“I-I wouldn’t-even if she wanted to,” I stammered, feeling flustered at where the conversation had gone.
Did he think I would be submissive to any dom? I didn’t understand that, and I was just too embarrassed to ask. I wasn’t just interested in James because he could dominate me. I wondered, for the first time, if he felt that I used him for only that aspect of himself. I wanted to ask him, but the words just wouldn’t come out. I never felt used by him, and I had just assumed that a man so perfect and confident couldn’t feel used. Not by someone like me.
He kissed my hand softly as we pulled up to my house. “I know. But in some circles, having a dom so much as approach your sub is a huge breach of conduct. It’s not something you have to worry about. And I don’t feel threatened by Frankie. It would please me if you two could be friends, actually. Would you be willing to go have dinner with her sometime? The three of us, I mean.”
I felt a little mortified. I had very nearly been openly rude to the woman. “If she still wants to, I would be willing to. I feel like a fool. I was so jealous of her. I thought for sure you two had been lovers.”
He just smiled that smug smile again as he ushered me out of the car. “She won’t be fazed by that. I’ll set it up.”
I had only thirty minutes to get ready once we walked in the door. I hurried, packing up my suitcase before moving to get dressed.
I had just slipped off my bra, grabbing the one I preferred for work, when James pressed up behind me.
He had already changed into dark blue slacks and a pale blue polo that hugged his chiseled torso distractingly. He had been ready before I’d even finished packing. He gripped my breasts, kneading at the supple globes. He moved his fingers to my nipples, twisting them almost cruelly.
I gasped, arching my back. He released the captive flesh abruptly. I felt him digging into his pocket, still pressed hard against me. I looked down at my quivering breasts while he fastened nipple clamps to each hardened crest.
He slapped my ass, hard, before stepping away. “Okay, get dressed. And don’t even think of taking those off. I’m driving you and Stephan to work. He’s already ready and waiting.”
“Won’t you be late for the flight if you drop us off first?”
He just gave me a look. “I’ll make it. But you need to quit arguing and get dressed. If I have to take the time to spank you, then we’ll both be late.”
I scrambled into my clothes, double checking my suitcase to make sure I had everything.
“Remember, you don’t need to pack for New York anymore. You’re all set up there, and you can buy anything you want, if I overlooked something. By the way, I was a little distracted, but your hair looks lovely. I like the cut. It brings out those devastating eyes of yours.”
I shot him a look. He thought my eyes were devastating? The irony wasn’t lost on me, his exquisite turquoise gaze captivating me at a glance.
“Thank you. Thank you for the spa day. It was a very nice treat for my friends and I.”
“Anytime. You can take them as often as you like. The staff knows that you have carte blanche status.
You don’t need an appointment, or even to call ahead, though it’s never a bad idea to give them a heads- up. Everything that’s mine is yours, love. I mean that in every sense you could imagine. Feel free to test it.”
I straightened my tie as he spoke, feeling the clamps on my heavy breasts acutely.
I moved to my vanity, clasping my watch over the angry marks on one wrist. I studied the other one, wondering how to cover it. It really wasn’t even uncomfortable. It just looked rather conspicuous. As I studied it, James circled it with long fingers, reaching into my silver jewelry box. He pulled a smaller box out of it that I hadn’t even noticed before. He opened it, showing a platinum bracelet that closely matched the band pattern of the rolex he’d given me.
“You’re shackled and collared, my love,” James said as he fastened it onto my wrist. They did indeed look like shackles, I thought, as he led me from the house, pulling my suitcase. “Do they chafe your wrists too badly?”
“No, not at all. My wrists aren’t bothering me at all.”
“Good. I have plans for you. We get to spend some time in our playground tomorrow, before we have to get ready for the gala.”
I had nearly forgotten about the gala. He had swept me up so thoroughly from the moment we had reunited, I had forgotten about everything save for my Mr. Beautiful.
Stephan started in on James almost the moment we all got into the car. “Bianca thought that tattoo and piercing thing was a joke. You can’t hold her to it, James,” he said, looking ready for an argument.
James smiled. Contrarily, it was a rather fond smile, and all for Stephan. “I wouldn’t dream of it, Stephan. Bianca, would I hold you to doing something like that, if you didn’t want to?”
I shook my head, giving Stephan an exasperated look. I was blushing involuntarily. I sooo didn’t want to talk about things like that with Stephan, especially not in front of James. “Stephan, he knows I thought it was a joke. Please don’t get upset about it. James is crazy, that’s all.”
Stephan gave a very heartfelt sigh of relief. He had been dreading the confrontation, but had obviously felt a strong need to say something. “Okay, okay. Sorry, I just saw those tattoos, and remembered what you two had said at the bar. I didn’t know you had it in you, James.”
James grinned, hugging me to him. He kissed my forehead rather sweetly. “I didn’t, not until I met my perfect Bianca.”