ReclaimedSurrender (4 page)

That was the first time he’d put his hand under her chin.
The first time he’d drawn her gaze up to meet his. The first time he’d looked
into her eyes and whispered a command that made her lightheaded and breathless.
“Open your legs for me.”

That was it. He told her to do it and she did it and from
that moment on her life was never the same.

Too bad it hadn’t stayed that way.

By the time her thirty minutes was up she was ready to face
the numerous problems scattered on her desk. She also had a clear idea of what
she was going to send in her text to Rene at eleven.

At eleven on the dot she typed it.

Our fifth date in the movie theater you leaned over and
whispered to me to open my legs. I did and you put your hand on my thigh so
that your fingers curled between my legs and you kept that solid hold of me for
the rest of the movie.

She sent that text and tried to concentrate on work, but if
she thought it was tough before it was even tougher now. She kept recalling
that night in the theater. When Rene’s quiet command had washed over her in a
heated rush. It was the first time any man had been bold enough to order her to
do something like that and she’d liked it. Hell, she’d loved it and from that
one small exchange a whole new and exciting world opened up to her. She often
wondered how he’d known this about her. Whenever she asked him, he was always
evasive and noncommittal and she’d put it down to a lucky shot in the dark…but
was it? She didn’t have much time to ponder because she needed to stay on task
and work out her next text to him. What happened after the night in the
theater…?

She remembered feeling as if she were floating on a cloud of
heightened sexual awareness. Buoyed by that small dominant claiming for two
full weeks until Rene had invited her back to his condo. She’d been jittery and
totally primed thinking that he was going to seduce her and maybe now she’d get
to experience with him some of the fantasy stuff she’d been dreaming about. But
even her fantasies had short-changed the reality.

She put her pen down on the desk and closed her eyes. Again,
her first thought was that he’d smelled so good that night wearing the cologne,
that she never questioned his silence. Not when they’d parked in the
underground, not when they’d walked to the elevator and not when they’d gone
through his door without speaking. It hadn’t been an uncomfortable silence.
Quite the opposite. He seemed pleased that she hadn’t tried to fill up the
solitude with chatter and gauging that to be true was probably the first time
she’d consciously accepted that she liked to please him.

“Come here,” he’d said. It wasn’t exactly an order, she
recalled, but neither were the words soft and inviting. They were
matter-of-fact. Not strong or weak, which she’d later learn was more powerful
and effective than gentle commands or firm suggestions.

He’d sat on the couch and pulled her down on his lap so she
straddled his thighs, facing him. When she’d leaned in to kiss him he’d stopped
her. “No.”

He never moved. He only waited for her to relax and accept
his denial. When she had he’d opened her blouse and undone her bra. Lifting it
out of the way so she was bared for his view. He’d done nothing more than stare
at her breasts for several long moments. He didn’t touch. He didn’t talk. Which
had fired all kinds of emotions inside her that night.

At first she’d been uncomfortable and wary, but the longer
she stayed that way, exposed and vulnerable, the easier it was to accept. Until
her fear and embarrassment had quickly been replaced by a swell of exhilaration
as he’d quietly ordered, “Put your arms behind your back and grasp my knees.”
When she’d complied he’d whispered, “Arch your back, Alexis. That’s good. A
little more…”

No.

She shook her head and opened her eyes, effectively cutting
off those heated images. Taking a cleansing breath, she looked down at the
front of herself and wanted to cry. The sight of her fully erect nipples was
not encouraging. He was pulling her in and she was powerless to do anything
about it.

At noontime she knew what she was going to send.

The first time we went back to your condo you didn’t ask
or even speak. You just pulled me onto your lap and undid my blouse. Then you
played with my breasts, with your hands, until my nipples were hard and sore
and I was breathless.

At quarter to one her phone buzzed. She checked the text.

Take the time for lunch. Go down to Tia’s and grab a
salad. Or, if you prefer, some of your work buddies eat at Santo’s. You could
join them there, but I want you to eat!

Reading the word “buddies” reminded her of other friends.
His friends and the night in the maze when he’d finally given her the relief
she was after. He’d let her lead the way through the manicured hedges, smiling
and teasing her each time she’d made a wrong turn. She’d wanted so badly to
find the center to show him she could, but it never happened. Instead after
twenty minutes when she’d reached another dead end, she’d given up and asked
him for his help. Instead of lording it over her, like she’d figured he would,
he hauled her up for a kiss that took her breath away and made her knees weak.

Then while she’d stood there, dazed and thrilled in his
arms, he’d hugged her up tight and said, “I will always help you. All you have
to do is ask.”

That promise had warmed her to the core as he led her
through the hedging, commenting as they’d moved. “You have a tendency to make
right-hand turns. This is not the best approach when you’re trying to negotiate
a labyrinth that’s purposely constructed to confuse.”

In no time at all they’d reached the center and that’s when
he’d pulled her up against him. Her back was to his front as he’d held on to
her tight. “I like my hands on you,” he’d said.

She’d admitted to him she liked it when he touched her.

“Tell me. Where? Where do you want my hands?”

She hadn’t known how to answer him. If she’d said on her
breasts that wouldn’t have been enough, but if she’d said between her legs, it
might have been too forward of her. That night she’d opted for the generic,
“Anywhere.”

He’d curled down over her. “Where?” His mouth was positioned
against her right ear. “Do you like this?”

His hands had made short work of her blouse. It was
untucked, unbuttoned and opened by the time she’d gathered enough strength to
answer, “Yes.”

“How about here?” He hadn’t wasted any time when he’d
slipped his hand down the front of her linen pants and cupped her.

“Yes.”

“Closer?”

“Yes.”

“Say it.” All the while during this exchange he’d kneaded
her flesh through her undies until she was nothing but putty in his hand.

“I want you to touch me. Put your fingers on my skin.”

“Very good, Alexis.” He slid his hand inside her panties and
she groaned when he ordered, “Lean into me and bring your arms up. Lock them
around my neck.”

When she’d obeyed, he’d gone to work. Over and over again
she’d nearly come. He’d bring her to the brink each time, and then still all
movement. After the third time, she’d cried, “Please don’t stop.”

“Why?”

“I-I want to…”

“Say it.”

“To come.”

“Ask for permission.”

Maybe if he hadn’t started to move his clever hand again.
Maybe if he’d remained silent and hadn’t whispered hot and encouraging words
into her ear that night, she wouldn’t have done it. She wouldn’t have asked.
Begged.

“May I come? Please?”

She’d barely gotten out that last word when her whole world
had fallen apart in the best and most intense way possible.

At one o’clock she sent her next text to him.

The night in the garden maze. At your friend’s house, you
pulled me up against you. With my back against your front you slipped your hand
down my pants. When I almost came you held me off and told me to ask your
permission first. I did.

That hypersexual awareness was back with a vengeance.
Humming along her nerve endings and occupying her every thought. Alexis knew
she shouldn’t be relishing these sensations, but she was. Hadn’t Rene laid a
good foundation with her? Yes, and that was the problem. She’d loved their
special relationship. She’d come to almost worship it and getting married and
talking about starting a family had ruined everything. Those things were
normal. She could never have normal with him when she wanted anything but that.

She groaned.

Then a few minutes later she reluctantly went down to Tia’s.
Not that she wanted to eat at the moment, but Rene wanted her to, so she would.
As she walked by a bustling Santo’s restaurant she stopped at the door and
searched through the glass front to see if Rene was right. Did some of the guys
from the office eat down here? She’d never been asked, which wasn’t so strange.
She and Michael had a reputation for being workaholics so they’d probably
skipped the invite knowing that the dynamic duo, or so they’d been dubbed,
would decline. Finding no one she knew at first glance, she’d just turned away
when that familiar laugh made her swing around and take a second look.

Yep, right in the very far corner a group of people from the
office sat drinking their coffees. Lunch for them had been over some time ago,
as most of their plates had been cleared. In fact, two of the women were
enjoying dessert, which was all good, except there at the head of the table,
looking very comfortable and very relaxed, was Michael.

And although she told herself, as she picked up a Cobb salad
and headed back upstairs, it was better that he hadn’t invited her, she still
felt left out. No, it was better to keep some distance between them, at least
for now. Something was bugging her though. Something about the way he sat at
the head of the table. Like a grand master presiding over a parade. Why hadn’t
she noticed this kind of arrogance from him before?

At close to two o’clock she was debating on whether to press
send or not. She read her text back.

After I came that night in the maze, you told me I was a
good girl and deserved a reward because I pleased you. You slipped two fingers
inside me and found my G-spot. You drove me wild, over and over again until I
begged you to let me come again.

Should she send it? She closed her eyes and bit her lip. It
was… Her eyes popped opened. Screw it. She pressed send and tossed her stupid
phone on the desk. All this remembering those old times was really getting the
best of—

Buzz.

She frowned and snatched it up.

That’s fifty-one words, Alexis. Redo it the way I want it
done.

“Dammit.” Her face flushed and she swallowed. In her worry
over whether to send or not she’d forgotten to check the word count. Her hands
shook as she typed one word.

Sorry.

She stuffed her hair behind her ears and redid the message
without the “again” attached. When her phone buzzed a minute later she was
almost afraid to look.

Good girl.

A heady rush of euphoria swept through her and she wasn’t
surprised. Didn’t she always want to be Rene’s good girl? Even after what he’d
done, she still ached to do what he told her to do. She desperately wanted the
freedom of not being in control, but she had to remind herself that she
couldn’t trust him anymore, no matter how much she wanted to.

At three o’clock she stopped working and sent her next text.

The night in my front hall, when you ordered me to strip
and get down on my knees in front of you. You fisted my hair and asked me if I
wanted your cock in my mouth. You made me say the words. I want your cock in my
mouth.

Hot and familiar tingles prickled her breasts and the sweet
spot between her legs. She shifted in her seat, trying hard to stay focused on
work, but her mind wandered as scintillating visuals hounded her.

Buzz.

She checked the text.

You don’t mind saying those words, do you? Because you
love kneeling at my feet. You crave my cock between your lips…all your lips.
Don’t you?

There was no hesitation on her part and she knew why. He’d
finally reached in deep enough and somehow managed to stroke a part of her she
couldn’t turn off. The piece of her that belonged to him in some unseen way.
The girl who wanted to please him no matter how mad she was at him. With an
excited shiver she answered him in a way that would make him happy.

Yes. I love kneeling between your legs and sucking your
cock. I do crave you inside me.

She hadn’t put her cell down, so when it buzzed she read his
message,
That makes me happy, little one,
and a liquid pool of desire
gushed right over that sweet spot, soaking her panties as she pressed her legs
together.

Four o’clock arrived and she was dying to send this text,
which was inspired by the recollections of the last one.

The afternoon on the couch at your house. When you played
with me for far too long until I cried and begged you to fuck me for the first
time and you did. You whispered in my ear, “I want to feel you as I go all the
way in”.

She waited for him to answer back. But when he didn’t, she
went through her messages until she realized the only two times he responded
was once to correct her and the other time was when she mentioned something she
did to him that turned her on. Now she was dying to see if she could get him to
respond to her next time. She could barely wait until five.

At quarter to five her cell went off. She read his directive
to change, send her last text to him at five and then leave work at five
fifteen and go to Morelly’s for a drink. She hadn’t met him after work at a bar
since they’d had their fight. She was actually looking forward to it and since
she’d had the foresight to change earlier, she had nothing to do until five but
work out her last text to him.