ReclaimedSurrender (8 page)

“That would be fine. I’ll put the Salenger paperwork aside
for now. Maybe tomorrow you can help me take care of that.”

Alexis took a deep breath. She wanted to tell him no. To
tell him that he should stay at the office late as she usually did, and get the
job done, but she couldn’t because he was right about one thing. Over the
years, he’d been there for her when Rene was too busy. “Sure. I’ll see you in
the morning.”

“Al?”

“Yeah?”

There was a long pause before he said. “I’m
not
sorry.”

Damn.

Clicking off the phone, she realized with a small amount of
shock that for the first time in over a year she wasn’t looking forward to work
tomorrow.

The next morning Rene waited until his wife was nearly to
the door to flick on the hall light. He ignored her startled gasp and asked,
“Where are you sneaking off to at this early hour?”

She spun around and shaded her eyes, peering at him under
the cup of her hand. “I’m not sneaking off.”

Pointedly, he stared at the shoes she clutched. “I think you
are.”

Dropping the hand bridged over her eyes, she said, “I’m
going to work. I know it’s earlier than usual, but Michael needs help with—”

“Another one of those tricky deals he can’t seem to work out
for himself?”

Apparently she didn’t know what to say to that.

“I told you yesterday that I wanted you home.”

Her arm dropped until the heels of the shoes she held
dangled by her knee. “I thought that was just for yesterday.”

“No. I want you home for the rest of the week.”

“But—”

“You had your week and I get mine. That’s the contract we
both signed.”

“Yes, but I didn’t hold you to taking time off work.”

He shrugged. “You could have.”

“I could be fired.”

“I don’t think that’s going to happen. I do believe the
owner of the company had the foresight to call the HR department and tell them
that you were receiving a surprise anniversary gift that requires you to take the
time off and be with him for the balance of the week.”

“I—you promised never to use your position to affect mine. I
didn’t interfere with your work week.”

“Desperate times call for desperate measures. Now put down
the shoes, take off your coat and meet me in my study.” She looked as if she
were going to deny him, which would be a colossal mistake. “I’ll be waiting.”

He left her standing there because there was no need to
remind her that she’d promised to go through with this. She was a smart girl
and she always followed through with things no matter how trying they were to
her. This little character quirk of hers had led them to some of the best sex
they’d ever had. Of course, this morning it was all about him getting her to do
what he wanted, so he could see where she needed a moment or two to adjust.

Sitting in his Burmese leather chair, he waited. The clock
on the credenza ticked loudly as seconds turned into a minute. Then two. Even
still he didn’t budge. She was going to have to come to him from now on. That
decided, his eyes strayed to his shiny desk and he almost smiled. She’d nearly
gotten to him yesterday. If she had, who could blame him? An image of her
sprawled there covered in oil made him hard even now, so it was a good thing
she chose that minute to come in. Her set little features and square shoulders
made him refocus.

He didn’t even smile when she blandly asked, “More ironing?”

“No.” He scooped up a notepad and pen from the table beside
him and said, “I want you to make a list.”

When she came forward he pulled the items back. “First take
off your suit jacket.” He waited until she laid it over the credenza, and then
whispered, “Now the blouse.”

Her lips compressed into a set line as she unbuttoned her
blouse. She didn’t say anything, which was quite unlike her.

“What are you thinking?”

Pausing mid-shrug, she stared at him. “I’m thinking you’re
enjoying yourself.”

“I am.”

She whipped her blouse off and flung it on top of her coat.
She didn’t slow down, just went directly for the clasp at the back of her
skirt.

“I didn’t tell you to take that off.”

Her lips parted and her eyes narrowed. “My mistake.”

“I want you to take off the bra.”

“I’m sure you do.”

“Alexis.” He stared her down until she snapped her bra off
so hard her breasts bobbed. “That’s a girl. Here.”

Although it looked as if it killed her to do it, she took
the notepad and pen from him and walked over to his desk. Somewhere between
collecting the items and arriving at his desk she must have come to terms with
her half-nakedness because she thrust her shoulders back while she pulled out
his desk chair with a flourish.

“I didn’t say you could sit there.”

Using the end of the pen to scoop a chunk of her hair back,
she hooked the strands behind an ear and asked, “Okay, where else would you
like me to sit so I can write?”

“Here.” He pointed to the floor in front of him and then
tapped his thigh. “You can use my leg as a table.”

Her shoulders drooped and color bloomed high on her cheeks.
“I’d rather iron.”

“Maybe later. Come on.” He patted invitingly. “I want you to
get this stuff down so you can run some errands before we do what I have in
mind today.”

“Gee, can’t wait.”

He chose to ignore her bratty comment while she made a big
show of settling at his feet. Once she was comfortable with the pad on his
thigh and pen poised, she stared up at him expectantly.

The sight of her made him sigh. “Do you know what it does to
me when you kneel at my feet?”

There was a flicker, a gleam in her eyes for just an
instant, which told him a number of things. The most important? She liked this
too. No matter how much she tried to hide the fact behind her sarcasm.

He began the list with a pile of inane things for her to do.
Pick up the dry cleaning, go to the hardware store, the pharmacy, the post
office. With each of those directives he had little things she was supposed to
do and he patiently waited while she wrote out all his instructions.

“Take down this address.” He rambled it off and then said,
“It’s for The Store Of O.
”

Pausing mid-pen stroke, she looked up at him.

He stared down. “Problem?”

Shaking her head, she returned to diligently writing out the
name of the store.

“I want you to ask for Ken, he’s the manager. He’s very
knowledgeable about the products he carries. I want you to ask him about The
Flirt.”

“The what?”

He didn’t blink. “Write this down. Just as I tell you.”

“Ask him what it is and how it’s used. Then ask him about
the Rabbit. How many speeds this particular vibrator has and if it comes in
different sizes. Lengths and widths.” He waited for her to finish. “Then ask
about the remote-control butterfly. What’s the range and how many speeds?” She
finished writing out that question and sat back.

“I’m not done.” He added a few more items on the list and
said, “Now, for the last one. This is the most important. Tell him you want to
pick up what your husband ordered for you. Give him my name and ask him if they
were able to customize the lock the way I requested.”

She swallowed and wrote it all down, but when she was done
she didn’t look up. She didn’t need to. He saw her fully spiked nipples. A
state that could have been caused by the temperature of the room, but that
didn’t explain the rapid beat of the pulse at the base of her throat or the
pretty flush to her cheeks.

“Alex?” He curled his index finger under her chin and pulled
up until her reluctant gaze met his heated one. “I want you to bring those
items home to me. Do you understand?” His thumb caressed her cheek until she
nodded. “Good. You are not to go anywhere else but those places on your list. Nowhere,
and if you can’t find what I’ve asked for, call me.” She nodded again and he
let go of her. “You can get dressed now and go.”

* * * * *

By the time Alexis backed out of the driveway a half-hour
later, she was breathless, albeit ready to shop. She’d changed her clothes,
opting for a pair of jeans and a white cable-knit sweater now that she wasn’t
going in to work. She also switched her usual heels out for a comfortable pair
of flat boots. Although she dreaded having to deal with the last part of her list,
she was kind of intrigued by it. A customized lock on what? Well, she’d find
out in a few hours, wouldn’t she?

She spotted a piece of paper stuffed into her cup holder,
which had their business logo on it. Crap. She’d have to call Michael at some
point and give him the bad news. Checking the time, she saw that it was nearly
eight. Early enough that she doubted he’d be in the office, but she knew
Jennifer was.

“Good morning, Jennifer. It’s Alexis. Can you give Michael a
message for me?”

She wasn’t surprised when her phone went off an hour later.
Still at her first stop, waiting for the dry cleaners to collect up Rene’s
numerous tickets, she pressed a button and sent Michael directly to voice mail.
She’d call him later.

It was a good thing she hadn’t wasted any time, because her
tidy little list kept her busy. She didn’t have a chance to do more than
breathe until her second-to-last stop was completed. When it was, she sat in
her car and stared at the address of The Store Of O. It wasn’t far from the pharmacy,
only a few miles, but she held back. Gearing herself up. Talking herself into
being able to do all that Rene asked when her phone went off for the sixth
time.

She scowled. “Hello, Michael.”

“Alexis, where are you?”

She cringed. “I’m busy.”

“With what?”

“That’s none of your business.”

Silence.

She waited nearly a half a minute and then felt bad.
“Listen, I have this thing like I told you and my plans have changed. I won’t
be in to the office for the next few days.”

“I know. I got your out-of-office email. Hey, this is me
you’re talking to. Your partner, remember? And partner, we have a situation
here.”

She wanted to scream.
Don’t you think I know we have a
situation? One you created with that stupid kiss?
But she knew he wasn’t
referring to that. “Another one?”

“Yeah, the Salenger deal is going south fast. They want the
quarter end figures if we expand their shares and I can’t make the numbers line
up. I had Jennifer take a look but she—”

“Jennifer? Michael, she’s your secretary not your
assistant.” Alexis thought about all the hard work, time and effort she had put
into landing the Salenger account. She didn’t want to lose it. Not this late in
the game when they were so close to the finish line. “Never mind. Can you send
the files to me at home?” She briefly considered getting the information for
him from her laptop, but Rene wouldn’t allow it, she was sure. Which, when she
thought about it, was very high-handed of him. As high-handed as calling her
home yesterday and then leaving her.

“Al, I want you to come in.”

“Have the file out and pull up the spreadsheets. I only
have,” she checked the time on the dash again, “a half hour tops. I’ll get you
the numbers, but you’ll have to present them whether you think they like me
better or not.”

“Fine.”

She clicked off and ignored the worried knot in her stomach.
Could she do it? Yes. If she hurried, Rene would be none the wiser. And if he
found out? Well, she’d deal with that when it happened. Her phone went off and
automatically she jumped, thinking it was Rene. That he’d somehow known she was
planning on deviating from her list. Going against his wishes. Defying him. So
when MMM… lit up her caller ID she let out a relieved breath.

“Yes?”

“I forgot to tell you. We need more than this fiscal year.
They’re looking for the last two.”

She shook her head. “All right. Pull up the last two and
have them ready for me.”

Silence. Boy, you’d think the guy would be a little more
appreciative. But then, how would he know what kind of chance she was taking
doing this for him?

Click.

Well, if that didn’t beat all. And here she was, risking
certain punishment if she got caught. All for someone she was quickly realizing
wasn’t worth the effort.

* * * * *

Rene played Michael’s message again.

“Hi, Al, when you get here I…”

Listening, he waited for it to run all the way through again
before he took a deep breath and saved it. He watched the red light blink
several times then decided. Alexis was making a huge mistake. This action went
beyond simple defiance and warranted more than a lesson in discipline.

He went in search of his cell phone. He had Ken’s number
logged on his call display.

“Hi, Ken, it’s Rene Tanner. How are you?”

“Fine thanks. What can I do for you?”

“Has my wife been by yet?”

“Nope.”

“I wonder if you can do me a favor.”

“I’ll try. Shoot.”

“When she gets there, she’s supposed to ask you questions
about some of the products I bought, before she asks you for my special order.
I’m wondering if you can make her wait for the order. Say, maybe an extra half
hour or so? You could tell her you’re having trouble locating my stuff in the
back or something.”

“Sure. Is there a problem? Is she misbehaving?”

“Yes. I think I told you when we talked about the list idea
last week that she marches to her own drummer these days and this probably
wouldn’t go over well with her.”

Ken sighed. “As you said, first time back is always the
toughest. For both parties. I know I don’t have to say it, but she needs to
follow the instructions you give her on this exercise to the T. If she doesn’t,
you have to hold her accountable. Otherwise it’s not just a case of not moving
forward. It’s a matter of her falling back.”

“I’ve got it covered,” Rene assured.

Although he appreciated Ken’s input he had to remind himself
that the guy was young and not in a monogamous relationship himself. A fact
that clearly colored his view on certain expectations and requirements needed
in a lifelong partnership. Oh he did have some fresh approach ideas that Rene
liked, but some of his theories lacked the depth a Dom acquires through age and
experience.

“Good luck. No worries about delaying her. I’ll take care of
it. Hey, it was nice talking with you last week. I did take your advice on the
dragon tail. Good call.”

“Great, but one more thing. Could you shoot me a text at
this number?” He recited it. “I want to know the second she leaves the store.”