggy shirts she always seemed to be wearing. The little blushes that darkened her cheeks whenever he asked for a favor made his jeans become uncomfortably tight.

  The first time he’d seen her, she’d stood in when Brindley had to leave campus unexpectedly. She’d talked about the importance of independent variables, and she’d cited successful and flawed studies in her examples. When he’d read about the topic before class, it hadn’t seemed all that interesting. But Mia brought a passion to her lecture that infected every single person in that room.

  Her eyes had sparkled, and her hands had moved expressively. She had walked around the room, sitting in the back when she showed charts and diagrams through the data projector.

  She’d settled into the empty seat next to him as she talked through the data. Her cinnamon and vanilla scent had tickled his senses, but the excitement she didn’t attempt to hide had captivated him. That day, he had sought her out at Brindley’s office, inventing some long-forgotten excuse just to see her.

  That passionate woman had vanished, replaced with someone professional and cordial. He’d tried talking with her about variables, but her reception had been cool at best. Then he'd tried to move the conversation forward, guiding it toward topics that would spark that passion he'd so loved about her. He'd been about to ask after her course of study, but Brindley had poked his head out of his office and told her to get back to work. Her gaze had fallen to the pile of papers on her desk, and she’d told him to see Dr. Brindley if he had any questions about the content of the class.

  He had recognized her h
umiliation. She was the kind of woman who went out of her way to please people. She didn’t handle harshness or being reprimanded very well. He wanted to punch Brindley for making her feel that way.

  After that, she had quickly withdrawn from any attempt he made at interaction. Women usually fell over themselves to clamor for his attention. He had never developed the skills to break through this wallflower’s defenses.

  He made it up the steps, but he paused with his hand on the door. Going in, he knew it wouldn’t be enough. Playacting with a stranger couldn’t sate his longing to feel Mia’s lips moving under his, her soft moans growing louder as he held her down and ripped off her clothes.

  With a groan, he adjusted his cock, which had automatically hardened at the thought of seeing Mia. At least this woman had asked him to wear something he found comfortable. Jeans, work boots, and a flannel shirt under his fleece jacket. It was his standard fare, and it did nothing to further the fantasy element or feed his sense of anticipation. It was too familiar to be sexy. Oasis had offered to send him the outfit, but he’d declined, preferring to wear his own clothes.

  He exhaled, gathering courage, and pushed the door open.

  * * * *

  The door didn’t squeak as it opened, another way in which this place was different from the real thing. The clear sounds of the wind rustling through the crisp fall leaves and the distant calls of birds came into focus and faded as the door closed them out again.

  She stared at the rules she had read and reread, swallowing convulsively to ready herself for however he might begin the scene. Perhaps he would come in angry, spank her first and ask questions later. Maybe he would want to banter a bit, ease into the role of disgruntled student.

  His heavy footfalls didn’t shake the floor, but they echoed through the quiet room. When she looked up, her heart stopped. Those smoky gray eyes stared at her, and his full, sensual lips parted in surprise. He stared at her long enough for her to realize that he hadn’t expected to see her there. Then his broad shoulders sagged the slightest amount, and that was all the confirmation she needed.

  This joke was too cruel.

  Yanking open the drawer, she struggled to maintain her composure. She grabbed her keys and headed to the door, brushing past him as she rounded the corner. He watched her go, his mouth opened, but she didn’t stay to hear what he had to say. Screw her clothes. Good thing she’d left her suitcase in the car. She unlocked her door, using the key because her Malibu predated keyless entry. Just as she reached for the handle to open it up, he lodged his hand against the frame, holding the door closed. She jerked as hard as she could, but it was useless.

  “Move, damn it.”

  “No. Mia, talk to me.”

  A harsh wind whipped against them, battering her with the scent of fabric softener and aftershave mixed with Kaelen’s distinct maleness. She didn’t want to talk to him. She wanted to kiss him. She wanted to climb up his solid frame, wrap her legs around his narrow hips, and grind her mound against his cock.

  “I did. I told you to move. Damn it.”

  His other arm came down on her other side, caging her between his hot body and the coolness of her car. Not one for cold, she gravitated to the heat. When she bumped into his chest, she yelped and whirled around.

  “That’s not talking. That’s ordering. You’re not here to give orders. You’re here to take them.” His soft tone didn’t hide the firmness of his authority.

  So much heat crept up her neck and suffused her face that she knew she’d passed pink and gone straight to red. Of course he knew the details of her fantasy. How utterly embarrassing. How completely pathetic.

  She ducked under his arm and went around to the passenger side. Sliding across the console would get her to the driver’s seat just as well. Except for the fact Kaelen followed her to the other side, it was a solid escape plan.

  Wasting no time, he put his hands on the door, caging her once again. “There’s nothing to be embarrassed about. We must both have the same fantasy.”

  She closed her eyes and let the sound of his voice wash through her system. Way deep down, she wanted to give in, but her better sense took over. “If you think I’m going to go back in there with you so you can take out all your anger on me, you’re mistaken. I’m not stupid.”

  And she desperately didn’t want anyone to find out about this. Not only was he likely mad about his paper, he now had this debacle to lay at her feet. She didn’t think he was the vindictive type, but this was the kind of story that inevitably made the rounds, if only because it was so improbable.

  His body trembled. “I’m not angry with you. I’d never do anything to you that you didn’t want. You set down very specific guidelines that I agreed to before Oasis would let me come here.”

  Leaning forward, she shrank against the car. “Like hell you’re not mad. I refused to take your paper. You’ll fail the class without it.”

  “My desire to turn your little ass pink has nothing to do with your refusal to take my paper. Yeah, it sucks, but it’s between me and Brindley. It doesn't involve you at all.” He moved closer, tightening her cage. Power and strength vibrated from him, and he hadn’t touched her yet. “Please don’t walk away. It’s one day where we both get to live out our deepest fantasy.”

  The images and feelings generated by her fantasies paled in comparison to coming this close to being with him. But this fantasy was supposed to include a look-alike she would never have to see again. Though she really didn’t think he had it in him to hurt her, she held fast to her decision. “You can’t have expected to find me here. It’s going to be awkward enough when we get back to school. We don’t have to add fuel to the fire.”

  He nestled his forehead against her shoulder. “For fuck’s sake, Mia. When I described the woman I wanted to see here today, I modeled her after you. I did everything but request you by name. You must have done the same thing with me. I thought it was odd how closely your parameters matched me, but now I see why. You want me as much as I want you. God, I'm so glad I won that gift certificate at work and not someone else. It's like it was meant to be.”

  Her mind reeled as she processed his declaration. Men like Kaelen didn’t bother with shy, unprepossessing women like her. He commanded attention wherever he went, and she did her damnedest to fade into the background.

  She turned around, dislodging his head from her shoulder, and pushed at his chest to move him back. He gave her space, but he held her there with his smoldering gaze.

  “You can have any woman you want.”

  “I want you.” He didn’t blink, and his steady expression didn’t change.

  She bit her lip and shook her head at the implausibility of his statement. “Why? Do you have some kind of weird fantasy about being with an unattractive woman?”

  His brow furrowed briefly, the affectation gone before she could figure out what puzzled him. “No. I have a fantasy about bending you over that desk and spanking you until you come. I have a fantasy about ripping off your clothes and hearing you scream my name. I have a fantasy about doing those things with you. According to all the paperwork you filled out, you have the same fantasy.”

  Mia swallowed. There was no denying the similarities. “How do I know this isn’t about revenge?”

  He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. It fanned through his fingers, sticking up in light brown spikes that settled back more or less the way they’d been before. “I set this up more than three months ago, way before you refused to slip my paper in with all the others. There was nothing to avenge.”

  As his argument penetrated, she grasped at any excuse to deny herself what she wanted. Her dreams had never come true before, not when they involved relying on another person, and the fact she might get one day with Kaelen scared her as much as it thrilled her. She didn’t know if she had the courage for this. “Now there is.”

  “What do you want me to say?” He shoved a hand in his pocket, lifting the fleece to expose the flannel underneath. “Am
I pissed that you wouldn’t take my paper? Not really. I would have been shocked if you had. You’re not exactly a rule-breaker. I can respect that. But I didn’t come here to talk about that or think about it. I came here because every time I see you, I have to go home and take a cold shower. I’m here because I need to get you out of my system. Don’t walk away from something you want because you’re afraid of what might happen down the line. I think we can both agree that what happens here stays here.”

  Well, she couldn’t argue with his logic. She picked at her nails, clicking one against the other in a sound that annoyed everyone sooner or later. “You promise this stays between us? It could complicate things for both of us back at school.”

  Kaelen’s curt nod almost had her reconsidering her decision, but the way he pressed his lips together made her think he was more nervous than anything else.

  “I’ll stay.”

  Tension drained from his shoulders. “Then get your ass inside, Calloway. This is going to be a lot of fun.”

  Chapter Three

  Mia rearranged the piles of paper on her desk. She glanced toward the door, but nothing happened. Tapping her fingers on the desk, she figured that she’d only been seated for thirty seconds. Any reasonably thoughtful man would give her a couple minutes to prepare. Frowning, she wondered if Kaelen was a reasonably thoughtful man. She didn’t know all that much about him.

  He’d dropped a few hints, but they had been in the context of charming banter. Wanting to rationalize the way he focused on her and nothing else, she had groped for a sociological explanation for his behavior. The things he’d said were likely based in truth, but they could have been embellished or facts omitted to present him in a positive light. After all, most of the time he talked to her, he wanted her to do something for him. Dig through the stack of papers because he’d forgotten to include the last page. Read over a draft to find out if it would pass muster with Brindley. Verify information he could have looked up on the Internet. E-mail a copy of the syllabus.