Authors: Kathryn R. Blake
With a hard swallow, she gathered her courage and said, “I’ve changed my mind about this weekend, Sir. I’d very much like to go home with you.”
The admission earned Kelly another sensual, drugging kiss, which ended with a firm swat on her blanketed butt. “You sorely test a man’s restraint, darlin’. I’d best get you dressed and home before I carry you off and have my wicked way with you.”
She smiled at his resolute expression as she smoothed the lines between his brow with her fingers. “I’d like that, too, Sir,” she murmured, grinning to herself when a rumbling, deep growl emanated from his throat.
But rather than scold or lecture her, he picked Kelly up, carried her over to where he’d insisted she strip, and pointed to her outfit.
“Get your clothes back on now, sub, before I decide you need another lesson in obedience. Once you’re ready, I’m seein’ you home.”
Without thinking, Kelly shook her head. “That’s not necessary, Sir. I can take a cab.”
“No, Kelly. You’re mine now, and I will not have you takin’ public transportation when I can drive you myself. Especially, not this late at night.”
Not wanting to put him out of his way, she opened her mouth to protest, only to shut it when he raised a cautioning finger. “I’m warnin’ you now, darlin’, I’d best hear no objection comin’ outta those lovely lips of yours, unless you’re hankerin’ for another session over my knee.”
Since she definitely didn’t want that, Kelly obediently dressed while her new Dom watched from a few feet away, his gaze openly admiring. Once she got her skirt and top on, he took her by the elbow to the entrance so she could retrieve her shoes and purse, then escorted her out to his car. A silver Lexus.
Even if it wasn’t the latest model, she considered it a most impressive set of wheels, considering he worked as a police detective. He opened the door for her and waited for her to settle before he reached in to make sure her seat belt was buckled properly. After getting in on the other side, he asked where she lived. When she told him, he said, “Know the place well. You lean back and relax, and I’ll get you home in two shakes.”
The ride was so smooth, Kelly floated into a twilight sleep. It seemed like only seconds had passed before Jim opened her door again. Taking his hand, Kelly stepped out of the car, all-too-aware of the firm palm settling at her waist before she was briskly escorted inside.
Uh oh.
It didn’t matter if she wanted him to come upstairs or not. This Dom intended to make sure she was settled before he left, and expected her to go along with his wishes without comment. Kelly made no dissent, since even hinting at an objection would most likely get her spanked again. Despite his arrogance and marked tendency toward bossiness, his determined mindfulness of her welfare caused Kelly to feel desired and protected, but it didn’t solve her problem.
She hadn’t cleaned in weeks.
Too embarrassed to let him see how she lived, Kelly balked at asking him in. So, when they got to the door of her fifth floor apartment, she held her hand out.
“Thank you, Sir.”
He grasped her wrist, pulled her close, kissed her and extended his palm. “Keys,” he ordered.
Sighing, Kelly dug around in her purse and slapped them into his hand. She received an arched eyebrow in return.
“Look, the place is a mess,” she admitted. “I wasn’t expecting anyone to come home with me.”
He gave her chin a light pinch. “Kelly girl, I’m not here to inspect your house keepin’ skills. I’m here to make sure you’re tucked in safe and sound. So, relax.”
When she sighed in response, he regarded her with a frown. “Yes, Sir,” she answered, though even she heard the petulance in her tone.
Choosing to ignore her ungracious attitude, he opened her door, grabbed her hand and pulled her behind him as he walked through her apartment, thoroughly checking the place out. She tried several times to tug free so she could at least pick up the pile of dirty laundry she had scattered over the couch, but he refused to let go. Left with little choice except to obey, she followed him around and continued to apologize as he went through and searched every room, including her small laundry area. By the time she’d uttered her tenth ‘sorry,’ he turned and drew her into his arms.
“Would you stop apologizin’, woman? If you’re so upset about it, we’ll work on your organizational abilities as a project. At least I’m gettin’ an idea of how you live.”
“That’s what I’m afraid of,” she muttered under her breath.
Kelly received a firm swat for her flippant response along with an order to shush. Even though none of her clutter seemed to faze him, she could tell he was making mental notes, which made her stomach churn with unease. The churning turned into a full-fledged dread, however, when he began sorting through her stack of unopened mail.
“There’s at least ten unpaid bills here,” he commented idly. “Just how many credit cards do you have, darlin’?”
Kelly shrank a little inside. This was going to be bad. “I guess around eight or so,” she answered.
The infamous eyebrow arched again, which Kelly recognized as a sign he wasn’t pleased with her reply. “You guess?”
“I never really counted them,” she admitted with a shrug. “I don’t use them all, I just keep them in case of emergencies.”
“I see. So, how many would you say you actually use?”
“Five?” she offered more as a question than a statement.
He glanced back at the stack of envelopes, continuing to flip through them. “You guess you actually use five of the eight or so credit cards you have. So, since we seem to be guessin’ here, how many would you say you owe a balance on?’
“Five?”
“Five. And how many of those cards are you able to make more than the minimum payment on?
“None?”
“Somehow I was afraid you’d say that. So, for the ones you have a balance on, and can only pay the minimum due, how many of those do you get a late fee on, because you didn’t send your payment in on time?”
Kelly decided from his tone that it might be prudent for her to sit down while they had this discussion. The eyebrow had gone up and stayed up the entire time he was questioning her. “Um, I’d say all of them. But not every month, only now and again.”
He met her gaze. “How often?”
“One or two times a year?”
He put the bills down and walked over to her, so she slunk down in her seat. He was a big man, and he wasn’t looking particularly happy with her at the moment. Placing a hand on the back of the chair she sat in, he bent forward. “This is what we are gonna do….” She swallowed not certain she wanted to hear what he had in mind. “I want you to bring a copy of a recent paystub, all your bills and credit card statements along with that laptop I saw sittin’ on your kitchen table, and I will help you set up a payment schedule based on what you owe, and what you can pay.”
“Thank you?” she asked, not certain how she should respond.
“Don’t thank me, yet, darlin’, since there will be consequences if you fail to follow the schedule. Serious consequences, which I will spell out for you in detail once we know exactly where you stand.”
“Yes, Sir,” she replied, knowing in addition to her schedule, he’d also put her on a budget. And woe to her if she didn’t stick to it. Her butt clenched with the certainty it would be the part of her anatomy that paid dearest for her mistakes.
She’d tried setting up budgets before, but with little to no success. This time, however, she faced a painful penalty if she failed to follow his outlined plan.
He’d warned her he was controlling, and he hadn’t been kidding. He intended to oversee even the smallest minutiae of her life, if he thought it needed his attention. And with a sinking sensation in her belly, she acknowledged her obedience was the deal-breaker. If she wasn’t willing to let him fully into her life, he wasn’t going to let her into his, and that was the downside. The plus side, however, meant he was taking a serious interest in her welfare and in her, as an important person in his life.
A vested interest meant he intended to do everything he could to help her become a better person. Kelly had been looking for someone to assist and guide her for a long time now, and Jim’s focused attention made her feel cherished … loved even.
She closed her eyes, giving a mental shake to her head. She’d only met the man today. Yeah, he was handsome, and gentle, and protective, but he’d made no mention of love. Even so, she couldn’t help but hold a tiny hope in her heart this time things would be different. She’d no longer be a plaything someone used, then tossed aside once the novelty wore off. Instead, she would be nurtured and cared for by a man who only had her best interests at heart.
He straightened and ran a single finger down her cheek. Her eyes still closed, she smiled, pressed a kiss into his palm and let out a soft sigh as her body hummed with quiet pleasure.
“So, tell me, Miss Franklin. Since you neither drive, nor own a car, how do you get back and forth from work?”
“I take the bus,” she answered, a little surprised by the question.
His eyebrows pursed in a frown. “I’ve seen way too many horror stories involvin’ public conveyance to be comfortable with you doin’ that. So, as long as you’re with me, I’ll oversee your transportation needs. What are your hours at J.C. Medical?”
“Usually nine-to-five, though sometimes I’m expected to work overtime.”
“Do they give you decent warnin’ if they require you to work extra hours?’
“Most times, yes. Though unexpected things happen during the day, which can necessitate my working late, and I am expected to change my plans, if possible.”
Kelly could tell by his displeased expression he didn’t care for her response, but overtime was out of her control, so she knew she wouldn’t get in trouble for it.
“Well, we’ll need to work something out. I don’t like the idea of you hanging around your workplace waitin’ for me, since it’s not unusual for me to stay until eight, sometimes later. So, I’ll arrange for someone to get you at your office tomorrow, then I’ll pick you up here around nine o’clock.”
“Nine? That late? How far away do you work?”
He looked at her oddly. “You didn’t realize Kyle and I work at the same precinct? I noticed you at the station earlier today, and figured you saw me, too.”
“No, I didn’t, but….” Excited by a thought, Kelly jumped up, wrapped her arms about Jim’s neck, and kissed him.
“Whoa there, little lady,” he said, gently pushing her back. “What’s this all about?”
She clapped her hands together. “I have the perfect solution. Why don’t I come to the station to meet you, and we’ll leave when you’re ready?”
Frowning, Jim promptly shook his head. “No. I forbid it.”
“But why?” she asked, a little hurt by his curt dismissal.
“I’ll give you this one, though I usually don’t explain myself to subs.”
Kelly rocked back, the words striking her like a slap in the face. She’d been so sure he considered her more than just a sub now, so hearing him label her, then toss her in with the mix of other women he’d known, robbed her of breath.
“Hey!” he said drawing her into his arms and hugging her. “Don’t cry, darlin’. I didn’t mean to snap at you. Honest. But I don’t like mixin’ business with pleasure. The station is my place of work, and though you’re definitely gonna be the most pleasurable part of my life, you don’t belong where I work.”
Kelly shook her head and took a step away from him, but he drew her back into his arms. “Kelly girl, you’ve got to understand that while I’m at the station, I’m devoted to its business one hundred percent of the time. Once I’m through for the day, my time will be devoted solely to you and your welfare and happiness, one hundred percent. You will never want for lovin’ attention when you’re with me, I promise.”
He brushed away another tear, then clasped her close. “Shh, darlin’. I don’t know why you’re so upset all of a sudden. I have no wish to hurt you in any way, so I mean this only in the kindest sense, but I never want to see your pixy face, or sexy body, at my precinct again, unless I have expressly given you permission to be there.”
With her jumbled feelings defying explanation, Kelly wrapped her arms about his waist while he hugged her. She loved the press of his solid, warm chest against her body, and the way he placed tiny kisses in her hair. She knew he possessed a dominant personality, and expected her to obey him in all things. However, from the gentle way he held and comforted her, she was confident that his feelings delved far deeper than those of a Dom for his sub. He’d been contrite for upsetting her, which eased the constricting band encircling her chest.
“I didn’t mean to make you cry, darlin’,” he continued. “But I have a strict policy against paradin’ my private life at the station. Who I see, or what I do, is none of their business. You, however, are entirely my business to look after.” When Kelly gazed up at him, he lowered his lips to hers and kissed her until she relaxed in his arms.
“Better?” he asked, brushing a wayward strand of hair behind her ear.
She nodded, feeling tons better now. Kelly realized her thoughts were contradictory. Despite being rejected and hurt by her previous relationships, BDSM gave her a measure of security. She needed the reassurance a dominant man offered her. Someone who would put her welfare first, even when she acted out. Someone who’d love her enough to see past her many faults. Though Kyle had been kind, he never attempted to set boundaries and hold her to them. He wanted weekend casual, which wasn’t close to giving Kelly what she needed. What she longed for. She imagined Jim could, though. No, she hoped with all her heart that he would.
“So, are we clear on this, Kelly?”
She went up on tiptoe to kiss him, but he held her chin. “I’m bein’ very serious here, darlin’, and I don’t think you’re listenin’ to me.”
“I am,” she replied softly.
“Are you really?” he asked, giving her the kiss she sought earlier. “So, you understand if you defy me in this you’ll be one unhappy little girl, who’ll be unable to sit for a week?”
When she cast him a doubtful look, he gave her such a firm swat it sent her crawling up his chest. His scowl deepening, he said, “Kelly, you may think I’m a softie, because I’ve given in to you way too often tonight, but I’m deadly earnest. Don’t go testin’ me this early in our relationship, darlin’. You won’t care for the consequences.”