From Leather to Lace (12 page)

“He did tell me that you were under the influence of bubbles when you spilled the beans.”

“I didn’t tell him
where
you worked, though. I figured he didn’t need that much information.”

“Well, he found out and made an appointment with Mistress Kitty.”

Roxy gasped and spluttered on a mouthful of wine. “He did
what
?”

“His first appointment as Mr X was the night before his party. As you know, we all wear masks and he wore a half-head mask so I had no idea it was him. I must admit I was pretty impressed with this hot, sexy, shirtless Adonis I was confronted with when I entered the dungeon for the first time! He played games, tried to turn the tables on me—had fun dominating the Dominatrix and making suggestive comments to see how I would react. The second time was the night before we broke up—same story.”

“So what’s the problem?” Roxy asked.

“What isn’t the problem?” Sarah sighed. “I was furious that he deceived me. He was angry that I hadn’t confided in him and lied about what I did. He has decided that he doesn’t like that I am a Dominatrix. He said that he would be worrying about me all the time and he hates thinking about me with clients.”

“I can’t believe he made an appointment with you—I guess he was more interested in you than I initially assumed. Now I think about it, I can imagine that the prospect of experiencing you as a Dominatrix was just too tempting for a guy like Max to pass up.”

“Yes, well, obviously,” Sarah responded dryly. “He expected me to just stop my work at Fantasy and even offered to keep me financially while I decided what else I wanted to do. Can you believe that?”

“Well, the man can afford to, there is no doubt about that, but it is a little odd. I have to concede, though, Sar, not many men would be happy to have their girlfriend operating as a Dominatrix. I don’t think his feelings in that regard are totally unreasonable.”

“You’re right but it was the arrogant way he went about things, just expecting that I give it up immediately, no questions asked, no discussion then offering to keep me as if we were back in the 1950s!”

“Was that the only issue?”

Sarah sighed. “No, he was also concerned about his reputation. He worried that if the media discovered his girlfriend was a Dominatrix it would adversely affect his image and mine as well.”

“Well, again, Sar, I have to agree with him. He can’t afford to have any negative publicity, particularly anything that could be harmful to his company, and just think how hard you have worked to keep that part of your life private. I’m sure that you wouldn’t want people finding out so publicly, which would be a strong possibility if you were to continue to see Max.”

“I know. He is right to be concerned. He has a responsibility to his employees and I can’t fault him for that. It was just that I felt that my profession shouldn’t have an impact on anyone but me, and it was a shock when I realised that what I do could affect Maxwell. I guess I was surprised and a little ashamed at my lack of appreciation of that. I have to admit that I hadn’t taken Maxwell’s position into account—I was too busy feeling self-righteous about my personal choices.”

“What you do in your private life shouldn’t matter but you know how judgemental people can be. So what are you going to do?”

“I really miss him, Rox. I think I’m falling for him in a big way.”

“Well, you have a decision to make, Sarah, and after what you just said, it should be an easy one.”

“You’re right again, Rox, I do have a decision to make.”

* * * *

“Earth to Max.”

“I’m sorry, Reg. What did you say?”

“I asked you whether you were happy for us to release the latest software upgrade.”

“Yes. Prepare it for release and send through all the relevant paperwork. If there is nothing else I think we can wrap up.”

Max called the meeting to a close and was once again alone in his office. He turned his chair to stare out of his window at the city below. He had been preoccupied all week with thoughts of Sarah. His mind was wandering during meetings and he knew his colleagues and employees would be wondering why he suddenly couldn’t keep his mind on the job at hand. He’d thought that he would be able to forget her and move on, but it had been nearly a week since they had parted and he was forced to admit that forgetting her was not as easy as he had at first anticipated.

He felt that he was justified in his argument against her occupation—hell, some men might get off on the thought of their girlfriend fulfilling other men’s fantasies for a living but he definitely wasn’t one of them. He knew that being a Dominatrix was just one aspect of what she did. Some men had some really kinky fantasies and, while there might be no sex involved, that was just semantics as far as he was concerned and he knew that his character would not allow him a moment’s peace while she was at work.

He felt his other argument was also fair—he could not and would not risk his reputation, there was too much at stake. His responsibility to his company and his employees was resolute. It was unrealistic to assume that Sarah’s activities could be kept private—it would come out eventually. Once the media discovered that he was in a serious relationship then someone would make it their mission to discover as much as they could about the woman in question.

He reasoned with himself that he was right, but why then did everything feel so wrong? He did have to concede that he should have approached the situation differently, and he was embarrassed and irritated to acknowledge that he had acted like an arrogant arse with his expectation that she would obey his wishes with no questions asked. He sighed and shoved a hand through his hair in frustration. His circular thoughts were not making things any easier.

He thought back to his first visit to Fantasy and was forced to admit that he had been seriously turned on by seeing the sweet, almost reserved Sarah in Dominatrix mode—the contradiction was unbelievably hot. Thinking about her dressed in that tight corset and those thigh-high boots sent a hot flame of lust through him. He shifted uncomfortably as his cock grew hard at the image. God, the woman was a siren, a temptress trying to lure him into forsaking his beliefs and better judgement. There was no denying that he still wanted her, and the thought of anyone else having her sent waves of anger sweeping through him.

“Where do I go from here?” he asked himself aloud as he gazed unseeing at the city below. Unfortunately he had no answer to his own question. He realised that he couldn’t continue in the way he had been for the past six days. Moping about and rehashing his disagreement with Sarah was not resolving anything. He needed to make a decision, and make a decision fast.

Chapter Eleven

It was another lovely Saturday morning and Sarah had decided to take a drive. She rarely drove anywhere as living in the city made public transport a much easier and faster travel option. She had even gone so far as to consider selling her car, but the thought of totally losing that form of independence had stopped her. That and the fact that her car had been a gift from her parents—a very extravagant gift, but she knew it was so she would have no excuse for not visiting them at their home farther up the coast. She was glad of her decision now as she needed to unwind and to think, and on such a lovely day she could open the sunroof and enjoy the warm, fresh air on her skin.

Sarah buckled herself in and zapped the garage door open. After checking the street was clear, she drove out and headed north, across the city. Twenty minutes later she found herself parked on the steep street in front of Maxwell’s house. She hadn’t made a conscious decision to drive there. She suddenly just found herself outside his house, her subconscious obviously having made the decision for her.

Now that she was there she didn’t know what she was going to do. She had no plan to confront him and hadn’t prepared anything to say. She was a little unnerved at the stalking inclination this revealed in her personality, but quickly pushed the thought aside as she spied Maxwell walking slowly up his driveway.

Sarah slunk down in her seat, praying that he wouldn’t see her. He didn’t know the model of car she drove so she felt relatively safe in her anonymity. As she watched, Angelique followed him up the driveway. They stopped for a moment and chatted together amiably before Maxwell leaned towards her and kissed her cheek before opening the driver’s door of a small BMW and handing her inside. They said a few more words to each other through the open window then Angelique started the car and drove away, beeping once as she did so.

She couldn’t believe it. What was Maxwell’s ex-girlfriend doing at his house? Visions of Angelique and Maxwell at his party danced before her eyes and, after what she had just witnessed, the incident at the party took on a whole new meaning. Perhaps their relationship wasn’t over after all, or, if it had been, it appeared that now things were definitely moving in another direction.

She didn’t have to dwell on the question for long, the answer was obvious—Maxwell had moved on and had evidently sought the company of Angelique. Sarah was unprepared for the pain she felt deep in her chest. She had been sure that Maxwell’s feelings for her were similar to her own for him. How could she have been so wrong about someone? How could she have considered actually changing her lifestyle, her occupation for him? Obviously all he must have wanted from her was a good lay and that really stung. Even worse was the fact that he had sought the company of his ex so quickly, which just demonstrated his shallowness. Roxy had been so wrong when she had described him as a ‘seriously nice guy’.

Sarah swallowed hard and tried to stop the tears that threatened but to no avail. Fat teardrops coursed unchecked down her cheeks as the hurtful truth settled in the pit of her stomach. She sat and stared with blurred vision at the spot where Maxwell had been standing before he’d walked back to the house. She sat in her car for a long time as she tried to get a hold on her emotions. Finally she started the car and with a heavy heart and a last look towards Maxwell’s house she drove slowly away.

* * * *

Sarah was deciding whether to go in to Fantasy. She really didn’t feel like working, in fact she had planned to tell Madam Boudica that she would no longer be working at all, but since she had seen Angelique at Maxwell’s house that morning she was in a world of indecision. She stared listlessly at her wardrobe and tried to work up some enthusiasm for the evening ahead.

She finally decided on one of her favourite outfits, a skin-tight, black latex dress with a plunging neckline. It was not short but came to just above her knees. It was like a second skin, however, and always made her feel sexy and powerful, which was what she needed to feel to face the evening ahead. She teamed the dress with fishnet stockings and a pair of platform stiletto boots. To match her frame of mind she decided on gothic makeup and applied pale foundation, lashings of black eyeliner, long fake eyelashes and blood-red matte lipstick. The effect was startling and definitely matched her mood—sombre and dark. To finish the look she piled her hair on top of her head and sprayed the tresses lightly with black hairspray.

She stepped back to assess her reflection in the mirror—a vampiric seductress stared impassively back.
A perfect persona for the evening
, she thought dismally as she collected her bag and made her way downstairs to meet Monty.

Chapter Twelve

Sarah stepped into her dungeon to meet her first client of the evening and stopped dead in her tracks as a familiar form greeted her. His back was to her but she could tell instantly that it was Maxwell. She gasped audibly and he spun around to face her. His eyes narrowed beneath his mask as his gaze swept over her body.

“You’re looking as tempting as ever, Mistress Kitty,” he said coolly. “I had half hoped that I would not be able to make an appointment with you this evening.”

Sarah stared at him in astonishment. “What are you doing here, Maxwell?”

“I wanted to see you, of course, although I didn’t expect to see quite so much of you. Don’t get me wrong, I like what I see, I just don’t like the fact that so many other men will be seeing it after me.”

“I think you gave up the entitlement to question what I wear and what I do, Maxwell,” she responded softly.
Particularly given what I witnessed this morning
.

He stalked towards her and she instinctively took a step backwards. Her heart rate thumped and her pulse drummed in her ears in anticipation. The sight of him in his black leather pants with his chest bare had her breath hitching and she felt her insides clench as he moved closer to her. Now she knew it was Maxwell, she couldn’t believe that she hadn’t recognised him on his earlier visits—well, at least his last visit, at any rate. How could she have not known it was him? As if in answer to her internal musings, a quote from the French Philosopher, Henri Bergson, popped into her head. ‘The eye sees only what the mind is prepared to comprehend.’ Never a truer statement had been uttered as far as she was concerned.

Now that she knew the man in front of her was not some stranger but her lover, or rather ex-lover, she felt nervous. She felt that she was no longer the Dominatrix but the dominated and it left her feeling uneasy. She was floundering and she needed desperately to retake control.

She was backed against the wall now, his arms on either side of her head, his hands resting against the wall, caging her in. “What are you doing?” she whispered.

“I’m getting my money’s worth, Sarah,” he breathed. “I had to pay extra because I demanded to be your first client tonight. You are very…popular.” He pressed himself hard against her and gyrated his hips against hers.

“You made your choice, Maxwell. You still haven’t told me why you are here. Is it to tease me or to gloat?” she asked softly.

He stared at her quizzically. “Why would I want to do either of those things?” he said against her ear, his hot breath sending sparks of desire shooting to her nipples.