Author: Stone, Measha
Date: 2019-08-13
Publisher: Black Heart Publications
Rights: Copyright 2019 Measha Stone. All rights reserved.

Unzoned

Measha Stone

Copyright © 2019 by Measha Stone

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Until Daddy

Also by Measha Stone

Chapter 1

"I'm not even sure how you talked me into this." Jade pulled the hem of her too-short skirt down. A sad attempt to hide her thighs from the Uber driver who continued to eye the two of them through the rear-view mirror.

Carissa stuck up her middle finger at the reflection of lust-filled eyes and waited until the man looked away before turning in her seat to address Jade. "Look. You've been talking about this club for the longest time, we've always promised each other we'd go, tonight's perfect. It's a holiday party. It will be casual, no pressure. I swear it."

"You say this as though you've been there before." Jade cocked an eyebrow. It wouldn't be the first-time Carissa forgot to mention she'd scoped out a place before dragging her along.

Twirling one long red curl around her finger, Carissa bit her lower lip. "Well, maybe."

Jade sighed. "That little girl act doesn't work on me, Carissa. I'm not into age play, and I'm not into topping." But it didn't stop her from patting her friend on the head and giggling along with her. "Okay, so you've been there. It's not too stuffy? I mean, I'm not sure I can handle high protocol yet. I don't know anything about that." Jade knew enough about the kink world to know she wanted in, bad, but as to particulars she hadn't a clue.

The idea of a strong man taking her to task, keeping her on the straight and narrow, calling her on her bullshit- her girly bits tingled merely at the thought. But it wasn't just the discipline, it was everything. Giving over control, being able to trust one man with all of herself? Her past history with men would make most women run from the idea, but she knew if she found the right one, the right guy, she'd be able to find safety in his hands.

"Nothing like that. Well, I guess if you're into that, then you'll find the guy that's into that. I keep telling you, this isn't a one size fits all thing." Carissa brushed her hair from her shoulders, showing off her perfect posture and dusting of freckles on her creamy skin. Jade's olive tone would never allow such a beautiful display, nor would her less than ladylike posture. Too many years of trying to hide her bosom from classmates created the horrible habit of slouching to hide her parts.

Jade plucked her cell from her purse as it began to blare into the car. "Just Garrick," she said and swiped to see his message. She'd met Garrick freshman year of high school, eight years later they were still close friends. No matter what Jade wanted otherwise. He'd never understand her desires, and he sure as hell wouldn't see her as anything other than the girl who tutored him out of a D in chemistry.

What are you up to tonight?

Out with Carissa.

Where?

Just out. Why?

It's really cold tonight. Didn't forget your jacket, again did you?

Jade sighed. Of course, she'd forgotten it, at his house last time she'd stopped by after another double shift at the hospital looking for a cold beer and a warm couch.

I'll pick it up this weekend.

Just out with Carissa, nowhere special?

"He's getting creepy in his old age." Carissa pressed her shoulder against Jade to get a look at her screen.

Jade shoved her off. "You know how he is."

"Yeah. I do. Bossy and over protective. He’d probably make a great Dom if he had any clue." Carissa had the mistaken ideals that everyone would fall into either being a submissive or a Dominant if they only opened up their eyes and saw the world through her eyes.

Jade tapped a few more messages to Garrick, evading his prying questions and not giving any direct lies. She hated lying, especially to Garrick, but no way would he understand this- and she didn't want to hear any more safety lectures from him. The last time she'd mentioned signing up for a dating service, he went on for almost an hour, and in the end, demanded he vet the guys for her. She decided to take down her profile and save herself the lectures.

"We're here!" Carissa announced in her sing-song voice and clapped her hands. "Go on." She gave Jade a shove until she opened the door and scooted out. She heard Carissa reprehend their driver for getting all handsy with his eyes before slamming the door.

"To his defense, this dress you gave me is a little hard to ignore." Jade pulled down the hem of the spandex one piece, while yanking up the neckline. December wasn't exactly warm in Chicago, and the chilled breeze drew her nipples to stand fully erect, giving everyone in eye shot a perfect view. She yanked her jean jacket around her tighter, trying to fight off the cold and failing miserably. She’d need to swing by Garrick’s and get her warm coat sooner rather than later.

"It's warm inside, let's go." Carissa gave her a little shove and pointed at the entrance to Dark Lace, the newest BDSM club to hit Chicago. Memberships didn’t come easy, and any messing around with the rules got a member banned. It was one of the safest places for those new to the scene to play and meet people, which is what drew Jade to begin with. Carissa and her only received their membership acceptance a week ago, which meant Carissa missing her morning shift on Friday had more to do with her Thursday night escapade than the migraine she'd called in with.

"Why didn't you tell me you were coming here?"

Carissa didn't need to ask what she meant by her question. "I knew you'd feel better if one of us knew what we were walking into, and you never go out on work nights." Linking her arm through Jade’s, she walked them to the door.

"Now. Get ready, because your holiday season is about to light up!"

Chapter 2

Garrick stretched his back and took another look at his phone. She was lying. She completely avoided his questions.

Something was going on with her lately. The string of men she'd brought home lately, the internet profiles- the girl looked in all the wrong places. A woman like Jade didn't belong on bigger fish or any of those dating sites. She didn't need to fill out a five hundred questionnaire to know who would match up with her. She only needed to ask him, and he'd tell her. She needed someone who would take her submissive side, that little bit of her she tried desperately to hide from him everyone else around her and draw it out.

He wanted to tell her, to show her, but if he brought up sex, she clammed up and changed the subject. He would consider her a prude; except he'd borrowed her lap top a few times to check his email while hanging at her apartment. The woman didn't know the first thing about hiding her history, or at least closing the browsers before offering someone the computer.

Of course, he'd never tell her what he saw. Although it took more power than he would have guessed he had to keep from tearing the thing in half when he saw her half filled out profile on collar-me. No fucking way that was going to happen. If she was going to become active in the community, start actually searching out what she wanted, she wasn't going to start meeting up with random guys from the Internet.

"She here yet?" Jamison slid a beer onto the table and took a seat.

Garrick shook his head. "Nope. And according to her, she and Carissa are just hanging out tonight. No special plans." He growled with his annoyance. He'd known her since before her first acne break out, had nursed her through her parents’ divorce, her father’s remarriage and her own broken hearts, but she couldn't confess to this part of her. The truth of her.

"I don't know why you don't just call her on it. What if she doesn't show?"

Garrick laughed. "Oh, she'll show. Her membership was accepted, and Carissa was here snooping around on Thursday. No way Carissa doesn’t drag her here even if she gets cold feet."

"Carissa's the friend?" Jamison took a pull of his beer.

"Yeah."

"She didn't see you?" Jamison asked.

"No, I was working the disciplinary room that night. She only poked her head in, saw Susan getting a tanning she won't ever forget, and jumped right back out."

"Right. Susan. Yeah, I heard about that one. Thomas is making her come tonight. I'd feel sorry for her, but then I envision that beautiful Porsche of his wrapped around a tree." He shook his head. "Shame, really."

Garrick eyed him for a long moment. "And the fact Susan almost got herself killed?"

"Well that, too, of course." Jamison shrugged and took another sip of his beer. "You working tonight?"

"No. All the rooms are covered for the Mistletoe Madness. Really, they should have come up with a better name, it sounds like a sorority party or a swap meet or something."

"Well, maybe you could get on the board and help make decisions like that."

Garrick rolled his eyes. Jamison and he both put in a good chunk of money into the club. One of the soundest investments he'd made in a long time but being on the board of anything was too formal. It made it feel more like a job than a fun place to play.

A shimmer caught his eye from the main entrance, and Garrick watched as a small group poured through the door. The overhead lights caught the sequins on Carissa's skirt just right to signal their arrival. When she took another step into the lounge, she gave way for him to settle his eyes on Jade.

"Fuck, is that her?" Jamison whispered.

"Yeah, and if that dress clung any tighter it would be inside her." Jade didn't own anything like the painted on green outfit she wore. Her ample breasts were practically spilling out of the top, and if she didn't keep holding down the hem, her ass would pop out the bottom.

"Tight? It's not tight...a bit shiny though."

"No. That's Carissa, Jade’s next to her." He pointed through the crowd at the black-haired pixie standing with her jean jacket crumbled up in her hands. Zero temperature outside and she wore a jean jacket. He took a deep breath to calm himself.

"Oh. She's cute."

Cute? Was he even looking at the same woman? The casual wave to her hair gave her a windblown look, and the chilled air tinted her cheeks and nose to the point she practically glowed. Her olive skin contrasted the pink beautifully.

"You going to go over or what?" Jamison nudged him.

"No. Not yet. I want to see what she does."

"You really are getting a little stalker-like, you know, that, right?" The chair scraped across the flooring as he stood from the table.

"Where are you going?"

"You keep telling me I need to be more welcoming to the new members." Jamison winked and walked off into the now larger crowd. The main doors were open, and the members were arriving for the evening festivities.

Garrick watched Jamison as he pushed his way through the people until he managed to get in front of Carissa.

Dammit.

Chapter 3

Jade tried to ignore Carissa's conversation with the Neanderthal sized man that greeted them. He’d come out of nowhere, introducing himself. He had inclined his head toward Jade, when Carissa introduced her, but only gave her a cursory glance before diving back into a conversation with Carissa.

Feeling every bit the third wheel, and getting warm from all the people crushed into the area, she waved to Carissa and headed further in. The nerves she'd been catering since getting dressed for the evening hadn't disappeared but had morphed into more excitement than nausea.

She found the bar easily enough and ordered a white wine. Red would have been her preference, it helped her jittery nerves more, but it also tended to put her to sleep.

"Hey, there." A cool voice greeted her. She turned her head to the right to find a man openly leering at her breasts as he greeted her. "I don't think we've met."

"Maybe if you looked at my face, you'd have a better idea," she snapped. The dress did advertise her curves quite loudly, but that didn’t mean he had to be an ogling ogre.

Wide blue eyes fluttered to her face. "I'm not sure you should be talking to me like that. I mean, you have your bracelet on your right wrist." He pointed to the red and green beaded bracelet she'd received as part of the admission when she arrived. Then he thrust his left wrist out to show her the same bracelet. "See, left wrist."

She sighed. "I can see that." Her lips tightened into a smile, and she thanked the bartender when he slid her drink in front of her.

"So?" He raised both eye brows at her, waiting for something.

She shook her head. "I give up. What?"

His brows furrowed and his lips pierced together. "It means you have to watch how you talk to me." He demanded in much the same way her five-year-old patient demanded she stop trying to force him to take his medicine. Jonny's pout only worked to make him even more adorable; unlike the grown man looking ready to throw an all-out tantrum over her disapproval of his leering.

"If that's what you think it means, perhaps you should join the newbie group that meets on Saturday afternoons." A familiar voice interrupted them.

She nearly dropped her glass of wine.

"Garrick, I can handle this. Thanks," her suitor said with confidence. The sour puss barely looked over at the large figure looming over his shoulder, but Jade couldn't take her eyes off of him.

Standing off to the left of the asshole, Garrick stood with dark eyes fixated on her. Not the dirt bag, but on her, and looked more than a little irritated. He looked out and out pissed.

Too many questions popping into her head stopped her from speaking at all and instead concentrated on trying to stop the heated blush from taking over her entire face.

"I was talking to you, Sam."

Another angry scowl crossed the man's face as he turned to look up at Garrick. Most men had to tilt their heads back to meet his gaze, but he didn't usually stand so close to them to force them to crane their neck the way this asshole had to. An Alpha making his territory known?

Sam huffed and looked back over his shoulder. A lock of his thick, dirty blonde hair fell in front of his face, giving him a boyish look. "Whatever. She'll need too much training anyway." He gave a forced shrug and stalked off into the crowd.

Jade watched him saunter off, noting the forced swagger of his walk. She shook her head and pushed a smile onto her lips before turning back to Garrick.

Garrick was there. In a BDSM club, standing right in front of her, and he knew Sam. More curious, Sam knew Garrick merely by the sound of his voice. This wasn’t Garrick’s first trip to the dungeon. He had to be a regular.

"Uh, hey." She leaned an elbow on the bar and positioned her other hand on her hip. Trying to look like she belonged there. Because why wouldn’t she belong at a BDSM club? It wasn’t out of character for her at all. Right?

"Hey?" Both dark brown eyebrows shot up, and he stepped forward until the toes of his boots brushed the tip of her platformed heels.

"Uh, hi?" She let go of her hip to grab her wine glass, checking out the surroundings as she took a sip. The heat of his glare could have warmed the room if it wasn't already simmering from the body heat. The dungeons hadn't opened yet for play and the lounge, although decorated beautifully with mistletoe and garland, began to resemble a pressure cooker.

"Hi?" he laughed.

She sighed, obviously unable to escape the conversation he wanted to have and put her drink back on the bar. "Okay. Hi, Garrick. What brings you here tonight? Come here often?"

Before he could respond, a woman dolled up, wearing a silvery dress, and mistletoe tucked into her blonde up-do snaked her way through the crowd and butted right up to Garrick.

"Garrick! I was afraid I wouldn't find you." She gushed, running her hand up and down his arm. "It's so crowded in here, are they ever going to open the dungeons?"

Garrick didn't break his stare with Jade when he answered. "Just a few more minutes, Kimberly."

"Good, It's so hot in here." She began to fan herself with one hand, still resting the other on his arm. "I didn't get a chance to talk with you before tonight, but I was hoping we could talk now?"

His dark eyes swung away. "Kimberly, we've said everything that needed saying. I'm in the middle of something right now." Without being overly showy he pulled his arm away and raised his chin in the direction of the crowd. "I'm sure Sam could use a partner tonight."

Something close to rage flashed in her crystal blues before she shoved it away and a brilliant smile appeared. "Sure. Maybe I'll see if I can find him." With not so much as a glance Jade's way, she turned and shoved her way back through the crowd.

"Well known in these parts?" Jade supervised the venom in her own voice. Garrick simply grinned.

"I thought you weren't going anywhere special tonight?" he leaned against the bar, drawing her closer to him by leaning toward her. He'd shaved; she could smell the musk of his shaving cream. The warmth of the spicy scent tempered her frazzled nerves. Being the cure and the cause at the same time didn't clear things up for her.

She glanced over the crowd as it began to filter away from them. "I think they opened the doors." She picked up her glass, intending to get lost in the sea of people, but his hand rested on her arm, completely stilling her.

They'd been friends for years; they'd even fallen asleep in bed together during high school, but this wasn't high school. And it wasn’t any old touch.

He didn’t simply ask for her attention; he denied her the ability to walk away. It was a command. Silent, but still there. The heat from his hand radiated up her arm, sending a chill down her spine. Every bit of a contradiction.

When her eyes swept up to meet his, her breath hitched. A stern expression met her; his warm brown eyes darker now that he stared down at her. His lips were relaxed, and full, and like every other time she'd noticed his mouth, she wanted to kiss him. To feel his heat pressed against hers, and have her breath knocked out of her.

Damn him. She hated sappy romance, and there she was, living it. The room began to cool down as the party goers filed into the dungeons and private areas, leaving them only with a handful of other couples in the lounge.

"Why didn't you tell me you were coming here tonight?" he asked in a low voice.

"Why didn't you tell me you'd be here?" she countered. There were plenty of times he didn't tell her what his plans were, though now she had a better idea as to why. "Maybe you thought it was private?"

His left eyebrow arched, and his hand moved to relieve her of her wine glass. "You don't do well with wine on an empty stomach, and I have a good feeling you didn't eat dinner before you came." It wasn’t fair. He knew so much, and she stood there knowing nothing.

"I-" She stopped short of lying, that damn eyebrow nearly disappeared into his hair line. The usual attraction she felt toward him shifted into overdrive with his dominant side starting to peek out at her. She needed to get away from him if she had any hope of enjoying the evening without pining away for him. "I didn't think you'd go for this sort of place, and I didn’t want another lecture about dating." Somewhat true. His habit of getting all in her love life grated on her. He didn’t want her, but he seemed unwilling to let anyone else have a shot either.

"Go for it? Hell, I own a small percentage of it." His arrogant grin didn't persuade her to drop her annoyance.

"You own this place?"

"Not all of it, just a few shares."

"You never told me you bought into a BDSM club." She pointed out, annoyed with his own deception. They told each other everything. At least she thought they did.

"I have shares in a lot of clubs." He took a sip of her wine. "Besides, I didn't think you'd go for a place like this."

Using her own words against her was harsh.

She took a deep breath and looked for Carissa. Of course, she was nowhere to be found, probably off with the Neanderthal.

"Well, I guess we have more in common than we thought." Her cheeks heated at her words. They were at a club where spanking, bondage, and sex were bound to be center stage, and she talked about it as though they enjoyed the same genre of movies.

"I guess," he laughed. Finishing her wine, he slid the glass across the bar to the bartender. "No more, thanks. And no liquor for Jade here. Only water or pop."

The bartender nodded and made a note on a pad of paper on the bar.

"What the hell?" She shoved at his arm.

"I already said, you don't handle your wine on an empty stomach. And if you shove me like that again, I'll be forced to show you what else we have in common."

"Oh, yeah? What's that?" The alarm bells rang, but she wasn't about to answer. Not yet.

He stepped closer to her, pushing her short locks behind her ears and capturing her face in his hands. Her knees weakened at his close proximity, but when he brought his face close to hers, looking like he was about to kiss her, she had to grip the bar to keep from slipping out of his grasp.

Warmth rolled off of him and washed over her lips. Her eyelids fluttered closed, and she parted her lips, waiting for his lips to press against hers. Her pulse ran rapid, and her breath became harder to control, but it would be worth it. His kiss would settle all of her raging emotions.

"Discipline." The whispered word yanked her from her trance.

Her eyes flew open, and she found him staring into them, a soft smile tugging at his lips. Like he knew what he'd just done. Drew her in, made her want him, and yanked it all away.

"What?" She tried to pull back, but his tight grip didn’t give, and she didn't want him to stop touching her.

"Discipline. Punishment. We have those in common, too."

Chapter 4

If her eyes widened any further, she might actually damage them, and her eyes were too damn beautiful, too damn transparent to be injured.

Garrick released her, but didn't step back, nor did she pull any further away.

"Now. You have a few choices here, Jade. One; you can stick by my side tonight, and I'll give you the tour of the place or you can go off on your own."

Her mind worked fast. He didn't know anyone who could size up a situation as quickly as Jade, probably a side effect of being an ER nurse.

"If you give me the tour will you introduce me to some of the guys here? Like the good ones?"

She didn't understand, but he was nothing if not a patient teacher. "No." He shook his head. "If you stick with me, you'll be mine for the evening."

"Oh." Her lips formed the perfect ring, and her body released some of its tension. "Uh, what does that mean exactly?"

He laughed again. Turning, he pressed his back against the bar and his arm snaked around her waist. With a swift move, he yanked her to his side. Damn, she fit so well. He always loved pulling her against him. It always felt right, but this time there was more than comfort involved. This time, he claimed her. For him to hold a woman at the club in the way he cradled her to him meant she was under his protection. Those who knew him, would see the act and know what it meant.

"It means, Jade, that you belong to me."

"Garrick, I can handle myself. I'm not a little girl." She pulled out from his side and faced off with him. The woman really didn't know. She had no fucking clue how much he wanted her. It was his fault really, having distanced himself from her for so long. For her protection, he'd thought.

"So, you want to go off on your own?" No fucking way that was happening.

She stuck her thumb nail between her teeth and nibbled.

"Jade." He pulled her hand from her mouth and pulled her toward him until her chest pressed against his. Her dress barely held her tits inside of it, not that he minded, but he really wasn't into sharing or having his girl flaunt what was his. Except they weren't his, yet. "Do you really want to go out on your own? I mean maybe you just think of me as a friend, but-" he paused. That fucking friend zone shit needed to end, and it was ending now. No more hiding there. The whole point of the night for him was to bust out of his restrictive mentality. "I don't think of you that way anymore. I haven't for a long time." There. He’d said it.

Her fingers wiggled in his grip, but he didn't let go. She needed to say the words if she wanted to be let go on her own.

Confusion passed over her expression first, but only for a second before understanding filled her. In the glow of the white Christmas lights sparkling overhead, he could make out the fresh blush of her cheeks. Every tense muscle relaxed in his body all at once.

"Really?" She tilted her head. If she was waiting for him to say he was kidding, she'd be standing there a long ass time.

"Really."

Her teeth scraped over her bottom lip and her pulse pressed harder against her wrist. "Okay."

"Okay?" That's all? He'd practically poured his heart out, and he got an okay?

"Yeah. I mean, give me the tour. You obviously know a lot more than me, and if things aren't totally fucking weird by the end of the night, maybe we could talk more about it. Later."

Practicality was yet another trait he liked about her. No frantic panting, or panicky questions. Just open mindedness toward something new, even when chartering the new waters with him.

"And if it destroys our friendship, I'll kick your ass." She yanked her hands out of his and waved to the bartender. "Can I get a Moscato please."

He didn't intervene, instead he stepped aside to let her get nearer to the bar. She hadn't forgotten his dictate about the wine, no, she had a memory like a steel vault. She either hoped he'd cave because of their unique situation, or she pushed to see what he would do. Either way, his response remained the same.

"Sorry, Jade. Garrick said no wine; I can get you a water if you'd like."

She turned her eyes to Garrick. "You really meant that? I mean he's going to listen to you about what I can have?"

Garrick nodded and cupped her elbow, pulling her away from the bar. "Absolutely. And you should have listened, too." He didn't pause in his step even a moment when she hesitated at the door to the dungeon. "We'll just count that as one. I wouldn't let the count get too high before the night ends, though."

"What does that mean?"

He gave her a knowing grin. "I think you know. Now, let's see what sort of trouble is going on in here." A well-timed crack of a whip greeted them as they stepped into the main dungeon.

Chapter 5

Garrick was into her? Not just into her but wanted to play Dom with her. Jade could barely wrap her mind around that new development let alone listen to all of the things he talked about as they toured the dungeons.

She'd seen plenty of BDSM porn and knew what most of the rigs were used for, but she hadn't expected to get so aroused by watching the scenes playing out before them. Naked bodies everywhere, sounds of fucking coming at her from all corners of the room. And the entire time Garrick held her close to him, their bodies pressing against each other at all times. It was as though he didn't want to give her a chance to blow away from him. Like she would even consider it.

All those years of secretly crushing on him, and he'd been doing the same? There was something to be said for open communication.

"There's Carissa." Garrick pointed toward the corner. The room he'd taken her in had a homey feel to it. There were a few spanking benches, but no other bondage rigs. A few couches were scattered throughout the room.

Carissa was with the same guy from earlier and when Jade took a step toward her, Garrick pulled her back. "She's in a scene, don't interrupt."

"A scene?" Carissa sat on the floor in front of the guy, who sat in a chair behind her, brushing her hair. "What are they doing?"

"That's Jamison. A friend, she's in good hands." He cupped her elbow again and gently pried her from the room. Once they were in the lounge again, he sat her at a table and went to the bar to get them drinks.

"Carissa's more into age play than I thought," she commented when returned with a bottle of water for her.

"Guess so." He sat in his chair with his hands folded in his lap. "Now, about you." His eyes narrowed as she sipped her water.

"Me? I'm not into age play," she shook her head.

"What are you into? What did you see tonight that got those lace panties all wet?"

She'd spent most of the night pulling her dress down so no one would see those panties. "I'm not wet." The lie slipped through her lips before she could even second guess the idea.

He shook his head. "I promise you; you are soaking wet."

"Garrick-"

"Jade." His eyes darkened and he leaned forward, putting his hands on her knees. "You can either admit it, or I can check. Which is it going to be?"

Laughter bubbled up inside of her. The whole situation was getting silly. Garrick was one of her best friends. The idea he'd check her panties, and that she wanted him to, shook her a bit more than she'd thought it would.

"You giggle when you're nervous," he said. "You also chew that damn lip of yours when you're thinking too hard. And you scratch the back of your neck when you're trying to come up with a lie." She realized her fingers were running along her neck.

"This isn't fair, you know too much." She teased him and pushed his knee away with her foot. A playful act, that usually would warrant him to roll his eyes, but this time was different. This time, he was not just her friend.

"Come here, Jade." He pushed his chair back from the table and crooked his finger at her. She pressed her lips together hard, not wanting to giggle again. He'd been right about that, and at the moment she was more than a little nervous.

"I rarely ask twice. Make note of that. Now, come here." He pointed to the spot on the floor right in front of him.

"Garrick, what if this changes everything in a bad way?" She stood from her chair but didn't move toward him.

"It won't." Confidence filled those two words. As though he'd weighed it all before, he'd approached her. "Now, if I have to ask a third time, there will be punishment."

Not sure she wanted to go there with him yet, she stepped to him, stopping when he spread his knees and pinned her between them.

"Now. This dress, although extremely hot on you, is unacceptable. I don't want to see you dressed like this again, do you understand me?"

She regarded him silently, unsure of what to say at first, then decided he probably wanted a yes or no. "Yes, I understand. Carissa lent it to me." She pulled down on the hem again, then yanked on the neck line to pull it back up.

"Now, I want you to lift the dress up, show me your panties." He leaned back in his chair, looking unwilling to assist her in the slightest.

"Uh-" she looked around the room. Several other tables were filled with couples or small groups of people.

"What did I say about me repeating myself?" A hardness entered his tone. She’d always known him to be less than patient, but this new tone of his- it sent shivers through her. Good shivers, and all to the right places.

"But there’s people." She raised her chin toward the rest of the room.

"I'm aware. So where were you when you made the decision to come here tonight. Do you think one of these other guys you were going to try to hook up with would have let you stay clothed this long?"

He probably had a point, but she hadn't hooked up with any of them. She'd hooked up with him. One of her best friends.

"Are you angry I came here tonight? How can you be upset about that?"

"I'm upset because I'm going to have to repeat myself. Jade, lift up your dress and show me those panties." He annunciated each word perfectly; his eyes never wavering away from hers, and his jaw set.

"Sorry." She nodded and grasped the hem of the dress. The fabric pulled easily as she raised it up, past her sex, past the tiny patch of hair hidden beneath the purple lace of her panties, and up around her waist. In for a penny in for a pound, after all.

He inhaled and grinned. "I can smell your arousal, that's how wet you are."

She darted her eyes to the other people to see if they'd heard him. No one even glanced in their direction.

"Now, roll your panties down to your knees."

"Garrick." He'd seen her in her panties before, at least once or twice in college and a few more as adults. But this time was different. This time, she felt his stare, felt the warmth of his eyes on her. This time there was intention that wasn’t there before. This time, there was open desire.

He sighed but made no other move to make her obey or give any other warnings.

Her shaking fingers found the elastic of her panties, and she rolled them down over her rounded hips and further still until they were around her knees. When she stood up, she caught a glimpse of his smile. Pride. And it made all the difference. The embarrassment she harbored dissipated.

"Put your hands on my shoulders." He scooted a little further up on his chair, making it easier for her.

Garrick worked out four times a week, which included weight training and running. As much as she teased him for all the weight equipment he kept in his apartment, she fully appreciated it when her hands rested on his shoulders. Beneath his collared cotton shirt, she could feel the strength of his muscles. She'd seen him with his shirt off before, but she hadn't felt him, really felt him before.

"Now, I'm going to check, and if you're wet, that means you lied. And if you lie, what do you think happens?"

He had to crane his neck back to look up at her. "You'll punish me?" she breathed.

He chuckled. "You want to confess?"

Of course, she didn't, but she didn't want to ruin the evening by lying either.

"You're scratching your neck again. Put your hand back on my shoulder."

Damn him.

"Last chance."

"I might be a little," she whispered, looking at a spot over his head.

"Well, let's see."

Before she could register the fact Garrick was about to touch her, he was. Two thick fingers glided between her folds. The action met no friction since she was more than a little wet. Even the nervousness of being on his arm all night hadn't dampened the desire which built with each new scene she'd witnessed.

"Just as I thought." He tsked his tongue, sliding his fingers back and forth again, until he separated them, pulling her lips apart. "Fuck me." It was his turn to have a hushed voice as this thumb touched her clit.

The slightest flick and she arched her hips toward him and groaned.

"You want me to make you come like this, Jade? Right here in the lounge?"

She nodded, no longer giving a flying fuck who could see her. His fingers held more magic than any Houdini act on record.

"No, no, you can't just nod. You have to ask. Nicely, and I would use the proper address this time."

Sliding her feet apart a bit more, she adjusted her grip on his shoulders. He hadn't stopped toying with her, one finger rimming her entrance while the others rolled her clit. She would come regardless of asking, but just like everything else so far, he knew her too well.

"If you come without my express permission, you'll regret it. I promise you."

The threat was real, she had no doubt.

"Please, make me come." Her voice shook from the tension in her body. Wound tight, she leaned into his touch more. "Please, please make me come."

"Hmm, we'll work on that begging of yours." He leaned forward and covered her nipple with his mouth. The wet heat of his tongue lashed over her, soaking her dress and driving her closer to her release.

"Oh, fuck. Please, Garrick. Please. I have to come, please make me come. Please." She threw her head back, and yelled out again what she wanted, what her body needed.

His tongue lapped at her faster, the heat now melting any resolve she had left to contain her pride.

"Please! Please!"

"Go ahead, come for us." His teeth sank into her breast and two fingers thrust inside of her throwing her into a tsunami of pleasure.

Her throat constricted from her own scream of release. Her nails dug into him, as he thrust harder into her, pushing her through her orgasm. Each wave met with a new thrust, a new kiss, a new pull of her nipple making her orgasm outlast her voice until he slowly ebbed her back to reality with soft kisses to her now exposed belly, and gentle strokes of his fingers over her clit.

"There you go. Such a good girl. I knew you would be."

She blinked, sucking in hot air as the buzz of her orgasm began to fade. Taking stock of her surroundings, she realized the crowd had witnessed her come, had watched and heard every bit of her orgasm. He'd said come for us, not for him, but us. He knew they were watching.

She shoved away from him, yanking her dress down and shimming her panties back up around her hips.

He was up out of his chair in an instant pulling her to his chest and cradling her in his arms.

"Give it a second. The panic will ease. It's okay. You're okay." He pressed his lips to her cheek.

Tears built in her eyes. Everyone had seen. Heard.

"I want to go home."

Chapter 6

Garrick tapped his pen against the legal pad, listening to the presenter drone on about return on investment. Same pitch different deal.

He'd earned a more than healthy living on making the right investments at the right time. Some projects were meant for the long haul, make a yearly profit then sell off when it came time to retire. The current purchase was not one for the long return. It would be a quick turn at a high profit.

"The condominium complex appraised for twice that of the asking price." Now they had his attention.

"How many units are there in total?" He picked up his pen, poised to take down the number.

"250 units currently."

"And how many are rental properties?" Jamison, his partner in almost every purchase, piped up.

"Um." The broker pushed papers around and finally snatched one up to look closer at it. "Looks like 130 units are currently being rented out." Looking over the rim of his glasses, he peered at Jamison and Garrick. "Is that a problem?"

"Well, rentals aren't typically kept up as well as owned units. Which would bring down the resale values, depending on the sort of work needing to be done. I've had issues in the past where more than 25% of the units were rentals." Garrick watched Jamison work with gratitude. He had a head for business himself and was pretty good at spotting a good real estate deal, but his best work happened with nightclub purchases.

"I don't think that's a problem, really." The broker dropped the paper and removed his glasses. "I'm sure something can be worked out."

Jamison nodded and leaned back in his chair. "What do you think, Garrick?"

Garrick sucked in a long breath and laced his fingers together in his lap. "I think we'll have to run some more numbers, get a good look at the property, talk with the association board. Some leg work to be done before an offer can be made." Which all meant, he'd be sitting staring at reports for a day or two.

Not the way he wanted to spend his weekend, but it would seem he didn't have much of a choice. If he was going to move on this deal, and it was a sweet deal, it would have to take place before the end of the year. Which gave him all of a week.

With Christmas, still close in the rear view, he had some catching up to do with his business. He'd rather be spending it with Jade.

"Well then, we should get to it. Send over everything you have." Jamison stood, buttoning his jacket as he did so. With a nod in the broker's direction he took his leave, and Garrick followed directly after.

"Man, that place is a steal." Garrick grinned when they were safely stowed in the elevator.

"Yeah, but that has me worried. Those rental units, that might be the key. If 130 units are registered as rentals, you can bet at least another 10% are being rented without being registered."

"I suppose." Garrick shrugged his coat on, gearing up for the brisk Chicago afternoon.

"You going to see your girl again?"

"You mean Jade?" Garrick finished buttoning up as the elevator doors slid open. "Yeah. Going over there tonight."

"First time since the party?"

Garrick gave him a look he hoped portrayed how thin the ice beneath him was getting. "Since I've seen her, yeah? Talked with her, no. We talked several times since." A few short conversations that amounted to not much. The progression from friends to whatever the hell they were at the moment was moving slower than he found comfortable, but he wouldn’t push. Jade wouldn't allow it anyway. Too hard of a shove, and she’d run for the hills.

"I've never seen a woman crash like she did."

Leave it to Jamison to bring up the subject he didn't want to talk about. Jade had crashed, and hard after her orgasm. He shouldn't have brought her to orgasm in public, not right there in the lounge. It should have been a private affair- thier first time. Hell, her first time in the club. He knew better.

"And what about your little girl? Carissa?"

Jamison's arrogant grin disappeared. "I'm having lunch with my father; you can join if you'd like." Right arm in the air, he hailed a cab.

"No need to be hostile. I was only asking about your girl." Garrick's lips tugged into a smile. It was his turn to tread dangerously close to the edge.

"Talk to you later. We have to go over those reports soon, don't want this one getting away."

"Yeah, of course." Garrick nodded and stuffed his hands into his pockets. December in Chicago could be chilled, or frigid as all hell. There was no middle ground, and it looked like old man winter decided to take up residency.

"Now, on to Jade," he muttered as he headed for the blue line. A few stops down, and he'd be at her door. Not having seen her over Christmas felt wrong, they'd always gotten together for at least dinner, but her father was in town and stole her full attention.

He hadn't seen her since taking her home the night of the party. He'd settled her in bed and waited until she fell asleep before falling asleep himself on the love seat in her room. The sore back he'd woken up with was worth it when he opened his eyes to find her smiling at him from the bed. Of course, as soon as she realized he was awake, she clamped her eyes shut and rolled over.

They needed to have a conversation, and she'd been avoiding it for several days. But Christmas was over, her father was busy with work again, and Garrick had all day to get her to talk. And knew several extremely effective ways.

Chapter 7

"I don't believe you! You've had a huge crush on him for fucking years, and you're going to blow it now because you’re embarrassed?" Carissa sipped her latte and leaned back on the kitchen stool to keep glaring at Jade as she made her way around the island. Garrick would be over soon, and she wanted to wipe away all evidence of the girl's night she'd hosted the night before.

"I'm not embarrassed." She rolled her eyes and turned away. Carissa would know, just like Garrick would know if he looked at her while she lied.

"Like hell you're not. You think you're the first girl to scream out an orgasm in the club? Shit, I heard at least five other girls in the room I was in, and it was a crowded night."

"I'm not other girls, and it's not that." Jade swiped a wet cloth across the cabinets. How did they manage to get wine on the cabinet doors?

"Is it because you kind of freaked after?" Carissa didn’t beat around the bush, a trait Jade usually loved about her.

Jade stopped wiping the counter and looked over her shoulder at her. "I didn't kind of freak, I totally flipped. I was crying, no sobbing really. He had to wipe my nose. It was worse than when he held my hair back so I could puke." He'd been a complete gentleman, cleaning up her face, giving her his jacket once they were outside, and taking care of her back at her apartment. He hadn't even snuck into her bed while she slept; he had stayed on the love seat.

Carissa hopped off the stool, dropping her cup into the garbage can. "Look, sweet pea, that man has loved you for years. I know you didn't see it, and he didn't see your feelings either, but god damn, I saw it all. And it was fucking nauseating, so at least try to make this work, okay?"

"He's like my best friend." Jade could hear the whine in her own voice and shook her head. She needed to get it together, he'd be there any minute.

"Yeah? So? I don't see the problem. He knows you better than anyone. He's held your hair for you while you puked. Do you think you could trust any other dominant as much as you trust him?" Carissa grabbed her by the shoulders when she turned away and forced her to look her in the eyes. "Just give it a try. Do your best, follow his lead. The worst that happens is you have awesome sex, decide it’s not for you, and you end it."

"And lose my friend."

"Honey. That ship has sailed already. Once you came all over his fingers, he had you." Carissa patted her shoulder and walked around her. "Now. I have to get going." She scooped up her coat from the counter she'd tossed it on, and stuffed her arms in, buttoning and zipping until she was as well bundled as a newborn baby. "I have the early shift tomorrow, you on late?"

"Nights all week, except New Years, I'm off for once." She walked Carissa to the front door unbolting it and opening it. "Hey, what about Jamison, the guy from the party. Did he call you?"

Carissa shook her head. "Not gonna work out." She heaved a heavy sigh. "No big deal."

"What's no big deal?" Garrick's deep voice signaled his arrival.

"Nothing. That's why it's not a big deal. Duuh." Carissa winked in Jade's direction then pushed past Garrick to head down the stairs.

"Such a brat, that one." He jerked a thumb at the departing Carissa and stepped into the apartment. "Hey, there." He leaned in and brushed his lips across Jade's. A quick touch but her toes twitched none the less.

"Hey, yourself." She closed and locked the door, leaning against it to take him in as he unraveled from the cold. Still donned in his business attire she admired the narrow tapering of his waist where his belt was secured. He slung his suit jacket over the arm of the couch and turned back to her, looking every bit the business tycoon she'd read about in her romance novels.

"Uh, is this okay? I mean, like do I need to greet you in some special way?" Remembering Carissa's words, she decided to go all in. If everything was already mucked up, no sense in not giving it her all.

He smiled. The gentle curve of his lips gave her the idea he'd found her question sweet. Did she want to be sweet? Or was she supposed to be sexy? All the photographs she'd seen of the woman naked and kneeling and looking all sorts of hot. Maybe that's what he wanted from her. She immediately regretted the jeans and t-shirt she'd changed into before his arrival.

"No." He shook his head and walked to her, picking up her hands in his. "Things will change on their own, Jade. We don't need to push. Right now, we are just going to talk, be with each other. When something pops up and I want a certain behavior, I'll teach you. Just be you, it's who I've been fantasizing about for years."

Her hands could have melted in his hold, his words heated her so much.

"Right now, though, I want to kiss you. Really kiss you, so you're going to stand there, and you're going to let me. Got it?" He let go of her hands, and took a step closer, pressing her against the door without even touching her.

She clamped her hands-on Garrick's hips as his hands came up to her face, framing it and pulling her toward him as he lowered his head. A quick brush of his lips, then a harder one, until finally he pressed his mouth over hers, capturing her body and her mind in one passionate, demanding embrace. His thumbs ran along her jaw, coaxing her to open for him, and when her lips parted his tongue swept in, claiming her. Her hands lost their grip, and she now merely rested them on his belt, feeling the leather beneath her hands.

When he broke off the kiss, his quick breath pelted her, mingling with her own pants. She'd been kissed before, but never had her mind completely blanked out from the sheer force of it.

"There." He planted a quick peck to the tip of her nose and released her. "How was your visit with your father?"

The change in topic threw her. How the hell was she supposed to answer him when she was still recovering from the whirlwind his kiss plunged her into?

"Jade?" he gave her a knowing grin but didn't try to touch her.

"What? Oh! Dad. Yeah. Fine." She swallowed and fought back the urge to touch her lips. Were they actually swollen, or did he just make her feel that way? "You want some coffee or something?"

"Something, but we can get to that later. Coffee for now would be great."

She blinked at his meaning and turned away from him before he saw the hot blush taking over her entire face. For years, she'd been able to mask her feelings for him, and now that they both admitted to them it seemed her body was hell bent on betraying her every thought.

Once in the kitchen, she swept the dishrag she'd been using into the sink and went about getting a pot of coffee brewing.

"So, any big news from his neck of the earth?"

Her father travelled a lot with his new wife. She couldn't bring herself to call the woman her stepmother, considering she was only two years older than herself.

"No. He's going to be in town for a little while. His rentals are up for sale, or the associations are trying to make him sell, not sure. Something with the condos." She waved a hand through the air and went about getting the cups and creamer out.

When she had it all set up, she faced him. He'd gone all quiet on her.

In his hands, he held up two empty wine bottles. She'd forgotten about them tucked in the corner of the counter.

"I thought you stayed in last night."

His voice went all tenor, and she swallowed.

"I did." Somewhat true, the girl’s night had taken place at her apartment.

"By yourself?" He held up the bottles higher. She might be able to polish off one bottle of wine on her own, but never two.

"Uh." She licked her lips.

"Neck." He sighed and placed the bottles down softly on the counter. She pulled her hand away from her neck. She really needed to stop being so damn transparent. "You told me you were staying home alone and getting to bed early. You said you couldn't talk last night because you were fighting a headache." He advanced on her, step by step until he stood directly in front of her.

"Uh, that's right."

"But?" One hand rested on the counter top on either side of her.

"I lied." She breathed out, relief soaring through her. She hated to lie, and did so rarely, but doing it with him felt worse. Especially now with the disapproval blossoming in his eyes.

"Why?" His eyes bore into her, not giving her a square inch of privacy as she considered her answer.

"I didn't want to get into everything with you. I wasn't sure of what I wanted, and I wasn’t sure of what to do. So, I told you I wasn't feeling great."

"The wine?"

"Friends. I had some of the nurses over last night."

"Did you think about maybe telling me the truth? That you needed some time to think, and we'd talk today?"

Completely trapped yet feeling freer than she had in a long time. He wasn’t going to let her talk her way out of it, he wasn't going to throw up his hands and give up. The man wanted to talk.

"No, not really." She smiled with her admission.

"Hmm." He nodded.” Do you think you will next time?"

Alarm bells should have rang. Hell, a blaring horn should have been going off from the darkness of his gaze.

"Uh, maybe. Probably. I don't know. This is all new for me."

"I know." Again, he nodded. "So, here's that teaching moment I was talking about." He pushed off the counter and grabbed her by the elbow, walking her toward her bedroom.

"What?" She tried to squirm out of his grasp, but he didn’t let up his grip.

Once in the bedroom, he pointed to the corner.

"You lied. Last night, and today. You didn't even consider telling me the truth. And you hid your concerns from me. Which do you think was the more wrong thing to do?" His hands planted on his hips, and his eyes narrowed.

None of it sounded good. "I don't know."

"That's because it's all the same kind of bad. Bad girls lie. Bad girls hide. What else do bad girls do, Jade? Can you tell me?"

She swallowed. The moisture in her panties betrayed the nervous shaking of her hands. "Uh, they-" Ugh, she couldn't say it, but he looked too willing to wait her out. "They get punished?" she whispered. Maybe if she didn’t say it loud enough, they could breeze over it.

Fat chance, though.

"Damn right they do." He unbuttoned his cuffs and went about folding his shirt sleeves up to his elbows. She could have run, should have at least given the idea a few seconds of thought, but she didn't. Instead, she stood in front of him as he finished rolling up his sleeves and sat at the foot of her bed.

"Now. Off with those jeans and panties. And not just down around your knees, all the way off,” he directed in a deep, firm voice. Playful Garrick wasn’t anywhere to be seen. Authority ruled his tone and his expression.

She stared at him, confused, aroused, and scared all at the same time. Not sure which to deal with first she looked to him for direction. He'd know what to do, surely.

Chapter 8

The woman stood frozen in her bedroom; her hands stuck to the button of her jeans. Fuck he loved her in jeans. They showed every curve and accentuated her waist, no matter which pair she wore. He'd seen her in yoga pants, sweat pants, her scrubs, but it was her jeans he loved most.

After several moments passed with no movement from her, he took pity on her. "Jade. Your pants. Take them down, then your panties. Then I want you to come over here, lay across my lap."

"Why?" A whispered question so ridiculous, it could only come from someone near panic. Like at the club, although there were no tears this time. He could all but hear her heart hammering away in her chest, her eyes wide and searching while her face emptied of color.

"Because you were a bad girl, and I'm going to spank you." He wouldn't soothe her yet. A little fear was to be expected. Letting her feel the trepidation and regret led into her acceptance of her punishment. Once it was over with, he would comfort the hell out of her. He’d spend the rest of the day soothing her if she needed it.

"I-I'm sorry I lied." The button slipped through the hole, and she yanked down her zipper.

"I know." He watched her fingers work as they disappeared into her jeans, pushing down both her pants and panties at the same time until they were bunched at her ankles. Although he'd seen it dozens of times before, her undressing in this manner, this time seemed surreal.

She kicked the bundle of panties and jeans to the side. "I don't think you need to spank me." Her chin rose an inch, but her eyes remained downcast. She may believe she didn't need it, but she did. And so did he.

"Come here and lay over my lap." A soft pink brushed across her cheeks and the very tip of her nose. "I've seen your pussy, Jade. I had my fingers all in it the other night. Now I want to see your ass; I want to get a good look at it before I mark it with my hand."

Her eyes shot up to meet his. She swallowed, but her feet slid across the floor. Her toes never left the ground as she glided over to him and slowly laid over his lap.

Not a second of her movement did he miss. So gentle and innocent, yet from the moisture he could already see gathered between her legs, he doubted she was thinking innocent thoughts.

He took a long moment to inspect the woman over his knee. Her shirt hid most of her torso, but her waist, her rounded buttocks and her thighs were all displayed for him. He slid his hand between her thighs, pushing them open to give him better access, and ran his fingers through her wet folds. His fingers stroked up to her clit, and her legs widened more, her moan filled the room.

Pulling away, he couldn't help smiling over her exhaled frustration. "Not yet, Jade. You were naughty and naughty girls sure as fuck don't get to come over my lap before they've had their spanking. Now lay still while I look at what's mine."

With both hands, he stretched her ass cheeks apart, showing off her tight little puckered back hole and her wet pussy. "Your pussy is already all wet for me." He dipped one finger into her warm passage, feeling the tightness of her cunt and nearly lost his resolve to wait for sex until after they talked. "But you were bad." He pulled his hand out and gave her one harsh slap on the upturn of her ass.

She yelped, but more from the surprise. Her thighs snapped shut, but he tsked at her, shoving them back apart.

"I like this way better. Then I can see you better, and you can't tighten up this ass of yours." He patted her cheeks, delighting in the gentle wiggle. Sinking his teeth into that ass moved to the top of his bucket list.

"Garrick."

"Are you whining?" He couldn't keep the chuckle from his voice. "I see you aren't taking this seriously. That's my fault. Let me explain the way this works. I'm going to spank you, you're going to take it, and when I believe you've learned your lesson, and only then, will I stop and let you up. There will be no whining, no begging, and sure as hell no hitting, kicking, or cursing. Got it?" He rested his palm on the curve of her cheeks.

"Yes. I got it." He looked down at the back of her head. Her face pressed into the mattress of her bed, her hands gripping the bedding in front of her.

"Okay then." He gave her one light pat before her laid into her.

After a dozen strokes, she started to wiggle on his lap, a few more and she really squirmed. He'd began light, not wanting to go full force with her, but by the time she was kicking her legs, he'd progressed to spreading the smacks all around her round backside, not missing an inch, and intensifying each stroke.

"You don't hide from me. You have to tell me what's in your head or this will never work. And you sure as hell don't lie. If you don't want to talk about something." He paused for a moment, resting his hot palm over her just as warm ass. "If you don't want to talk, you can tell me that. I won't push- well, not at that moment. But you will talk to me." When his breath regulated, he began spanking her again, spreading the spanks down her thighs.

Her feet kicked up. She screeched and began to struggle against him. Easily rectified. He threw one leg over both of hers, leaving her immobile over his knee.

"Dammit!" She yelled and struggled some more.

He pinched her reddening in ass. "I said no swearing. That’s your only warning."

"It hurts, Garrick! So, bad!" She pushed upward, tried twisting, but nothing worked. He wouldn't let her up until he finished. And from her attitude, they were far from done.

"It's not supposed to tickle." He laughed and continued to pepper her ass. His hand hurt, and he contemplated taking off his belt, or grabbing a hairbrush, but even through the numbing burn he could feel her skin, feel her tremble when he touched her, and he didn't want any implement to take that away from him.

"Oh!" She made another attempt at wiggling, but when she didn’t get anywhere, she stilled. Going slack, she seemed to finally accept her punishment.

"If you lie, you get spanked. If you hide your worries, you get spanked. If you disobey me, you get spanked. Are you getting the pattern, Jade?"

Her sob broke through the sounds of the spanking, and he paused his hand. Her shoulders shook, and her body trembled as he ran his fingertips over her crimson cheeks. He'd spanked longer than he'd intended, but she'd been more stubborn than he'd thought she would be.

"Yes, Garrick. I'm sorry. I'm sorry." He ran his left hand over her back, soothing her and letting her cry without interrupting her. "I was scared. So scared."

He pulled her up, swinging her into his lap, and completely ignoring the wince of pain on her face when her ass brushed against his pants. "Scared of what? Me?"

She wiped the palms of her hands over her face and shook her head. "No, not of you, I mean, not like you mean." More fat tears rolled down her cheeks. He hated them. The tears he liked were one's mingled with pleasure, these were full of regret.

"How do you mean?" He forced his tone to gentle. Fear that he’d pushed too far too fast bubbled up in his chest.

"I was scared I blew it, we blew it, that we'd messed everything up."

His shoulders relaxed, and he pulled her to his chest, resting his chin on her head. "We didn't mess anything up. We're making things better, the way they’re supposed to be. You've been my girl since high school, you just didn't know it, and idiot that I was didn't either."

"I'm going to mess up again." As warnings went, that one was unnecessary.

"Yep, you will. And I’m going punish you when you do. And sometimes, I'll mess up, and you'll tell me I messed up, and I'll make it up to you."

"I punish you?" She pushed away from him and looked at him as though he'd just told her she'd be eating caterpillars for lunch.

He laughed. "No way in hell, pretty girl. You'll tell me respectfully I messed up, and I'll do everything I can to make it better."

She sniffled and looked away, her red, puffy eyes focusing on the opposite wall of her room. "Okay."

"Okay?"

"Yes. Okay. That works. I'm sorry I lied. I'm sorry I was too afraid to tell you what was going on in my head."

He wiped the short locks of hair off her face. "It's okay. All done with now." He patted her rear end. "Sore?"

"Yes. It hurt like hell. Worse than I ever imagined."

"But I bet if I touch you, dip my fingers in you, I’ll find you all hot and wet for me."

Her eyes shifted again; the blush deepening on her cheeks.

"I can't wait to sink my cock into you, Jade. I've waited too long for it, but it won’t be tonight. Not when you had a punishment." He pressed his lips to her still wet cheeks. "For now, put on some comfy clothes, and let's order pizza. We have plenty to talk over, and a movie night sounds fucking awesome to me."

She regarded him with puzzlement. "You can do that? Just switch over like that?"

"No, I didn't switch over at all. I'm still in charge. I'm still the one who spanked you and will spank you again if you deserve it. But I'm also still me."

"But better." She smiled.

"Better?"

"Yeah, friend Garrick wouldn't have spanked me, and hugged me, and kissed me. So, this is better."

He laughed. "Absolutely, now get going before I forget my own rule and sink my fingers into that fucking pussy. I smell how wet you are, and it's driving me crazy."

Her blush intensified. "Isn't it punishing you by denying us?"

He forced a heavy sigh. "The price of being the dominant. It's best for you to separate punishment from sex. I don't want you ever to think you can misbehave to get it."

"If you say so."

"I do. Now scoot." He patted her rear and she leaped from his lap. He stood from the bed and adjusted his hard as steel cock in his pants. She better not get into any more trouble, because if he had to delay sinking into her for much longer, he was going to embarrass himself.

Chapter 9

Jade fiddled with her purse strap as the elevator whisked her to Garrick’s floor. She’d made the same ride half a dozen times a week for several years, but none of those times were like this. Her stomach didn’t flutter with anticipation and nerves while the illuminated numbers clicked off the floors. No. Usually, she concentrated on looking through her Facebook feed, not wondering if he was going to like the skirt she’d chosen to wear.

The ding of the elevator dragged her from her worry to the present. Forcing herself forward she stepped off the lift and made her way down the hall to his apartment. She reached for the handle but pulled back at the last second. Usually, she would ring his bell and walk right in, using her key. But was that allowed now?

She dropped her keyring back into her purse and rang the bell. No. Surely, she wasn’t allowed to just barge into his place now. Things were different.

The door opened and Garrick stood with a confused smile.

“Hey.” He stepped aside to let her in, kissing her cheek as she passed him. “Why didn’t you use your key?” He asked, closing the door behind him.

He was in his typical afterwork clothes, snuggly fitting t-shirt and low hanging jeans. His hair was still damp from his shower.

“I didn’t think that was okay to do,” she admitted, slipping her purse from her shoulder and placing it on the small table near the closet.

“Why?” His brow wrinkled.

“I’m not sure,” she said. How much had changed and how much stayed the same?

“Hey.” His hands gripped her shoulders, pulling her to him. He kissed her forehead. “I told you, we’re just us. Everything we did before is still okay. Use your key when you come over, dive into my pantry when you get a craving for chips, borrow my sports pants when you spill salsa all over your jeans.” He laughed. “Just like before.”

“Only now, if I do something you think is wrong, you’ll spank me.” She noted with a soft smile. He made everything sound easy. But it wasn’t. They could ruin everything by walking down this road.

“And sometimes just for fun,” he winked. “Come on, I have the chess board all set up.” He laced his fingers through hers and tugged her down the hall to the living room.

“You want to play chess?” she asked, dropping her sweatshirt over the arm of the leather couch. Two glasses of wine sat beside the set up chess board.

“Well, I want to undress you, tie you to the bed, and fuck you until you can’t remember your name, but I feel like we aren’t quite ready for all that yet.” He winked again, and just like that he had her unsettled. Both wanting to do exactly what he described and needing to run away before she gave into the urge to go through with it, her body twisted with indecision.

“Then I guess chess is a good option.” She sat on the couch while he walked around the table and sat on the ottoman.

“For the moment anyway,” he took a sip of his wine. “White. So, you don’t fall asleep on me.” Red wine would have her snoozing before the game finished.

She relaxed. This was easy. Sitting with him, playing chess. Unwinding after a long day. They did this best; they’ve done this a million times before. They fell right into the game like every other time they played.

“Jade,” he said softly after moving a pawn. “I want you to do something for me.”

She studied the board. “What?”

“I’d like you to remove your clothes.”

Her finger fell off her bishop, toppling the piece over. “Why?”

“Because I like to look at you. And seeing you sitting on my couch naked- it’s what I want.” He reached across the board and righted her bishop. “Now please, then we can continue the game.”

She looked up at him through her lowered lashes. Nude? Sit and play a game of chess completely naked?

“Are you going to get naked too?” she asked, moving to her feet.

He gave her a gentle smile. “No. Just you. So I can see you, look at you, touch you if I want to while we’re playing.”

Her mouth formed the word oh, but no sound came out.

“Jade.” His voice dipped a fraction. “Now.”

She swallowed. Right. The whole not wanting to repeat himself thing. She nodded so he would know she wasn’t ignoring him. Her hands were taking longer to do what her mind wanted.

“Do you need help?” he asked, starting to stand.

“N-no. I can do this.” She waved him back into his seat. “I just, yeah, I can do this.” She fiddled with the buttons on her blouse until she got them all undone, then slid the material off her shoulders. Her bra came off next, and her cheeks heated when the clasp stuck and she had to wiggle and twist to get the damn thing to unclasp. If he wanted a sexy strip tease- he’d asked the wrong girl.

“Don’t worry about how you look, only worry about obeying. Obedience is sexy- no matter how clumsy,” he said with humor laced through his words.

With heated cheeks, she shimmied out of her skirt and panties, dumping them in the pile with her shirt on the floor. She kicked the items under the coffee table and gingerly sat back down on the sofa. The leather was cool beneath her naked ass.

“Not so hard, right?” he asked with a warm smile.

“This isn’t weird to you?” she asked while forcing her palms to stay on her knees.

“I’ve seen you naked before, Jade.” He pointed out.

“But not like this.” She dug her nails into her knees. His gaze wandered over her before settling back on her face.

“It was always like this, but I couldn’t show you.” He admitted. “I haven’t seen you as a friend for a very long time. Since college probably.”

She swallowed. She couldn’t remember the moment that she’d found herself staring at him longer than usual, or when suddenly his talks about his dates made her stomach knot up. But she knew it had happened. Somewhere along the way, her friendly attraction to him had deepened. And now she sat nude on his couch, beneath his control.

“Spread your legs a little for me,” he rested his elbows on his knees.

Slowly she slid her feet across the lush carpeting until he looked satisfied at what he could see.

“There. Perfect.” He looked to the board. “I believe it’s still your turn.”

Chess. Right. They were playing a game.

She studied the board. What piece had she wanted to move?

“You were about to move your bishop.” He supplied for her when she continued to stare blankly at the game.

“Right.” She nodded and moved the marble piece.

“You’ve left your queen open.” He shook his head and swiftly slid his rook into place, stealing away her queen.

“Shit,” she whispered. “It’s not fair. You’re distracting me.”

“And you sitting there, naked, with your pretty pussy on display isn’t distracting?” He raised his eyebrows with his playful grin.

“Well, that’s your own fault,” she shot back with a soft laugh.

His lips cracked open in a wide smile. “Very true.” He leaned back slightly. “Come here, Jade.”

Her smile fell. “Why?”

He shook his head. “Because I said to, that’s all you need to know. You were given an order, now obey.” He scooted the ottoman back a few inches. “Stand here, facing me with your hands behind your back.”

Her legs only shook a little when she got to her feet, but the fluttering of her stomach could push her off balance at any moment. Rounding the coffee table, she moved into the position he requested. Her arms folded behind her back, making her breasts push outward toward him.

Garrick scooted himself to the edge of the ottoman. His lips were level with her nipples. Her hard, wanting nipples.

“You have beautiful breasts, Jade. I know you hate them.” He raised both hands and cupped them, kneading them gently. “You think they’re big and ugly.” He cradled one breast in his palm and brought his mouth to it, licking the puckered nipple then kissing it before moving to the other side and repeating the actions. His tongue sent a fire trail from her breasts right to her pussy.

“But I love them.” He took a nipple between his teeth and bit down, eliciting a sharp pain. But instead of wanting to pull away from it, she found herself moaning.

“I knew you’d like that.” He suckled her breasts, his tongue lashing her nipple until she was leaning into his touch, wanting more, needing all of it.

“I do, Garrick,” she whispered, watching him move to her other breast.

“I’m going to love fucking these tits one day. But for tonight, I think something else. Something a bit more rewarding. You have been so good today.” He moved to his knees, shoving the ottoman away from him. “Spread your legs far, Jade.” He tapped her thighs.

She walked her feet apart until he touched her leg, signaling for her to stop.

“Shouldn’t I be the one on my knees?” she asked, looking down at him.

He grinned. “You’ll get your turn.”

With his eyes still locked with hers, he pulled her hips toward him until his tongue lashed at her pussy.

“Fuck you taste good,” he said, moving his hands from her hips and prying her pussy lips apart. “Come when you want, Jade. No permission needed today, just come for me.” He covered her clit with his mouth, suckling and flicking. She gripped her arms harder, not wanting to give him any reason to stop.

Fiercely, his tongue lavished her clit and her pussy, running up and down her seam. She arched her hips toward him, falling into the whirlwind of pleasure he drew around her. Her fingernails dug into her skin; her thighs trembled with tension.

“Oh!” She cried out when he thrust two fingers into her sex. With a curl of his fingers, he found the sweetest spot in her body, stroking her as though he’d been practicing the cord his entire life.

“Come for me, Jade. Give me what’s mine.” He growled between her thighs, intensifying his strokes, his flicks, his suckling until she teetered on the edge of an abyss she wanted to dive head first into.

She could no more hold back than she could stop her heart from hammering beneath her ribcage. With a well-placed flick of his tongue, he shoved her off the cliff. She let go of her arms, grabbing onto his head as the waves of her release threw her off balance.

“Garrick! Garrick! Fuck! Yes!” she cried out, twisting her fingers into his hair. He didn’t slow his motions, but intensified them, flying down the coaster with her until every last bit of her orgasm had washed over her, leaving her a heaving mess, barely able to remain on her feet without his arms wrapped around her legs the way they were. She must have stumbled, and he caught her.

He would always catch her.

After placing a soft kiss to her stomach just above her sex, he leaned back onto his heels and looked up at her.

“You can let go, baby,” he said sweetly, pulling on her wrists.

“Oh! Sorry,” she released his hair and dropped her hands to her sides. “I- that was-" she blew out a breath.

“Your legs are still shaky, come down here with me.” He pulled on her arms until she moved to her knees. Once she was close enough, he framed her face with his hands and brought her into him for a kiss.

The tangy sweetness of her own juices was still on his lips, his tongue. She didn’t pull back, but rather gave into his dominating presence, sinking into the sensations and knowing he wouldn’t drag her anywhere she wouldn’t flourish.

“Do you taste how sweet you are?” he asked in a hushed voice when he broke the kiss.

“Yes,” she nodded, pressing her forehead against his. “But I want to taste you.”

He chuckled. “I want that, too, Jade. I’m not an easy man though. You won’t be able to suck my cock gently. Once I’m in your mouth, I’m going to take you, hard, fast, and you’ll have to swallow every drop of my cum.” He brushed a kiss across her cheek, her chin, her nose.

“Yes. That.” She nodded. It was his power she wanted now, not his sweet side. She wanted to feel his authority, his ownership in anyway he wanted to give it.

“That’s a good girl,” he licked her lips. “My very good girl.”

He released her and moved up to his feet, shedding off his pants in record time. His boxers came down next, and he pulled his cock out, thick and long in his fist. While he’d seen her walk through her bedroom nude many times, she’d never seen him so bare. So raw, before.

It was a sight.

“Open up, good girl,” he brought the head of his cock to her lips.

She licked them, then opened her mouth wide.

He slid his dick into her mouth, over her tongue and straight back to her throat. She coughed a little, but he held firm.

“Deep breath, baby, swallow me down,” he placed a hand on the top of her head. Maybe to keep her steady, but to her it was a lending of strength. With his touch, she could do anything. She was safe in his hands.

She placed her hands on his thighs, positioning herself for the face fucking he described. Slowly at first, he thrust in and out of her mouth. She ran her tongue along his silky shaft, tasting the salty sweetness of his cock.

“Ready, baby?” he grunted.

She looked up at him.

“Of course, you are.” He grinned. And then he grabbed her hair into a tight fist and plowed forward hard into her mouth, smacking the back of her throat and only pulling back long enough for her to get a sip of air before thrusting forward again. His balls hit her chin, but all she could feel, could concentrate on was the thickness of his cock running over her tongue, and hitting her throat.

She swallowed, taking him deeper into her throat, struggling a moment with a fit of cough. He pulled back, not out completely, just enough for her to breathe properly for a moment then he was back at it, fucking her throat.

Curling her fingers into his thighs, she tried to concentrate, but all she could do was take what he gave her.

“Fuck, Jade. Fuck.” He growled above her, shortening his thrusts. “I’m going to come, baby, swallow it down for me, like a good girl. Be my good girl. My good girl.” As the last word left his lips hot strings of come spurt onto her tongue.

She swallowed, trying to keep it all in her mouth as more and more filled her mouth, seeping down her throat. He stilled, the head of his cock resting on her tongue, the last spurts of his release draping along her tongue.

His heavy sigh washed over her from above. Her hair was released from his grip and he stepped back, out of her mouth. She licked at her lips. Were they as swollen as they felt?

“Good girl,” he breathed out as he yanked up his boxers. “Come here, Jade.” He put his hands out to help her stand, then pulled her into his chest, kissing her forehead.

His hot breath washed over her face as he held her close to him.

“Spend the night?” He asked quietly. Was there a bit of fear laced in the question? Was he afraid they’d ruined everything now?

Had they ruined it all?

“I don’t work until the afternoon tomorrow.” She said as way of answering.

“Good.” He scooped down and picked her up in his arms. “In my bed, then.” He carried her through the living room and down the hall to his bedroom.

Shouldn’t the bells of regret starting ringing right about now? There was no way they could go back to being friends after this, not after he’d fucked her throat with such possession. So where was all the fear and the remorse? Friends should be able to fall so easily into such passion as they shared.

Why wasn’t she scared anymore?

Chapter 10

“You’re quiet this morning,” Garrick slid the creamer across the table to Jade. She looked up from her bowl of oatmeal.

“Just tired.” She lifted a shoulder.

“Tired?” He leaned back in his chair. “You remember the punishment for lying,” he stated flatly. “You’ve never had trouble talking to me before.”

“This is different.” She poured cream into her coffee. “We were friends then.”

He reached across the table and captured her hand. “We’re still friends, Jade. Just more, much more to each other, I hope. You can tell me anything- just like before.”

She smiled. “I’m just getting used to it, that’s all. Plus, I have to meet with Carissa to go shopping. I need a dress for the New Year’s Eve party. And I’m having lunch with my dad tomorrow.”

“Your dad.” He pulled his hand away and went back to eating his own breakfast. “He’s in town.”

“Yep, for a meeting. So, he’s granting me an entire meal while he’s here.” She rolled her eyes. Her father was a sore subject for her, and he wouldn’t make it worse by probing it.

“What sort of dress are you looking for?” He changed the topic.

“Something shimmery, I think. Silver?”

“Nothing too low cut,” he said and took a sip of his coffee.

“Of course not.” She agreed.

“And longer than that thing you wore to the Mistletoe party.”

“I can do that.” She smiled. “Is it always going to be this way? Easy like this?”

“Wasn’t it easy before?” he asked. They’d been such good friends for so long, they had very few secrets from each other. Aside from the main one.

“There was less riding on everything before.” She pointed out.

He tilted his head. “What are the stakes now?” he asked.

A soft blush blotted her cheeks. “Well, if we mess this all up, we can’t exactly go back to being friends.”

“That’s probably true. I don’t think I’d survive in the friend zone again.” He nodded. It was a big risk. Before having Jade in his life, even only as a friend, was enough. Just to have her there. It had sustained him.

“So, you know- it’s easy now but we could ruin- “

“It was already ruined, Jade.” He cut her off, leaning across the table to grab her hand again. The warmth of her skin beneath his hand fed his craving for her. “I was tired of playing friends. When I saw your application for Dark Lace-” he paused a beat. “It woke something in me. Having you around as a friend- it wasn’t enough anymore. I wanted more. Either we were going to give this a try, or we weren’t, but I wasn’t going to sit quietly in the friend zone anymore.”

She slipped her hand from his. “So, if I had said no at the party, you would have dropped me? Just walked out of my life?” The fear in her tone shook him. He didn’t like her scared. Scared Jade ran.

“I wouldn’t have abandoned you, but I don’t know what we would have done. I couldn’t be just your friend anymore.” He shook his head. He wouldn’t lie.

“Either way, I was losing you as a friend.”

“No. You wouldn’t have lost me, not entirely.” He dragged his hand through his hair. He wasn’t getting his words out in the right order. Maybe he was wrong. Maybe they would have had to completely severe their relationship. But it didn’t matter. That’s what he wanted her to understand. None of that mattered now.

She sat back in her chair. He could nearly see the wheels spinning in her mind.

“Jade, don’t over think this. You didn’t say no. I didn’t have to pretend not to be hurt. And we didn’t have to have that awkward moment when we decided to still be friends or not. That didn’t happen.” He pulled on her arm until she moved from her chair and fell into his lap. He brushed away the hair from her face.

“But- “

He placed his finger over her lips. “No buts. It didn’t happen. You did say yes. And here you are. In my lap, like a good girl, letting me kiss you,” he brushed his lips across her jawline. “Letting me touch you,” he cupped her breast. She hadn’t bothered with a bra after rolling out of bed and throwing on one of his shirts. “Letting me be with you.”

An alarm sounded from his phone on the counter.

“Work calls.” She planted a firm kiss to his lips. “I have to get home and shower anyway. Hopefully, I remembered to wash a pair of scrubs for today.”

He slapped her ass as she hopped of his lap.

“Do I need to make up a task list for you?”

She paused in her step and gave him a flirty smile over her shoulder. “Would it be totally weird if I thought that was hot?”

He laughed. Damn this woman made him happy.

“Not at all.”

“I’ll call you on my lunch break?” She asked.

“Absolutely.” He got up from the chair and stalked toward her.

“What are you doing?” She laughed when he reached for her shirt.

“Helping you out of your clothes.” He pulled it up over her head and tossed it to the kitchen floor as he advanced another step. “You know, so you can get ready to go home.” He winked, and just like that, she was off. Running down the hall toward his bedroom laughing and throwing him teasing smiles as she turned the corner into his room.

He would catch her all right. And give her a proper send off to work.

Chapter 11

"I'm not sure that's the sort of dress Garrick will appreciate." Jade eyed the shimmering leotard ensemble Carissa held up.

Carissa looked it over. "Why not? It's New Year’s Eve, everyone will be sparkly."

Jade laughed. "It's not the sequins he'll have a problem with." She took it from Carissa and plunked it back on the rack, moving over to another section of the store. They'd been shopping for hours, and she still hadn't found anything to wear that he'd approve of or she liked.

"He's a stick in the mud." Carissa huffed and combed through the rack. "What Dom doesn't like his sub to be all hot when he takes her out. I mean, it's weird." Carissa gave up on the new rack, barely even looking at the dresses and turning toward another.

"It's not that. He just is kinda protective, or greedy, or selfish. He doesn't like all the goods on display." Jade pulled a strand of Carissa's hair as she walked past. "But it does making finding a dress for his party a bit hard."

"So, you two are working this all out?" Carissa dug through her purse, pulling out a tube of lip gloss and applying it.

"Yeah. I mean it's hard, sometimes a little weird. He's still Garrick, the same guy I’ve known forever, but he's different at the same time. He made me go to bed last night. I was starting to fall asleep on the couch, and he turned off the TV and sent me to bed. When I didn't want to go, he-" She waited for two women to pass them before continuing.

"He spanked you." Carissa blurted out.

"Carissa!" Jade ducked behind a rack when the women turned to look at them. "What's wrong with you? You've been in a mood all day."

"Nothing." Carissa sighed. "I'm sorry. Nothing. Just tired. I'm hungry, let's get some lunch."

"My dad's meeting us, remember?" Jade checked her watch. "It’s almost time anyway, Let's head over. We can get an appetizer while we wait."

* * *

Blooming onion in full bloom in front of them, Jade waved her arm in the air to signal her father. He caught her glance and waved back. When he started his way through the restaurant, she found Garrick walking right behind him. Neither of them looked pleased.

"Hey, Dad. Uh, Garrick." She hugged her father and moved to Garrick. He placed a short kiss to her cheek and watched her father as he held out her chair for her.

"What's going on? I thought you were in meetings all day." She took her seat.

"The last one didn't go so well. I'm taking a break from the next one."

"Didn't go well? Seemed to be going just fine for you. It's all the tenants who are getting fucked in your little scheme." Jade's father spat as he yanked off his jacket and tossed it over the back of his chair. "Carissa." He acknowledged her with a curt nod before grabbing a clump of onions from the bloom and shoving it into his mouth. Her father had a habit of eating his stress, and from the looks of his waistline he'd been stressed for a while.

"What are you talking about, Dad?" Jade nudged Carissa beneath the table when she continued to watch her father with obvious annoyance on her face.

"Your boyfriend there, don’t look so surprised. He told me you two are an item now. I was all for it, until he showed what a greedy bastard he is."

"If you were listening, then you heard that I’m not going along with the board. I don't like the idea, and I don't believe for one second Jamison does either. We aren't going-"

"Oh, whatever. You own the place now; you’ll do whatever you want, and I'll be out of my fucking retirement."

"Dad." Jade leaned further over the table, trying not to add to the scene.

"I've already explained, I'm not going along with it. It won't pass. Now. Can we please just have lunch?" Garrick threw his arm over the back of Jade’s chair and slid down into a casual pose. Garrick had known her father as long as he'd known her. The two of them bickered over football teams and basketball, but not with such heat.

"Dad, how's Monica?" Changing the subject to his wife was a last-ditch effort to chill the room, but even that didn't work.

"She’s fine. Why don't you ask your boyfriend there what he's doing with his new purchase?" His gaze swung back to Garrick.

Sighing she turned to Garrick. "What's he talking about?"

"The condos. The association is trying to force the owners of rentals to sell their units by changing the bylaws stating after current leases are up, no new leases will be approved by the board." Her father pointed a straight finger at Garrick.

Her father owned five condos, and she knew Garrick was dealing with some new real estate investment, but she hadn’t thought they'd be tied together.

"But Dad uses those condo's as income, just like you do with whatever you do with your investments."

"Yes, I know. I'm-"

"He doesn’t give a fuck about that. He only cares about his own bottom line." Her father shoved another onion into his mouth, a dollop of the dipping sauce dropped onto the table.

"Dad." The situation was getting out of control fast. Looking to Carissa for help proved useless, with her mouth full of fried onion and a look of amusement spread across her face.

"You don’t think it's weird he didn’t tell you?"

"Dad, we don’t really talk about work." She fidgeted in her seat. They almost never spoke about his work. She knew he invested in clubs and real estate, but he never gave her any details. That's why she didn't know he owned any part of Dark Lace.

Her father laughed. "Why do you think that is? He doesn't want you to know what a cold-hearted bastard he is."

"Now, listen. I told you, it's not going to happen. The board needs final approval from the owners, and I'm not giving my approval." Garrick’s voice rose along with her fathers.

"Why didn't you tell me about the condos?" She turned in her seat.

"What?" He looked at her, seemingly thrown off guard for a second. "I don't know, it's just work."

"But you ask about my work, my time, where I am, what I'm doing-" She felt her skin tighten. "You know everything about me, but I didn't know you were buying my father's condo complex?"

"Don't you start, too." The warning underplayed the smile he forced onto his lips for her benefit, but she wasn't having it.

"In fact, you seemed to know a hell of a lot more than I did. You didn't seem at all surprised to see me at the club. I was surprised to see you, but you looked as if you'd been waiting for me. Did you know I'd be there?"

Carissa dropped her glass on the table and scrambled to right it before it spilled.

"Jade. One has nothing to do with the other. I have no intention of ripping off your father or any other condo owner at the complex. We aren't going to allow new purchases to become rentals, but we aren't going to allow the association to stop the current rentals from remaining rentals."

"One does have to do with the other." She shoved her chair back and turned completely to face him. Her father watched with some fascination as she took Garrick on. "You want full transparency from me, but I don’t get that from you? How the hell is that fair? You should have told me about this. And you should have told me about the club."

"We can talk about it later." His lips thinned and the danger became apparent in his eyes.

"No, we'll talk now." She turned from the table.

"Jade. I think he means it. He isn't going to screw me over, don't make a scene on my account." Her father called after her, but she was already stomping toward the front door. The frigid wind blew in her face as she stepped outside, but it wasn’t enough to cool her temper. She ran too hot to even register the cold.

"Jade." One word. One syllable spoken from his lips made her damn near melt from the authority in it. "It’s freezing out here, and you didn't bring your coat. Come back inside."

She pointed a finger at him. "How did you know I'd be at the club?"

His lips parted, his breath played in the air, and he shook his head. "Jade." Sucking in his breath he arched one eyebrow. "You never clear your history on your computer. I was looking up something, needed to find an old link, and your entire history was there. Collar me? Really, Jade?” He tilted his head to the right. “I saw you had the membership application for the club open, and I figured you'd come to the party."

She blinked. He'd seen her history. He'd seen all of the links she'd saved, all the websites she'd visited. The cold was no longer an issue; her cheeks were burning up.

"You looked at my history."

"It was before. And it changes nothing, Jade. Nothing." He reached for her hands.

"Fuck that." She yanked away from him.

"Jade. Be careful. I know you're upset, but that doesn't change the rules."

She regarded him quietly, not sure what to say or do, and afraid of every option playing in her mind.

"You never tell me about work. You didn't tell me about your club, you didn't say anything even after you'd seen my computer. Do you think this is all a joke? We are all here for your amusement?" Her breath came faster as she spoke.

Horns blared in the street. The stench of exhaust floated between them as they stood outside the restaurant.

"It's not a joke. None of this is a joke." He reached for her again, but her mind already turned off. He'd seen everything in her computer and had kept it from her. He'd known she'd be at the club.

Without another word, she turned on her heel and ran. He called after her, but she waved down a cab. As she opened the door, he caught up to her. His chest heaving from the exertion. She didn't wait for him to say anything; there was nothing to say.

She jumped in the back of the cab, slammed the door shut, and directed the driver where to go. Garrick’s hand was on the handle of the door when the car pulled into traffic. She heard him curse, heard her name being screamed. He'd seen everything inside of her, and he'd been holding himself back.

She thought she'd be safe with him. She'd been a fool.

Chapter 12

Garrick stretched his back and stood from his bed. It had been a hell of a night. Sleep denied him as easily as Jade had.

Two days since her outburst at the restaurant and she wouldn't take his calls or respond to his texts. Not mentioning he'd seen her history on the computer might have been rude, but did it warrant the reaction she gave him? Even the issue with her father, if she'd given him just a minute to explain, she'd know he and Jamison shot down the association's plans. Her father wouldn't be out of any real estate, no one in the deal would.

He was all for making good money, but not at the expense of anyone else. Not like that. People lost in real estate deals all the time, but it wouldn't be because of his greed. She should have known that about him. Did know that about him, but something else triggered her little fit.

Fear.

The woman was scared out of her fucking mind because they weren't ruining things. Because they were still them, only better, a more amplified version of them. Sure, he'd had her on her knees, he'd watched her suck him off with his tie wrapped around her neck and him holding the end, but underneath they were still them. She'd been punished a few times, a solid spanking for mouthing off, a belting for cursing at him, but after, they'd reconnected. Things were working. And if they weren't, she wasn't telling him about it.

He picked up his phone on the first ring, not even looking at the caller id, just hoping.

"Hey lover boy." Carissa's sarcastic tone wasn't exactly what he had in mind as a way to start the day.

"Carissa." He ran his fingers through his hair and headed toward the bathroom. New Year’s Eve was upon them, and he had one last meeting before he could enjoy the evening. If he could enjoy the evening. Without Jade at his side, the party held little interest to him.

"You have to do something about Jade."

His ears perked up. "What's wrong? Where is she?" He darted back into his bedroom ready to grab his keys and fly down to the parking lot, pants or not.

"Calm down. She's fine. Well not fine, but safe."

"What's going on? I thought she had the morning shift today?"

"She does. She's at work now. Look. She knows she's wrong. She misses you and is being so fucking stubborn I’m ready to clock her over the head with a pan and drag her to you."

A small sense of relief mingled with a darker sensation. He didn't want her suffering, even if it was her own doing. It wasn't for her to cause herself grief. That was his job.

"Out with it." He demanded. The past two days had worn him down; he didn't have the energy to be sweet with Carissa.

"She's not eating, she's not sleeping. She thinks she's completely ruined everything. I told her to talk to you, I told her that's not how these things work, but she won't listen- said she blew you off too many times."

Jade would bury herself in sorry and guilt if he let her. And he wouldn’t do that. He would help her, guide her right back to where she belonged.

With him.

"Did she ever find a dress for the party tonight?"

"What? No, I mean, she has one but she's not planning on going."

"That's fine. Can you be at her apartment when she gets home from work? To help her?"

"I just told you, she won't listen to me, what am I going to help her with?"

"She's going to have to make a decision, it's not going to be easy and I can't be there for it. She'll need you."

"Why?"

"Because you're her friend. And you're a submissive, you'll understand."

"Did Jamison say something?" Her tone sharpened.

"Jamison? No." He didn't need more drama at the moment. "He hasn't said a word, why?"

"Nothing. I'll be at her apartment when she gets home. What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to be waiting for her answer."

"You make no fucking sense."

Chapter 13

Jade shoved the key into her apartment door, balancing the bag of groceries in one hand and fighting her purse strap on the other arm. As the key finally turned, the door swung open.

"Shit!" Jade stumbled forward but managed to catch herself before falling flat on her face.

"Sorry." Carissa rushed to grab the bag of frozen appetizers and wine from her arms, peeking inside. "Planning a pity party for one?"

"Don't start." Jade shut the door and bolted it while shucking off her winter coat. "I'm hungry and thirsty. Mini Quiche and white wine seemed the way to go." Or depressed and hopeless, whichever description worked best to keep Carissa from continuing.

"Whatever. I don't think you'll be needing them though."

Jade followed her to the kitchen and pulled the hair tie from her hair and running her fingers through it. "Oh, yeah? Why's that? Decided not to go to the Dark Lace New Year’s party tonight and stick with me?" Not that Jade wanted or needed an audience to her curling up into a ball on her couch and stuffing her face until the sadness started to fade. Though seeing as she'd pushed away the one man in her entire life that she loved, she figured it might take more than what she had in the grocery bag.

Garrick's texts had stopped the day before. At first, she'd been grateful, then she realized why they'd stopped. He'd given up. And why shouldn't he? She assumed the worst about him, insulted him, yelled at him in the street and then ran away like an idiot. Her father had called her that afternoon to apologize, and to explain Garrick had been telling the truth. He'd shot down the association. He wouldn't lose any property to Garrick or any of the other owners.

There'd been a time, not long-ago Jade would have jumped to his defense with her father. She would have taken his side in a heartbeat, but she knew he was a good soul. Even when he was doing horrible things to her, it was out of love that he did them. After a particularly hard spanking, he'd kissed her hot cheeks while she stood in the corner. He'd rubbed arnica cream over them so as to keep any bruises from forming, and even though it was completely her fault for having cursed at him when she didn't get her way, he'd held her tight and wiped away her tears. He never belittled her or made her feel less than everything he wanted. Yet the first sign of imperfection on his part and she had gone for his throat.

"No, I'm going to the party. I could use a good distraction myself." Carissa opened the freezer and hid behind the door, keeping Jade from knowing what she really thought.

Her cell buzzed in her back pocket, and she pulled it out. It buzzed again and again and again. "What the hell?" Swiping the screen, five messages popped up on display. All from Garrick.

I get you're scared.

I get you don't understand some of your feelings, or mind. And I get that you think everything is a mess right now. What I don't get is why you think hiding from this will make it better?

I don't do games, you know that.

I want you, Jade. I want you for my girlfriend, my best friend, and my submissive. I want to own every inch of your body, your heart, and your soul. All cards on the table, I love you. But you have to make a decision, and it has to be tonight. No more waiting, no more stalling.

A package will be delivered shortly. If you decide to be mine, accept it, wear it and meet me at the party like planned. Though when you arrive, you'll be directed to a private room. Wait there for me.

Jade stared at the screen, unable to breath or think. He wasn't done with her?

"What is it?" Carissa plucked the phone from her shaking hand and read over the texts. She let out a low whistle. "Fuck, this man is hot." Looking unapologetic she gave Jade back the phone. "If only he wasn't yours, or you know, Garrick."

"What do I do?" Jade looked back at the screen. Isn’t that what she wanted? Another chance? A way to fix the mess?

Carissa patted her arm and pointed to the table when the doorbell rang. "You just sit, that's probably his package."

Jade didn't move to sit or to get the door, instead she watched Carissa do all the moving. She greeted the delivery man, signed something, and took a box from him. Jade swallowed, wetting her dry throat, when Carissa brought it back to the kitchen.

"What is it?"

Carissa rolled her eyes. "Well, I'd have to open it to find out." Putting it down on the table she stepped away. "Open it, Jade."

Jade took a deep breath. "What-"

"Open the fucking box." Carissa pushed it toward her. "The man has all but begged you, now put a little trust in him and open the damn thing."

"Trust him? I totally trust him. I mean, except for the whole computer thing."

"Wait." Carissa put her hand on the package. "Are you really upset about that? How many times has the man used your computer while he was here? So, he saw your history and didn't tell you. Did you want him to say Hey Jade, what's this kinky shit you have on here? Do you really wanna take it in the ass while being tied up to the bed?"

Jade stared at her for a long moment. "No." She shook her head. "That wouldn't have been good." A smile started to break through her, and she soon found herself giggling. "Okay, he was trying to be nice, but what about the club?"

"Does he tell you about all of his investments? No, because you fall asleep when he talks business."

Another good point.

"So, he used the opportunity to approach you not only about your submissive side and his dominant side, but to start making something more of your relationship. Really, it was kind of fucking sweet. Him waiting there for you to show, and then swooping in and taking over. Tell me you didn't find that hot."

Solid arguments, all of them.

"Why am I so afraid then?"

Carissa shook her head. "I don't know, because what we don't know scares us? Because we see a future that might be real, but you can't possibly understand why or how it will be, and it terrifies us." Jade couldn't be sure if she was talking about her own experience or generalizing.

Without putting more energy into her doubts, she grabbed the box and tore the tab down the middle, opening it. Shuffling through the tissue paper she found a jewelry box and lifted it out. Taking a deep breath, she pulled off the lid.

Two diamond tennis bracelets laid in the box, each spread out next to the other, shimmering in the overhead kitchen light. Her breath blew out at the sight of such simple beauty. She'd never owned anything so stunning before.

"Holy. Fuck." Carissa whispered, as though if they were too loud the delivery guy would come back and take it away. "Two." A smile formed on Carissa's lips. "Fuck, he's hot." She shook her head and searched through box. "No note."

"I think he said everything he wanted to say in the text. Why two?"

"Two?" Carissa rolled her eyes. "After everything you've seen, read, and have done with him you have to ask?" She picked pointed to Jade's wrists. "Two bracelets, two wrists, two cuffs."

"Cuffs?" Jade's shoulders sagged a bit. "Not a collar, but cuffs?"

Carissa gave her a gentle shove. "You think after what's happened the past two days, he's giving you a collar like this? No. He's telling you to put these on and go to him. He's telling you to mark yourself as his and go meet him. Besides, if you want a collar, you have a little more work to do."

Jade looked at the bracelets, really looked at them, imagining what they would feel like on her wrists. Would the symbolism make them heavier or lighter? Did she even deserve them after what she'd done?

"You asked me what you should do. You should put them on, get in that dress, and get to that party."

"We haven't even had sex yet." Jade blurted out.

Carissa scoffed. "You've done plenty else, from what you told me. Sex isn't everything. But I doubt you'll be able to say that after tonight. Now go."

Jade sucked in her breath. She knew what she wanted but she still wasn’t sure she had the strength to get it.

Chapter 14

Music played in the ballroom while Garrick paced the kitchens. He'd thrown the party every New Year’s since he and Jamison started their company. They only had a handful of employees, but they still managed to fill the house with guests. Between bankers, brokers, and all of their staff the party never failed to be a success. The only stipulation being no business was to be discussed. The evening was for social purposes only. He doubted they all stuck to the rule, but at least they managed to do so while when in his earshot.

Jade had been to the party before. The few times she'd shown up she had brought a date. His soul had been twisted into knots those years. Still, nothing compared to the anguish of doubt he battled while dodging the servers in the kitchen.

"Man, she'll be here. Calm down." Jamison entered through the back door, having successfully avoided the crowd of party goers. "And when she gets here, what are you going to do?" He plucked a stuffed mushroom off of a passing tray and leaned against the stainless-steel counter.

"I'm torn. I want to punish her but at the same time, I want to hold her." He raked his hand through his hair, sure it probably stood on end from doing exactly that dozens of times already since getting dressed.

"So." Jamison shrugged and popped the mushroom in his mouth. "Do both. She deserves it, and she knows it."

"What if she doesn't come."

"She’ll show, whether or not she comes is entirely up to you." Jamison laughed and looked at his watch. The playful grin slipped. "I have to go."

"You're ditching your own party for another?"

"Depends. I might be back, I might not." Jamison wouldn't give any more information than that, but Garrick knew better than to push. "The party runs itself; I've made the rounds. No one will miss me, or you if things go right."

"Just go." Garrick waved him off. Jamison was right, the party was in full swing and their presence was no longer required.

"Sir." Julia, the party planner they hired to put the event together every year interrupted them. "The front desk has said your guest has arrived. She's been brought up the room as you instructed." She gave her usual plastic smile and waited for his nod before she headed back out to the party. "Jamison, I see you sneaking out that door." She called to him without even turning around. "Happy New Year." She called and walked through the swinging doors.

"She's still pissed at you." Garrick laughed and straightened his tux. Jamison didn't bother responding. The door shutting behind him, his only answer.

She was there.

Garrick took the back stairs leading to the servant quarters of the old mansion. She’d been brought to a room on the third floor, all the way in the back of the house. An audience, he did not want.

As he walked up to the closed door, he paused with his hand on the doorknob. What if she'd only come to tell him to fuck off? He closed his eyes for a moment, breathing deeply and reminding himself it was Jade. Out of all the women he ever remotely found attractive, she was the one he compared them all to. She was the model of perfection, and every dent and every wound made her more impeccable.

He shoved the door open, sure he'd find her wandering the room looking out the windows at her surroundings. His heart screeched to a halt at the vision she presented.

On her knees, she faced the door, her hands resting on her thighs, her head bowed, and her knees spread. She wore a silver gown, one he'd seen before, but the hem was pulled up to her waist, giving him a full view of her legs. Her short pixie hair was pulled back from her face with a glittery headband matching the tennis bracelets around each wrist.

She'd worn them.

She was kneeling and waiting for him.

He closed the door, locking it before facing her. "I'm going to give you the floor first." He announced and leaned back against the door. Touching her wouldn't get them far, he needed the space to keep himself from pulling up her gown and taking her right there on the floor.

Her chin rose and she met his gaze. Her eyes were shimmering with unshed tears. Her cheeks tinted pink, and her lips- those pouty, kissable lips- parted slightly while she took him in.

"I-I'm sorry. So, sorry. Dad told me- but I already knew. You aren't that kind of guy. You are- well- perfect. Not in the never makes any mistakes kind of way, but the makes everything okay even when it's not kinda way." She rambled on, but he didn't stop her. "I was an idiot. I was scared. Things were going great, but would it last? Can we last?"

"Do you want us to last?"

She blinked, sending one tear sliding down her cheek. "Yes."

"You do." He nodded, more pleased in that moment than any other he could remember. "Good. Because so do I."

"The bracelets are beautiful."

"You understand what they mean?"

Another nod. "Yes. They mean I belong to you. They mean I'm yours, and you're mine."

He silently walked to the dresser and pulled out another jewelry box. "This." He opened the box, showing her the silver collar resting inside. "This is what I want to give you when you're ready, and when I'm ready. It locks, and only the key will take it off. So, when I give it to you, when you wear it, it will be when we decide this is a forever thing."

He snapped the box closed and put it back on the dresser. "I don't take it lightly."

"H-have you ever given one before? I mean, your girlfriends-"

He laughed. "My girlfriends never had any interest in a collar. They wanted some kinky bedroom shit and some spankings here and there. They weren't the real thing, because you were. They were a way to pass the time." He crouched down in front of her, unbuttoning his tux jacket.

"I'm sorry." She said again, softer this time, with the weight of her remorse heavy in the air.

"You're here now, but you have earned another punishment. A severe one." He lifted her chin with two fingers when she tried to look back down. "You won't get any cream after this one. It's going to be bad."

Her chest rose and fell faster, her breath began to come out in short pants. "Okay." Another tear fell down her cheek.

"But not tonight." He unbuttoned the top of his shirt. "Tonight, we reconnect. We make this real." He stood up and looked down at her. Her tear stained face upturned and confused. "Stand up, strip, and stand by the bed, Jade. I want to fuck you."

He watched her as she stood and began to undress. He could help her, taken the zipper down for her at least, but he wasn't looking for just a naked Jade. He wanted an offering. And she seemed to get that. With the zipper down, she shimmied the dress over her shoulders and down the length of her body, displaying every naked inch of herself with the gown pooling at her feet.

"Fuck," he whispered. It wasn't that she was naked, he’d seen that before. It wasn't even that she was standing in one the most elaborately decorated bedrooms he'd ever been in and there were twinkling lights surrounding them. It was her eyes. When they met his, the sincerity and depth of her emotions played there, waiting for him to accept her and take her. Trust that he would care for her and love her like no one else could. It was enough to suck the breath out of his lungs.

He was in front of her in three long strides. With one hand on her hip and the other curled around the nape of her neck, he lowered his mouth to hers. Her mouth soft beneath his lips, and when she parted them for him, he deepened the kiss, tasting her, memorizing the sweetness that was his Jade. Both her hands slipped up to his shoulders, gripping his suit jacket as he delved deeper.

The way she flattened her body against his made his cock push harder against his pants. She had to feel it, pressed up against him the way she was every inch of her body could sense his tension, his desire. The feel of her warm, smooth skin beneath his hand as he slid his hand up the side of her waist, up to the swell of her breast pushed him to the edge.

He pushed against her, walking her back toward the bed. To where he'd wanted her to stand waiting for him before he'd gotten greedy and pounced on her. Once against the bed, he guided her onto it, leaving her laying naked on top the plush blankets and stood at the side of the bed looking down at her.

"What are you doing?" She pushed herself up to her elbows.

"Joining you." He yanked at his tie, ridding himself of it and the rest of his clothing in record pace. Jade's gazed dipped to take in his naked form, and he loved it. The feel of her gaze, the appreciative gasp when he'd dropped his boxers. She'd had him in her mouth, she knew his size well, but he assumed it was much different this time for her as much for him.

The bed dipped as he climbed onto the mattress. "These knees are beautiful." He placed a kiss to each bent knee and gripped them. "But they are too close together." With a quick shove, he had her legs spread open for him, revealing the gift he'd been waiting for. "Fuck me, Jade." He let out a low whistle. She'd been to the salon.

"You mentioned once-" her words were cut off with his kiss. The woman knew exactly how to stroke him. A little patch of hair remained, but the rest was gone. Her plump lips were open, giving him a good view of her already swollen clit.

"You are perfect." Stretching over the length of her, he brushed her hair back from her face.

"I'm still scared," her whispered confession came just before she reached up and kissed his cheek.

"I know." He brushed his lips over her ear. "Give me your fears and your doubts."

"You can't protect me from everything." Her hands roamed over his shoulders, the feathery touch of her fingers tingling down his spine.

"No, but I can battle them with you."

She reached up toward his face, two fingers brushing away a stand of hair from his forehead. "You've always been there, doing that, that's why this hasn't been weird."

He laughed. "If making it weird for you would make it easier, just wait. You haven't seen a fraction of the shit I want to do to you."

It was her turn to laugh. "Tell me?"

He shook his head, dipping lower, and skimming down her body until his mouth hovered over her breast. Her nipple pebbled beneath his breath. "I'll show you." Sinking his teeth into her peak got him exactly the reaction he wanted.

She sucked in her breath and arched her back, meeting his mouth when he moved to the other breast. Her hands wound into his hair, but he pulled them free, placing them at her sides. "No moving yet." He tapped her nose and moved further down her body. Kissing a line from the valley between her breasts down to the small strip of trimmed hair accenting her mons.

"Fuck you smell good." He inhaled and grinned up at her. She swallowed and looked ready to move. "Nuh, uh, I'll tell you when." Keeping his eyes locked on hers, he lowered his mouth to meet her clit. As though to savor her taste, and her frustration, he ran the tip of his tongue over the bundle of nerves in a circular motion. She looked ready to kill, but it wasn't good enough for him.

With two fingers, he played with her entrance. Already wet and hot for him, he rimmed her pussy while nudging her clit with his tongue. Her pleasure built as well as her frustration.

"Garrick. I can't wait, please." The desperation in her voice nearly cracked his resolve, but he wouldn't be persuaded. He had a course in mind, and he stuck to it.

Slowly and with great determination he slid his fingers into her pussy, enjoying the heated walls grasping at him on all sides. Her head went back, her mouth opened, and a growl escaped, but her hands did not move.

"Such a good girl." He sucked her clit hard then let go. "Such an obedient girl." He kissed her sex as he began to finger fuck her. "Such a beautiful, submissive, girl." He kissed right above her navel, still thrusting his fingers into her.

"Oh, god. Garrick, please, don't make me wait." She begged, the pleading speaking directly to his cock. He couldn’t wait much longer either. The friction of the bed rubbing his dick as he moved around began to weaken his control.

"Ask nicely." He grinned, moving into a better position between her legs and ready to take what he already knew as his. He pulled his visibly wet fingers from her pussy and brought them to his mouth. She bit down hard on her lower lip as he licked and sucked of her juices.

He reached over her, pressing his chest against her shoulder as he managed to open the drawer of the nightstand. Grabbing a condom, he knelt between her thighs. With her heated gaze on him his jaw clenched, the view, too much for one man to have to bear, having her staring at him with his cock in his hand. To relieve a bit of the pressure, he wrapped his hand around his shaft and stroked himself several times. When he checked on her reaction, he nearly came from the lust in her eyes.

The condom rolled over his cock easily, and he positioned himself at her entrance once more. Holding himself in one hand, he rubbed the head of his dick up through her folds, coating himself in her hot wetness.

"Sir, please, please fuck me." His eyes snapped to hers. Those words coming from her mouth nearly tore him in two.

"Such a fucking good girl." Lowering himself down, he captured her mouth at the same time he thrust into her. Her moan caught in his mouth, mingling with his own. He'd imagined what it would be like to be inside her, to feel her body wrapped around him, but not one of those fantasies could compare to the actual heaven of the act.

"Oh god!" She yelled out when he finally broke the kiss to take a breath. He pulled out of her a fraction and her hands flew to his back. "No, don't."

He grinned down at her. "Hands, Jade. Put them back."

She pouted but did as instructed. He rewarded her with several hard thrusts. She wrapped her legs around his waist like she was afraid he'd abandon her. Never, that would never happen.

"Fuck." He thrust harder, going deeper until he felt her womb.

"Too much." She whimpered, but when he tried to pull back, she tightened her legs.

He nibbled on her neck. "Move your hands, Jade. Play with your clit for me."

She nodded, knocking him with her chin when she did so.

He pushed up on his hands, still plowing hard into her, and watching her fingers disappear between their bodies. Her eyes rolled, and he began to lengthen his strokes.

Hands on her hips, he fucked her harder. Each measured stroke was met with strong desire and greedy need. She grabbed at him with her free hand, running her nails down his shoulder, and arm.

"Fuck. Fuck. Fuck," she chanted.

"Are you going to keep being my good girl and come for me?" He wanted to die right there with her look of complete submission.

She nodded, unable to speak, he supposed.

"Be my good girl. Come for me, come hard." He gripped her waist harder and drove into her with more force.

One last stroke and she came unglued. Her pussy clenched around him, pulsating and grasping him from every angle.

"Oh fuck!" His yell mingled with her own, as his release caught him off guard. There is no stopping a tsunami, and that's what she brought out of him. He rode her hard, stroke after stroke, feeling every movement of her pussy, every cry of pleasure from her chest. Only once the waves stopped crashing over him did he slow to halt. The last bits of his orgasm faded.

Heated breath passed between them as he tried to catch his breath. He braced himself, waiting to see her reaction. The last time she'd come so hard she panicked, but this time, this time was different. This time, she wrapped her arms around his neck and held onto him.

Slipping from her body, he moved to her side to keep from crushing her.

After several long minutes passed by, she turned to him with a sated grin. "Don't you have to be at the party? I mean you're the host."

"Fuck it." He kissed the tip of her nose and leapt from the bed to take care of the condom. "We can stay up here all night. I own the damn place."

She sat straight up and looked around the room as though she saw it for the first time. "Seriously?"

He laughed and jumped back on the bed, pulling her to his chest when he rolled to his back. "Yeah. Bought it three years ago. I told you about it, but you were dating that Samuel character and were distracted." He rubbed her bare arm.

"Samuel. Oh, yeah, he was a mistake." She laughed. "Everyone was a mistake."

He nodded. "Until you." He kissed her forehead and wiggled the blankets from beneath them until they were nestled beneath them.

"Yes, until you." She sighed.

* * *

Thank you so much for reading UNZONED! I hope you enjoyed meeting Garrick and Jade. They’d love to meet all the people. So please spread the word, and tell a friend about these books!

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Still craving more romance at Club Dark Lace? You’re in luck. Turn the page to get a glimpse of Until Daddy.

Until Daddy

CHAPTER ONE

The man with the devilish grin, stern features, and handsome swagger walked straight for them. Carissa tried to ignore him. Surely, he was headed elsewhere. Maybe to the group of giggling women standing behind herself and Jade.

“There’s a lot of people here.” Jade’s voice broke into Carissa’s thoughts.

The man walking toward them paused momentarily to talk with a younger guy wearing a headset. Did his eyes flick in her direction while he continued the conversation?

“It’s getting hot, too.” Jade fanned herself.

Carissa needed to concentrate. She and Jade had ventured to the Mistletoe Madness party together to give each other support. Mostly, Carissa wanted to support Jade as she finally took a step into the world of BDSM clubs, and maybe finally owned up to everything she really wanted out of a relationship. So her attention couldn’t be put on the man stalking toward them again, weaving in and out of the crowd, looking more than determined. Possessive.

“It will cool off once they open the playrooms.” Carissa didn’t look at her friend while talking. How could she when his eyes were on her, directing her to keep contact with him.

This was ridiculous. Even if he was headed for her, it wouldn’t matter. Most men who approached her at the clubs didn’t stick around very long once she started to go through her kink list.

“What’s that?” Jade pulled on Carissa’s arm and pointed toward the large lounge area of the greeting room.

“It’s the bar, Jade.” She turned to face her friend who clearly felt on edge having to wait to get into the playrooms. “Relax. Everything’s going to be fine. You’ll mingle. You’ll find a nice guy to chat with, and, if you’re lucky, you’ll get yourself bent over one of the spanking benches and have that little public-play cherry of yours popped.”

“You say that as though it’s so easy.” Jade screwed her face up with doubt and let out a long sigh. “Fine. You’re right. I need to relax. Whatever happens will happen, right?”

“Exactly. Never think you have the night planned out, as you’ll most often find it’s out of your control anyway”,” a deep voice answered as Carissa opened her mouth to say something in a similar vein.

She didn’t need to turn around to know who spoke the words, but she did anyway. Right there, a mere six inches from her, stood the devil himself. Or at least his cousin. He seemed bigger and firmer than she imagined the devil would look. The prince of the underworld probably held more of a sinister appearance: angry eyes, bulging muscles ready to rip his subjects apart. This man stood much taller than she, and built well enough from what she could tell, but nothing in his sculpted features showed anything but control. No anger, no pompous arrogance, just confidence and pure dominance.

“Well, that may be true.” Jade didn’t seem the slightest bit affected by him.

“I didn’t mean to interrupt.” He inclined his head, giving Carissa a soft smile but making no move to actually exit the conversation.

“Oh, it’s all right.” She took a small step back, though with the crush of people waiting to be allowed into the playrooms, she bumped into another person and had to apologize to them.

“It’s really crowded here.” He scanned the crowd. “Almost too much so.” His lips flattened together. “I need to speak to someone.” With an annoyed glance around the room, he placed his hands on her shoulders.

She should shove him away. But his hands, the warm touch of his skin against her body sent a shiver down her spine. A feeling more comforting than irritating.

“The lounge isn’t as packed. Will you go sit at a table for me, and I’ll meet you over there?” His eyes were back on her; the smile had returned as well.

“I don’t—”

“I’m Jamison Croft. When you order a drink, tell the bartender to put it on my tab. Unless you had other plans?” His left eyebrow arched.

“No—but I came with my friend, and I think I should stay with her.”

“Oh. Of course.” His gaze swept over to Jade then back again.

“It’s fine, Carissa,” Jade said. “I deal with my nerves better on my own anyway.”

Carissa nibbled her lower lip. She didn’t know him, and it was a little arrogant of him to walk up to her and claim her. Yet that little sensor inside her that warned her when a douchebag approached remained quiet.

“I really do need to get this crowd issue taken care of. If you’d like to have a drink with me, I’ll look for you over in the lounge.” He looked around once more and gave her shoulders a little squeeze.

Before he walked off again, he leaned down and whispered. “I’d prefer you didn’t have any liquor.”

She felt her brow crinkle. Presumptuous to boot!

“It’s of course up to you. I hope you’ll be there.” He gave her another squeeze and pushed through the crowd, heading toward what seemed to be the main offices of the club.

Once he disappeared into the offices, her feet moved. She mumbled to Jade she’d be at the lounge, but with the crowd of people and music starting up, she doubted Jade heard her.

The bartender scooped up an empty glass and took it behind the bar as Carissa stepped up.

“How can I help you?” Another handsome man smiled at her. Was it a requirement for the club? Though she’d met the bartender a few days back, when she’d taken it upon herself to check out the club before bringing Jade.

“A Shirley Temple, please.” Jamison had said to put it on his tab, but she pulled out a few bills from her small clutch and handed them over.

“Coming right up.” He went about making the non-alcoholic drink while she watched. She’d met men at the clubs before. Almost every kinky boyfriend she’d had she’d run into at a club, but this meeting felt different.

Shaking her head, she cleared her mind of any fanciful notions. Her type of relationship wouldn’t last long. They never did. And not just hers, but all the kink relationships she’d seen barely made it out of the gate before the shine wore off.

“Here you go. And here’s your money. Jamison said it’s on him and to go sit at the far table in the corner.”

She plucked the bills from his outstretched hand and looked over her shoulder. She noticed Jamison right away. His eyes made contact with hers, and he smiled, waving his little walkie—talkie in the air and making a pointing gesture. Where was her anger at his behavior?

“Thanks,” she mumbled to the bartender and found the table Jamison had mentioned.

He’d been right. The lounge wasn’t crowded at all. The sign hanging on the wall stating that in order to sit at a table you needed to have purchased a drink probably had something to do with it.

After only a few sips in, Jamison arrived, wearing a wide grin. He handed the walkie—talkie over to the waitress who passed by and took his seat across from her.

“A Shirley Temple.” He nodded at her glass with another approving grin. “Good choice.”

“Did you want to order a drink?” She pointed at the bar when he leaned back and unbuttoned his jacket.

“Not right now. I already had one, and I don’t overindulge…” His sentence fell off into the rumblings of the crowd starting to move.

“They opened the doors.” She looked over his shoulder, trying to find Jade.

“Yes. We were supposed to wait a bit longer, but the crowd was too tight in the waiting area, so I had them open early.”

“You?” She twisted her neck. Where had Jade gone off to?

“Yes—” he reached over and captured her hand in his. “If you’re looking for Jade, don’t worry about her. Garrick is planning to take care of her tonight, so you are off the clock.”

Her eyes snapped back to him. “Garrick? You know Garrick?” Garrick and Jade had been close friends since near childhood. Jade wouldn’t like running into him, and how did Jamison know him?

“He and I do business together.”

Apparently, he read minds as well as owned kinky nightclubs.

She looked at him again, closer this time. “I think I’ve heard him mention you.”

“I was a little surprised Jade didn’t recognize me. We’ve met a few times,” he said.

“She’s a little preoccupied—did you say Garrick is here?” She started to stand, but Jamison tugged her back down into her seat.

“Yes. And you’ll stay out of it.”

And the twist in her chest began. “Oh, I will? And who exactly do you think you are to go ordering me about?”

The corner of his mouth twisted up, and his eyes sparkled with glee.

“Did he send you to babysit me?” Garrick would do something like that if he wanted to get Jade alone. She’d always known he was into kink, little things he said and did, but she’d never broached the subject with him.

“Do you need a babysitter?”

The way he said the words, the little bit of levity mixed with the heaviness of curiosity made her gulp back her initial irritation. His eyes narrowed in on her, as though taking stock of her reaction to his question, and if the slight heat of her cheeks was any indication—she had a full blush starting to take over.

“I don’t need anything.” She gave her standard response when putting up the brick wall, but even she could hear the weakness in her tone.

He nodded and gave a chuckle. “Oh, I’m sure you need a few things.”

“Why is Garrick here?”

“Why wouldn’t he be? He’s part-owner, like myself.”

Garrick owned several properties and shares in different businesses, but she’d never heard him speak about Dark Lace before.

“I’m not going to answer any of your questions about Garrick. You’ll have to ask him yourself. What I am going to do”—his thumb caressed her palm—“is spend as much time with you tonight as you’re okay with.”

She swallowed. How could a finger cause so much excitement to run through her body?

“Fair enough, I suppose. I’ll ask him tomorrow.” She pulled back, breaking the contact with him so her mind could focus more easily on the conversation. Picking up her glass, she took a sip of her Shirley Temple.

“There’s a room back there where I generally like to play.” He looked over his shoulder then back at her.

“You want to play?” Of course, he did. It was a fucking club, after all, and exactly why she’d shown up for the party to begin with.

He gave another laugh. “If you’re up for it. But we have to finish our talk first.”

“Okay.” She shrugged and took another sip of her drink. Negotiations weren’t foreign to her and meant he was a serious player. No newbie.

“I typically play in the nursery.” The sentence dropped on the table like a bag of oranges. Her heart instantly picked up speed, and her breath hitched.

“The nursery?” She’d seen a sign for the room the last time she’d been at the club but hadn’t gone inside. It had been a quick visit, more to scope out the place.

He folded his hands on the table and gave a slow nod. “Yes.”

“You’re into age play?” She tried not to sound judgmental, or hopeful. Her desires were somewhere in that general area of play, but most men who were into that wanted more than she could give them.

“A bit, not as seriously as most. If we play tonight, it will be in that room. Are you okay with that?”

Not as seriously as most? Exactly how she described it to men she talked with online or when she bumped into them in the clubs, to the few she found interested in her particular brand of kink.

She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “I think I’ll start carrying around my list of limits. It would make this part less awkward.”

He laughed. “It doesn’t have to be awkward. If we play, I won’t go any further than a bare-bottom spanking. No fucking, but if you’re a good girl, I may be nice enough to give you an orgasm. That’s all. So, no need for laundry lists of limits and wants.”

A simple scene?

“You don’t want to fuck me?” She clamped her mouth shut after asking that question.

He laughed again. “Oh, little girl, I want to do way more than that, but we just met, and that’s more of a second or third date sort of question.”

Little girl. Fuck, how that phrase made her panties wet.

Also by Measha Stone

EVER AFTER

Beast

Tower

Red

GIRLS OF THE ANNEX

Daddy Ever After

Obediently Ever After

DARK ROMANCE STANDALONES

Valor

Kristoff

OWNED AND PROTECTED

Protecting His Pet

Protecting His Runaway

His Captive Pet

His Captive Kitten

Becoming His Pet

Training His Pet

BLACK LIGHT SERIES

Black Light Valentine Roulette

Black Light Cuffed

Black Light Roulette Redux

Black Light Suspicion

Black Light Celebrity Roulette

WINDY CITY

COMING OCTOBER 2019