Page 21 of Only for the Moment
Chapter Nine
The corner of her cell clicked against the wood of her desk,click,click,click, as Kennedy turned it restlessly in her hand. The urge to talk to Vincent had been riding her hard since yesterday. She could still feel the ghost of Isaac’s rope on her wrist, but the tingles shooting across her skin at the memory weren’t ghosts—they were all too real, and terrifying. She wasn’tthat girl, the one who surrendered, the one who crawled on her knees and let her “master” control her. She wasn’t.
Even the image was rather hypocritical. She knew from talking to Jane that her best friend’s relationship with Vincent wasn’t anything like the humiliation Kennedy pictured whenever BDSM came to mind. They didn’t discuss details, but one thing Jane had been firm on: Vincent treatedher with respect and care—anything else would be unacceptable to her friend. And unacceptable to Vincent as well, Kennedy knew.
So why couldn’t she shake her view of submission?
Isaac’s impact was undeniable. Her body tingled in all the right places just thinking about him and his cocky grin, his sexy accent, the view of his wide, muscular back that morning at the spa that she just couldn’tseem to banish. Staying on an even professional keel with that image in her head and the real thing in front of her? Impossible. And as much as she’d like to think she could avoid him, she knew better than to lie to herself. If she couldn’t stop herself from googling him, she couldn’t stop herself from seeking him out. Or saying no when he sought her out.
She needed help, damn it. And only oneperson that she knew would understand.
“Fuck it.” Righting the phone, she navigated to her brother’s name and clicked Call. Her gaze drifted to the computer screen while she waited, to the close-up of Isaac from his website, his blond good looks almost as powerful in the still photo as they were in person. The details of his career had been even more impressive than she’d known: First hit singlefour years ago. Nonstop touring and recording since. Six top-ten hits and one platinum and two gold albums. None of it surprised her. No one could look into those eyes and believe Isaac was anything but serious about his career. He carried a driven aura she admired, and yet the peek she’d gotten at the tattoo on his back and his flirting confirmed that there was something of the surfer boy inhim as well, didn’t it?
She shouldn’t want to examine the contradictions of the man, but the need to do just that ate at her constantly.
Vincent answered on the fourth ring. “Hey, what’s up, Ken?”
It had been almost eighteen months since Vinny had gotten together with her best friend, Jane James. Every time Kennedy heard the happiness smoothing out his gruff voice, gratitude filled her heart.The two people she loved most in the world had each other, had the kind of home and relationship she and Vinny had dreamed about growing up in boarding schools and constant chaos.
Well, not exactly the kind of relationship they’d dreamed about as children—who knew her brother would grow up to be a Dom? Or that her best friend would become his submissive?
Her amusement at that thought lightenedher words. “Hey, big bro! Just calling to check up. How’s Jane?”
“She’s in time-out.” His chuckle told her Jane’s time-out didn’t include a chair in the corner.
“Ew! Stop telling me about your dirty sex games with my best friend, pervert!”
“Hey, if I’m a pervert—”
A squeal of outrage could be heard in the background—Jane protesting Vinny’s choice of topic, maybe?
She rolled her eyes at herbrother’s laughter. Siblings and their oversharing… Time for a change of subject.
“So, a friend of yours is staying with us right now.”
Her brother’s voice sharpened, turning from playtime to real time. “Who?”
“Isaac Anschau.”
“Ike?”
Real pleasure filled the name.
Is that how I sounded when I said his name?
Shut up.
“Really.” She picked up a pen from her desk, idly twirling it betweenher fingers and hoping her voice sounded just as casual when she mentioned, “He’s staying at Sovereign before his Vegas concert late next week.”
“He’s been on a smokin’-hot streak lately. That concert’s been sold out for months.”
“That’s a lot of fans.” As if she didn’t already know how many scantily clad women would kill for the chance to throw themselves at him.
Aren’t you one of them?
For fuck’s sake, shut up!
“Yeah. Work hard, play hard; that’s Ike’s motto.”
