People lied all the time in the real world with a bouquet of pleasantries to deceive no one, only to make evasiveness palatable, acceptable. In The Zone, Doms didn’t allow subs to do that. It was all about getting to the pure naked core of every thought, no dissembling on any level.

  “That’s not really something I care to discuss. It’s my problem, not yours.” That was as honest an answer as it had been a question. And it was all of the answer he was getting. “You’re welcome to be here. If you need anything, let Chloe or Genevieve know. I’ve got some things to finish in the back but I’ll be out when they lock up in about thirty minutes.”

  He nodded, those amber eyes never shifting from her face but making slight movements, revealing that he was watching her lips as she spoke, the sweep of her lashes, even the sparse movements of her hands. “I’ll be here. Go finish your day. I’ll wait as long as you need.”

  Like she needed his permission.

  Her lips tightening to suppress a retort, she turned precisely on her heel and headed back the way she had come, intensely aware of the curious looks from Mrs. Allen’s table. Her regulars would be wondering about that corkscrew curl move but she kept on her cool smile and moved briskly enough that no one engaged her. Her track took her into the reflection path of the large Victorian mirror mounted to the left of the kitchen entrance, so she could see him.

  He was watching her. Quite deliberately, making her acutely aware of the swing of her hips beneath the fitted skirt, the glimpse of the back of her knees and curve of calves that would be displayed as she walked in her heels. His regard made her aware of the fact she’d chosen seamed stockings, and this pair had a tiny embroidered rose in black thread just above the delicate anklebone. Even the soft brush of that curl along her temple was intensified by the memory of his touch there.

  His gaze met hers in the mirror right before she entered the kitchen. One corner of his mouth tugged up in a smile, and from the expression in his eyes, she wouldn’t have put it past him to mortify her with a wolf whistle. She escaped through the door, but her own lips were twitching with a near smile, reminding her that she liked Tyler Winterman. She was just deathly afraid of the effect he had on her.

  Taking the two steps up into her side office, she closed her door. Chloe and Gen were used to her doing that at the end of the day so she could focus on receipts. It gave her an excuse now to collect her thoughts. And watch Tyler.

  The large Victorian mirror was a façade for a two-way mirror, the window side mounted on the wall of her raised office so she could keep an eye on the floor. It helped her anticipate when Chloe and Gen could use a hand, or she needed to come out to greet a frequent or new customer, underscoring the sophisticated charm and service her tea room was known to lavish on its clientele.

  In this instance, it gave her the opportunity to study him further. He had left the bistro chair, and was now perusing her display wall. It offered pieces from the full tea sets that clients could request for the serving of their chosen beverage, everything from English porcelain to Japanese and Chinese clay. With one hand, he touched the tuocha, a compressed tea shaped like a bird’s nest, then he moved on to examine the copper shine of the Russian samovar with its ornate dragon tap.

  She had originals under glass that ranged from one hundred and fifty to one thousand years old, the latter being the YiXing set from the Ming Dynasty. Her very first tea set was also under glass, a child’s set of colorful ceramic cups and matching small teapot. It sat within the ankle span of a doll whose best days were long over, underscored by her brittle hair, faded satin gown and scarred face.

  Her hands clutched the desk edge, knuckles white as she watched him study that symbol of her past which she had arranged with quaint charm. It gave patrons the picture of a little blonde girl getting the set, the doll when it was brand new. Cherishing it, deciding to grow up and have her entire life be like a tea party. Civilized, every detail thought out. Well designed, beautiful. Peaceful.

  The room was laid out such that none of the tables were too close to that display wall, so that a person could move comfortably past its offerings without hovering over seated patrons. In this case it gave the ladies in the room the opportunity to study him easily under the guise of interest in the displays that most of them had seen many times before. She had three age groups in the room; Mrs. Allen’s set, who were well into grandmother realm and perhaps holding out successfully for great-grandchildren; a pair of women in their forties, now empty nesters; and a table of six chic professional women who preferred this spot on Thursday afternoons rather than a golf course, nightclub or bar hangout. And every one of them was watching Tyler. Not blatantly, but with quick flicks of their eyelashes, secret smiles among themselves, a feminine chuckle. It set her teeth on edge. Why had he invaded her world before she had the inner gates to it closed? She felt as if he were contaminating it in some way, disrupting the atmosphere like the arrival of a Chippendales stripper in a library to deliver a birthday gram to the quiet steward of all those dignified books.

  But he didn’t have the effeminate prettiness of a Chippendale. Chloe was right. Tyler commanded attention because he was like a tiger. Mesmerizing and possessing something that suggested it was wise not to turn your back on him, any more than it would be a wise move to run.

  He turned at last, made his way down the wall until he reached her mirror. Being a tall man, it was easy for him to rest an elbow on the mantel.

  Other male Dominants did not affect her this way. Perhaps it was the Domme in her that admired the strength to his bearing, his profile. The predatory readiness that pulsed from him was equally balanced with the assurance he would be the first to hold out a chair for a woman, help an elderly woman down the stairs at the bank or ask a girl crying in the mall what was the matter. How could he make it better? The moment any woman met his gaze she’d know he could make it better. In short, he was a walking fantasy, and there was nothing more dangerous to Marguerite’s world than that.

  The motion of his body suggested that he had put a hand in the pocket of his slacks, a comfortable, masculine pose. His attention appeared to now rest on a photo of colorfully dressed tea pickers in India, which was grouped with lovely landscapes of the green hills of the tea gardens in Malaysia. Beyond that were some of her favorite Japanese tea theme scrolls and watercolors drawn by tea masters.

  The desk pressed against her thighs as she leaned forward. The surface was too wide for her to touch the window. Inching her skirt up, she slid onto the wood top, folding her legs beneath her as she reached out.

  It didn’t matter why she felt like doing this. She didn’t want to think about why she was tracing his shoulder on the glass, imagining how it would feel, the fabric of his shirt, the solid man beneath. Flattening her palm against the cool surface, she visualized touching his hair, the line of his throat, feeling the heat of life pulsing there as she passed her knuckles over it, just a gentle caress.

  He turned toward her, studying the mirror rather than himself in it, and she saw his shrewd assessment, his quick realization that it was likely a two-way. Outlining his mouth, she watched as the sensual lips curved into a faint smile. He winked and placed one finger on the glass. Entranced, she moved hers to it, pressing finger pad to finger pad. She supposed he thought she was frowning at him or ignoring him, and that was fine. But as they stood there for a moment or two and his finger stayed in place with her print against it, she began to get that uncomfortable feeling she often had, that Tyler saw more than he should when he looked her way. Moving off the desk, she took her seat and returned to her paperwork, trying not to look up again.

  She held out for about three minutes.

  He was still at the mantel. He’d taken out a cell phone and was keying something into it. Checking his messages, she supposed. Tyler was a significant name in the erotic film industry, using his talent to help producers and directors put high-quality erotic content for women on the screen. He’d even co-written a couple award-winning scripts himself, and served as advisor on countless others. Although she’d heard that he’d cut back some the last couple years, she imagined he had a full schedule just maintaining his going concerns. Evolution of a Domme, his latest investment, had swept the erotic film awards. It had even garnered a Golden Globe nomination, for the first time breaking a barrier shattered previously only by darker, more destructive erotic films with larger name actors.

  She watched, curious, as he lifted the cell. He placed it flat against the glass, his body shifting so to the others in the room it only looked as if he was casually relaxing at the mantel.

  What are you wearing back there?

  It startled a snort out of her, and she clapped her hand over her mouth, though there was a reasonable amount of soundproofing. As if he knew her reaction, he grinned, a slow, sexy smile. Pocketing the phone, he strolled away, wandering back past the display wall.

  Tucking the memory of that smile to her breast like she was clutching her doll, she used it to ease her concerns about this meeting. It would work out. Of course it would.

  And it was nowhere near the worst thing she had faced in her life.

  Afterword

  Did you enjoy spending time with Joey’s characters? If you did, then we ask that you share your experience with at least one other book-reading friend. Or mention the book on a Facebook page, at a book club meeting or online forum, on Twitter, in an Amazon or GoodReads review, or wherever you feel comfortable. You, the pleased reader, are the best marketing strategy authors can have. If you do just one of those things to spread the word about our work, we will be very grateful! And thank you again for taking the journey with our characters.

  Ready for More?

  Check out Joey’s website at storywitch.com where you’ll find free excerpts, buy links and news about current and upcoming releases for all of her books and series.

  Love her series and want more? Revisit your favorite characters through FREE novellas and short stories, available on her website. Just choose the Cantrips (Vignettes) menu item on her website and find them in all the popular download formats. You can also go under her Books menu to choose Cantrips (Compilation) and buy the compendium volumes of these stories.

  Here are some other places to find out more about Joey and her work!

  Website: storywitch.com

  Facebook: JoeyWHillAuthor

  Twitter: @JoeyWHill

  GoodReads: JoeyWHill

  Pinterest: jwhill23

  YouTube: youtube.com/storywitchpress

  Bookbub: bookbub.com/authors/joey-w-hill

  Amazon: amazon.com/Joey-W-Hill/e/B001JSCIW0

  E-Mail: storywitch@storywitch.com

  About the Author

  Joey W. Hill writes about vampires, mermaids, boardroom executives, cops, witches, angels, housemaids...pretty much wherever her inspiration takes her. She's penned over forty acclaimed titles and six award-winning series, and been awarded the RT Book Reviews Career Achievement Award for Erotica. But she's especially proud and humbled to have the support and enthusiasm of a wonderful, widely diverse readership.

  So why erotic romance? “Writing great erotic romance is all about exploring the true face of who we are – the best and worst - which typically comes out in the most vulnerable moments of sexual intimacy.” She has earned a reputation for writing BDSM romance that not only wins her fans of that genre, but readers who would “never” read BDSM romance. She believes that's because strong, compelling characters are the most important part of her books.

  “Whatever genre you’re writing, if the characters are captivating and sympathetic, the readers are going to want to see what happens to them. That was the defining element of the romances I loved most and which shaped my own writing. Bringing characters together who have numerous emotional obstacles standing in their way, watching them reach a soul-deep understanding of one another through the expression of their darkest sexual needs, and then growing from that understanding into love - that's the kind of story I love to write."

  Also by Joey W. Hill

  Arcane Shot Series

  Something About Witches

  In the Company of Witches

  The Problem With Witches (A Knights of the Board Room Crossover)

  Daughters of Arianne Series

  A Mermaid’s Kiss

  A Witch’s Beauty

  A Mermaid’s Ransom

  Knights of the Board Room Series

  Board Resolution

  Controlled Response

  Honor Bound

  Afterlife

  Hostile Takeover

  Willing Sacrifice

  Soul Rest

  Knight Nostalgia (Anthology)

  Mistresses of the Board Room Series

  At Her Command

  Nature of Desire Series

  Holding the Cards

  Natural Law

  Ice Queen

  Mirror of My Soul

  Mistress of Redemption

  Rough Canvas

  Branded Sanctuary

  Divine Solace

  Worth The Wait

  Truly Helpless

  In His Arms

  Naughty Bits Series

  The Lingerie Shop

  Training Session

  Bound To Please

  The Highest Bid

  Naughty Wishes Series

  Part 1: Body

  Part 2: Heart

  Part 3: Mind

  Part 4: Soul

  Vampire Queen Series

  Vampire Queen’s Servant

  Mark of the Vampire Queen

  Vampire’s Claim

  Beloved Vampire

  Vampire Mistress (VQS: Club Atlantis)

  Vampire Trinity (VQS: Club Atlantis)

  Vampire Instinct

  Bound by the Vampire Queen

  Taken by a Vampire

  The Scientific Method

  Nightfall

  Elusive Hero

  Night’s Templar

  Vampire’s Soul

  Vampire’s Embrace

  Vampire Master (VQS: Club Atlantis)

  Non-Series Titles

  If Wishes Were Horses

  Virtual Reality

  Unrestrained

  Medusa’s Heart

  Novellas

  Chance of a Lifetime

  Choice of Masters

  Make Her Dreams Come True

  Threads of Faith

  Submissive Angel

  Short

  Snow Angel

 

 

  Joey W. Hill, In His Arms: A Nature of Desire Series Novel

 

 

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