Submission Under the Mistletoe (10 page)

“
The right Dom will come
along.”

“
Or two,” she teased.

Catching the jest, Butterfly nodded.

Flapping the invitation back and forth like a fan,
Gabriella asked, “If I decide to come can I bring someone?”

A single eyebrow lifted, and that measured look was
back again. “A new Dom?”

“
Oh, no. Just a
friend and most likely
her
Dom.”

“
That’s more than fine.” Checking
her watch, Butterfly said, “I need to get going.”

They moved back around to the front of the shop.
“Thanks, again.”

With a parting wave, Butterfly said, “You’re
welcome. Hope to see you there.”

“
So, what’s up?” Jennifer brought
out a tray of clean coffee mugs and began stacking them on the
service counter.

“
You and Dom Meyo feel like
accompanying me to a holiday party?”

“
A munch?” Excitement filled
Jennifer’s voice. “What’s the demonstration?”

“
Supposedly not. It will be a
mixed bag of guests.” Gabriella pulled out a bag of coffee beans
and poured some into the grinder.

“
Ah,” Jennifer wiped the counter
down. “I’ll asked him when I get home, I don’t see that he’d
mind.”

“
Great.” Moving to the register
when three costumers walked in, Gabriella said, “I don’t think it
is anything, but I had a strange feeling like there was more to her
invitation than was said.”

“
You’ll soon find out I’m
sure.”

“
Hopefully.” Gabriella greeted the
people before her with a smile and shoved away thoughts of the
invitation that was happening in the next two days.

~YH~

Two nights later, Gabriella stood outside the
expansive home of Butterfly and her two Doms. Even with Jennifer
and Meyo accompanying her, Gabriella’s heart was still racing with
expectations.

She could hear the muted tones of holiday music
coming from inside as she pressed the doorbell. It was easy to see
how much Butterfly must enjoy the season because her house and lawn
were tastefully illuminated with white lights and various Christmas
iconic figures. It made Gabriella think of her parent’s home. It
was how her mother decorated the house, except with multiple
colored bulbs.

“
China Doll! So glad you made it.”
Butterfly opened the door and pulled her into a hug.

Christmas music and the smell of sweets came
flooding out with the woman. Behind her stood both of her tall and
sexy Doms.

Not put off by the happy embrace, Gabriella returned
it. “Thanks for including us.” Pulling back, she said, “I’m sure
you know Dom Meyo and Pepper.”

“
Yes. Welcome to our home.”
Butterfly hugged Jennifer, but only nodded at Meyo.

Mustang and Ursus stepped forward with warm smiles
to greet Gabriella and Jennifer, but shook hands with Meyo. Even
though in an informal setting the rules were light, everyone in the
community knew a Dom didn’t touch another’s sub unless given
permission.

“
Please come in out of the cold.”
Butterfly waved them in as her two Doms began taking coats from
everyone. “I will show you all around and let you know where the
refreshments are located.”

They all followed Butterfly, who was wearing jeans
and the ugliest Christmas sweater Gabriella had ever lay eyes on.
In the spacious kitchen, there were cookies and other appetizer
style foods. A few people where mingling around in there snacking
and talking, many familiar faces.

Next, they went into a larger room that appeared to
normally be a space they used for their business. There were two
desks pushed against the wall, out of the way, and a large gold and
red decorated Christmas tree. More people were in there drinking,
laughing and having a merry time. Gabriella recognized a few
unattached Doms she’d had sessions with in the past, most now had
their own subs here with them.

She admitted to herself that she had hoped to meet
someone here that she could possibly make a connection and get
another Dom by the New Year. However, that option was looking bleak
and she didn’t really want to go back to her previous online route,
she saw where that got here with Reel.

“
I believe you all know our
evening’s bartenders.” Butterfly’s voice pulled Gabriella’s
attention back to her hostess.

Glancing at the two behind the bar, Gabriella
smiled. “Delilah, it is very good to see you again.”

The fair skinned black woman came from around the
bar stand and gave Gabriella and Jennifer a hug.

“
Nice to see you, again.” Delilah
embraced Gabriella then moved to Jennifer. “Pepper, I heard you
make the best tamales and I need to get your recipe. Dom Steel
loves Mexican food.”

“
How about we arrange a date for
dinner, then I can bring the ingredients and you can make some with
me. It’s my grandmother’s recipe and she only allows us to give it
out first hand,” Jennifer offered with a smile.

“
You got it. I’ll talk to Dom
Steel about having you all over the week after the New Year. How
does that sound?”

“
Perfect. Dom Meyo and I will look
at our calendar and confirm a date.” Jennifer’s eyes lit up with
excitement.

Gabriella listen to her the ladies chat, feeling odd
and out of place. Everyone around her had a perfect match and was
pairing up to do couples activities. She knew if she said
something, they would include her in a moment. However, she didn’t
like being in places where she was a third or fifth wheel.

“
Can I offer you all a drink?” Dom
Steel, Delilah’s husband, reached across the bar and shook Meyo’s
hand.

Meyo ordered soda, because he was driving and gave
permission to Pepper to enjoy some spiked egg nog. Not having a
concern for a Dom to permit her in what she ordered, Gabriella
ordered a red wine.

When Dom Steel handed it to her, she drank half of
it, but slowed down when she noticed the raised eyebrows of the two
Doms around her.

They really had no authority to tell her to not
drink so much, but she respected them and lowered the glass.

Turning to Pepper, she asked, “Can you come with me
into the kitchen so I can get a few bites to eat?”

Jennifer looked at her with concern then spoke to
Meyo softly asking if he needed her to bring him anything upon her
return to his side. Meyo declined food, but permitted her to leave
with a lightly kiss and released Jennifer’s hand.

Just as they were exiting the room, a big man
lugging a cooler passed by them and set it down behind Steel and
Delilah at the bar.

“
Here’s ice, Ridge and Monica,”
the man said.

Delilah didn’t catch more than the man’s side
profile, for a moment her heart stopped and she stumbled.

“
Whoa, you all right?” Jennifer
reached out a hand to her arm.

“
Um, yea…sure. I just.” The man’s
voice was off. Even though he looked a lot like Brad the timbre of
his voice was much deeper, the inflections not the same.

“
Had a little too much holiday
cheer already?” Jennifer chuckled. “Get your sea legs under you,
girl.”

“
Thanks, Brian,” Ridge, Dom Steel,
replied.

“
I plan to.” Gabriella lifted her
drink and took another liberal swig and noticed that her hands were
shaking when they walked into the kitchen. She recalled that Brad
had said he had a twin brother. What were the chances that this man
was it?

She hadn’t gotten a good look at him, but the
profile was telling. Same bald head and build. Gabriella was
standing at the aisle now, staring at the food with a loss of
appetite. The feeling she’d had the other day when Butterfly had
dropped off the invite and later as she was standing on the porch
ringing the door better, that something else was going on, was back
with a vengeance.

Stepping to Jennifer, who was filling a small plate
with cookies and barbeque covered meatballs, Gabriella laid a hand
on her arm. “Maybe we should—”

“
Brad, you can put that tray of
cocktail shrimp on that clear area on the table.” Butterfly’s voice
cut Gabriella off.

Gabriella’s ears began to ring and she swore she
could hear the blood racing through her veins to her heart speeding
it up. It can’t be.

“
Ah, here you two are.” The click
of Butterfly’s heels announced she was moving closer.

Jennifer looked up and smiled. “Hi, Butterfly, we
couldn’t resist your famous cookies any longer.”

“
Please, enjoy as much as you
want. I wanted to introduce you all to one of my brothers. His twin
is around here somewhere, so just look for a duplicate version,”
Butterfly joked.

“
Brad, this is Jennifer, she’s
also known as Pepper,” Butterfly introduced.

“
Nice to meet you. Welcome to
Charlotte.” Jennifer acknowledged him with a smile from the other
side of the island.

“
And this is China Doll, but I’m
sure she would not mind a vanilla man such as yourself calling her
…”

Knowing she would not be able to put it off any
longer, Gabriella slowly turned and stared at the man she’d allowed
to make love to her all night, two nights ago.

“
Gabriella,” Brad finished for
Butterfly, however, Gabriella noted his dark brown eyes, matching
his sister’s, were wide with surprise.

“
Glad you to know each other.
Brian is my other brother that here. No worries you can’t miss him,
because he looks just like this one.” Smiling, Butterfly patted his
arm. “They’re visiting from Baltimore.”

Brad hadn’t stopped staring at her through his
sister’s spiel.

He looked good, too good. He was wearing a winter
white sweater and charcoal slacks. She could smell his fresh and
warm spicy, scent from the three feet that parted them and she
shiver with memories of having his arms around her.

“
How are you?” His eyes soften as
his gaze caressed her face.

“
I’m fine. Just fine.” Gulping
down the last of her wine, Gabriella set it on the island. “Um,
Jennifer…I think I need some air.”

Brad reached for her as she past. “Gabriella…”

Side stepping him, Gabriella didn’t wait for her
friend to join her, she headed in the opposite direction of the
front door, where people were gathered talking, and prayed she’d
find a back door. Moving through a second living room, that was
decorated in cream and burnt orange colors, with another Christmas
tree in that room, she saw a sliding door.

With thanks, she exited out onto the back porch and
inhaled several icy breaths.

“
Wow.” Jennifer stepped up beside
her. “If I knew I’d be racing around a large house behind you I
would have thought twice about wearing these stilettos.”

Glancing down at the gold four inch heels her friend
had on her feet, Gabriella felt guilty. “Sorry, Jennifer. I just
needed to get out of there for a moment. Too many people.
Stuffy.”

Raising an eyebrow, Jennifer stared at her.

Thankfully her friend didn’t call her a liar,
Gabriella looked off into the lit backyard.

“
How do you know, Mr. Tall and
Sexy? I’m assuming he was the one you were running away
from.”

“
Figured it out did
you?”

“
Oblivious much?” Jennifer
joked.

“
Suppose so. He was the man I told
you about with Reel.” Gabriella wrapped her arms around her upper
body trying to ward off the chill. Her coat would have been nice,
but she didn’t feel like going back in to get it just
yet.

“
The one you submitted to and used
to get released from Reel the Jerk.”

Gabriella shot her friend a look and noticed
Jennifer had her hands cupped around her mouth warming them.

“
Hey, I call them how I see
them.”

Not seeing a reason to deny the label, Gabriella
stared up at the star filled sky.

“
There seemed to be a lot of
attraction between you and Mr. Tall and Sexy. Any
chance—”

“
He’s not Do—…in the lifestyle.”
She was going to say that Brad wasn’t Dom material but her mind
played back the night they had sex. How he held her, commanded her
and took her to a pleasure she’d never experienced
before.

“
If there’s this much connection
between the two of you maybe you should consid—”

“
Gabriella.” Brad pushed open the
sliding door and stepped out onto the porch.

Jennifer glanced from him to Gabriella. “Um, Dom
Meyo is probably looking for me. I’m heading back in.”

Her friend turned and headed into the house.

“
I’ll go back in with you.” She
started to move past Brad.

He placed a hand on her arm, and waited until she
lifted her gaze to his. “Please don’t. I want to talk to you.”

Waving Jennifer on, she turned back to the yard.

“
You look very pretty tonight,”
Brad began. “I especially like your top.”

There was no need for her to look down she knew he’d
figured out that the long white men’s shirt she was wearing was
his. She’d cinched it at the waist with a wide read belt and even
though the tails of the shift came mid-thigh she wore black slacks
under it. Low pumps finished it off.

On a whim she had put it on tonight, enjoying the
subtle scent of him still left on it. Now, she realized it had been
a foolish choice. “Sorry, I thought about returning it. I just
hadn’t gotten around to it.”