Tucker's Fall Part 7

"If you didn't look like I'd just caught you stealing or something it probably wouldn't be so funny. I take it you finally heard from my wayward brother."

She nodded.

"What did he have to say for himself?"

Maggie squirmed in her seat. The last thing she wanted to do right now was go over this with Nina.

Nina compressed her lips and curled them in, making it obvious she was trying to hide a smile.

Maggie leaned in. "You know, one of these days someone is going to come along and wipe that smug smile off your face. They are going to twist you up inside and make you want to do things you've never considered. Then I'll be the one across the table laughing." She grabbed her purse and slung it over her shoulder as she stood to leave.

"Aww, don't go away mad." Her friend smiled as the words left her mouth.

Maggie smiled back at her. "You're a brat."

Nina stood and walked her to the door. "It's that very brattiness that keeps my friends coming back for me. You're all gluttons for punishment."

"If you say so." Maggie opened the door and strode through it. Before it closed behind her she heard parting words from Tucker's sister.

"See you tomorrow. Same bat time. Same bat channel."

She laughed out loud as she made her way to her car. It truly was impossible not to leave Nina with a smile on her face. The woman had a knack for turning any bad mood around by reminding people to enjoy the little things. A hot cup of coffee, a cupcake, and most importantly, a laugh.

Not ten minutes after Maggie walked through her front door. The doorbell rang. She hustled to answer it, excitement buzzing through her blood. She couldn't wait to see what Tucker had sent.

As soon as she opened the door, the delivery guy shoved a huge white box into her arms.

"I need you to sign here." He produced a clipboard and a pen from under his arm and shoved it in her face.

Too excited to think, Maggie grabbed the board, scribbled her name and thrust it back to the man. She was dying to open the box. With a quick kick of her leg, she closed the door and rushed to her bedroom. There might not be anyone else staying in the house with her, but she needed the privacy of her own room before she opened her present.

In her head, she knew she should savor this moment by slowly unwrapping the package one layer at a time. In reality, she tore into the box and accompanying white tissue like a little kid who stayed awake all night waiting for Christmas morning to arrive.

Inside, she found luxurious silk pooled seductively among the wrappings. She gingerly lifted the garment from its container and admired the gorgeous dress Tucker had sent. The s.h.i.+mmering gold color of the fabric reminded her of champagne and the crystals sewn in to the bodice of the halter even resembled the bubbles. She rubbed the luxurious material against her cheek and sighed. It didn't take much to imagine how the fabric would cup her b.r.e.a.s.t.s and the delicate pleats at the waist would drape the skirt perfectly across her curves. The decadence of it overwhelmed her.

Then her eyes caught the s...o...b..x tucked into the corner of the package. She set aside the dress and lifted the top. She gasped again at what lay inside. She might not own a single pair of Christian Louboutin shoes, but every woman recognized the familiar red soles that were the designer's trademark.

Oh G.o.d.

She couldn't contain her excitement. In two seconds flat, she'd removed her cute and far more practical leather boots and slid the first beige patent pump on her right foot. What could have been considered ordinary were turned extraordinary by four inch heels that she knew would make her legs look long and sleek. Of course they fit perfectly. How did he-?

Maggie shook her head. Probably his sneaky half sister. She'd not seemed all that surprised about Tucker contacting her today or by her sudden departure. In fact, she probably already knew every detail about her upcoming date. She c.o.c.ked her head. No problem, two could play at that game.

She slipped out of the shoes and placed them back in the box. Part of her wanted to refuse such expensive gifts from Tucker and the other wanted to embrace anything and everything about what lay ahead. It was difficult not to conjure the look on Tucker's face as she'd been tied to his bondage wheel. It was the first time any man had looked at her like that. As if he would burn alive with desire if he didn't have her right that second.

Her s.e.x squeezed, reminding her how empty she'd felt these last few days without him. He'd given her a taste of what submission could mean for her and she really wanted more. Although she'd had to remind herself on every occasion that it wasn't normal to obsess over a man she barely knew.

Maggie fell on the bed and stared at the pink chandelier she'd loved as a teen. High school had been kind of weird for her. She'd clung to her then boyfriend until he sort of broke her heart. For a while she'd thought she loved him, then she'd kissed Tucker that fateful spring night at a carnival, leaving her little teenaged heart more confused than ever. Not that she'd done anything about it. Good girls didn't rock the boat or dump their popular football player boyfriends. She scrunched her face. From the unexplained attraction to Tucker at a young age to a loveless marriage and the research that served as an excuse to learn about something she craved on a basic level but had no intention of pursuing beyond a toe in the water. So far she'd managed to live her life in a bubble. Not that she hadn't burst it in a big, ridiculous way.

Stop. Don't do this.

This was no time to revel in her stupid, stupid mistakes. Lesson learned thank you very much. Now she only had to take a shower, shave all her important girl parts and don a dress to go meet a boy. A boy that had grown up to be so much more than she expected. Her stomach fluttered again. She jumped from the bed and stripped down to nothing. Last time she'd gone to Tucker she'd completely freaked out. Tonight, she'd go in with her eyes wide open and her expectations high. She had a fantasy and only one man could fulfill it.

Chapter Eight.

Tucker drummed his fingers on the wooden bar while keeping his eyes on the entrance. Any moment now Maggie would walk through those doors and the night of decadence he'd planned for her would begin. He'd decided he needed to go big or go home. He'd gone big.

He looked forward to bringing Maggie farther into his world and watching her reaction. Tonight she'd learn more about him than he revealed to anyone. There were a few secrets he'd kept to himself. Not because he was afraid or ashamed of the life he'd built. But there were some things so spectacular that he selfishly refused to share them with the world.

Part of him wanted to treat Maggie like that. Wrap her up and keep her hidden from curious onlookers and any potential reporters on her tail. Once they got the scent of a relations.h.i.+p, they'd be on them both like a shark to blood. Her recent troubles were bound to be splashed across newspapers and gossip rags larger than the first go round thanks to the world's incessant interest in BDSM this past year. Add some money to the story and things got much worse. He hoped she understood what getting involved with him entailed. Maybe that's the talk they needed to have first. From shunned son of a suspected cult leader to billionaire s.e.x addicted playboy, he'd attracted more than his fair share of attention over the years.

Fortunately, he didn't interest many reporters these days other than the local paper. When he wasn't ensconced in his art studio working around the clock, he'd come out just long enough to pick a fight with the town council over some asinine issue or another. On one level, small town life suited him very well. No corporate pressure to be something he wasn't and for the most part people left him alone. He imagined he still managed to be a regular mention in the gossip mill, but as long as he didn't hear about it, he could care less.

Let them talk. Let them wonder why a man his age preferred his own company over others. Well, until now. Maggie's arrival back in town had caused a s.h.i.+ft in him. She reminded him that there was more to life than creating art and aggravating city forbearers that were forced to deal with him because he'd inherited his father's position on their council. He smirked. No democracy in this town. The only way a member got in or out was through death.

From the beginning, he'd toed the line to an extent. While not his nature under normal circ.u.mstances to go with the flow, he simply had no interest in deciding what businesses had to be shut down or how to deal with particularly embarra.s.sing residents. It did however, serve as a reminder of exactly how conservative his father had been in the public eye. No one had ever known exactly what George Lewis had been capable of in his private life until the very end.

Disgusted by his train of thought, Tucker slid the gla.s.s of alcohol away and turned to observe the room. It was amazing what a difference a thirty-minute ride from home did to your surroundings. He recognized a few people scattered among the dining tables but for the most part he faced a sea of strangers. How many knew they were sitting in a facade? Would they be shocked to know they were only separated by a few soundproofed walls from the kinkiest s.e.x club in the city?

Purgatory wasn't exactly a secret. Thanks to the occasional protestors, the goth fetish club he co-owned managed quite a bit of public scrutiny.

"Wow. Twice in one week. Are you going for a new record this year, boss?"

Tucker didn't need to turn his head to recognize his club manager, Gabe. He and his equally private business partners had long ago relinquished the day-to-day operations of the club to this man, preferring to keep their names out of the press and ensure the club ran smoothly without them.

"For some reason you are not the first person to be shocked by my appearance."

Gabe laughed and the two shook hands. "Have you come to partake of a friendly submissive this evening? We have several available that I think would serve you well."

"What's with everyone trying to offer me a sub? Do I have a look of desperation I'm not aware of?"

Gabe didn't even react to that statement. "So you've decided it's time to take a more active role in the management of Purgatory, then."

"Jesus h.e.l.l, Gabe. Lighten up. I have a date. Is that so hard to believe? Besides, you know as well as I do how much my privacy means to me. The last thing I need right now is for any local reporters b.u.t.ting into any of my business. I've got enough to worry about these days..."

The other man's shoulders relaxed a fraction. Tucker puzzled over what had Gabe so on edge. The man had a reputation for complete and utter control over any situation, but tonight something bothered him. When he was about to open his mouth and get to the bottom of the situation, something caught Gabe's attention and he turned to the front door.

"I'd offer to buy you a drink but I have a feeling the reason you're here has just arrived."

Tucker checked his watch before he turned and smiled. Right on time. He swiveled in the direction of the door and immediately felt all the blood from his head drain to another very important part of his anatomy. His vision narrowed as he focused entirely on the woman standing at the entrance of the restaurant. With her skin slightly flushed and her top teeth nibbling at her lower lip she made all the things he wanted to do to her jump into his brain at once.

She'd honored him by wearing the outfit he'd provided and she looked gorgeous. Despite his original intentions, he'd opted for something a bit more high cla.s.s than typical dungeon wear. Then his gaze caught site of the shoes. He bit back a groan. He'd always had a nut for f.u.c.k me heels, but on Maggie, f.u.c.k me took on a whole new meaning. More like bend me over, plow my a.s.s and have your way.

She spoke to the hostess for a moment, giving him a little more time to seek control. He had half a mind to skip dinner and go straight to the evening's entertainment. He wanted her in the dungeon now. Small talk and romance could wait.

She followed the direction the hostess pointed and their gazes finally met. The jolt in his groin made him grateful he still sat at the bar. He wasn't sure his legs could work under the intensity of that single look. It was one of the things he loved most about her. The expressive eyes. All of her emotions stood plainly visible at any given moment. Even after everything she'd been through lately, there was an air of seductive innocence cloaking her. She'd taken her hits and moved on. Except for the death grip she had on her purse, she managed to look the epitome of calm.

Relieved that he still set her a little off balance, Tucker slid from his stool at the bar. Without taking his eyes from Maggie he spoke to Gabe, "We should have a meeting soon."

"Sure thing, boss. How about I call you in a couple of days to set something up."

Tucker nodded and moved to greet the s.e.xy woman coming his way.

"Hi," she spoke first, the single word breathless.

"Hi yourself."

Her lips parted, and a lovely smile crossed her face. For a breathless moment he waited before he cupped her head, drew her close and covered her mouth with his. He swallowed the small sigh that fell from her mouth as the pleasure of having her in his arms again sank into his bones. The sensation of her soft body against the hard planes of his reminded him what he'd been missing these last several days. He nearly groaned.

He threaded his fingers through her hair and tugged her a notch closer. They might have been in the middle of a public restaurant but he knew very few of the patrons would be shocked by his behavior. Tucker took advantage of her surprise and swept his tongue between her parted lips. Soft heat filled his senses as he tasted and explored every inch. She grabbed his arms and wrapped her fingers around his biceps. It wouldn't take much to make her forget they had an audience.

Slowly, he stepped back when all he wanted to do was grab her hand and lead her to Purgatory. All doubts about Maggie and where she belonged evaporated. He'd been without a submissive for a very long time and she possessed the perfect amount of desire to submit mixed with stubborn female fight to keep things interesting. As long as he didn't push her too far too fast again. This time he'd hold her to him and there'd be no running tonight.

The image of her fleeing from his house naked had him biting back a smile. No way would he ever regret that memory as long as he lived. It had been a sight to behold. The combination of frightened rabbit and ivory female skin still flushed from o.r.g.a.s.m. He sighed. She'd dumbfounded him until he started painting.

"I've missed you," he blurted, cupping her chin and rubbing his thumb along her bottom lip.

"I missed you too," she confessed. "I feel like an idiot the way I ran out the other day."

He pressed his finger to her lips. "Shh. We'll work through that later. Did you find my special gift and the instructions for it?"

She nodded, her eyes dropping to the floor.

His brow raised and his eyes narrowed a fraction. "I didn't hear you" he stated.

Her eyes widened when she realized what he expected. She cleared her throat before she spoke, "Yes, Sir."

"Good girl. We're going to have a very good time tonight. But for now I'd like to have dinner. Would you care to join me?"

"Yes, please," she answered, her voice coming out huskier than she'd probably expected. Him bringing up his little surprise placed them squarely back into their Dominant/submissive roles. Her demeanor changed as did her breathing. d.a.m.n. The thought of her taking the small tube of lube he'd provided and preparing her little a.s.shole for a plug stirred his c.o.c.k. He'd seriously considered making her bring it to the restaurant for him to place the first time. It would have been simple to slip into one of the private changing rooms and push the pretty pink toy between her sweet checks.

Tucker's entire body hardened. He'd never make it through a normal dinner at this rate. His intention for having her prepare her body for him was a two-fold decision. First, she'd have to make the decision to follow his request or not, all on her own without any pressure from him in person. And second, it pleased him to have a submissive take the time to prepare her body for his pleasure. While he had every intention of giving her more pleasure than she'd dreamed of, she would have to work for it. Earn it per se. He'd taken this opportunity as a test to see how willingly she accepted his commands after the mishap of their previous encounter.

Of course, now all he thought about was what that little plug did to her. Before long she'd be squirming in her seat. Tucker forced back his reaction and smiled as he led them away from the bar. He'd chosen the perfect spot for their dinner.

Fire and Ice had been designed to be different from a sea of restaurant choices in Charlotte. The front dining room was all about ice, with a series of cascading waterfalls that fell into pools filled with rocks that looked like chunks of ice. Farther back they'd chosen to embrace the fire. Levi had designed the walk in sized fireplace that dominated the s.p.a.ce with flames so high they looked capable of reaching forward and licking the skin of anyone that got too close.

The semi-private booth he'd reserved served as the perfect backdrop for a meal. With the curved wall around the back of the booth, they'd be blocked from the view of the vanilla customers while still allowing them to see and be seen by the diners that utilized the full spectrum of services at dinner. He couldn't wait to see the look on her face if something happened while she nibbled on her appetizer. Actually, he was counting on it.

When they reached their table, Tucker motioned for her to slide in first. She carefully sat and gently slid along the smooth leather. Oh yeah, she was feeling it. He took the spot next to her, sitting so close that their thighs touched. He leaned in and placed his lips next to her ear. "How are you feeling now, pet?"

She twisted her hands together and then placed them palms down on the table in front of her. "Excited...Uncomfortable...Nervous," she replied.

"You look amazing. I enjoy the flush of your skin when you're aroused." He'd spoken the words a little louder this time, catching her off guard.

"I'm not-"

She'd been about to lie to him and stopped. "Very good girl." He squeezed her leg, "we've already got some punishment time to work through later. I doubt you want to add anymore by lying to me."

Maggie squirmed in her seat, her thigh rubbing against his.

"What am I being punished for?" Her voice shook a bit as she spoke, but it was the husky undertone that spiked his attention. His body automatically responded to the sound of her arousal. Oh Miss Maggie. We are in so much trouble.

"While I understand how overwhelmed you must have been the other day to run away, that kind of behavior is not acceptable. If you have any kind of problem with what's going on between us, it's my job to make adjustments as necessary. Running around town with your head out of sorts can be extremely dangerous. I'm sure you've heard of aftercare. If you hadn't found your way to my sister, I would have followed you and probably dragged you back to my house and then paddled you until you couldn't sit."

Maggie gulped. "I'm sorry, Tucker. I feel so stupid about my behavior. I don't know what got into me."

He covered her hand with his. "Never be sorry for how you feel, little one. I only care that you tell me so we can deal with it. Without the ability to communicate, we'll get nowhere fast. Do you think you can handle that?"

"Yes, Sir," she responded.

Tucker's stomach tightened. To hear Sir from her lips unprompted fired his blood. "Good. Of course that doesn't take away the punishment you have coming, but it leaves us free to move on in our conversations." He smiled and motioned to the waiter to come forward from where he'd hovered, to take their order.

Tonight would make or break their future together. As he led her deeper into his private world, they'd both find out whether their long-term desires were compatible. He suspected she'd enjoy every minute of what he wanted her to experience even if it took her way outside her comfort zone. She'd somewhat proven that the other day. Their scene had been blunt and intense. He still got hard every time her thought of her soft cries and the flood of wetness that greeted him between her thighs. She'd loved every minute of it, until she crashed.

He planned to repeat the effect of their previous encounter without letting her freak out afterward. With proper aftercare she'd be like putty in his hands. He couldn't wait.

The waiter went through the specials and he sat back and observed Maggie as she chose what she wanted to eat and drink. There were a million and one little things about her that he continued to enjoy. The light in her eyes when she talked about something she cared about. Or the attention to detail she conveyed in the papers she'd written on the BDSM lifestyle. She never got the facts wrong but there was enough of a hesitant undertone in her findings to indicate that she wrote from research and not experience. He looked forward to the change after tonight.

The waiter took her menu and left them alone.

"You're not eating?" she asked.

"Of course I am. But I've been here enough the staff knows what to bring me without having to ask."

"Wow. I've never heard of this place. Although that doesn't mean anything since I've been away so long," she qualified. "There are probably a lot of changes I know nothing about."

Tucker used her last statement as the segue he needed to steer the conversation. "How long has it been since you've been home?"

Maggie's demeanor changed. Her back stiffened, her eyes shuttered, even the rest of her body seemed to curl in on itself as if she needed to protect herself. That would not do. Tucker wrapped his arm around her shoulder and threaded his fingers through the hair at her neck. She was so different from the women he'd been with. Where they had long flowing locks that he wrapped around his hands, Maggie kept her hair much shorter than most women with layers that made the edges look a bit spiky. The style flattered her very well and to him it was a nice change from the fake bottle blondes he'd gotten used to.

The same thing with her body. There was nothing fake about Maggie Cisco. He slid his hands from her neck along the curve of her spine. He'd specifically chosen this dress because of the skin lines it left open to him. As an artist he did everything with his hands, and when it came to women he was often the same way. Right now he itched to stroke and pet every inch of the beautiful submissive sitting next to him.

She still hadn't answered him but he felt her muscles relaxing under his ministrations. He wasn't in a hurry tonight and he had enough patience to wait for her answer. For now.

"Until last month, I hadn't been here since I graduated from college."

Tucker calculated the math in his head, estimating how long it had taken her to get her Master's and half of her Doctorate degree. Ten years almost. He softly whistled. That was a long d.a.m.n time to stay away.

"Why so long?"