Ricochet (54 page)

oozing expensive good taste. There was a little tag

attached, with his name on it. Matt opened the

package to find a brand new silver smart phone

inside, complete with a handwritten message:

A smart phone for a smart sub. This is our latest

design. I hope you like it. SR.

Matt fingered the elegant silver edges of the

phone admiringly. He was a gadget freak and read

all the electronics magazines, so he knew this was

the highest end of a high-end range - and not due to

come on the market for another month. It was

beautiful - Rule-Tech was famous for its sleek

designs, and Rule himself was well known for his

appreciation of beautiful objects. "If it's not

beautiful then I won't sell it - or buy it," he'd once

famously said.

The driver took Matt to a place he'd only

heard about but never visited. It was an exclusive,

membership-only restaurant that was so expensive

only movie stars and rich business people dined

here. Even Matt's status as an actor on a hit TV

show hadn't garnered him an invitation.

Matt had dressed in the best suit he owned,

but even so, he felt out of place as he was escorted

to an outside terrace containing a private table, all

by itself, situated beside a pool full of koi fish.

"Matt." Rule stood up as he approached. He

was wearing another beautifully tailored suit in

charcoal grey, over a lavender shirt with a mauve

silk tie. "Thank you for joining me."

"This place… it's amazing." Matt looked

around. Over on the opposite private terrace, he

could see a dom sitting at her table with three

naked female subs kneeling beside her. Rule

followed his gaze and gave a little laugh.

"Ah, that's Camilla. She does like to display

her subs naked, but with such beautiful subs, can

we blame her?" Rule gave an amused smile.

Matt squirmed at the thought of being

displayed naked in public. "I guess not."

Rule guided him into the seat opposite his

own. "You really are very sweet - such adorable

naiveté."

Matt thought Rule had mistaken his

embarrassment at the thought of anyone ever

displaying him naked, with naiveté. He had no

objection to any dom choosing to display their sub

- or subs - in that way, if that was what they were

all into; he just never wanted it to happen to him.

"I should say thank you - for the phone," he

said, leaning back in his seat.

"You're welcome, but I have another gift for

you here." Rule motioned with his head, and Matt

saw there was a package on the plate in front of

him, wrapped in the same beautiful way as the one

in the car.

"You're being too generous," he said.

"Not at all. You're doing me a favor. Usually,

I have to dine with boring business acquaintances

when I'm in LA, and you are a far more charming

dining companion. Go on - open it." Rule nodded

at the package.

Matt opened the present to find a tiny camera

inside, exquisitely designed, as all Rule-Tech

products were.

"I thought it was appropriate, in view of how

you helped boost its sales so much," Rule said,

beckoning to a waiter who was lurking nearby so

discreetly that Matt hadn't even realized he was

there.

"Well, I didn't really do anything; I just used

it in a scene. It's a beautiful camera though."

"I like beautiful things." Rule gave him that

intense look again, making his meaning perfectly

clear.

"So - uh, you said 'while in LA' - so I assume

you don't live here?"

"No. My company HQ is in San Jose, but I'm

in LA on business frequently enough that I decided

to buy a little house in the hills, so I have a base

here," Rule replied. "I do so hate staying in hotels

- don't you?"

"Oh hell yes!" Matt smiled. "I'm a real

homebody - I get very attached to my own stuff and

my own space."

"As do I. I like everything around me to be

exactly as I want it."

"Me too!" Matt relaxed a fraction, thinking of

his neat and tidy house, where everything was

arranged to his exact liking. "That's why I hate

living out of a suitcase."

Rule smiled at him approvingly. "Matt - I

hope you don't mind, but I've taken the liberty of

ordering for us both already. You see, you

absolutely have to try the tasting menu - it's a

sample of all their best dishes, including their

signature licorice salmon."

"Licorice salmon? Really?" Matt made a

face.

"Wait until you try it," Rule told him with a

chuckle. "I also ordered a variety of wines to

complement each course." He waved his hand, and

the waiter stepped forward and poured Matt a

glass of wine. Matt took a sip, his eyes widening

as the liquid slid silkily down his throat. He took

another eager sip, and then another. "It's good, isn't

it?" Rule grinned.

"Good isn't the right word; I've never tasted

anything like it!"

"I thought you'd like it; I could tell you had

good taste. I suspect you have an uneducated

palate, but I can be your guide in that if you'll

allow me?"

Matt nodded, and Rule sat back in his chair

with a satisfied sigh.

"It's agreed then. Now, Matt, I'd like to make

my intentions clear from the outset. I'm a single,

wealthy dom, and I find that the many subs who

throw themselves at me are often more interested

in my money than me. My life can therefore be a

little lonely, at times."

"I can understand that." Matt leaned forward,

feeling a sense of empathy for this dom who had

everything except someone to love. "I get that too,

being an actor. Sometimes people don't see me for

me. They latch onto me because I'm kind of

famous."

"Then you understand my life very well."

Rule gave a wistful little smile. "You see, Matt,

I'm looking for the right sub with whom to conduct

a serious relationship. That might seem a little

heavy for a first date, but I'm a very busy man, and

I don't have the time to spend on the pleasantries

that usually prevail in these circumstances."

"Okay." Matt shifted nervously.

"Let me honest with you; I've watched your

show and taken a liking to you. Of course, I

understand that I don't know you at all, but what I

do know, I like very much - and I'd like to find out

so much more. I'm in town for the next five weeks -

which, I believe, takes us up to your hiatus?"

"Uh - yes. How did you know?"

Rule waved a hand in the air. "I make it my

business to know everything that might affect my

plans."

"And my hiatus might affect your plans?" Matt

frowned.

"Possibly. If things go well between us, and I

have every expectation that they will."

"So is this, tonight… is it kind of like an

audition?"

Rule gave him an amused look. "Yes - if you

like. I would like to declare an interest in dating

you, Matt. I believe you are free and not seeing

anyone at the moment?"

"Well, if you believe the magazines or the

people on the internet, then I'm dating Karl, or

Rick, or possibly both of them at the same time."

"And are you?" Rule raised an eyebrow.

Matt took a sip of his wine. "No," he

muttered. "I'm not." It hurt but there wasn't anything

he could do about it; Rick had made his position

perfectly clear.

Rule raised his glass to his lips and took a sip

of his drink, then dabbed at his mouth with his

napkin. There was something incredibly neat and

tidy about him, and that made Matt smile.

"Did I say something funny?" Rule asked.

"No - I was just thinking, you're kind of

fastidious. I'm like that too."

"Excellent!" Rule leaned forward, his eyes

gleaming. "An ordered mind creates an ordered

life. That's how I became so successful because I

wasn't born with my wealth, Matt. I worked hard

to make Rule-Tech the success it is today. There's

no substitute for hard work."

"I agree. My mom brought me up the same

way. I had to work hard at school, and she checked

my grades on every test to make sure I wasn't

slacking. On Sundays, we volunteered to work at

the local homeless shelter - Mom always said we

were fortunate to have a roof over our heads and

had to help others who weren't. She grew up dirt

poor, you see."

"Your mother sounds like a woman after my

own heart. My own mother insisted that I spend my

weekends working in the family business. It was a

very small affair back then - we only manufactured

pocket calculators - but I could see the future was

in technology. I had a vision, and I worked hard to

achieve it."

"I work really hard and always put 100 per

cent into everything I do." Matt felt himself

relaxing. "I think we're on the same page, Mr.

Rule… uh, I mean Sebastian."

"So do I. In fact, I think we have a lot in

common." Rule leaned forward and took Matt's

wrist in his hand, circling it. He pressed down

firmly, and Matt fought down a wave of

claustrophobia at the light sensation of bondage.

He suddenly remembered Rick doing this when

they were at Fantasia - only Rick had moved his

hand around, testing and probing the dynamic

between them and stroking gently, whereas Rule

kept his hand firmly in one position, unmoving and

unwavering.

The arrival of their food allowed Matt to

disengage with an apologetic laugh, and Rule's

eyes flashed in annoyance at the interruption.

There was only one plate; Matt glanced at the

waiter to see if he'd made a mistake, but the man

had discreetly melted away. Rule saw his anxiety

and placed a placating hand on his wrist, where

he'd previously been circling it.

"I don't want you to read anything into this,

Matt, but the food here is exquisite, and I would

like to share it with you in a very intimate way."

Rule picked up the fork, placed a tidbit of food on

it, and raised it in the air.

Matt took a sharp intake of breath. "You want

to share a plate?" A sub usually only allowed a

dom to feed him after he'd been given a permanent

collar, and they were planning a life together.

"Nothing so formal - although I hold out the

hope that one day we might reach that point." Rule

flashed him a knowing smile. "No, Matt - I simply

feel this food is best enjoyed in this way. I want

you to savor every mouthful - and I want to savor it

with you."

He held the fork up to Matt's mouth and

waited, watching Matt with those stern, grey eyes.

Matt hesitated. This was such an incredibly

intimate act, and yet it would be rude to refuse. He

didn't even know how you refused a man as

powerful as Sebastian Rule.

He opened his mouth, and Rule smiled and

pushed the fork between his lips. The food tasted

weird, but Matt didn't want to say that.

"What do you think?" Rule asked indulgently

when he'd finished chewing.

"Uh, the flavors are kind of all smushed up."

"That's a very good description. It's called

fusion cuisine; it's very fine dining. Most people

can't appreciate the nuances."

Matt thought he understood why, and after

he'd tasted the licorice salmon several courses

later, he was even more sure of it.

"How did you like that?" Rule asked, taking a

bite of the salmon himself. He leaned back, sighing

happily to himself as he chewed.

"Well, to be honest, I think there's a reason

why nobody ever put licorice and salmon together

before," Matt replied bluntly.

Rule gave a little laugh. "Like I said, we must

educate your palate, Matt! And I look forward to

doing just that." There was a hungry look in his

eyes as he spoke, and his gaze raked

appreciatively over Matt's body. "Isn't this nice?

This is how food should be enjoyed; slowly -

taking time to appreciate each mouthful - and in

exquisite surroundings, with a beautiful dining