Page 12 of Naughty Bedtime Stories

“Naked and buried deep inside you,” he assured her, and picked her up, carrying her toward a massive, four-poster bed, which he proceeded to show her he owned as much as he did her pleasure.

CHAPTER NINE

Six weeks after the first of many “play” dates with Ryan, Sarah sat at her desk, chatting with her father on the phone. “I’m thinking I’ll retire,” he said, “let you run the company.”

“Retire,” Sarah repeated, certain she’d heard him wrong. “You live for the company.”

“I used to live for the company,” he said. “But you’ve proved you’re the one who can give it life.”

She knew he meant the huge new contract Delights had managed to land with a bookstore to provide various products in a large test region. “The contract only matters if I get our credit line extended at the bank, to manufacture and distribute the product. The meeting is this afternoon.”

“You will,” he said. “I have complete faith in you, Sarah. You have more of a vision for Delights than I have had for years. I was just too stubborn to see it. I am so very proud of you, Sarah.”

“Dad,” she said softly, her heart squeezing with the pride in his voice. “Thank you.”

They chatted a few more minutes before Sarah hung upthe phone. Almost instantly the warmth of the call turned to a knot in her stomach. Shehadto get the credit line approved.

Her mind went to Ryan, to the escape he gave her, to how addictive that escape had become. Though he’d yet to introduce her to the society, assuring her that day would only comewhen she was ready.But they’d watched the play in the club, exploring her limits, exploring each other.

The jangle of her phone jerked Sarah into a frenzy of disaster fighting, a frenzy that ended not long before she had to leave for her meeting at the bank. She was packing up when the call came in and, without looking at the ID, she quickly answered.

“Are you alone?” Ryan asked.

A shiver raced down her spine at his deep baritone voice, her gaze flickering to the closed door. “I am,” she said. “I’m about to leave for my meeting.”

“Look inside your briefcase,” he said. “Side pocket.”

She reached down to where it sat by her feet and opened the side pocket where he’d apparently stuffed two envelopes, one white and one red, sometime the night before when they’d been together.

“Open the white one first,” he instructed.

She did as he said and found a business card. “The President of National Bank?” she asked, reading it.

“He’s my banker and a close personal friend,” Ryan said. “Someone very eager to keep my business. In other words, he’ll give you your credit line.”

She sucked in a breath, her mind racing with the pros and cons of this offer. Ryan owning her in play was one thing, but owning her in business was another.

“Use this,” he said. “Tell your banker if he won’t extend your credit line, National Bank is willing to step forward.”

“They haven’t seen my financial reports,” she said. “So how can they—?”

“I told them I’d sign a note if I had to,” he said. “And I will. I also know you won’t let me, but then you won’t have to. You’ll use my connection for leverage, as you should, and you’ll get your credit line.”

“And you get?”

“You, Sarah,” he said thickly. “I get you.”

The possessiveness lacing the words sent a rush of heat through Sarah’s body, and a rush of erotic memories with it. Memories that reminded her just how delicious being possessed by this man really was.

“Open the second envelope, Sarah.”

Sarah crossed her legs, amazed at how a phone conversation with Ryan, especially minutes before her big meeting, could have her aching with need. She tore open the flap to the envelope and pulled out a delicately taped square of tissue, which she opened. Her heart squeezed when she saw the heart-shaped necklace with a shackle attached.

“The story of O,” she whispered, recognizing the BDSM emblem he’d shown her on a previous occasion, and its relevance.

“Symbolic of your journey into submissiveness with me, and me alone, Sarah. A journey that has only just begun, if you choose to wear that necklace. It’s easily tucked into your blouse and hidden. We wouldn’t want anyone to know you’re sleeping with the enemy.”

She smiled into the phone. “I stopped thinking of you as the enemy sometime…oh, maybe a week ago.”

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