Nailed (6 page)

“I’d like that. And I’ll have Larkin call your office for an
appointment.”

“Tell him he wants Alex. He’s the business brain.”

“Will do.”

Riding up to his floor in the elevator Tyler kept replaying
the scene from this morning over and over in his mind. Not only was the woman
odd, there was something about her that tickled his subconscious. He just
didn’t know what. He hoped he didn’t drive himself crazy trying to figure it
out.

Back in his office, he swiveled his chair to look out the
window. He loved the view from here, a panorama of a city with new life. The
northwest area of the city was growing but that wasn’t what was on his mind
right now. Instead, he thought again about his session from the night before
with Flame. It wasn’t like him to let some woman get under his skin this way.

He closed his eyes and rubbed his temples with the tips of
his fingers. As if he could rub away the image of a naked and bound Flame with
her ass beautifully reddened. But then without warning the image morphed into
Miss Tightass, Jenyfer Mayhew. In his mind he saw her tapping back down the
concrete, her body stiff, her walk efficient, if a walk could be called that.

His eyes popped open. He was really losing it. Miss Tightass
naked? He wasn’t just losing it. He was delusional.

The phone buzzed on his desk and he answered it, grateful
for whoever had jolted him out of that bizarre reverie.

* * * * *

Wouldn’t you know he’d choose today to come to his office
early? Why isn’t he out of town?

She’d overheard Ed Larkin talking to one of the associates
about McMann Development and this huge project they had going in Wyoming.
Apparently Tyler was the brother in charge of construction so why wasn’t he
there now? What was keeping him in town? Deep down she’d like to think it was
her but the thought she might be letting her emotions get involved frightened
the hell out of her.

You’re not the same person you were four years ago. And
Tyler is a different type of Dom.

She hovered near her car until she heard the ding of the
elevator arriving at garage level then counted to one hundred to make sure
Tyler had gotten on and disappeared from sight. Only then did she hurry over
and push the button, waiting for the elevator to return and take her up to her
office.

Her heart was hammering in her chest. Had he gotten a good
glimpse of her? Paid more than casual attention to her? Found something
familiar about her that tickled his curiosity? Lord, she certainly hoped not.
She guarded her secret life so carefully. Wasn’t it just her damn bad luck that
the first Dom she’d met who could mean something to her since…since a while ago
turned out to work in the same building she did.

After their first full session night, she’d spent an hour soaking
in a hot tub with the healing salts she used. The ones from the Dead Sea that
seemed to do such a good job. Then she’d mixed a vitamin E ointment with a
topical anesthetic and liberally applied it to her ass and thighs, looking over
her shoulder at herself in the full-length mirror. But even as she lounged in
the tub, the memory of the pain and the pleasure it caused excited her. She’d
finally taken a mild sedative, slid into her bed between silken sheets and
fallen asleep.

Since then, her dreams were disturbed over and over again by
a blond god with broad shoulders, muscles that looked as if carved by a
sculptor, hot chocolate brown eyes and a cock that made her mouth water. In her
dreams she stood naked, looking at him over her shoulder, peeking as he lifted
a crop and applied it to her ass.

Night after night, the dreams were so real they awakened
her, heart thudding and lungs begging for air. Her cunt throbbed so insistently
that she’d only been able to fall asleep again by using her hand to bring herself
to climax. She’d lost count of how often that had happened.

Holy shit!

She stepped out of the elevator into the carpeted reception
area. As she walked to her office she noticed, thankfully, that only two other
offices had lights on. Good. She’d deliberately arrived even earlier than usual
so no one could ask her why she was walking so strangely.

Now as she sat very gingerly on her desk chair, she set her
thin briefcase next to her computer and dropped her head into her hands.

I am in such deep trouble.

She should have known better after that first encounter. All
the feelings and emotions she kept locked down deep inside her began hammering
to get out. Only the fear of what would happen if she released them helped her
hang onto her last thread of control.

It didn’t make sense. Tyler McMann didn’t look anything like
him.
Or act like him. The only similarities were they were both Doms and
both knew how to wield the instruments of punishment effectively. But Tyler
didn’t have that hard, unrelenting edge that
he’d
had. He who shall be
nameless. He who had recognized the symptoms of a pain junkie and used them
against her. He who had led her into a place where there was no control and the
consequences were devastating.

And there was one other danger point. Tyler McMann also
awakened feelings in her that she’d sworn never to allow to surface again.

“Headache?”

Jen startled at the sound of the voice and looked up to see
Jack Shelton looking at her. Damn! She should have closed the door.

“Um, yes. Just a little one. I’ll pop a couple of aspirin
and be fine.”

He frowned. “Maybe you should go home. You don’t look like
you slept too well.”

No, I didn’t. I dream almost every night of a naked god
striking my ass. The ass that now still stings with the memory.

“I’ll be fine.” She swiveled in her chair and turned on her
computer. “In fact, I have an account analysis that needs to be finished for
Larkin before noon, so I’d better get to it.”

Go away. Please go away.

“Sure. Okay.” The friendliness had disappeared from his voice.
“I’ll just leave you alone. Want me to close the door?”

“Yes. Please.”

“Oh. One more thing.” He paused with his hand on the
doorknob. “Remember that guy I was talking to in reception the other day?”

Remember? Oh, yes. She couldn’t get him out of her mind. For
more reasons than Jack could ever know about.

“Um, yeah. Sort of. Why?”

“I think he’s interested in you.”

Jen froze, suddenly unable to breathe. “What makes you say
that?”

“He stopped by my office to tell me to go ahead and set up
an appointment for us to meet with his firm about their account.”

She shook her head. “That doesn’t have anything to do with
me.”

“No, but he did ask some questions about you.”

“Oh?”

“Uh huh. But I told him he’s wasting his time. You’re not
interested in dating.” His voice dropped a little. “Right?”

“Yes. Right. Thanks for telling him that.”

Now please go away.

She slid a glance sideways at Jack, still in her doorway. He
looked at her as if waiting for something. Then he shrugged.

“Well, your private life is none of my business. I’ll let
you get back to work.”

When he closed the, door Jen let out the breath she’d been
holding.

Damn, damn, damn.

She’d have to be very careful here not to run into him.
Although with them both working in the same building, that would require extra
vigilance on her part. Maybe she should stay away from Finesse for a while,
too.

Of course that wasn’t what she really wanted. At Finesse she
could become Flame, the person who lived inside her. The person she really was.
The one her chosen profession forced her to hide. The one that had scared off
her first really serious relationship. But also the one that had gotten her
into the situation from hell.

Will I never learn?

Deliberately she put everything out of her mind and pulled
up a file on her computer. She’d focus on work. Obsessing with numbers would
block everything else from her mind. But even as she began to analyze the
information on her screen, she shifted slightly in her chair and her ass felt
as if she’d sat down on a bed of stinging nettles. Well, that was what she got
for breaking her rules—weekends only, avoid emotional attachment, limit her
interaction with any one person. Maybe her sore ass would keep her from doing
anything else foolish.

Chapter Six

Tyler was just about to head for the elevator when Alex
stopped him.

“Off to the job sites?” he asked.

Tyler nodded. “We may have the timeline pushed up on one of
the jobs and I want to eyeball where we are just in case. But I’ll be back
after lunch.”

“What’s up?”

“The two men I’m hiring on permanently will be in to do
their paperwork. Pass the word. I’d like to introduce them to you and Josh at
the same time.”

“Okay. I’ll let him know.” But he still didn’t move.

“Something else?” Tyler wanted to know. “I’d like to get
going.”

Alex shoved his hands in his pockets and stared down at his
feet. Tyler stared at him. What was going on with his brother?

“If it’s trouble, just spit it out. I can take it.”

Alex chuckled. “Maybe yes, maybe no. It has to do with
Livy.”

Tyler gawked at him. “You want to talk to me about your
wife?”

“Sort of. Maybe not exactly.”

“Jesus, spit it out already, will you? I’ve got stuff to
do.”

“Okay. We’re having some people over Saturday night to
barbecue and Livy wants you to come.”

Tyler studied his brother’s face. “And you didn’t want to
invite me to dinner because? Are Josh and Ness coming?”

“Yeah. Of course.”

“So, you what? Thought I’d feel like the odd man out?”

Alex shook his head. “Not at all. In fact we’re having a
bunch of people.”

“Then I don’t understand.” But then he did. “Oh, shit.
Please tell me your wife isn’t trying to fix me up with some woman.”

Alex sighed. “I wish I could say you’re wrong, but Livy’s
got a bug up her ass about some woman from work who she thinks would be just
perfect for you.”

Tyler set down his bulky briefcase and crossed his arms.
“What is it with you guys and your wives? Just because you both bit the big one
you can’t stand to see me running around unattached?”

“Would you believe me if I told you Ness and Livy think
you’re too sexy to be without a woman?”

Tyler laughed. “If your wives think I’m sexy, you guys must
be doing something wrong.”

“Maybe we’re doing it too well,” Alex joked. “They want you
to have what we’ve got.”

“Yeah, well, thanks but no thanks. I don’t want to be served
along with the appetizers.” He lifted his briefcase and started toward the
elevator again but Alex blocked his way.

“Come on, bro. One night. It won’t kill you and I can score
some points with my wife.”

“Like you really need to. Can I go now?”

“Only if you say yes.” Alex gave him a pleading look.
“There’ll be a bunch of other people there. And you can leave any time you
want.”

Tyler had to laugh. “Oh. A bunch of other people—
and one
single woman
. If I bug out I’ll look like an ass and then Livy will be mad
at both of us.” He chuffed out a breath. “Okay, I’ll do it. But you will so owe
me big time for this.”

For one scary moment Tyler thought his brother was going to
hug him. Then Alex just held out his hand.

“Thanks. And yes, I’ll pay you back big time.”

“She’d better be worth the effort,” Tyler called to him as
he punched the button for the elevator. “If I show up and she’s a character
from Dorks R Us you will all be in very big trouble.”

Now why the hell did I do that?

He kept asking himself that question as he rode down to the
underground parking. He already had a complication in his life. Her name was
Flame and he was so intent on seeing how high he could build her fire that he
could hardly think of anything else. He couldn’t seem to push her out of his
mind.

He didn’t think she’d show up again on a weeknight. She
didn’t seem like the type of person who broke her pattern too often. But he
could call Marco and see if she was available at all on the weekend. Should he
try for Friday night so he’d be mellowed out for the stupid barbecue at his
brother’s? Or late Saturday night after he’d dutifully put in his appearance as
a blind date. Sort of.

There was one other thing tickling the back of his mind,
too. It became quite clear to him after the second time together that Flame was
a pain junkie. He’d gotten a little carried away then applying the instruments
of punishment because she enjoyed them so much. Her pussy was soaked by the
time he finished, the muscles inside jerking in tiny spasms. If he’d prolonged
that part of the session, he was sure she’d never have stopped him.

As a good Dom, it was his responsibility to make sure when
he took her to subspace he didn’t take her too deep and that he brought her
back gradually. He’d paid more careful attention to it every time since then.

And thinking about it, he wondered what her journey had been
like for her to recognize that tendency in herself. And who had taken her
there. Was that jealousy curling inside him? He never, ever got jealous. That
was a good part of the reason Finesse was so important to him. It was better
than no-strings vanilla sex without commitments. Friends with benefits.
Whatever.

He saw this as hot sex with anonymity and no expectations.
How much better could it get? So why then had he suddenly taken a long look at
his life and wondered if he was missing something? He thought back to his
conversation with Daks days ago and then about Alex’s invitation to the
barbecue Saturday night. He’d actually planned to go to Finesse, to see what
this thing was brewing between himself and Flame. To find out more about her.
Maybe it was just as well the invite came up. He could step back and judge
whether he was letting himself get too emotionally involved. Although he sure
wasn’t looking forward to meeting whatever woman his sister-in-law was
determined to set him up with.

He turned on the radio to his favorite country music station
and deliberately forced his mind away from Flame and anything to do with her,
focusing instead on the job site he was heading toward.

* * * * *

By Thursday, Jen had already decided to skip Finesse for
this weekend. She was sure Tyler would be there and for her mental health, she
needed to take a break. She could feel herself drawn deeper and deeper into a
circle with Tyler. Since the day she’d finally managed to wrest herself away
from
him—okay, say it, Derek Collins—
she’d made a vow that no one would
ever have that level of power over her again. There was a big difference
between domination and total control. She’d had to learn the hard way how to
submit without completely submerging herself. Now she’d met a man with whom she
had such instant unexpected chemistry that it was taking all her discipline to
contain herself.

Worse yet, after a few sessions she was having a hard time
imagining herself with any other partners. Not good. How had this man worked
his way under her skin in such a short time? Hadn’t she learned her lesson?
Talk about being a glutton for punishment, in more ways than one.

Was Tyler expecting her this weekend? They hadn’t confirmed
anything but she’d seen him talking to Marco before he left. If she just didn’t
show up he’d be angry. Maybe even hurt. She certainly didn’t want that. She
just needed some breathing room to get her head on straight.

Grabbing her cell phone she texted the dungeon master.
Call
me when you get this message.
Because he stayed until the club closed each
night, she knew it would be early afternoon before she heard from him. Decision
made, she forcibly pushed thoughts of Tyler McMann from her mind and went back
to work, trying to focus on what was on the screen.

*****

Only supreme discipline and the knowledge that a lot of
people were paying McMann Development a great deal of money had forced Tyler to
really focus on the job site today. He’d brought the new employment paper to
Phil D’Amico, a man he’d hired frequently and one of the two he’d offered a
fulltime slot to. Then he’d hightailed it back to the office to take care of
his other hire, Lew. Tyler finally gathered the papers he’d been working with that
were spread out across his desk and tucked them neatly into a folder before
buzzing for Leah. Unlike Alex and Josh, he didn’t need his own secretary. While
they were more than willing to share theirs with him, he preferred to tap Leah
when he needed work done. Besides, she was bright and prompt and doing her best
to learn as much about the business as possible.

But even as he made notes for Leah on the folder, his mind
drifted again to Flame. Again his mind filled with images of her naked except
for that mask and those very sexy boots. He saw again her nicely rounded ass in
the air, the skin shaded pink and rose and hot red from his strokes against her
skin. Her cream slicking her pussy. He closed his eyes for a moment, again
feeling her clench around his cock as he pounded into her. Her light sandalwood
scent teasing his nostrils.

His eyes flew open as he realized his hand had drifted
toward his cock.

Jesus!

He looked quickly to make sure no one had walked into his
office while he was in fantasyland then gave himself a mental slap. What was he
doing having almost-wet dreams about some woman?

But this wasn’t just any woman. This one was special. Very
special. And it hadn’t taken much time at all for him to realize it. In all the
years since he’d embraced his Dom personality, Tyler had searched for a woman
whose taste and desire matched his. Who submitted because the exchange of
pleasure was real. Who wanted
him.

Tyler liked to think of himself as a responsible Dom, always
respectful of his subs. Some he’d been able to push harder than others. Some
were what he liked to call “professional subs”, women looking for the dominance
without a relationship. As long as he hadn’t realized that life was catching up
with him, he was good with that. But then his brothers had gotten themselves
very happily married and he’d taken a good look at where he was in his life.

And exactly where was he?

Shying away from marriage, jealous of what his brothers had
found, suddenly tired of the meaningless sessions at Finesse that relieved his
sexual tension and nothing else. Still trying to convince himself that was what
he wanted.

Until Flame.

A laugh shook him from his reverie and he turned to see Josh
standing in his doorway.

“Those quick naps are great, aren’t they?” he grinned.

Tyler frowned. “I was just thinking about something.”

“Must have been some heavy thinking.” He nodded at the
folder in Tyler’s hand. “Want me to give that to Leah? I’m on my way out. Got a
meeting with a possible new client.”

“Yeah?” Tyler lifted an eyebrow. “One day we’re busting our
balls to build a clientele and the next they seem to keep falling into our
collective lap.”

“I think we can thank Concordia for that. When you hit the
big leagues everyone wants to come along. With, by the way, appropriate credit
to our sister-in-law Olivia.”

Livy was a corporate officer at Concordia and the one Alex
worked with the most when they were creating the project. The president of the
company put a lot of stock in her opinions but they also knew she never slanted
her opinion if she didn’t believe in a project.

“Which is why,” Josh went on, “you should definitely make
yourself available for her barbecue Saturday night and be very charming to her
friend.”

Tyler twisted his lips in a wry grin. “Don’t you think I’m a
little old to be fixed up? Don’t your wives think I can get a woman on my own?”

Josh laughed. “Come on, you know that’s not it. For one
thing, I’ve discovered that all married women, especially newlyweds, want all
their friends to have the same happiness they do. And secondly, for some
reason, you’re considered quite a catch. Livy must have someone special in mind
for you.” His face sobered. “You don’t seem to date any woman more than two or
three times. We’re all a little concerned that you need to think about settling
down.”

“At thirty-six?”

“You don’t want your kids in high school when you’re
collecting Social Security, right?”

“Enough.” Tyler would have thrown up his hands if he wasn’t
holding something. “I’ll be there Saturday night and behave myself, but I’m not
bringing any engagement ring with me. Got it?”

“Got it. Want me to take that stuff to Leah?”

Tyler shook his head. “No, I’ll do it. I’ve got some more
stuff to get ready for her.”

“Okay. Don’t work too late.”

Tyler could hear Josh’s laugh all the way to the elevator.

Damn.

He rubbed his forehead. He was so fucked here. He wondered
what his brothers would say if they knew on the one hand, he was obsessing
about a gorgeous woman who hid her identity and on the other, about a woman who
could make an icehouse feel warm.

He pulled another folder from his desk and walked out to
Leah, explaining his notes to her. Then he tried to settle his mind down in his
office and go over his notes from Wyoming. There were some minor changes Alex
needed to make in the shopping village and he, Tyler, would need to adjust the
construction accordingly. In addition, they were predicting a heavy storm and
he’d urged the crews to hustle to get framing up and roofing in place so they
could work inside during the bad weather. He returned calls from two of the
site supervisors to check on progress and discuss some changes in materials
orders.

He had some serious brainwork to do but he couldn’t settle
his mind. And he hated admitting to himself that he was stalling, hoping that
he’d run into Miss Tightass when he left.

What is this, high school? Why am I such an idiot? This
is just another woman, right?

Leah rapped on his door jamb at five thirty to tell him she
was leaving and she’d have his stuff finished in the morning. Behind her he
could hear others leaving—the secretaries, the junior draftsman who did the
grunt work. Then everyone was gone and he had no excuse to stay. He certainly
wasn’t doing anything productive.