Peeking around the corner, Alessa stiffened in surprise, her breath lodging in her throat, her eyes tearing up for a whole different reason. There, seated in the front row, sat Master Sean wearing the leather pants and vest he’d worn for their first scene. Had Dax mentioned her involvement tonight to Sean as well as Krista? Or was he here for someone else, someone new since she’d rejected him earlier in the week?
Alessa balled her clammy hands into fists of indecision as she drank in the sight of him. God, how she’d missed him, how she wanted him. If she went to him now, she risked humiliating herself in front of all those people. But, if she didn’t, she would never know what might have been, if she’d erred when she’d cut him off without a word of explanation, if he’d come for her after all. Fear of yet more disappointment had dictated so much of the past few years of her life. Maybe it was time she took control and went after what she craved with every fiber of her being. Wasn’t Master Sean the one man worth taking such a huge risk for?
Before she over-thought it or could change her mind, she stepped around the corner and walked on trembling legs in front of the crowd of bidders, keeping her eyes focused on Master Sean despite the nausea churning in her stomach. Her heartbeat hammered in her ears, drowning out the rest of the noise in the room. With his hands steepled under his chin, his legs sprawled in a wide vee, he aimed those pewter eyes on her approach and that soul-penetrating gaze almost doubled her over, the impact as forceful as a sucker punch to the gut. He showed not an ounce of surprise at seeing her, which meant he’d known she would be here, that tidbit boosting the courage she needed to take those last few steps. With his customary patience that always increased her nerves, he remained quiet and seated, allowing her to come to him. Buoyed by the small curl of his mouth when she stopped in front of him, Alessa sank to her knees and rested her shaking hands on his thighs, the thick muscles bunching under her light touch.
She could think of only one thing to say when he remained silent, and prayed it was the right word as her voice broke with her whisper. “Master.”
“Fucking right,” Sean growled in that low tone that never failed to elicit shivers and curl her toes. Standing, he reached down and hauled Alessa to her feet, clasped her hand and tugged her behind him.
She followed him with a light spring in her step, her heart beating out a fast tattoo, her body heating from head to toe as he led her behind the half wall of potted plants where he’d first lectured her on visiting the clubs alone. Dropping her hand, he glared down at her, crossing his arms over his chest.
“I thought we were well past you testing me.”
Was that what she’d been doing? She could see how he’d look at it that way. “I… you quit calling,” she blurted, his eyebrow shooting up at the accusation in her voice. When he didn’t reply, she shifted on her bare feet, conscious of the visibility of her erect nipples through the sheer nightie and the banked heat in his eyes when he looked her over. “Okay,” she stated when he remained silent. “You want to know why I wasn’t answering or returning your calls.”
“For a start.”
Alessa tried to step back from the heat of his body and piercing eyes but he wouldn’t even allow her to wedge that small space between them. Palming her shoulders, Sean hauled her against him, her breasts flattening against his chest, his warm breath brushing her lips as he spoke.
“Tell me.”
“Your father, I overheard him talking with your aunt, saying you would never… let yourself care for a woman, not after…” She trailed off, his thundercloud expression sending a frisson of guilt through her.
Sean shook his head. “Do you mean to tell me you paid more attention to a conversation between two people who have no clue what we’re about than you did to all the lessons I gave you on trusting me to give you what you needed? Didn’t it enter your mind I might know you needed me, and that I might feel the same way?”
Alessa threw up her hands in exasperation, afraid to acknowledge the blossoming hope his words brought about. “I… no, it didn’t. You never said anything.”
“And if I had, would you have believed me?”
She gave his question serious thought and realized a lifetime of disappointing rejections most likely would have pushed her insecurities to the surface and, odds were, no, she wouldn’t have believed he could care for her. No one else ever had. Alessa expelled a rueful sigh and shook her head. “I’m a mess.”
Sean fisted her hair and tilted her face up to his. “Yeah, you are, but,” he brushed his lips over hers, “you’re my mess, and it’s high time you accept that, starting now. I’m not going anywhere, Alessa, not unless you boot me to the curb.” Releasing her, he stepped back, his hands going to loosen the black leather belt around his waist. “Ass up.”
This is what I want. And, from the look on his face, he knew it. No one knew her as well as Master Sean. She bent over, opting to grab her ankles instead of bracing herself on the small sofa. Master Sean wouldn’t let her fall. She heard the swoosh of his belt right before a searing streak blazed across her exposed buttocks. Her apology spilled from her mouth before she realized she’d said it. “Sir, I’m sorry!”
“I know you are, sweetheart.” But that didn’t keep him from delivering another stroke below the first. “This will ensure you think harder next time you want to believe others before coming to me for the truth.” One more lash covered the under curve of her cheeks before he helped her upright and wrapped his arms around her.
Alessa’s tears fell on his bare chest, the steady beat of his heart beneath her ear a soothing mantra for her battered senses. The small curl of arousal his nearness always ignited warmed her insides; his embrace erasing the chill she’d lived with the past several days.
“Come on. I’ll follow you to your house and we’ll finish this scene in private.”
Alessa thought nothing could dampen her spirits as she drove home, Master Sean’s headlights staying behind her until she made a light and he didn’t. Arriving back at her bungalow a few minutes before him might give her time to get her bearings, she thought as she pulled into the drive and cut the engine. The lashes crossing her buttocks burned and she didn’t hesitate to get out to relieve the pressure. Not that she minded the painful reminder of his displeasure. She’d been an idiot this past week, but from now on, she vowed to listen to her heart and not let the past dictate her future.
She was so engrossed in her thoughts and anticipation for Master Sean’s hard body possessing hers again, she didn’t see the man waiting in the shadows until she reached the front door. Stepping back in surprise, her hand went to her throat as she gaped at Dr. Charles Ward looming in anger before her.
CHAPTER 14
“You scared the crap out of me!” Alessa exclaimed in anger. “What are you doing here, Charles?” Her ex took a menacing step forward but she held her ground, too incensed to back down after the trouble he’d caused her.
“You think you can get my privileges revoked and not answer to me?” he snarled.
“I had nothing to do with that, but I’m glad Dr. Hayes took you to task for what you did to Melinda Baines.” Dax and Alessa’s supervisor, Casey, had discovered the name of the nurse Charles got transferred out of the OR just so there would be an opening for her to work alongside him. Alessa hadn’t wanted to involve Krista’s husband, but when she learned what he and Casey had done, she couldn’t help the relief of knowing she wouldn’t have to deal with him again.
“Is Hayes another of your fuck buddies?” Charles sneered, latching onto her arm in a bruising grip. “Did you let him fuck you over the hood of his car too?”
Shocked outrage kept her mute for a split second before she whispered in disbelief, “You followed me, and watched us?”
“You were so engrossed with him at that bar, you didn’t even notice when I took a seat across the room then followed you again when you two left. That’s who you dumped me for?”
“We split long before I started seeing Sean, you moron
. Now, let go of me.” She yanked on her arm and when his grip tightened, decided she’d had enough of Dr. Charles Ward.
SEAN WOULD NEVER FORGET the exultation that had swept him when he saw Alessa coming toward him with her head held high, her hands clenched in nervous awareness of her surroundings, her topaz eyes reflecting both hope and wariness. When she’d dropped to her knees before him, it had taken every ounce of control not to haul her into his lap then over it for putting him through the last few days of wondering what was going through her head. If nothing else, going a whole week without seeing her or hearing her voice had worked to cement his belief she was the one for him. He’d never missed a woman as much or craved one with such lust. Now, as he followed her to her house with his cock demanding he take her in hand, he was as eager as a randy teen to claim her as his in a way that would leave her with no doubts about how he felt and where they were going from here.
They got separated when he missed a light, and by the time he pulled into her drive, she was already out and involved in a heated exchange with a man he didn’t recognize. Sean saw red when the man shook her arm and she winced at his rough handling. Flinging open the car door, he jumped out with every intention of tearing the son-of-bitch apart until he watched Alessa ram a well-aimed knee into the man’s crotch and saw him drop to his knees with a cry of pain.
That’s my girl. Pride suffused him at the look of satisfaction on her face. He loved the many facets of her personality, like the contradiction between the insecure submissive and the independent, kick-ass woman taking charge when she had to.
“Well done,” he said, getting her attention as he strode toward them. “This wouldn’t happen to be the person giving you problems at work, would it?” Sean waved a hand toward the man stumbling to his feet with a red, mottled face.
“How did you… never mind. Yes, but he’s done harassing me, aren’t you, Charles?” Alessa glared at the other man.
“Get lost,” Sean told him, holding back the urge to take a swing at the guy. Right now, all he wanted to do was usher Alessa inside and sink into her tight, welcoming heat. A week was too fucking long to go without her. He waited until Charles wobbled down the street and got into a car before turning back to her with a raised brow. “Feel good to take back control?”
Alessa nodded, a gleam lighting her eyes as she moved into him. “With him, yes.” Looping her arms around his neck, she leaned up and ran her tongue over his ear, whispering, “But, Master Sean, I love your control.”
Sean ushered her into the bungalow and backed her against the wall, pressing his rigid erection between her legs as he uttered, “Good to hear, sweetheart.”
The End