Chapter Ten

Thomas stared down at the numbers on the balance sheet in front of him once again, but the figures still weren’t right. With the increase in outside groups renting rooms at Sanctuary and the implementation of his new cost cutting efforts, there should be more of an impact by now. His gut burned every time he considered the shit his accountant was trying to pull.

He needed that audit done as soon as possible. There was only two ways out of his contract with the little fucker, and he didn’t expect the other man to quit anytime soon unless he got caught red-handed. With any luck, Gabrielle would be able to start work on it in the next day or two, and Thomas would be able to put it rest once and for all.

He shifted in his seat as the semi erection he’d been sporting all day swelled into a full blown hard-on just from thinking of the sweet little submissive he’d watched pull out of his driveway before he’d left for work. In a perfect world, where he didn’t have to worry about her job or his, he would have kept her at his side all day.

Gabrielle in his office and on the edge of arousal all day long sounded like the perfect plan. Add in a lunchtime training session with both David and her, and he’d be in his own version of heaven. Her reaction to David this morning had lit a fire in his blood that no amount of work could extinguish. But her hesitation bothered him. He’d felt the proof of her desire, but she’d been unable to put that into words like he’d requested.

Did she fear choosing one over the other?

That thought slammed into Thomas with startling clarity. That made sense actually. They’d not spent enough time going over the fact that her desires were his. He made a mental note to discuss this subject later. Right now, his mind wasn’t on training but instead simply on her hot little mouth and, specifically, how delicious it would look wrapped around his cock—something he planned to experience as soon as possible. Thomas pressed against the front of his pants. With as turned on as he’d been all day just thinking of her, it wouldn’t take much to have him coming in her mouth.

Mmm.

If he’d had a lick of sense this morning, he’d have pushed her to her knees and demanded her to suck him. Instead, he’d ordered her to dress and sent her home—something he planned to rectify as soon as possible. He turned to his computer and fired off a quick email to his little vixen.

Oh yeah, he couldn’t wait. He’d keep her on edge with some fun tasks for the day and by tonight, she’d be ready for whatever he threw her way.

A knock at the door startled Thomas from his thoughts as he tucked his chair behind his desk. “Yeah?”

The door opened, and David’s familiar blond head poked in. He grinned. “Is it safe to enter?”

Thomas glanced at his desktop clock, surprised to see it was indeed already noon and time for lunch with his friend. “If the door’s not locked then it’s okay to come in no matter what’s going on in here.”

“Well, there might be a few things I don’t want to accidentally see.”

Thomas cocked his brow and watched David saunter across the room and take a seat in one of the leather chairs in front of his desk. He was dressed in his security firm’s uniform of black pants, black button down shirt and black tie. He must have left the black blazer out in his car. Thomas enjoyed teasing David about his firm’s “men in black” policy.

“I’ve yet to see you turn down an opportunity to watch a scene, so I can’t imagine what I could be doing in here that you wouldn’t want to check out for yourself.” Thomas shut down the email program on his computer and locked his machine so he and David could scoot on down to the dining room where lunch should be waiting. His friend usually didn’t stay more than hour for their lunches.

David was completely devoted to his work and often put in long hours to complete a job—something Thomas was all too familiar with. It was one of the many things they had in common and had begun to build a solid friendship on.

“Yeah, I guess you have a point. But still…”

Thomas clapped David on the back as they stepped from his office and headed down the hall to the dining room. He loved this old house and even more so what it stood for. A place of freedom for all those interested in an alternative lifestyle. It wasn’t just about BDSM here at Sanctuary. They catered to any group that found themselves on the fringe of what society considered normal. There were a variety of clubs in the city and throughout the state who rented out rooms and on special occasions the whole house for their gatherings.

So while on the night he’d met Gabrielle it had been a local BDSM group renting the first floor for their get together, on any given day it could be swingers, fetishists or a simple event like a high tea for submissives. They were open to anything, and he loved nothing more than being a safe haven for these groups.

The house was decorated in an opulence befitting a royal palace and could fit into a number of themed parties.

He and David strolled into the near-empty formal dining room and took a seat. One of the perks he offered to the staff here were the catered lunches.

“Good afternoon, Thomas. David.” The resident kitchen manager smiled at them as they took their seats. “The usual today?”

“Yes, Linda, thanks.”

She poured two tall glasses of sweet tea and set them down on the table along with silverware and napkins. “I’ll have your club sandwiches out momentarily.”

After Linda walked out the silence in the room grew. Thomas sat back in his chair to observe David. On the outside, he appeared calm and cool, but there were tiny telltale signs of something bothering him.

“What’s wrong? Are you uncomfortable with our plan?”

To Thomas’s surprise and admiration, David didn’t hesitate before looking at him.

“About what? Gabrielle?”

Thomas nodded and steepled his fingers in front of him.

“I wouldn’t say uncomfortable. Cautious maybe. Wondering where this is going to lead.”

“You don’t like her?”

“On the contrary, I like her very much. Maybe too much.”

Thomas grinned at his friend and shook his head.

“I know exactly what you mean. There’s nothing to worry about though. I want you to like her. It’ll be more enjoyable for us all that way.”

“Are you sure you want to do this? She seems different from the others, more serious. It doesn’t seem to be about just the sex.”

“You noticed that already?” Thomas hesitated while Linda delivered their food.

“Will there be anything else, Sir?” The hint in her voice caught his attention, and he looked up and examined her lovely face. If anyone he’d ever met was a perfect human specimen, it would be Linda. She was perfectly proportioned with a gracious sense of obedience. In fact, he’d enjoyed flogging her many times since he’d known her, yet she didn’t affect him like his Gabrielle did.

His.

That one word was almost enough to stop his heart from beating. Sure, he’d taken submissives before and even claimed ownership for an agreed upon timeframe, but already this seemed something more. Something dangerous. While he could provide exactly what Gabrielle needed, it wouldn’t be him that could give it to her. For that he needed David. He would be the buffer that kept things from going where they weren’t supposed to.

“No, Linda that will be all. Thanks, doll.” He winked at her and dug into his food until she’d closed the door to the kitchen behind her.

“Gabrielle is a rare breed, David. A natural submissive with intense needs and an unfailing desire to please. It’s a beautiful thing. It’s also a big responsibility.”

“Well, if anyone is capable, I’m sure it’s you. You have the experience and the knowledge to take on anything you set your mind to.” David hesitated before he took another bite. “Don’t you want her? Is that what this is about?”

Damn. Thomas needed to be more careful about what he said to his friend. He’d underestimated him today. “Not at all. I’m enamored with everything about her. Probably too much but hell, at my age, I’ve gotten pretty set in my ways.”

“At your age? Give me a break. It’s not as if you’re an old man. What are you forty?”

“Forty-five.”

“Like I said.”

Thomas shook his head and finished eating his lunch. He’d said more than enough for one day. The burden to carry the delicate balance of this relationship lay at his feet not David’s. He only wanted to gauge David’s commitment to Gabrielle’s training.

“What was you impression this morning in the kitchen? Did you enjoy the inspection?”

“It was exciting to watch her overcome her fears at each turn of expectations. I thought she handled herself quite well considering her nerves. Sure made my dick hard.”

A deep chuckle rumbled through Thomas’s chest at the look on his friend’s face. Instead of the smile, he expected, David’s face was drawn and pinched, his lips set in a grim line. “I offered you Linda. You didn’t have to walk around with blue balls today, you know.”

“As generous as that offer is, I don’t think anyone could substitute for Gabrielle.”

“Now, you’re breaking my heart. Holding out for our girl is just so… sweet.” Thomas found it impossible to hide his grin. “I don’t think it will take long for her to ask for it. She was so fucking wet this morning.”

David groaned around his sandwich. “You need to quit telling me that.”

“Soon, David, soon. In fact, she has invited us for dinner tonight at her place. Are you interested?”

“Hell, yeah, I am. Home-cooked meal and a hot little sub? Sounds perfect.”

“I intend to push her again tonight. I can’t resist that blush of hers.”

“I’m glad I don’t have to miss it.”

Thomas mulled over the possibilities. He remembered—to well—how tight she’d been around him. The words that had fallen from her lush lips each time he’d fucked her to oblivion. Hell, he liked everything about her. Her beautiful curves, her skin, her smell, her bravery. What he didn’t understand was her ability to knock him off course. It was obvious a few sessions with his beauty would never be enough. She’d take time to figure out, and he definitely wanted to access that deep, dark center that needed him.

He hadn’t figured out exactly what he wanted to do tonight; it would depend on their surroundings. But either way, he was certain it would be very, very interesting.