Leather & Lace: Trident Security Book 1 (18 page)

Reveling in the feel of her silky strands, he thought about all he'd told her last night and was surprise how comfortable he'd felt about admitting who his dad was. While his SEAL teammates had known about his dad few others in the Navy beyond a few of his superiors had ever been told. And no one at the club, with the exception of their teammates, Mitch and Tiny, had any idea that Ian and Devon's father was
the
Charles Sawyer. Their family and friends called him Chuck–even Jenn called him Grandpa Chuck, to the older man's delight, since she was the closest thing to a grandchild he had at the moment–but to the rest of the world he was Charles.

He'd further surprised himself when the horrible events surrounding John's death had poured out of him until all his guilt and grief were laid out in the open for her to see. He'd never told anyone the entire story and he was still having a hard time wrapping his brain around the fact he'd told Kristen after knowing her only a few hours; their brief encounters before last night notwithstanding. And for Christ's sake, he'd cried in front of her...how screwed up was that?

Looking down at her angelic face, he felt how perfect it was having her here in his bed and the feeling terrified him. He'd told her before they started this...this thing...that he couldn't give her long term but as he listened to her slow, shallow breathing, he couldn't imagine letting her go. The more he thought about it, the more he realized there was no reason why he had to. Maybe he'd never had a real relationship because none of the other women had been right for him past a few hours of mutual pleasure. Everything about Kristen called to him on levels he never knew existed. Maybe he'd been biding his time until she came into his life. For the first time, he was enjoying being with a woman on a level other than D/s. The sex was incredible but beside that, he liked all the talking and snuggling he did with her. Normal everyday activities were fun with her by his side.

He decided right then and there, he wanted to see where they went from here and try to have a relationship with her. If, in the end, it didn't work out, he'd still be a better man for having known her. But if it did work out, he was looking at a future filled with happiness...happiness he never knew existed before now...happiness he now craved.

After she'd passed out for a few moments on his kitchen island, he'd picked her up and carried her to his bedroom then explored her body while he waited for her to recover. He took her first while she was on her back, sending another orgasm through her before he flipped her over with her knees tucked under her, and entered her from behind. In this position he could see the red marks he'd left on her butt cheeks and the royal blue plug sitting snugly between them. The marks would fade by the next afternoon but she would certainly be feeling them in the morning. Between his dick and the plug up her ass, she'd been so tight and it wasn't long before both of them found their release.

In the master bath, he'd filled his huge Jacuzzi tub with hot water and sat them both in it after removing her plug. At first, she'd been a little embarrassed as he took the soap and a loofah and began to bathe her from her neck to her toes but she got over it after a minute or two. Four mind-blowing orgasms had rendered her mind and limbs useless so she relaxed and closed her eyes as he'd took care of her. He chuckled when he thought back to the night before at the club. She'd been shocked when Shelby had experienced four intense orgasms within a fifteen to twenty minute time frame. His pet wasn't shocked anymore.

She began to stir next to him and her eyes fluttered open. "Mmmm, what time is it?"

Devon's cock came to attention at the sound of her sexy, sleepy voice and to the way she stretched her body like a lazy kitten before she cuddled up to him. He kissed her nose. "A little after four."

She closed her eyes again and mumbled, "What? Why are you awake so early?"

"Just thinking."

"Anything good?"

Devon tightened the arm wrapped around her and gave her a quick squeeze. "It's always good when I'm thinking of you."

Lifting her head, she peered at him. "Really? And what was so good about your thoughts of me, hmmm?"

He reached up and tucked a few strands of hair behind her ear before he inhaled deeply and took a leap of faith. "I was thinking how I didn't want this weekend to end." Shifting onto his side so he was face to face with her, he continued, "The last time I spent more than a weekend with a woman, was the girl in college. Since then, I've never had time for a relationship or, if I did, I never wanted to put the effort into one. Any woman I hooked up with knew it was a temporary D/s connection and come Sunday night, it was over. Monday morning would arrive and I'd move on without a single regret."

She placed her hand on his bare chest. It was over his heart and he didn't want to read into it, but he liked it there. It felt like her hand belonged there.

"Do I hear a 'but' in there somewhere?" she whispered, not daring to let hope rise within her without hearing his words.

He covered her hand with his own. "Yes, you do. It's Sunday morning and I have no desire to take the collar off your neck and let you walk out my door for good tonight. You have no idea how much it scares the hell out of me, but it's not as scary as the thought of this being our last day together. Kristen, I know I said this was temporary and I honestly don't know if it still is, all I know is, I want to see where this thing between us goes. Come tomorrow morning, I want to see you again. Please say 'yes.'"

Kristen swallowed the lump in her throat. She realized this was a big step for him since he'd used her name as opposed to the nickname she'd come to expect. As for his wanting to explore whatever this was between them, she'd been thinking the same thing. She didn't want to walk out his door and never see him again.

"Yes, Devon. Yes, I want to see you again after today, to see where we go from here."

He breathed a sigh of relief before claiming her mouth with his.

Late Wednesday morning, Devon sat at his desk finishing the last of the paperwork which had been piling up since the week before. It'd been three whole days since he'd seen Kristen and his frustration was starting to get to him.

They'd spent a few hours at the beach on Sunday afternoon after he made his early morning confession. While wading in the calm waters they'd talked some more. He answered her questions about his adventures travelling with his folks to foreign places and his SEAL training. She told him how she majored in English in college and found she could make some extra money to supplement her bagel shop paycheck by becoming a Beta-reader for other writers.

"I love to read and I found out I was a good proofreader. I would proof everything from magazine articles to college term papers to complete novels. I even did a seven hundred page history text book for a professor who was self-publishing it. It was a great way to take something I enjoyed to do and get paid for it, and the extra money helped while I was in college."

She drifted on her back along the surface of the water while he stood on the sandy floor and held her ankles so she wouldn't float away. "So, my little Ninja-girl, how'd you go from Beta-reader to writer?"

"One day I was reading a manuscript from a new client. It was so bad I was ready to rip my hair out by chapter two. It amazes me how some people graduate high school and have no concept of proper grammar, punctuation and spelling. I was on the phone bitching about it to Will and said an off-hand remark of how I could write a story better than some half-assed author-impersonator and he said, 'Well, why don't you.' And the rest, as they say, is history. With help from one of my clients, I self-published my first two books before I was contacted by my current editor and things took off for me from there."

Tugging her feet, he pulled her further into deeper water, away from prying eyes. He wanted to touch her but there was a group of children playing in the shallow waters and he didn't want to contribute to the delinquency of minors. "So what did the dick-whacker think of your writing?"

She giggled. "The whacker thought it was a stupid hobby and there was no way I was going to be the author of the next great American novel. What he didn't understand was I wasn't doing it to be great. I was doing it because I enjoyed it and if what I wrote brought enjoyment to my readers then I was happy. After we got engaged, he told me he didn't want his wife to work because he made enough to support us. I refused to give up my proofreading because I had connected with several of my authors and I loved helping others develop their stories. He didn't think I could make any money as an author myself and it kept me busy so my little hobby was okay with him."

"Prick-meister. He said that because he was jealous of you. Instead of being proud of you and showing you off to anyone who would listen, he belittled you out of jealousy."

"I never thought of it that way. I just thought...Oh, God, Devon, what are you doing?" She moaned as her eyes rolled back in her head.

He smiled. While they'd been talking he'd pulled her toward him and her knees were now straddling his hips and his back was to the shoreline blocking her body from everyone's view. One hand was supporting her lower back as she floated while the fingers of his other hand were under the crotch of her bathing suit teasing her hard little clit.

"I'm playing with my toy, little subbie. This belongs to me, remember? I can play with it whenever and wherever I like and right now, I like. Now be a good girl and stay nice and quiet. I don't think the parents of those kids by the shore want them to get an impromptu sex education lesson."

Her long hair drifted around her head while he played with her, bringing her to the edge several times and easing off right before she flew over. She'd begged him and moaned as quietly as she could until he relented and gave her what she needed. He'd watched in amusement as she managed to keep her head above water and covered her mouth with both hands to keep her screams to a minimum as she bucked against his fingers. After she recovered and he managed to get his straining erection back under control, they'd headed back to the beach and basked in the sun for a few hours.

It had been a wonderful day, but on their way to get something to eat, Devon received a call from an old teammate who informed him of the death of another former SEAL they'd served with several years earlier. Eric Prichard had been struck and killed by a hit-and-run driver while on his evening run, leaving behind his devastated wife and four children.

Devon apologized for needing to cut their day short and dropped Kristen off at her apartment, promising her he'd call her later. He then met Ian at the office to clear their schedules for the next several days and run through their current cases and details, including King Rajeemh's, ensuring everything could be covered by their contractors for a few days. Boomer had been thrilled he was being yanked from his princess babysitting duties until he heard the reason why.

Early Monday morning, the six former SEALs and their niece boarded a plane bound for Iowa to bury one of their own and assist his family with anything they needed. Devon's heart broke when he saw Jennifer with Prichard's kids. He knew the sorrow surrounding her must've brought back the nightmare events she lived through months earlier with startling clarity. But somehow, Jenn managed to tamp down her own grief and focused on helping out with the four little ones, all of whom were under twelve. Her parents would have been proud of the adult their daughter had become.

The next two days were long and emotional. After
Taps
had been played at the grave site and the former SEALs pounded their trident pins into the wood of their colleague's coffin, they all gathered to celebrate the man's life with friends and family. Later that night, they coordinated with former teammates to ensure Dana Prichard would have all the support she needed to get through the next few months as a new widow and then headed back to Tampa. Everyone, except Ian who continued on to Miami for an early meeting the next morning, headed straight home, completely exhausted. It'd been after ten p.m. when he pulled into the compound after dropping Jenn at her dorm and it was too late to call Kristen. He hadn't wanted to disturb her since she, herself, had been busy the entire day at a 'Meet and Greet' luncheon followed by a book signing event for her fans.

He'd been looking forward to seeing her later today but now thoughts of her were making him hard. This morning, he was the only one in the office besides Paula, and Ian wasn't due back until tonight from Miami where he was meeting with a new client. Devon made plans for dinner with Kristen over the phone right after he woke up this morning but right now he wanted to see her in the worst way. He was about to pick up his cell to call her when the thing lit up, displaying Ian's name. "What's up Boss-man?"

"Hey Dev, I'm on my way back early. Larry Keon called. He wants to meet with the team about something. I didn't get the details yet because he called as he was boarding a flight from D.C. but he sounded worried about something. Carter's coming too."

Devon sat up straighter with those last three words. T. Carter was black ops. Even though the team knew him for the past ten years or so, having worked with him in numerous situations around the world, they still didn't know which alphabet agency he belonged to. Hell, they didn't even know his first name. The man had contacts in the CIA, FBI, NSA and Pentagon to name a few–and those were only the domestic agencies. He also had plenty of other contacts around the globe. Devon wasn't sure but he wouldn't be surprised if POTUS had Carter on the White House speed dial. If he was coming to them for a meeting in their office there was something to worry about. It was bad enough the FBI's Deputy Director, the number two man in the agency who was one of Trident's highest government contacts, was flying in rather than calling, but if Carter would be there, something serious had or was about to happen. "Shit, that isn't good. What do you need me to do?"

"Call the team and tell them to get their asses in for a two o'clock rendezvous. Keon's landing ten minutes after me so I'll wait for him. Oh, and give Paula the rest of the day off. I don't want her anywhere near the place while we chat with our friends."

"Got it. Anything else?"

"No, that's it. I'm walking into the airport now. See you at two."

Ten minutes later, Devon had alerted the team and sent Paula on her way after assuring her several times they could run the office without her for a few hours; they didn't need her to take notes at the meeting and she would still be paid for a full work day. He then took a moment to call Kristen and say hello. She picked up on the second ring. "Hello, Master Devon." He smiled because the woman practically purred.

"Master Devon, hmmm? My pet sounds horny."

She laughed. "I'm definitely horny. You spoiled me for three days then I go for three days without. Yup, I'm horny. Can you meet me for lunch? I can't wait 'til dinner."

Devon's phone beeped with an incoming call and he reluctantly removed it from his ear and looked at the screen. Carter. "Pet, hang on a second for me, please. I have another call I have to answer." When she acknowledged him, he hit the button to switch the call. "Hey, my friend, I hear you're coming for a visit. Want to tell me what's going on?"

"Not over the phone, Devil Dog. I'm about an hour out. How about meeting me for a bite to eat beforehand? It's been a long morning."

The wheels in Devon's head began to spin and a thought came to him. Glancing at the clock, he saw he had plenty of time. "I got a better idea, if you're up for it. How does a subbie sandwich sound to you?"

There was a pause and then Carter's deep voice rumbled over the phone. "It sounds tasty, my friend. Where should I meet you, the club?"

"No, we'll be in my office waiting for you. Can you make it thirteen hundred sharp?"

"Absolutely. See you in a few."

After Carter disconnected the call, Devon switched back to Kristen. "Pet?"

"I'm here," she responded.

"Do you remember my librarian fantasy I told you about?"

She giggled. "You want me to do it now, Sir?"

"Uh-huh. I want you to put on a professional but sexy skirt, a white button down shirt, those stilettos of yours I love, and your glasses and drive to my office. The guard will buzz you past the second gate. Park at the first building, ring the doorbell and I'll let you in."

"Whatever you say, Master Devon. Are you going to let me spank you for not returning your library books on time?"

Devon laughed out loud as his dick hardened at her playfulness. "You'll pay for your sass, little girl. Now, I also want you to put your hair up and no underwear, Pet. No one else is here. You have exactly forty five minutes to ring the bell and if you're a minute late, you'll end up over my knee. Do you understand?" It would give him fifteen minutes before Carter arrived

He could hear the excitement and arousal in her voice. "Yes, Sir."

"Good, I'll see you then and not a minute later."

Disconnecting the call, Devon sat back and smiled for a moment before getting up and heading to his apartment for supplies.

* * *

A short time later, Devon's phone alerted him to the gate being opened outside his office and he brought the compound's security camera images up on his computer to watch Kristen pull in next to the building. He glanced at the clock and saw she was two minutes early but as he watched the video feed, he wondered what she was doing–she hadn't gotten out of her Nissan Altima yet.

He watched as she removed a strapless bra she'd apparently worn to prevent anyone else from seeing her dark nipples through her thin white blouse before she tucked the lacy garment into her purse. She then checked her makeup and hair in the mirror under the car visor but still made no effort to open the door and get out. He zoomed the camera in toward her face and saw her glance several times at the middle of the dashboard where the clock radio would be. Well, well, well...his sassy little girl didn't want to be early or on time even. It seemed she wanted to ensure she was a tad late, guaranteeing herself a punishment. He barked out a laugh at her antics. He'd created a subbie monster.

When she finally got out of the car and said hello to Beau, who'd been waiting to greet her, Devon's breath caught and his cock lengthened. She was sexy as sin, his fantasy come true, in a snug, grey pencil skirt which landed a inch below her knees, the white blouse with the top few buttons almost obscenely undone and those kick-ass heels of hers. She'd followed his orders and her hair was twisted up in a tidy little bun. He watched as she put her reading glasses atop her pert little nose and walked toward the main entrance. Standing, he didn't wait for the bell to sound before heading out to greet her.

The doorbell rang seconds before he opened the door to let her in. "You're late, Ms. Anders."

"No later than your library books, Sir," she sassed as she walked past him into the reception area, apparently not too worried he was in Dom-mode.

His mouth and hands twitched and he couldn't wait to get both on her. "Come with me, Ms. Anders, and we'll discuss the penalties in my office." He turned and walked away, knowing she would be right on his heels.

After they entered his office, he shut the door but didn't lock it. Carter would need to get in. Kristen stood in the middle of the room and he walked around her slowly, looking her up and down, building her anticipation. He would've liked to have drawn out the suspense a little longer but he was on the clock to get her where he wanted before his friend showed up. Circling his desk, he sat down in the comfortable leather chair. "Come here, Ms. Anders. It's time for you to pay for your tardiness."