Bejeweled and Bedeviled (2 page)

Did she? She could back out. No one was holding a gun to her
head. But if she did, she’d possibly be throwing away the best opportunity
she’d ever have to lay to rest a deeply buried fear she’d harbored for years.
And what better man than the charismatic, supremely confident one patiently
waiting for her answer to test it against. “Yes,” she said with the feeling of
just having consigned her soul to the devil. “I’m all yours. For the next two
weeks,” she added hastily.

He shook his head. “Four weeks. More if I think necessary
for you to gain full knowledge. After all, you wouldn’t want your magazine’s
integrity taken into question.”

“Four!” She rose from her chair. “I never agreed to that. I
have a business to run.”

“
Yes
, you did commit to that…and more when you agreed
to my second term. I will allow you ample time to confer with your staff
whenever needed. Having done some research of my own, I’ll admit to being
impressed with the qualifications and caliber of the women you’ve chosen to
help run your company. Intelligence and beauty are a combination few men can
resist. And after all, I am but a simple man.”

Kayden smothered a snort. Simple her great-aunt Winifred’s
fat ass. But if she didn’t agree, she’d have to start from square one. And that
she wouldn’t do. Impeccable both in reputation and screening measures,
validated by the rigorous medical and psychological exams required of anyone
wishing to partake in this particular club’s training, his was number one. And
she never settled for number two.

“Okay. Just tell me when and where to show up with my bags.”

He leisurely unfolded from the chair. “I like to start off
slow and I also believe in a reward system. Your first gift, for agreeing to
place yourself under my tutelage, will arrive tomorrow. I hope you will like
it. You’ll receive further instructions then. For now, all that remains is for
you to come here and kiss me goodbye.”

She hesitated before saying, “Yes,
Master
.”

“Hunter,” he corrected as she made her way over to him. “If
and when I want you to call me Master, I’ll let you know.”

“Yes, Hunter.” Refusing to portray a lamb going to
slaughter, she stretched up to wrap her arms around his neck, pressed her lips
to his and, with an enticing slice of her tongue, slipped into his receptive
mouth.

Had he not wrapped his arms around her waist and pressed her
tight, she most likely would have melted to the floor.

Holy shit, the man could kiss. A strong, laying-my-claim
kiss that rocked her world and made her grateful for the few seconds of
steadying support he provided before pulling away.

“One more thing before I leave.”

Unable to form a coherent word, she nodded.

He hooked her chin onto his index finger. “If you ever keep
me waiting again, for any reason, your delectable ass will take the brunt of my
displeasure.”

When the elevator doors opened to TLI’s lobby at nine the
next morning, it took Kayden several seconds to realize the high-pitched
whirring noise she heard was not the byproduct of sleep deprivation.

She’d spent half the night fretting over her relinquishment
of control. The other half in the throes of some very erotic fantasies centered
around the heartthrob Dom to whom she’d literally given a free pass to every
nook and cranny of her body. The two hours since awakening in a sheet-twisted
sweat she’d wasted trying to figure out which caused her the most apprehension.

Knowing either would take deeper thought than she was
currently capable of, she focused on the more mundane issue of noise.

Since it usually took building maintenance days to get to
any reported problem, whatever had them up drilling this early didn’t bode well
for the quiet, appointment-free morning she’d contemplated.

Not in any particular hurry to hear whatever bad news
awaited her, she peeled her slumped body away from the back wall of the
elevator and trudged through the spacious area that served as both waiting room
and secretary’s office.

Halfway there, one of her other senses kicked in.
Was
that the smell of coffee being freshly ground?
Her brain cells perked up at
the heavenly aroma of a rich, strong blend.

She wasn’t sure how much of the office’s slush fund Shayla
had blown on what apparently was a new espresso machine, but whatever it was,
Kayden’s exhausted body was casting its vote for
who gives a shit, it’s
worth every damn penny
.

Hastening her steps, she breezed past Shayla’s unoccupied
desk and into her office. “You might’ve just earned yourself a raise, Shay—”

Her sluggish brain taking its good old time to shift gears,
words failed her as Kayden swiveled her gaze between her shoulder-shrugging
secretary and the man looking every bit like a five-star restaurant maître d’. It
wasn’t until he’d packed down the finely ground beans, attached the silver cup
to the gleaming stainless machine, switched it on and straightened to look her
way that she found her voice. “Who the heck are you?”

“Good morning, Miss Starling. Chalmers, at your service.” He
dipped his head in greeting. “Mr. Trielle is a firm believer in starting the
day off with a good breakfast. “Please, have a seat.” He glanced in the
direction of the small, round conference table in the corner of her office.
Usually groaning beneath stacks of old projects to be filed with only a small
space at one edge to work on the current one, it was now buried beneath a white
linen tablecloth and an assortment of fine-dining paraphernalia.

“I don’t eat breakfast,” she grumbled, prying her gaze away
from the small, black-velvet box propped against the White-House-worthy
five-arm candelabra. “Where’s the stuff from my table and how did you get up
here?” Legit questions, since she knew it hadn’t been her secretary. Accustomed
to Kayden’s cluttered work style and a habitual night owl like herself, Shayla
wasn’t prone to arriving much before her starting time.

“Since the folders were clearly marked, I took the liberty
of filing them away. You’ll find the rest of your papers there.” With an
economical movement of his hand, he indicated the wide ledge that ran the
length of the windowed wall facing Lake Michigan. “Mr. Trielle says clutter is
not conducive to serenity.”

Had the intrusive Mr. Trielle been present, Kayden would
have informed him it wasn’t the clutter that was playing havoc with her
serenity, it was him. Along with all the things she anticipated he was going to
do to her.

“Mr. Fuller was kind enough to give me access to your
office. Under Mr. Trielle’s assurance that should there be any ramifications,
they would fall squarely on his shoulders.”

Struggling to dispel the image of those wonderfully broad
shoulders and how far she’d have to spread her legs to accommodate them, Kayden
was slow to process the rest of Chalmers’ statement. “Mr. Fuller?”

“Jimmy,” Shayla supplied.

“Remind me later to have a little talk with our security
guard.”

“I assure you, Miss Starling, that won’t be necessary. Mr.
Trielle—”

“It’s Kayden. And this is my office. Not Mr. Trielle’s.”

Instead of voicing the contradiction revealed in the slight
shift of his expression, he said, “Very good, Miss. If you will please sit,
I’ll serve you breakfast.” He turned and lifted the silver dome off the platter
sitting on the cart behind him.

Kayden nearly closed her eyes and ummmed over the
mouthwatering smell of eggs, Canadian bacon and…oh crap, was that a Belgian
waffle beneath a mound of fresh strawberries supporting a white, fluffy
mountain of whipped cream? The scrumptious sight almost made her cave. But she
needed to bring home the point that this was her place of business and no one
was going to come in here and dictate to her.

“I told you, I don’t eat breakfast.”

Before he could say anything, Shayla’s stomach growled and
drew their attention.

“Sorry.” She smiled sheepishly. “Guess the small bowl of
cereal I had before rushing out of the house didn’t quite do it.”

“I have the perfect solution.” Kayden turned to Chalmers.
“Shayla can eat the breakfast while I sit with her and have my coffee. Then you
can inform Mr. Trielle that the meal was thoroughly enjoyed. Problem solved.
Come on, Shayla, let’s sit down.” Intending to set her purse on the desk,
noting it too had been cleaned, Kayden was stopped in her tracks by his next
words.

“I’m sorry, Miss. Mr. Trielle was specific in that
you
eat the breakfast. He believes that one’s body—”

“Look, Chalmers. Your loyalty to Mr. Trielle is commendable,
but maybe I didn’t make myself clear earlier.” Kayden fought to keep the
irritation out of her voice. “This is not Mr. Trielle’s office. And this,” she
poked herself in the middle of the chest, “is not Mr. Trielle’s body.”

The last part netted her a raised eyebrow. Okay, so what if
he did know of her arrangement with his boss. This was her turf. Over
this
world, she was master.

About to tell him as much, she noticed both his and Shayla’s
gazes fixed on something over her shoulder.
Shit
.

“Good morning.”

The deep, quiet voice that flowed into the room curled down
her spine and infused heat into every crevice of Kayden’s body. Chin lifted,
she spun to confront her nemesis.

Smacked with the realization the man looked every bit as
handsome, commanding and sinfully sexy as she remembered, her throat
constricted, cinching off her words.

“Perhaps it was
I
who didn’t make myself clear
yesterday.” His gaze never leaving hers, he said, “Chalmers, the staff’s
breakfast should be arriving at any moment. Why don’t you confer with Shayla on
how best to have it served?”

“Very good, sir.”

“And Shayla,” Hunter said as he shifted slightly to let them
leave. “Would you be kind enough to hold all of Miss Starling’s calls?”

“Kayden?” Shayla, God bless her loyal soul, turned to her
for confirmation.

After a defiant hesitation, Kayden nodded. “I’ll let you
know if I need anything.”

* * * * *

Once assured of their privacy, Hunter stood where he was for
several long seconds, his gaze fixed on the stunning, stiff-chinned woman in
front of him as the need to reach out and grab her diminished. An urge that had
more to do with the lust hardening his cock than the sparks of open defiance in
her sapphire eyes.

He hadn’t been completely honest with her yesterday when
he’d said one look into her eyes was all he’d required to assess their
suitability. He’d known long before that. Blatant to him from the intriguing
revelations hidden between the lines of her over-explained e-mails, she’d given
every indication of being the kind of challenge a man of his high expectations
would relish. So he’d accepted her offer. Not for the sake of some article. And
sure as hell not for the sake of readying her for another man’s benefit. He was
doing it because she would belong to him. Not for a month. Forever.

“Look, I think we need to get something straight,” she said,
legs slightly parted, fists jammed onto her nicely rounded hips.

Hunter was sure it would make her even more agitated to know
rather than appearing powerful, he pictured her naked, her wrists clamped to a
thick leather waist restraint, ankles to a spreader bar. A position that left
her helplessly exposed for his personal pleasure.

“This is my office. You said I’d have ample time to confer
with my staff.”

“I believe the exact phrase I used was
allow you
.” He
walked over to the table and pulled out her chair. “And you agreed to
total
submission.”

Her eyes lit with another spark of defiance but instead of
acting upon it, she took several deep breaths and relaxed her stance.

“Yes, I did agree. When I’m at your establishment.”

“There is no wiggle room in the word
total
. If you check
the dictionary, I believe you’ll find it means complete…utter…absolute.”

“I’m not disputing that,” she said, holding her ground. “I
assumed—”

“Assuming anything is no longer an option available to you.
If you have the slightest question or doubt about anything, you will check with
me for clarification.”

One fine eyebrow arched up. A sure sign her defiance was
once again about to ignite. “You’re serious.”

“Emphatically. Now unless you intend to renege on your word,
come here and I’ll serve you breakfast.”

She didn’t immediately comply. Not that he expected her to.
A strong-willed woman in a position of power, she was used to having people
answer to her. The role reversal wouldn’t come easy. She would likely resist
every step of the way. Rather than irritate, the thought pleased him more than
she would know.

Her deep, resigned breath accentuated an already impressive
cleavage as her breasts swelled into the constricting space of her partially
unbuttoned shirt. Like a near-white moon nestled in a midnight sky, the dark
blue silk of her shirt provided a stunning contrast to her pale skin.

Knowing every inch of that sweet flesh now belonged to him,
to explore whenever, wherever he wanted, should have tempered his need to see
her stripped of everything but the remnants of her stubborn pride. It didn’t.

“I have
never
gone back on my word,” she said, slowly
moving toward the chair.

“I can’t tell you how pleased I am to know that.” She was
halfway seated when he said, “Don’t sit.”

She straightened.

“Are you wearing pantyhose or stockings?”

“What? Yes, pantyhose.”

“Take them off and give them to me.” He held out his hand.

Her eyes widened. “You expect me—”

“Kayden.” He let his disapproval ring through. “I refuse to
believe you are ignorant of the fact that, as your Dom, I expect obedience. Not
after boasting of your detailed research. Therefore, if you continue in this
vein, I’ll assume it’s because you want me to punish you. If not, I’d strongly
advise against making me wait longer.”

Having made an art form of studying the subtle nuances of a
woman’s body, Hunter didn’t miss the slight tensing of her jaw. He had no
problem with her harboring a bit of resentment. He expected it at this early
stage. Welcomed it. Years of experience had taught him the subs that proved most
difficult were always the most gratifying.

He extended his hand farther. “For earning my displeasure,
I’ll take your panties too.”

“My—” She glanced at the door and turned back. “What if—”

He narrowed his eyes.

She captured her bottom lip between her teeth and slipped
out of her shoes.

Silently applauding her restraint, he made a mental note to
take her shopping. Practical and low-heeled, the shoes did absolutely no
justice to her trim ankles and shapely legs.

He knew she was worried about someone walking in. He could
have eased her discomfort by letting her know he’d reached behind him to lock
the door when Chalmers and Shayla had left. And he would have, if he hadn’t
gotten the impression she enjoyed pushing him.

She was going to be deliciously difficult to train.

* * * * *

Kayden bit the inside of her cheek to keep from arguing
further. Lord knows what he’d ask for next. Most likely her skirt. Then she’d
be two measly articles away from naked.

Not that she would have minded had the circumstances been different.
Trista hadn’t exaggerated when she’d said Hunter was gorgeous. Over six feet of
well-packed muscle stuffed into a black turtleneck that intensified the gold
hues of his eyes and beige pants that hugged a trim waist and thick thighs. Had
he not already been rich, he could’ve made a lush living modeling for any
number of top men’s fashion magazines. With the rapidness of a photo shoot
camera, her mind pictured him in various stages of undress. Tux. Polo and
jeans. Just jeans. Swim trunks. Naked.

Her thoughts came to a screeching halt. Damn. Fully clothed
he could have half the female populace of Chicago dropping their panties with
the crook of his finger. She could only imagine their reaction to seeing him
naked. That she would soon have that privilege—

Already off balance trying to get one foot out of her
pantyhose, she teetered and threw out her hand to catch the back of the chair.
Instead, she latched onto a thick, solid forearm when Hunter thrust out his
arm.

Startled, she looked up.

When she was stable, he withdrew his arm and asked,
“Better?”

She nodded.

“Among the many things you will need to learn is that when I
ask a question, I will expect a verbal answer. It will eliminate the chance of
misunderstanding in the future. Another is that from today on, in all things,
you will look to me for support. I will always be here to catch you.”