Page 41 of Hooked

He grinned, unashamed. “Not that I don’t enjoy it, baby. But you don’t have to wave your gorgeous round ass in my face anymore. I’m a sure thing.”

Her laughter bubbled up as she straightened and slid her arm through the shoulder strap of her Michael Kors knockoff red leather tote.

“I was going to store it somewhere more convenient. But after three years, this is the only place it fits.”

She strolled up to him and standing close, laid her hand against his five-o’clock beard-shadowed face. “I hope continuing to wave my behind in your face won’t be too much of a hardship, Mr. Hooks.”

He bent and claimed her lips in a whisper-soft kiss full of promise. “I think I can cope, Ms. Wright. Dinner at Moonshine’s?” he asked as he wrapped an arm around her waist and escorted her out. “Or would you prefer ordering in?”

“Moonshine’s,” she declared decisively. “Now that we’re out there for the world to see, no more skulking around. Besides, since you mentioned it, I have a taste for their Creole shrimp and grits.”

They walked through the lobby, drawing several interested looks. Joseph apparently couldn’t care less, his hand dipping lower to ride the upper curves of her bottom as he opened the door and let her precede him. She grinned up at him as she passed, laughing when he winked down at her, because with him by her side, unashamedly professing his desire and love for her often, she didn’t give a hoot, either.

***

ON WEDNESDAY, THEYleft thirty minutes early from work. After a quick stop at his place to change out of boring office wear, they were in his Jag, making the eighty-mile trip south on I-35 to San Antonio. This time, Joseph promised she’d tour the Decadence dungeon before he carried her off to a private room and had his wicked way with her.

With him as company, the drive was much more pleasant and passed in no time. Another bonus: she didn’t have to wait in the long check-in line for guests. On a club member’s arm, she was in the crowded lobby within minutes. But as she passed the club and fetwear-bedecked submissives eager to make it into the inner sanctum, whether out of curiosity or hoping to find the dom or domme of their dreams, she imagined she’d had the same mix of excitement and anxiety on her face a few short weeks ago.

Astrid was behind the counter once again, her eyes going from her to Joseph in wonder. Remembering how the sub had reacted at being assigned to Master J for punishment, she gave the girl a sad shake of her head. She didn’t know what she was missing, and Livia was grateful for that.

Had things gone differently that night, if fate hadn’t intervened, if her mentor hadn’t become ill, or if Astrid had accepted Joseph as her disciplinarian for the night, her life as she knew it could have been drastically different.

“Ready, pet?” he asked, his voice warm with affection.

She loved when he called her that.

Glancing up, she met his twinkling green gaze without the barrier of his glasses. He had contacts in which, who knew, he’d had for years. He made an imposing figure in his black suit, not tweed tonight, and he’d foregone the tie, bow, or otherwise. The monochromatic effect added height to his already tall frame.

He caught her hand and pulled her close in the crush of people. “You’re quiet, Livia,” he observed. “Is everything all right?”

“Yes, but it’s a little overwhelming. Being here with you, it’s like the first time and seems more real, somehow.”

“It is real. But you’re safe with me,” he assured her, lifting her hand to his lips. Expecting the soft brush of his mouth on the back like usual, he flipped it at the last second, giving her palm and the inside of her wrist a warm kiss. Shivers of desire coursed through her when she felt the tip of his tongue on her skin.

“This is supposed to be fun, pet,” he reminded her.

Joseph didn’t lead her directly to the playroom. Instead, he opened the door to the lounge. A wave of music blasted her in the face. She looked toward the stage and saw the girls up front once again.

“I thought you’d like to say hello to your friends, have a drink, and relax a bit after the drive before we go into the playroom?”

“Can we?” She grinned up at him. He was always so considerate of her needs. Any other man she’d been with would have dragged her directly to the dungeon like a caveman, beating his chest and demanding his gratification. Not Joseph.

“Don’t sound so relieved.”

“I didn’t mean it like that. I’m excited to see the playroom, but—”

“I was teasing, baby. Come on.”

It took several minutes to wend their way through the crowd and by the time they did, Elena and her band were taking their first break. As before, the sound level decreased dramatically as the lights came up.

Mara spotted them first as they approached.

“You came back,” she exclaimed, a smile lighting her face. It turned quickly to surprise as she took in the man behind her. Her gaze shifted quickly back to Livia and homed in on the leather and lace encircling her neck.

Her fingers, as if with a mind of their own, rose to the leather band at her throat. Her new collar was unlike any she’d ever seen. Not in the traditional style but Victorian-inspired. He’d presented it to her earlier while she stood in front of the mirror getting dressed.

In need of help with her zipper, she’d lifted her hair. Instead of going to her lower back to do her up, his fingers brushed her nape. When she glanced up, he was wrapping a leather collar, trimmed in lace with heart-shaped nickel accents around her neck.

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