Page 64 of Master My Love

“It became official the moment she walked in the door tonight.” Although he spoke to the other man, Eric’s eyeslocked on her. “Her lack of a collar which asserts my claim is something I plan to remedy straightaway.”

“I was always a day late and a dollar short, in love and money,” Charles admitted dolefully.

“He’s the one who sent me the invitation for that first night, Master Eric.”

“It shows the doctor has better taste than timing.” Watching him shift his reflective gaze to Charles, Val could tell he was up to something. “It’s unfortunate your first choice is unavailable, but there is another sub here tonight who I think you’ll hit it off with if you’re interested.”

“I don’t know,” he declared, clutching his chest comically. “My heart is broken.”

Val smiled. She’d always liked him, finding him easy to talk to, but he wasn’t what she needed or wanted.

“By the stage,” Eric directed after scanning the room. “See the little sub in pink satin?”

The other man moved up beside him and searched. His slow smile told Val he liked what he saw.

“Her name is Patrice. Tell her I sent you over and requested she dance with you since your date stood you up. You’ll have to take it from there.”

Curious, Val gripped Eric’s arm and stood on tiptoe to look for her, too. In a hot-pink short nightie that barely contained her curvy figure, the thirty-something woman was stunning. With a vague wave, his eyes glued to his new target, the good doctor was off.

“What a fickle man. I think I’m insulted,” she exclaimed, only half joking.

“If not for him, we’d have never met. I’m only paying it forward.”

“Paying it forward; I like that.” She smiled up at him, so happy to be with him again.

Eric’s eyes were busy elsewhere, slowly taking her in from head to toe with the same grinDr.Colby had given the sub in pink satin.

“Come with me,” he suddenly ordered, grabbing her hand and tugging her along behind him. She ran as best as she could on her heels, trying to keep up.

“Wait!” she cried, but he didn’t hear over the noise.

She slipped a bit on the edge of the dance floor, and out of desperation, wrapped both hands around his wrists and tugged.

He stopped, his smile exchanged for a stern look of disapproval. “Valerie, what on earth?”

“I’m sorry, sir. But I can’t keep up with your long legs, not in these shoes.”

The smile returned when he looked at her feet. “Those are stilts, baby. Not shoes.”

“Exactly. Let me—”

Before she could finish, he bent and caught her around the middle. Then, he was moving through the crowd again, this time with Val upended over his shoulder. With the hem of her dress practically to her waist, her hand flew back to cover her behind, which was bare per his orders.

“I’m not wearing panties,” she squealed. “Everyone can see everything!”

She wasn’t exaggerating. Every head in the lounge had turned their way. Eric drew attention wherever he went, but with a bare-assed sub over his shoulder, he garnered even more. From her wrong-side-up position, she saw as many wide-eyed looks of surprise as knowing grins from the crowdas they passed.

Those close enough to hear chuckled at her squeak when Eric indulgently patted her exposed cheeks. When he told her, “They’re going to see it all eventually, or did you forget where you are?” more snickers rose from the bystanders.

“Yes, but I hadn’t expected to be butt naked in the middle of the bar.”

His indulgent pat morphed into a smarting smack. “Tone down the snark, sprite,” he warned.

Arriving at the entrance to the administrativesuite, he swiped his card and carried her on through. She felt him slip off her shoes before he let her slide down the front of his body, catching her in a steamy clinch, her feet dangling well shy of the floor.

“Damn, I missed you.”

Before she could respond, he claimed her lips in a smoldering kiss. Her arms wrapped around his broad shoulders, fingers tunneling through the short hair at his nape as she clung to him. She was breathless from the insistent plunge and swirl of his tongue whenhe raised his headlong minutes later.

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