The Dom with the Dark Eyes (5 page)

Chapter Five

“So
you see this is the set up.” Tay MacKinnon pushed open the outer doors that led
to the corridor where all the offices were situated. “What do you think so
far?”

Michael
Radcliff, known to all and sundry as Rad, smiled in a noncommittal way at his
childhood friend. “So-so.”

 
Tay spun on his feet to stare at him, incredulously.
“I beg your pardon.”

“Any
time. Look Tay, you and I both know, Dommissimma has a reputation, second to
none. But the million-dollar question is this. Do I have the time or the inclination
to go onto a committee where I’m not totally involved in the rest of the workings
of the place? I’m not sure I do. Now if I was buying into the set up, it might
be different.”

“No
can do, mate, it’s not just down to me. Look, come and chat to the others,
don’t decide yet. After all they might hate you or vice versa.”

 
“Couldn’t. I’m a nice guy. I eat my greens,
help old ladies across the road and give the subbies the best time of their
lives.”

 
“And beat me at billiards, and find the lady.”
That made Rad jump, even though he knew Tay spoke about the card game.
If only.
“Yeah. Talking of ladies, how’s
my ex-wife?”

 
Tay shrugged. “As ever. Intransigent. I think,
though I don’t know, that the relationship I thought she might have with
Linsey, my co-owner, never really got off the ground. Lin’s been very noncommittal
about it all. I suspect she doesn’t want to make me piggy in the middle.
Anyway, let’s go in.”

He
turned the doorknob and opened the door.

Someone
inside was speaking.

“…Tattoo…”

“Hey
hold the door, I’m here,” a voice behind them shouted. “Don’t start without me,
or Athol will drink my wine.”

 
Rad turned around with Tay to see a tall dark
haired guy, jacket flapping, hurry along the corridor.
 
He strained to hear more from inside the room.
Tattoos interested him. He didn’t manage it.

“Sheesh,
cheers, Tay. Bloody students. They’re usually champing at the bit to get away.
Today because that was me, the sods were all eager. And me being the good
lecturer I am, waited somewhat impatiently and answered such important
questions like, so when is this essay due, again, and does it need to be in fourteen
point or will twelve do.” The newcomer rolled his eyes and grinned.

“Hi,
Edan Murdoch,” He held out his hand. “My other half should be inside.”

Rad
shook it, liking the friendly open face. “Michael Radcliff. Call me Rad if you
don’t want a rude reply. I am not, and never ever again will be Michael.”

“So,
Rad, you think you want to be one of us?” Edan asked as they walked inside.
“Dom or sub?” He winked. “Or a nice switch like a lot of us here.”

The
question was asked in a cheerful manner, as if the answer mattered not a jot.
Rad answered in the same way. “Well, I’m a Master…” he paused for effect and
noticed every pair of eyes on him. “Baker.”

 
To his relief most of the people, he counted four
others in the room, laughed. The only woman looked ill.

“That
apart, I guess I switch depending on what mood I’m in, and the person I’m
playing with. I’m easy.”

“Let
me introduce you.” Tay made introductions rapidly. The woman, Linsey, who he
realized was Tay’s co-owner was so white he thought she might pass out. She
smiled, but he noticed it didn’t reach her eyes.

“You
okay Lin?’ Tay asked concern uppermost in his voice.

She
nodded. “Tummy upset. Women’s troubles.”

Tay
nodded. Rad saw Athol open his eyes wide, but keep his mouth shut.

“Fiona
is on her way,” Athol said finally. “And Claudio is in Italy, but says he’ll go
with the flow. Tay, Silv says why did you leave your mobile at home?”

“Damn
and fuck, did I?” Tay patted his pockets. “Ah well, she knows she can ring here
or one of you. That’s the problem with a wife five days overdue, who had the
nesting instinct in overdrive. I swear if I sit still too long she’ll be
plumping me up or washing me down with disinfectant. I bet it’s in the
dishwasher or something. Thank god it’s the clinic on Sunday if nothing has
happened. Then I’m a daddy.” He grinned. “Oh god, where’s the wine?”

Rad
smiled and shook his head. “You’re driving.”

“Oh,
sod it, so I am.” Tay rolled his eyes. “Okay, where’s the coffee?”

Here,”
Edan went to the coffee machine and put a pod in the holder. The rich aroma of strong
Kenyan blend filled the room.

Linsey
went even whiter if it was possible.

“Oh
balls, excuse me.” She put her hand over her mouth and rushed out, almost
knocking another woman—Fiona, Rad presumed—over in her haste.

“What’s
up with Linsey?” The woman asked.

“Time
of the month,” Athol said briefly.

“Ah,
poor thing. I tell you sometimes it sucks to be a woman. I bet none of you lot
would cope even half as well as us women with all the crap we have to put up
with for forty odd years. Sometimes I almost think it’d be worth getting
pregnant for. A year of no Aunty Flo. But then, I’m not mummy material so I put
up with it, and poor Lizzie puts up with my moods. My partner and sub,” she said
to Rad, who wondered just what he’d been brought into. “She just sails through
it all. I snip and snap, and everyone steers clear of me. I never ever play
during that week. I tell ya I’d be had up for grievous bodily harm if I did.”
She giggled. “Actually I practice with my bullwhip on a dummy. It gets rid of
my pain and frustration and means when it’s over for another three weeks Lizzie
and I get a lot more fun. Oh sorry, we haven’t been introduced.” She smiled up
at Rad.

“Fiona,
this is Rad, Rad, Fiona,” Tay made the introductions. “For his sins, he’s my
ex-brother-in-law.”

****

 
Oh shit, fuck, and hell on wheels.

Linsey
paused as she went to re-enter the room. Once she’d got out of the orbit of the
coffee smell her upchuck reflex returned to normal. Only an incipient headache
hovered over her left eyebrow to spoil her equilibrium. Or, she decided, as
normal as it was going to be for the next seven months.

 
That voice.
It couldn’t be? Surely, it was her condition that made
her think she recognized the deep velvet tones, with a sexy hint of a Welsh accent
that struck her to the core and made her wet? After all didn’t all the books
say you were extra susceptible when you were pregnant? That your hormones went
into overdrive and you became the high priestess of horniness?

Even
so… How the hell could she be sure? After all, Linsey thought, semi-hysterically,
she could hardly go up to the guy and say hi, excuse me but do you have a
cherry tattooed on your dick?

She
took a deep breath, noted no coffee scents and pushed the door open.

“Sorry,”
she said with a breezy insouciance she certainly didn’t feel. “I never can
stomach coffee at this time of the month. It’s Earl Grey or water.”

“My
fault, hon, I forgot,” Athol winked briefly. “Coffee chucked and kettle on. You
lot take a seat next door, and I’ll bring it through. You okay with wine, Lin?”

She
nodded carefully. Her head was still thumping. “But I don’t fancy any though.”

 
“No worries, Earl Grey coming up.”

Thank
goodness for that. The gentle taste of Earl Grey tea was perfect for her at
that moment. She followed Tay, Edan, and Fiona toward the comfortable lounge
next door. Rad hung back, and gently put his hand on her arm.

 
Electricity arced through her and it took all
of her concentration not to jump, jerk or react in any way.

“Are
you sure you’re all right, Linsey? I can call you that?”

 
Oh god
it is him, isn’t it?
 
She realized he
was waiting for an answer. “Oh of course it is. Or Lin, whichever you fancy.”
And tell me who you are, or should that be
what you were. I really don’t want to say, ‘were you the guy who wore a silver
mask and carried a red and silver handled flogger? Flogged me and fucked me
senseless, fed me fairy cake and fizz and then held me tight whist we got
matching tattoos?’
It would be mortifying if he turned to her and said
‘no’.

“Why
Rad? Is it short for anything?”
Keep
talking. Even if he thinks my period makes me peculiar. Just get him to talk
and bloody listen. And see how he pronounces Cherry.
How she was going to
get him to do that she had no idea, but her masked man had said it so softly
with a hint of a Shhh, in the Ch. However it wasn’t something she could easily
drop in the conversation. Dicks and tattoos apart, she couldn’t ask him what
his favorite fruit was, or his preferred shade of red. It would be just her
luck he’d say at this time of the year, plums and the color of my sub’s ass
after I’ve spanked her.

As
she had no ideas to aid her, Linsey gave up and changed tactics. “I hope you’ve
liked what you’ve seen so far.”

“Hmm.”
His response was, she decided very noncommittal. “It’s well maintained.”

She
took the bull by the horns. “But?” After all until Tay had bought in, it had
been all her baby.

 
Oh god, my baby.
Her hands twitched as she fought
not to cover her tummy in a tell-tale—to her—gesture.

“But,”
Rad said evenly. “I’m not sure I want to be on a committee that has its hands
tied. I’m used to being hands on.” He winked and she felt her cheeks redden.

Oh if you’re who I think you are, I
so know that.

“So
what are you saying?” she asked him. “Are you saying it’s a no go because you
aren’t an owner?”

“I…
hold on, let’s wait until we’re all together. I’ll only need to say it once.”
His smile took the sting out of his rejection. “After you.”

Of
course it was sod’s law he took the other half of the settee he’d ensconced her
on.

Never
before had Linsey felt so out of control, and she couldn’t put it down to
pregnancy hormones. It was all down to the guy sat next to her, with his jean
clad thigh rubbing her leather covered one, and his shoulders bumping against
hers. He swiveled slightly to accept her glass of wine from Edan, and his, and
she smelt his scent.

It is him.
Citrus, especially lime, the aroma
that had haunted her for all those weeks. Combined with a hint of spice, she’d
never sensed it before or after that special night.

“Okay,
now we’re all here, I’d like to welcome, Rad to Dommissimma. He’s interested in
joining us and the committee, but he’s got some reservations. And I don’t think
it’s just because he’s my ex brother in law either.”

 
What? How did I not know that? Oh, bloody hell,
what a fucking cock up. In every bloody way.

 
“Lin? Linsey honey, you’re as white as a
sheet. Are you okay?” Athol sounded worried. “Do you need to lie down? Shall I
call a medic?”

She
tried to answer, but someone had stuffed her mouth with cotton wool so when she
opened it and tried to speak no words formed.

“Lin?”

Stars
flashed in front of her eyes, and she had a rushing in her ears. For the first
time in her life Linsey didn’t fight the faint. She slid sideways onto her nemesis
and let the blackness take her into welcome oblivion.

Chapter Six

“What
on earth brought that on?” Rad asked as Athol thumbed him to move off the
settee and let Linsey stretch out. “Was it something I did or didn’t say?”

 
Athol shook his head.

“Not
that I know of.” He took Linsey’s pulse and Rad remembered he was a doctor of
sorts.

“Well
what then?” Why on earth was he so persistent? What was it about the white faced,
fragile looking woman that called to him? “Is she ill?”

Everyone
in the room, apart from the unconscious Linsey looked at Athol.

“No,
just shattered.”

“You
don’t faint from just shattered,” Fiona said stubbornly. “So, ergo she’s ill.
With what though.”

Athol
firmed his lips.

“Athol,
you’re not her doc, and if you don’t tell us
now,
I’m ringing for an ambulance.” Fiona crossed her arms. On the count of
three.”

Rad
watched the battle of wills with some amusement. He wondered who would win.

“She’s
my friend as well, so if you know, spill. One…Two…”

Rad
saw Linsey’s eyelids flutter. “Just tell her,” she said faintly. “She’s like a
sodding bloodhound.”

He
sighed. “It depends on how you look at it. She’s pregnant.”

Tay
rocked back on his heels. He looked shell shocked. “Pardon?”

“You
heard.” Linsey said in a weak voice. “Fuck you, Athol, shout it to all of
Glasgow why don’t you. Fucked up, up the duff, in the…”

“Shh,”
Athol put his finger over her mouth.

She
glared, well as much as a whey-faced pixie could, Rad thought, amused in spite
of his worry. With her blonde hair in unintentional curly spikes, and the top
six inches of her slinky cat suit now open, she called to all things primitive
in him. The swell of her breasts as she tried to breathe regularly made him
itch to run his hands under the hot as Hades leather, find her nipple and pinch—hard.
Before he slowly tugged the neck to crotch zipper down, peeled the two sides of
the suit apart, and feasted on her body.

“Pudding
club,” she mumbled around Athol’s finger.

Shit, I’m lusting after a pregnant
woman
. The absolute
certainty that it should have been him to get her in that state, not some
unknown person, shocked him to the core. It was something to think about—later.
Much later. For now he concentrated on controlling his hard as hell prick.

“We’re
going to be uncles,” Edan said and high-fived Fiona. “Uncles and aunties and…”

“And
pains in the butts,” Linsey said as she struggled to sit up. “And please, god,
don’t be an uncle and an aunty. This child will have enough to come to terms
with as it, is without Aunty… or is it Uncle today Edan spoiling him or her
rotten. You will all be honorary whatever if you want, but, and I mean it, you
will not go over the top and do the stupid spoiling stuff. I want a well
rounded child not a spoiled brat. Do you get me?”

“Yes,
Miss.” Edan grinned. “When is the happy event?”

“Around
six months.”

“Great,
plenty of time to learn to crochet and become the favorite to hold your hand
and tell you to pant not push.” Edan sounded so knowledgeable that Rad must
have let his surprise show in his face. Edan chuckled. “I watch
ER
,
Casualty
and re-runs of
Doctor Kildare
.”

 
A heavy lead weight took up residence in Rad’s
stomach as he laughed along with the others. Even Linsey grinned a little.

I want to be that person. I want to
hold her hand and encourage her
.
His thoughts shocked him. Where the hell had they come from?

“I
still think you need to be checked out,” Fiona said stubbornly. “Just in case.”

So do I.

“I
promise to go to the GP tomorrow,” Linsey said. “Now I want to go home. I’m sorry,
Rad, we’ll reconvene when my brain isn’t mush.”

He
smiled. “No worries, I’m not going anywhere except home as well.” But how he
wanted to keep in close contact with her. And he had no bloody idea why, except
his cock was straining the thread of the seams around his zipper and he was
bloody glad he wore a long t-shirt.

Athol
looked at him briefly and then at Tay. Rad swore something passed between the
two men. Almost a secret code. Then Athol cleared his throat.

“Do
you think you could take Lin home for us please, Rad?”

“Oh,
but I’m fine.”

Athol
ignored Linsey’s protest. “Edan and I will come by as soon as we can, because
whatever she says, she is not going to be left alone tonight. But, before we
can come over, I’ve left stuff in my office I need to take home. I don’t have
my car with me today so Ede is the designated driver.”

“If
you believe that you’ll believe anything,” Linsey muttered. “Anyway, I can’t
put Rad out. I won’t drive. I’ll get a taxi if no one else can help.” She
looked at each one of them in turn.

“Sorry,
honey, I need to go pick Lizzie up.” Fiona didn’t sound at all sorry.

“About
to give birth,” Tay said. “And I better get back seeing as I’ve no phone. You
and Rad can chat over anything you think pertinent and we’ll reconvene when you’re
feeling better, and I’m a dad.” He sketched a wave and left the room at a half
run.

“Turncoat,”
Linsey muttered. She looked at Rad and raised one eyebrow. “Look I really don’t
want to take you out of your way. I live out of town.”

“Really?
Where?”

She
scowled.

Interesting.
So why didn’t she want to tell
him? Any of the others would pass the information on if he asked, surely, so it
was no big deal.

Rad
fixed her with his best
I am a Dom
stare. She ignored it. Then she sighed.

“Balfron.”

 
“Then you won’t be,” Rad assured her. “Because
as from last week, so do I.”

Now
why did she look as if that was the worst news ever?

 
Fuck shit and hell.
“Ah well, that’s good then,” she
said weakly, her voice soft and breathy. “Then of course I accept your kind
offer. Give me a few minutes to grab anything I might need. We’re closed
tomorrow.”

“Just
as well,” Athol said. “Now, what’s your first thing to do in the morning?”

“Go
to the doctor’s. There’s open surgery, nine ‘til ten at my surgery. I promise
I’ll be waiting outside when they open the door. With my ginger ale and dry
toast.”

Athol
grinned. “Good girl, and ginger biscuits are said to be good as well.”

“You
know that how?”

 
He chuckled. “Well as you’re aware, Fiona’s
Lizzie is a nurse and we spent one very quiet night on the door swapping gory
training stories. She told me one about ginger nuts and…” Athol stopped speaking
suddenly. “Anyway that’s neither here or now. Anything you want me to do?”

“You
change the subject quite beautifully,” Linsey said dryly. “You’ll lock up won’t
you? Before you go to your office and no doubt drive within a few miles of my
house.”

He
didn’t bat an eyelid. “Not going home tonight, we were stopping in town in the
flat. Now we’re stopping with you, and no you will not make our bed up, I will.
I have an early appointment, and Ede is doing something no doubt erudite at
Glasgow uni instead of St. Andrews. You’ll be in safe hands with Rad.”

 
Rad held his hands in the air and waggled his
fingers. “Safe as houses. They can sculpt a perfect gingerbread house if that
helps.” He winked. “Plus wield a flogger to perfection. Or so I’m told. And
there’s no need for you to come out. I’ll stay. If he hadn’t dashed off Tay
would have vouched for me.”

Linsey
grinned. “Okay, I know when I’m beaten … Athol Donaldson, don’t you say a
word.”

 
Athol opened his eyes wide. “As if I would,
but you and beaten conjures up some very interesting pictures in my mind.”

 
She growled, there was no other word for it.
“Edan take him away or by god, I’ll… well I don’t know what but I’ll think of
something.”

“Okay,
okay, no more.” Athol took Edan’s hand. “Take me away from the cruel lady.”

“Oh,
poor baby.” Edan kissed his lover’s nose. “Come on then.”

“I’ll
leave you to Rad,” Athol said to Linsey as he kissed her cheek then let Edan
tow him toward the door. “We’ll go check everything is locked. You can discuss
Domming tactics, or who knows the best way to flog or be flogged. But I’ll lock
up for sure. Now can you walk or shall I carry you?”

“Pul-ease,
I’m pregnant not poorly.” She rolled her eyes. “Well apart from a sensitive
upchuck reflex. I’m fine.”

She
looked up at Rad and for the first time he noticed her grey-violet eyes. Such a
stunning color. He’d only ever seen it one before.

“Cherry?”