Exposed and Pleasured (The Masters) (3 page)

“Delivery,” Jessica called, rushing into Kim’s office where Kim sat behind her old wooden desk, pretending to do the store’s accounting, when she was really replaying the night before with Blake.

Kim’s eyes went wide at the pink box Jessica held with a pink ribbon tied around it.

“No card,” Jessica said. “What don’t I know that I should know?” She set it down in front of Kim.

Kim inhaled and studied the box, knowing it was from Blake, who had not only lived up to his word and kissed her from head to toe and then done it all over again, several times; he’d taught her positions she’d never known possible. Then he’d insisted she stay the night so he could start her day with an orgasm. And he had. As in plural—orgasms. She’d had more sex in one evening than she’d had in five years.

“Kim?”

Kim’s gaze jerked to Jessica. “Yes?”

Jessica sat down in the chair in front of the desk. “It’s from Blake, isn’t it?”

She’d shared a censored version of her night with Blake. Kim nodded. “I think so.”

Her eyes lit. “I knew when you told me you walked out on Blake, you’d become a challenge. I didn’t say anything in case I was wrong, which clearly I wasn’t. So tell me everything. When? Where? How?”

A challenge. Why did that idea bother Kim? This was a sex thing with Blake, nothing more. She knew that. A man like Blake didn’t do relationships.

A chime on the front door sounded, and Jessica pursed her lips. “Damn and double damn. I really wanted to hear the details.”

Kim wasn’t sorry. She wasn’t keen on opening the box with company, even Jessica. “Pull the door shut behind you.”

“Fine,” Jessica said. “But I’m coming back for the details.”

Kim stared at the box for a long moment before opening it to reveal a tiny pair of red silk panties. She bit her lip and opened the small note card on top. “Because red is sexy.” She smiled at the obvious reference to her hair.

The man made her feel wonderful in all kinds of ways, and she knew she had to be careful—she had to remember Blake was a Master in some sex Society. Sex was his game, seduction his craft. She could enjoy him, and oh, man,
she did
enjoy him. But at no time could she allow herself to get emotionally attached or she’d get hurt. Right. Don’t get emotionally attached. Resolutely, she set the note back in the box and placed the lid back on top, sealing away her present, and with it, the flutter in her chest that said it was too late—she’d started getting attached before they’d ever had sex.
Sex
being the operative word. This was about sex. They’d have sex. Lots and lots of sex. She’d have orgasms. She’d be daring enough to give him a few orgasms he didn’t see coming. And she’d leave this experience more confident, more in touch with herself and her desires.

Kim didn’t hear from Blake the rest of the day, but somehow she knew he’d walk through the store’s door just before closing. Exactly why she’d made darn sure she’d sidelined Jessica’s questions and sent her packing early—a task made easier because of Jessica’s “hot” date. And it was a good thing because, sure enough, Kim was at the entrance to the store, about to lock up, when Blake walked in, still in his scrubs.

But even before he spoke, she knew something was wrong. Without even saying hello, he pulled her to him and gave her a short, passionate kiss, filled with something raw, edgy, that told her whatever was bothering him had nothing to do with her. She touched his face, studied him. “Something happen at the hospital?”

He closed his eyes and stared at the ceiling, as if he didn’t want her to see what was in his expression. Kim locked the door and turned to him. He reached for her, pulling her close and kissing her again. She could feel the passion in him, the hunger. He wanted to forget whatever was bothering him, he wanted her to make him forget. Before she knew it, she was naked, bent over her chair, his fingers sliding along her sensitive flesh as he rolled a condom onto his erection.

And then he entered her from behind, thrusting into her with hard, fierce pumps. She barely remembered the condom he’d put on. She was certain he’d turned her around to hide whatever it was he was feeling. But he wasn’t hiding it. She felt it in the air, in his touch, tasted it in his kisses. The wildness in him, the anger at whatever had him so upset, fed into her like energy, like fire. She wanted to give him that release, the escape that he wanted. “Harder,” she cried out. “Harder, Blake. More.”

He growled low in his throat, his hand on her hips as he gave her what she wanted. More. Deeper. Faster. She was panting. “More.”

He reached around her and stroked her clit, his cock stroking her again and again, until she was shattering into a million, rainbow-colored pieces of white-hot pleasure. A sound of pure male demand ripped from his throat as he buried himself to the hilt and spilled himself inside her.

When the world stopped spinning, he pulled away, and helped her up. Then he turned away. She watched him walk toward the restroom by her office, unabashed about his nakedness, but she knew he was still not right, knew he’d walked away to hide. She’d spent a lifetime hiding from her sexuality, and, maybe, he’d done the same with his emotions.

Decision made, she went after him, ignoring her own lack of clothes, when she’d have never done so in the past. She found him standing at the restroom sink, head forward. She went to him and wrapped her arms around him, sliding between him and the sink. “Talk to me,” she said. “What’s wrong?”

“The mother of one of my interns was in a car accident today,” he said. “And he’d wanted me to operate, but I told him no. It was too personal, too close to me. He’d blame me if she died, and I’d be thinking about that when I was in surgery. There was another surgeon on staff that I trusted, a damn good surgeon.”

Her stomach knotted. “She died.”

He shook his head. “Yeah. She died.” He swallowed hard. “And he blamed me anyway.”

She touched his face, and he reached up and pulled her hand into his. “You need to understand who I am, Kim. I don’t do relationships for a reason. They’re a distraction I can’t afford with lives on the line.”

“I’m not asking for anything from you, Blake,” she said softly. “I know this is about sex, and I know you need to forget tonight. I…” Realization washed over her. He was here, with her, when he could have gone to one of his Society functions and found plenty of ways to forget what bothered him. Her chest tightened with emotion. He’d chosen her. And she was choosing him.

She kissed his chest and then slowly slid down his body, until her back was against the sink cabinet. Her hand wrapped around his cock, which, she was pleased to find, was thick with arousal.

“I should demonstrate what I learned at the gallery.” Her tongue touched the tip of him, the salty proof of his arousal sliding against it. His cock jerked slightly, and she tightened her grip around him, smiling to herself, as she drew him into her mouth. She sucked and licked and teased and reveled at his urgency—his hand on her head, his shallow breathing.

He’d taken her on a wild journey the night before, forced her to overcome her insecurities, forced her to just be with him, to just focus on the pleasure. And tonight, she was going to do the same for him.

The sun was quickly disappearing behind Houston’s vast downtown skyline, when, for the first time in the month since Blake had been involved with Kim, he walked into the Alexander Wine Cellar, located a few blocks from the hospital and Kim’s store. Owned by Marcus Alexander, the Master of all Masters in the Society, the Cellar served the public, but it also hosted special members-only privileges that he intended to take advantage of tonight.

A month of fucking her every possible way he could think of, and he still hadn’t worked her out of his system. No…
fucking
was no longer the right word. Three nights before, they’d
made love
. Hell. He was pretty sure they’d been doing that from the beginning. But that night—that night, he’d been ten-feet-under in making love. And he’d done exactly what he’d done the last time she’d spooked him. He’d stayed away from her, thinking that would get her out of his mind. Then today, he’d actually caught himself thinking about her while reviewing a patient’s file. This had to end.
They
had to end. Which meant he needed a good fuck to pull him back into reality, back into the Society.

Appropriately dressed in black slacks and a gray button-down shirt, Blake entered the main lounge area of the Cellar, where fine wine and rich mahogany furnishings gave off the Old World feel of money and luxury and made it popular with the upper echelons of the downtown crowd. One glance at the bar, and he found a target who he knew, even with her back to him—a blonde beauty named Cara, who flipped from Sub to Dominant, depending on her bedmates. She’d also been the woman on the red sheets at the gallery, which came with unfortunate memories of Kim, but he’d deal with it. He’d deal with about anything to try to get rid of the edge biting at his nerves.

Cara turned as he approached, gave him a lusty look and stood up. She didn’t speak, her silence telling him she knew what role she would play with him, her expression telling him she was ready to do whatever he wished, however he wished. And, fuck him, she was wearing a short, tight
red
dress.

Blake curled his fingers into his palms, unable to think of anything but Kim. He could take Cara up the long winding stairs to his left, to one of the private members-only rooms, tie her up and fuck her any which way he wanted, and yet somehow, he knew it wouldn’t be satisfying. It was then that he recognized what he’d been missing. He’d never been satisfied fully, never found what he’d needed, no matter how erotic the adventure. Until Kim. His distraction wasn’t about Kim—not directly. It was about him—trying to get where he was right now, right this moment. To the point of knowing that what he needed was her.

Cara gave him another quick once-over and sighed with regret, before leaning against the bar, elbows behind her, her ample cleavage thrust into view. “I’ll be here, if you change your mind.”

But he wouldn’t. Blake was a man on a mission, a man who went after what he wanted. And he wanted Kim and had every intention of telling her that and more, tonight.

The ten-minute walk to the store lasted ten minutes too long. The moment he walked into the store, it was like déjà vu, but not quite. She stood behind the counter, the way she had been that first night he’d shown up here, but instead of being happy to see him, there was something more. There was hurt and betrayal, both of which he knew he’d caused.

Blake didn’t bother to lock the door or ask if they were alone. He was around the corner and pulling her into his arms in two seconds flat, his hand sliding over her black T-shirt and over the black denim of her jeans to mold her closer. “Kim—”

Her hand pressed against his chest. “This isn’t—”

“It is,” he said. He laced his fingers in her hair. “We are. The other night when we—”

Her eyes went wide, and she pressed on his chest. “Blake, wait. This isn’t a good idea. My—”

He kissed her, his lips slanting over hers, his tongue delving deep into her mouth, his tongue stroking hers with velvet-smooth demand. She was stiff at first, unyielding, but then she moaned and melted. God, how he loved when she melted, how he loved knowing she didn’t do it easily, but she did it for him. He was in trouble with this woman.

“Oh, my!” came a female voice from the office behind the desk. “Oh…my.”

Kim shoved away from Blake, her cheeks flushed. “Mom…I’m sorry, we, uh…”

Blake glanced at the petite woman in the doorway—her red hair and ivory skin, a dead giveaway. This was, indeed, Kim’s mom.

“Oh, my, indeed,” came a male voice, followed by a chuckle as a gray-haired man in slacks and a button-down shirt appeared. “This is the most excitement we’ve had in a while. Why don’t you introduce us to your friend, Kim.”

Kim cast Blake an “I warned you” look. “Blake,” she said. “These are my parents, Carol and Jack Baker, who surprised me today with a visit. They’re here for a week, before they return to Europe.” She motioned to Blake. “Mom, Dad, this is Blake Morgan.”

“Who’s just proceeded to make a complete ass of himself,” Blake conceded, always finding the elephant in the room better addressed than ignored. “Please accept my apology. I’d love to buy you all dinner to make it up to you.” The invitation rolled off his tongue with ease, when he’d promised himself this thing with Kim was just about conquest and sex. But it wasn’t—he’d known that with complete certainty the minute he’d seen her standing at the counter tonight, all doubts erased.

“Blake,” Kim said quickly, as if to object to the dinner invitation. “You don’t have to—”

“But he wants to,” Jack said, cutting off anything further she might have said, charging over to Blake and extending his hand. “We Bakers roll with the punches, and we never turn down a dinner invitation. Isn’t that right, ladies?”

“Of course it is,” Mary said, appearing in front of Blake, as well, and offering her hand, which Blake shook. “Nice to meet you, Blake. And yes, we will take you up on dinner with one understanding.”

Kim moaned and pressed her face in her hands. “Mom, please, whatever you’re about to say—don’t.”

Blake barely contained a smile, finding Kim adorably irresistible in her embarrassment. And Blake liked her parents, too—their directness, and the warmth they exuded. He arched a brow at Mary. “What understanding would that be?”

She crossed her arms in front of her chest and gave him a measuring look. “We get to drill you for information. We want to know everything about the man who is so close to our daughter that he feels he can kiss her silly right here in the middle of the store.”

This time he outright laughed, and decided that Kim didn’t get her docile demeanor from her mother. “You absolutely
can
drill me all you like.” But he certainly wouldn’t be telling her everything.

Jack rubbed his hands together. “Great. Now…where can we get a really good burger downtown?”

“Roy’s,” Blake said instantly. “It’s a new place that opened a few months ago, and it’s within walking distance. They make a killer burger and fries you don’t want to miss.”

“Roy’s it is,” Jack said.

Kim delicately cleared her throat. “I need to speak to Blake a moment, please.”

“Go ahead,” Mary said, though she and Jack made no move to leave.

Kim pursed her lips.
“Alone.”

Mary waved off the idea. “We’ll walk behind you two lovebirds on the stroll to Roy’s so you can chat. But we’re starving.”

“Fine by me,” Blake agreed, not about to let Kim squirm out of this, as he’d let her run from the gallery, before he had a chance to tell her how he felt. No more running for her, and no more denial for him.

A few minutes later, while her parents strolled to the store next door to look in the window, Kim dropped her keys as she locked up the bookstore. Blake bent down and picked them up at the same time that she did. They ended up squatting, face-to-face, electricity crackling.

“Why are you doing this?” she asked in a hushed whisper. “You don’t have to do this.”

He drew her hand into his. “I want to do this and a whole lot more.”

She shook her head. “No. I’m done.”

“I’m not.”

“Three days, Blake,” she said. “Three days you’ve been MIA. Then out of the blue you show up here and want to jump right back into my bed?” She pushed to her feet, keys in hand. “No.”

Blake glanced at her parents, confirming they were out of hearing range. His hands went to her shoulders. “Not just your bed, Kim. Your life. I want to be a part of your life. This isn’t just about sex with us. I’m not sure it ever was.”

“Are you two trying to starve us?” Jack shouted toward them.

“I’m starving, too, Kim,” Blake said. “For you. And this isn’t where or how I’d want to tell you this, but I’m pretty damn sure that for the first time in my life, I’m falling in love.”

Kim blinked, looking stunned. “Falling in love? With me?”

Blake laughed and, noting Jack’s fast approach, took the keys from her hand. “With you,” he agreed. “And I’ll tell you and show you the many reasons later tonight. But right now, your father’s on the move this way.”

Several hours later, dinner was over, and Kim had just finished kissing her parents good-night at the hotel that they’d insisted on getting, despite her willingness to sleep on the couch and give up her bed. She and Blake stood side by side, watching the elevator doors close on them. Awash in a torrent of emotions, Kim had spent the entire dinner reeling over Blake’s shocking confession.

She’d wanted to tell Blake she loved him one second, and the next, she wanted to throw something in his direction. And it went on from there, for the entire dinner. She wanted to kiss Blake. She wanted to yell at Blake. She didn’t want to get hurt, and he had hurt her. And now—now that they were alone, she didn’t know what to do, what to say.

Unmoving, she stared at the elevator doors, thinking of how well he’d gotten along with her parents, talking with them as if he’d known them a lifetime, answering their questions, delving into their interests with what seemed to be genuine interest. They loved him, too.

Blake laced his fingers in hers and walked toward the stairwell. She followed, suddenly ready to talk, to understand. The instant they were in the stairwell, she whirled on him, but before she could speak, he slid his hands into her hair. “I lied. I don’t
think
I love you. I know I do. And I’ve never said that to anyone before you.”

Her heart clenched. She wanted to believe him, she did, but… “These past three days— Were you… Did you?”

“Did I go to the Society? Yes. And I turned around and walked back out without touching anyone. I want you, Kim. Just you. No.
Want
isn’t a strong enough word. I need you.” He pulled her close. “Give me a chance to show you that. Come home with me, wake up next to me.” His lips brushed hers. “Say yes.”

The sincerity, the passion in him, crashed into her. He meant what he said. He’d asked her to trust him with her body, to let him strip away her inhibitions. Now he was trusting her with his heart. Kim wrapped her arms around his neck. “Yes.”

“And you…” he prodded.

She smiled. “Love you, too.”

He kissed her, a long passionate kiss that ended when someone opened the stairwell nearby, and they decided that this show was a private show, meant for their eyes only. And a camera, of course, because neither of them wanted to forget one second of this night.