Page 94 of Protected
The last few hours of the day dragged on. Finally, it was time to leave. Disappointment filled her when Bradley sent word that he would be working late. All she could do was go home and sulk.
It was almost midnight when Bradley got home. When he found her in the living room, she wrapped her arms around him and kissed him deep, hoping it would entice him to take her to bed. Instead, he peeled away from her, saying he had to shower and get to sleep because he had an early breakfast meeting.
The growl of frustration that left her when he walked away was involuntary. Later, when they climbed in bed, he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her hair.
“Sweet dreams, baby girl.”
“Yeah, yeah. Goodnight,” she said with a pout.
Darci swore she could hear him laughing at her before he fell asleep.
35
THE next day, Bradley was already gone when Darci woke up, much to her disappointment. It was Friday though; she hoped they could have some fun when he got home tonight. The day seemed to drag, and she wasn't sure she could make it until she got off work. Twice, she snapped at her assistant, so she bought lunch as an apology.
At five, she’d had enough and asked the goon squad to take her home. It surprised her when they let her go inside without checking for intruders first. It had become part of their routine. She saw why as soon as she walked in.
Bradley was home already, and he had shed his typical suit and tie and instead was wearing a tight white t-shirt and a pair of jeans that hugged his hips in a way that left her mouthwatering. “You’re home early,” she observed, hoping she didn’t sound as needy as she felt. He crossed the room to where she stood and took her purse and keys from her trembling hands.
“Hi,” he whispered, planting a gentle kiss on her lips. “I thought we could have some fun.”
“I like fun.” She had forgotten about the aching that had been present for two days, but now it was back and more intense than ever, and he had only kissed her. “Are you going to let me come this time?” she asked, a little breathless.
“I haven’t decided yet.” The grin he flashed her as he spoke was pure evil, and his eyes were full of wicked promise. That had to mean good things for her. He took her hand and led her into the living room.
He had wine and dinner sitting on the coffee table. It was Chinese takeout from one of her favorite places. Darci smiled at his thoughtfulness as she lowered herself to the floor in front of the coffee table. Bradley surprised her by dropping down next to her instead of sitting on the couch like he’d done so many times in recent weeks. For a brief moment, she rested her head on his shoulder while he dished himself food and passed her the takeout boxes.
“I’m surprised you’re home before me after everything that’s happened this week,” she said as she dished orange chicken onto her plate.
“I’m surprised too, but we’re gearing up to travel for the first time as part of the campaign, so we ended the day a little early. I want the whole team well rested and ready to hit the ground running.” Darci nodded. It made sense.
“Though, considering the plans I have for you, I’m not sure how well rested either of us will be come Monday.” He winked and sent a surge of heat through her body. Her face flushed and her nipples tightened, and she wondered exactly what he had in mind. He didn’t elaborate though.
“Eat your dinner,” he said as he dug into his own plate of takeout.
Dinner conversation was mundane. They discussed their days at work and upcoming schedules. As she scooped the last bit of rice onto her fork—she never was adept at using chopsticks—Bradley’s expression changed as he took his last swallow of wine. He picked up her hand as she set her fork down. “I’ll clean up the dishes. You should go wait in the bedroom for me so we can finish what we started the other night.”
Shit, Darci thought. The other night he had punished her for ditching her security detail. He wasn’t planning to continue that, was he? She decided to be bold and ask. “You’re not still mad at me, are you?”
He thought for a moment. His hand caressed her cheek as he spoke. “Maybe a little. But if you’re asking if this is punishment then no, I would say we took care of that. Now, do as I ask, please. I’ll be along shortly.”
Breathing a sigh of relief, she rose from the living room floor and headed into the bedroom. Now that she knew she wasn’t being punished, excitement flooded her as she thought about what he might have planned for her.
The first thing she noticed, was that the bed was covered with a sheet. It made her even more curious about his plans. Large pillar candles she had never seen before were lit on the nightstands. The sounds of Bradley in the kitchen rinsing their dishes made their way into the bedroom, so she wasted no time stripping off her work clothes and taking her spot on the floor at the foot of his bed.
When he crossed the threshold of his room, he was carrying a soft cloth bag. The look of approval he gave her as he deposited the item on the bed sent a rush of pride through her.
Crossing the room, he lowered himself into a chair and observed her in silence for a moment before saying, “Come over here, pet.”
She clamored to her feet and walked the short distance to where he sat. When she started to sink to her knees at his feet, he pulled her into his lap instead. One hand slid down her back, sending swells of sensation through her entire body. “You’re so fucking gorgeous.” He leaned up and drew one taut nipple into his mouth, sucking hard. She groaned, and her head fell back. His tongue swirled around the sensitive nub. His other hand continued to stroke up and down her spine. He released her nipple and gave the other a quick pinch. She squeaked then giggled. He smiled fondly at her.
“You enjoyed being suspended with Carrie the other night, I could tell. So, I thought I would do that with you again tonight, just the two of us.”
Her eyes grew wide. “You can do that here?”
His hand gestured to the ceiling in the center of the room as he flashed a grin. “I own this apartment, it’s not a rental, so I installed a hard point there. I can assure you it’s safe and will support you while we play.” She had never noticed the recess in the ceiling before. Probably because they were usually occupied with... other things when they were in the bedroom.
“We won’t do anything too intense. We’ll start with something basic. It might be painful, but I promise to make it worth your while.”
