Near Perfection [Aspire 1] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) (7 page)

Warren clicked off his cell phone and felt immeasurably better. George would find Haley within a day or two if she were working. If she wasn’t, it might take longer, especially if she had left the city, and hopefully she had used credit cards. Warren didn’t think life would be so cruel to deny him the opportunity to find her. The area in the middle of his chest ached, the place where his heart was located. Warren kept thinking about how empty his life actually was without Haley in it. He decided to go to the Club and ask around for her there, and to hell with his pride. He didn’t think about what he would do if he found her there, looking for a new Master. Because while there was obviously more to Haley than he had realized, he absolutely knew she was a sexual submissive, and she would again come to need what only a Master would provide. Warren gritted his teeth. Haley didn’t need a new Master. Haley needed him, just as he needed her, and they were going to explore this thing, this relationship, and figure it out together. He owed her that, and he owed himself. Warren Chalmers wanted to be a better man, and he suspected that Haley knew he had it in him. He was beginning to believe she was correct and wanted to prove it to her.

* * * *

Warren wandered through the meet and greet rooms at the Club and then made his way down to the dungeon. He hadn’t seen Haley anywhere and really didn’t think she would be in the dungeon either, but didn’t want to leave anything to chance. Knox Presner and his wife joined him on the stairs. Warren gave them both a distracted glance and wondered at Muriel’s raised eyebrows. He didn’t know the couple well, but it was like she was trying to communicate with him.

“Hello, Warren,” Muriel warbled. “How are you doing these days?”

Warren came to an abrupt stop as he recognized a message in her tone. “I’m all right, Muriel, and you?”

Knox tugged at his wife’s arm, but she froze him with a stare, and Warren remembered who wore the pants in the family. He looked into Muriel’s face and waited.

“We were sorry to hear about you releasing Haley, Warren,” Muriel said sweetly. “Are you looking for a new sub tonight? Because there’s a new young thing auditioning shortly. Knox and I are going to have a look.”

Warren took a deep breath. He was going to do this. It was the right thing to do. Besides, they must know something about Haley.

“Haley left
me
, Muriel,” he said grimly. “And I don’t want a new sub. I am actually looking for Haley.” He was amazed that his humbleness didn’t cause him to crumble to the floor along with the remnants of his pride. But the new, improving Warren withstood it.

Muriel’s eyebrows disappeared into her bangs, and her mouth dropped open. She recovered quickly and tilted her head to look right in his face.

“Well, that’s a new one, Warren. Good for Haley. You’re a selfish Dom, and she deserved better.”

Warren actually stepped back from the woman. Knox was looking everywhere but at the two of them. He calmed himself. Muriel had been rude, but truthful. Humbling himself didn’t feel great, but he had lived through it so far and he probably needed to get used to it. He might need to learn how to grovel, too. No time like the present.

“Granted,” he said. “Do you know where she is?”

Muriel shrugged. “I always liked that sub, Warren. If she had been inclined to join Knox and I, she would have been most welcome. I liked her wit and her zest for life. You quite sucked it out of her.”

“Don’t hold back, Muriel,” Warren managed to say. “Now perhaps you will answer my question.”

“I don’t know where she is,” Muriel answered and turned and walked away.

Before Warren could react, Knox said quietly, “She’s the chef at Enrico’s.”

Warren nodded his thanks.

Knox bravely added, “Don’t make me find out that telling you was a mistake.” He hurried to catch up with Muriel.

Warren nodded again, wondering if Muriel knew about Knox’s rebellious streak. Of course she did. She would know her sub. He needed to know his. He took the stairs two at a time, pulling out his cell to order his car.

Haley put a hand in the small of her back and stretched over it. She then reached for her cup of coffee. It had been another long evening, and it wasn’t over. There were several more covers to go out, and the restaurant could still serve for another hour or so. She smiled to herself. Mr. Lewis was making noises about opening another restaurant and had already consulted her about themes and menu choices. She was feeling more and more like the Haley of old, although she had come to realize that what Gordon said was true. She was submissive sexually and missed that side of her life, but was never going to give up her life outside the bedroom again, not even for Warren. Not that he would still want her or accept her career even if he did. She had finally asked Gordon if he had heard from him, and he had told her that he hadn’t. Warren would be so alone, although he probably had already auditioned another temporary sub so that he could repeat his unfulfilling pattern. It was his own fault, she admonished herself. But she missed him still. She probably always would, but it really hadn’t been that long since she had left, so perhaps things would get easier with time. She blinked furiously to hold back the tears and took a long drink of her hot beverage to distract herself.

Richard rushed into the kitchen, moving in a way that was quite uncharacteristic for him. He saw her leaning against the counter on her break and came to speak to her.

“There’s a customer out there wanting to pay his compliments, if you have a minute, Chef Haley,” he advised.

“Oh, okay,” Haley answered and then noted the confusion on his face.

“What’s up?”

“He hasn’t had his meal yet,” said Richard. “And he’s like, grrr, if you know what I mean.”

Haley laughed. “Pushed your buttons, did he?”

Richard shrugged. “I don’t think he bats for my team, Chef. But he does do it for me, make no mistake. A cat may look at a king, after all.”

Haley patted his arm and stepped out into the dining room, looking around her for the man who had so gotten to Richard. Warren’s handsome face stared back at her, and her heart swelled and her breath caught in her chest, right before her stomach clenched. Shit. He had his Dom face on, but there was something else reflected there, too. Haley forced her feet into motion and made her way to Warren’s table.

“Hello, Warren,” she said quietly, wondering that she could make a sound at all. The noise of the dining room subsided around her, leaving her with Warren in a tiny cone of silence.

“Sit down, Haley, if you would,” Warren ordered.

“I can’t,” she replied. “I’m working.”

To her surprise, Warren shut his mouth over what he obviously wanted to say. He nodded and then said, “Of course. I didn’t think, did I, Haley? I just assumed that you would put everything aside for me. Like you did for the past year. I regret that. I regret even more that you couldn’t be yourself with me because I think I would like the whole package.”

Haley was so astonished that she couldn’t say anything for a moment. She then cautiously asked, “Was there something you wanted, Warren? I do need to get back. There are several orders waiting.”

“I want
you
, Haley.”

She fought for another breath again. She looked into his eyes, so blue and so intent in his handsome face, and her heart hurt at what she saw there. But it was too late. He would go back to the way it had been between them because he really didn’t know any other way, despite some obvious change in his attitude and feelings. The feelings she saw openly reflected in his face. She wasn’t strong enough to resist him, let alone help him change. And it was her fault anyway, at least part of it was. She had led him to believe she was the right woman for him and hadn’t been honest with him, but had made herself over for him. She should be thankful for the year she had with him. She didn’t regret that she loved him. But if he cared for her now, he had feelings for the woman she had become for him, not the real Haley. She had screwed up and had hurt both of them. Maybe he would take another chance with someone who deserved him. It was better if she kept clear.

“Haley?”

“I’m sorry, Warren,” she whispered, now aware that she had been standing, immobile and silent amongst the diners, who were beginning to pay closer attention. “It won’t work.”

He rose from his seat and followed her to the kitchen. “Haley. You must know how determined I can be. I’ll buy this restaurant so that you will have no excuse but to talk with me.”

Haley gasped in outrage. “Back off, Warren. Think of how ludicrous you just sounded.”

Warren just smiled at her. “I’ll enjoy my meal, Haley, and then I’ll take you to wherever you’re staying when the place closes. We need to talk. Honestly.”

Haley thought quickly. She had four days off at the end of tonight. If she could get away without Warren knowing, she could find somewhere else to live without him finding out she was staying with Gordon and creating a rift between the friends. She had caused enough damage. And she had thought Warren was selfish! She admitted to herself that she stayed with Gordon for reasons other than convenience, despite never having acted on them, and now her selfishness could cost him Warren’s friendship.

“I’ll talk with you later,” she compromised and tried not to see the elation in Warren’s eyes. Well, it wasn’t the first time she hadn’t been honest with him, except now it really hurt.

She hurried through the remaining food preparations in the kitchen and gave the remaining duties to the sous chef, who took over with obvious satisfaction. He was definitely going to cause her trouble, but she didn’t have time to deal with him right now. She called for a cab and kept one eye on the door to the dining room while she waited anxiously at the back door for it to arrive. Richard had obviously realized that the man he had found so attractive was no stranger to her and read between the lines. He unexpectedly became protective of her, hovering around Warren, making sure his meal was perfect, that his water glass was constantly filled, and offering coffee. Haley appreciated his distraction and was determined to take advantage of it. When the cab pulled up at the back of the lot, she flew out the door and ran across the lot to it. She jumped inside, asking the driver to hurry. Taxis were fast becoming her preferred mode of escape, and she felt ashamed to be running away again. After giving the driver Gordon’s address, Haley called Gordon to let him know she was on her way home. He wasn’t pleased that she had taken a cab and was only slightly mollified when she assured him that one of the staff had escorted her to it. Haley hoped Gordon never found out about that little lie. He was concerned that she wasn’t well but accepted that she was coming home early to talk with him about Warren.

Gordon met her at the curb, and his hand on her arm calmed her instantly. Haley relaxed and realized how tense she had been over the past hour or so.

“What happened, Haley?” Gordon asked once she had settled into her usual spot on the couch and he had poured her tea.

He was so kind and thoughtful, undeviating in his courtesy. Warren was much the same, Haley realized with a start, if more aloof. She hadn’t imagined the good times. Although she couldn’t imagine Gordon throwing his weight around like Warren had done tonight. But then Warren’s arrogance thrilled her, too. The two men were an interesting combination. She pulled herself back to Gordon’s question as he waited patiently for her response.

“Warren came into the restaurant tonight,” she said. “And he announced that he wants me back and threatened to buy the place so that I would make time to talk with him.”

Gordon laughed and then shook his head. “Good news and bad news, honey.”

“What do you mean?” Haley asked.

“Well,” he replied, “Warren has finally come to his senses about you, but he has yet to learn that dominance has its place where you are concerned. Although, to be fair, you worked hard at hiding that from him. Warren never did look too deeply into his women in case he had to look inside himself. What a waste.”

Haley also shook her head. “I don’t know what to do. I am hardly innocent in all of this, Gordon. He wouldn’t have taken up with me if I hadn’t presented myself as what he wanted and…” Her voice trailed off.

“You won’t be the first or last woman to do whatever it takes to get the attention of the man she loves, Haley. And I can’t believe that your personality didn’t shine through from time to time. Warren would have had to be a blind man to miss it.”

Haley said, “There weren’t all that many times that I was anything different than what Warren wanted, Gordon. Don’t you understand? I thought I had completed him and thought he had completed me. Except I hoped he would come to love me, too. And now I’m not sure of anything. Something seems to be missing. I’m totally confused.”

Gordon’s tone captured her attention. “I do understand, Haley, perhaps more than you know.”

Haley bit her lip. “I’m sorry, Gordon. That was insensitive of me. What I’m trying to say is that I now realize how much I have come to care about you, too. And I’m going to mess up your friendship with Warren if I don’t leave, but I don’t want to! I am so selfish.” Her voice broke.

Gordon leaned over and scooped her up, settling down with her on his lap. She felt how his body immediately responded to her, hardening beneath her thighs. “Haley, little one, you don’t have to go anywhere. I want you to stay.”