Daniella

 

The man had fucked me into a coma. That’s why, when the light came on and Shane’s voice woke me, I could hardly manage an acknowledgement.

“Come on, sleepyhead. I need to get back.”

I ran my hands over my face and winced at the soreness all over my body. “Do I have time for a shower?” I definitely needed one, not only to clean up, but also to get my wits about me.

“Just enough if you get up now.”

I opened my eyes slowly and realized he was already dressed, looking ready to go. I slid naked from the bed, not missing the appreciation in his expression when I did so.

“You want to join me?”

“Can’t. I, uh, have a call. Be quick, and I’ll get the car brought around.”

Well, if that wasn’t a dismissal, I didn’t know what was. Sighing, I realized something had changed since last night. He’d retreated. Maybe it was the line he had suggested we cross last night by using no protection. Or maybe he wasn’t comfortable waking up with a woman. For whatever reason, he was definitely acting strange.

When I got into the car fifteen minutes later, he occupied himself with anything but conversing with me.

“Everything okay?” I refused to sit there getting the silent treatment.

“Yeah, fine. But tomorrow is New Year’s Eve, the busiest night of the year.”

“Oh. I didn’t realize. Anything I can help with?”

“Nope. Matter of fact, if you want to take off today, I’m sure things can wait.”

In other words, he didn’t want me around. “I’d prefer to get some things done today so I can possibly finish up by tomorrow.”

“Suit yourself.”

Evidently, I would.

 

***

 

I worked until four o’clock that afternoon, frustrated that Heather’s bar receipts weren’t adding up. Either she was keeping some stuff from me in order to torture me or make me look inept, or she was hiding something. I rubbed my temples, wondering if I should leave this to fresh eyes in the morning.

That’s when Max came up. “Hey, you planning to attend the New Year’s Eve party tomorrow night?”

“Uh, I’m not sure. What does it entail?”

He chuckled. “Not a gang bang. At least, not including you. It’ll be like the Christmas party, only more festive because of the countdown. Make sure you stick to the main floor, though. Don’t go into the basement.”

“There’s a basement?”

“No. No. And no,” came Shane’s words from the elevator doors, which had just opened to reveal him.

“There isn’t a basement?” I played coy, enjoying that it instantly irritated him. Considering he’d ignored me all day, I wasn’t sorry.

“There is, but you’re not going to the main floor, let alone the basement, which Max shouldn’t have mentioned to you. I’ll have enough on my mind without worrying about you in that crowd.”

“Yes, well, I’m not your responsibility, Shane.”

“You’re working here, so yes, you are.”

I turned towards Max, who was looking amused at our exchange. “You know, I’ll have to see how this job goes with my pain-in-the-ass, temporary boss. Suddenly, I have the urge to work longer hours to get this assignment done.” I gathered the rest of my stuff and turned off the desk lamp. “Good night, gentleman.”

As I lay in my bed later that night waiting for the knock which never came, I realized I needed to heed my own words. It was time to be done with whatever I’d had with Shane. Although I’d told myself it was only sex, my wounded feelings were calling me a liar.

 

***

 

Shane

 

If we’d been in a relationship, which we weren’t, I would have chased after her. Knocked on her door and fucked her into understanding I didn’t want her around the sometimes rowdy crowd that attended New Year’s Eve. But we weren’t, which is why I was nursing my whiskey, hard and alone, in my condo a couple blocks away. I looked out the windows over the city and tried not to wonder what Daniella would think of the view. Then I cursed myself for the thought. I realized the best thing for both of us would be for her to finish the job and move on.

The next morning I was at the club at the crack of dawn. I loved this hour because there weren’t a lot of people about. The chef, a couple security guys, but no patrons since we didn’t open the doors until three o’clock. Even then, it never got busy before nine.

After I climbed the stairs to my office, I was shocked to see Daniella already at my desk, poring over receipts and typing into her spreadsheet. I took a moment, drinking her in, hating that after one night without her, I’d missed her.

“Good morning.”

She looked up but didn’t smile. “’Morning.”

“You’re here early.”

“I was hoping a fresh start would help fill in the holes in the information Heather provided me. It hasn’t.”

I sighed, thinking Heather would go ballistic if Daniella questioned her. “What’s missing?”

She frowned. “I don’t know.”

I walked towards her and looked over her shoulder at a spreadsheet that would make my eyes cross. “If you don’t know, then how can you accuse—?”

“Whoa, I’m not accusing. I’m simply stating that something doesn’t add up. Considering she wasn’t exactly forthcoming with all of the requested information, it could be a matter of that, or it could be my lack of understanding. Maybe I need a tutorial on the inventory.”

“Aside from Heather, Max is the most familiar with the bar area. I’m sure when he comes in, he can give you one.”

I wasn’t trying to blow her off. It was just fact. Max loved to man the bar from time to time as his roots were in bartending. My expertise was more on the financials and security. But Daniella’s face betrayed she wasn’t buying it.

“Okay, I’ll speak to Max, then.”

“Look, it isn’t personal. He really does know the bar better than I do.”

She took off her glasses and leveled me with her gaze. “Some of the girls mentioned you normally perform on New Year’s Eve. If you want out of our agreement for that, then I’d understand.”

Would she, now? The thought instantly pissed me off. “Oh, yeah? You’re okay with the thought of me fucking another woman?”

She flinched, and I knew I’d gone too far. “Maybe I wouldn’t care.”

My brows went high. If it weren’t for her blush or the fact she couldn’t meet my gaze, I might’ve believed her. I pulled her up for her chair, and framed her face with my hands. “You wouldn’t care, huh?”

She lifted her chin while defiance showed in her eyes.

“You wouldn’t care if it’s not your mouth on me, not your pussy or your ass that I’m fucking?” I was pushing her, recognizing the last thing I wanted was for her not to care. Because the very thought of her with another man made me feel like I was going to lose my shit. Which is one of the reasons I didn’t want her down on the floor. It was also why I was trying, unsuccessfully, to wean myself off of her.

“I wouldn’t want to,” she finally relented, maybe not expecting the same feelings I was warring with.

“Me, either. Come on.” I led her into the bedroom next door and quickly lost my jacket and tie.

“What are you doing?”

“What I should’ve been doing last night. Fucking you senseless.”

“The wedding and morning after freaked you out, didn’t it?”

Clearly, she needed an explanation before anything would happen. Not exactly the order I would’ve preferred, but I got it. “Yes. I didn’t know what to do. That isn’t my world, and this isn’t yours. And this thing between us is more than I expected.” There, I’d manned up and said it.

“For me, too. But there’s something more. A reason you won’t kiss me. A reason you freaked about family and then spending the night. What is it?”

I didn’t want to get into this. But perhaps telling her would make her understand. “There was a girl I met when I was visiting my mom for the holidays about ten years ago. She was home from college. We went out twice. I’d just purchased the club and took her here for our second date when she’d indicated she wanted to have sex. We had fun. But then she developed feelings. I had to break it to her that I didn’t feel the same. She accused me of leading her on. And hell, maybe I had.”

“By doing what?”

“Kissing. Holding hands. Taking her on dates. It all screams relationship.”

“Not after two times.”

“That’s what Max said. What’s worse is she told my mother, about me owning a sex club.”

She sucked in a breath. “Crap. What ended up happening?”

“My mom, who is very conservative and worried about everyone else’s opinion told me to choose between the family or the club.”

“And she never came around?”

“Not even on her deathbed. She didn’t even want to see me. She died just as disappointed in me as she’d been the day I begged her not to make me choose. Since the fiasco with Tina, I’ve tried to be very clear about my intentions and that I don’t want a relationship. And I’ve become unapologetic with those who judge me regarding the choices I’ve made.”

She put her arms around me. “No wonder a wedding with family freaked you out. Your mother never should’ve made you choose. But as for my intentions, I mean what I say, Shane. This may be more than I bargained for, but I know what it is. And more importantly, what it isn’t.”

I’d expected to be relieved. But shockingly, I wasn’t. “When you talked before about wanting to feel free, Daniella, I know what you’re craving.” What I didn’t say was that sometimes there was a cost to it all. Disappointment in those you love didn’t come cheap.

Her hand stroked my face. And now it was time to get back to even ground.

“Turn around. Face the wall and put your hands up to brace yourself. We don’t have much time, so I’m going to fuck you fast. Then this afternoon before things get busy, I’m taking you into one of the rooms downstairs before it gets busy. And we’re playing.”

She swallowed hard before turning around to put her hands on the wall and then spreading her feet.

I grabbed her ass, enjoying how her burgundy fitted dress hugged her curves, matched her hair, and showed off her assets. Assets that, for the time being, were all mine to do with as I pleased.

I ran my hand up the inside of her thighs and came into contact with her thong. “Tsk, tsk, you didn’t follow instructions, Daniella.” My hand smacked her backside with enough of a sting to make her squeal.

“Oh.”

Rubbing the area, I whispered in her ear. “Did you enjoy that?”

She pushed her ass back toward my ever-growing erection. “I didn’t think I would, but I like it when you do it.”

“God, how I wish I had more time. Later, we’ll play.”

I found the foil packet in my wallet and slipped the condom on, afterward wasting no time sinking into her heat and thrusting up. Reaching around, I strummed her clit and enjoyed how quickly I could make her come. I was quick to follow, grinding out my orgasm deep inside of her while my hands tangled with hers against the wall.

Stepping back, I quickly tied off the condom and tucked myself back into my pants. “I’ll see you at three o’clock. Room forty-two.”