Flynn jerked his SUV into a spot, shut off the engine, and jumped out. He jogged toward a stunned Elizabeth whose eyes were wide, one hand over her chest. “What the fuck just happened? Did you follow me?”
Flynn stopped a foot away from her. “Me? Not me, Elizabeth. That guy.” He pointed toward the disappearing truck. “Did you not realize that guy was following you?”
She frowned, glancing up and down Flynn’s body. “It would appear you were too.”
Flynn rolled his eyes. “Elizabeth. I saw that guy pull out behind you in the parking lot at Zodiac. It freaked me the fuck out. Rightfully so. Because he followed you all the way home. I tailed his ass. Thank God because Lord knows what he might have done if I hadn’t pulled in behind him.”
Elizabeth dropped her hand from her heart and took a deep breath. “Seriously?”
“Yes. Why the fuck would I lie about something like this?” He grabbed her keycard from her hand and then took her elbow. “Come on.”
“What? You’re coming inside with me?”
“Hell, yes, I’m coming inside. Jesus, Elizabeth, someone is fucking stalking you. You might be blasé about it, but I’m not. I’m shook up.” He released her arm, opened the door, and then met her gaze as he held it for her.
She hesitated only a few moments and then finally slid past him to enter the building.
Flynn followed her in silence as she led him to the elevator and then to the third floor. At least her room wasn’t on the main floor. He needed these few minutes to regain his composure. His adrenaline was pumping hard from what he’d just witnessed. There was no doubt in his mind whoever was driving that truck meant Elizabeth harm. Was he overreacting?
Flynn continued to follow Elizabeth out of the elevator and down the hallway. He was pleased to notice her hands were shaking, and when she fumbled, he calmly took her keycard from her fingers and opened her door.
Elizabeth dropped her bag on the floor and continued across the room without saying a word or glancing back.
Flynn followed right on her heels. It wasn’t as if she could get away from him. The room was a studio apartment. Everything was in sight. Kitchenette. Living room. King-sized bed. The only other door in the room would lead to a bathroom. The only light in the room came from the streetlamps because the curtains weren’t drawn.
She yanked open the refrigerator and snagged two waters, handing one to Flynn before she spoke. “Thanks for looking out for me, but I’m a big girl. I don’t need a keeper.” She twisted off the top of her bottle and took a long drink.
Flynn set his unopened bottle on the counter. Drinking water was the last thing on his mind. He was fuming again. “Don’t be so stubborn.”
She glared at him. “Don’t tell me how to feel, Flynn.” She shrugged. “So, some guy might have followed me. Whatever. I have mace. I’ve taken self-defense classes.”
His heart rate picked up and he took a few steps to close the distance with her, backing her into the fridge. He lifted one hand and flattened it loudly against the stainless-steel door.
She flinched, a gasp escaping her lips.
His voice rose. “You’re not fooling me. Your hands are shaking, and you can hardly make eye contact. Why pretend that didn’t scare you? There is no need for you to be in such total control every second. It must be exhausting.”
She licked her lips, her gaze on his chest. “And you think shouting at me is going to change things?”
The second she tipped her face back and met his gaze with wide eyes, Flynn lost the last grip he had on his control. He slammed his other hand flat against the fridge on the other side of her head and closed the distance, taking her lips. Claiming her. Devouring her. Moaning into her stubborn mouth because the moment he made the connection, he wanted more.
He hadn’t planned to kiss her. It just happened. He wasn’t about to stop though. Instead, he slid his hands down to cup her face, angling her just where he wanted. He slid his tongue into her mouth when she opened for him, invading her warmth.
It took a few moments, but she finally caved, thrusting her body forward into his, grasping his shirt with both fists at his waist. But the best part was the soft moan that vibrated through her to enter his body.
Flynn lost himself in the kiss, not caring that it probably wasn’t wise, that he’d undoubtedly damaged their tenuous relationship. He couldn’t stop himself. He craved her taste as if he’d been waiting to devour her for weeks, or perhaps years.
Finally, she broke free, gasping for air as she set her forehead against his chest.
He slid one hand into her hair, threading it at the back of her head. The other palm trailed down to her lower back. He drew in long, deep breaths before finally speaking. “At least now I know how to reason with you,” he murmured.
She groaned, shoving at him to break the connection.
He reluctantly took a step back, releasing her.
“You should go,” she told his chest, not meeting his gaze.
“E…”
She shuddered. “Don’t. Just. Don’t. I need to think.”
Shit. “E, talk to me.”
She ran a hand through her hair and continued to speak to his pecs. “Not right now. Please. Flynn. I need some space.”
He hesitated and then decided he needed to do as she wished. A war was waging inside her, and he wasn’t sure if it was a result of being followed or being kissed or both. Now wasn’t the time to ask.
He glanced around, found a pad of paper and pen on the counter and jotted down his number. “I’ll go, but please add my number to your phone. If anything suspicious happens, call me. Don’t be a hero.” He cupped her chin, but didn’t force her to lift her gaze. Instead he kissed the top of her head and then turned around and made his way to the door.
He had to force himself to leave her standing there. It was his only option. Anything else would cause more damage. There were things to say, but they wouldn’t get said tonight. He’d have to confront her another day. He had to remind himself that she was a grown adult. She wasn’t going to open this door to a stranger.
He had to pray to God she would be safe.
Because after that earth-shattering kiss, he realized he cared. A lot. He couldn’t imagine where that was going to lead them, but he certainly wanted to explore it and find out.
Chapter 11
Not bothering to turn on a single light, Elizabeth dropped into bed, exhausted even though her mind wouldn’t stop racing. So many thoughts ran through her head. The idea that someone might have followed her home made her extremely furious. Who would do something like that? It wasn’t as though she’d pissed someone off at Zodiac. She’d only been a member for a few weeks. She hadn’t had a chance to make enemies there.
And then there was Flynn. It was almost easier to focus on her would-be stalker than that kiss. Jesus. Her mouth still tingled. Her lips were swollen. She could taste him. Hell, she could inhale his scent in her hair and on her shirt. If she closed her eyes, she could almost pretend he was still in her little studio apartment, hovering over her.
She hadn’t looked him in the eye. The intimacy would have shattered her resolve. Nevertheless, she groaned into the silence of the room, worrying about what he was thinking after that damn kiss.
If he thought she had just caved under his thumb and he could now dominate her, he was certifiable. It would never happen.
There was no denying he’d stirred something inside her she hadn’t felt in many years, if ever. A longing for the unobtainable. She had decided long ago that she would never let herself fall for a man, and she wasn’t going to back down now. Nothing but trouble came from getting into a relationship.
No matter how nice a guy might seem at first, how panty-melting his smile might be, how suave his words or actions, he was still male inside. He would eventually try to control her, and she wasn’t having any of it.
There was a reason she was a Domme. A good one. Relinquishing her power to anyone was out of the question.
Squeezing her eyes closed against the world, she forced herself to take deep, cleansing breaths. She’d taught herself this trick many years ago—the last time she’d been this unnerved. That time she hadn’t climbed out of her pit of despair for months. This time she wouldn’t permit herself to slide in that deep. No man was going to debilitate her. Not an asshole who followed her home, nor an old coworker who kissed her until her panties were wet.
“Fuck,” she murmured. “Fucking hell.” Why did he have to be such a great kisser? She shouldn’t have fallen for it, especially since he’d pinned her against the refrigerator, hemming her in, making it difficult for her to escape. He was much larger, stronger, and very dominant. He could do anything he wanted with her if he set his mind to it.
She couldn’t let that happen. She had his number now. She would text him tomorrow and tell him to back the fuck off. Nothing was going to happen between them. Ever.
Resolved to text her way out of whatever that strange encounter meant to him, she finally started to relax her muscles until she fell asleep.
“Stop fighting me, Lizzie girl. You know you want this. You know you need to be punished. You’ll feel much better afterward.” Master Phil’s rough hand cupped her face, and roughly forced her chin back to meet his gaze.
She tried to jerk her head out of his grip, but there was no stopping him. He had her gagged and bound, her wrists tied securely with bondage rope in front of her, her ankles equally restrained to each other. She was naked, lying on her side on a mat on the floor. She was so scared that her vision was starting to swim. Every time she tried to scream, her own panties stopped the sound from escaping.
Master Phil circled her over and over, tapping his palm with the whip he held. The damn thing was ominous, and she knew no matter what she did, he was going to strike her with it.
His cock was evident behind the fly of his jeans. He was getting off on her misfortune.
Elizabeth squeezed her eyes shut. All she could think about was the fact that this was her fault. She’d consented to this scene. She’d given this man her power. She deserved everything he did to her and then some.
If she lived through this nightmare, she would never again put herself in a position like this. She’d seen the expressions on the faces of many different Doms and Dommes in the past month. Controlled. Peaceful. Those who dominated got just as much satisfaction from a scene as those who preferred to submit. Without the fear of something like this ever happening to them.
This was the last time Elizabeth would ever submit to anyone.
Master Phil lifted the whip in the air.
She watched in horrified slow motion as the whip came toward her, screaming silently behind her gag.
Elizabeth bolted awake, jerking herself to a sitting position. She was sweating and breathing heavily. Her heart was racing.
It had been a long time since she’d had that nightmare. Years. Fuck every circumstance that caused her to regress to this long-abandoned part of her life.
She flopped back down, tugging the covers over her naked body. Shivering. Cold. Unwilling to get out of bed to put on clothes or even take a warm bath. She was frozen in her spot. Old memories haunting her.
Fucking hell. Fuck whoever thought they could intimidate her by following her home. And Fuck Flynn for scrambling her brain with a damn kiss that did nothing but remind her what she would never have in this lifetime.
Chapter 12
Flynn paced his living room the next morning for an hour, trying to decide what to do next. What he wanted to do was drive back to Elizabeth’s place and force her to talk to him. What he needed to do instead was let her make the next move.
He wasn’t stupid. He knew for a fact Elizabeth had issues. She was mentally on the run. Maybe someone had hurt her? He couldn’t begin to imagine, but something wasn’t okay with her.
The way she’d so quickly melted in his arms told him that she had a hole no one had filled for a long time. For all her posturing, she had only balked at having his mouth on hers for about two seconds before she moaned against him. What the hell had that meant?
Flynn was worried about someone following her. He prayed to God she was concerned too and that she wouldn’t take any risks in an effort to be all alpha female. He didn’t doubt her abilities as a Domme. She’d demonstrated them over and over again. She was good. Any submissive would be lucky to have her dominate them. But none of that made her physically capable of warding off a would-be attacker.
When Flynn’s phone buzzed with an incoming text, he strode across the room and snatched it off the kitchen counter. He didn’t recognize the incoming number, which made his heart beat faster, hoping it would be Elizabeth.
Hey. Sorry I was a bitch last night. You were right. I need to be diligent. I promise I’m paying attention.
Thank God.
Flynn took several deep breaths, formulating a response in his mind before putting his thumbs to work.
No need to apologize. I was worried about you. I let my emotions take over with my fear. I’m sorry I touched you without permission. That was uncalled for.
He held the phone. Shaking. Trying to breath as those three little dots appeared. It seemed like forever before he got a response.
Apology accepted. Honestly, the kiss was nice. But let’s leave it at that. I’m not interested in getting involved with anyone.
He blew out a long breath, reading and rereading her words. Trying to figure out what the hidden meaning might be, if there even was one. At least she wasn’t furious with him this morning. He still wanted to see her though. He needed her gaze on him so he would know everything between them was okay.
Can I take you to lunch? As friends. I promise to keep my hands and lips to myself.
Several minutes passed this time, making him far more nervous. He was just about to give up when she finally responded.
Sure. Give me half an hour to get ready.
Thank fuck.
I’ll pick you up in thirty then.
Flynn felt like a guy getting ready for a first date, spending the next twenty minutes showering and dressing in his best jeans and a white polo. He even combed his hair. It needed a cut. It was getting unruly.
He was irrationally nervous. This was not a date. This was lunch with a woman who’d made it clear it wasn’t a date. Still, he felt differently about her after the kiss last night. He could pretend otherwise if she insisted, but nothing changed the fact that he would always want her to let him do that again.
He was a man on a mission. Wear her down. Take her out. Show her a good time. Make her laugh. Did she laugh? He figured it might have been a long time since she relaxed with anyone, tipped her head back, and really laughed. Maybe he could get her to do that. Chip away at her hard exterior.
It was a long shot, but it was worth the effort. If he hadn’t kissed her, he might have had his doubts, but everything changed when she gripped his shirt in her fists and let her tongue slide along his. The world switched course when she moaned into his mouth. Time stood still when she leaned her sweet body against his.
Yeah. He didn’t have much of a choice. He would have to pursue her until she let him chip through her armor. No wonder she’d been such a bitch for five years. The woman had a thick wall around her for protection. Against what, he didn’t know, but he intended to find out.
He was concerned about her status as a Domme, but he also recognized she had a submissive side. She might not know it, and she might fight him on that issue every step of the way, but it was there all the same.
Flynn had tasted her. He had the determination to win her trust. He
wouldn’t give up easily.
Chapter 13
Elizabeth couldn’t believe she’d consented to lunch with Flynn. She’d been furious with him last night, and she hadn’t fully settled into a hard sleep until early morning, not waking up until after ten.
In the daylight, she realized two things. Her anger was misplaced when directed at Flynn. It wasn’t his fault some asshole followed her home. Yelling at him had been out of line.
The other thing she knew was that her true anger was the result of old memories resurfacing. Not related to Flynn at all. He wasn’t Master Phil. He’d never heard of the guy or met him. That incident happened twelve years ago. Punishing Flynn for the actions of another man in the past was uncalled for.
Having lunch with Flynn was probably not her best decision, but she wanted to clear the air between them. Apologize properly. Make sure he knew she wasn’t going to be kissing him again. Ever. Set things straight.
As she waited for him in the lobby, watching out the sliding glass doors, she touched her lips. She couldn’t shake the memory of his kiss. Best kiss of her life hands down. The man knew what he was doing. He not only took her mouth, but he took a piece of her soul too. It had been a kiss filled with promises and hope, and neither of those were things she would permit herself to entertain as possibilities. Those words never stood alone. Empty promises and unattainable hope.
When Flynn’s SUV pulled up outside, she took a deep breath, held her head higher than she felt, and walked purposefully through the glass doors. She didn’t give him a chance to get out, climbing into his Pilot before he even got his seat belt off.
He glanced around the parking lot before facing her. “You move fast.”
Tempting Elizabeth Page 6
