The Game (17 page)

I tipped my head back, leaving my hands in my lap, and let him guide the glass.

The wine was perfect. Granted, my knowledge of wines and what foods they paired with
was zero. The only times I’d really had good wine were when I was with Cade and Amy.
Cade was the biggest wine snob I knew until I met Riley. Perhaps thirty-something
rich dudes were all wine snobs.

“Do you like it?”

“Yes, Sir. It’s delicious.”

“Good.” He set the glass down and lifted the lid off the steaming pot.

I closed my eyes and inhaled slowly. It smelled so wonderful. Perhaps I could manage
to eat a few bites after all. I silently kicked off my heels under the table.

Riley dished a portion for me and then himself. And then he took his seat. “Eat, baby.
I won’t always ask you to kneel and let me feed you. I enjoy doing so on occasion,
but right now I want you to be at ease. Eat. Talk to me.”

I shivered. How preposterous, considering I was almost naked.

“Would it help if I gave you a robe?” He pursed his lips, and I wanted to swat him.

“You would really allow that?”

“No. But I’d make an exception this one time so you can relax and talk to me. If it
helps, I’ll permit it.”

I hesitated. He was in just as big a predicament as me as long as he had to stare
at my breasts while we ate—perhaps more so. “I’ll survive.”

He paused a second and then walked down the hall and returned with the silk robe I’d
worn the last time I was there.

I lifted my arms when he held it open and shrugged into it, tying it at the waist.
I did feel better. At least maybe I could concentrate on the meal if my boobs weren’t
hanging out.

He nodded at my plate. “Eat.” It was an order. He meant business. No messing around
now. He meant for me to eat whether I wanted to or not.

I picked up my fork and stabbed into a piece of meat that nearly fell apart as I lifted
it. I closed my eyes and moaned around the bite. Perhaps I could eat after all. It
was that good.

We ate in silence, both of us enjoying the meal. When Riley finished, he left me a
moment and returned with his laptop. He pushed his plate back and set it up. And then
he met my gaze.

“I want to see your presentation.”

I hesitated, swallowing the bite in my mouth. “I’m not sure about that.”

“I am.”

What if he hated it? What if it really was as bad as Christine insinuated?

“Can you pull it up? I’m sure you saved it to the cloud.”

I exhaled slowly. “I did, but I can do better than that. I have it on a jump drive
in my purse.”

He smiled. “Worried?”

“With good reason,” I mumbled.

“Excuse me?”

“Never mind.” I stood and padded across the room in my bare feet to grab my purse.
I tugged the sash of my robe tighter, grateful now he’d given it to me. If we were
going to discuss work, no way did I want to be naked.

When I returned and handed him the jump drive, he pulled me into his lap as he pushed
the USB connection into his computer.

I sat on his thigh, my legs between his, my hands in my lap.

“What aren’t you telling me?”

I rolled my eyes. Did we really have to do this? I shrugged. “Nothing. I just had
some issues this morning with my computer. That’s all.”

“First of all, don’t roll your eyes at me.” He grabbed my chin, forcing me to hold
his gaze. “And second of all, that doesn’t sound like nothing. Did you get your computer
fixed?”

“Yeah. Some guy from IT came and got it running.”

“What was wrong with it?”

“I don’t know, but it must have been stupid because he looked put out when he left.”

“Was it plugged in?”

I snarled this time. “Yes, Master. It was plugged in. I’m not an idiot.”

He chuckled. “A little snarky, aren’t we? Don’t get all defensive. Just asking.” He
turned toward the computer and pulled up my presentation.

For the next ten minutes, I chewed on my lip while he clicked through the slide show
and concentrated on my work. If he hated it, I would die. Even watching him scroll
through my presentation made me stand taller. It was good. No. It was amazing. I was
sure Link would love it. Christine apparently thought I was a moron. There was no
way that woman could possibly do a better job. She had never even met with the client.

When he finished, he turned it off and met my gaze again.

I held my breath.

“That’s brilliant, baby.” His voice was soft and gentle.

I don’t know why I was surprised. Until that afternoon, I’d thought it was fantastic.
I only began to doubt myself after that malicious shrew got her hands on it.

“She’s full of shit,” he continued while loosening the belt on my robe.

I still didn’t comment as his fingers slipped inside and cupped my breast.

“I’ll—”

Now I interrupted. “Do nothing.” I grabbed his hand to stop him from moving any farther.
“Please. Do not get involved. Let me handle this.”

“Baby…”

“I’m serious. You can’t swoop in and save the day. If you’re anything like Cade, that’s
exactly what’s running through your head. Don’t do it. You aren’t involved with Talent
Marketing Group. Keep it that way. I won’t be able to hold my head up if you interfere.
We’ve been through this.”

“Yeah. But I didn’t agree. And this is serious, Cheyenne. You can’t let that woman
run roughshod all over you.
I
can’t conscientiously allow it. It’s my fault she’s bothering you in the first place.”
He pointed at his computer. “Your proposal is excellent. Did anyone else see it?”

“I doubt it. They would have if she hadn’t taken over the department. We didn’t have
a department head until she came on-board Monday. Before that, the plan had been for
me to present to the board. It was my big shot.”
And now it’s ruined
. I was furious, but not half as mad as I would be if Riley interfered.

“Let me make a few calls.”

“No.”

He stared at me. “She’ll make your life a living hell.”

“Not if I don’t react. I’ll go back to work tomorrow, head high, chin up, and make
her like me.”

“How? By bringing her coffee?”

I shuddered.

“Tell me you have not brought that bitch coffee.”

I bit my lip.

Riley stiffened. “That fucking cunt.”

Now I jumped.

He held me tight around the waist when I fought to get off his lap. “Stay still. We
may be discussing this problem, but it’s not distracting enough to keep my cock from
swelling every time you move.”

I froze, my face burning. “Leave this alone, Riley.”

“You’ll keep me apprised of what’s happening?”

“Sure.”

He pinched my waist with both hands.

“Ouch.” I swatted at him.

“Why don’t I believe you?”

He was right not to trust me on this, but I needed him to stay out of it. “I promise,”
I lied. I could feed him bits of information each day without him knowing every detail
and call that truth, right?

“Do you know how much trouble you’ll be in if I find out you kept anything from me?”

I could imagine.

He nodded to the glass corner where I had stood just days ago for half an hour while
he ignored me. Naked. “You liked having your nose pressed to the window?”

“No, Sir.” There were much better ways to get aroused than standing in a corner.

“Then don’t make me put you there for punishment. It’s boring as hell watching you
squirm. It was bad enough doing it the other night to help you submit. If I have to
use that corner as a time out, I won’t let you come afterward.”

“Then don’t punish me, Sir.” It was unnerving and barbaric… And arousing. Shit. How
could the idea of being punished by Riley make me horny?

Riley released my waist to push his computer and several dishes farther back on the
table, freeing up the spot in front of him. He then shocked me by lifting me onto
the table and settling me on my ass facing him. He spread my legs wide, angling my
feet so they hung on the outsides of his thighs. “Let’s talk.”

I thought we were talking. The tiny excuse for a robe I wore didn’t cover my ass.
I still had my panties on, but they were hardly more than a swatch of lace covering
my naked mound. The tails of the robe spread wide, leaving my belly exposed and separating
just enough so he could see the insides of my breasts. About the only protection I
was currently afforded was my nipples.

At least it was something.

“You’re here. And you were here Tuesday night also. I’m going to assume you want to
be here.”

“I do, Sir.” I couldn’t think of anywhere else I’d rather be than here with this man
in this oddly unconventional relationship.

“You’re serious then. You’re mine?”

I shivered.
His?
Sounded like he owned me. I squirmed on the table. I shouldn’t like the way he worded
his intentions. Why then, did the idea of being his to control make me clench my pussy?

Riley clasped my thighs and held me still.

I bowed my head. “Yes.” My heart raced at the pronouncement.

“Good.” He lifted my chin and met my gaze, even though my face was higher than his
with me sitting on the table. “I’m so pleased. We need to negotiate a few things.”

“Okay.”

He lifted one eyebrow.

“Sir. Okay, Sir.”

His smile melted me a little and relaxed my nerves.

“I want you on weekends. Is that a problem?”

“No. Not usually, unless I have to work.”

“We’ll work out those details as they come up. I also want you at least one night
a week. Is Wednesday good?”

Wednesday? He wanted to specifically schedule our liaisons? That sounded kind of cold.
I bit my lip and then released it.

“Do you have other obligations on Wednesdays? We can pick another night. I randomly
selected the middle of the week.”

“No. That’s not it. It’s just so…arranged. Can’t we just meet up whenever it works
out? Like normal people?”

“Cheyenne, I’m not like normal people. It’s not the kind of relationship I want with
you. I want you to submit to me. Not twenty-four-seven, but also not on a whim.”

“I see.”

“Do you?”

“I guess. It’s just so weird.”

“It feels that way because it’s new to you. I get that, and I’ll be patient. But it
will be easier if I’m not lenient from the get go. It’s not a relationship I want
to ease into. Either you can and will submit to me, or you can’t.”

“I can.”

“When you’re with me, following my directives, you easily fall into the role like
a natural. I’ve been unbelievably impressed with your compliance for someone who had
very little knowledge of this lifestyle just weeks ago.” He scooted his chair forward,
bringing us closer together. “Think of how you feel when you turn your will over to
me. Remember the weekend. Or even Tuesday night.”

I did. And there was no denying every thought made me flush with arousal.

“It’s sort of like hypnosis. The moment we switch into the roles of Dom and sub—”
he snapped his fingers “—you immediately release the enormous ball of tension you
normally carry around with you. It’s obvious. And it’s natural you would find that
appealing and relaxing.”

“Yeah, Amy said something along those lines.”

“But it bothers you.”

I stared at him a moment. “A little. Why would I want to turn my free will over to
another person and find that invigorating?” I shuddered. “It’s unnerving. It makes
me wonder if I’m the strong, independent woman I thought I was. Who does that?”

Riley reached to tuck my hair behind my ear. “Baby, I know you don’t get this yet,
but I told you before, only a strong person can submit to another. You’re the one
with the power. I’m at your mercy to turn your will over to me.”

“That doesn’t make any sense.”

“Sure it does.” He smiled. “I can’t do anything you haven’t expressly given me permission
to do. That’s what negotiation is all about. If I go too far or you don’t like something
I’ve done, you use a safe word we establish and the scene is over. I would never cross
that line. Any Dom who would isn’t a Dom at all. They’re a bully. Or an abuser.”

I bit my lip again. Did that even make sense?

In a way it did. I took a deep breath. “So, you’re saying you won’t do anything I
don’t want you to do. Ever.”

“Never. That’s my vow to you. Normally a Dom and sub would make a sort of contract
at this stage, either written or verbal. But it would be difficult for you to do that
since you can’t know right this second what you would and wouldn’t consent to.”

I widened my eyes. “There are plenty of things I would never consent to.”