Page 5 of What Alex Wants…He Gets
He turned and followed the direction of my gaze before shaking his head. “No, there is a smaller dining area you’ll be occupying this evening. But don’t worry. We are full service in any of our rooms so it’s fully staffed and anything you can think of is available for the asking.”
“Uh huh. Except for the name of the man I am meeting.”
The concierge ignored my statement and continued toward the end of the hall. The sudden eerie silence surrounding me made me stop and think. We’d passed several doors as well as a bank of elevators and had yet to hear a sound not of our own making. I moved closer to one of the doors and placed my ear against it, listening.
Nothing.
A fresh sliver of fear worked over me. Despite the appearance of money and safety, doubts crept into my mind. Dare or not, coming here had been a pretty impulsive decision. Yet, the idea of getting my life back on track in the direction of my choosing appealed more than I’d expected.
It was time to put the last of my past behind me.
Andit had been so long since a man had touched me in anything but a functional way. My husband had forced me to set aside many of my basic needs so that I could be the perfect preacher’s wife. His interest had been purely about having children as soon as possible. Especially sons. I thanked God every day for not getting pregnant. A child in the midst of that nightmare would not have been a blessing.
Now I had a chance to start over—with my rules. Or at least my expectations. One day hopefully, I would not be the one making all the rules.
I covered my mouth to stifle my smile. I needed to not get ahead of myself. This was only about one night and it was essential to keep that in mind.
“Every room is soundproofed, Harper.” I jumped at the unfamiliar deep voice directly behind me and whirled to face the stranger.
The rugged face behind me took me by surprise, but it was the immediate pull in my core that genuinely shocked me. Piercing blue eyes stared back at me, halting my breath. The expression in them gave me the sense that he understood what I was feeling. As if maybe he was too.
Thick, dark hair surrounded his face. A strong jaw, slightly crooked nose and a chin covered with the distinct growth of a five o’clock shadow all combined to scream this was a man in complete control of everything louder than I’d ever heard.
He was good-looking but not handsome. In fact, the first word that popped into my head was strong. A thought that sent chills racing up and down my spine.
But it was his full mouth that really caught my attention. The slight curve of a half-smile threatened to melt me into a puddle of goo, right there on the very expensive floor. It was almost as if that expression held a decadent promise I dared not believe in.
“I—uh—” I couldn’t begin to think straight with him staring at me like I’d just become the main course at an all-you-can-eat buffet. I found his gaze so unsettling, I had half a mind to look down and see if somehow I’d lost all of my clothes. I suddenly felt that naked in front of him.
“You’re late.” He did not sound angry or did he pose it as a question so I simply took that as a cue and bowed my head in acknowledgment.
Even though I had a legitimate work reason for being tardy, I’d never been one to make excuses for anything. Plus, If I was going to do this I wanted to do it all in. If I could.
“Where is your rose?”
I cringed at his question. So much for all in. I’d debated all day long how to handle this. At the last minute I’d decided not to bring it with me as minor means of safety and now I regretted it. “I didn’t know what to do. I don’t know you.”
“That’s a shame really. I had such plans for you and your rose this evening. If we choose to proceed then you’ll have to be punished for that later.” He must have noticed the way my face fell at his words. He cupped my chin and forced me to once again meet his gaze. “I do however, find you quite brave for coming here tonight. I am not disappointed.”
“Thank you,” I whispered, my gaze shuttering closed for a moment of deference. I don’t know why I felt that necessary, but there was something in the tone he spoke to me with that I reacted to.
He stepped closer, filling my personal space with his broad body. He towered nearly a foot over my own five-four frame, which secretly thrilled me. I loved tall men.
“I couldn’t help but notice you here last week. The way you reacted to the different scenes taking place at the collaring ceremony. I suspected then you weren’t unfamiliar with the lifestyle. I was right, wasn’t I?”
“Yes,” I whispered.
“In fact, I noticed quite a bit about you while you watched. Like for example, you seemed particularly interested in the ménage play the newly collared sub was engaged in. You liked that too.”
My eyes grew wide and my stomach trembled as the scene he described filled my memory. The gorgeous sub on her hands and knees begging for both men to take their pleasure had resonated deep. And this man--he’d seen so much.
“You didn’t know anyone watched you as closely as you watched them, did you?”
I shook my head. Horrified that I’d been so easy to read.
“Don’t worry. It’s a very common fantasy. And one easily fulfilled at the Glass Kat. The question is… What are you willing to be—willing to do—to meet those longings I spied on your face that day?”
I swallowed thickly. Staring into this man’s face and listening to his deep commanding tone made me want to drop to my knees and offer myself up for his pleasure right now. Not my usual M.O. by any means, but in this day and age what did it matter? I was free to do whatever I wanted. Which meant in my mind the question became what wouldn’t I do?
