“Ah. Is that where you stay when you come to the club?”
“Yes. I prefer staying here, not only because I can keep an eye on things, but it also provides more privacy.”
That explained a lot. I knew Master had implemented quite a bit of security at his various residences, but from what I could tell, this would provide the ultimate. Considering that was what it was built for and all.
*
When we ascended the stairs to the fourth and final floor a short time later, I glanced behind me, smiling to myself. It was beyond obvious Master was proud of this place. And from what I’d seen, he had every right to be.
But regardless of how nice it was or even how curious I was, I had a hard time focusing because my thoughts were stuck on the way Master had kissed me back at his house.
Not once in my entire life had I ever been kissed like that.
Ever.
And fuck if I couldn’t stop thinking about his lips, his tongue, the sensual way he had explored me. His domination. Oh, damn, that had been incredible. Add to that the heat he ignited, and I’d nearly gone up in flames.
“I need you to call the spa and schedule an appointment for Clarissa,” he said as he moved into the kitchen of the fourth-floor apartment.
This place was as nice as his Texas house. Maybe not quite as nice as the California one, but that was only because he had a view there that rivaled anything I’d ever seen. But this place suited him. Very masculine, very modern.
“Of course,” I told him.
His phone buzzed, and he glanced down at it.
After clarifying which particular spa Master was referring to, I called and made the appointment, ensuring they understood the reservations came from my boss and that he wanted Clarissa pampered in every way. He hadn’t specified, but I could tell.
When I hung up the phone, I turned to see him watching me.
“What?”
“I’m looking forward to spending tomorrow night with you and Clarissa.”
Yeah. Friday seemed like such a long time from now.
I moved over to the island and took a seat while he leaned against the counter. “Clarissa’s a sweet girl.”
“She is.”
I wasn’t sure how much I was allowed to ask, but since Master had never declined to answer a question of mine before, I decided to probe a little. “How long have you known her?”
“Years. I was introduced to her at Devotion through some friends of mine. She’s…” He paused, seemingly considering his words. Something sparked in his eyes when he looked back at me. “She’s the woman I’ve craved for as long as I can remember.”
“Did you enjoy your time with her last night?” I couldn’t help it, I wanted to know.
“I did. It was very … enlightening.”
I wasn’t sure if I should’ve been jealous that he was getting close to Clarissa, but for whatever reason, I wasn’t. Sure, I wished I could’ve been with them, especially last night, when I’d been fantasizing about what they were doing, but I knew Master would require some privacy when it came to her. I hoped the same was true for him and me.
“Well, I look forward to seeing her again.” And I did, for more reasons than simply because Master looked starry-eyed when he thought about her.
His phone buzzed and his attention was once again on it.
“You will. Tonight.” He stood up tall and held up his phone. “That was Landon. He said the contract is on its way over. And while I’m thinking about it…”
Master disappeared from the kitchen, his words lingering behind him. He returned a few minutes later with a folder.
“This is Dichotomy’s membership agreement,” he explained.
I stared up at him as he pushed the folder toward me.
“I’d like you to read through it carefully, then sign.”
“I’ve noticed there’s a lot of … paperwork affiliated with BDSM.” I scanned the membership agreement, then looked up at him. “I assume that’s because of discretion?”
“Mostly, yes. However, when it comes to this lifestyle, you’ll realize there’s a lot of communication that takes place. This isn’t the type of kink you can go into blindly. It’s about pleasuring your partner, not scaring the shit out of them.”
Well, when I’d read through that limit list, I could admit there had been several things that had scared the shit out of me.
“Did you get the limit list completed?” he asked as he moved to stand behind me.
I pulled the papers from the bag I carried when I went places with him. “About ninety percent of it, yes.”
“Any questions? Anything that worries you?”
I laid the paper on the bar and knew he was reviewing my answers. The list was in alphabetical order and there were two things right at the top that had raised my hackles when I first saw them. Animal roles and asphyxiation for starters. Then there were bathroom restrictions. These people were into some serious shit.
I turned to look at Master and that was when I realized how close he was. So close that my nose almost grazed his cheek. If I leaned forward even slightly, our lips would touch.
Fuck, I wanted him to kiss me again. I never wanted him to stop, in fact.
Strangely enough, he didn’t move away, merely turned his head a fraction of an inch and stared back at me. My breath caught in my chest as something akin to anticipation took up all the space where the air had been previously.
“I hope you were thorough,” he said softly, his breath fanning my mouth. “Did you take your time?”
“I’m not completely finished, but yes, I have been taking my time.” I swallowed hard when he still didn’t move away.
“Do you have any questions?”
A jerky shake of my head was all I could offer as I wished he would close the few centimeters that separated our mouths. The fact that he admitted I was the first man he’d ever kissed … yeah, I wanted him to explore me, to use me, to find out what he enjoyed about being with a man.
I didn’t know what made me do it, but I found myself leaning in, closing that gap. But then suddenly there was a hand in my hair, roughly jerking my head back.
“No,” he growled, looming over me, his eyes locked with mine.
“I’m … sorry,” I muttered.
His eyes scanned my face, but I had no idea what he was looking for. Permission? Since it was clearly there, that couldn’t be it. However, I did note that he didn’t look at all disgusted.
To my shock, he leaned in until our lips were almost touching. When he spoke, his words were a rough, raspy growl. “You need to keep in mind who’s in charge here, boy. Me. Not you. Is that understood?”
I gave another jerky nod, causing his hand to tighten in my hair. Like every other time he’d done it, the pain was erotic, and my disappointment was intense when he released me and took a step back.
“In the future, when you need something from me, I expect you to ask for it. Nicely.”
I nodded.
“Whether it’s for me to kiss you, touch you, suck your cock…”
Holy fuck. I was seconds away from falling off the damn stool.
“You will learn to communicate verbally.”
“Yes, Master.”
He took another step back. “I need you to have our tuxes delivered here. Mine, yours, and Bishop’s. It’ll be easier to leave from here. Have Zeke’s delivered to Clarissa’s and find a dress for her to wear. Something exquisite, like her. Then, complete the membership agreement and finish up with the limit list. I’ll be back later.”
“Okay.” I was still trying to catch my breath.
“And, boy?”
I cut my eyes to his. “Yes?”
“Feel free to explore, watch television, do whatever. But you are not allowed to touch yourself. Understood?”
“Yes, Master.”
FIFTEEN
Clarissa
AFTER WAKING UP TO FIND Trent gone, I decided not to dwell on last night’s activities. Oh, sure, I wa
s peeved that he’d disappeared without even saying goodbye, but it wasn’t anything I hadn’t expected. In fact, it served as a reminder that Trent was temporary. He would never be someone I would wake up in bed with, share breakfast with, or go see a movie with. Trent Ramsey wasn’t dating me in the traditional sense. He was my Dom, and as I’d learned over the years, that was a role men played. Which meant, I needed to remember my role.
Instead of trying to figure out Trent’s motivation, I’d spent the morning packing up more of my things. Zeke alternated between helping me move boxes and taking Tank out to play in the backyard. Thankfully, he wasn’t asking questions.
Mercedes had texted to let me know there was a showing scheduled for the afternoon, so I worked diligently to get the house in the best possible shape that I could. Although I would’ve preferred to wait until the house was officially on the market after the staging process was complete, Mercedes informed me it would be wise to show the house in the coming-soon stage. The potential buyers were extremely interested in the location.
Considering selling was critical, I took my best friend’s advice and put all of my energy to good use.
Zeke and I had just arrived home after making a trip to the storage unit when my cell phone rang. I had expected it to be Mercedes, so when I saw Trent’s name on the screen, my belly fluttered. I hadn’t heard from him yet today, and although I had done my level best, it had been hell trying not to think about him.
“Good morning,” I greeted, my mind flooded with memories from last night.
“It’s noon, sunshine. No longer morning.” His voice was like rich, dark chocolate caressing my entire body.
Wow. The time had flown by. “Well, then, good afternoon.” I held back the urge to call him Master. Hearing his voice made resisting damn near impossible, but I knew I had to.
He chuckled. “Did you sleep well last night?”
“Yes. As a matter of fact, I did.” I’d actually slept all night for the first time in months. With Trent in my bed, I’d felt safe, which had allowed my brain to shut off completely.
“It was hard not waking you up this morning,” he admitted. “But you looked so peaceful I refrained.”
Well, that certainly made me feel a little better.
“I’m calling to request your attendance at Dichotomy tomorrow night.”
“I would like that, Master.”
“So, no excuses this time?”
“No. None,” I said with a chuckle. I didn’t bother to tell him I’d already talked to Mercedes about going.
“That pleases me.”
My chest swelled and my pussy clenched. “Is there something specific I should wear?”
“Yes. Expect a couple of deliveries today. In the meantime, a car will arrive to take you to your appointment at the spa.”
“The spa?”
“Yes. As your Dom, it’s my job to pamper you, pet. This is my way of doing that.”
My entire body warmed at the sentiment. Plenty of women might’ve been turned off by the high-handedness, but it was exactly what I expected from a man like Trent. What I needed, in fact. “Thank you.”
“Oh, and tonight, we’ll be attending a fundraiser.”
“Tonight?” I’d seen him every day this week, so I hadn’t expected this.
“Yes,” he confirmed. “Troy and I will be there to pick you and Zeke up at seven.”
“What should I wear?” I asked, doing my best not to panic.
“Like I said, you can expect a delivery. And let Zeke know his tux will be delivered there as well.”
I peered over my shoulder to see Zeke stepping in from the backyard. “I’ll let him know.”
“I look forward to seeing you tonight, sunshine. Enjoy your day.”
With my heart fluttering, I managed to eke out a breathless, “I look forward to seeing you, too.”
Trent chuckled before the call disconnected.
“Something wrong?” Zeke asked.
“Nope. That was Trent. He said to tell you he’ll have your tuxedo delivered here.”
“Tuxedo?”
“For a fundraiser?” I thought for sure he’d know more about it than I did.
“Fucking hell,” he grumbled.
“Oh, and apparently I’ve got a spa appointment.” Not knowing how much time I had, I hurried to the bathroom, pulled my hair up into a ponytail, and hopped in the shower. After a quick soap and rinse, I dried off and put on clean clothes. After taking my hair down and combing it out, I returned to the living room to wait.
As though it had been planned, my doorbell chimed. I knew better than to answer myself, so I cast a quick look at Zeke.
When he opened the door, Trent’s driver—an older, heavy-set gentleman—smiled warmly. Evidently recognizing him, Zeke stepped back out of the way.
“Ms. Tinsley, it’s a pleasure to see you again.”
“Good afternoon, Kevin.”
The driver smiled. “I’m here to take you to your appointment.”
“Yes. Thank you. I just need to grab my purse.”
Kevin nodded, then stepped back to wait.
I went to get my keys and noticed Zeke was putting Tank in his crate.
“What are you doing?”
Zeke grinned. “Going with you.”
I immediately shook my head. “I… You really don’t need to go with me.”
“I really do,” he countered. “Remember, it’s my job. But don’t worry, girl, I’m not gonna sneak a peek at your pretty parts.”
I felt my blush creep up my neck and I pulled my purse onto my shoulder. Before I could get them, Zeke grabbed my keys and headed for the door, motioning for me to go out.
Kevin walked me to the waiting limo, then helped me inside before closing the door. Zeke climbed in on the other side as I was surveying the interior of the car. I noticed a chilled bottle of water had been considerately placed in the cup holder. I was far too nervous to drink it, but I appreciated his thoughtfulness.
“What’s this fundraiser for?” he asked when the car was in motion.
“No idea. He didn’t go into details, but I figure it’s fancy if you’ll be wearing a tux.”
“Great.” There was nothing great about the look on Zeke’s face.
“Are you not a fan of tuxedos?”
He glanced my way. “Not a fan of a lot of things, girl.”
“Maybe we can take Tank with us,” I suggested.
His eyes narrowed, those dark eyebrows slanting toward his nose.
“What?” I asked when he didn’t say anything. “I assume you’ll be working, so what would it hurt to have Tank there with you? He’s registered as an emotional-support dog, is he not?” Zeke had mentioned it and I’d been curious as to why. According to the big guy, he’d had Tank certified because it meant he could take him everywhere.
“He is,” Zeke said, the two words coming out slowly.
“Considering you’re not a fan of fundraisers or tuxedos, perhaps you need him there for emotional support.”
An almost-smile tugged at his mouth.
“I’ll be glad to contact them and see if it’s allowed.” I made a mental note to contact Troy and ask him where the fundraiser was being held and what it was for.
“Why would you do that?” Zeke questioned.
“Why would you babysit me?” I countered.
“Trent asked me to.”
“Well, I’m doing it because I appreciate what you’re doing,” I told him before returning my attention out the window.
A short time later, we pulled into a parking garage at one of the city’s most exclusive spas. I felt slightly underdressed, knowing the type of women who frequented these places. Not all, of course, but most of them. They were women who had money to spend and time to kill. Certainly not a place I had ever visited. I didn’t even know how I was supposed to act at a place like this.
I realized I had nothing to fret about when I was personally greeted by an older woman with kind eyes and a pleasant
smile, who, as she explained, generally checked in their guests. Of course, she quickly informed me there was no formal check-in process because it had evidently been taken care of. Instead, she passed me off to an attendant who led me into a private room that was more of a sanctuary than anything. The lights were low, soft music playing.
I turned in time to see Zeke stepping into the room behind me.
“What are you doing?” I asked in a harsh whisper.
“My job,” he said easily.
“Not in here, you’re not.”
He smiled, but there was no amusement there. “I go where you go, Miss Tinsley. Save your breath because I’m not leaving. Like I told you before, your parts don’t interest me.”
I sighed and turned toward the attendant. Like he said, it would be a waste of my breath to argue.
“Please undress, Ms. Tinsley. You may put on the robe and lie on the table on your back,” the younger woman instructed. “I’ll be back in a few minutes.”
I frowned, my eyes darting around the room. I noticed a silver tray that held a variety of instruments and also … wax.
“Well, that explains it.” I figured we could nix the sanctuary part of the description.
“If you even think about looking,” I threatened Zeke, “I’ll … I’ll…”
“Trust me, girl. I won’t peek.” As though to prove his point, he took up a stance on the far side of the room at the end of the table where my head would be. He wouldn’t see anything from that vantage point.
I didn’t think.
Without wasting time, I removed my clothes, slipped on the robe, then seated myself on the padded table, pulling the thin silk sheet over my lower half. It wouldn’t matter in a few minutes, but for now, it allowed me to maintain a little of my modesty.
The woman returned a moment later. “We’ll get the hard part out of the way,” she said conversationally. “Then you’ll be pampered completely during your visit. Mr. Ramsey has insisted we take extra-special care of you.”
I nodded, closing my eyes as the woman lifted the sheet and shifted my legs so that my knees were pointed outward.
“Have you been waxed before?”
“Yes.”
Their Famous Dominant (Office Intrigue, 4) Page 28
