Embers of Desire [Sequel to Lighting a Flame] (Siren Publishing Allure)

by Serenity Snow

  “Because you want a woman more or because you’ll still want to play with one?” he asked and her breath stalled.

  “That might be a factor,” she admitted. Maybe not Kaela but some other woman might catch her eye.

  “Not a problem for me,” he answered. “I’ll give you your little play dates, but I have to be there. It’ll add some spice to our sex life.”

  She snorted. “You should go. We both have work to do.”

  “Let’s have dinner tonight and talk about it,” he answered. “And you can sign your contract. I want to get that out of the way before we go any further.”

  She needed to do that. “Umm, okay.”

  “Let’s meet—”

  “Your office will be fine,” she said.

  “Scared?”

  Danica lifted her chin and despised him for the humor she saw in his gorgeous eyes. “Of what?” she demanded. “Is seven okay with you?”

  He gave a nonchalant shrug of his broad shoulders. “I’ll be there.”

  She hated the way he said that and the enigmatic look in his eyes, but she wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of backing down and demand they do it here or in public.

  * * * *

  After his meeting with Sidney late that afternoon, Tyler headed home to work out since he’d be in the office late tonight. He took a quick shower and decided to put together a light dinner. He might be able to entice Miss Moss to join him.

  Tyler headed back to the office and got there right at seven. He set the picnic basket on the table in front of the loveseat across from his desk and removed a folder from a drawer.

  He’d just finished looking them over when a rap on his half open door caught his attention. “Come in, Danica,” he called as he got to his feet. When she stepped into the room, the first thing he’d noticed was that she’d changed, too. Gone were the slacks and jacket. Her curvy figure was clad in a casual dress with short sleeves and a neckline that dipped low enough to show a hint of cleavage.

  “Sorry I’m late,” she said.

  His gaze slid over her slowly taking in the sleek haircut that played up the shape of her face and drew his gaze right to her lush pink lips. She was wearing gloss and perfume. “Going out?”

  “Yes.”

  “Woman?” he asked casually as she joined him at his desk.

  “None of your business,” she answered coolly. “I made it clear earlier I wasn’t into you.”

  He chuckled at the way she looked down her nose at him in a haughty stare. “Baby if that ain’t the biggest lie I’ve heard all day, I don’t know what is. Your pussy was so wet last night two men could have fucked you at the same time.”

  She rolled her eyes, and he grinned. “I’m here to sign papers not talk about last night.”

  “Right.” He motioned to the two chairs behind her in front of his desk. “Take your time reading them. I don’t want any professional misunderstandings. Our personal relationship is having enough of them.”

  “We don’t have a relationship and there are no misunderstandings.”

  “Mixed messages then,” he answered. “Drink?”

  “No.”

  He smiled, and she glared at him before settling back to read the papers the lawyers had prepared for her.

  Tyler sat down and watched her. He wondered if she was going to be with a woman instead just to assure herself her body hadn’t responded to his male touch with greedy need. He had nothing against lesbians or gay men. They had a right to fuck whoever they wanted so long as that didn’t include children.

  He did have a problem with this woman trying to flick him off as if he were an annoying bug. She was into him. She wanted him so bad he could see it on her face and feel it in the weight of her stare. She was terrified of coming to him, but lucky for them both he wasn’t the kind of man who let anyone he’d ever miss get away.

  Chapter Six

  Danica looked up after she’d signed the last page to find whiskey eyes watching her with intensity that sent a rush of heat through her. She had to catch her breath. “Um well—” She quickly got to her feet. Why did he do this to her? How did he have such power over her?

  Tyler stood as well. “Going to the club?”

  “Yes.” She handed him the folder and his fingers closed around her wrist and held it as he rounded his desk. She trembled inside wanting to beg him to let her go. Not even with Kaela had she been so disconcerted from a simple stare.

  He took the folder with his other hand and placed it on his desk before lacing his fingers through her. “Why are you running so damn hard from me?” he murmured. “Is it about color?”

  She frowned taken aback by the question. “No.” She had black friends, and she’d had black lovers.

  “Then, stay,” he said drawing her toward him. “I made dinner. It’s nothing much.” He stroked his hand up her arm. “Let me be the one enjoying your company again tonight.”

  Her pulse beat faster and her breathing quickened. She tried to draw her wrist back, but his grip was like a vise. “Let me go,” she said huskily.

  “How, Dani?” he answered. “Tell me how to pull back when all I do is think about you.”

  “Damn it,” she muttered. “Tyler, don’t do this.”

  “Don’t do this?” He lifted his hand and stroked his fingers along her jaw. “Or this?” He captured her chin. “Your skin is like silk. How can I not touch it?”

  She closed her eyes for a moment. She had to say whatever it took to get him to let her go.

  “Look at me,” he ordered roughly. “Don’t you dare try to hide!”

  Her eyes snapped open and her gaze collided with his. Heat and dominance greeted her. This was why she had to get away from him. He was stronger than her, and she liked that dominant edge too much. She couldn’t lose control with him or anyone.

  “That’s it,” Tyler crooned. He brushed his lips over hers and fire sparked in her belly.

  “No.” She turned her head.

  “Look. At. Me.”

  Command laced each syllable. Breathing hard, she obeyed, unable to do otherwise.

  “Use your words,” he told her. “If you want to leave, you’re free to go. Otherwise I’m going to walk over to the door and if you’re not behind me, I’m locking it because I don’t want anyone walking in while I’m making love to you with my eyes.”

  He turned and she shivered.

  Shit!

  She had to do something besides standing here with her juices dampening her panties. She wanted Tyler so bad she was willing to let him do whatever he wanted to her.

  Damn it. She wasn’t a sub.

  “Take off your shoes, Dani,” he ordered as he leaned against the door. “I want you to relax.”

  She stared at him suspiciously.

  “Now, baby,” he order softly. “Or do you need help?”

  “I’ve got it,” she retorted acerbically. She crossed to the couch and sat down on it and began to remove the heels she’d pulled on with her dress. She didn’t normally dress like this, but she’d wanted him to think she had plans, that he wasn’t even a thought in her mind. Yet she had been thinking about him, about the feel of his hands on her skin, the taste of his kiss.

  Everything from the black shelf bra and matching panties to her heels had been about Tyler Quinn’s possible reaction to her.

  He pushed away from the door. “Mission accomplished,” he said as he grabbed the blanket from the couch next to her.

  “What?” Her head came up, their eyes met. His gaze was dark and intense as it caressed her face. Her stomach fluttered.

  He nodded, eyes going to her heels. “I’m jealous as hell of whoever you might have spent the evening with.”

  She was always the aggressor, the one with the smooth lines, so she didn’t know what to say.

  Tyler finished spreading out the blanket. “Come sit here.” He patted a spot that would allow her to sit with her back to the couch. “If you want to wash your hands first, my bathroom is just across t
he room.”

  “Oh. Okay.” She went to wash her hands more to buy time than anything else. She drew in a breath and let it out as she went to the bathroom. What was she doing?

  What the hell was he doing?

  He didn’t strike her as the romantic type.

  She turned on the light and moved to the sink in the skipper blue and white bathroom. Danica turned on the faucet.

  “Why are you so nervous?” Tyler appeared behind her.

  She looked up at him in the mirror. “I’m not,” she said quickly and he gave her a knowing look. “You caught me off guard with this. Did you plan it?” She leveled an accusing glare at him.

  Tyler leaned toward her and whispered, “Yes.”

  Her jaw dropped and then she frowned. “Tyler—”

  “Just dinner, and maybe some making out afterward over dessert,” he cut in and then kissed her ear before grabbing a hand towel.

  “Thank you.” She snatched it from him and he cocked a brow at her.

  “Do you want to be disciplined for being inhospitable?”

  Her jaw dropped again. “I—yo—it’s not happening,” she stammered out.

  “Oh, it will happen, girl,” he murmured. “If you keep that up. Now move over so I can wash up.”

  She moved. “I’m not a sub to be pushed around and I’m certainly not your sub despite what happened last night,” she sniped at him. Why was she sticking around? Was she crazy? This man was an absolute ass.

  “You just earned yourself that punishment,” Tyler told her with a smile that she caught in the mirror.

  Danica scoffed. “Right.” She stalked out of the bathroom. She was not taking this. She looked around for her shoes and didn’t see them. Bastard! She whipped around and found Tyler leaning casually against the side of the bathroom door. “Where are my shoes!” she demanded almost shrilly.

  He stepped out of the bathroom wearing a smile. “Safe from you,” he drawled. “Now, let’s have some dinner. I want you to sit here.” He indicated where he wanted her to sit and waited for her to do it grudgingly before he reached for the basket and opened it. “Now, your punishment will be simple.”

  “I’m not taking it,” she said coldly. “I’m not your—”

  “Enough,” he snapped. “Sit quietly until I speak to you again.” Her lips tightened, and he arched a brow as she started to speak. “I don’t want to spank your cute little ass, Dani, but I will. I have another punishment in mind. Don’t ruin it.”

  “I swear if you touch—”

  “You’ll take your punishment like a good girl is what you’ll do,” he cut in. He put candles on the coffee table and lit them before placing some on his desk and lighting those, too. Then, he turned off the overhead lights. “That’s better. Almost what I’d fantasized.”

  “Fantasized?” She’d known he was trouble—more trouble than she wanted to deal with.

  “Danica I need you to understand the full import of obedience,” he said evenly as he joined her. He kneeled down and ran his hand up her leg from calf to thigh. He pushed up her dress with his other hand and before she could guess what he was about to do, Tyler lifted his hand and gave her thigh a sound tap.

  “Tyler!”

  “Silence,” he ordered and dropped his hand on her thigh again. “Another word out of you before I speak to you and your ass is next.” He dropped his hand on her thigh again sending stinging pain through her flesh despite the stockings covering her skin. He gave her another tap and then sat down across from her. “And stop glaring. You’re too pretty for that.”

  She decided to obey and watch to see what he did next.

  Tyler opened the basket and removed a length of fabric. “I’m going to put this on you, but you can take it off if you feel uncomfortable.” He got up and tied the blind-fold into place. Tyler kissed the nape of her neck sending shivers down her spine.

  “You just happened to have a scarf on hand?” she demanded huskily.

  “You’re like a stallion, Dani,” he murmured in her ear. “You have to be coaxed not broken.” He nipped her earlobe leaving behind a sting as he moved away.

  So this had been a trap that she’d just tumbled into, Danica mused as she heard a soft rustling noise. She was tempted to remove the silk covering her eyes and march right out the door, but part of her wanted to see what the rest of his plan was.

  “What do you smell?” Tyler asked.

  “Food,” she said coolly.

  “What flavors?”

  She drew in a careful breath. “Lemon. Pepper, butter, and a hint of chipotle.”

  “Open,” he said and chuckled when she didn’t. “A little more trust, baby,” he urged as he stroked his fingers lightly down her throat.

  His touch sent flames licking along her skin and she grudgingly obeyed. Firm pasta touched her tongue and basil and lemon burst over her taste buds. She chewed. “I like it.”

  “Another bite,” he said. “Careful of the fork.”

  She let him feed her and moaned. “This is really good, Tyler,” she admitted after chewing and swallowing.

  “Wine?”

  “Not until you take the blindfold off,” she answered.

  “Afraid you’ll wreck this hot little dress?” he murmured. “You’d have to take it off.”

  “It would just be ruined because I’m not undressing until I get home.”

  “Coward,” he teased and fed her another bite. “Tell me about your family? Are you close to your parents or siblings?”

  She chewed and heard wine being poured. “I get along with my parents,” she mused. “They’re swingers, but that’s not the reason we aren’t close. They love me, and I love them.” “But?” Tyler pressed.

  “Nothing. I respect them,” she said. She’d been taught to be independent and strong. They’d spoiled her some because she was their only child. “They don’t dote on me, but they’d never do anything that made really unhappy and I’m the same way.”

  “They wouldn’t approve of you in an interracial relationship?” he asked, and she heard—fear?

  “They wouldn’t care,” she said. “They never saw people according to race as far as I can tell. Vinessa’s parents are their closest friends. We were raised like sisters.”

  “What about your siblings?”

  “Vinessa is like a sister to me.” They had grown up in each other’s homes. “And Connor and his siblings are like my siblings too.” There had been so much in their extended family. “What about you?”

  “My parents died when I was young,” he told her. “But my father’s cousin, Joe Merchant took me and my brother.”

  “You were raised in a mixed home,” she said. The Merchants were white or of mixed heritage from the pictures she’d seen of them on TV and in magazines.

  “The family black, white and Spanish,” he told her. “Me and my brother were treated like part of their brood. They had three other kids already. They let us know we were loved and wanted. They raised us to be strong, confident.”

  Danica heard the smile in his voice. They might have similar backgrounds, but they had nothing in common, she told herself firmly.

  “They left us a nice size heritage too when they died, and Chasen is CEO and president while I’m the vice president. I still have to work hard,” he told her.

  “Sounds like you were happy growing up.”

  “I was very happy,” he answered. “Were you?”

  “Yes.”

  He fed her another bite. “You’re taking your punishment better than I expected,” he said. “Hold still you’ve got a little sauce on your lips. I’d lick it off, but you’re being punished. You don’t get kissed.”

  She snorted. “Give me a napkin.”

  “Say please,” he commanded.

  “Please give me a napkin,” she said in an annoyed tone.

  He handed it over. “How many men have you submitted to?”

  “One or two,” she admitted.

  “Other than me?”

  “One
or two,” she said again and wiped her mouth.

  “Taste this.” He put bread to her lips and she bit down. “Like it?”

  She nodded. “It’s good. Basil?”

  “Correct,” he answered. “I fantasized about feeding you like this while I was cooking,” he admitted.

  She yanked off the blind-fold. “I told you—”

  “I know what you told me,” he said. “I also know what I see, and I see a scared woman.” He stroked his fingers over her cheek. “Who wants me, so why are you letting the past hold you back? Who hurt you so bad he left you terrified of getting close?”

  She frowned impatiently. She was not sharing that part of her life with him. “No one hurt me.”

  “That’s the only reason you could be keeping me at arm’s length, but I don’t want to hurt you except in the most sensual of ways. I want to make you happy, be a friend and a lover.” Her breath quickened. “You—we’re too different.” Fear nibbled at her, making her dizzy because if she didn’t stay away from him, he could become just that.

  “Not really but if you believe that then consider me something new, and stop holding back and try me.”

  Chapter Seven

  They finished their meal and Tyler cleared away the remains and then rejoined her.

  “Dinner was nice,” Danica said meeting his gaze.

  “I’m glad you stayed,” Tyler replied, leaning toward her. He stroked his finger over her jaw and down her throat. “You’re so soft.” He lowered his head to let his lips take the same path his finger had.

  She sighed softly as she tipped her head back allowing Tyler access.

  “You smell so good,” he murmured. He licked the column of her throat as he caressed her thigh.

  Her breathing hitched as his fingers slid beneath the edge of her dress. She put her hand on his. Danica rubbed the back of his hand, and he shifted and gripped her jaw. Tyler claimed her mouth greedily, and she gasped into the kiss.

  He moaned as he plundered her mouth, his tongue a careful tool of seduction while his hand stroked the skin above her stocking. She pushed his hand away and straddled him. Tyler shifted to accommodate her and gripped her hips, and she moved lithely against him.