Series: Paige Michaels
Total pages in book: 48
Estimated words: 45562 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 228(@200wpm)___ 182(@250wpm)___ 152(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 45562 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 228(@200wpm)___ 182(@250wpm)___ 152(@300wpm)
“Mmm, I have a client scheduled in five minutes. I need to sanitize my bench,” she said, inventing an excuse.
“I don’t like that you’re avoiding me,” he warned in a quiet voice that spoke louder than a shout.
“I’m just busy, Maniac. I’ll go call Buzz first.”
“Little girl,” he growled.
“You don’t get to call two people Little girl, Maniac,” she whispered fiercely.
“There’s only one woman who I call Little girl, Rainbow.”
In her mind, Tatiana asked, Which one? She turned, clutching the paper in a death grip as she hurried to her area to call Buzz and then re-sanitize the bench she’d already treated.
Her nerves were shattered by the time Maniac turned off the We’re Open sign. She’d already called for a ride share to pick her up since she didn’t have her car. All her fun clothes were at his house but she’d deal with those later. Now, she needed to be alone to replay the conversation with Beth.
Tatiana saw the car stop in front of the shop. It couldn’t have worked out any better. Maniac was finishing a tattoo. She grabbed her purse and eased out the door before he could call her back. It was definitely a get-her-butt-spanked move to leave while he was concentrating.
Tears sprang into her eyes as she considered whether Maniac would care that she’d left or not. For all she knew, he had a date with Beth after work. A small voice in the back of her mind told her if she’d talked to him as he had wanted, she’d know what was going on.
Her phone buzzed and she didn’t answer it. A few seconds later, a message appeared on her screen.
I know you’re scared. You’re frightening me, too. Talk to me, Rainbow. We can get this all straightened out.
Tatiana didn’t answer. She held the phone to her heart and imagined all the things that this could have been. What was she going to do about the shop? Could they continue to work together?
The driver glanced into his rearview mirror as her phone continued to buzz over and over. “Either you’re headed for a big party or some guy wants to talk to you bad.”
“He’ll have to wait.”
“See! I knew I was right.”
The older man looked so triumphant she had to laugh even though her world felt like it was falling apart. They were a couple of turns away from her house when headlights shone in through the back window.
“Does that guy drive a black truck?”
“He does.”
“Want me to call the police?”
“No. He’s not dangerous. I’ll talk to him.”
When the driver parked at the curb in front of her apartment, Tatiana thanked him and let herself out the door. Maniac met her on the sidewalk. She searched his face, looking for anger, and only saw concern in the dim glow of the streetlights.
“Come on up to my apartment, Maniac. You’re right. We need to talk,” Tatiana caved.
Silent, Maniac fell into step beside her, stepping forward only to open the outer door and to take her keys to open her apartment. He allowed her to lead the way inside. It smelled stale inside like it had been abandoned for a long time even though it had only been a day. She knew that was her imagination as she closed the door behind them.
“So, Beth…”
Maniac wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. He didn’t try to kiss her. She would have fought that but couldn’t resist the haven of his embrace. His heat wrapped around her as she heard his heart beating inside his broad chest.
It felt like they stood there for hours, but Tatiana knew it couldn’t have been more than a minute, tops. Pressing her hands against his shoulders, she pushed away and immediately felt his arms loosen around her. “Thanks, I needed that.”
“I did, too, Rainbow. Will you listen to me now?” Maniac asked, reaching for her hand and squeezing it gently.
Unable to stay removed from the emotions that pelted her while touching him, Tatiana pulled her hand from his. “Sit down.” She gestured at the couch before taking a seat in a chair a foot away.
“Beth wasn’t ever my Little girl. I don’t know her well enough to say she’s not a Little but I suspect she isn’t. We met through an online fetish group. She was friends with another Dominant I knew and found my name through him. I never, ever approached her or made any move to get to know her better. Suddenly, she seemed to believe that we had a relationship.”
“Did you?”
“I only met her in person once when the police removed her from the bed of my previous pickup truck five years ago. She’d hidden in the back after discovering where I worked. Beth was sure I’d want to talk to her, so she’d planned to ride home with me and surprise me there.”