Taking Chances (4 page)

“I love the Bulls. I watch as many of their games as
I can.” The change of subject began working its magic. She released some
tension from her shoulders and relaxed into the conversation.

“They’re looking good this year.” He tilted his head,
and his brows rose a bit.

“I know, right? I usually get some barbecue on my
way home, and now I’ll have to figure something else out.” She attempted to look
put out. Her jutting bottom lip might not have pulled it off.

“Maybe I’ll have to make it up to you?” he said with
a smirk.

“I think that’s the least you can do.”
 
She reached her finger out and poked him in
the chest.

Her smile disappeared when he took hold of her
finger. It must have been contagious, because his face lit up. She tried to
yank her finger from his grasp, but it seemed to only encourage him to increase
his hold.

“Hey, you let go.” She laughed and continued
struggling to regain control over her finger. His amused expression made her
giggle, but in the next second it was gone and his stern business face
returned.

“Okay, sorry, but don’t poke me. Next time, I might
not be willing to let go.”

His expression confused her. His pinched brows
warned her off, but the glow in his eyes tempted her to push back.

“Oh, really?”

“Yeah.”
His
brow softened, as did his posture.

He had done a terrible job of discouraging the
poking. They sat there shaking their heads at each other like high-school kids.
She made a mental note to poke him again as soon as the situation warranted.

Wait a minute. What was she thinking? Seduction wasn’t
her style. Her stomach quivered, warning her to be cautious. When did she ever do
anything outside of her comfort zone? Ah, never.

She had to get out of the room. Her nerves were on a
one way ticket. She refused to have a panic attack at work and not in front of
Jake. Peace and quiet were what she needed, a moment to think through her
actions. The alternative would be a hot mess.

“I’m going to wash my hands,” she said calmly,
hoping Jake didn’t hear the shakiness in her voice. “I’ll be right back.” She
rushed from the room.

****

He’d scared her. He knew it for certain. It wasn’t
what she said as she left, but he wasn’t listening to what she said. Her face
said it all. She’d shut him out.

The Dom in him ached to get out and not simply
because he found her attractive. Something in her demeanor pulled on him and commanded
him to push her limits. His hand smacked the table as frustration swept through
his body. It was hard to ignore his instincts. Even now he wanted to go to her and
help. God help him, he wanted to touch her again. His rules demanded he rein in
exactly those kinds of thoughts.

While she was gone he’d take advantage of the quiet
space and lock his rules in place. He made each rule for a specific reason.
Women shouldn’t find their Dom at work. Even if a fire had ignited in Lydia with
his dominant nature at a low hum, it didn’t mean she would desire it at a
higher level. Surprise wiggled its way past his frustration at the tick of
disappointment.

Curious.

Any chance of Jake having a vanilla life got left
behind long ago. The string of failed relationships in his early twenties had each
ended when he pushed the girl too far. Lucky for him, he worked for Keller. The
man had a talent for helping you get out of your own way. Once the boss tested
the water and found you open, he wasn’t shy in talking about his needs, which
helped Jake to talk about his own. Thank God, he’d passed Keller’s little test.
Having the flood gates open had released the bar weighing him down.

During Jake’s second month working for Keller he was
taken to Club Voyage. Keller practically held his hand in explaining the life
style, but it only took one look to know it was where he belonged. The instant
connection took self-doubt from his shoulders. Now he understood he was not a
cruel man. His needs made him different, not cruel. In the club, he found women
who craved his domination. He would always be grateful for the acceptance he
found at the club.

He loved the club and the safe place it provided those
desiring a kinky lifestyle. He could be himself and not worry about shocking
the women he approached. Sure, he wanted to dominate them, but he didn’t want
to hurt or scare them.

He used to have dreams of finding the one, the one
who understood him,
the
one who would crave his
domination, and be strong on her own. She existed, but did he deserve that kind
of happiness? He doubted it. He’d inevitably destroy it anyhow. He made his
third rule to spare them any pain he’d inevitably cause.

Friday nights at the club fulfilled his needs. A different
sub
each week, no strings, no commitment, simple. The third
rule had a problem he hadn’t been expecting. Simple could become boring. Taking
on a woman, like Lydia, and teaching her the lifestyle could be a thrill. He
could train her to be his. A soft spot tingled to life in his chest. He used to
want one woman in his life. One he could love. One he could adore. One he could
share a life. Was he ready to change his rules?

His father had married too young, and Jake and his
mother paid for the mistake. Boredom wouldn’t be Jake’s reason for settling down,
or he risked it also being the reason he tore his family apart.

His thoughts were madness. Lydia couldn’t be the one
for him.

He knew just how to prove himself right. His dominant
side itched to get out anyway. He would ease off on the reins and give her a little
scare. Seeing Lydia scared by the very thing he desired would kill him and
drive the woman clear of his fantasy. It was a desperate man who willingly
tried to scare a woman, a decision he feared he’d regret.

Lydia’s vanilla nature would help prove him right, and
then he would let go of his fascination. The plan was simple and fool proof, as
well as quite possibly, stupid. He couldn’t wait to get started.

****

She rushed down the hall. What was she running from?
Certainly not Jake.
She stormed into the community bathroom,
grabbed hold of the counter and stared into the bottom of the sink. Big gulps
of air were yanked into her lungs, and she tried to calm her body and ultimately
her nerves.

With her body relaxing, she dragged her gaze to her
reflection in the mirror. She refused to see a scared little girl. She wouldn’t
back down from the intensity racking her body. The emotions felt loose and
exotic, but no one ever got through her shield. Strict control was her pattern.
She had been around attractive men before, so she knew it wasn’t the physical creating
this new unruly feeling. What had just happened? What made her reaction
different?

Whatever it was, she was unprepared for it to happen
again. She needed to get a grip on her thoughts. She couldn’t run to the
bathroom every time she got uncomfortable.

She could admit one thing right now. She’d had more
fun and excitement in the last few hours than she had in a long time. She was uncomfortable,
but she liked it. Never had she gone outside of her comfort zone. Structure was
Lydia’s way. She wrote technical instructions for a living for goodness’ sake.

Jake made it easy for her to leave the comfort zone.
She teased him on instinct, shocking. He might not let go next time. She wanted
to go back and tease him again. She craved his touch, and wanted more than a
simple touch of his finger.

She’d talked more in the last few hours than in all
of the last week. The most fascinating part was how normal she felt around him.
All her ridiculous worries seemed to fly out the door. He listened to her
ideas. Living in a box had always been her way. Maybe it was time for some
change?

Change would bring on a new round of getting let down.
If she was expecting the let down, would it be easier to handle?

The bathroom door swung open, and Anne walked in. Lydia
pushed her shoulders back and down and washed her hands. The soap smelled similar
to cinnamon and spice this week, and it brought her warm comfort.
Spice.
That’s what she needed, a spice-filled life. An ache
of desire pumped through her.

“How are things working out with Jake?” Anne stepped
to the sink next to her.

“What? Oh, right, pretty well.” Anne probably did all
kinds of things to spice up her life. However, she was certain Anne knew about
not going after what you wanted. Lydia believed Anne had a thing for Keller.

“Anne, would you ever tell a man how you feel? I
mean, would you say something before you knew for certain he returned your
feelings?”

“Our situations are different.” Anne trailed off into
thought. “I don’t think you have to worry about your feelings not being
returned.”

“What?”

“The two of you have been in that room for what, two
hours? You both are already flustered. My only concern now is neither of you
will act.” Anne turned to fluff her hair.

Lydia was completely taken off guard by Anne’s
opinions. Her mind focused on one thought. They were both flustered. She could
vouch for her part, but what about Jake?

“Lydia, just do me a favor,” Anne said, giving up on
her hair. She turned to Lydia and grasped her shoulders. “Follow your
instincts. Don’t pass up on your chance at adventure.” She gave Lydia one last
reassuring squeeze and left as quickly as she entered.

Anne was trying to help her. She did love learning
from others. Lydia might not be ready for adventure, but she wasn’t going to
block her way.

Not anymore.

****

Lydia attempted to sneak back into the room. Jake
leaned against the window sill, hands folded across his chest and a sneer on
his face. Why would he be mad?

“Sorry, I just needed a second. I’m ready to get back
to work now.”

“I think you’ve been holding out on me.”

He was mad. “I’m not sure what you’re talking about?”

“You seem to have a firm grasp on what we’ve been
doing wrong here. You should have come forward before today and helped the
team. Why didn’t you come to me?”

“Well, I … I’m not sure.” She twisted the ring on
her finger. The few times she’d started to mention a concern, someone told her
not to worry. Her answer sounded like an excuse, so she stood silent.

“You know you can come to me for anything, right?” He
stood and stalked towards her.

“Yeah, well, sure, I guess. To be honest…”

“That’s all I’m asking for.” He stopped in front of
her and tilted her chin up with his finger.

“Next time, I’ll come to you.” She searched his expression.
It seemed to be saying more. She bit her lower lip and held her breath in an
attempt to hold onto the shared moment. “Is there anything else, Jake?”

And there it was again, his eyes darkening into deep
erotic pools of promise. She wanted to watch him for the rest of eternity. Heat
rolled off his body, seeped into her, and pulled her closer. His hand, still
under her chin, snaked around to cup her nape locking her in place. Her breasts
pressed into his chest. She wouldn’t deny her need to be touched. He removed
the last smidge of space between them and pressed his hard length into her belly.

“The Bulls, huh?”

Her heart pounded. “Yes, the Bulls.”

“How about we finish up here, I’ll help you figure
out something for dinner, and we can unwind watching the game. Would that be
acceptable?”

“Sounds perfect.”

He squeezed her nape once more, let go, and walked away.
She remained rooted to the spot, unable to let go of the moment.

She had a date with a man. Not just any man. She had
a date with Jake. Her head told her not to get too far ahead of herself, and
why would she? Watching the game was a logical way to wind down. Were they really
going to watch basketball?

His actions told her he didn’t think of her as one
of the guys. His expression asked she think different. His body demanded she
think different. Pressed up against her, he felt delicious, and she yearned for
more.

When she remained rooted to the spot, he returned to
her side. His hand took hold of hers. They both looked down as their fingers intertwined.
A humming filled her whole body with contentment. She felt at home in his firm grasp.
His thumb caressed the back of her hand. Her knees threatened to soften, but
her shoulders straightened fueling her strength.

She tugged on his hand and dragged him back to the
table. “Let’s get back to work so we can get out of here.”

“I like the way you think.”

It dawned on Lydia. She was strong all on her own. Her
resume showed a climbing career, one she built on her own. All her hard work
allowed her to stand next to Jake today and help him. She felt stronger than
ever. Thanks to her father, she knew how to stand on her own two feet. Challenging
new experiences, like today, made her think of him. Her heart still bore the
black mark from his leaving. The mark reminded her to not count on anyone, but
herself.