If a woman’s eyes were windows to her soul, then Kimberly Cartwell possessed a dark and troublesome spirit, one Wyatt Clanton found instantly alluring and yet incredibly dangerous at the same time. Wyatt had always been known to tame the high-strung, but he wasn’t certain he could bridle a quiet rebel. He wasn’t sure he wanted to.
This woman stood out as different. Kimberly wasn’t at all what he’d expected when the sun was shining through the windows and the club’s curtain of deception had yet to fall.
“Mr. Clanton.” She greeted him with her hand extended and he accepted right away. “I understand you wanted to see me.”
“I hope this isn’t a bad time,” he said, making a point not to answer what seemed like an open-ended question.
“Not at all.” She directed him to a table in the center of the room before turning to Trixie. “I thought Mitch was here.”
“I almost forgot,” Wyatt said, reaching in his pocket for a piece of paper. “He said to give you this.”
Trixie accepted the crumpled note and blushed. “You two take a moment and get to know one another. I’ll be right back.”
Wyatt sat next to Kimberly rather than taking the seat across from her as she’d first directed him with a gentle wave of her hand. She didn’t seem to mind the fact that Trixie and Mitch had deserted them. In fact, she seemed rather relaxed.
“‘I’ll be right back’ generally means twenty to thirty minutes,” Kimberly said.
“I’m sure.” Wyatt narrowed his eyes on those pretty, full lips. He couldn’t help but wonder if Kimberly realized why Mitch had summoned her sister before their meeting. Did she understand that while they were seated there in the middle of the bar, her sister’s head was in Mitch’s lap? Did she know her sister was submissive and made herself available to Mitch, Brock, and Rory whenever they called?
“Can I offer you something to drink?” Kimberly asked, her gaze darting to the window and back at him once again.
“No thank you,” he replied, leaning against the cushioned seat, hoping to make her excessively uncomfortable until she acknowledged the acts unfolding behind them by now.
Kimberly cleared her throat and scraped a crumb away from the tabletop. “So, Mr. Clanton—”
“Wyatt, please,” he interrupted her.
“Fine,” she rasped, her fingers trembling ever so slightly now. “Wyatt, what is—”
“What the fuck is Trixie doing?” Ansley Cartwell stormed out of the kitchen. The café-style doors made a gentle swooshing sound behind her as she stomped across the room.
Wyatt’s lips twitched. Maybe he should’ve told her the word she’d chosen pretty much summed up the progressing activities.
“Surely she realizes Mom and Dads drop by here unannounced. And right now? Patience’s parents are on their way. Does she even care that the entire parking lot is under twenty-four-hour surveillance?”
Kimberly casually brushed a fallen curl away from her right eye. “Ansley, this is Wyatt Clanton. Wyatt, this is my sister—”
“Nice to meet you, Wyatt. I’ve seen you here at the club in recent weeks,” Ansley said, seemingly too busy to give him a second glance. Her gaze was pinned to the window.
“Ansley, you’re being rude,” Kimberly said.
“I’m being rude?” She slung her arm at the window. “Mitch has ruined our big sister. Do you see what is going on out there?” She stamped her foot. “Do you?”
Kimberly used her forefinger to catch that stray hair again. She glanced at Wyatt and forced a smile. “You’ll have to overlook Ansley. She’s a bit melodramatic at times.”
“I’m not offended in the least,” he said, thoroughly amused by Ansley’s theatrics and Kimberly’s delicate way of handling the public acts unfolding in her parking lot.
Ansley thinned her lips. Her nostrils flared. “You aren’t going to do anything about this?”
“What would you like for me to do exactly?” Kimberly asked calmly.
Ansley slapped her hand against her thigh. “Well I guess there isn’t anything we can do. Is there?”
“Probably not.”
A second later, Ansley grunted and disappeared.
“She’s like a disruptive wind,” Kimberly explained. “One minute she’s whistling at an ear-piercing pitch and the next minute, she retreats. Most of the time we don’t even know she’s blown through here except on the rare occasions when her temper tantrum flares then she leaves quite a stir in her wake.”
“I heard that,” she called out from behind closed doors.
“And I knew she did.”
He laughed. “So where were we?”
Slender fingers raked across her brow as he became completely entranced by her pretty oval face. “I guess after that outburst, I should apologize.”
“Why?” Wyatt asked.
“For Mitch and Trixie.”
“They aren’t bothering me. Are they a distraction for you?”
“No,” she replied. “Then again, I’m used to the lifestyle.”
“Are you?” He leaned forward, totally intrigued. Now they were moving the conversation along in a direction he liked.
“Look around, Wyatt. Surely you don’t think I walk through this club with blinders on.”
“I’ve watched you when the lights are dim and the patrons are here. No, Kimberly, you don’t strike me as a woman who wears shades and only sees what she wants to see.”
“Pretending not to notice public sex acts borders the impossible when the club is open for business.”
“So you understand what’s transpiring out in your parking lot at this very minute.”
She shifted in her chair. There was a darker quality to her brown eyes then, but he only saw the richer shade difference for a moment. She immediately dipped her head and kept her gaze downcast.
Wyatt stroked his chin and studied her. She’d been trained properly, schooled in Domination and submission, and showed an outright sign of submissiveness then.
“Look at me,” he rasped. This woman could have him by the balls at the turn of a hand.
She tilted her head and focused on the window before returning her gaze to him. His entire body went rigid at her defiance. He swallowed once, thinking of how he’d love to test her and use his dominance to strengthen her role as a submissive woman.
Think, hell. Tests were among life’s greatest pleasures.
“What is this meeting about?”
“Look out the window, Kimberly.”
“I beg your pardon?”
“I want you to tell me what you see.”
She started to defy him. Rebellion existed in her body language and facial expression.
“I want a vivid description. Tell me.”
Kimberly stared at his mouth as if she were totally enchanted by his lips. She acted as if the request proved too enticing to refuse, yet she didn’t avert her gaze again. Instead, her eyes grew heavy. Her stiff jaw loosened and her slender shoulders relaxed.
“Kimberly?” He reached across the table and took her hand in his. “It isn’t as if we are strangers.”
She jerked then and stared at their clasped hands. He wondered how much she remembered of the night they’d danced together. It had been several weeks ago, but he still remembered the way her body had moved against his as the music set the pace for a thrashing tempo, a rhythm that had led many couples into the throes of public passion.
She’d had a few drinks. He’d watched her slam shot after shot and then, she’d made her way through the club, checking on her guests and observing—with lust in her eyes—as some of the couples performed openly for all to see.
“They’re fucking,” she said in a matter-of-fact voice.
“Are they?” His cock twitched in his jeans. They’d bounded over their first hurdle and he couldn’t help but feel as if she’d opened the door to something more.
Directness was precisely what he needed from this woman. Hell, who was he fooling? He longed for more than forthcoming replies to his questions.
He stared at her mouth. God, she had such beautiful, full lips. He wondered if they were enhanced as she swiped her tongue over the shape of her upper lip. Then, because he couldn’t help himself, he imagined her stretched around his size, her lips bowing in acceptance as he sank his cock deep inside her mouth.
Would she slap him if he reached over and…And before he could stop himself, he inched his hand closer to her face and dragged his thumb across her bottom lip.
A playful nip caught him off guard. She bit at the pad and drew the soft tip between her lips. Her wicked tongue slithered over his fingernail.
His breath hitched with the sensation. His body was erect. His nipples were as hard as flat discs. Mesmerized, God help him, he was totally entranced by this woman.
“How do you know they’re fucking?” he asked quietly. “You’ve only looked at me since I asked the question.”
As if he’d broken a hex or whatever spell had been cast, she jolted to an upright attention. She rubbed her lips together as if she were biding time and trying to think of something to say.
To his surprise, she looked at him dead-on again. “If Trixie had been in Mitch’s lap, it wouldn’t have been a problem. The reason Ansley is pitching a fit is because they’re fucking. And apparently, they’re not even trying to hide the fact.”
“Does it bother you?”
“Because my sister’s lover is throwing it to her in the parking lot of a known kink club? Come on. Do you really think I’m a prude?”
“Are you?”
“No.”
“Can I test that?”
She released a sexy and quite throaty gasp. At the same time, a side door opened and closed. There was quick movement in his peripheral. Then he heard heavy footsteps.
“I don’t know,” she replied, grinning. “Can you?”
Jason’s timing sucked. Then again, Jason’s MO had always been showing up where he was least wanted or expected.
“Hey, man,” he said, nodding at Wyatt. “Kimberly, can I talk to you?”
“You’re a popular lady this morning,” Wyatt said.
“You two know each other?” Kimberly asked, immediately frantic.
“I know who he is,” Jason replied.
“Same here,” Wyatt remarked coolly.
“I’m kind of busy,” Kimberly said, cutting her gaze at what appeared to be a very amused Wyatt Clanton.
“With Clanton?” Jason snorted. “Not on my watch you’re not.”
Before she could object much more, Jason dragged her to her feet. “I just need a minute.”
“Wyatt, will you excuse us?”
“Do I have a choice?”
There was a guttural edge to his tone. Given the fact their flirting had spun way out of control, Kimberly had half expected a protest. She was slightly disappointed when he didn’t stand up and tell Jason to fuck off.
Then again, what right did he have?
They approached the bar, and Ansley exited the kitchen at the same time Jason pulled up a bar chair. “Oh joy. Did anyone ever tell you that seeing you first thing in the morning is akin to facing the day with a morning-after pill in hand? You know you want to toss the pill aside, crush it under your foot, but then if you do, there are too many consequences to face. So you opt for plan B and take expected action. In case you’re wondering, I’m supposed to be polite even though you leave a bitter taste in my mouth.”
“Morning, Ansley,” Jason grumbled.
“For the record, I’d like to crush you, Jason.”
“Ansley, dear God, you’re so out of line this morning,” Kimberly said.
“Just sayin’,” she said, returning to the kitchen.
“Don’t apologize for her, baby,” Jason said, patting his leg as if he thought she’d gladly take a seat. “I don’t understand her crazy analogies. I never have.”
“You were insulted.”
“I understood that much.”
“What are you doing here, Jason?”
“I wanted to stop by and see if you have any plans tonight.” Jason’s voice was louder than normal. He shot Wyatt a quick glance and continued. “I wanted to take you somewhere special to make up for last night.”
The second half of his invitation resounded. He definitely wanted Wyatt to hear him.
“I can’t,” she said.
“Sure you can.”
“No, Jason,” she said. “I can’t.”
“Jason?” He balked at that. “Even in public, you know how I expect to be addressed.”
“I’m working,” she said, lowering her voice and her head.
Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Trixie and Mitch returning to the bar. Trixie went to the restroom. Mitch joined Wyatt at their table.
“Let the bulldog handle things,” Jason said. “Surely Ansley is good for something. Let her earn her keep and close the bar tonight.”
“I have plans,” she said, eyeing Wyatt and wishing that much were true.
“With him?” Jason asked, cutting his gaze sharply to the left. A dry chuckle resounded. “I don’t think so, baby. He definitely isn’t your type.”
“Jason, I said no. You should go.” She turned to walk away, and he grabbed her wrist and pulled her against him. “Do you think you can embarrass me in front of two other Doms? Is that what you think?”