A Favor Read online

  As we walk away from the dealership I’m thinking I wouldn’t have missed that for anything. One test drive and only a half hour and Sam had picked out what he wanted. He refused to haggle and written a check for a black truck just like Taylor’s, only Sam had paid three grand less. The truck would be washed and delivered the next day once the funds were confirmed from Sam’s bank. He had calmly stated the way things would go, negotiations belonged to him.

  Mickey was a nice guy and I’d dealt with him in the past, he’d flirted with me and complimented Taylor from his shoes to his haircut. For Sam he’d rolled over and given Sam the floor within minutes, knowing slick words and flattery would get him no where. Without a doubt I can see why Taylor wanted Sam not just as a trainer but as a partner and it would be the best decision Taylor had ever made.

  Sam suggests dinner out and I agree, traffic is building and it will be nice to get off the roads. Dinner is long and lingering and we talk about the city and how it has changed since I moved here. When we notice our waitress has come by for the fourth time asking us if we need anything else, we get the message. I attempt to pay my part but Sam won’t have it, refusing to allow me to even leave the tip. Sighing, I give in. I don’t want any arguments after dinner had been so relaxing.

  When we get home I’m surprised by the sleepiness that hits me hard and fight back a yawn. Sam chuckles from behind me, “How is that possible after so much sleep last night? It’s only nine thirty.”

  “Obviously, you needed the sleep. Go to bed.” He pulls me close but he only brushes his lips across my forehead and then he’s gone.

  Sad, I watch him go. For a long minute I want to follow him and then another yawn sneaks up on me and I decide it’s for the best. I want him, badly but I don’t want to fall asleep on him.

  I’m pissed as I lay in bed. After my shower, brushing my teeth and getting ready for bed, I can’t sleep even though I’m tired. After tossing and turning I give into need and pull out my vibrator. It’s Sam I want, it’s Sam I imagine inside me and it’s Sam’s name I cry out when I climax.

  Chapter Eleven

  Standing in front of my closet I frown as I flick through the outfits I only wore for interviews, one I know I’ll need to wear today. The first time Taylor had asked me to turn up the heat for an interview, using it as just another challenge in the interview I had hesitated. It isn’t a way I feel comfortable dressing. Flaunting my curves, but I understood why and had agreed, for most women it was how they dressed on a daily basis. Still, it didn’t make it any easier. So instead of thinking about trying to attract Tim Nielson, I think about Sam. The dress I pick is white and short, coming to mid-thigh, I would have to tug it when I sit down. On someone thinner the dress would have been appealing enough but with the deep v of cleavage and my curves it’s pure sex. The dress is white and even though it had a thin slip beneath it, the red bra and matching panties I’m wearing are lightly visible beneath it.

  When I smell the coffee I go still, shit. Even though I had Sam in mind when I picked this dress I hadn’t expected him to see me in it. A deep breath and I force myself out the door. If I don’t leave soon I’m going to be late. Sam is holding a cup of coffee, leaning against the countertop when he sees me, I wasn’t sure what to expect but it wasn’t what happens next. His whole body goes tense and his jaw flexes visibly. The cup slams down on the countertop with a clink.

  “Why the fuck are you dressed like that for work?” He practically snarls at me.

  My stomach flips at his anger and I can’t meet his eyes, “Taylor asks me to for interviews, and there’s one today. It’s basically a part of him gauging their response and behavior.”

  “But that isn’t the way you want to dress, is it?” His shoots the question at me like a bullet.

  Fingers clench tight against my stomach, I meet his eyes and shake my head.

  “Go get changed now, I’ll call Taylor and he’ll be damned lucky it’s just a phone call.”

  With a shaky breath of relief I nod and go back to my room and change. I yank off the dress and pull on basic black pants and grab a light blue blouse and it takes only two minutes. I’m buttoning my blouse when I reach my door and I can hear Sam. He’s loud and angry.

  “I’m telling you right now this bullshit of you having Zoe dress like a fucking high priced whore and her hating it but doing it so she can keep her job stops now. If it happens again I will go down there and make you bleed, got it?” There’s a pause. “Exactly, it was a bullshit thing to do to her. It sure as fuck won’t ever happen again.”

  It’s quiet and then I can hear the clink of his cup back on the countertop, he’d hung up on Taylor. I had no idea how I’d looked and wonder if Sam is angry at me for dressing the way I had.

  In the kitchen Sam is in the same spot I’d left him and he still looks tense and angry. The words come out strangled from my throat, “I’m sorry, Sam.”

  His head comes up and if it’s possible he’s even more tense. He’s in front of me in seconds, pulling me tight into his arms. “Don’t you dare apologize, not to me and definitely not to Taylor. From now on you’ll wear what you feel comfortable in, what he asked you to do was wrong.”

  I’m grateful for him against me but still worried, “I didn’t realize I looked like a whore, I didn’t mean to.”

  He squeezes me tighter. “I’m sorry you heard that, Zoe, it wasn’t meant to hurt you. I was trying to hit at Taylor, not you. A high priced whore who sells sex and does it so well she makes a man not care about the cost. I took one look at you and I was so hard, I fucking ache. Hell, at this point you could wear flannel pajamas covered head to toe and I would want you. There we go, that’s the smile I love to see on your face, you love knowing how much I want you.”

  Sam picks me up and sets me down on the counter and I smile even wider, I love being right by his mouth. His kiss is light and sweet and my arms go around his neck, pulling him closer. Far too fast the kiss isn’t enough and I want more, I open my legs and he presses against me. Then his phone vibrates and chimes and I’m remembering I’m going to be late. He knows it and ends the kiss and I want to scream with frustration.

  Our foreheads meet and his eyes are locked on mine and longing is there for both of us. “I’m going to be late.”

  He nods and sets me back on my feet. “Have a good day and if Taylor says anything, let him know he can talk to me.”

  Nodding, knowing Taylor won’t say I word I kiss his cheek goodbye.

  Pulling into the garage, my normal space is gone and I see I’m a few minutes late and normally I would be running for the door but today I’m in no rush. I open the door to my office and Taylor comes out of his office practically yelling my name.

  “Zoe! Damn it, why didn’t you tell me you felt uncomfortable dressing differently for the interviews? Fucking hell, speak up for yourself! I feel like an asshole for doing that to you. Jennifer always dressed like that and she’s where I noticed the differences, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have done that with you. Fuck, I really thought Sam was going to kick my ass. Is he on his way here now?”

  It’s hard not to laugh, it’s rare to see Taylor so upset, “No, he’s not on his way here but you’re right, I should have spoken up for myself. It was as much my fault as yours so don’t look so distraught about it. You asked only six weeks in and I was so happy here I would have done pretty much anything to keep my job. I guess it was because you didn’t make a big deal of it, I thought it shouldn’t be such a big deal to me but it did make me uncomfortable and Sam saw that. Don’t worry about it. I won’t let Sam kick your ass.”

  His relief is obvious and he nods, “Good, you’ve always been so clear on whether you were okay with something it never crossed my mind. Let’s keep that going okay? Anything else you want to share?”

  I can only shake my head with a small smile.

  “Okay, good, Nielson will be here at nine. We’ll do the interview, I’ll take him down to the training facility and then he’ll end the day with Dr. Keno. While I’m doing that, make the reservations for Quincy Tucker, have him arrive Sunday night out of Charleston and he’ll stay at the house. Bring him in with you on Monday and then we’ll interview as soon as he gets here, he’ll meet with Dr. Keno before we go out to the training facility. I don’t want to waste two hours running him out there if he won’t work out.

  Before Nielson gets here can you go over the proposal for the videoconference with the general on the special op he wants to run? Get with Robert and pin down what will be needed.” I take the file he hands me and pick up the phone to call Robert.

  Tim Nielson arrives on time and he seems nice enough. He has the clean cut look of a recent former soldier so many of the men who came through had. It isn’t his fault I’m putting him up against Sam and find him severely lacking. At Taylor’s signal I follow him into his office and sit behind him. I settle in and make my usual notes. Nielson’s eyes flick toward me with annoyance, he doesn’t seem to like me observing. The interview in Taylor’s office lasts about a half hour. Half the time I walk the building with Taylor and the prospect, the other times Taylor signals me to stay. This time he signals me to go. I go pad in hand and follow Taylor and Nielson. A few times Taylor turns to me to speak and I do my part, at those times Nielson all but ignores me. The tour ends at the front security desk and normally here is where I would go back upstairs but Taylor is hesitating. His phone begins to ring and he takes the call, indicating for me to follow.

  I go, giving him a few feet of personal space for his call. He goes past the elevators and around the corridor, leading to the restrooms and out of sight of Tim Nielson. It isn’t hard to tell Taylor is talking to Christine. After a few minutes he promises not to forget and ends the call. Sliding the phone into his pocket, he looks up at me, his expression hard and closed.

  “Well?”

  “You know it, or you wouldn’t be asking me. If you’re desperate the answer is I guess so but if you aren’t desperate the answer is no.”

  “He fucking looked good on paper, he has two recommendations to his credit.”

  “You said it yourself, Taylor, we can’t hire just anyone off the street.”

  “Fuck.” It’s all he says, before straightening his already perfect tie. I follow him back to the security desk. His smile is charm and pleasant as he thanks Nielson for coming in and he’ll be in touch.

  The elevator ride up is tense and Taylor all but slams into his office. His door stays closed for the rest of the day. I know he’s burning up the phone though, looking for a prospect, as the light on his extension is lit up almost all day.

  I send the standard, thank you for your time but no email to Tim Nielson. Then I send the flight details to Quincy Tucker through email and as I hit send, I hope he’ll work out.

  It’s edging just past four when Taylor walks out of his office and tells me to go home, he’s out for the day and to have a good weekend. I don’t even hesitate and shut down my computer and practically fly home.

  Chapter Twelve

  Opening the door I find Sam sprawled on the couch the television is on but low and he looks like he’s asleep. Then he opens his eyes, finding me without looking and smiles.

  “Hey, did I wake you up?”

  “No, I tried but not much sleep today. How did it go with Taylor?”

  “He was almost on his knees in apology but he said something and he was right, I should have told him myself. I shouldn’t have let it go on so long. That was my fault too. For most other things, I’m pretty plain spoken.”

  “Zoe, that was your job that you loved and it shouldn’t have even been put on the table. You do what makes you feel good.”

  Coming down on the coffee table in front of the couch I lean down and kiss him on the mouth, hard and lingering. “Sam, you make me feel good. What I wore today, I wore it because I wanted you to see me in it and I wanted to make you want me.”

  In a split second I’m pulled onto him, my body flush on his. Finally, is all I can think.

  “Zoe, you have to be sure about this. You’ll belong to me, completely mine, do you understand that? I am very possessive and I sure as hell won’t allow you to dress like you did this morning and I do mean allow baby. You put something on as sexy as you did this morning and I’ll rip it off of you and fuck you until you can’t move. The idea of anyone seeing and wanting what’s mine makes me very fucking cranky. Most women, that isn’t something they are willing to agree to but you have to be willing or this won’t work. Your body, it will always feel pleasure, in bed you ask and I’ll give it to you. In bed I’ll make demands on you but only for your pleasure. If ever something doesn’t feel good or you don’t want to do it you tell me and it will never happen again.”

  Nothing he says is a surprise to me, I also know that since that first day I’ve belonged to him. It’s the saying it out loud that he wants to hear, the warning that I’ll belong to him to do with as he pleases, his to do with what he wants to and to make sure I not only understand and agree is what he wants from me. Charles had said something very similar and the words had frightened me, in the end rightly so. Charles had only taken, never given and I had been given no choices. Sam is giving me a choice, I choose to be with him and give all to him or I can walk away and I know he’ll let me go. Only the idea of Sam letting me go scares me, hearing him claim me as his only makes me feel safe, happy and very wet for him. “Yes, Sam, I belong to you.”

  His mouth comes down on mine and seals our agreement, it a soft and almost solemn kiss. Our eyes meet and then he moves. His arms around me, he picks me and walks me to my room. I wrap my arms around his neck and hold on tight, excited and just a little scared for what will come next. I’m scared I won’t please him and make him feel as good as he’s made me. Then he kisses me, hot and hungry and all my fears are gone, as if they never existed.

  Sam lays me down on the bed and then steps back to undress and my hands at the buttons of my blouse stop moving as I watch him. His shirt disappears quickly and he pushes down his boxer briefs with his jeans and my mouth goes dry and then very, very wet, he hadn’t been exaggerating, he is a very big boy. I want him in my mouth so badly, but he’s so thick I’m not sure if I’ll be able to take all of him. I go up on my knees and pull off my blouse, too needy to mess with the buttons but his hands beat me to by bra clasp.

  “I have lain awake dreaming about undressing you and seeing your body, you made me so hard I would walk the floors for you and then I would have to hear you in here, behind that damn door.” He pulls my pants down with my panties and I go onto my back. My body is open and on display to his eyes, dark with passion as they roam over me. “Then I would hear you moaning for me and hear the buzzing of your vibrator, where I wanted to be, where I belonged.

  I blush all over knowing that he heard me, until his hand covers my pussy and cups me, his hand so large he covers me completely. He comes down on the bed and his lips brush against a painfully tight nipple.

  “No more vibrator, you need to come you do it on my mouth or cock.” It was a statement and I nod and moan yes as his mouth opens and takes my breast into his mouth. His mouth on my breast is tasting, his tongue is torturing a hard nipple and then he sucks deep and hard. My hands go into his hair, loving the feel of him beneath my hands. My hands roam over the skin of his neck and then his back and he pulls away. He’s straddling me and the feel of his hot, thick cock on my stomach has me lifting up for more.

  He catches my wrists in one hand as he had before and pulls them up above my head.

  “Sam, please this isn’t fair, you’ve touched and tasted me and I need you so badly.”

  His kiss ravages and my head is spinning, I’m fighting to take in air but don’t want him to stop. He’s doing it, demanding my complete submission to his will. Even though my senses are in agony at the need to feel him, what he is doing, what I know he will do to me, I know will be worth it. I work to go slack for him, to simply give up to him. He feels the change and his kiss softens and his hot breath travels across my cheek to my ear.

  “Good girl,” He whisperers against my ear before his tongue traces the shell of my ear. “Very soon, I’ll give you free rein baby but this time, if you touch me, I’ll lose it too quickly and that won’t do, for either of us.”

  Nipping at the soft skin of my ear he sucks to soothe and then he travels to the spot behind my ear, his tongue teasing and I can’t stop from bucking up against him. The slide of his hard cock against my stomach has me whimpering for more, I can feel him leaking over me and my pussy clenches with the need for him to be inside me. Sam ignores it all and his mouth travels slowly down my neck, alternately sucking and licking. I moan his name, begging him and his lips brush mine, gently promising more. He kisses slowly down my neck until he reaches the pulsing thump of my heart and licks and then presses a kiss firmly, against me there.

  My eyes slide closed, my hands clench together to fight the need to touch him. The light hot air is felt for only a second before his mouth covers a tight aching nipple. I want to cry from relief when instead of teasing he sucks hard and deep while his tongue flicks over my nipple. As he pulls away, he keeps up hard suction until only the tip of my nipple is caught between his teeth and nips lightly as he releases me. When he moves, kissing me lightly to my other breast, I’m shaking with need as he repeats his actions but this time he sucks to the edge of pain and his teeth work my nipple harder and pain rocks me and I’m crying. His mouth covers my breast again and he sucks soothingly, gently as his tongue swirls over my nipple. He is sucking harder now, and I flash hot into an orgasm that has my whole body shuddering. The first time I came from his mouth on my breasts I had been sure it was by chance but now as I’m floating back to reality I know I would allow Sam complete control of my body without questioning him ever again.

  Sam moves off of me and stands and I cry out, scared he’s leaving me, “No, baby, I’m not going anywhere. I’m just going to need some help lasting inside you.”

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