Taking Over
Authors: S.J. Maylee
Evernight
Publishing ®
Copyright© 2015
S.J
.
Maylee
ISBN: 978-1-77233-383-1
Cover Artist: Sour Cherry Designs
Editor: Jennifer Glover
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this
copyrighted work is illegal.
No part of
this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written
permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews.
This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, and places are
fictitious. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or
persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
DEDICATION
I dedicate this book to all the good and bad girls out there. May you
let love all the way into your heart and allow it to lighten your way.
To Jennifer, thank you for helping me smooth out all the edges. I look
forward to working with you again and again.
To Kacey and Liz, you two rock! Thank you so much for your support,
critical notes, and friendship.
TAKING OVER
Love Projects, 3
S.J
.
Maylee
Copyright © 2015
Chapter One
Gina knew from experience, if a
relationship couldn't handle a little trouble, it was never going to make it in
the end.
Gina’s ex had known her for years and he’d been foolish enough to believe the
ugliest of lies. She rubbed the empty spot on her finger where her wedding ring
used to sit. She'd never gotten used to wearing the nuisance.
A
tick of guilt had her second-guessing her choice of bitter words for Lydia and
Jake. A quick shake of her hands and the useless thoughts flew away. What was
done,
was done. If Lydia and Jake fell apart then it simply
wasn't meant to be. Either way, she saved them time.
The
corner filled with the spanking benches caught her attention. Several
submissives were getting their backsides worked over. The smacks of paddles
hitting flesh and screeching subs giving in to their penance called to her. Not
that she felt she deserved to be punished.
She
found a spot at the bar and ordered a drink. The only one she'd be allowed
tonight since she intended to play. A few deep breaths and one dirty martini was
all she needed. The salty bite of the cool liquid zapped the dreariness from
her. Life may have dealt her a bitter pill, but she'd taken a lesson from it
all and learned how to cut through the bullshit and move on.
Rob
created a whole heap of rubble when he walked out of her life. What was done
was done. They were both better off. It didn't matter if his reasons for
divorcing her were based on truth or not. It was final and there was nothing to
do but move on.
She
finished her drink, nudged the empty glass forward, and explored the room,
drinking in the rich atmosphere of club members getting what they needed. The
small dance floor tempted her. Several couples had a smooth groove going that
matched the heavy beats pumping through the room. She thought about stepping
out. A good dance always made her feel better.
Instead,
she made her way through the room and stopped at the railing near the spanking
benches. A quick look around and she couldn't find a single Dom who wasn't
already working a sub's bottom to a bright shade of pink, maybe she would head
back to the dance floor.
A
loud whack sounded behind her and she whipped around. A Dom stood near the wall
of paddles and floggers. Actually, considering his leather pants and dark
shirt, he was probably a Master. He smacked a wooden paddle against his hand,
placed it back on the hook, and examined another. She couldn't see his face,
but between his confident stance, thick shoulders, and tapered waist,
attraction was instant. The way he examined each paddle before smacking his hand
had her body tingling. What would it be like to be on the receiving end of a
spanking made with such care? He took a step back, a wide paddle in his hand,
and turned.
Marcus.
Her
week just wasn't going to get any better.
She
turned before he could see her. The last thing she wanted to hear was another
jab from Marcus. The man had a talent for pushing her buttons.
“Gina.”
Shit
. She rolled her
shoulders and turned around. “Marcus.” He was the epitome of male hunkiness. It
always bugged her. His hair was made for dragging your fingers through and his
devilish blue eyes drew her in. Both were a cover for his cruel words.
The
dark lighting must have played a trick on her. Usually she spotted his light
colored locks from across the room, making it quite easy to steer clear of him.
However, submissives in the club flocked to him for their training.
“I'm
not surprised you've come to the spanking benches. What have you done now?”
“Funny.
I'd say it's good to see you, but I'm not one to lie.”
“Really?”
He shifted, squaring
his hips in her direction, clasping his wrists in front of him. The paddle,
still held in his hand, concealed an important portion of his leather-covered
bottom half. “I haven't observed that to be true.”
“Always the gentleman.”
This had to be
a new record. In less than a minute, he had her loathing herself. It didn't
matter he was working on incorrect data. “Hope not to see you again.” She waved
as she turned to go.
“Wait.”
She
kept moving.
His
hand came down on her shoulder and pulled her around. “When a Master tells you
to wait, you do as you're told. Our personal history doesn't erase protocol. Is
that clear?”
“Yes, Sir.”
Her chest rubbed
against his. From under her lashes, she looked up into his light blue eyes and,
for a second, wished she could forget why she hated him.
“I'm
sorry.” He stepped back and let his hand fall. “You came to this area because
you needed something from the benches. I'm the only one free right now.” He
raised his hand and brushed away the hair hanging in front of her eyes. “I can
give you what you need.”
Once
again, Marcus showed himself as the good guy. She didn’t like him because he
had a tendency to call her out on her mistakes and she was certain he thought
her supposed latest was a doozy, since it ended her marriage.
“That's
nice of you, but
it's
okay.” She took a step back.
“I
can see that it's not.” He took a step forward. “We can push past our history
and live in this moment.” He grabbed her hand. “Let me help.”
Warmth
gathered in her core. She'd seen this side of him, but they'd never
scened
together.
She tilted her head to the side and examined him. The first time she gazed into
his blue eyes, she knew he'd cause her problems. He could see the truth through
all the mess, not that he ever tried to understand her. She didn't want to know
what he'd see if he ever took a closer look at her. Fear ticked up her spine.
She had a feeling that he alone would be her undoing.
Desperate
to let go, she knew the sting of a paddle was what she needed, but sometimes it
was hard to separate feelings discovered at the spanking bench. She laughed out
loud. Since there was no way she'd start to care about Marcus now, she decided
to take him up on his offer. After all, she was determined to reach the kind of
release only a good reddened ass could provide.
“Thanks,
Marcus.” She walked to the only free bench and bent over the apparatus, putting
her forearms on the padded rests and grasped the holding bar. Her short skirt
would already be giving him quite a show. For the first time, she wished the
club allowed submissives to wear panties.
“Since
we've never played together, I won't be restraining you. We certainly don't
have that kind of trust. You understand how important it is not to move,
correct?”
“Yes,
Sir, I understand. I won't move.” It pinched her last nerve to call him sir,
but he was doing her a great service. For these few minutes, she'd give him the
respect any Master in this club deserved.
He
flipped her skirt up over her back, exposing her round ass. The paddle brushed
over her lower back, across her hip, and down the length of her leg to her
knee. His hand followed the paddle with a feather touch, allowing a soothing
bliss to spread over her skin.
The
room either quieted or she'd blocked out the noise but she welcomed the peace,
needing to remember why she was there. He repeated the pattern on the other
side, drawing her in with his tenderness. She swallowed against the unwelcomed
thoughts threatening to break her concentration.
“I'll
give you twenty swats. I expect you to count them.”
“Okay.
Thank you, Sir.”
The
paddle rubbed over her right cheek and then smacked against it, rocking her
whole body. The force behind the swat surprised
her,
this
was not her first mistake. What had she been thinking? Submitting to Marcus was
on her list of things to
never
try.
She had to give him more credit. He'd caught her off her game.
“We'll
start back at one each time you forget to count.” He smacked her other cheek.
“One.
Sorry, Sir.”
“Not
as sorry as your ass will be if you forget again.” He dragged the paddle along
her skin in the same figure as before, spreading the sensitivity. “I have no
problem paddling your ass all night.” He smacked her right cheek again.
“Two...three...four.”
Somewhere over
the next couple of swats, Gina remembered why she'd come back into the club
tonight. Her knuckles turned white with the force of her grip. She gulped in a
breath of air and waited for the next hit to land with its punishing kiss of
heat, but none came. Marcus stepped into her line of sight, just out of reach.
The paddle was no longer in his hand.
“I'll
keep counting, Sir. Please, I need this.”
He
lowered himself beside her and reached out to caress her fingers until she
released her strangle hold. “I'll finish, after I've determined you're in the
right frame of mind.”
She
dropped her head and squeezed her eyes shut to force the pressure to retreat.
She would not break, not here, not in front of Marcus. She lost her balance and
slid sideways.
“Whoa.”
He reached under her arms, lifting her. “I've got you.”
He
held her tightly, chest to chest, and her resolve crumbled. Guilt consumed her
like a fire racing across an empty field. She melted into him, not wanting to
know why he felt so right. The emptiness that had been filling her life drifted
away as the strength in his hold swirled around her. She exhaled and let go.
“There,
that's better.” He sat and settled her on his lap. “What was that all about?”
He pulled back and gripped her shoulders.
“Nothing.”
A million
different thoughts flew through her mind. The temptation to tell him the truth
ran rampant. She swallowed against the ball of pain forming in the back of her
throat.
The truth.
Not that he'd believe her.
“I
can tell it's not
nothing
.” His focus remained on her
and his grip remained unyielding.
“If
you're not up to finishing my spanking, I can find someone else.” All her
energy was concentrated on keeping her focus steady. The last thing she wanted
was for Marcus to see her weakness.
“I'll
finish what we started, but I need you to know you can talk to me. I'm a Master
here, Gina. No matter our personal history, I'm here for you.”
“Sure,
I get it.” Nothing like knowing he was looking after her because he had to.
“I've
known you a long time, just as long as Rob. I may not understand much of what
drives you but if you open yourself to me, I know I can help.”
“You'd
like that. Wouldn't you?” She shifted off his lap and took a step back. “A peek
inside what makes Gina tick. You can stop wasting your time. I'm not here to be
fodder for your standup routine.”
“That's
a cop-out. I've never known you to be chicken.”
“Hardly.
I can handle
anything you're able to dish out.”
He
stood and removed all distance between them, forcing her to look up. Light
danced off the golden hues in his hair and his enticing woodsy scent almost
knocked her down to her knees. She held her breath.
“Are
you done?” His gaze dared her to back down and justify everything he’d ever
thought of her. Marcus thought he had her pegged, but it was a mistake to count
her out.
“I'm
far from done.” She stepped back to the bench and got back into position. “I'm
ready, Sir.”
“The
invitation will remain open. If you ever want to talk, you can come to me.”
“Understood.
Can I get my
spanking now?”
He
whacked her on the ass with his bare hand.
“What
was that for?” Fire lit up her backside. The delicious sting silenced her next
retort. “Thank you, Sir.”
“Better.”
He flipped up her skirt and rubbed both cheeks. “I won't make you count this
time. As long as you stay focused, I'll continue.” He teased between her folds.