Dangerous (The Complete Erotic Romance Novel) (20 page)

“Then let the game begin.” He got out of the car. She popped the trunk, not understanding him. He got his bags, then came back to her door. She unrolled the window as he leaned down. “Thank you for the ride, Miss Jones.”

His eyes were twinkling, as if the joke was on her. Kendra didn’t understand, and she knew he knew it.

Worse, it was exactly what he’d anticipated.

Reid turned to walk away and she watched as the doorman opened the door for him. In a heartbeat, he’d disappeared inside the hotel.

As if she’d just been useful.

Kendra was feeling upside down again, not nearly as certain of her feelings as she’d like. She’d wanted to break the deal. He’d changed her mind. She’d thought he’d forgotten the deal, but he’d brought her a present.

But then he’d kept it.

She didn’t know what to think, and was pretty sure that was the way he wanted it. He was even in control of her feelings, and Kendra didn’t like that one bit.

She’d ignore him.

She’d break the deal and make her thoughts her own again.

Even if her plans had dissolved at the sight of him, even if that little half-smile made her think of the way he’d kissed her that first time—and want more.

Kendra pulled out of the driveway for the hotel and headed home, feeling like the stupidest woman on the planet. How could she still be fantasizing about him?

Her cell phone rang then and she answered, sure it was Liv. A night out with the girls might be just what she needed to return to reality.

She held the thought until Reid’s deep voice came through the phone, melting her reservations all over again.

“I hope you have no plans for dinner, Miss Jones.”

He still sounded like he was amused by her. Kendra gritted her teeth and took a corner hard. “What difference does it make?”

“All the difference in the world, since my dinner reservation is with you.”

Once again, Kendra was confused, pleasure mixing with frustration. “You could have told me sooner.”

“I thought you had an older brother, Miss Jones. But maybe a man destined to be an accountant didn’t tease his younger sister the way I did mine.” She could hear the smile in his voice.

“What about my present?” Kendra demanded, feeling much better.

He chuckled. “Shall we say one hour?” He gave a hotel room number, then his voice dropped to a husky whisper. “You know what to wear.”

The line was dead by the time her heart finished its leap of joy, but Kendra didn’t care. It would have been the perfect opportunity to say no, but she hadn’t and she had no regrets about that. She was still curious. She still wanted to know what it was like to be with him, in every way. She still had a yearning she knew only he could satisfy.

One last scene. It couldn’t hurt. It would only delay the termination of their deal by a few hours.

Kendra was sure of it.

* * *

Chapter Eight

Kendra debated the merit of being late.

It would be bad, and she would be punished for her disobedience. That wasn’t such a bad prospect, though, given how much she’d liked being tied down and spanked. Turned out she’d also liked being tied up and beaten with a riding crop. There was something forbidden about those welts, something that hinted at a dark secret known only to herself and Reid.

She liked having that kind of bond between them. She liked having a naughty secret with him and liked having him fulfill her fantasies.

She showered quickly at the apartment, glad Jade had already gone out. Her roommate had left a note on the fridge. Evidently Blake’s friend was looking for Kendra and Jade wanted to share Kendra’s number.

Trevor. Huh. Kendra hadn’t even remembered his name.

Maybe after she was done with Reid, she’d call Trevor back.

Maybe not.

Instead she tried to see the pattern in Reid’s discipline. The first time had been like a game, a little spanking to get things warmed up between them and maybe to gauge her response. She certainly hadn’t expected to like it as much as she had. The second time had been an escalation, not just punishment that marked her skin but him giving her away to the woman in the shop. Kendra hadn’t thought she’d like that, either, but being eaten by another woman while Reid was watching had been hot.

The best part had been him taking her at the end, kind of a reward for good behavior. Kendra wanted more of that particular option, as soon as possible. She wanted her present, so she’d know what the chain felt like on her body—and how he was going to fasten it.

She’d be on time.

But she’d surprise him, too.

She stood in her bedroom nude and considered her options. She was supposed to be nude under her coat and wear shoes he’d like.

What about something so sheer that nothing was hidden? She thought it would feel sinful to have only a sheer layer of fabric over her skin. Provocative, even.

She had the perfect dress. It was sheer silk with a flirty hem that swirled around her knees. The bodice dove to the fitted waist in a deep V, and it had short sleeves that fluttered around her upper arms. It was black with a fine pale pink edging, a color that was striking with her fair hair, but so sheer that everything showed through it. It had come with a matching black satin slip, but Kendra had never worn the dress. Even with the slip, it had seemed too revealing.

For this dinner, it would be perfect.

She chose a pale pink garter belt that wouldn’t get in Reid’s way, and pulled on a new pair of ivory stockings. Just as she’d suspected, they showed through the chiffon of the dress, almost glowing as she moved. She could see her nipples and they tightened in her excitement. On impulse, she rubbed lipstick into them to make them darker, then chose a shiny pink lipstick for her mouth. She had black pumps with scary high heels and platforms, the perfect accent for her outfit. Because she was feeling frisky, she added a string of pearls and pearl earrings, then twisted up her hair.

If she’d been wearing the matching slip under her dress, she would have looked elegant. As it was, she looked like a walking advertisement for sex. Kendra grinned at her reflection. She felt out of control and heading straight for risk.

Perfect.

She tied a dark silk scarf around her neck and put on her raincoat, knotting the belt tightly around her waist. She turned in front of the mirror, knowing no one would ever guess her secret.

Kendra realized she liked naughty secrets more than she’d known.

She remembered Reid’s dictate about matching bonds and dug into her lingerie drawer. Just as she’d hoped, she still had the pink silk cord from the fabric store. It was about half an inch in width and she had three hanks of five yards each. It was silk twist, the kind of cord used in upholstery, and she loved how smooth and shiny it was. She’d never taken it in to work—pink and black had been one of her planned color combinations for a session with Leon, one that had never come to be.

She put the cord in her purse, along with a roll of black electrical tape she found in the junk drawer in the kitchen. A good slave ensured that her master had choices. Kendra was almost quivering in anticipation as she headed out the door.

It was even a long weekend. Did she dare to hope this encounter could last more than one evening?

* * *

Reid had spent the entire week thinking about Kendra. She’d never left his thoughts, which was both distracting and unusual. He’d found himself thinking about her, her beauty, her intelligence, her passion and her enthusiasm. She hadn’t been frightened or put off by anything he’d tried as yet, although he’d expected her to balk more than once. He’d played much harder than Leon with his posed pictures, but Kendra had seemed to embrace everything he tried.

What were her boundaries?

Did she have any?

Was it possible he’d found a toy as insatiable and hungry for sensation as he was? The idea was titillating and wouldn’t leave his mind. He’d been in constant contact with her, not just because there was a lot to be done, but because he didn’t want there to be any chance of her forgetting him. He wanted her thoughts to be as filled with him as his were with her.

Judging by her reaction in the car, his ploy had worked.

He had an hour to ensure that everything was perfect.

He didn’t have time to pick up anything from Alicia. That would have to wait until the next day. He ordered room service, then had a quick shower. He had time to shave again, then put on jeans and a T-shirt by the time the food was delivered. The waiter set the table in the front corner of the suite, leaving the covers on the food. Reid could smell it and his stomach growled a little as he tipped the waiter, prompting them both to smile.

Alone again, he put out his leather gloves on the table closest to the front door, well-aware of how much Kendra liked them, then displayed the few things he’d been able to take immediately from Alicia’s shop. The jewelry box with her present was front and center. The riding crop was at the back. The shackles for her wrists and ankles were in the middle, the spreader bar beside the riding crop.

He removed one place setting from the table as well, wondering if she would notice. He wanted her to see that he’d planned more than dinner, and he wanted her to see as much as soon as she walked in the door.

Actually, he wanted to see her reaction to his plans. He touched the heavy leather gag, hard at the thought of silencing her again. It had looked good on her. Rough and heavy, a perfect contrast to her fair hair and fine bones. It had looked like a violation.

Tonight, she’d put it on herself.

He liked having her under his control, maybe because she wasn’t easy to control.

Although her impulsiveness, like the blow job she’d given him the week before, could be a delicious surprise. He drummed his fingers on the table, uncharacteristically indecisive. On the one hand, he needed to teach her that his desire came first. He was impatient to have her again, in need of satisfaction, and feared his lust would prove distracting. On the other hand, he was tempted to tease them both, to light a fire and slowly coax it to burn, tormenting them both until he chose to give them both release.

He could indulge her fascination with rough play, take her hard and fast. That would take the edge off his own desire, and also prove whether or not she liked the reality as much as the idea. He did love a slow burn, though. He opened the box and fingered the chain, his plan for that crystal clear in his mind.

Which way should he take her?

Or maybe the better question was: which way should he take her first?

Reid moved quickly there, disliking his indecisiveness. It wasn’t like him. He always knew exactly the way to approach any situation, as well as the way he wanted it to be resolved. There was something different about Miss Jones, something that challenged his preconceptions and flooded his mind with possibilities.

He’d wanted her for over a week. He’d waited, and had been consumed with thoughts of her. He wanted to truss her up tight, punish her for filling his thoughts, and bang her so hard she never wanted another man again. He wanted to put his mark on her in every possible way, to make it out of question that she’d ever want another man.

Clearly, he needed to take her as many ways as possible and as quickly as possible to temper his fascination with her. He closed the drapes, turned down the lights and put on some music. He was lighting the candles on the table when there was a knock at the door. He checked through the peek hole and his heart stopped at the sight of Kendra.

Beautiful. Elegant.

Temptation personified.

With one look, his strategy was decided.

It was time to test her curiosity to have it rough.

* * *

It felt wicked, even sinful, to stroll into a fancy hotel lobby, nearly naked under her raincoat. Kendra felt gazes watching her and forced herself to take her time. She shouldn’t look like she was in a hurry. She should be leisurely, confident. She should enjoy this.

It might not happen again, after all. It might be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. After all, she’d never been in this hotel before. She knew she looked her best. She knew no one could have guessed that she was almost bare under the coat.

It was a secret, and one she liked. The sheer dress brushed against her nipples. The garters tugged slightly with every step she took. The cord and tape were a weight in her purse, one that she expected would soon be put to use.

Did Reid have a suite? She bet he did. Would he meet her naked? In a bathrobe? In his suit, with his tie loosened? She’d rather he was in those jeans with a tight T-shirt, one that showed every muscle to perfection.

She admitted to herself she was hoping for leather gloves.

Kendra smiled as she passed the sparkling fountain in the middle of the lobby, then impulsively trailed her fingers in the water. She caught a man staring at her and smiled a little, not so much in invitation as acknowledgement. She walked to the elevators, and chose the right bank to go to Reid’s room.

It was near the top of the tower. She bet her mental nickel on a suite.

She was alone in the elevator, which was a relief in a way. The doors opened and she stepped into the tiled foyer. She followed the signs, her footsteps swallowed by the thick carpeting in the corridor. She stood before the door at the end of the hall, the one that matched the number he’d given her, and knocked.