Page 29 of Delicious Surrender
He listened to her tale of ice and woe and warned her for the second time she was playing with fire.
“Babe, Gage doesn’t joke around. I’ve never seen him even crack a smile. He expects everyone to follow his rules and won’t hesitate to fire anyone who doesn’t.”
“Well, maybe I’m winning him over and thawing his frozen sense of humor?”
“I wouldn’t count on it.”
Jared told her what he had heard from the other staff at the club. Gage used to frequent the underground scene in London and Berlin but hadn’t been seen anywhere in ages.
“Apparently, back in the day, he had a different sub on his arm every few weeks.”
Brynne listened and said absently, “I wonder what it would be like to do a scene with him?”
Jared’s eyebrows shot up. “Have you lost your mind? He’s the kind of Dom that expects total submission and proper behavior. Don’t take this the wrong way, but you aren’t a natural submissive. Your defiance simmers below the surface, ready to do battle. I know Ross made you feel like shit when you shared your fantasies, but he was not worthy. Not even close.” He took her hand and squeezed. “I saw it with my own eyes. The more confident you became, the more he tried to tamp down your sparkle.”
“You’re right. I was blind. He was slowly isolating meand undermining my belief in myself. Why couldn’t I see his possessiveness for what it was?” Brynne blew out a deep breath. “All I wanted was for him to take charge in the bedroom, but he was so not the guy for that!”
“Bree, just be patient. You will find someone who gets you when you least expect it. But Gage is a Ph.D. level in D/s, and you are in kindergarten. So please, please, put him out of your mind.”
She smiled, knowing he was just trying to protect her. “I might find him attractive, but you have nothing to worry about. He’s an asshole, and he doesn’t even like me.” She chuckled. “You are worrying for nothing.”
Jared rolled his eyes. “Yeah, well, you just behave yourself. Remember to follow the damn rules, and everything will be fine.”
Brynne smiled and kissed him on the cheek. “You’re a worrywart, Jared and I love you for it. I’m off. Hope I will see you tonight.”
Jared gave her a squeeze and waved as he took the steps to the other subway platform. As her train pulled away from the station, she noodled on their conversation. Sure, she was curious about what made her bad-tempered boss tick, but her mission was not to get involved with a man, it was to understand the whole dominant/submissive dynamic. The book would not rewrite itself, and she hadn’t touched it in days. This fascination with bondage and discipline was just a passing fancy and nothing to do with being dominated. Taking orders and submitting herself to a man like Gage MacLeod?Of course not…
She had one more stop to make before Brixton station.When she left the Naughty & Nice store, she had a smile on her face and a spring in her step.
A few hours later, she was at Dominus and a nervous energy had taken hold of her. She felt like a hummingbird in a sustained hover, her wings and heart fluttering madly. She stopped pacing long enough to rifle through her backpack and found a crumpled chocolate-covered granola bar. Chocolate always helped settle her nerves. She devoured it and got back to finishing her hair and makeup. After changing into her uniform, she added one last item to her outfit. It wouldn’t save her from the humiliation of being spanked, but it was a little protective armor.
Brynne was on her way to the stairs when Garrick stopped her.
“I wasn’t sure you were going to be back, Tink. I understand you have earned yourself some punishment tonight?”
Brynne looked at his twinkling dark eyes and then at the floor. “Yes, sir.”
Although he was a large man, Brynne never felt intimidated by his size or demeanor. He was like a protective teddy bear, unlike his boss, who reminded her of a feral jungle cat.
“Gage is waiting for you in his office.” His mouth twitched.
She nodded and smoothed the nonexistent wrinkles in her skirt.Here goes nothing.Taking a deep breath, she knocked on the door.
“Aye, who is it?” He sounded more curt than usual.
“Tinkerbell.”
“Come in.” The chill in his voice hit her like a Scottish wind in November. The hope that he might have softened his stance overnight went up in smoke.
She walked in and stopped a few feet inside the door. Unsure of what to say or do, she stared at the carpet and clasped her fidgety hands together.
“On your knees,” he said, his voice gruff as he stood.
Her wide eyes flew to his. She wanted to pretend she didn’t hear him, but he was pointing to the floor where she stood. She lowered herself to the carpet and focused on his immaculate wing tips when they came into view.
He picked something up from the coffee table, the slight jingling of metal increasing her anxiety. In the back of her mind, she made a mental note to remember how she felt.This would be a good feeling to incorporate into the book.
Gage gently tipped her face up so she could see what he held in his hand. Brynne swallowed hard, but the lump remained lodged in her throat. His face gave nothing of his feelings away as he fastened the white leather collar around her slender neck. He tucked two fingers against her skin as he fastened the buckle snugly. She wondered if he could feel the hammering of her pulse. Her palms were damp, her hands now fisted at her sides. The collar felt heavy and humiliating, as it was meant to. She refused to meet his eyes, staring instead at his belt buckle.