Page 33 of Master My Love

Chapter 9

ONCE VALERIE RECOVEREDand could stand on her own, Eric escorted her to the women’s locker room to change for dinner. That’s all he had time for, with a surveillance assignment for Rossi tonight. Yeah, he was doing triple duty as CFO for both business lines, managing the LA club, and doing fieldwork because the office, while doing well, was new and still growing its client base, not to mention building a reputation. As referrals flooded in, they couldn’t hire experienced bodyguards, bounty hunters, and investigators fast enough. And he enjoyed being in the field, almost as much as running the club, but it sure derailed his plans for Valerie.

He couldn’t recall being so captivated by a woman. During her lessons that afternoon, he explored her submissive desires and brought her to the peak of pleasure. That hadn’t been his intention, but he couldn’t resist temptation. He knew he had shocked her down to her newbie toes and wanted to give her space to process what she felt about submitting to him. Rushing might push her away, and he was determined not to make that mistake.

When Valerie emerged, her transformation left him breathless. She was the embodiment of feminine beauty and raw sex appeal in one tiny package. The pale-pink blouse, while conservative, clung to her curves, accentuated her full breasts and revealed a hint of cleavage. It went beyond enticing. As did her snug skirt, which hugged her hips and her delightfully round bottom. He hardened at the sight of her, which made taking her to a 5-star restaurant and acting the gentleman, challenging and really uncomfortable.

They chatted easily over dinner, covering a range of safe topics—growing up in Texas, her kids, his military service. Given the noise level in the dining room, they avoided discussing kink and relationships and the club, which suited his purposes. He wanted her to know him in both worlds.

As the evening neared its end, they returned to the garage where Val had parked. When he walked her to her car, his desire for her, which had persisted throughout dinner, was unabated. But he had to work, and she had an hour drive home, and a full day of clients tomorrow.

Eric wrapped his arms around her and drew her close. As he breathed in her familiar scent, he reveled in the feel of her body against his and savored the taste of her soft lips. Suddenly, the sound of his phone alarm broke the moment, and he reluctantly pulled away. Looking into her eyes, he whispered, “When can I see you again?”

“I...uh...have evening clients...most of the week,” she stammered out, dazed and breathless from their shared passion. “Except Thursday when I’m here for my next class.”

“Unfortunately, I’ll be out of town on business for a few days, but I expect to return on Friday morning. Crowded restaurants aren’t conducive to personal conversations. Can you cook by chance?”

She blinked, her brain not clicking on all cylinders yet. Eric found her kiss-befuddled state utterly charming and made him want her more.

“I’m rather competent in the kitchen,” she admitted after a moment. “At least my kids never complained. Are you inviting yourself to dinner?”

“I am. We’ve been on my turf for our first two meetings. It’s your turn to have the home field advantage.”

“You don’t have to be at the club? I imagine Fridays are busy.”

“Second only to Saturday,” he whispered, his lips brushing hers as his fingers tangled in her hair. “But even the boss needs a night off sometimes,” he murmured before kissing her again. “Is six too early?”

“No. Six o’clock is perfect.”

With a few more lingering kisses, he tucked her into her car and watched her drive away, a mixture of frustration and longing gripping him. He wanted nothing more than to take her to his bed and make her his own, to explore the depths of their connection further. But going slow was the smart thing to considering her history and inexperience. She was definitely more than a one-scene-and-done kind of submissive. If sex was all he was after, he could get it at the club without a problem.

His cock pressed against his zipper, demanded his attention as he turned to head inside.

“Damn,” he muttered under his breath. “I need to up my game, and fast.” Eric paused in the middle of the parking garage, stuck his hand down his pants, and adjusted himself, not caring who saw. When he resumed walking, not any more comfortable than before, he added, “But I have to get through the next five long days and longer nights first.”

***

“ARE YOU LISTENING TOme, Val?”

Her client’s voice snapped her abruptly back to reality. She glanced at the clock. Thankfully, the 50-minute session was almost over. Before she could apologize to Sarah for being so distracted, a text notification popped up on her phone—from Eric—diverting her focus once again.

“Is everything alright? You seem a little off today.”

Val forced a smile while fighting to maintain a professional demeanor, when all she could think about was checking the new message.

“Yes, everything’s fine. Just some personal matters that I’ll need to attend to later. Let’s work more on your coping skills, shall we?”

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