After driving a mile down the road, he’d pulled over and disabled the GPS tracker most agencies used nowadays to track their vehicles. Once he was sure they didn’t have a tail, he’d gotten on the freeway heading south-west. While sitting in traffic, they’d taken advantage of a truck stop and grabbed dinner to go. It wasn’t great, but had been some much needed nourishment since they’d missed lunch.
Ivan Maier’s childhood home was a one-story ranch on approximately two acres of land. Trees dotted the property and it was obvious Irina Maier liked to garden, or at least hired someone to do it. Fall flowers were in bloom, and their beds were strategically placed around the property so wherever one looked, there was an array of color-pinks, reds, yellows, and blues. The brick home was well taken care of and it looked as if the white shutters had recently received a fresh coat of paint.
Taking Kat’s hand, Boomer approached the front door and rang the bell. He could hear the chime go off, but there was no other sound from within. Knocking was met with the same result. Peering in the front window, he saw nothing amiss, but just to make sure, they circumvented the house.
“Maybe she’s out to dinner with friends.”
Boomer hoped Kat was right and there wasn’t a more nefarious reason for her aunt not being home. They had no idea if Volkov’s people would come here looking for answers to whatever questions they had for Kat. “Come on. Let’s go find a room for the night. We can come back in a little while and see if she’s home.”
She sighed. “Okay. I guess we don’t have a choice.”
He opened the passenger door for her and closed it after she swung her legs inside. Skirting the hood, he glanced toward the end of the driveway and noticed a man in his late sixties getting mail at a row of boxes. Holding up a finger to Kat for her to wait a minute, he jogged down the drive. “Excuse me? Sir?”
The man was eyeing him suspiciously, so he stopped several feet away and lifted his palms to indicate he was no threat. “I’m sorry, sir. My girlfriend is a…a distant relative of Ms. Maier. We were passing through and thought we’d stop in and say hi. You don’t happen to know where she might be, do you?” He didn’t know what Irina’s neighbors knew about her brother’s family, so he didn’t want to mention Kat was her niece.
The man’s eyes shifted to beyond Boomer, so he glanced back and saw Kat was out of the car and walking toward them.
“Damn!”
Boomer’s head whipped around again to face the old man. “What’s wrong?”
The neighbor seemed to realize he’d alarmed him. “Oh, nothing to worry about, boy. Any thoughts I had about you snowballing me with your bullshit story, went out the window when I saw your girlfriend there. She looks exactly like Irina…well, younger of course. What did you say your name was?”
“I didn’t, sir, but it’s Ben Michaelson. And this is Kate Zimmerman.” Again, he didn’t want to tip the man off about Kat’s lineage. He held out his hand and the man shook it.
“Name’s Harry Bernhard. I live across the street. What branch of the military are you, son?”
Boomer’s eyebrows raised in surprise. “Navy, Sir. Retired SEAL to be exact. How’d you know?”
“Retired from the Marines about twenty years ago. Major. Can always spot someone who has seen combat. It’s the way they carry themselves. Iraq? No, don’t answer. Sometimes I forget you black-ops boys can’t answer that question.”
Boomer’s mouth ticked upwards. “No, sir, I can’t. Let’s just say I’ve been around the block a few times.”
“I hear you. Now, about Irina. She expecting you?”
From his side, Kat answered before Boomer had a chance. “No, she’s not. As a matter of fact, she’s going to be very surprised to see me. I-I haven’t seen her in a very long time.” Boomer gave her a subtle look. Realizing she’d said too much, she tried to cover her ass. “I’ve been living on the West coast for over ten years and just moved back East. I was hoping on surprising her.”
“Well, I hope you’re not in a hurry, because she and a few members of her women’s group took an overnight road trip to Roanoke Rapids. They go every other month to see a show and play some slot machines at the Royal Palace out there.” At Kat’s look of dismay, Harry added, “Don’t fret, missy. She’ll be back tomorrow by noon.”
Smiling, Boomer put his arm around Kat’s shoulders and squeezed. She got the picture and put on a happy face while he spoke. “That’d be fine, sir. We just got into town and came straight here, so can you recommend a motel nearby?”
Harry scratched his head. “Well, you’re a little out of luck there because Murfreesboro doesn’t have any motels. Nearest one is about twenty miles away in Franklin. But we do have a nice bed and breakfast in town. Always clean and not too expensive. And it’s right across the street from a good place to eat.”
“That’d be great. What’s the name of the B&B?”
“Carmichael’s. Drive straight back into town and it’s on your left after the first traffic light. Can’t miss it.”
Extending his hand again, Boomer thanked the man. “And I’d appreciate it, sir, if you see Irina before we do, please don’t spoil the surprise.”
“No problem, son. And call me Harry. I might see you both tomorrow anyway. Irina always brings me back a blueberry pie from this great bakery they have out there. Good night, now.”
“Good night.”
As they made their way back to the car, Boomer peeked over his shoulder and caught the old man doing the same. He might be friendly toward them, but he was protective of Irina and it showed. “I think your aunt has a boyfriend.”
“Huh? What are you talking about?”
He jerked his thumb toward the end of the drive. “Harry. I wouldn’t be surprise if he’s got a thing for her.”
Kat glance over her shoulder at the older man before climbing into the car. “Really? Well, good for them. She’s a sweet woman and I always wondered why she never married.”
After shutting her door again, Boomer rounded the car and got into the driver’s seat. “Maybe she never met the right guy until now.”
“Maybe.”
* * *
Kat was quiet as Benny drove back into town. Now that the stress from this morning was leaving her body, her mind was filled with everything that had happened in the past twenty-four hours. Unfortunately, one irrelevant thing kept popping up. It was what she’d found on the bathroom floor this morning. The pink piece of paper from a memo pad must’ve fallen out of Benny’s pocket by accident. She knew it was his because it said ‘Ben’ in his secretary’s neat handwriting. Apparently Kat wasn’t the only one who didn’t use his nickname. The message scrawled on the paper was what was bothering her as she replayed the words in her mind.
Tanya would like to play with you at club tonight. Please call. 813-555-9438.
Kat had never asked him if he had a girlfriend, and she hadn’t heard anyone mention one, but it didn’t mean he wasn’t dating. And what did Tanya mean by ‘play with you’? Play what? Darts? Pool? And what club? Night club? Country club? There were too many variables, but her mind kept flashing to the book she was currently reading—Leather & Lace. It was a romance novel, but the sex was not ‘vanilla’, which was a term used by book websites when the sex in the story was tame. By comparison, Leather & Lace was what they called erotica, and the sex involved BDSM—Bondage, Discipline, Sadism, and Masochism. Kat loved to read, and while she didn’t fully understand ‘the lifestyle’ as it was called, the fictional books about the subject were fun. And hot. Holy shit, were they hot. Her vibrator tended to go through quite a few batteries when she was reading one of those novels.
It was the word ‘play’ which was bugging her. It was used a lot in BDSM books and those stories were usually set in clubs. Sex clubs. Didn’t the woman they’d met at the pharmacy yesterday mention a club? Could Benny be into something like that? And how did she feel about it? Kat didn’t know what to feel or think at this point. And she was too embarrassed to ask him abo
ut it. What if she was wrong? Oh God, what if she was right?
“Kat.”
She jumped at the sound of his deep sexy voice. “Wh-what?”
Pointing at the large house they were parked next to, he said, “We’re here. You okay?”
“Um, yeah. Sorry.” She blushed. “My mind was elsewhere.”
“Yeah, it’s been a long day. Com’on. Let’s get a room and climb into bed.”
Oh boy.
Chapter 11
While Benny was in the bathroom, Kat stood in their bedroom and stared at the king-sized bed. Due to some local couple getting married over the weekend, there was only one room available at the B&B. It was a large room with a sitting area as well, and Benny had offered to sleep on the couch. But by the look in his eye when he said it, Kat knew the couch was not where he wanted to be. He wanted to be in the big bed…with her. Together. Naked. And if she was honest with herself, she wanted all that and more.
She thought back to the kiss they’d shared in the motel before Jake had interrupted them. Kat hadn’t known which end was up, or whether she had been coming or going. All she knew was, she’d been lost and didn’t want to be found. Lost in Ben’s arms was where she always wanted to be, and, Lord help her, she wanted more. She’d longed to rip off his shirt and explore the hard chest her breasts had been crushed against. His cock had been stiff against her abdomen, and she’d wanted to climb his body and wrap her legs around his hips, so he’d have been lined up with her pussy.
Recalling the delicious moment had her wet with desire. She might be inexperienced, but there were things the human body knew instinctively. And her body wanted to mate. Here. Now. With the one man she’d been waiting for all these years.
The toilet flushed and she jumped. Hurrying, she pulled the covers back and climbed into the bed. She’d only brought one of her duffel bags with them, so she was wearing the T-shirt and shorts she’d worn to bed last night. They weren’t exactly sexy, but hopefully she wouldn’t be wearing them long. Losing her virginity while people were trying to kidnap her was not the way she wanted it to happen. But she did want it to happen with this man. The man she’d been waiting for since she was seventeen.
Taking a deep breath, Kat pulled back the covers on the other side of the bed in a blatant invitation for Benny to join her. And waited. God, she was so nervous. What if he turned her down? What if she did something wrong? He would know instantly she wasn’t experienced, wouldn’t he? Would it turn him off?
The bathroom door swung open and Kat’s eyes flashed to Benny’s as he walked into the room. She knew the moment the pulled back covers registered in his brain because he froze and raised his eyebrow at her. She gushed, “There’s no, uh…no reason for you to sleep on the couch…I mean, we’re adults, right? And, I…”
Her words trailed off and Benny smiled at her nervousness. She was sitting on the side of the bed closest to him and he stalked over then sat down beside her, crowding her a little. Her heart began to pound in her chest as her eyes dropped from his intense stare. “If I share this bed with you, Kitten, sleep will be the last thing on my mind. I want you. I want to be on top of you, under you, behind you, and in you. If it’s not what you want, too, then say the word and I’ll sleep on the couch.” He glanced over at the offensive piece of furniture. “No matter how much it pains me to do so.”
Wetness coated Kat’s panties and she was close to cumming from his sexy voice alone. Her hands twisted together in her lap. “I want…I want you to sleep with me…I mean, not sleep-sleep, but…”
* * *
Boomer chuckled and covered her trembling lips with his fingers. “I know what you meant, Kitten. Damn, you’re beautiful when you blush. Just like back in high school.” He moved his hand to cup her cheek, yet continued to brush her lips with his thumb. He’d thought she’d be too tired and stressed for intimacy tonight, but sex was a great stress reliever. His dick had hardened when he saw all the signs of her arousal—rapid pulse, increased breathing, swallowing hard, and nipples pebbling under her thin shirt. When her eyes had dropped to her lap, the natural reaction of a submissive excited him.
Fuck, her plump bottom lip was made for him to nibble on. He couldn’t wait any longer and leaned forward, replacing his thumb with his lips, teeth, and tongue. Groaning at the taste of her, he plunged his hand into her hair and held her in place while his mouth and tongue did wicked things to hers. His other hand found her breast and massaged the lush flesh.
When her hands went around his neck, he pulled away and she whimpered at the loss of contact. “Wh-what’s wrong? Did I do something wrong?”
A rumble came from his chest. “Are you kidding? No, you didn’t do anything wrong. It’s just…” He sighed heavily. There were things he had to tell her. “Kitten, when it comes to sex, I’ve changed, and I’m not sure what your response is going to be.” His cock was yelling at him to shut the fuck up and get on with it, but his brain and heart were telling him this was important. He couldn’t go any further without telling her about his wants and needs. Her submitting to him was something he craved, and he didn’t think he could live without it.
“What is it?”
The wariness in her voice was killing him. “When I’m with a woman…in bed…I need to be in charge…of everything. I like to…shit, this is the first time I’ve ever been nervous about telling a woman this. I’m a Dominant, Kat. Do you know what that means?”
Her eyes widened in surprise, but for some reason she didn’t seem as shocked as he’d expected her to be. “Um, it means you’re into…um…tying women up and spanking and stuff. The opposite of ‘vanilla’ sex, right?”
He wasn’t sure why he was stunned with her answer. After all, she’d been reading Kristen’s book about BDSM. “Yeah. That’s part of it, but it’s so much more. It’s about a power exchange. While a Dom may seem to be in charge of the scene, it’s the submissive who has all the power.”
Kat’s eyes narrowed in confusion. “I don’t understand. I mean, I’ve read books on the subject, but it’s hard to separate fact from fiction sometimes.”
“Yeah, well, a lot of books out there give false impressions of the lifestyle. You see, when a Dom and sub are scene-ing, or playing as it’s also referred to, then a sub sets all the limits and boundaries. There are lists we use at the club and they cover every form of play—what a sub enjoys, wants to try, or absolutely will not do under any circumstances. A good Dom will honor that list. He’ll push the sub’s limits, but if the sub says her safe-word, all play stops. So, you see? A sub has all the power.”
She was biting her bottom lip again and he used his thumb to rescue the abused piece of flesh. “What are you thinking about, Kitten?”
“I guess I don’t understand what people get out of it. I mean, if a sub has all the power, like you said, then what does a Dom get out of it?”
Getting uncomfortable in his current position, Boomer stood and circled the bed. He lay on his side facing her and propped his head up with his hand then rested his other hand atop hers over her abdomen. His thumb rubbed her wrist in small, sensual motions as little goose bumps appeared on her skin. “A Dom gets satisfaction in knowing he has his submissive’s trust that he’ll take care of her. Her submissiveness is his greatest pleasure, and in return, his greatest desire is to give her pleasure beyond her wildest dreams. Her mind, body, and orgasms belong to him, and he treats each as if they are the most precious gift in the world, because they are.”
Kat’s pulse sped up again as he spoke. He could see she was struggling with something, but waited it out. He couldn’t rush this—it was too important.
“Can I ask you something?”
From her tone, he wasn’t sure it was something he wanted to hear. “Of course, baby. You can ask me anything you want.”
“You…um…you dropped a note in the bathroom this morning. From Tanya.”
Shit. He didn’t even realize his secretary’s call-back note was missing. He’d forgotten all about it.
“And you want to know about her and the club.” She nodded and he sighed. “Yes, I belong to a private club. Ian and Devon own The Covenant, and it’s in the first building at the Trident compound, but you’d never know it from the outside. Tanya is a friend, nothing more. We’ve played in the past, but there is nothing between us relationship-wise. I don’t have a girlfriend, if you’re worried about that. I would never cheat on a woman I was in a relationship with.”
“I didn’t think you would.”
He interlocked their fingers and squeezed. “Well, honesty is a big part of my lifestyle, so I just wanted it on the record. And the lifestyle is a big part of my life.” He took a deep breath and forged ahead. “I want you to be part of my life too. We can start off slow. I’m not going to handcuff you and do wicked things to you…well, at least not yet. But I’d like to introduce you to my lifestyle and show you how good things can be between us. Can you give me…us a chance?”
Her hesitation was killing him. He prayed her answer wasn’t ‘no’. Holding his tongue, he noticed Kat shift nervously. “There’s, um…something I need to tell you. Something important.”
Oh, God help him. This was over before it’d begun. His wariness crept into his voice. “Okay. You can tell me anything, Kitten. Whatever it is, we’ll deal with it.”
“I, um…I mean, I’ve never…shit, this was easier in my head…I’ve never had sex before.” The last five words came out in a rush and she stared at their twined hands, not daring to look at him.
Boomer froze. Huh? What the fuck! Was Kat saying she was still a virgin? She was twenty-nine years old! How the fuck had she made it to twenty-nine and never have…never done…holy shit!
Waiting for Him Page 9
