Mistaken by Fate (6 page)

Garrett shrugged those massive shoulders. “You don’t have to. But as long as you’re here, you’ll have a drink.”

She shot him a look. “You’re buttering me up to take advantage of me.”

His sigh was felt more than heard. “Ridley, I’m not that much of an asshole and you know it.”

Embarrassment heated her cheeks. She did know it. Keeping horrible things from coming out of her mouth usually wasn’t a problem, but there had always been something about this man that got under her skin. She sipped her drink and attempted to get a hold of her attitude. “That woman is eye-fucking you right now.”

He didn’t blink. “Good for her.”

God, he wasn’t making this easy. She slid a little closer and jerked her chin at the woman leaning against the bar. She was beautiful in a very pin-up kind of way, her black curly hair pinned back from her face, her body all curves, and a face that actually made Ridley’s chest ache a little. She knew her own strengths—she was cute in a big-eyed sort of way and had great hair—but she wasn’t even on the same playing field as the woman now making her way toward them, her dark skin gleaming in the flashing lights.

Put shortly, Ridley was seriously outclassed.

Garrett finally looked up as the woman stopped in front of their table. She frowned. “You’re not Will.”

Something flickered across his face, something that might have been hurt or annoyance. “I’m not.”

“The resemblance is uncanny.” She reached out, stopping just short of touching his hair. “Apologies. Your brother and I are…old friends. I’m Penelope.”

From the way she said the last words, Ridley suspected they were anything but. She sat back, waiting for jealousy or something to show up—the woman had all but declared that she and Will had some sort of history—but the only thing she was jealous of was the woman’s wardrobe. The high-waisted skirt was the height of fashion right now, and her cropped bralette top showed a slice of upper stomach that was perfectly toned.

Well, jealous of the woman’s wardrobe and the considering way she was looking at Garrett right now.

“Garrett.” He shook her hand and Penelope
definitely
held on longer than necessary.

She slid closer again until she was pressed against his side. “I’m Ridley.”

Penelope raised her perfect eyebrows. Couldn’t the woman have at least a single hair out of place? She was unreal. “A pleasure to meet you.” She turned her attention back to Garrett. “So you and Will are identical twins? I don’t suppose you frequent a certain club in the Meatpacking District as well?”

“When I’m in town, yeah.”

Holy shit. She was hitting on him right in front of Ridley. She caught a glimpse of his face out of the corner of her eye, but she couldn’t tell if his expression was polite interest or intrigue. And why wouldn’t he be intrigued? Ridley had told him time and time again that she wanted nothing to do with him. There wasn’t a single reason why he should turn down the woman now eyeing him with interest.

But she wanted him to. She wanted him to brush Penelope off and tell her that he wasn’t interested. It didn’t make any sense.

It must have been sheer insanity that had her running her hand up his thigh. The muscle clenched beneath her fingers, but she didn’t stop her upward movement until she was a scant inch away from his cock. She waited a breath, and then another, and then cupped him through his jeans, using the heel of her hand to rub him.

She shot a look at him, but the only sign that he was under any strain was the slight tension in his jaw. “I’ll look for you next time I’m there.”

The bastard! He was just doing that to screw with Ridley…she hoped. The alternative was that he wanted this woman with her excellent style and wicked grin that promised all kinds of kinky fun. Her gaze flicked to Ridley and back to him. “I’d like that. I’ll see you around, sugar.” Then she sauntered away, the swing in her step temptation personified.

Ridley hated her.

She started to move her hand, but Garrett’s was suddenly covering her, effortlessly holding her in place. “Finish what you started.”

It was on the tip of her tongue to protest, but the feel of his hard length in her hand was impossible to ignore. She wanted him feeling crazy and needy—the same way she was right now. So she unbuttoned his jeans and carefully drew the zipper down. He was big, easily filling her hand and then some. Holy crap.

The lights went down, leaving the entire room in shadows and lighting up the stage as a blonde stepped out. Everyone in the room’s attention was on her, which gave Ridley the freedom to touch Garrett without fear of anyone seeing.

He wrapped an arm around her, keeping her close to his body, and leaned down. “Stroke me, baby. I’ve been thinking about you doing it since last night.”

She squeezed him, delight coursing through her when his eyes slit shut. Part of her wanted to crow,
Who’s in charge now?
But the rest of her was more concerned with exploring the one part of him she’d spent considerable time imagining. It was better than she could have dreamed—everything about him was. It wasn’t fair.

As the woman on the stage shimmied out of her dress, Ridley stroked him faster. It wasn’t enough, though. She glanced around. This booth was far enough back to be in shadows even when the lights were up. Now, they were practically invisible to the rest of the bar, which meant she could do what she desperately wanted to do.

Before she could think twice about it, she slithered down, stretching out around the corner of the booth. Garrett might have cursed, but it was hard to hear over the insistent beat of the music. She licked her lips. Yes, this was perfect. Here, in this moment, she was fully in control, and there wasn’t a damn thing he could do about it.

She took him into her mouth, licking her way around his head and then sliding down. He filled her until it was almost too much, but she kept going. She wanted all of him. One of his hands laced through her hair, his grip tight enough to hurt. But he didn’t try to guide her or do anything other than effectively remind her that he was allowing this.

That
he
was in control.

She worked him, losing herself in the feel and taste of him, and she was so distracted that she barely felt his hand sliding down her spine until he drew up her skirt and then there was only skin against skin. He slid beneath the back of her panties and down, driving a finger inside her.

Oh God
. She moaned, taking him deeper into her mouth, trying not to writhe against his hand. It was no use. A single time together and he already knew all her hot spots. It wasn’t fair.

Ridley sucked harder, setting her teeth against him. She
felt
the groan vibrate through his body, so she did it again and again. He went perfectly still, his finger still inside her, his big palm cupping her ass, her skirt up around her hips for anyone to see, and then he was coming. Because of
her
. She swallowed him down, his grip in her hair only urging her on.

When she started to sit up, he held her in place, guiding her cheek to his thigh. Then a second finger joined his first, taking her in short, controlled thrusts, hitting all the right places. She panted against his jeans, trying—failing—to hold still. She bit him, trying to stifle her moans, but he didn’t let up, shoving her closer and closer to the edge. Her entire body went tight, teetering on the brink.

And then he withdrew his hand.

She blinked into the darkness beneath the table, trying to process what just happened. Or, rather, what
didn’t
just happen. He’d just left her hanging, so close to coming that it was actually painful to be deprived. She sat up, ready to slap him silly, but Garrett kissed her. When he finally released her, the entire room spun three times before everything settled into place.

“I told you before, baby. The next time you come, it’s going to be around my cock.” He dropped three twenties on the table. “Are you ready to go?”

Chapter Six

They hit the street and Garrett half expected Ridley to back out. He kept himself from hauling her ass into a cab through sheer force of will and gritted out, “Come home with me.”

“I—”

It was tempting to kiss her again, to drive away the doubts now trying to surface in her eyes. He knew it would work. Hell, he could count on it.

But he wanted Ridley to agree to this of her own free will, not because she was so hazy with lust that she’d do anything he damn well pleased. He took her hand and stopped her from stepping into the cab line. “Ridley.” He waited for her to really
look
at him before he continued. “You safed-out. And I meant what I said about keeping my hands off you tonight.” Or he would have if she hadn’t just given him the best fucking blowjob of his life. His legs were
still
shaking from it.

She licked her lips. “Okay.”

“So tonight can be anything you want it to be. It’s your call. If you want to go home, I’ll put you in a cab and send you home. If you want to come home with
me
, I’m going to do everything I promised and more, and you’ll come screaming my name before the hour’s out.” It was more than her safing out, though. He needed to hear that she wanted him as much has he wanted her. It was selfish, but he refused to take the offer back.

She seemed to come back to herself. “Just sex.” When he waited, she took a deep breath. “You can have tonight. That’s it. We’ll have mind-blowing sex, get it out of our systems, and move on with our lives.”

Since that was pretty much exactly what his goal had been initially, there was no reason for the bitter anger her words brought. He’d already told her he wasn’t the man for her—not in a long-term sense. Hell, he already had the next mission lined up, so this thing had an expiration date no matter which way he looked at it. But the idea of her being able to purge him from her system once and for all wasn’t a pleasant one.

He gave himself a mental shake. Who did he think he was kidding? He’d take Ridley any way she’d let him, and she was practically handing him a free pass for the night. There was no use overthinking this shit. He wanted her. She obviously wanted him. They could have a whole hell of a lot of fun before the sun rose. He held out his hand. “Okay.”

“Okay, you’re agreeing? Or okay, you’re humoring me and going to tell me whatever it takes to get me home with you?”

In reality, it was somewhere in the middle. He beckoned. “Come home with me.”

For a second, he thought she might actually change her mind. But Ridley took his hand. “Just tonight.”

They climbed into a cab and he gave his address. As they pulled away from the curb, he wasted no time sliding her onto his lap. It was stupid—he was holding on to control by his fingertips and falling fast—but he needed his hands on her. If he only had tonight, he didn’t plan on wasting one second. He grasped her hair and pulled her head back so he could kiss her neck. “Did you touch yourself today?”

“N-no.”

“Good girl.” He slipped his hand up her skirt and pulled off her panties, grinning against her skin when she lifted her hips to help. “Spread your legs.” She hesitated, and then obeyed, hooking her legs on the outside of his. He spread his knees, forcing her to be wide open. The cabby couldn’t see shit because they were directly behind him, but he knew all too well what the thought of
What if?
could do. Little tremors shook Ridley’s body as he pulled her skirt up, baring her completely. “You were jealous.”

When she didn’t say anything, he squeezed her thigh. “Answer me.”

“Yes, okay. I was jealous. I didn’t like the way she looked at you.”

He wanted to crow in victory, but there were more important things to worry about now—like driving Ridley out of her mind with pleasure. “All he has to do is turn around, and he’ll see what I’m doing to you.” He circled her clit. “He’ll know that this pussy is mine to do with as I please, and he’ll be one jealous motherfucker because he might get a look but I’m the only one who touches you.” When her eyes drifted shut, he pulled tighter on her hair. “Watch the rearview mirror, baby. He knows what’s happening back here. He’s desperate for a peek.”

“Garrett—”

He reached up and yanked the shoulder of her dress down, baring her breast. She gasped as he pinched her nipple. “I didn’t give you permission to speak. If you forget the proper way to address me again, I’m going to fuck you right here in front of the cabbie. Do you understand?”

Her breath hissed out. “Yes, Sir.”

“Good.” He soothed her nipple and then fixed her dress. Whatever he told her, he had no intention of sharing the show with anyone, let alone a cab driver. Her reaction, however, indicated that she’d love the idea of someone watching. He had a little exhibitionist on his hands. It was something he stored away for future use. He ignored the voice telling him that there would be no future use—only tonight.

As they wove through traffic toward his apartment, he played with her, never doing enough to make her come, but keeping up her desire until she was shaking and biting her lip. They turned onto his block, and he pulled down her dress to cover her. Though he was reasonably sure that she knew the score after what she’d said on the sidewalk, it paid to be explicitly clear sometimes. “If you come up to my place, I’m going to fuck you, Ridley. Is that what you want?”

She swallowed. “Yes, Sir.”

Thank Christ. He was so damn hard, he felt lightheaded. He slipped her panties into his pocket and led the way into his building. It was an effort to keep his hands to himself, but if he touched her now, with that glazed look in her dark eyes and her skin rosy with need, he’d fuck her against the wall of the elevator.

Luckily, the doors opened before he could decide that was a brilliant idea. He gripped her upper arm and propelled her onto his floor. Even through his crazed desire for her, he almost stopped and turned around. He didn’t bring women back here. If he played, he did it at Serve. That was the perfect way to establish boundaries and keep his partners from thinking things were more serious than they were.

But he didn’t want Ridley in the club their first time. It felt too impersonal to lay her down on sheets that weren’t his, or to tie her to a bed frame that other people had used. No, he wanted her in
his
apartment, on
his
bed, and marked up by
his
personal toys. The ones he’d never had the heart to use on anyone else. The ones he purchased solely for the one special sub he’d always hoped for.

This isn’t forever, idiot. This is only tonight
.

It didn’t matter what the voice in his head said. It was too late for rational decisions. He was so desperate for Ridley, his hands shook as he unlocked his door. Walking into the apartment, though, things changed. A much-needed calm descended. He had her where he wanted her, and he was going to make sure she was fucking ruined for any other man after tonight.

He closed the door behind her and locked it, the sound of the bolt sliding home making her jump. She turned to face him, but she didn’t speak. Fuck, having her obey like this was almost too much. It made him want to keep her, even though he knew that was impossible. “Strip.”

She stepped out of her heels and shrugged out of her dress. Since her panties were currently residing in his pocket, it left her in only a black bra. As she reached around to undo the clasp, he shook his head. “Leave it.”

There was something so…decadent…about her breasts covered while the rest of her was bare for him. He stalked around her, noting the way she twitched when he was at her back. “Do you like the idea of being watched, baby?”

“I don’t know.” Her words were choppy, as if she didn’t like admitting it. “I don’t know,
Sir
.”

Good catch. Garrett traced a single finger down her spine. “Someday I’m going to take you up to the public rooms in Serve and set you on a table wearing nothing but my collar.” Even as he spoke, a part of him shouted warnings. A collar was a big deal—a
permanent
deal. He ignored the strange feeling in his stomach at the thought of her wearing his and kept talking. “I’ll kiss that pretty pussy until everyone can see how wet you are, and every single one of them will be jealous that I’m the only man who gets a taste. Then I’ll fuck you with everyone watching. Would you like that?”

“I—”

“The truth, Ridley.”

She shuddered. “Yes, Sir. I’d like that a whole hell of a lot,
if
I were stupid enough to consider letting this go on longer.”

He ignored the last half of that sentence. “I thought so.” He unclasped her bra and reached around her to pull it off. The move brought his chest flush against her back. “I’ve spent all day thinking about tasting you before I sink myself between those sweet thighs.” He stepped back so abruptly her knees buckled, but he was watching for it and caught her easily. “Tell me your safe word.”

“Frankenstein.”

“Do you want to use it?”

She gave a desperate laugh. “No, Sir.”

“This way.” He led her back to the spare bedroom he’d converted into a personal dungeon. There was a spanking bench situated in the corner, a tall chair next to it, and a bondage frame he’d had commissioned last year. He had something else in mind to get them started. Garrett pointed to a spot in the middle of the room. “Hands in front of you, palms together.”

She obeyed, but her gaze zeroed in on the hook in the ceiling above her. He grabbed a pair of padded cuffs and fastened them around her wrists. After a quick check to make sure they were tight enough without being too tight, he reached above her head and adjusted the harness.

Her eyes went wide as he helped her slip the cuffs over the harness’s hook. The height forced her almost to her toes, so that she had to concentrate to keep her weight off her arms. He held her chin in a punishing grip while he kissed her, quick and brutal. “Next time you’ll be blindfolded, but this time, I want you to
see
who’s making you feel like this.”

Not Will. Me.

…

See who was doing this to her? Ridley was pretty sure the image would be tattooed on her brain for the rest of her life. All she could focus on was Garrett and his hands on her body, cupping her breasts, running down her sides to feather over her hipbones, spreading her thighs. She bit back a sob when he stepped back. She wanted all those things he’d promised.

But even after so short of time, she knew how this game was played. He gave her what he wanted to give her when he wanted to give it to her. She snorted. Some things never changed.

Garrett raised an eyebrow. “Something funny?”

She knew there was only one right answer to that, but rolling over and giving him what he wanted was too tempting. So she didn’t. “I was just thinking that you always were a control freak and a tease.” After all, those were the factors that first awakened the need to submit in her, though nothing they’d done eight years ago had come close to this.

“Hmmm.”

That wasn’t the response she’d expected. Ridley went tense as he reached into the black bag next to him. What would he pull out? Was he going to punish her for mouthing off? The thought of him doing exactly that shouldn’t have filled her belly with rabid butterflies, but it did. She wanted his marks on her as much as he seemed to want to give them.

Garrett paused, frowning at her. “I’m sure you’ve done some research—Nolan wouldn’t let you through the elevator doors if you weren’t at least partially educated. Which toy was it that caught your attention?”

All of it?
She bit back the response. “I can’t remember.” When he raised his eyebrows, she amended. “I can’t remember, Sir.”

“That’s the third time tonight.” He pulled out a flogger. It wasn’t nearly as vicious-looking as some of the toys she’d seen when she’d gotten her tour of Serve, but it still made her heartbeat pick up. With her being bound like this, her arms over her head and her body bared to anything he chose to do, she’d never felt more vulnerable in her life.

Garrett trailed the tails between her breasts and over her shoulder as he circled behind her. “Not a sound gets past those lips, baby.”

She barely had time to brace when pain blossomed between her shoulder blades. She closed her eyes as the next one fell and the next, creating some unknowable pattern across her upper back. It hurt. Good God, it hurt. She closed her eyes and clenched her teeth, trying to keep the whimpers inside.

Then he moved down to her ass. She’d expected the flogger, but it was his hand that made contact instead of leather. The thick smack had her stomach leaping into her throat. Her body was aflame with sensation, and not all of it good. Words slipped from her lips without her having any intention of speaking. “Please, Garrett, Sir, please. Stop, don’t stop, I don’t know.
Please
.”

Something dropped to the floor behind her, and then his hands were on her hips, thumbs brushing over her sensitive flesh and making her shake. God, what was he doing to her? If someone had asked her last week, she would have said she’d be down for experimentation in the bedroom—some tie-me-down, tie-me-up games. But this? This was something else all together.

Garrett circled around to her front and took her chin in his hand. “That was your punishment. Are you ready to move on to your reward?”

She nodded before she realized he wanted a verbal answer. Well, she wasn’t forgetting how to address him properly again. “Yes, Sir.”