Bound to be Taken (Emergence) (3 page)

Too bad they were gay. At least she assumed they were gay. She never saw them with a woman and they stood incredibly close to each other, sometimes even touching. A stinking shame for womankind since they were both sexy as hell.

She shook the thought from her head. They were men.
Men are pigs
, she reminded herself…again. Never mind this particular man and his partner made her tremble in their presence. Or that she felt drawn to them like a magnet.

“No worries.” The man gripped her shoulders to steady her before she fell on her ass from the impact. Thank God. If she’d fallen, her embarrassment would know no end.

He smelled so good. Whatever aftershave he used was delicious. She’d noticed it before at times when she was trapped in the small enclosure with him and his…friend?

“Entirely my fault. I was practically running.” He motioned to the elevator behind him. “Going up?” His eyebrows were furrowed. Hell, she was probably still scowling from thinking about her bosses.

“Yep.”
That’s the best you can come up with the first time you actually speak to the guy?

He must have been on his way to work or something because he was dressed in the black pants and white shirt she so often saw him in. As if it was some kind of dress code. Maybe he worked nights. She ran into both him and the other guy at odd hours. Sometimes when she came home for lunch. Sometimes in the evening. Sometimes late if she was out.

The other guy dressed in a suit usually. But Mr. Black-and-White always had this look. The white shirt, starched to perfection, made his tanned skin and dark hair stand out. He had to be part Italian.

He pushed the button for the elevator and then held the door open for her when it quickly made its appearance. She could have sworn he’d been heading out when they collided.

She didn’t question him, just stepped inside and bit her lip to keep from smiling.
Now’s your chance, girl. Ask him to go out with you on Saturday.
Could there be any more perfect solution? He seemed nice enough, for a guy. He looked fantastic. Smelled like heaven. His smile could melt chocolate. She could think of no better fake date than a gay guy who would pose no threat to her perpetual singlehood.

“Just getting home from work?” he asked.

Small talk? They’d never spoken before.

“Yeah.” Oh, she was so smooth with the words tonight. “You?” She looked down at her feet, trying in vain not to grin.
This just might work out after all.
What a coincidence that one of the very men she’d often lusted after would actually speak to her today of all days.

“Oh, I just forgot something at home. Had…have to run back and get it. Luckily it’s not far.”

He
had
been just leaving. He’d purposefully turned back so he could ride the elevator up with her.

The elevator dinged and the door opened.
You have to get out. It’s customary for passengers to debark on their designated floors. Otherwise they look idiotic.
“Well, have a nice night then.” She stepped into the hall, kicking herself in the ass the entire time.

“Will do. You too.” He reached for the door and held it open as she passed. “Hey, chin up. You’re off work now.”

Stephanie jerked her head up at his request and turned to face him as though meeting his demand was somehow imperative. He smiled at her and winked. She felt the flush that raced down her body from head to toe. A spark ignited in her stomach as she watched his calm demeanor. Something about this man made her want to please him.

She hadn’t anticipated this run-in with Mr. Dark and Handsome. She needed time…to prepare…if she was going to beg him to go out with her. Or his “friend”. As she gazed at him with her chin still raised, the doors closed.

She stared at her shiny reflection as the smile crept across her face. Even hidden behind her usual bulky attire, a man had just made conversation with her. Never mind he was undoubtedly gay. She felt giddy.

A deep, dormant longing came rushing to the surface. For as much as she hid under both physical and psychological layers, Stephanie craved the attention of a caring man. She never intended to act on the impulse, fear of losing herself weighing her down, but she could dream.

She was damaged. Years of watching her mother succumb to a trail of losers who used and abused her had hardened Stephanie against following her instincts. Until this moment, she hadn’t considered that long-buried place inside her that desired not just the idea of having a man around but someone who would care enough to fill all her needs.

She stepped back from the elevator, shivering as though cold. Two things occurred to her. One, she hadn’t pushed the button for floor ten, which meant Mr. Sexy had known her floor. And two, the elevator was now going down, not up, which meant Mr. Sexy had already gone to his apartment to get the forgotten object before her arrival, confirming her suspicion he’d just taken the ride with her for no reason at all.

Hmmm. That seemed incredibly promising. Then why was she shaking like a leaf? Because it would be a hell of a lot easier to beg him to go with her to the company party this weekend if he was gay. If he truly were interested in her… Ugh. She couldn’t handle that thought.

Stephanie spun on her heels and walked down the hall. She needed sleep, a glass of wine, a long soak in the tub and a frozen dinner. Not in that order.

“What took you so long?”

A shit-eating grin spread across Dane’s face. “Our date for Friday night.”

“What?” Aiden took two long strides to get to Dane’s side in the back of the kitchen. “What?” he repeated in a whisper, backing Dane into the office next to the huge oven.

“I went to the apartment to get your phone and as I was running back through the lobby toward the front door, Ms. Tenth Floor came around the corner, and I ran smack dab into her. Or, maybe she ran into me…who cares? Anyway, I pretended I hadn’t gone upstairs yet and rode the elevator up with her, although I seriously doubt she bought that story.”

“So you’re telling me you asked her to go with us to the club? In the short ride to the tenth floor? And she agreed?” Aiden pushed the door closed behind him and leaned against it.

Dane stepped into the V of Aiden’s legs and planted his hands on either side of the man’s face. Aiden swallowed, wanting to kiss Dane, but wanting to hear this saga even more. “No. Of course not. I just made small talk. But she was interested, I tell you. You should’ve seen how her gaze roamed over me. And she licked her lips several times.”

Aiden’s mouth fell open, and he laughed, hard. He couldn’t stop himself. He set his palms on Dane’s hips and pushed him off the door. “Are you kidding? So, now ‘hey, how’s it going?’ equals ‘do you mind playing sub Friday night with two men at a public club?’”

“Don’t laugh, asshole. It’s more than you’ve accomplished. She even wiped the scowl off her face when she saw me. Thank God. Whatever pissed her off didn’t suit her. I hated that look.” Dane smiled though.

“Oh, and I suppose her response of ‘fine, good’ meant ‘please fuck me six ways to Sunday’?” Aiden leaned over and planted his hands on his knees while he continued to laugh. The stitch in his side was starting to hurt.

“Laugh all you want, but I’m telling you she’ll say yes. I can read her. In fact, get this, when she ducked out of the elevator I told her to raise her chin. Her reaction was stunning.”

Aiden snickered again. “Let me guess. She obeyed. Now you’re sure she’s the perfect submissive too.”

“Hey, she was interested. She didn’t just lift her face, she jerked into position. She even smiled when she thought I couldn’t see her. And she has to realize we’re a package. Right?”

“Riiight. Of course. Because every time I see two people together in an elevator I assume they’re fucking each other.” Aiden stood, but he held his stomach while he wiped the tears from his eyes with the back of his other hand.

“You can’t piss me off, you know. I love it when you laugh. It gets me hard. The deep timbre of your chuckle makes me want to fuck you up against whatever surface we happen to be near.” Dane stepped closer to Aiden, pressing him back against the door once more.

Aiden swallowed…and sobered. “Don’t look at me like that. We have to get back to work.” He wiped the last of the moisture from the corners of his eyes. “Besides, it’s my turn to top. So back off.”

Not that he was keeping score, per se, but Dane had really pushed him to a new limit this afternoon and Aiden intended to return the favor soon. Later tonight after they closed. It might be up against this door. He didn’t care where, but he had a strict internal rule not to fuck his business partner when they were supposed to be working…well, usually…at least during the evening rush.

Dane lifted both hands in surrender. “I have meals to prepare. Who knows what the rest of the cooking staff did while I was gone.” He stepped toward the door, and Aiden wished for a moment he hadn’t turned the man down. His ass was so fine. He itched to pinch it.

“Oh, here’s your phone.” Dane fished in his pocket and handed Aiden the cell. “I found it tangled in the sheets…” He opened the door hastily and stepped out before Aiden could swat his smart-alecky ass.

Aiden took a moment to collect himself before he reemerged from the office. He needed to get back out front and make sure all the customers were happy and properly “wined and dined”.

The restaurant was the best venture of his life. Owning it with his best friend and lover was icing on the cake. They’d been a bit concerned originally when the plan had formed, worried about whether it was a good idea to work and live together. But as soon as they’d opened the doors a year ago, they’d immediately relaxed, and their relationship had strengthened.

In fact, when the idea of introducing themselves to BDSM and fetish lifestyles had come up six months ago, they’d both jumped at the opportunity. Their friend Steve, their main food supplier, had casually mentioned his involvement in alternative lifestyles when they’d been out for a beer one night. Aiden had been intrigued and when he’d discussed it with Dane, his partner had agreed to give it a try.

Who knew there were so many affirming open venues where one could meet with other folks interested in Dom/sub relationships and learn from them? Where once Aiden would have considered such people quite strange, now he realized they were far more accepting and understanding and down-to-earth than all the so-called vanilla people roaming around.

Aiden would go so far as to guess that most people secretly wished they could engage in something “outside the box”; they were just too afraid to bring it up to their partner—or anyone for that matter.

Too bad for them. Aiden’s whole world had shifted on its axis…for the better. Now he just had to hope Dane had been correct and they could get Ms. Tenth Floor to go with them Friday. A man could dream. Now that Dane had broken the ice and talked to her, it couldn’t hurt to at least ask. He smiled as he left the office to head back out front. Maybe if he could just get her to talk, she could loosen up a little…

Chapter Three

“Imagine the luck,” Dane muttered under his breath the next morning as he and Aiden opened the door to the lobby of their apartment building. They’d slept late and gone to the coffee shop just a block away to grab a drink and a pastry.

As if fate were their very best friend, Ms. Tenth Floor was clacking down the street at a rapid pace in black, high-heeled pumps that made Dane’s cock swell. God, her legs were sexy. At least what he could see of them. She really needed shorter skirts. She would be fucking hot if she just had some better-fitting clothes purchased, or at least manufactured, in this decade.

Maybe she does. Maybe there’s a reason she dresses like a seventy-year-old woman.

Not for the first time, he pondered her façade. That woman was smokin’ hot underneath the conservative suits—blouses, jackets, skirts. She couldn’t hide her curves, at least not entirely.

Dane held the door open and waited for her to catch up. “Good morning.” He glanced at his watch. “Shit, I guess it’s almost noon.” He grinned at her and her face turned beet red. Oh man, he wanted her. He wanted to nuzzle his lips and nose and tongue in the crook of her neck just like he did Aiden and make her moan…just like he did Aiden.

“Thanks,” she mumbled as she ducked under his arm to enter. Her warm breath hit his cheek as she passed, and he inhaled her scent. Floral shampoo and a hint of perfume. Something very girly that didn’t match her appearance. He sucked in a breath, his cock twitching at her proximity. Nope. This was no librarian. Contrary to her façade, she was all woman underneath.

“No problem.” He glanced back at Aiden as his partner strolled in behind Sexy Legs. Were those hose thigh highs or did they go all the way up, covering her pussy?

Dane adjusted his cock as he followed her sweet ass toward the elevator. “Do you work close by? Must be nice to get to come home for lunch.”
I’d be glad to feed you myself if you’d like.
He’d give anything to have her eating out of his hand…on her knees, next to his chair, her face demurely tipped toward the ground. He shook his head to clear his mind so he could concentrate.

“Yeah. I just work a few blocks away. That’s why I moved into this building. Can’t beat the proximity. Makes my life so much easier, especially since I work long hours.”

“That’s what lured us here too. We can walk to work and be there in ten seconds. It’s a bonus that we love this building,” Aiden said.