Authors: Erin Lark
Karie
leaned over
to peek over my shoulder. "So, are you calling him, or is he calling you?"
I closed the
cell and set it on the counter. "Neither."
"What?
How come?"
Her eyes shot up at me and she took her
hands in mine. "Was it bad?"
I shook my
head. I wasn't even sure where to begin. "It was too good, actually."
Karie's grin
widened,
and she threw her arms around me. "It's about
time you caught up with the rest of us."
"I
wouldn't say that." I shrugged when she stepped back. "This is going
to sound really stupid..."
"Try me."
"You've
had sex dreams, right?" I lowered my voice when one of our co-workers
walked past.
"Who
hasn't?"
"He was
in it."
"Who
was?"
"My
guy."
I sighed and rubbed at my forehead. "He isn't real,
Karie
."
"A name,
Bree
, I need a name."
"He called
himself..."
"Yeah?"
I leaned in
to whisper in her ear. "Master Orion."
Ice ran through
my veins when she snorted with laughter. "Okay, now I really want to learn
more about him. What are you doing after work?"
"Same
thing I always do."
"I'll
wait for you to get off. We'll have drinks or something. I want to hear
everything there is to know about this
master
of yours." And with that, she bounced off to her own register, leaving
me to fend for myself against the next wave of customers.
At least for
now, the pit of anxiety in my stomach had some solid cause.
Karie
knew just enough about my dream to put me on edge, which was probably better
than checking my cell every two minutes. Maybe now, the time would go by
faster. Not that I was looking forward to our trip to the bar, but it was
something else to think about if only for a little while.
****
We decided to
keep things simple and went to the bar under my apartment. That way, if it got
too busy, at least we'd have some kind of escape from the inebriated mob of men
who were unhappily married among many others.
The front of
the bar, the area left open all evening was filled with people. Couples sat in
leather loveseats that were bolted to the floor while the heavier drinkers
headed toward the back for their choice of alcohol.
Karie
and I joined them, taking our spots at the bar where we could scream at each
other over loud music and laughter.
I traced the
rim of my coke which I had yet to drink. The ice cubes were half melted and the
carbonation was completely gone.
It was
more for looks anyway.
Simon, who worked as a bartend
downstairs, and I were on good terms, and I wanted it to stay that way.
Not that it was any of his business what I was drinking, but he did live in the
apartment next to mine.
Karie
ordered
another beer and sat at the stool beside me. "Okay, so this guy...you're
sure he isn't real?"
I stared down
at my drink.
"Yeah.
Trust me, I wouldn't be here
having drinks if he was. No offense."
"None
taken.
If he's got you this worked up, he must be worth it. I've seen hot guys walk
into your line and hit on you while you rang them up. You didn't even act as if
they existed, but a man from your dreams? No wonder the girls at work can't
figure you out. You're wired differently."
"But
it's just a dream. I shouldn't feel this way." I blinked at the sting of
tears.
This is a new low—crying over a
fake man?
"I want to call him, you know? But I'm not even sure if
Orion is his real name."
"A
dream man having a real name?"
Karie
grinned. "You do realize that's like some warped oxymoron, right?"
"I
guess."
"So,
without going into any explicit detail, what's this master Orion like?"
She pulled back her hair and waved Simon down for her third drink of the
evening. "He isn't one of those BDSM jerks, is he?"
I cringed
inwardly at the way she said it. We'd mentioned BDSM in the past, but she
wouldn't have any of it. She was strictly missionary style, or so she said. I
knew better than to go into any intimate detail in regards to our sex lives,
but it was nice to have someone to talk to about it, even if I did have to keep
most of it to myself.
"He's...charming
I guess?" Now I did take a sip from my drink, chugging down half the glass
to avoid her gaze.
"You
guess? Come on, girl. I brought you out here for drinks and for you to spill
your soul. So what if he isn't real? It sure beats going home to TV dinners."
I glanced up
at her. "Where's Alex?"
"Business
trip."
She slumped forward and hung her head between her
shoulders.
"One whole week out of state for some company
merger.
I don't know. I never pay attention. I just know it helps with
the bills, and he doesn't seem to mind it too much."
"
Man, that
sucks. I'm sorry. I didn't know he was out of
state. When's he coming back?"
"Monday.
Tuesday at
the latest depending on missed flights and all that. So, needless to say, I'm
going to live vicariously through you until he returns."
Trust
me,
you don't
want to know the half of it.
I nodded and finished the rest of my drink.
"So, I
guess you want me to make it out like a movie or something, right?" I
laughed when she slapped me on the arm. "What? I thought you liked sappy
movies."
"Not
from you I don't. You remember the last time you told me some glorified story
about...what was it again? Flying?"
Karie
shook
her head. "No thanks. It took you forever to finish that story and if I
let you do it about this guy, we'll probably be here until next weekend."
"Well,
you did say you had nothing to do this weekend."
"No,
silly, I said I don't have Alex. Besides,
Farrin
has
me coming in early tomorrow. Have to work."
I sighed,
partly because I'd dodged that bullet but also because I felt sorry for her.
She hadn't had a day off in over a week and a half, and it was beginning to
show, even with the buzz she had.
"Shit,
that sucks. Cliff notes then?"
"Please."
She rested her head against the bar. "Maybe footnotes would be better."
I carefully
edged around the fact that Orion was a Dom and that I willingly submitted to
him in my dreams. The little I did tell
Karie
left
her with more questions than I could possibly ever answer.
Especially not tonight.
She knew what he looked like, how
gentle he was, and how kindly I was treated. Everything else I told her was
just fluff. Things like candles lit all over the room, soft music...you know,
the crap she'd like if she ever dreamed of him.
Regardless of
our difference in taste, I could tell she was thinking of him even after I'd
gotten a cab to drive her home. She left her car in the back parking lot, and I
promised to get it back to her tomorrow after work. At least that's one thing
we both had in common. We were within walking distance of work, which was more
than I could say for our boss or the other employees he had.
After leaving
a tip on the bar, I walked into the back room and climbed the stairs to my
apartment. With any luck, I'd get half my clothes off and collapse on the bed
before falling asleep. Hell, I'd even take the couch so long as it meant seeing
Orion again. And the faster I fell asleep, the sooner I'd find out.
Chapter Three
The banging
of a headboard in the apartment next to mine kept me up that night. It had been
quiet for maybe an hour or two, but then Simon returned from work.
Sounds like someone's having
a good time.
I groaned and
rolled over, shoving my head under my pillow. It was no use. The thumping beats
were soon joined by a crescendo of moans and grunts.
At least the
boys were having fun. I couldn't get angry at them for that. In all honesty, I
can't even remember the last time those two went at it, so knowing David was
still with Simon, or better yet, that Simon hadn't killed him, was a good
thing.
Yawning, I
threw the comforter from my legs and slipped on something comfortable to wear.
The bar downstairs would be closed, and without booze, all the drunks would be
gone. But that didn't mean I couldn't sit down there to think or help myself to
a drink or two. I'm sure Simon wouldn't mind, and it wasn't like I wouldn't pay
him back.
But one thing
was certain. I couldn't stay in this room, not so long as they were buffing in
the one just down the hall from mine. And seeing as how long it had been since
I'd heard them together, one time probably wouldn't be enough.
Careful as to
not disturb them, I slipped out of my apartment and into the hall. The long
moans had turned to soft whimpers by now, echoing through the short hall
leading from my place to the top of the stairs.
A pang of
guilt hit my stomach just then, not because I was planning on sitting in a bar
alone, but because I probably wouldn't get to see Orion tonight. The seating in
the back of the bar was limited to stools and wooden chairs—nothing remotely
close to a bed or something else to
lay
on. And there
was no way I was going to lie on the floor or head out front to watch couples
suck face.
You can sleep tomorrow.
That was at
least one good thing about not having to work the weekend shift. I'd be able to
go to bed late and then sleep in until noon if not later than that. I paused
behind the door to the front of the bar.
Two things
could be on the other side—drunks sleeping, or boozers looking for even more
drinks.
You can at least take a peek.
Steeling
myself
for the possible crowd outside, I carefully
unlocked the door to the back room before stepping out into the front of the
bar. It was usually left unlocked during the evenings for the drunks that were
too intoxicated to get home and had no fare to grab a cab.
At least for
tonight, it looked as if the lovers and the drunks had gone home. Slipping into
the back room to grab a drink, I padded to the counter out front and sat down.
The bell on the front door rang, and I kept my eyes fixed on the floor.
"Bar's
closed. Come back tomorrow."
Someone
mumbled something, but instead of opening the front door to leave, they sat
down.
Figures.
So much for drinking
in peace.
The newcomer rustled
papers, but for the most part, the stranger left me alone. I broke the tab on
my soda and let the carbonated beverage fizzle into the glass as my vision
swept from one side of the room to the other. I nearly dropped my drink when I
noticed a man sitting in the far corner of the bar. And not just any man—
it was him!
Orion.
He was there.
In the
bar.
With me.
At night.
Alone.
I set my
glass and the empty soda can on the counter.
Am I dreaming?
Were Simon and David actually having sex, or was
that part of the dream as well?
I glanced
down at myself, but I was still fully clothed. If it was a dream, I'm not sure
why I wasn't naked or why Orion had his back to me.
He's reading something.
You can't read in dreams, can you?
It could just be someone who looks like him, you
know?
Not
that close
! His broad shoulders, the suit, even the
bleached hair were almost identical to the Orion I met last night. The only
difference with this version was that his hair was slightly spiked, but his
posture held the very same confidence as before.
He's a Dom.
My Dom.
I cleared my
throat.
Coughed.
Orion shifted in his chair and
glanced in my direction. I averted my eyes, staring at him from under my lashes
when I thought he wasn't looking. He stood from his chair, set down whatever it
was he'd been reading, and started the long trek from his side of the room to
the counter I was hiding behind.
His eyes were
sincere, curious. It was almost as if he didn't recognize me. Almost as if we
hadn't been together last night.
I bowed my
head and folded my arms on the counter in front of me.
Orion cleared
his throat and smiled when it got my attention.