Bondage Included (3 page)

“No, don’t ‘Adriana’ me. I’m trying to understand. I’ve told you how I feel and I think you’re at least attracted to me. Either that or you’re downing little blue pills the minute you see me. I can’t figure out why you’re being so stubborn.” She had tears in her eyes.

He tried to convince himself it was the damage to her ass and leg, but he knew better. He was hurting her. Fuck! If he answered honestly, it would just feed her hope and what he needed to do was shut it down hard. So, why couldn’t he lie to her? It was for her own good.

Because he was an asshole. Because he couldn’t completely dash the hope inside himself that somehow, some way, they’d make it work.

“Sex means different things to different people, Adriana,” he skirted the issue.

“André, you know what I’m asking.” She sighed. “Tell me you don’t want me and I’ll leave you alone, cancel my membership and be out of your hair.”

He waved in the direction of his cock. “Obviously I’m attracted to you, but that isn’t the same as thinking we should be together.”

“Are you having intercourse with them?” Her chin was up and she was tense again. “Is that it? You have three women at your beck and call and don’t want to give that up?”

“No. We’re not a poly. Not in the true sense. When I first accepted Sheila, we tried to make a go of it. We both figured out, pretty early on, there wasn’t anything between us. She asked me to continue training her and I agreed. Rachel and Candy have always just been trainees.”

“What are you looking for in a woman, André? What am I missing?” Her voice sounded strained.

“Don’t do that, Adriana. Don’t cut yourself short. You’re perfect, too perfect for me. You deserve someone who has more to offer. I don’t want a wife and babies. I’ll most likely die single with a whip in one hand and a flogger in the other.” He tried to lighten the suddenly tense mood.

“So because I would someday like to get married, you won’t play with me now?” She pulled her hand out of his and crossed her arms over her stomach.

“You’re the one who has refused my advances. I believe you told me in very plain language that until I was sub free there wasn’t a snowball’s chance in Phoenix of us scening together.”

She looked toward the wall. “I’m not going to be one of many. I want to know I hold my man’s full attention. I’m not asking for a ring, or a collar or a declaration of love. I just want a mutual agreement that we’d be exclusive. I don’t think that’s too much to ask.”

“Asking for a ring, a collar
and
a declaration of love isn’t too much from the right man. I’m just not that man. I chose my path a long time ago, Adriana, and it’s too late to diverge now.” He wouldn’t have a clue what to do with his life if he gave up the club. Even if he did, it wouldn’t matter. The whole idea of family made him break out in a cold sweat.

“You’re the most frustrating man on the planet.”

André laughed. “Considering how often I’ve heard that assessment, there must be truth to it. I’m sorry, bebe.”

“Do you want me to leave?” Her voice cracked.

This was it. This was his out clause. If he told her he thought it would be for the best, she’d never grace his club again. Then what? Looking into the endless days without her sitting on the couch, holding his hand and laughing with him, left him dead inside.

“No, cher. I would miss you terribly. But you have to understand, all I can offer you is friendship. Nothing more.” He refused to lead her on.

She turned and looked at him again. Her eyes were red and filled with unshed tears. “Would you train me? No pretense of a relationship, just a contracted arrangement?”

No fucking way in hell could he train her and stay objective. “No.”

“Why not?” Now she sounded hurt, like he’d cut her to the bone.

“You’re a dear friend, Adriana. I couldn’t possibly stay detached. It would be an unmanageable situation for both of us.” Not ten minutes ago, he’d considered the same thing, but he knew it would never work.

“Translation… You’re afraid I’ll get under your skin and you can’t allow that,” she sniped back at him.

“Oh you’d be under me, no doubt about that. Then you’d end up hating me. I don’t want this to end that way, cher.” He couldn’t be what she needed.

“Fine.” She spat fire from those brown-black eyes of hers. “My leg is better. Thank you for all you’ve done. I think I’m going to call it a night.” She pushed herself up on her elbows.

He shut down the unit and removed the electrodes. Fear began to unfurl in his stomach. Anger and hurt were pouring off her in waves. There was every possibility that she’d walk out and never be back. “Tomorrow night, we’ll do this again before the class begins.”

“I doubt it will be necessary. I’m fine.” She was cold and distant.

Well, he’d done it now. He should be pleased the cat and mouse routine between them was over, but it felt wrong instead. André racked his brain for something to say to get them back to the stalemate they’d shared for the last six months or so.
Nothing. Fuck!

He wound the electrodes and placed the unit and gel back in their spot as slowly as possible.
Still nothing. Damn it!

By the time he had everything put away, she was sitting up with her legs hung over the edge.

“Let me help you down, bebe.”

She pursed her lips and he knew
No
, was on the tip of her tongue. He was losing her. She was going to walk out of the door and never come back. His brain hazed over. Not a single word of wisdom came to him.

Before she could jump, he grabbed her hips and lowered her until her feet touched the ground.

“Would you like me to help you out to your car?”

“No. I’m fine, thank you.” She threw open the door and left him standing there alone.

“Three fines. If that doesn’t equal a fuck you, I don’t know what does,” he mumbled to himself.

“What did you do to her now?” Eva accused him as he walked by the bar on his way to his office.

“Nothing.” He waved her off.

“I knew it. You both are hopeless.” Eva turned her back on him and started wiping down the counter.

Chapter Two

Adriana had intended to get on with her life, to leave the club and never look back. Yeah, that plan lasted a whole thirty-six hours. As soon as she woke up to André’s text, her resolve, which had already been wavering, collapsed completely.

I’m worried about you. Let me know if you need anything
.

Since she didn’t need anything he was willing to give her, she tossed the phone on her nightstand. She punched her pillow then screamed out her frustration into it. Still feeling a backlog of sexual tension, she got up on her knees, picked up the pillow by its corners and swung it into the bed with all her might.

Her phone began to vibrate and a shrill ring sounded. Adriana bent her head and prayed for strength before answering it. “Hi, Momma.”

“That man of yours still being difficult?” Maria Parma believed in getting right to the point.

“He’s not mine, Momma.” Wait a minute. She hadn’t said a word to anyone about André.

“I knew it. This mopey routine is about a man. Tell me.”

Adriana punched her pillow one more time, wishing it was André. “Ahh, Momma, you know we agreed. Once I turned twenty-five, you’d stay out of my personal affairs.” Damn it! Why had she used that word?

“So you’re having an affair, are you? Is he married? You know your brothers and poppa will likely shoot him.” Maria sounded more amused than anything else.

“No, Momma, of course not. He’s just a stubborn a—jerk.”
Barely caught that one.

“Tell me about him.” Momma used her don’t argue with me voice and Adriana knew better than to avoid the inevitable.

“He’s handsome and wonderful.” Adriana ground her teeth, mad that she sounded like a dreamy, star-eyed teenager.

“And?”

“He thinks I’m too good for him and that I should find someone you’d be proud of.”
Well that was stupid.
She’d just opened herself up to a million questions.

“He’s probably right. Is he a bum? Does he have a job?”

She didn’t dare tell any member of her family who she’d been pining away for. They’d show up en masse. “Yes, Momma. He owns a local business and is quite successful. Don’t worry about it. One way or another it will work out.”

“Well, yes, most things do. Don’t discount his stomach. You young girls think it’s all about sex, but the way to get a man to the altar is through his stomach. Try baking a nice lasagna. You’d be surprised how a few good dishes can change their minds.”

She shook her head. “I’ll give it a try, Momma. I gotta run. Love you!”

“When we get home, I expect to meet this man. Are you coming to dinner on Sunday?”

“Work is crazy right now, Momma. I doubt I’ll make it.” Dinner would consist of the whole family quizzing her about her non-existent relationship with André. If she successfully avoided the get-together on Sunday, she’d have a whole month before she’d have to face them all. Thank goodness her parents always returned to Italy for their anniversary.

“Try.” She used her no nonsense voice, again.

“I will, but don’t count on me. Gotta run. Love ya!” She grimaced, hoping it would work this time. As soon as her mom responded, she clicked the end button and turned the phone off. In ten minutes flat, the news would spread through the whole family. Her brothers would call to threaten him, her sisters would give advice and her father would demand his name.

“Dumb, dumb, dumb! Never answer the phone until you’re completely awake.” She was so going to make André pay for this. She stomped into the bathroom and turned on the shower extra hot.

Maybe food was a good idea. “Aaahhhh!” Now she was taking love advice from her mother? She kicked the shower wall and danced around, cursing her stubbed toe. She threw in a few zingers at André as well. Since he was at the root of this problem it just seemed fair.

Throughout the day, she debated back and forth about going to the club. He’d texted so it was safe to assume he cared on some level. Then again, he’d admitted they were friends. Considering the way she’d left the night before, then not showing up at all yesterday, it was within reason that he might check on a ‘friend’.

She looked at the clock—five fifteen. If she was going to make it to class she needed to kick it into high gear. She took off her work clothes just as the doorbell rang. With a quick glance around her room, she found nothing easy to slip on. Her towel from her morning shower lay half in, half out of the hamper. She grabbed that and ran for the door.

Living on the third floor, she felt fairly safe so she opened the door without hesitation.

André was the last person she’d expected to be staring back at her. Without saying a word, he walked into her apartment, forcing her to scramble backward out of his way, then he closed the door.

“Come on in, I guess.” She waved her arm in a ‘what the fuck?’ motion.

“What are you trying to pull?” He leaned against the island, fuming.

What was his problem? He couldn’t come barging into her apartment looking all hot and sexy.
Two can play at that game.

She noticed he kept his eyes strictly on her face. It reminded her of how unnerved he’d been the other night at the club when she’d come out of the locker room in only a towel. “If you’re offended by my attire, I was about to get into the shower. It was a towel or nothing.”

He continued to glare at her.

Now he’d done it. He’d set her temper off. She threw the towel at him. “How’s that? You like that better?”

André caught it and twisted it in a strangling action. His mouth opened then closed again. He ran a trembling hand through his hair. “I’m tempted to toss you over my knee and spank your ass.”

She turned around and wiggled her butt in his direction. “Go ahead. I dare you.”

André walked toward her and she scrambled away. She knew that look. She’d definitely pushed him too far.

He muttered something she couldn’t hear then turned and walked to the couch instead. “Come here.”

She shook her head and held one arm across her breasts while covering her pussy with the other hand.

He raised one eyebrow, but remained silent.

She dropped her gaze to the floor and debated what to do. In the end, she knew she wanted to be with him so playing coy wasn’t going to get her anywhere. “You make me crazy!”

Unsure what exactly he wanted from her, she walked slowly toward him and stopped about a foot away.

He patted his thigh.

Oh, damn it.
Her ass was still majorly bruised. If he spanked her, she’d bawl for sure.

He was always so controlled, detached even. But the look he was giving her was something different. His cock was clearly defined in the crotch of his jeans and his hair was disheveled. She’d definitely pushed him too far.

Underneath that annoyance, André was broadcasting a healthy dose of arousal, loud and clear. And she wasn’t immune. Fuck no, she was drawn toward it. She had to trust that he wouldn’t hurt her, no matter how angry he was. As she approached the outside of his legs, he spread them wide and grabbed her hand, moving her in between them.

Once she sat, he wrapped her in the towel. “You’re trying to push me over the edge. I see that now. As much as you deserve to be turned over my knee, I’m not going to. You’re injured and more importantly, you’re not mine to discipline.” He put his arms around her and held her tight.

She rested her head on his shoulder and fought off an ocean of tears. “I want to be, doesn’t that count for something?”

“Adriana, don’t go there. Why have you been ignoring my calls? I know you’re mad at me, but you had me worried to death.” His voice sounded vaguely accusative.

She lifted her head to look at him, but he urged her back against him. “I got your text this morning, but the way it was worded I didn’t think it needed a response.”

“And the fifteen or so other texts and calls? I made it pretty clear I wanted to speak to you.”

“I didn’t get them.” Fuck! Her phone had been off all day. No wonder everyone had left her alone. She probably had a full mail box. “My phone died.” She wouldn’t mention she’d helped that along by holding the off button.