Command (21 page)

The way her thought process had changed in such a short time astounded her.

Several days ago, she hadn’t wanted to leave the mild weather and high energy of her California lifestyle. She and Grant had made a lot of progress on the work she’d been sent to accomplish. No doubt the enforced break from her normal responsibilities had been good for her. She felt more rested, more invigorated than she had in a long time.

She recognized that her interaction with Grant was the reason. No doubt his home and its location in the spectacular mountains of New Mexico were part of it, but it was more about the man himself. He’d changed her life, introduced her to things she’d never known existed.

After she convinced him to take a larger role at Bonds—something Julien might also have to help with—there’d be no reason to stay any longer.

The idea of going back to her previous life left her chilled in a way that had little to do with the evening temperature.

“Hot tub,” he said, as if reminding them both.

She sat to remove her boots then slid her feet into the sandals he’d brought for her. “You’re right. They’re ridiculous. I feel as if I’m wearing a clown costume or something.”

He laughed. “They’re adorable.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever been called adorable.”

“Let’s go.” He plucked the sweater from her shoulders and held the robe for her.

“I can’t believe I’m even considering this.”

He opened the door after she was huddled beneath the terry material.

Cold air swirled in around her ankles. She shivered and pulled the lapels tighter across her chest, keeping her fingers buried in the warmth. “This is insane.
You’re
insane.”

“In that case, let’s go to the edge of madness together.”

How could she resist an invitation like that?

“Move it,” he urged.

Chapter Eight

“Magic,” she said.

Grant brought his head forward and looked at Aria through the steam. He’d chosen the lighting on purpose. There was enough that they could move around the yard safely, but not enough to interfere with the ambiance.

She appeared to be bathed in an ethereal glow.

Since the beating, her demeanor seemed different, more relaxed—accessible. With every new facet, he wanted to know more.

“This was a good idea,” she continued.

“One of my many.”

“That’s what I meant to say, obviously,” she teased back. Then, softly, hardly above a whisper, she said, “I can’t believe how clear it is out here.”

The storm had passed, taking all the clouds with it. Because there were few neighbors and no real city in view to create any distortion, the sky seemed to stretch endlessly, with a million stars sparkling in onyx.

“I’m rarely far enough away that I can appreciate how vast it is.” She fell silent for a minute. “I may notice a full moon, but it’s almost as if I forget how inspiring it is, how small you can feel beneath it. It’s easy for me to get caught up in work, my responsibilities and to-do lists and forget that all this exists.”

“I think we need room, space to breathe.”

“Has it worked as well as you’d hoped?”

He considered her, thought carefully about his answer. He’d told her about Kathleen, about why he’d moved here. But since Aria had shown up, he was seeing things differently. “I’m still the same person I was when I left California. I’m starting to realize that I use work to escape.” The knowledge made him a little uncomfortable.

“I’m with you. Your comment makes me wonder what life might be like if I took work less seriously, kept it in a better perspective.”

“For a while, today, we have,” he reminded her.

“And, I don’t know about you, but it made me more creative.”

“Amazing, isn’t it?”

“Did it have a similar impact on you?”

“It did,” he admitted. But what would it mean for his life if he were to make a change?

They were quiet for a few minutes. At least for him, he was looking at his choices through a different lens.

Eventually, she spoke. “The flogging…” She trailed off, hesitated. Then she closed her eyes and rested her neck against the rim of the tub. “It wasn’t at all like I’d imagined.”

He waited, letting her find her way. He hadn’t been sure she would want to talk about what they’d shared, but he was certainly curious to know what the experience had been like for her.

“I appreciated the fact you started slow. And you playing with my pussy kept me from thinking about what you were doing. But then, I’m not sure what happened. At some point it was if I wasn’t even there. Peripherally, I was aware of what you were doing, yet… It was as if it were happening to someone else and not to me. I didn’t feel pain. Just…darkness. Not in a scary way.”

“Subspace,” he said. He’d never been with a woman who’d achieved subspace under his lash. Then again, he’d never been as in tune with anyone as he was with her. It pleased him, and it gratified him.

“I’m not sure what you mean.”

“Some might argue whether it exists or not, but there’s no denying what you experienced. Have you ever been so absorbed by a task or project that you lose track of time? You can emerge an hour or more later and have no recollection of what happened?”

She finally looked at him. “Of course. It happened this afternoon when we were bouncing ideas off each other, brainstorming how to take Molly to a larger consumer base.”

“Same thing, I imagine. You get lost. But from erotic stimulation, mostly a beating. People I’ve heard talk about it call it bliss. Floating. I’ve generally heard that it happens through a beating of types—whips, canes, spanking. Makes sense to me that flogging is a good vehicle to achieve subspace simply because it can last longer. My hand would get tired on your ass pretty quickly, probably before you achieved subspace. Maybe with a paddle or a hairbrush,” he mused. With a cane or a crop, he’d need a light hand. Not that the experience could be repeated. It was a combination of her headspace, her relaxation and his ability to intuit what she needed and to coax and nurture her trust.

“Sounds kind of Zen.”

His experience of it anyway. “The pursuit of it makes it evasive. The non-pursuit of it is the only way to achieve it.”

“The eternal conundrum. Isn’t that what you call it?”

“I’m surprised you remember.”

“I’ve listened to every word you’ve uttered, Grant.”

He believed her. “Stay with me tonight. In my bed.”

She was silent for a minute.

He wished he could read her expression better. She couldn’t have any idea how much her response mattered to him. Until he’d issued the invitation, even he hadn’t known. He wanted her in his bed, next to him, where he knew she was safe.

“I’d like that.”

A few minutes later, he climbed from the water. He held her robe while she slipped into it, then they hurried into the house.

“Go ahead and take a shower and make sure you stay warm,” he encouraged her once they were inside the house. As always, Shadow was there, waiting. On some level, he must have recognized his lack of companionship. Why else would his first hologram have been of a dog? He’d told himself it was easier to manipulate the image of an animal, but that wasn’t the truth. Until now, he hadn’t wanted to face that truth. “I’ll straighten the dungeon—for your next visit.”

She nodded.

“Feel free to use the master bathroom.”

“Are you kidding? Even if I lived here, I’d use the guest shower. It’s amazing.”

Still in his robe, he headed back outside to tidy up. When he put away the unused nipple clamps, he was already picturing a future scene.

He picked up the flogger—his new favorite toy—and hung it back in its spot before closing the cupboard doors. After returning the cart to the closet, he nodded his satisfaction and told Molly, “Temperature at sixty degrees.”

“
Yes, Your Majesty
.”

“Can we override that response?”

“
Ask the genius. He says it amuses him to annoy you.
”

Probably some truth to that. He gathered Aria’s discarded clothing and the fuck-me-now boots. He was definitely going to take a picture of her in them. Stuff of masturbatory fantasies.

When he returned to the house, he grabbed the bottle of wine that they’d been drinking and carried it and two glasses to the bedroom.

Aria was still in the shower and he shouted at her to join him when she’d finished.

“Will do.”

Grant poured two glasses of wine and set them on the dresser before heading for the shower himself.

He was already out, dried, and dressed in a pair of lounging pants when she entered his bedroom.

She had a towel around her body and was using a second to dry her hair. “Sorry I took so long. Tankless heater. Not sure if I want one or not. I might never make it to work on time if I had one,” she admitted. “And I was wondering if you had a T-shirt I could sleep in? I don’t want to scare you off with my thermal pajamas.”

“I’m tough. It would take more than that to frighten me away.”

“Don’t be too sure,” she cautioned.

He grinned.

“They’re that scary,” she said. “I didn’t really anticipate I was coming here for mind-blowing, amazing sex.”

“Mind-blowing?” he repeated.

“And amazing.”

“I take it milady is pleased?”

“And I’m concerned that His Majesty is missing out.”

“I was afraid I might have worn you out.” He was prepared to beat-off in the shower later, if needed.

“Maybe,” she said. “Maybe not.” Her gaze had that same, melted jade quality.

Christ.
A single look from her caused testosterone to flood his system. She could wrap a bow around his dick and lead him anywhere. And he’d have a stupid grin on his face while he followed. Julien had been right about that, too. Dangerous women were fucking sexy. “Middle drawer of the dresser,” he said to cover his reaction. “Pick anything you want.”

She selected a soft, gray one that dwarfed her shoulders. It covered her ass. Just. Better than any lingerie.

“Good choice. A T-shirt makes it easier for me to grope you.”

“That’s what I was hoping you’d say.”

Their gazes met. Her honesty appealed to him, another thing that kept him hard. He was definitely hungry for this woman.

He put her damp towels in the laundry basket.

“Is one of those for me?” she asked, indicating the wineglasses.

“It is.” He gave one to her then plumped the pillows and turned down the comforter.

“I didn’t know people actually did that. Well, except for fancy hotels.”

He shuddered. “You sleep under your comforter?”

“I have about a million bad habits.”

He wouldn’t mind keeping her around long enough to discover them all.

“A mint on the pillow would make it perfect.”

“You and your chocolate.”

“Not sure why we’re wasting time on the Molly project.”

“
Yes
?” Molly interrupted.

Aria laughed. “Sorry.”

“Standby, Molly,” Grant said.

“
I miss all the fun.
”

“As you were saying?” he prompted, fetching his glass.

He held Aria’s glass while she climbed onto the bed, then she did the same for him. Together they propped themselves against the headboard.

“We should forget the hologram. People need a real robot. Like a droid.”

“Something to get you chocolate so you don’t have to go to the kitchen.”

She grinned.

“Or someone,” he corrected.

“You don’t have to go, really. I’ll manage without it. Even if red wine is the perfect accompaniment.”

“That’s entrapment,” he said.

“Is it?” She shrugged. “I wouldn’t know. I’m no legal expert. I’m afraid I don’t know the exact definition of the word.”

“A perfect sub would find out what her Dom wanted.”

“I’m sure you’re right.” She blinked her eyelashes exaggeratedly.

“How old were you when you learned that trick?”

“I don’t know. Seven?”

Maybe she did have some idea of her power over him. And rightfully so. Any woman who responded so perfectly to him could have anything she wanted.

“Dark chocolate is best.”

“You may not know the law, but you certainly know your desserts.”

“I’m fluent.”

“Yeah. I remember.”

He put his glass on the nightstand on the way out of the room.

Since he didn’t know exactly what she’d be in the mood for, he brought back a few different selections. Her smile made the effort worth it.

She slid her glass onto the nightstand so she could unwrap a single, foil-wrapped piece of chocolate.

Watching her take a bite, close her eyes, savor it, followed by the sound of her soft whimper? Damn. She made chocolate into sex.

She licked her fingers, then her upper lip.

“You did that on purpose,” he accused.

“Could have,” she agreed, reaching for her wine. She pulled her legs toward her and rested the glass on top. “I’m definitely beginning to see the benefit of less work and more play.” She hesitated. “So, about this submissive thing…”

He wondered where she was going, whether she was going to be serious or whether she wanted to continue the slow, tantalizing seduction. Either way was fine with him.

“Tell me more about it.”

“What do you want to know, exactly?”

She turned her body a little so she could look at him better. “This chocolate thing is what I’m asking about. And the whole way you were taking care of me after the scene in the dungeon. It occurs to me that I really don’t remember you getting me down.”

He took a drink before answering. “I’m happy to get the chocolate for you, and that has nothing to do with any D/s relationship that might exist between us.”

“D/s? Is that what it’s called?”

Aria had responded so easily, so completely to his lead that it was easy for him to forget she had no previous experience. “This part of it, yes. Dominance/submission. The term BDSM is large and encompasses a lot of different things. Not everyone practices everything. Some are just into the bondage or the sadomasochism. And even in the D/s realm, there are degrees, from high protocol—meaning rigid expectations—to something less formal. A lot of people practice it in the bedroom only. Others live the lifestyle all the time. Each couple works out their own rules. So, yes, you can still be submissive to me while I get you chocolate.”