Resisting My Submission Page 4

  After downing a pot of coffee, I headed out to the dry cleaners, grocery store, and post office. By the time I arrived back home, it was late afternoon. Gathering up my clothes for work, I jumped in the car to grab an early dinner at Maurizio’s. Hopefully, later tonight, Scotty would be banging this perplexing sexual frustration out of me. But when I arrived, the restaurant was more crowded than I’d expected. While none of the gang from Genesis had shown up yet, I’d be pressed to do much more than proposition the man like a hooker.

  “Hey, Sammie,” Scotty called out to me with a smile.

  “How’s it going?”

  “Great. Good to see you. It’s been a while. Grab a seat. I’ll send Carly out to get your order in a sec.”

  “Good to see you, too. No rush. I’ve got plenty of time.” I brushed away his concern with a wave of my hand.

  Taking a seat at a twelve-top table in the middle of the room, I knew a few club members would eventually wander in and join me. As I faced the bar, I watched Scotty. He moved fluidly and seemed at home whipping up drinks, much like I did at the club. His forearms flexed and bunched as he filled a pitcher of beer from the tap. My mind skipped to a different man with larger and more defined muscles…Max.

  Dammit. I couldn’t purge him. It was maddening that he both enticed and infuriated me with his sexy grin and probing stare. I was a Domme…a woman in control of my emotions and desires! Or I had been until Max came to town.

  Carly, the cute waitress who’d worked for Scotty the past several years, pushed through the metal swinging doors of the kitchen. The owner glanced over his shoulder and flashed her a loving smile before nodding toward me. Carly lifted onto her toes, kissed Scotty on the cheek, and scurried my way.

  Well, shit! Evidently, while I’d been eating dinner at home, Scotty and Carly had been cooking up a hot and steamy new relationship. My dreams of him annihilating my sexual frustrations lay at my feet in a heap of unfulfilled orgasms.

  Maybe it was kismet that I snagged a fresh pack of batteries earlier at the grocery store. I’d need to buy a whole lot more before Max left town. Who was I kidding? He could move to Siberia tomorrow and I’ll still be fantasizing about him…buzzing out orgasm after orgasm.

  Carly glowed as she cheerfully took my order. I noticed that Scotty couldn’t keep his eyes off the girl. Though bummed for purely selfish reasons, I was happy for them. Everyone deserved to find their One, in or out of the lifestyle.

  An image of Desmond floated to the surface of my mind. The knee-jerk reaction to mentally slam the steel door shut on his face zipped through me. Instead, I closed my eyes and studied the rugged contours of his features. Desmond had been my One, but he’d been ripped from my life sixteen years ago.

  There’s no going back, Samantha.

  The little voice inside my head was right. My ship of happiness had sailed, or rather crashed, a long time ago. I missed the man, still. Thankfully, the bitterness that Desmond left me behind had dissipated. Now, like a patchwork quilt, I filled the missing pieces of my soul spanking submissives and enjoying an occasional friends-with-benefits tumble in bed. Though I now needed to find a new friend, my life was complete…or rather had been until Max slid in under my radar and knocked me on my ass.

  Picking at my salad, I analyzed my foolish fascination with the man. I knew my attraction to him was purely physical. Still, he’d surprised me with a few endearing qualities. Like his benevolent kindness to Honey, his brother-like friendship with Dylan, and his chivalrous help with Eli last night. Max definitely possessed a big heart, but the man seemed to take great joy in pushing my damn buttons.

  Why did he refuse to get it through his thick skull…I was the pusher, not the pushee?

  Setting my fork down, I shoved my half-eaten salad aside. I started to mentally slide barriers around my heart and mind. If I could erect a set of steel walls high enough, I’d be able to deflect Max’s cutting submissive innuendos and hide from his intense stares.

  Of course, the walls wouldn’t keep his scorching hotness from turning me on. That was a different puzzle to solve. I’d find a way. I had to. My sanity and orgasm-free sleeping pattern depended on it.

  By the time Carly arrived with a steaming plate of ravioli, I was beginning to feel stronger…more empowered and secure. At least until the door opened and in strolled Nick, Dylan, Savannah, and of course, Max. As was the custom, they joined me at the big table.

  I kept my anxiety and fear on a short leash as we ate, laughed, and talked. Outside the club, Max seemed less threatening and intimidating. In fact, he was almost likeable. Maybe it was me…maybe I’d doffed my Domme cloak and had subconsciously combed my hackles down. Inside the club, I always felt as if I had to prove my ability. I abided by a code of conduct, as the other members did, with the exception of Kerr, of course. That asshat played by his own set of rules, none of which lent him an ounce of respect. He was a predator. Bagging subs and slapping collars on the unsuspecting newbies was a game to the prick. He didn’t respect women, especially Dominant women like Ivory, Monique, and myself. They, too, ate a barrage of shit from Kerr. Unfortunately, there wasn’t a clause in his contract forbidding Doms from insulting or verbally sparring with other Doms. Kerr didn’t dare treat the subs the way he did us Dommes, he’d be out the door.

  Stuffed to the gills, I sat back and tossed my napkin on my plate. I wanted to groan when Nick ordered Scotty’s homemade spumoni for the table. I knew trying squeezing into my corset in another couple of hours was going to be hell, but I couldn’t turn down those chunks of cherries, almonds, and pistachios layered in sweet frozen cream.

  When Max took a bite of the sinful confection, his eyes rolled to the back of his head, and he let out a long, low moan. If I hadn’t known better, I’d have sworn he’d just busted a nut in his sexy, snug jeans.

  Okay, so I noticed when he’d walked into the restaurant. I never claimed to be a nun.

  Hell, no one possessing a vagina kept from zeroing in on his Hulk-ish body and handsome face. Even I couldn’t peel my eyes off his hypnotic smile, rippling thighs, or the way those faded blue jeans hugged his sinfully tight ass. Still, I didn’t need his guttural groan of delight reverberating in my ears and sending sparks of need zooming to my crotch. I bet he’d make those same erotic sounds when I swirled my tongue around his glorious erection.

  So much for your super-steel barriers! Obviously they were constructed out of aluminum foil and papier-mâché—meager and useless.

  For years I’d thought coffee was my Kryptonite; turned out my weakness for Max was a million times greater.

  The man needed to visit his friends and leave.

  “So, how long do you plan to stay in Chicago?”

  Before I could stop it, the rude question fell out of my mouth. Honestly, I should have chosen a more tactful way. But I needed an end date to know how long I had to batten down the hatches on my hormones.

  Max laid his napkin on the table while I drank my iced tea. “Funny you should ask. With Dylan and Nick’s help, I found the house I’ve always wanted. I put a bid on it an hour ago.”

  If your mother failed to warn you…don’t ever gasp with a mouth full of liquid.

  Tea spewed all over my luscious spumoni and down my shirt. I choked and coughed like a firefighter in a burning house without a respirator. Gulping for air, my lungs protested as tears streamed down my cheeks. Everyone at the table was up and out of their chairs faster than Maserati’s time trials at the Bonneville Salt Flats.

  “Jesus, Sammie. If I’d known the news was going to kill you, I’d have kept my mouth shut.” Max offered a warped apology as he slapped me on the back.

  “Put your arms above your head,” Sanna called out. Without waiting for me to follow her instructions, she grabbed my wrists and hauled them into the air.

  I was still coughing and sputtering when Nick shoved a glass of water toward my mouth. I shot him a glare and nearly snarled. I was already drowning on iced tea. The last thing I needed was to s
uck more liquid into my lungs.

  Finally able to draw in a semi-deep breath, I grabbed my napkin and covered my mouth. Noises no woman should ever make came croaking from deep in my lungs.

  “I’m good,” I rasped in the voice of an eighty-year-old phone sex operator.

  “Should I call the EMTs, Samantha?” Scotty anxiously yelled from behind the bar, telephone receiver in hand.

  “God, no.” Waving his offer away, I coughed some more.

  “Samantha? That’s got a much prettier ring to it than Sammie.” Max grinned.

  “You call me by that name again, and I’ll superglue your junk into the gates of hell.” Another favorite cock and ball confinement device comprised of leather and rings.

  Max chuckled and leaned in close, dropping his voice to but a whisper. “If that’s the only way I’ll ever get to feel your slender fingers around my cock, I might let you.”

  I followed his gaze as he glanced down at his crotch. Instead of tea, I nearly choked on my tongue. Packed sideways and straining beneath his denim jeans laid a massive slab of man-muscle. Saliva pooled in my mouth. My girl parts caught fire. I had to curl my hands into fists to keep from caressing the tempting tube of steel.

  Several long seconds passed before understanding pierced my hungry hormonal fog. The cocky bastard was toying with me yet again. No doubt the sequoia strangling in his pants was due to the pretty young redhead sitting across from us. She was wearing a gray Loyola University T-shirt that cupped her pert full breasts. She had a creamy flawless complexion, plump, full lips, and looked like the sorority poster child for Kappa Kappa Dick Lickers. Yet Max had the gall to try and insinuate that I was the one responsible for raising his flagpole. Right!

  I’d had my fill of his infantile games. I was sick of him poking, prodding, and finding ways to piss me off just to watch me boil. If he wanted to play games…I could, too. I’d give him a taste of his own medicine guaranteed to bring an end to his stupid games.

  I sent him a seductive smile and leaned in close until my lips brushed the shell of his ear. God, he smelled good…clean soap and summer sun.

  Focus.

  I traced my tongue over the outer rim before sucking the lobe between my lips. Thrusting my breasts out, I purposely brushed my nipple against his bicep and watched his eyes grow dark. “I really hate to tell you this, Conan, but I’ve thrown better-looking meat than yours down the garbage disposal.”

  Max jerked back with eyes wide in surprise. Then he tossed back his head and laughed…hard.

  “Oh, I doubt that, Sammie.”

  His challenging stare made me want to squirm in my chair, but I stayed in complete control. I wasn’t about to let Captain Colossal Cock know how badly I ached to slide my hands, lips, and pussy all over his impressive gun.

  “What are you two whispering about over there?” Dylan asked from across the table.

  I arched a brow, daring Max to answer.

  “Nothing. I was just telling Saman…err, Sammie how much I enjoyed watching her scene last night.”

  “It’s always a joy watching Sammie play,” Nick complimented as all three men pulled out their wallets. “I’ve got the check.”

  “No. I do,” Dylan said, shoving Nick’s hands away.

  “Put your money up. I’m buying tonight,” Max ordered.

  Sanna looked at me and shook her head. While the three argued over who was paying the bill, I slapped a twenty on the table and stood. “Try to keep from drawing blood, boys. I’m heading to the club. See you later.”

  Slinging my purse over my shoulder, I waved good-bye to Scotty as I headed toward the door. I’d barely made it to my car when Max came jogging up beside me.

  “Look, I know you have a reputation and image to uphold.”

  “Image? Listen, mister. I don’t pretend to be anything but what I am. Got it?”

  “No. Wait. I didn’t… Christ! Are you always so damn—”

  “I’d choose my next words very carefully if I were you.”

  “Testy?” Max bit out in his own testy tone.

  “No. I’m actually a nice, loving person to people who aren’t constantly challenging my Dominance or trying to piss me off on purpose. Good-bye.”

  “Piss you off? What the fuck are you talking—”

  I turned my back to him and opened the car door. Faster than lightning. Max grabbed my shoulders and spun me around. Heat and lust blazed in his eyes as he pressed his body in close to mine. When I opened my mouth to ask what the hell he thought he was doing, he slammed his warm, soft lips over mine. The kiss was feral, possessive. Alarm bells clanged in my head, but Max silenced them when he plunged his slick tongue in my mouth.

  Hot.

  Sweet.

  Erotic.

  As he explored every valley and crevice, I closed my eyes and kissed him back. Lost in the taste and texture of his velvet tongue, I moaned. Max stroked my cheeks with the pads of his thumbs. The kiss grew raw, desperate, and ravenous.

  I wanted to shove him back and slap his face for taking his stupid game to such an aggressive level, but I couldn’t find the willpower to drag my mouth from his. The luxurious heat of his body slid around me…under me…through me, and I grew dizzy. Every powerful inch of this hungry male called to me on a primitive and animalistic level.

  Like sparks from a bonfire, desire sputtered, popped, and sizzled.

  The fever of passion soared.

  My pulse hammered.

  My knees grew weak and I fell deeper under his intoxicating spell.

  I knew I had to stop the madness, but his ruthless and sensual kisses stole my mind, my spine, until I was nothing but jelly in his arms.

  As fiercely as he’d claimed me, Max tore from my mouth. My heart fluttered wildly as I drank in the sight of his wet, swollen lips…lips that were as soft as silk yet fierce and firm.

  Fire blazed in his green eyes.

  He looked dangerous, sexy, and more gorgeous than any man had the right to.

  “Now you can go,” he bit out in a brittle tone. He lifted his hands from my face and took a step backward.

  Anger replaced lust so fast it nearly gave me whiplash. “I don’t remember asking your permission, Sir.”

  “You didn’t. You tried to dismiss me and the chemistry boiling between us. I’m not going to allow you to do that.”

  “Allow me? I don’t even know what chemistry you’re talking about.” Instead of being drawn into confessing something I knew I’d regret later, I feigned ignorance.

  “You know exactly what I’m talking about. You can’t deny it, Sammie.”

  “Yes, I can.” I lifted my chin. “I can deny Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster, and aliens, too.”

  “None of those are real. We… this… whatever you want to call it, is real. Fucking real.” A devilish grin replaced his scowl. “Maybe I need to give you more proof.”

  I wasn’t going to stand there and give him a chance to prove anything. The one kiss we’d shared was one too many. If he claimed another, I’d lose what little sanity and control I’d still managed to cling to. The thought of bending to his will, or anyone else’s for that matter, filled me with panic and single-minded resolve.

  “You try, and I’ll stretch your scrotal sac over an embroidery hoop, fix it in place with clothespins, and drink in your screams.”

  Max cringed and swallowed tightly. “You do shit like that?”

  “Of course. How else do you think I maintain my Dominant image?”

  “I like you Sammie, but you need to pull that stick out of your ass and lighten up. If you weren’t so damn sensitive about your capabilities as a Domme, you’d see—”

  I did see. I saw red. White-hot rage exploded through me. I drew my arm back, balled my hand into a fist, and punched Max right in the gut. Pain shot up my arm as if I’d slammed my knuckles into a brick wall. For a split second, I thought I’d broken my wrist. The man didn’t even flinch. Didn’t move. He just stood there gaping at me as if I’d lost my mind.
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br />   “You’re an asshole!” I barked.

  Max stood watching me with an angry scowl as I jumped into my car. I nearly flooded the engine. Finally the damn thing finally started and I lurched of the parking space.

  “You’re one infuriating piece of work, you know that, woman?”

  CHAPTER THREE

  In a haze of smoking, squealing tires, I shoved my arm out the window, flipped him the middle finger, then sped out onto the street. I was livid. Curse words rolled off my tongue like a string of pearls. After pulling to a stop at a red light, I jerked my seat belt on and silenced the annoying buzzer.

  If there was ever a time I wanted to call in sick, it was tonight. I didn’t want to lay eyes on the son of a bitch, let alone have to act civilly when he showed up at the club—and he would show up at Genesis, just to spite me—made me want to punch him all over again.

  I could always lace his pineapple juice with arsenic and end my torment. The thought was almost too damn inviting to dismiss at that moment.

  After zipping into the parking lot behind the club, I grabbed my clothes and slammed the car door. I stomped up the stairs, punched in the code, and shoved past the portal before storming to my room.

  Blazing like a forest fire, both inside and out, I stripped off my clothes and paced the room in my bra and panties. Max’s words spooled through my head on an endless loop.

  “I’ll be more than happy to pull the stick out of my ass, mister…and shove it up yours. Argh! Why does he have to be such a cocky, condescending asshole?”

  The knock on my door had me spinning around on my heel and staring at it in disbelief. “You’ve got to be shitting me!”

  The prick had followed me to the club to what? Continue World War Three? The battle would be short lived. I had all the necessary equipment within reach to yank his fucking balls. I might be ready to castrate him but I wasn’t ready to face him. Not yet. Not until I could stop acting like a petulant child.

  “Go away. Leave me the fuck alone, asshole!”

  I heard a snick of metal. Shock raced through me as I watched the knob slowly start to turn. Before I could move to block Max out, the door opened. Mika stepped in wearing a look of confusion and worry. The blazing rage within me lessened. I exhaled a deep breath of relief.