Page 19 of Whispers in the Dark

“Very well,” I replied, but still didn’t make an attempt to move.

“Was there anything else you needed from me?”

If you only knew.

“A coffee is all.”

On that note, I turned and beat a hasty retreat back to my office. It was only when I was inside that I had forgotten about looking at her necklace. I’d make sure to pay more attention when she brought me my coffee.

As I waited, I walked over to the large, floor-to-ceiling windows and looked out at the view from them. I loved San Francisco. I loved Athens. Neither of these places felt like home. They were just stops on my journey, and the destination still remained unknown.

I turned at the sound of the doorknob. Brynn entered my office, then placed the drink on the round coaster, and quickly disposed of the empty cup. Unable to do more than stare at her, she finally turned in my direction.

“Do you require anything else at this moment?”

I shook my head, and she turned to walk toward the door. Remembering the necklace, I cleared my throat. “Actually, I needed to tell you something.”

“Okay,” she responded as she came to a dead stop. “What is it?”

I moved from my current spot and over to her. At a lack for words, I reached out and palmed one side of her face with one hand, and used the two fingers on my other to stroke the other side.

“I’ve missed you,” I finally admitted.

As those words slipped from my mouth, those same two fingers dropped lower to her mouth. After tracing her trembling lips, I dropped my fingers even lower. This time, I touched the chain, and my gaze instantly lowered.

It was gold with a “B” and what I assumed to be her birthstone. I had seen something like this before, only it was a different color stone. Another submissive brunette came to mind, and I felt my cheeks cool immediately.Blair.

I pulled my hand away and stumbled back a step. Brynn was now staring at me in confusion. Suddenly, it turned to concern and she moved closer. “Are you okay, Mr. Benedict? You’re as white as a sheet.”

I wanted to tell her that I was fine, but with an unwanted slideshow of memories flashing through my head, I couldn’t form the words. Brynn’s eyes narrowed more, and I finally shook my head to expel all thoughts.

I wrapped one hand around the back of her head, then drew her close. The moment she was mere inches from me, I fused my mouth to hers. Brynn was surprised at first if her tension was any indication, but as any good submissive would do, she quickly surrendered to me.

I groaned against her mouth the moment she began to return the kiss in earnest. Our tongues dueled for control, but she would always cede hers to me as she soon did once more. I still continued to kiss her as if I might never get another chance to do so.

It wasn’t long until she threw her arms around me as I kissed her senselessly. Or maybe I was the one to have lost all of mine. Knowing the latter was very likely, I reluctantly pulled away. When I did, I watched as she sucked precious breaths of oxygen in.

She then smiled back at me. “I’ve missed you, too.”

Hearing those words set something off in me. While it should have been dread, or fear, it instead filled me with a warmth I couldn’t quite describe. I let out a low growl, then drew her back into my arms. This time, I spun her around, then pinned her against my empty wall.

My mouth came back down on her, but this time, I didn’t take her lips again as I knew she wanted me to do. Instead, I tongued the shell of her ear. She was wearing earrings so itwasn’t as easy to nip at her earlobe, but I did my best anyway before kissing my way down her cheek.

Over her jaw and chin, then down her neck, I took my fill. Thankfully, she had chosen to wear a sweater and not one of those buttoned-down shirts she usually did. December had arrived so the weather had grown cooler outside which would explain the change in attire.

It also made it easier for me to kiss along her collarbone as my hands squeezed and massaged her breasts. So many thoughts should’ve been running through my head, but only one seemed to be loud enough for me to take notice. I wanted her, and I needed her.

Judging by the way she was clinging to me, and moaning at my ministrations, I knew Brynn needed me, too. I’d been very lax in my duties as a Dominant. If I didn’t pull myself together soon, she’d take up one of those other men I knew were only too eager to summon her to Lotus for a scene.

An unfamiliar streak of jealousy raced through me, and it burned through my bloodstream. Or maybe it stung. I’d always heard the truth had a way of doing that. Deciding to ignore it, I pinned her face between my hands and went to lower my head. Before I could kiss her, she pushed at my chest which stopped me in my tracks.

“We can’t do this right now,” she told me.

“Why not?” I whispered as I tried to lean in once again.

“The phone. I have to get it.”

It was then that I stepped back and realized that there was a phone ringing. It wasn’t my office one, or even hers, so it had to be her cell phone. “Who is it?”

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