Tempered by Her (2 page)

Chapter Three

I followed Cole into his office, adjusting the beginnings of a bulge in
my dress pants as images of having Raquel spread eagle on my bed, tied to the
four posts, flashed through my mind. Tasting every damn inch of her skin would
leave a pink flush behind same as my flustering her in the office always did.
Hardening her nipples. Parting those full lips that tempted me like no other. I
wanted her like I’d never wanted another person before. Craved her like a
fuckin’ junkie needing the ultimate high.

I plopped into the closest chair and focused on my older brother as he
settled behind his desk.

“Keep your hands off her,” he said, like the kill-joy, hard-nosed jerk
he’d been since our childhood.

I lounged back, ankles crossed. “Don’t want to.”

“
Goddamnit
, Zane.” Cole slapped his hand on
the desk, Italian temper flaring to life in blue eyes we’d both inherited from Mom.
“She’s not the type of girl you can just fuck and forget.” He drew a deep
breath and sighed it out while peering at me as though exasperated with a
teenage son. A look I was well familiar with.

Catholic guilt pricked as it always did whenever Papa or Cole gave me
those eyes, and I glanced away, my gaze settling on the rain-splattered window
overlooking Boston’s downtown. “Yeah, I know. Can’t stop thinking about her
though. Driving me fuckin’ insane.”

“Go to one of your clubs with Theo. Spend a weekend flogging or fucking
everything with two legs. It’s always worked before.”

I turned my attention back on Cole and caught a hint of pity in his
eyes. “Tried countless times since I first saw her. Isn’t working.”

Lips pursed, Cole shook his head. “Why her? What’s the draw?”

I could have gone on about her hot, big tits, tiny waist, and round ass—never
mind her naturally submissive attitude that made my dominant side hungry for a
taste—but thoughts I’d been trying to squash for months filled my mind and
unintentionally slid past my damn lips.
 
“She’s everything I’m not.” I shifted and re-crossed
my ankles. Might as well throw it all out. “Innocent. Good. Kind and
compassionate.”

Cole’s gaze bore into me but held no judgement. “The kind of woman who
might tame you. Temper what Papa calls your wild ways.”

He hit the problem spot on, but I shrugged a shoulder. She scared the
shit out of me, but fuck if I couldn’t help myself from wanting her. We sat in
silence for a few seconds, Raquel’s phone a muffled ring behind the closed
door.

“You’ve always followed your heart, but please tread with care for once,”
Cole finally said, his voice low and full of resignation.

I opened my mouth to spill the rest of my guts, how I’d never be
content with a vanilla life, but his cell dinged. He grabbed it off the desk,
glanced at the screen, and grinned. Only one person brought that kind of
happiness to Cole’s face.

“How’s married life treating you?” I asked as he texted a response.

“Never been better.”

I couldn’t contain my sarcastic grin. “Yeah, but it’s only been four
months. Give it time.”

“You’re just a jealous bastard.” Cole put his phone down and leaned
forward, crossing his arms on his desk.

“The fuck I am.”

His brow rose.

I shifted in the damn chair again. “So what’s new with Bastian?”

A wry smirk accompanied Cole’s settling back as he smoothed down his
red power tie. “He told me he plans on heading to Tennessee this week.”

“Can’t believe Papa’s letting him open another store in that
God-forsaken place. You know he and Eve are looking to build a log cabin and
start up some Permaculture or whatever it is farm?”

“The kid’s nuts.”

“Yeah, but if you could see how happy he is.” Jealousy burned in my gut.

“What makes you happy?”

My gaze snapped back to Cole, but I hesitated before answering. “Not
sure anymore.”

His blue eyes studied me, doubtless reading right into my soul as he
seemed to do with ease. “Maybe it’s time for a change.”

Change. The word left a sour taste in my mouth. I grimaced. “I doubt
she’d give me a chance to change even if I wanted to.”

Raquel’s phone rang again, her greeting low and muffled. The thought of
a vanilla life sent a shudder through me. No fuckin’ way it’d last, and there
was no way in hell I’d ever be able to change. For any woman.

I pulled a memory stick from the inside of my suit coat pocket and
tossed it to Cole. “New graphics for the promotional we talked about at last
week’s board meeting.”

“What? You actually worked over the weekend?” Cole laughed as I
shrugged again.

“Couldn’t sleep last night.”

“Uh huh.” He popped the stick into his laptop and chuckled.

I strained to make out Raquel’s murmuring, wishing like hell I was a
fly on her wall, able to stare at her all day long.

Goddamn
. I scrubbed my hands down my face, my mind a
fuckin’ see-saw of indecision.

“You never know, Zane. Maybe she is the one.”

Lips pursed, I considered my brother’s words. “She’s so pure, and I’m” —I
glanced down at my suit pants and shined Gucci’s— “not so pure.”

“Ever think she might find a little kink enjoyable?”

She portrayed natural submissive tendencies, but I laughed, hands
sprawling on my thighs. “Yeah right. The first time I try to shove a plug up
her ass, she’ll be running for the hills with her Pollyanna principles blown to
shit.”

He shrugged. “You don’t know that.”

“She probably thinks I’m going to burn in hell for my sick ways.
Probably thinks I sport a pair of horns, too. No way in hell she’d ever let me
leave a handprint on her ass or stripes across her thighs.”

Cole’s cell dinged again, but he ignored it. “Never thought I’d say
this, but ask her out to dinner. Get to know her outside of the office—without
touching her.”

“If I ever got her alone there’d be a whole lot of touching going on.
Wouldn’t be able to resist.
Papa’d
kill me if I took an
employee out.”

“Not like you haven’t done it before. Or Theo for that matter.” Cole’s
chuckle made me grin. “And, you both are very much alive.”

“True. Very, very true.”

Chapter Four

I stood by the copier, my back to Cole’s door when I heard it pull
open. Feigning focus on setting up a large brochure job, I listened as Zane bid
his brother goodbye and the door closed.

No footfalls reached my straining ears. Awareness prickled a second
before the scent of wintergreen and Zane’s musky aftershave swarmed my senses,
tensing my body.

“Have dinner with me.”

I closed my eyes, torn and dying inside from having to decline again.
“I can’t,” I said with a squeak.

“Just dinner. I promise I won’t touch you.” His breath caressed my
neck, bringing the throb between my thighs back to life. “Unless you want me
to.”

Therein lay the problem. I was way too tempted, like Eve with the
forbidden fruit. “You’re evil.”

Zane laughed, and the energy zinging my skin backed off. I managed to
draw an easier breath and turned, papers clutched to my chest.

“Have dinner with me,” he said again, the smile fading from his lips.

“I can’t.”

“You mean you
won’t
.”

I nodded, smoothing back my hair, a nervous tick I’d picked up whenever
in his presence.

Laughter glinted in his eyes, but the kind that sent shivers racing
down my spine. Cocky, confident glee that let me know he knew exactly what I really
wanted.

“See you tomorrow, gorgeous.”

He sauntered away, and I let out my held breath.

****

Two weeks later, and still sticking to my guns when it came to Zane
Risso, I took the plunge and signed a year lease with my best friend Jenny.
After twenty-four years of living at home, I decided it was time to pull up my
big girl panties and move out.

I was ready to stretch my legs. Become my own woman. Not that I had any
intentions of boozing it up or whoring around. My parents taught me better.

“So, did Zane demand you go out to dinner with him again today?”

I glanced up from the box of plates I was unpacking. Jenny’s black eyebrow
raised along with her smirk across the table where she unwrapped extra mugs my
mother had given to us. “Yes.”

“Every day for the past two weeks. You’ve got to give him credit for
being persistent.”

“I suppose.” I sighed and pulled out another plate.

“It’s Friday night.” Jenny slapped her palm on the table we’d found at
the local Goodwill store, her dark eyes twinkling with mischief. “Our first
night as independent women. Let’s go out.”

“Out? Like where?”

She shrugged, taking in my paint-splattered T-shirt. A sideways smirk
put me on edge. “Let’s go get a drink.”

“What?”

Her grin widened. “You know. A drink.”

I placed the plate back down. “As in alcohol?”

“Why not?”

“We don’t drink.”

“What you mean is we
haven’t
.”

I chewed the inside of my lip while clutching the box’s top flaps.

“Come on,
Raq
. One drink to celebrate.”

Glancing around at the piles of boxes waiting for our attention
overwhelmed my already exhausted mind. Just her and I. We could sit in a quiet,
dark corner, and no one would be the wiser. My lips twitched. “Oh, why not. I
always wanted to try sex on the beach.”

Jenny’s laughter rang in my ears.

I feared I’d agreed to the beginning of my demise, but that didn’t stop
me from pulling on jeans and a sweater, and following her out the door a
half-hour later.

We walked through a light dusting of snow to
Dominicks
,
a corner bar two blocks up the street. My neck tingled the entire time as
though someone watched me. Probably my guardian angel with a disproving frown.

The bar was packed, loud, and smelled like greasy burgers and fries. My
mouth watered as I followed, head down, after Jenny who nabbed a table against
the far wall. She slid onto the high-backed stool, facing the room, giving me a
view of the framed 8x10s of celebrities who’d visited and partied with the
locals.

“Louder than I thought it’d be,” Jenny said, her voice raised.

“Yeah.”

A bleached blonde, breasts spilling from her tight halter top, stopped
beside us. “What can I get for ya?”

“Two sex on the beach, please,” Jenny said, grinning ear to ear.

The waitress left us, and I frowned. “Our first time out and we don’t even
get carded.”

“Kinda disappointing.”

“Yeah.” I angled my chair to check out the rest of the place. A guy at
the neighboring table smiled at me, but I ignored him, filling my eyes with
scenes I’d only ever read about. Grinding couples bumped in front of the stage
and live band. Loud drunks laughed and slurred their words a few feet away
while the bartender tossed bottles in the air before pouring with a flourish.

A tall, dark-haired man walked in and scanned the crowd until his gaze met
mine.

I gasped and turned back toward Jenny, my heart thumping.

“What?”

“Zane Risso,” I squeaked and tilted my head toward the entrance.

Jenny’s eyes widened. “Holy crap! That is
Zane
?”

I nodded, my throat too tight to swallow. Of all the places Jenny
insisted we sneak out to, and it had to be one of his haunts.

“Glory hallelujah that man is hot.” Her gaze roamed over my shoulder as
though tracking his movements. “Oh, good Lord.” She gasped.

“What?”

“He’s staring at you and coming straight toward us.”

Good Lord was right. Every cell in my body flared to life, and I froze,
fingers digging into the small purse on my lap.

“Hello, gorgeous.”

His voice poured over me like warm caramel sauce, making my tongue want
to dart out for a taste. I forced my neck to turn. “Mr. Risso.” I sounded
desperate for air, like I’d just finished the Boston Marathon.

“How many times do I have to tell you
it’s
Zane?
Please.” He lifted his gaze to Jenny, his expression bland as though he wasn’t
moved by her Latin beauty as most men from our church and singles group seemed
to be.

“My friend, Jenny,” I remembered to say.

“Zane Risso.” He stretched out his hand to my silent, staring friend.

She grasped his hand, visibly gulping.

“Jenny’s kind of shy,” I said as her cheeks tinged pink.

“This seat taken?” Zane asked while sliding onto the stool beside me.

“It is now.” I tucked my hair behind my ears, unsure what else to say
or do.

“You ought to wear your hair down like that at work,” Zane said, his
sensual voice making me shift.

Our waitress returned and sat our drinks down. She turned a dazzling
smile on Zane. “What’ll be, handsome?”

He stared at me, and I fiddled with the edge of my sweater. “Sam
Adams.”

She moved away without another word.

“Thanks for the compliment, but … uh … you broke our waitress’s heart.”
My shaky laugh betrayed my nervousness.

“Not interested in her, so why give false hope?” He glanced at our
glasses. “What are you drinking?”

I pulled the glass toward me and sniffed, wrinkling my nose. “Sex on
the beach.”

He choked on laughter. “Your first drink, isn’t it?”

My face heated. “Yes.”

“Raquel Hawkins is about to corrupt herself.” He turned toward Jenny
with a grin. “
Your
doing?”

Face still red, my friend returned his smile. “Yes, and it’s about
time. For both of us.” She lifted her glass as the waitress placed a bottle
before Zane and moved off. “A toast. To the corruption of our souls,” Jenny
said, giggling.

We all clinked together, Zane’s “amen” not lost on my ears.

“Since you’re determined to ruin your soul,” Zane said after swallowing
a mouthful of his beer, “have dinner with me tomorrow night, Raquel.”

I shook my head and sipped from my straw again, although the taste
about gagged me.

Jenny peered at me, eyebrows raised with a “what the hell are you
saying no for?” in her eyes.

An exaggerated sigh puffed from his luscious-looking lips, and I stared.
I couldn’t help myself. Jenny kicked me under the table.

“We got our own place,” she said. “Signed the lease two days ago.”

“Close by?” Zane angled toward me on his stool, one arm draped across
the high-back.

I swallowed down more of my disgusting drink and cringed. “Two blocks.”

“Must be nice to finally be out on your own.”

“Yeah.”

Zane leaned onto the table, crossing his arms. “So what other plans do
you ladies have now that you’re out from behind your parents’ prison bars?”

Jenny giggled and lifted her glass. “We haven’t made any yet, but I’m
surprised I even got
Raq
to agree to come here.”

“Kudos to you. I can’t get her to go anywhere with me.”

Heat coated my face again, and I glanced up to find him staring me with
panty-melting heat in his eyes. I picked up my glass and toyed with the straw
before forcing myself to drink again.

“She’s saving herself for Mr. Perfect, and you’re too much of a
temptation.”

I kicked Jenny beneath the table with a “What the heck?” wide-eyed
stare. Spilling my secrets like a drunken fool.

“Temptation?” Zane chuckled. “I doubt she understands the word.”

“Assume much?” Annoyance coated my words. “I’m not as naïve as you
think, Mr. Risso.”

“Zane.”

“Whatever.”

“Feisty.” He grinned and glanced at Jenny. “What other surprises does she
have in store for me?”

“I’m right here,
Zane
.”

Holy Cow, those eyes landed on me and his smile dissolved, bringing my
body to life. “Indeed you are.”

My annoyance melted as nervous flutters took over my stomach, and I
turned my attention to the band. I didn’t hear the music past the buzzing between
my ears, but face hot and skin tingling, I finished my drink, which tasted a
little better.

A few more minutes, and I felt downright giddy. Relaxed for the first
time in Zane’s presence, I decided that having a bit of alcohol and getting
tipsy wasn’t nearly as horrible as my parents had claimed.