Mastered 2: Ten Tales of Sensual Surrender (63 page)

Chapter Ten

School was out.  Christmas was just one week away.  Corinne loved Christmas.  Despite her family’s efforts, Christmas had not been a time of joy and celebration for her in the last two years.  Not so this year and she’d gone all out.  Her apartment looked wonderfully festive with ornaments and decorations she’d collected over the years.

She wasn’t working today.  In fact, she was off work for the whole Christmas week. She’d planned on going home for Christmas, but lately, Blake County had begun to feel like home.

Because of Nate.  He was the reason she no longer felt displaced and lost.

She hadn’t seen him all week while she’d studied hard then took her exams.  They’d limited contact to brief phone calls.  She’d missed him more than she would have believed possible.

She planned to host a small Christmas dinner, just the few friends she’d made at school and at the diner, like Mr. Heaton who was widowed and living on his own.  It would be her and her friends, if they were available, and Nate.

She was going to invite him today.  She’d already told Nate that school would be over today and that she wasn’t working and he was going to pick her up at her place at the end of his work day.  It was just nine a.m. now.  She’d just found out that she got an “A” on an exam and couldn’t wait to show him.  More and more she found herself wanting to share things with him.  She hadn’t initiated their relationship so far. But today, she was feeling on top of the world.  Like she could conquer it.

Her exam would also give her an excuse to see him now rather than wait until tonight.  She could stop by his office.  It was a bold move, to just drop in and surprise him.  But she was going to go for it. It felt wonderful. Grinning wide, she turned her car around and headed there.

Nate’s offices were on the fifteenth floor of the corporate office building.  The reception area was decorated in an attractive mix of blues and grays.

There was a desk where Corinne presumed an administrative assistant sat and a few chairs for clients or visitors. At the moment, however, Corinne was the only one here.

The phone was ringing non-stop.  Above that noise, Nate’s angry voice reached her from one of the back offices.

“I don’t care that it’s one week before Christmas.  I need someone now.  Do your job and find me someone!”

Corinne found Nate in his office, talking on his cell phone.  He was standing behind his desk.  His tie hung loose around his neck as if he’d started to tie it but hadn’t finished.

“Fuck,” he muttered.

He looked up, saw her and his gaze sharpened.  “Hey.”  He came around the desk.  “What are you doing here, sweetheart?  Everything okay?”

“Ah.” She felt silly now rushing over to see him when it looked like he had a lot more important things to deal with.  “Yes. Everything’s fine.”

Nate hauled her into his arms.  “I’ve missed you.” He nuzzled her neck.  “You feel so good.”

She savored the feeling of being close to him.  She could feel the steady beat of his heart against her cheek. “You, too.”

He framed her face between his large hands then kissed her hard, as if he were starved for her.  She was starved for him as well.  She rose on tiptoe and wound her arms around his neck, curving her body to his.  Without breaking the kiss, Nate lifted her off the floor and held her in his arms.

The phone rang again.  Nate went on kissing her.  He seemed content to let the phone continue to ring.

She glanced at him. “Your phone keeps ringing.  Don’t you have someone to answer it?”

“Just me.” He brought her mouth back to his and said in between kisses, “My partners are all out on assignment and our admin went home this morning.  Flu.  I’ve been trying to get a temp to fill in but apparently the flu and the holiday has the agency short staffed as well.  I’ve been letting the calls go to voicemail until I could get to them.”

“I could help out this week.  Answer phones.  Whatever you need.”

Nate drew back and looked at her as if she’d just offered him a kidney.  “Really?”

She nodded, thrilled to be able to do this for him.

Nate frowned.  “Wait?  Aren’t you flying to California before Christmas?”

She shook her head.  “Not before Christmas and . . .”  She hesitated feeling uncertain.  She twisted her fingers together.  “I’ve been thinking I might stay in Blake over the holiday after all.”

She said it casually, not wanting to put any pressure on either one of them.

Nate’s eyes drilled into hers. “I would love that.”  He kissed her again.

And just like that any awkwardness she felt was gone.  Now wasn’t the time to bring up Christmas dinner.  “Where do I start?”

He set her on her feet.  She did a slow turn around the office but Nate halted her with a soft tug on her arm.  “Isn’t today the day you get your exam results?”

With all the chaos around him, Nate remembered about her exam.  Her heart squeezed.  She gave him a broad smile and pulled her exam paper out of her purse to show him.

He plucked it from her.  “Beautiful and brilliant.”  He pulled her close for another long, hard kiss.  “We need to celebrate this.”

She shook her head but was thrilled at the genuine pleasure she saw in his eyes.  “A celebration can wait. Your phone can’t.  I’ll get the phone then you can show me what else you need me to do.”

* * *

Nate insisted on paying her. Though the extra money was welcome, she would have done this for him for free.  He’d done so much for her.

It also felt wonderful to feel useful, appreciated, and valued.  She hadn’t felt any of those things in a very long time and never with Steven.  Thinking of Steven, her stomach burned and continued to burn despite telling herself that he was gone from her life.

Nate’s partners wandered in one by one over the course of the day.  Nate introduced Mac, Seth, Caleb, Ty and Reed.  Just a few short weeks ago, she would have shut down in their presence, completely intimidated and afraid.  But not today, despite them being big, formidable men, and all Dominants, like Nate.  Well, no one was like Nate.

Corinne was emailing a document for Reed when Nate entered the reception area.  She glanced up at him.

Nate braced his hands on the desk she was using.  “You were a lifesaver today.”

But it was Nate who’d saved her.  She’d fallen in love with him, she realized. Tonight, she’d tell him.  During their play.  It was then, when she was completely open and unshielded from him, that she would tell him.

“Nate leaned across the desk and kissed her.

Behind Nate, Mac joked, “Do I get a kiss too?”

Nate held up his middle finger.  “Get your own girl.”

Mac laughed.  Corinne loved the easy banter between the men. When she invited Nate to Christmas dinner, she’d see what he thought about inviting his partners as well.

Nate ended the kiss. “Time to go home, baby.”

“Already?” The day had gone by in a blur.

He gave her another quick kiss then laughed.  “I love your enthusiasm, sweetheart.  But yeah, it’s time to go home.  First though, I’m taking you out for dinner.  We have an ‘A’ to celebrate.”

* * *

Corinne asked Nate if would mind taking her home before they went out to dinner.  She wanted to shower and change clothes.  The nature of Nate’s business often required that he or the other men pull all nighters and the office was equipped with a full washroom.  Nate had showered and changed into a fresh suit there.  Now, he waited in her living room with her TV tuned to a sports channel while she got ready.

She smiled when she came out of her bedroom to find Nate seated on the end of her couch, eyes glued to the screen.  Her heart did a flip flop and warmed thinking of the domestic picture they made, as if they were a couple.  The idea of it didn’t terrify her as she thought it would have.

She didn’t think she’d made a sound, but Nate heard her.

“Hey, baby, just another minute and the game will be . . .”  He looked away from the screen and to her.  His eyes widened.  “ . . . over.”

She’d changed into the only killer dress she owned, suitable for the restaurant Nate was taking her to for her celebration.  The dress was a sexy black and hugged her figure, making the most of her breasts and ass.  She added six-inch heels that made what she’d always considered her stubby legs look less so.

She’d expected that Nate would drop her off, not waste time waiting for her, but he’d told her to take her time.  She hadn’t.  What man didn’t mind waiting?  But Nate had clearly found a way to pass the time watching the ball game.

The game was still being played but Nate was no longer watching it.  His eyes landed on her and heated.  He made her feel beautiful.  Desirable.  Desired by him.

Steven’s words that she was plain and not woman enough to arouse him echoed in her mind.  The thought crept in, insidious, and once there took hold.  She could not let thoughts of Steven ruin what she was trying so hard to build.  Her life, her happiness were still so new, so fragile.  But it seemed she wasn’t able to stop the thoughts.  More and more Steven invaded her mind.  It scared her that it was becoming harder to push him out.

“Corinne?”

Her gaze darted to Nate.  “Sorry.  My mind wandered.”

Nate didn’t respond.  He continued to watch her.  The longer he looked at her, the hotter his eyes got.  His gaze was now hot enough to burn.  “Turn for me.  Slowly.  Make me feel it.”

It was a command, Dom to sub, and she obeyed at once.  She did a slow twirl.

“Are you wearing panties and a bra?”

“Ye-es.”

“Take them off.  I want to know you’re bare under that dress for me to touch your pussy in the restaurant if I choose to.”

Corinne’s breath rushed out of her.  His words and the want that sparked in his eyes jumpstarted her own desire.  Hands fumbling, she removed her underthings.

“Give me your panties.”  Nate held out his hand.  When she complied, he put them to his face.  “Already wet.  I’m going to keep you that way all night.”

Corinne’s folds swelled.  Her eyes glazed over.

At the restaurant, Corinne was surprised to find that Nate had reserved an out of the way table where they would be alone. They placed their dinner and wine orders then when the wine arrived, Nate toasted her “A”, ending the toast with a bone-melting kiss.

After their entrees were served, and they were again alone, Nate moved one hand to the hem of her dress.  “Eat,” he said.  And then he stroked her cleft.

No one could see what Nate was doing to her, but they were in a public place and the threat of discovery shot adrenaline through her, heightening her senses.

They’d ordered a succulent seafood platter for two that didn’t require the use of a knife.  Without the need of both of his hands, Nate kept one hand on her throughout his meal, brushing her clit with the edge of one large finger. Soft, slow caresses that were slowly driving her out of her mind.

“You’re not eating.”

Nate’s voice penetrated the fog of pure lust overtaking her mind.  The last thing she wanted now was food.  She was so close to coming, her whole body was trembling.  Of course, Nate knew how close she was.

He tapped her clit, deliberately taking her to the brink. “You do not come without my permission.  We clear?”

“Ye-s,” she stammered.

He forked up a piece of his fish then fed it to her.  As she opened her mouth to receive the food, he pinched her clit hard enough to make her come. But he hadn’t given her permission.  Corinne clamped down on every muscle to fight the climax bearing down on her.  She clenched her legs together but that only trapped his finger inside her, the finger he was now dragging back and forth over her distended, pulsing clit.

He was keeping her right at the edge, stroking her until she was about to come apart and then stopping, giving her a few precious seconds of relief before he stroked her again.

Everything around her faded as she fought for control.  She was desperate for release, but she couldn’t come unless he allowed it.  Pressing her lips together, she contained her climax and stifled the scream of release she was sure would be heard across the restaurant.

Nate nodded and removed his finger.  His chest was heaving with quick, short breaths.  His eyes were more blue than she’d ever seen them.  He cut their dinner short with their meals largely untouched.

In the truck, he said, “Hike up your dress.”

Once she did, he began slowly stroking her center as he had in the restaurant.  More feather light caresses that had Corinne lifting her hips off the seat and pressing into his hand.

As soon as they cleared the door, he turned to her.  The lust in his eyes was fierce.  “On the end of my bed, Corinne.  On your knees. Legs spread wide.  Naked.”

Nate moved to stand in front of her.  He took her chin in his hand and tilted her head back so she could look no where but at him.   But she didn’t need him to hold her in place.  There was no where else she wanted to look.  No where else she wanted to be.

“Who are you with, Corinne?” he asked.

“Nate.  You, Nate.”  Her voice was breathy, her words slurred.  Drunk on lust, she didn’t sound like herself.