A Little Harmless Military Romance Bundle (A Little Harmless Military Bundle) (34 page)

That should scare the hell out of him, but for some reason, it didn’t. In fact, it felt right.

“Whatcha up to tonight, Roni?”

She shrugged and walked into his office. “I was going to ask if you’re up for a little play, but I have a feeling that you aren’t.”

He frowned. “What makes you think that?”

“You’ve checked the clock three times in the last two minutes. You’re off to see someone.”

He shook his head. He wished. “No, not really.”

She smiled at him but there was no seduction in it. “Well, your mind is on someone. Someone you would rather play with.” He opened his mouth to deny it, but she stopped him by raising her hand. “Mal, let’s not lie to each other. We both know we weren’t looking for anything but some fun. It allows us to be friends.”

He nodded. “She’s not…into play. And she’s completely off limits.”

She frowned. “Really? How odd. I mean, why would you get all tangled up over some woman who isn’t interested in you?”

Why indeed. That was the question that had been plaguing him for months. He knew that his round of one-night stands six months ago had more to do with trying to ignore his feelings for Amanda than anything else. Even when he tried to tell himself it was the fact that it had been his friends getting married, he knew it had been wrong. And at the end of his few weeks of acting like an ass, he realized he wasn’t any happier. He’d been living like a monk the last few months.

He brushed away those worries. “Are you going to CP tonight?”

“I wasn’t going to but since you are otherwise engaged, I probably will.”

“I might just have to join you.”

She hesitated.

“What?” he asked.

“Please don’t do the big brother routine you did with me when we were there last time. I want to actually find a Dom tonight, okay?”

He chuckled. “I promise.”

With that, he pulled out his CAC card that gave him access to the computer and stood.

“I need to get out and do…something.”

As he followed Roni out the office door, he realized he was in real trouble if he was having to manufacture interest in going to CP. Hopefully when he got there, he would be able to ignore thoughts about Amanda and find a woman for the night.

Chapter Five

Amanda glanced around the club and frowned. How had she ended up at the most notorious BDSM club in the DC area?

Addy
. Her best friend had talked her into coming. It was her fault, really. Amanda knew the painkillers made her loopy, and on Wednesday night, she admitted to Addy that she was lusting after Mal and that he was a member of the club. That had been a mistake bigger than Amanda had ever imagined.

“Why are we here?” she asked.

“Because you finally admitted you wanted Malachai and your brother said he comes here. I have a feeling that he will not act unless you get right up in his face. And I want to be an auntee, and that won't happen if I can't get you off your ass."

“Why not have your own children?”

“Because being an aunt is ten times better. I don’t want them in my house all the time. Plus, I think you and Dupree will make some gorgeous babies together.”

"I don't want to get married. I...I wasn't good at it."

Addy shook her head and rolled her eyes. There was no use trying to convince her best friend she wasn't a woman men wanted to keep. Kyle had proven that.

"How did you get us in here?"

She didn’t answer. Instead, she took a drink of her soda and looked around the club.

“Addison!”

She sighed. "Well, I know the owner."

Amanda looked at her. "Really? Who is that?"

Addy shrugged.

"No, you tell me. I told you my secret, you tell me yours."

"Remember that guy the other night my dad tried to fix me up with?"

"The lawyer?"

"Yeah, well, I did some research and found out that he is part owner of the club. So..."

Amanda shut her eyes. "You blackmailed him. Oh my God. You blackmailed a lawyer."

"It wasn't that hard, really. I mean, he did try to lie about it, but then I gave him the proof."

Amanda opened her eyes and looked at her friend. "What?"

Addy shrugged. "Nothing."

"No, there is something there again."

"Okay, well, he is much more attractive to me now that I know this."

"You aren't into BDSM. You said you didn't like it at all."

"I'm not. Really. I’m more into the fact that he has this kind of double life. One he shows everyone else, and one I know. Sort of like a sexual superhero."

Amanda snorted then started laughing. "Oh my God. You never fail to surprise me."

"I know, right? I'm damned astonished at myself. He's so damned rigid. I hate men like that."

"And it's been working out so well with the ‘go with the flow’ guys?"

Addy opened her mouth to answer then snapped it shut as she looked across the floor. "Your Seal just showed up."

She followed Addy's gaze across the floor to the door and found she was right. Mal was walking in the room dressed in black leather, but he wasn't alone. A tall, skinny redhead was with him.

"Shit, I knew this was a bad idea."

She set her glass down and turned to leave. Addy stopped her. "No, they aren't together."

"What?"

She looked up and saw the redhead give Mal a kiss on the cheek, then she left him.

“Looks like they just walked in together. They apparently aren’t here together, as in for public play.”

“Dupree doesn’t really do public play,” said a deep voice, rich with a Boston accent. She turned and found herself face to face with probably the prettiest man she had ever seen.

He was tall, even taller than her brothers, who were over six feet. He had wavy dark blond hair that danced over the edge of the collar of his shirt. Piercing green eyes had her pulling in a deep breath. The strong jawline and slightly crooked nose kept him from looking too feminine.

"I didn't say we wanted to spend time with you, Walton," Addy said, her usual cool exterior now flashing with irritation.

"I don't think I asked. I wanted to see the woman you wanted to get in this club so badly that you blackmailed me."

"I didn't blackmail you. I let you know that I had information on you."

His lips twitched. "And when you told me that you would let people know about it, you turned it into blackmail. Why don't you introduce me to your friend?"

Addy’s usual unflappable personality was in direct contrast to her behavior with this guy. And she was acting like a snot, which wasn’t like her. Amanda’s interest in the lawyer increased tenfold.

Addy crossed her arms beneath her breasts. "You know her name."

"Addison."

There was steel in his voice that usually would have sent Addy into doing something deliberately bad, but instead she responded to it.

"Okay, Amanda this is Walton. Vic Walton, this is my business partner, Amanda."

Amanda gave her friend a look then offered her hand. She didn't expect him to take it and kiss it.

He released her hand and smiled at Addy. "You didn't tell me she was so cute."

"And she isn't interested."

"No, she likes Dupree over there and she wants his attention."

"We don't need help with that," Addy countered.

"What better way to grab the attention of a man than to be seen with one of the owners of a very infamous club?"

Amanda glanced at Addy, waiting for her to counter. She also wondered if her friend knew that Walton was doing this all for Addy. The calculating look in Addy’s eyes told Amanda that she was definitely listening to the club owner.

"I have my own table up here and everyone watches it. Why don't you ladies come with me? Dupree will be over there the minute he sees me with you."

Amanda wasn't so sure, but there was something alluring about the man that made her want to follow him anywhere. "Okay."

He took her hand and then pulled Addy closer with his free hand. "Come along with me, Addison."

Amanda followed him along, wondering if this was actually going to work. She settled in her chair. Walton waited for Addy to sit, then he took his own seat. He had pretty manners, and she was enough of a girl to be impressed by them. Granted, she liked being her own woman, but she didn’t mind a little attention from a man now and then.

“So, Amanda, you and Addison own a flower shop?”

She nodded but Addy interrupted her. “Don’t use that tone, Walton”

“Do you notice she uses my last name?”

Amanda had to bite her lip to keep from laughing. Addy was acting so out of character.

“Yes.”

“I think it’s a way for her to keep me at a distance. Can I let you in on a secret?”

Amanda looked at her friend, who was pretending to ignore them.

She smiled at him. “Sure.”

He leaned closer to whisper in her ear. “I am a very patient man.”

She couldn’t stop the bubble of laughter. “Oh my, I think she might be in trouble.”

He sat back and smiled at her. Before he could respond, another deep voice, ripe with New Orleans and filled with irritation, interrupted them.

“Well, isn’t this cozy?”

She turned and found a very angry Malachai Dupree standing beside their table.

Chapter Six

Mal had been grabbing a bottle of water when he saw Amanda. He’d shaken his head, trying to figure out if he was delirious from too many hours of paperwork. But of course, he wasn't. She was there, walking along as if she came to a BDSM club every day. What the hell was she wearing? It was black, tight, and barely there. He noticed that Addy was with her, and they were following Walton to his table.

Now he was at the table, and he had to figure out a way to get her out of there. Of course, it was going to be hard to do since Walton had taken an interest in her. He was known for his tenacity when it came to subs, and many of them clamored to be his.

“Dupree, why don’t you join us?” he said conversationally. “We were just getting acquainted.”

“Amanda, I would like to speak with you privately.”

She glanced up at him. “I don’t think I want to speak privately with you.”

For a moment, he couldn’t believe she had just said that to him. “Yes, you do.”

“I think the lady said no,” Walton said, even though he hadn’t risen. There was enough of a threat in his voice to gain the attention of the nearby patrons.

“Well, since you seem to be speaking for her, ask her what her father would think if she were in a place like this?”

“And just how are you going to do that?” Amanda asked.

“He called me tonight, so I have his number.”

Her eyes widened. “What?”

“I had a long chat with old Frank, so you might want to tread lightly here. Talk, now.”

He waited for her to stand, and he was mildly surprised that Walton didn’t object. He was known for being very territorial when it came to subs, but he smiled. “You let one of the bouncers know if you need help.”

She shot Mal a nasty look but started to walk. Shit, the dress she was wearing was barely there. It stopped just a few inches below that wonderfully full ass. God, she was either wearing a thong or nothing. Just the thought had his cock twitching and his hands itching to touch.

“Down the hallway.”

He waited for her to obey his order. When she did, he had to remind himself it had nothing to do with sexual play. It was just a means to an end for her. She was trying to get him the hell out of there so she could do what she wanted. The hell with that.

Once they passed by most of the people and they had some privacy, he grabbed her arm and stopped her.

“Just what the hell are you doing here?”

“Addy wanted to come, and she knows Walton, so he got us in.”

“You aren’t supposed to be here,” he said more for himself. He was trying to convince himself that she shouldn’t, but now that she was, he couldn’t get the idea of spanking her for being so bad out of his head.

Shit.

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

Mal took a step closer, enjoying the scent of her. Amanda didn’t wear perfume, but he could smell the soap she used and that basic primal aroma that always called to him.

“I think you need to watch yourself, Amanda. You’re a little out of your depth here.”

She blinked up at him, those luminous green eyes shining with arousal he knew she didn’t understand. She wasn’t a virgin, of course. She’d been married almost a year before her husband had been KIA. But being a sub was something different, something he knew she didn’t comprehend.

“I think you don’t know me that well, Malachai.”