Page 13

T he next six weeks passed by in a boring, yet comfortable routine. I spent the majority of my time in the office, often arriving before the others, and staying until everyone else in the building had left. Brynn usually tried to hang around, well after she should have, and I’d have to formally dismiss her.

I couldn’t help but remember the last two conversations we’d had outside of work stuff, and as I leaned back in my chair, a groan escaped my lips. I’d apologized for my words, but my actions hadn’t backed up any of them to this point. Knowing that, it lingered in my thoughts. Actually, it consumed them, or was that Brynn herself?

Conjuring her up, an email notification caught my attention. She had confirmed my late night appointment with some investors in Thailand. Initially, I had brought her here for a much different purpose, even if wasn’t all too clear in my head. She was one hell of an executive assistant, though. Even that was something I couldn’t deny.

This awkward tension between us was also something I couldn’t deny, and intending to do something about it, I rose from my chair and walked to my door. When I opened it, she was deep in concentration as her fingers flew across the keyboard. Drawn to her, I stayed in the doorway and watched her.

Brynn’s head moved as well, and when it did, she haphazardly brushed the fallen locks of chocolate silk from her face. It was then when I noticed the necklace she was wearing. Something was familiar about it and wanting to get a closer look, I took a few steps toward her.

She sensed my presence by the fourth step, and looked up at me. “May I help you with something, Mr. Benedict?”

“I... ahh... I was just going to get another coffee. As you’ve seen, it’s going to be a long night for me.”

“I did notice that meeting was fairly late for our time zone, but I’m sure you’re used to that by now.”

“Something like that,” I murmured while never taking my eyes off of her.

She was so damn beautiful and dangerous to me. Whether in lingerie I’d hand-picked for her, or those long, tight skirts and buttoned-down shirts she liked to wear, Brynn turned me on more than any other female had in a long time, and possibly ever.

“Do you want me to get it for you?” She asked me, and I realized I was staring at her, although I didn’t hear what she had said. My thoughts were on her mouth, but for what it could do, and not what she was using it to say.

“Get what?” I asked.

“The coffee,” she said as she stood up. “I’ll bring it to you once it’s done.”

“Very well,” I replied, but still didn’t make an attempt to move.

“Was there anything else you needed from me?”

If you only knew.

“A coffee is all.”

On that note, I turned and beat a hasty retreat back to my office. It was only when I was inside that I had forgotten about looking at her necklace. I’d make sure to pay more attention when she brought me my coffee.

As I waited, I walked over to the large, floor-to-ceiling windows and looked out at the view from them. I loved San Francisco. I loved Athens. Neither of these places felt like home. They were just stops on my journey, and the destination still remained unknown.

I turned at the sound of the doorknob. Brynn entered my office, then placed the drink on the round coaster, and quickly disposed of the empty cup. Unable to do more than stare at her, she finally turned in my direction.

“Do you require anything else at this moment?”

I shook my head, and she turned to walk toward the door. Remembering the necklace, I cleared my throat. “Actually, I needed to tell you something.”

“Okay,” she responded as she came to a dead stop. “What is it?”

I moved from my current spot and over to her. At a lack for words, I reached out and palmed one side of her face with one hand, and used the two fingers on my other to stroke the other side.

“I’ve missed you,” I finally admitted.

As those words slipped from my mouth, those same two fingers dropped lower to her mouth. After tracing her trembling lips, I dropped my fingers even lower. This time, I touched the chain, and my gaze instantly lowered.

It was gold with a “B” and what I assumed to be her birthstone. I had seen something like this before, only it was a different color stone. Another submissive brunette came to mind, and I felt my cheeks cool immediately. Blair.

I pulled my hand away and stumbled back a step. Brynn was now staring at me in confusion. Suddenly, it turned to concern and she moved closer. “Are you okay, Mr. Benedict? You’re as white as a sheet.”

I wanted to tell her that I was fine, but with an unwanted slideshow of memories flashing through my head, I couldn’t form the words. Brynn’s eyes narrowed more, and I finally shook my head to expel all thoughts.

I wrapped one hand around the back of her head, then drew her close. The moment she was mere inches from me, I fused my mouth to hers. Brynn was surprised at first if her tension was any indication, but as any good submissive would do, she quickly surrendered to me.

I groaned against her mouth the moment she began to return the kiss in earnest. Our tongues dueled for control, but she would always cede hers to me as she soon did once more. I still continued to kiss her as if I might never get another chance to do so.

It wasn’t long until she threw her arms around me as I kissed her senselessly. Or maybe I was the one to have lost all of mine. Knowing the latter was very likely, I reluctantly pulled away. When I did, I watched as she sucked precious breaths of oxygen in.

She then smiled back at me. “I’ve missed you, too.”

Hearing those words set something off in me. While it should have been dread, or fear, it instead filled me with a warmth I couldn’t quite describe. I let out a low growl, then drew her back into my arms. This time, I spun her around, then pinned her against my empty wall.

My mouth came back down on her, but this time, I didn’t take her lips again as I knew she wanted me to do. Instead, I tongued the shell of her ear. She was wearing earrings so it wasn’t as easy to nip at her earlobe, but I did my best anyway before kissing my way down her cheek.

Over her jaw and chin, then down her neck, I took my fill. Thankfully, she had chosen to wear a sweater and not one of those buttoned-down shirts she usually did. December had arrived so the weather had grown cooler outside which would explain the change in attire.

It also made it easier for me to kiss along her collarbone as my hands squeezed and massaged her breasts. So many thoughts should’ve been running through my head, but only one seemed to be loud enough for me to take notice. I wanted her, and I needed her.

Judging by the way she was clinging to me, and moaning at my ministrations, I knew Brynn needed me, too. I’d been very lax in my duties as a Dominant. If I didn’t pull myself together soon, she’d take up one of those other men I knew were only too eager to summon her to Lotus for a scene.

An unfamiliar streak of jealousy raced through me, and it burned through my bloodstream. Or maybe it stung. I’d always heard the truth had a way of doing that. Deciding to ignore it, I pinned her face between my hands and went to lower my head. Before I could kiss her, she pushed at my chest which stopped me in my tracks.

“We can’t do this right now,” she told me.

“Why not?” I whispered as I tried to lean in once again.

“The phone. I have to get it.”

It was then that I stepped back and realized that there was a phone ringing. It wasn’t my office one, or even hers, so it had to be her cell phone. “Who is it?”

“What?” She asked me in return.

“On your phone. Whose ringtone is that?” She stared at me in incredulity, and before she could answer, I shook my head. “It is actually none of my business.”

She looked just as shocked, but for a different reason. The ringing stopped, then started back up once more. Brynn finally flashed me an apologetic smile before she hurried to the door. Seconds later, she was gone.

I had a thought to stand by in case it was a man. Anger and jealousy continued to race through me, and a sour taste filled my mouth. While Brynn had every right to find someone who could give her the things I couldn’t, it didn’t make it any easier to swallow.

I returned to my desk and pulled my emails back up. Not long after, Brynn opened the door and poked her head back in. “I have to correct an email, so if there’s nothing else pressing that you need...”

“There isn’t. I’ll let you know if that changes.”

She smiled at me, then disappeared back to her desk leaving me alone to ponder the last few minutes. Brynn was driving me crazy, and it sure as hell wasn’t a long trip. I raked a hand through my hair, then focused on my work. I had plenty of it to handle before tonight’s business call.