Bailey: Independence #1 (29 page)

And the more she struggled to figure out what was going on, the more pushed for attention inside her head.

Chapter Twenty-Six

Bailey woke slowly in surroundings still a little unfamiliar. Gabriel wasn’t in bed with her and the spot where he would have been was cold. She squeezed the pillow and wanted to go back to the dreams.

But the clock said she didn’t have time. And she swore she smelled coffee and toast. After a quick shower, Bailey efficiently combed and smoothed her hair into a neat bundle at the nape of her neck, pinning it carefully before sliding her blouse on. Even after the steamy shower, she was glad she wore glasses that could hide the puffiness beneath her eyes.

She carried her heels and checked the small pack she carried, making sure she had her badge, wallet and phone before walking into the main area.

“There’s extra toast and jam,” Gabriel continued looking at the computer screen, his head shaking now and then as he responded to emails. “Coffee?”

“No, thank you. Just juice,” Bailey slid into her heels and hitched one leg on the breakfast stool and poured herself a large juice, both hands surrounding the cold glass.

“We can leave as soon as you’re ready. I’ve got issues with Japan and England that need handled,” he looked from the keyboard, his fingers missing the right keys when he saw her ankle. Wrapped twice was the collar he’d placed on her the night they met. That’s when he realized what she was wearing and how she looked. “Training day.”

Gabriel heard the strained, gruff sound in his voice and cursed himself for denying them both until he figured out what was in his head. He’d meant it as her punishment.

Her punishment, yet he lay awake half the night in the guest room. He’d gone to his bedroom and climbed into bed while she slept and pulled her in his arms, just to hold her close. Just to feel her breathing and warm against him. And he’d made certain to vanish long before morning came.

And now he stared at her back, the long expanse of leg stretched out as she perched on the stool in the snug skirt and creamy blouse. The wild dark red curls tamed and secured in a severe bundle. And those dark framed glasses she wore, not to mention the heels. Sexy as hell.

Monday’s were going to kill him.

“Training day,” she repeated with a sigh. “I like teaching the classes for the most part. Most of the people really do want to learn shortcuts and to make the programs function correctly, especially since we create them.” She popped the final piece of toast into her mouth and turned to face him, just glad he was talking to her again.

“According to my admin, you have a killer reputation.” Gabriel reigned himself in, shifting slightly to lean back in the desk chair. He was glad the view of his slacks was obscured by the desk and adjusted his cock without flinching.

“Getting through to them isn’t always easy. Some flat out don’t want to be there. If they weren’t required…” She shook her head. “It helps that I have discretion over whether they pass or not and I don’t have to rubber stamp them,” she admitted with a little shrug. “We can go now.” She slipped to the floor and crossed to where she left her jacket. She slid her arms inside and left the front buttons undone, the shorter English cut jacket fit nicely with the persona she’d created for training days. She held her pack in front of her and walked to wait at the door that led to the garage.

Gabriel joined her, his palm open and gesturing for her to go through the door once he’d opened it and reset the alarms. He opened the door to the SUV. Curious and interested, he watched her set her pack inside and shimmy the skirt a little higher along her legs before she could lift one foot to the running board and step into the vehicle. Somehow he managed to keep his smile inside and close the door. He knew he deserved the wince when he hitched a leg into the SUV and his cock scraped the zipper of his slacks.

He had chuckled as he walked around the SUV. He should have been a gentleman and lifted her into the seat, but damn if it wasn’t sexy watching her climb in on her own.

Bailey stared out the window, occasionally letting her mind drift to nothing when the rain began spitting down. Maybe she could get him to drop her off at the entrance. Maybe no one would be there.

She didn’t know he had a parking slot right next to the front entrance. Until he pulled the black SUV into it. No one could see her. The windows were tinted. But she couldn’t very well train from inside the vehicle. Oh, god. How fast could she run in these heels, she wondered fleetingly.

She opened the door and slid to the concrete, grabbed up her pack and quickly closed the door behind her. She didn’t look around her. She kept her eyes on the concrete as she moved. She didn’t have to look around. The slight gasps from people watching told her they had made the connection. That they hadn’t made it to the building unseen.

“Head up, Bailey.” Gabriel gripped her elbow when she looked like she might fall into the front fender. “Never give them the satisfaction of seeing your discomfort.” His palm slid to her waist and then onto her hip, guiding her easily through the double doors that glided open.

Bailey was reaching for her badge as they approached the security portion of the building.

“Good morning, sir.” The guard tipped his head politely. “Miss O’Conner.”

“Morning, Russ,” Gabriel greeted the guard with a smile and a nod.

Bailey blinked and blinked again as they continued past the guard’s desk. No badge needed when you travel with the boss, she thought with a sigh.

Gabriel led her to the elevators, stepping off to the side and cupping her chin.

“I’ll check my calendar but if I can, have lunch with me, Bailey.” He waited, amused at the look in her eyes when she nodded. “I have your number and will let you know. What time is your lunch on training day?”

“I…usually from eleven thirty until one,” she answered automatically, too aware of people looking quickly at them and then hastily glancing at anything else they could find.

“That works. I’ll let you know.”

She intended to back away. She intended to hastily shake her head and ward him off. She should have known better. You don’t ward off a dom. Or maybe you just don’t ward off a man intent on kissing you, she corrected. His mouth was on hers before she could move. If she really wanted to move, she thought with a sigh, her lips easily answering the hungry call of his.

“Lunch, Bailey,” Gabriel stepped into the waiting elevator and winked at her as the doors were closing.

She didn’t move for a long time. At least it felt like a long time. She doubted it was more than a minute before she turned and headed toward the IT section. Then she started hearing the words, the less than soft whispers of disbelief around her.

“Her? Are you serious?”

“I heard Garrett doesn’t fuck his employees,” then laughter. “Guess that rumor is wrong.”

“She’s nothing like he shows around town at the fancy events.”

“Hey! Girlfriend! Wait up!” The lower Brooklyn accent ripped through the other voices.

The loud East coast accent broke through Bailey’s enforced cocoon and sent her head up, lashes blinking wildly to locate her friend.

“I’ve been calling you since…” Patsy stopped abruptly when she looped her arm with Bailey’s. “Girl, what’s wrong? You got that scared white rabbit look!”

“I…” she gulped in air and moved her feet a little faster. “I came to work with Gabriel this morning,” she whispered hoarsely, trying not to look around at the murmuring voices. “In his SUV!”

“So?” Then Patsy straightened up and brought them both to a stop, her head swiveled and dark lashes narrowed as she swept the people walking past and staring at her friend. “They’re jealous cows.” She looked around, daring any of them to speak to her. “You hear me? Jealous cows!”

“Patsy!” But nothing brought a bubble of laughter to Bailey quicker than hearing that New York accent get thicker and thicker with anger. “Okay, okay…oh, god…”

“Don’t let them get to you! Girl, he’s a hunk,” Patsy whispered dramatically and accepted the soft giggle as an answer. “And you certainly sounded relaxed when I called to check on you.”

“You know what they’re thinking.” Bailey looked around at people she’d worked with for four years. Now, suddenly, it all seemed different.

“Yeah, they best be on their top behavior or you’ll get the boss to fire their sorry asses,” Patsy laughed at the stunned look on Bailey’s face. “I know you wouldn’t do that. But it’s a fun threat,” she chuckled.

“You’re awful,” but she laughed and shook her head. “I gotta set up my class room. See you later,” Bailey started off, turned and hugged her friend. “Thanks.”

“You like him,” she said softly, sighing at the sadness in the green eyes.

“It’s just a game. It’s role-playing for adults,” Bailey shrugged, drew in a long breath and plastered a smile in place. “Later.”

Gabriel leaned back in his chair watching the lights play over Puget Sound and waiting for the phone to be answered. He’d never been uncertain as a Dom since he first began exploring, learning and training. And he’d had damn good trainers.

“This is a surprise,” crooned the soft voice, hinting slightly of the deep south.

“Dianna, good morning to you, too.”

“You don’t pass pleasantries just because they’re there,” she laughed softly, sobering a few seconds later. “I saw the news. Is your little sub alright? Are you alright?”

“Pissed off. And that’s probably too mild a term for it, to be honest.”

“And your little sub?” She listened to the thick breath he pushed out.

“Stubborn. Blaming herself. Carrying some idiot notion that I’ll be safe if she weren’t around.” Gabriel reigned in his anger, his voice shifting to flat and cold. “Right now we have an un-negotiated truce.”

“Un-negotiated? As in she’s taking orders but…”

“Yeah, the but part is beyond annoying. And I don’t know what the hell to do about it. Everything in me says she should be punished, but she refuses to apologize and will not admit she did something wrong. I even get the feeling she would accept and understand the reason for the punishment as justified from my standpoint.”

“What happened?” Dianne asked carefully.

“The perimeter alarms went off around the house,” he said tersely. “I ordered her, fucking ordered her into the bathroom and told her not to come out until she heard me calling for her.”

“Ahh…I can see where this is going,” Dianna chuckled softly. She knew the instant she’d seen them together that Gabriel was going to be as neatly tethered as his little sub. And the stronger they are, the harder they fall, she thought affectionately. They’d been like brother and sister for so long, it was comforting to see him genuinely smile now and then.

“She found the league equipment and came outside with a fucking baseball bat on her shoulder and ready to swing!” And the damned sexiest fierce look on her face, he recalled in disbelief.

“That is a tough one,” Dianna admitted with a slow breath. “She won’t buckle on it, either. You could blame the red hair, Gabe, or discuss it and give her a pass.” She’d spent most of her adult life analyzing and helping people through problems, that’s what a psych 101 told you to do. Being a GP didn’t mean you had simple, easy cases to deal with. “These circumstances aren’t something that’s going to happen again, hopefully. And it sure as hell isn’t something you can prepare for or prepare her for. You see her as more than just a play sub.”

It was a statement, not a question and Gabriel listened to the same words that had been bouncing around in his head since he found her in the club.

“Did you give her the infamous short speech?” Dianna asked in the length of silence. She sighed when he didn’t answer. “So now she’s waiting to be booted out of your life.”

“That isn’t going to happen. But it would be safer for her,” he said thoughtfully.

“You’d risk losing her altogether?” Dianne shook her head. “If you trust my advice, don’t push her away to protect her. You won’t get her back because she won’t be able to trust you again.”

“A free pass on misbehavior, huh?” Gabriel knew she was right and he wasn’t sure he had the resolve to put her in her apartment and walk away. Especially knowing she was waltzing around in that damn suit.

“Was it misbehavior? This falls outside the perimeters of a play scene, Gabe. Is it just…to take away her right to care and defend? Men…” she pushed a sigh through her lips, thinking of the age old battle. “We weak females know you want to protect and shield us from the world, but the fiercest battle in the world will come from a female defending what belongs to her. Deprive us of that…and you’ll lose, Gabe.”

“It goes against everything inside me, Dianna. From Dom to man, but I know you’re right,” he ran his free palm against the back of his neck.

“You sound tired.”

“I spent the night in the fucking guest room to punish her with denial,” he ground out, snarling at her laughter. “Yeah, that didn’t last long. I swear, that little sub has upset years of training and control.”

“She’s a redhead,” Dianna teased. “And a cute one. I heard a couple of the unattached doms asking about her the night of the party. Given that you make no secret about your refusal at take a sub on more than occasionally, I’d watch the competition if I were you.”