Landon’s eyes glanced toward the door. “I really should go talk with Miss Tinsley. We did some checking into her background, so this is just a formality. From the information we received, she’s more than qualified should she be interested in the position. The only obstacle will be her passing the bar in Illinois. Unfortunately, it’s only offered twice a year—February and July—so the timing will be a bit off. But we’ll still welcome her on board if she’s willing.”
I doubted she would have an issue passing the bar. Clarissa was a highly intelligent woman. While she might’ve endured a couple of obstacles that knocked her down a peg or two, I could see the fire in her eyes. She would succeed if she opted to accept.
“May I ask what the stipulations are?” I wasn’t going to intrude on the financials, because that wasn’t my business.
“We’re only asking that she come on board as a full-time employee of Chatter. We’re not looking to outsource. Being that we’re expanding, it only makes sense to bring her on in an official capacity. Healthcare, stock options, all of it. It does come with some legal responsibility on our part, but we feel it’s worth it.”
“She’ll need to hire some people to work for her,” I told him. “She won’t be able to handle the sheer volume alone.”
“Of course. That’ll be at her discretion once she’s agreed to the terms. Not only will she handle the company’s legal contracts, we’d like to offer legal services, such as wills and contract reviews, to our clients.” Landon leaned forward. “The only thing I fear might keep her from accepting is that we’re looking for her to relocate here.”
That was an interesting concept. I hadn’t considered that when I brought this up to Clarissa. Bearing in mind I would be spending a significant amount of time here in the future, I didn’t mind that one bit.
The only question was whether Clarissa would be open to that or not.
Unfortunately, I would have to wait and see.
Troy
I KNEW MASTER WAS TESTING me.
While I continued to think of him as Master—something I enjoyed more and more every time I did—I couldn’t help but wonder if I should be thinking of him solely as my boss. Especially in a business setting such as this one.
Then again, this wasn’t quite the business setting I was used to. Forcing me to kneel beside him was totally out of the norm for our working relationship. I wondered whether it would be a regular occurrence going forward. I’d been shocked when he gave the initial command. Considering it hindered my ability to do my job, I was starting to question his motives.
Then again, it seemed I had now entered an alternate dimension filled with only Doms and submissives. Or maybe there wasn’t any separation at all. Considering Case, Brax, Luci, and Dale all appeared to be submissives who interacted with Dominants on a day-to-day basis, perhaps it wasn’t as black and white as I thought it was.
However, after sitting through Master’s meeting with Landon, I realized there wasn’t anything I needed to do. Taking notes hadn’t been necessary since they were simply going over things they’d previously discussed. I assumed Master knew that was going to be the case going in, which was likely why he had me kneel.
To be honest, I had no idea what this world entailed. Sure, I’d done some research, but never to the extent that I understood what a submissive did and didn’t do. Obviously calling him Master and kneeling beside him were critical components. I’d figured that out easily. And to be fair, it didn’t bother me. I liked knowing that I was pleasing Master—both as my boss and in … other ways.
A couple of times during the conversation, his hand had come to rest on my head. Each time had caused electrical sparks to shoot through my nerve endings. While I had worked for Master for three years, never had he touched me. Nothing more than a handshake, maybe. Or a brief touch if he was passing something over.
So this was entirely new for me.
“Stand, boy.”
I jerked my attention to Master. He was staring down at me, clearly waiting.
Pushing to my feet, I realized my thighs were cramping from having been in that position for so long. It took a minute to get feeling back in my feet. Evidently, I was going to have to learn how to kneel properly. Because damn. Perhaps there was a right way and a wrong way. Clearly, I was doing it wrong.
“You please me,” Master said firmly when he met my gaze.
Or maybe not, because that seemed like a self-satisfied smirk on my boss’s face.
“Thank you, Master.” I was learning.
It would take time, I was sure, but if it meant putting that approving look on Master’s face, I was more than willing to endure whatever he had in store for me.
*
Four hours later, we were back on Trent’s private jet on our way back to Dallas. After Landon, Justin, and Ben had their discussions with Clarissa, we had all gone for a late lunch. It had been a pleasant encounter, even if it had been strictly business. I’d learned that Justin truly was pushing to expand, and he was no longer sitting back and waiting for it to happen. The man was on a mission and he was eager to move forward.
I was eager to move forward as well, but on an entirely different topic, except I still had one question.
“Why did Case and Brax accompany us on this trip?” I asked when it appeared Master was going to get up from his seat after the plane had leveled off.
Ransom and Zeke were once again in the front cabin, along with Zeke’s dog, Tank; however, Case and Brax had remained behind.
“They’re staying to discuss their business opportunities in depth,” Master informed me.
Of course, he didn’t elaborate, but I hadn’t really expected it.
“I’m going to be in my office for a bit,” Master said as he got to his feet.
I glanced over to see Clarissa staring out the window. She hadn’t said much since we got back on the plane. When I looked back at Master, I noticed he was watching her as well.
“Is there anything you need me to do?” I asked as he stood beside the table.
“Not right now.”
Without another word, he headed toward the back of the jet, to the small room he used as an office.
When I turned back to Clarissa, she was peering behind us.
“Does he really have an office on this thing?”
“And a bedroom,” I informed her. “Neither are very big, but they’re functional for what he needs.”
She turned back around. “Hmm. I guess Trent spends a lot of time traveling.”
“Quite a bit, yes.”
Wanting to be able to see Clarissa when we chatted, I moved to the seat Master had vacated as Jill was bringing drinks.
“Is there anything else I can bring you?” she offered.
I glanced at Clarissa and she shook her head.
“No. Thank you, Jill.”
“It’s my pleasure.” She slipped back to the front of the plane.
“Does Trent have people to cater to his every whim?” Clarissa asked when we were alone.
I smiled. “He does. Each of his houses is equipped with its own staff. People who handle everything inside and out. And you met Brax and Case. They tend to travel with him frequently. Of course, he pays them generously.”
She cocked her head to the side. “So, is there any truth to the media proclaiming he’s a diva? I’ve heard it said before.”
“No. Not really. I mean, sure, he wants things his way, and he generally gets them. But Master … uh … Trent pays his employees very well. No one works for him for free.”
Clarissa’s eyebrows rose and I knew she’d caught my blunder.
“Are you thinking of him that way now? As your Master?” she asked.
I glanced down at the table. I wasn’t sure how to explain myself, nor whether I should or not. I didn’t know where this was going and I definitely didn’t want to appear overeager.
“It’s okay if you are,” she said softly, her hand reaching across the table and landing on mine.
As soon as
our skin touched, my eyes shot up to her face. I felt something then. A spark, maybe? And not the static electricity sort, either. This was … different.
Was I supposed to feel something for Clarissa? Was it inappropriate for me to have a physical reaction to her?
“I get the feeling I’m going to make a shitty submissive,” I blurted.
Clarissa chuckled. “The question is: Do you want to submit?”
That was a good question. Did I? Or was this all part of my nefarious plan to get close to Master—Trent—whatever I was supposed to call him? Okay, so I didn’t have a nefarious plan. But still. Was this something I actually wanted? Could I really see myself submitting to this man? Or any man for that matter? Or a woman?
Shit.
I had no idea what I wanted. And even if I did, I had no idea how to go about getting it.
Clarissa leaned close. “The need to submit is not something everyone feels. Nor is the need to dominate. And I can tell you, Trent doesn’t play this part time. He would be asking a lot from you. So, if it isn’t something you want, you should make your feelings known.”
I decided to be honest. “I don’t even know what this is. Master—Trent refers to me as vanilla.” I lowered my voice. “And I don’t even know what that means.”
Clarissa’s laugh was so sweet I couldn’t seem to look away from her. “It means you’re not into kink.”
“Oh, I’m into kink,” I assured her, my chest automatically puffing up as though to prove myself.
“What kind?”
“Porn?”
She laughed, but for some reason, I didn’t get the feeling she was laughing at me.
“Okay,” she said with a grin, “so maybe not quite the kink I was referring to.”
“Okay, like what?”
“Well, I’m into a lot of things. I enjoy being tied up. I like impact play, such as floggers and whips, when used by experienced Dominants. But I’m not into pain or humiliation. Not the way a masochist is. I also enjoy giving up complete control and allowing my Dom to use me for his pleasure.”
“Use you? How?”
“Any way he wants. Which is the reason Trent wanted you to fill out a limit list.”
“Because it tells him what?”
“If you’ve selected something as a hard limit, he knows it isn’t something you’re willing to try. A good Dominant will respect that. Although it may not seem like it, the submissive holds the ultimate control. Without a submissive’s consent, the Dominant holds no power.”
I really needed to read BDSM for Dummies or something.
“What are your hard limits?” I asked. Sure, it seemed a rather personal question to ask, but I wanted to know.
Clarissa’s eyes dropped to her glass. “I don’t have any.”
Wow. She was brave. After all the shit I’d read on that list, not one of those things she was opposed to doing? That didn’t feel right.
Not that I would question her. Perhaps with time, those limits disappeared. I didn’t know. Figuring we’d ventured far enough off topic, I opted to turn us back around.
“But like I was saying, he’s really not a diva. His employees are extremely loyal to him.”
She didn’t seem surprised by the sudden shift, answering with, “As are you?”
“Of course.” Not wanting to give more information than Master would want me to, I changed the subject yet again. “So, what did you think of Chatter?”
Clarissa sighed as she relaxed against the seat and glanced out the window. “What they’re offering sounds far too good to be true.”
“How’s that?”
Her eyes slid over to me. “They’re basically giving me everything I’ve ever dreamed of. An office, employees, a job that will allow me to broaden my horizons and utilize my talents.”
“Why do I hear a but in there?”
She shook her head slightly. “I’m not sure there is one; however, I do have to give this some thought. They want me to relocate and I’m not sure that’s something I’m willing to do.”
“Do you have a lot of family in Dallas?”
“Yes. Not only my parents. A couple of aunts and uncles, along with a handful of cousins. Plus all my friends.”
“Are you close with your parents?”
“Relatively. I don’t see them all the time, but we do talk at least once a week. I talk to my mother more than my father. He remarried shortly after he divorced my mother. He’s got two kids with that wife.”
“Are you close with the extended family?”
“No. My stepmother’s not all that fond of me and her kids are rather spoiled.” She took a sip of her water. “What about you? Do your parents live in Dallas?”
“They do. My father is the owner and CEO of Kryptic Technologies.”
Her eyes widened briefly. “And you chose not to work for him?”
“Not my thing. He wanted me to. Or rather, shall I say he wants me to. Still. But I have no intentions of being one of the cogs in that ridiculously large machine.”
Speaking of parents, I needed to call my mother. She must’ve gotten wind of the news reports because she’d called me three times since last night. I made a mental note to call her once we were back in Dallas.
“I find that very brave,” she said, her eyes sincere. “You didn’t take the easy road.” Clarissa glanced around. “So I assume you’re probably accustomed to this lifestyle?” Her hand swiveled as she motioned toward our surroundings.
“Not to this extent, no. But I’m not a stranger to some of the other things that come with having money and fame.”
“Such as?”
“Invasion of privacy,” I stated.
“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to pry.”
I laughed. “No, not you. I meant I’m quite familiar with having others attempt to invade my privacy. Not quite to the extent Trent deals with, but it has gotten a little harder to evade the paparazzi since I started working for him.” I grinned. “Then again, I’m not sure there are many people who deal with what he does.”
“A lot of people want a piece of him, huh?”
“Thousands,” I agreed. “And everyone wants him for a different reason. He’s strict in his dealings with people because he knows they’ll take advantage of him at the first opportunity.”
“That’s gotta suck,” she said, her gaze dropping to the table. “I never thought of it that way.”
“Well, stick around for a little while and you’ll see what I’m talking about.”
Clarissa sighed. “I’m not sure that’s going to happen.”
“What? You sticking around?”
Her expression was hesitant when she peered back at me. “I’m pretty sure Trent admitted something rather significant this morning. About you.”
“What? That he wants to dominate me?”
She nodded.
I smiled shyly. “Well, it was rather significant for me, sure.”
“You didn’t know?”
“Not a clue.”
Her head tilted to the side. “I find it hard to believe that you’ve worked for him for three years and neither of you have acknowledged the obvious chemistry you have.”
“Chemistry?” I laughed. “Trust me, there hasn’t been any chemistry. I’m Master’s personal assistant and I take my job very seriously. We have a working relationship.”
“Yet when he told you to kneel, you did so without question. Plus, you’re referring to him as Master. Even in passing conversation. And while it might seem an innocuous term, it’s clear you’ve deemed him your Dom.”
She was right. While I wasn’t sure how it had happened, that was how I was thinking of him. Mainly because I liked the way he looked at me when I called him that. And in order to continue, I had to make it a habit.
I glanced back at the door to Master’s office. “It’s a natural response to that man.”
There was silence for a few minutes, but finally Clarissa spoke again.
“Well, I think it’s safe to as
sume that Trent intends to pursue you from a D/s perspective, if nothing else.”
“But he said he wanted to dominate you as well as me,” I noted, frowning. “Are you saying you have no interest in him?”
“That’s not what I’m saying. But a man like Trent…” She glanced out the window again. “I don’t think he has time to devote to more than one submissive at a time.”
“I don’t think that’s for you to decide, sunshine.”
My eyes widened when I looked up to see Master walking toward us. I hadn’t heard the door open.
Clarissa’s head jerked, her attention riveted on Master as he came to a stop directly beside her seat. I watched as she lowered her gaze. Whether she wanted to admit it or not, Clarissa harbored quite a bit of insecurity. I noticed it when it came to Trent. While it was clear she wanted him, she couldn’t seem to wrap her head around the fact he wanted her, too.
If I had to guess, Clarissa was highly adept at getting in the way of her own happiness.
TWELVE
Clarissa
WHEN THE PLANE EVENTUALLY TOUCHED down in Dallas, I knew I was going to have to make a break for it. Unfortunately, that was easier said than done. I didn’t have a car, which meant I had to rely on Trent or Zeke to take me home. I doubted I was going to be so lucky as for him to stick me in a limo and send me on my way.
Too bad we still had at least another hour and a half before I even had to worry about that.
Right now, I had no choice but to address the man who seemed hell-bent on… I didn’t even know what Trent’s true intentions were. He had said that the morning would be for business—he’d been true to his word—and tonight would be all about pleasure.
The question was whose? His? Troy’s? Mine? The three of us?
I was still having a hard time wrapping my head around what he wanted. It was clear Trent was interested in more than one submissive. He’d said as much. And then there’d been his interrogation this morning, asking me my preferences. I’d thought about that throughout the day and I still wasn’t sure of my stand on it. Was I willing to play second fiddle to another submissive? Even if that submissive was Troy? A man I’d been getting closer to.
Their Famous Dominant (Office Intrigue, 4) Page 21
