Page 30 of Winter’s Fire

Next to the outrageously short skirt and the top that just about covered what it needed to, a far larger elephant was gracing her mental room. The psychological pachyderm had been gaining poundage every day she delayed broaching the subject of their relationship for the assignment.

She was running out of time.

She had to raise the matter before they went to the club. At Aegis, they’d be seen by other people, and it had to be on the right footing. Since she’d tried on the outfits at the adult store, Lucy’s conviction that the right footing was an authentic relationship had grown.

The time at Giorgio’s had been a revelation and a turning point. Not only had her perception of who she was been challenged, it was who she wanted to be. She’d seen Logan with fresh eyes, in an environment where he’d been at ease, and now she wanted more, both from him and with him.

And if Logan didn’t feel any attraction towards her? She was a big girl and she’d suck it up. It might make things a little uncomfortable to begin with, but she’d show him it didn’t need to affect their working relationship.

With her resolve set, Lucy finished getting ready for her first evening at Aegis. The sheer black thigh-highs made her legs look even longer, the black stiletto shoes finished them off nicely, and she was now out of excuses.

It was time to face the music, and see if Logan wanted to dance.

~~*~~

So far, so good. They’d made it through the trip to Giorgio’s without killing each other, and Lucy hadn’t had a hissy fit about going to the club.

Giorgio’s had been a close-run thing, though. Logan was still convinced she’d been nursing quiet thoughts of murder when he’d revealed his clothing choices for her during their visit to the kink store.

Surrounded by leather and chrome, he’d felt instantly at home on entering the discreet premises. The scent alone had been enough to propel him into an achingly familiar place he’d never been able to find as a service Top. He’d caught the puzzled glance Lucy had sent his way, almost as if she were seeing him for the first time, and then been amazed by a subtle change in her behaviour. Her lashes had lowered, and she’d clasped her hands together, standing there as silent and respectful as a true submissive would, while he discussed her clothing requirements with Giorgio.

The attitude adjustment had lasted until they hit the changing room, where she’d given him the hoarsely whispered benefit of her opinion on his selections.

Full? Yes.

Frank? Definitely.

Complimentary? Not a chance in hell.

Yet for all her protests, they’d still walked out of there with his choices intact. On the way back to the apartment, however, she’d remained subdued, as if something weighed heavily on her mind. It bothered him then, and still did now.

Lucy was changing into one of the outfits—he’d suggested an early change to ease her into playing the role of a submissive. The visit would be significant for both of them—for Lucy, it would provide her first experience of a club environment, while for him, it would be the first time he turned up accompanied by a sub with whom he’d spend the entire evening. Was it right that he should feel so relieved he’d only joined Aegis after Sophia?

He’d also suggested that she wear the most modest of the outfits they’d bought, a choice that had nothing whatsoever to do with this gut-twisting sense of possession he’d started experiencing every time he looked at her.

Which was a big, fat, stinking lie, and he knew it—like so many other lies he’d told himself since meeting Lucy for the first time. The truth was very simple, and his time of hiding from it was up.

He wanted Lucy.

Strengthened by a suspicion that there might be more to her interest in the lifestyle than learning about it for the mission, that craving had finally overwhelmed the guilt that had held it in check for so long. Not only did he desire her—he wanted to show her how beautiful a relationship based on Domination and submission could be.

For all their somewhat lively sotto voce discussion about her outfits at Giorgio’s place, Lucy had still acquiesced to his choices. Add to that her interest in the display of leather ankle and wrist cuffs, and no wonder he’d started asking questions. Willing to take a chance, he’d installed her and their purchases in the Jensen, then returned on a spurious excuse to add a full set of cuffs, which were now stashed in the nightstand. The matching collar lay on the coffee table.

Would she come clean before they left for the club? He’d debated whether or not to open up the conversation himself, but had come to the conclusion that it had to be her choice. What he did need to do, though, was let her know that they’d be meeting up with a friend and former colleague of his. The timing wasn’t perfect, but with Moll due to leave the country in less than forty-eight hours on what was likely to be his last deployment, there was no other option.

Sean “Molly” Malone had joined the club around the same time as Logan. Unlike Logan, he favoured the submissive side of the D/s slash. As a serving Royal, he was often unreachable for extended periods, but that would come to an end when he was discharged in a few months’ time. The last time they’d talked, Logan had told him about the unit, and he had a feeling that Moll wanted to grill him some more.

“Are you sure I have to do this without underwear?”

If it were up to him, she’d be doing it in a chastity belt. Resisting the primitive, chest-beating urge to throw her over his shoulder and carry her off to his bedroom was turning into a task of Herculean proportions.

He turned to face her. Tension crackled and sparked, explosive enough to set fire to the space that separated them. Dry-mouthed, he dragged in a breath, but it wasn’t enough to calm the sense of vertigo swirling inside him.

“You look amazing.”

A soft pink bloomed in her cheeks. She lowered her head, but he could still catch a hint of the slightly awkward, embarrassed smile.

“Thanks. I don’t exactly feel it, though. Will I do, Sir?”