Unbind My Heart (4 page)

“A few pictures did you say?”  Although he teased, she could tell by the gleam in his eyes that his interest was piqued and she was certain he wanted to explore the topic further.  Still,  Lexie was hesitant, unsure whether she was ready to be a participant in all this.  It was safe being a secret observer.  What’s the fun in that?  Coward, live a little.      

That damn voice.  A change in topic was called for—quickly.  Taking out her phone, she checked the time.  “I’m so sorry, Jonas.  I’m going to have to call it a night.  I have to get up for my shift in less than six hours.  I really need to get home.”

“I hate to cut things short, but I understand.  I’ll drive you home.”

“Actually, I’m riding with Angie and Moon.  It’s right on their way.  Thank you for the offer… uh, Master Jonas.”  Calling him the respectful title had her face heating again; it seemed right and suited him somehow.

“Who’s driving?  If they’ve been drinking, I’ll insist on being the DD.”

That got him a funny look and he laughed.  “Lexie, I know what you’re thinking, and we can discuss that later.  Tonight, DD means designated driver.”

“Oh!  Angela is our sober HoH tonight.  I mean, that’s what we call our designated driver.”  Her hands flew to her burning cheeks.  “That stands for ‘hold our hands,’ not ‘head of household.’  It’s kind of a play on words, using BDSM acronyms for vanilla things, you know?”

“That’s cute.  Which twin came up with that?”

“How did you know?”

“They are both playfully precocious.  I’ve gotten to know them both quite well and it is exactly what they would do.  The whole LBD night was their idea as well.  It’s been a huge success, bringing many new subs into The Club.  It brought you to me, so I consider tonight a success, as well.”

Avoiding the last part, she focused on the twins’ idea.  “Megan came up with our game.  She said it’s practically the only time subs get to cut loose without worrying about paddles and protocols, and they should have a good title to go with it.  Cap evidently can be a bossy je-” Realizing she was about to let a confidence slip, she slapped her hands over her mouth. 

Looking up into his amused face, she moaned.  “I’ve got to stop drinking those lemon drops.  They must put some kind of truth serum in them.  I get loosed-lipped and make a fool out of myself every time.”

“Never that, Lexie. I find you very charming, loose lips and all.” 

Her face ignited at his words.  She was entranced by him.  How could she not be?  He seemed interested. A sense of foreboding ran through her like the chill of an icy wind.  What was she doing?  She didn’t have time or the energy for a relationship, especially with a demanding dominant.  With her track record, she needed a gentle soul, a kind malleable man. 

Liar, the voice in her head scolded.  You’d give your right kidney for a chance at what Elena and Dex have, including the D/s dynamic.  You’re just too chicken to go for it.
 
The little voice was right—she was too chicken.  She was afraid of being hurt again, of getting close to her dream and having it snatched away—yet again.     

“I’d like to see you again, Sunshine.  Have dinner with me.”

She hesitated. Should she try again?  It was just a dinner date.  What harm could it do?  Just take it slow, be safe, and protect your heart, her head warned.  No, take a risk and live a little, her heart countered.  You can be safe when you’re old, or dead.

“Lexie?  Where did you go just now?”

“Oh, I’m sorry.”  She had been sitting there like an idiot once again, lost in her head, while he waited for an answer.  “I have this bad habit of debating things in my head.  I was just listening to the voices arguing the pros and cons of going to dinner with you.”

“I would have enjoyed hearing that debate.  Care to tell me who won?”  His smile was sincere, and she was relieved she hadn’t totally weirded him out by her disclosure. 

“Pros,” she admitted softly, taking a chance.  “I’d like very much to have dinner with you, Jonas.” 

They set a date for the following weekend.  Jonas then collected the other two women, seeing them all safely to their car and on their way.  He didn’t even try to kiss her, acting like a complete gentleman.  That both delighted and disappointed Lexie.  Unfortunately, it also left her with too many days to contemplate why and what it all meant. 

Streaks of vivid orange and red painted the evening sky as the charcoal gray Mercedes pulled into the last available parking space in the lot.  Jonas looked up at the modest two-story townhouse located in the Mockingbird Hill section of San Antonio.  It was a middle class residential area near the medical district and the university.  He frowned over the dimly lit parking lot and the general lack of security in the complex.  Granted, it wasn’t the worst area of the city, but he knew there were some crime issues in the neighborhood, enough for a security professional like himself to have concerns about the safety of his woman living here alone.   

His woman?  Startled by that thought, he shook his head. 
It’s just a first date.  Don’t get ahead of yourself, Jonas, old boy.

  Walking up to her front door, he noticed her porch was blooming with color from the numerous hanging baskets and large pots filled with bright blossoming plants.  Making a mental note that she liked flowers, he rang the bell.

“Jonas, is that you?”

The voice came from overhead.  He took a few steps back and look up to find his date leaning over the balcony railing on the second floor.  Lexie was wearing a satin robe and her hair was soft and loose around her shoulders.  She really was a beauty. 

“I’m running a little late, why don’t you come on in and make yourself at home.  I’ll be down in about ten minutes.”  Without waiting for an answer, she scurried back inside.

His brow wrinkled with concern as he walked through the unlocked door—anyone could have come right in.  He decided then and there that before night’s end they’d be discussing some basic safety rules for a woman living alone in the city, no matter the outcome of the evening.

Flipping on a few lights, he walked from the foyer to the living room, admiring the cozy feel of her home.  The small atrium in the entryway had skylights in the two-story-high vaulted ceiling and gave the impression of added space and light.  It opened into a comfortable, great room with dark hardwood floors and a stone fireplace.  On the far wall was a sliding glass door that exited into a small garden.  He walked to it and looked out on a gated patio, beyond which a good-sized yard sloped to a rocky bank beside a small creek.  In the fading light, he could just make out a pair of swans and several ducks.  He pictured Lexie taking her coffee on the patio in the mornings, watching the swans lazily drifting along.  It was a peaceful spot in the middle of the busy city, and he could see what had attracted her to the neighborhood. 

Heels clicking on hardwood caught his attention as she came down the stairs behind him.  He watched her long legs appear in sleek black stilettos.  As she descended into full view, he admired the silky, form-fitting red dress.  Her shoulders and toned arms were bare in the sleeveless wrap dress, the hemline just above her knees.  Although her curves were obvious in the clingy material, the V-neckline was modest with just the tiniest hint of cleavage.  Her style appealed to him as an old-fashioned kind of guy who favored classy outside the club scene.  This was preferable to the “in your face” fashions that some women wore these days.  She’d left her hair in loose waves around her shoulders, and he gave her an appreciative grin, very pleased with his date for the evening.

She flashed him a brief smile as she set her wrap and purse on the dining room table and then turned to greet him.  “Sorry I kept you waiting, Jonas.  The ER was crazy today, and I didn’t get out of there until almost seven o’clock.”

“No problem.  You look beautiful, Lexie.”

“Thank you.” 

He watched, intrigued, as she blushed at his compliments.  For such a beautiful woman, she didn’t seem comfortable with them at all. 

“You look rather nice yourself.  I like to see a man in a suit.” 

As she approached, he noticed her eyes making a thorough scan of him from head to toe.  Her appraisal was slow and lingering, similar to the once-over he’d given her moments ago.  He’d worn a lightweight summer suit in silver-gray—nothing special—the white shirt underneath was open at the collar in deference to the heat.  A little smile played along her lips telling him she liked what she saw, although she seemed to be clueless of her actions. 

With a slow smile, he raised his brow in silent question.  As if suddenly realizing the impoliteness of her scrutiny, her face bloomed with color.  Shyly meeting his gaze, he was captivated by the sparkle in her pale green eyes—unique and hauntingly beautiful. 

“I’m sorry.  That was quite rude of me.  After all the hours I spend at the hospital, it’s rare that I see someone dressed in something other than scrubs and a lab coat.”  Changing the subject quickly, she looked passed him at her view. “Did you notice the swans?”

Letting the incident slide, he turned with her.  “Yes, in fact, I was admiring them right before you walked in.  They make it hard to believe we’re in the middle of the city.”

She nodded with a wistful smile as she watched them float by. 

“You have a great place here, although the security is lacking.  Before the end of the evening we will be having a discussion about leaving your doors unlocked and the poor lighting on your front porch.”

Startled, she immediately turned to look at him, eyes wide.  Her gaze landed on his chin at first, then flickered up to meet his eyes directly.  A small smile formed upon her lips, and a soft laugh escaped.  He wondered at its source.

“Do you find your lack of security amusing?”

Her smile slipped.  “Oh, no—I’m sorry.  I was thinking about something else, entirely.”

“Care to share?” 

“Well, I was—um, it’s just that…”  She took a deep breath, as if gathering her thoughts, her cheeks now glowing crimson. 

He found her quite charmingly muddled.  “I won’t bite, Lexie.  Relax and tell me what you were thinking.”  As he spoke, Jonas reached for her hand, giving her a reassuring squeeze.

“It wasn’t important, silly is more like it.  Definitely not as weighty as security, but it popped into my head.”

He waited for her to continue, finding her enchanting.

“I was thinking that I like how tall you are.  I’m actually looking up into your eyes instead of down at the top of your head like I do with most of my dates.  It’s also nice to be able to wear heels for a change.  I have to confess to a bit of a shoe fetish.”

  “We seem to complement each other quite nicely.  I don’t have to strain my neck just to talk to you, and your lips are at the perfect height.”  Jonas moved in closer.  “As for the shoes, we’ll talk about fetishes after we get to know each other better.”

They looked at each other, silent for several moments.  He could feel the energy arcing between them, and he saw her shiver as goose bumps broke out across her skin in reaction.  Jonas’ mouth curved into a knowing grin.  He’d hoped it wasn’t a fluke after their first meeting at The Club.  They seemed to have an instant connection, a chemistry, then and now.

“Before we go any further, I want to talk to you about a situation I’m involved with at work.”

“You’re seeing someone at The Club?”

“Not that kind of situation, Lexie.  I wouldn’t have asked you out if I was seeing someone else.  The situation is at Rossi Security, where I work full time.”  He was a little offended that she would think he would be here with her if he were involved with another woman.  She doesn’t know you yet, he reminded himself, and having multiple partners wasn’t uncommon in the BDSM scene.  He’d need to discuss exclusivity if they got beyond this next bombshell.

Intuitively, she reached across the table to place a hand on his forearm.  “I’m sorry, Jonas.  I didn’t mean to insult you.”

“Don’t be sorry.  We’re getting to know each other.  You’ll learn soon enough that I’m a man of integrity, Sunshine.  If I only wanted to play, I would have asked you to meet me at Decadence.”

Nodding, she released him, clasping her hands tightly in her lap.  In fact, he could see the white around her knuckles so hard was her grip.  Taking her smaller hands in his, he separated them, bringing each to his mouth for a soft kiss, watching as her lips parted breathlessly and a flush of pink again swept across her cheeks—lovely. 

“I want to be up front with you before we go any further.  There have been some threats against the other men’s wives, fiancée in Dex’s case.  I haven’t received any, however, if we start seeing each other, it could open you up as a target.  Up until this week, they have been vague, mostly general bullshit, but one arrived this week that specified one of the women.  We are upping security on all the Rossi women and that would extend to you, after tonight, if we decide to see each other again.”

Lexie stared at him speechless. 

“Talk to me.  We can cancel tonight and wait until we find out who’s behind this, if you’d rather.”

“How long do you think that would be?”

“I won’t lie, this has been going on for a while and all our leads have been dead ends.  It’s been months already, and I have no idea how long it might be before we make an ID.”

“I won’t lie either, Jonas.  I’m disappointed.  I was looking forward to tonight and hoping to get to know you better.”

“I can add security here and assign a man to you.”

“Like a bodyguard?”

“Yes, and security alarms, motion sensors and surveillance cameras at your doors.”

“What do you think?  Can you keep me safe?”

“That depends.  How are you at following orders?”

She laughed.  “I’m a nurse, Jonas.  That’s what we do.  Of course, since I’ve become a nurse practitioner, I get to give the orders.  I still have to answer to a supervising physician, though, so I think I’m okay with it.”

“Good, because your safety depends upon following mine and those of any security team member assigned to you.  We have had some problems with some of our charges going OFP and slipping our security systems.  It has made it more difficult.”

“What’s OFP?”

“Sorry…  Army talk for going off mission, on your own plan and not telling anyone what you’re doing.”

“Own F’ing Plan?  I get it.”

“What’s your answer, Lexie?  I’m letting you make the call on this.  If you choose to wait, I will totally understand.”

“Let me see if I’m clear on this.  There have been some threats, vague in nature.  This has been going on for a while.  You haven’t received any personally and none of the others mentioned you specifically.  Do they want something or are they just harassing?”

“Revenge was mentioned.”

“Hm…  Interesting.  You think it’s Rossi-related, but maybe it’s more about The Club.  Maybe it’s some women’s rights group using unconventional methods.  Or, it could be some nut job who was denied membership.”

He smiled at her reasoning, another thing to like about her.  She was sharp. 

“It could be Rossi- or Special Forces-related, or any one of your theories or some random whack job who has targeted us.  That’s the problem; we don’t know and can’t lock it down one hundred percent.”

He paused, giving her a moment to consider her options, before asking her again.  “I need an answer, Lexie.  Do you want to go on, or wait?”

“I think we planned a date that I have been looking forward to all week, and we need to get going before we miss our reservation.”

“You’re sure?”

“About the risk?—no.  I am sure that I’d like to spend some time with you, Jonas.”

Smiling, he pulled her close for a quick hug.  “I was hoping you would feel that way.  We’re either being incredibly brave or unbelievably stupid.  Admittedly, I’m being selfish here.  If I was making a recommendation to someone else, I’d say to put things on hold, but I don’t want to.  I really wanted to see where we could go with this.”

“I promise to follow your rules, Jonas.”

“I’m going to hold you to it.  I’m interested in more than just dating, Lexie.  I’d like to pursue a D/s relationship with you.  Do you understand what that means?”

“In theory, I do.  I’ve never been a submissive before.”

“I know, Lexie, and if things progress as I’d like, we’ll talk a lot more about that.  For now, I want to start out slowly.  Get to know each other and let the rest come when you’re ready.  How does that sound?”

“To be honest, it’s surprising, shocking even and not what I’ve come to expect from the men I’ve dated.  It’s refreshing that sex isn’t the first thing on your mind.  Who are you, Jonas Mitchell?  Are you for real?”

Chuckling, he warned, “Don’t put me on a pedestal just yet.  I have urges just like the next guy.  I’m a thirty-four-year-old man, not a horny teen, so I like to think I possess some control.  I’ve also learned a few things about failed relationships.  I sense something special here, Lexie, and I don’t want to blow it by rushing things.”

She shook her head, smiling, “You are a rare breed, either that or I’m dreaming and don’t want to wake up.” 

Glad she was comfortable enough to tease, Jonas demurred jokingly, “I don’t know how rare I am, so I’ll try not to wake you, Sunshine.  Now, our reservations are for nine o’clock, so if we’re going to make it on time, we’ll need to go.  Shall we?”

He held her hand as they moved toward the door, pausing for Lexie to retrieve her bag and wrap.  She thanked him softly as he helped the lacy wisp of nothing around her bare shoulders.