His Lesson | CHAPTER 1: TERRY
His Lesson CHAPTER 1: TERRY
––––––––
Terry sat in his office pretending to listen to Dan who rattled on about a potential new client. He should be paying attention but he couldn’t stop thinking about next week. It was his first vacation in years. Before he’d met Maggie, vacation had meant days alone with nothing to do. Now, it was ten days with him, Maggie and the children—no work, no chores, no running the kids to activities, nothing but hanging out at the pool, playing games and sleeping in late. There wouldn’t be much s*x with the kids sharing the same hotel suite but they’d make up for that when they returned home.
Derek, the contractor he’d hired, had sworn a week would be more than enough time to finish soundproofing the master bedroom. Once that was done, he wouldn’t have to wait for the weekends the kids were with their father to go down on Maggie. Those sounds she made—the moans and mews of pleasure were almost as good as her lips around his c**k.
He’d have to talk to Ethan, his friend and owner of La Petite Mort Club, about purchasing some of the larger toys. He’d love to take Maggie to the Club but his little rabbit wasn’t quite ready for that yet, but when she was...He shifted and focused on Dan. If he didn’t stop thinking about Maggie his boner would be knocking on his desk.
“Ms. Carmel’s husband had her sign a prenup but I think we can work around it,” said Dan.
“How?” Prenups weren’t all created equal but they were difficult to get voided.
“Here.” Dan flipped through a stack of papers, placing one on Terry’s desk. “This property isn’t listed on the prenup.”
“Really?” That was interesting, but the best part was how far Dan had come in the past few months. The young attorney now checked all assets thoroughly, never taking his client’s word.
“This place has been in Mr. Carmel’s family for years,” said Dan. “I doubt he’d want to lose it.”
“What he wants doesn’t matter.” He hadn’t wanted to lose his business or his family, but it’d happened anyway when his wife had left him.
“It does if he agrees to our offer. Pay up and he can keep the property.” Dan straightened the papers as he waited for Terry’s reaction.
The other attorney dressed the part of the rich, successful lawyer but he was too eager for praise. It showed a lack of confidence and that’d be sniffed out and annihilated in court and meetings. Terry leaned back in his chair, letting the man sweat. He’d hired several young attorneys like this—smart, driven, but no swagger. He’d been just like them, until he’d joined La Petite Mort Club. s*x, power and money had a way of making both men and women feel invincible and that confidence flowed into other aspects of their lives. He should ask Ethan to send invitations to some of his employees, starting with Dan.
“I think we should take her retainer,” said Dan.
“Agreed.”
“Great. I’ll have everything ready by Monday.”
“Monday?” The guy must be planning on working the weekend again. Ever since Dan’s girlfriend had left him, the young man had thrown himself into his job. Terry had done the same thing when his wife had left and it wasn’t healthy. “I won’t even be here Monday and you should get a life.”
Dan’s face fell.
Damn, he’d hurt the kid’s feelings. “I understand it’s hard to go on after a breakup.” Jesus, what had Maggie done to him? He sounded like a woman.
“I just...” Dan stared at the papers on the desk. “We were together for five years.”
“Moving on is hard. We all go through it and we all get over it.” They needed to move on from this topic. He tapped the paper on his desk. “So, how much are you going to—”
“We’d been together since college. I can’t even imagine dating anyone else.”
“You don’t have to date.” The other man needed to f**k.
“Oh.” Dan’s cheek heated slightly. “I could never pay for it.”
“Of course not. That’s illegal.” He helped Ethan dance a fine line with that law.
“Then...”
“There are plenty of women out there who just want to fuck.”
“Really? Where?” Dan smiled. “I sure don’t know any.”
“Join a gentlemen’s club. There are some excellent establishments in this area. I found them helpful after my divorce.”
“I looked into them right after Lisa left.”
“And?”
“I didn’t care for them.”
“They aren’t for everyone.” He could forget having Ethan send that letter.
“I’ve heard there are nice ones but the few I went to were...” Dan frowned.
“Yes, some are quite distasteful.” The women and men working in the free and cheaper establishments were nothing more than uneducated kids, barely over eighteen, forced into that life due to no other options.
“I tried to get an invitation to the best one...La Petite Mort Club but wasn’t able to.”
“I think, I can help with that.” Damn. Maybe, Maggie was right and he did need to watch his big mouth. He’d meant to arrange this behind the scenes.
“Really?” This was the first time he’d seen Dan excited about anything but work in months.
“Absolutely.” He couldn’t wait to tell Maggie that his big mouth had saved the day once again. “I’ll check into it after my vacation.”
“Thank you. I never...” Dan looked about ready to cry.
“Don’t mention it.” This kid needed some hair on his nuts.
“I-I never expected you to care about anything but my work. I appreciate it. I really do.”
Good lord, the guy was not only going to mention it he was going to keep talking about it. He glanced at his watch. He had an appointment with his assistant but not soon enough.
“I’ve worked at a few other firms and they don’t even treat the non-partners like humans.”
“Yeah...well.” His eyes drifted to the door but Ms. Richard’s was always precisely punctual.
“We were all machines to them. Only there to pump out the paperwork.”
This conversation was getting uncomfortable. He needed Maggie. She’d listen and comfort Dan in her kind and caring way, making the other man feel cared for and happy. His employees loved her almost as much as he did.
Time stopped.
Sound disappeared, everything except the thud of his heart pounding in his ears as icy fear filled his chest.
He loved her.
He’d sworn never to fall in love again and yet...his stupid, f*****g heart had done just that. Son of a b***h. What was he going to do? He didn’t want to love her. He wanted to take care of her, be there for her, hold her and f**k her in every way imaginable, but he didn’t want to love her. Like his divorce, it didn’t matter what he wanted. There was no undoing this. All he could do was accept it and tell her.
Sound trickled back through his head slowly—Dan’s words, the noise of Ms. Richard’s typing outside his door—as the knot around his heart eased a bit. She’d been telling him that she loved him for months now. His chest tightened again. It had to have hurt her when he hadn’t said it back, but she’d never withheld her words. She was so much stronger than he was.
His phone beeped. It was Maggie. A cold sweat broke out on his skin. He couldn’t talk to her right now, not even in text, but she wasn’t one of those clingy women who texted for no reason. “Dan, I have to take this.”
“Of course.” The younger man stood and left the office, closing the door behind him.
Terry picked up his phone. It’d be fine. He didn’t have to say anything right now. He’d tell her later when the time was right.
MAGGIE: Change of plans. Meet me at the Club tonight after work.
He read it again and again, his d**k starting to harden. Was she truly ready for the Club? If she didn’t enjoy herself, she may never want to go again and that’d be a shame for both of them.
TERRY: The Club? You sure?
MAGGIE: Yep.
TERRY: What about the kids?
MAGGIE: Nick and Sarah are keeping them for the weekend.
TERRY: The weekend?
Oh, his d**k was paying attention now.
MAGGIE: We pick them up Sunday afternoon and go straight to the hotel for Spring break.
He shifted on his seat to take some pressure off his c**k. An entire weekend at the Club with Maggie was a fantasy of his—several fantasies, actually. There was no keeping his d**k down now.
TERRY: Ok. I’ll be home in a few.
It was only fair she relieve the pressure in his groin because she’d caused it.
MAGGIE: Okay, but I won’t be there. I’ll meet you at the Club and when you get there, you can do WHATEVER you want to me.
He groaned. This conversation was not for texts. He dialed her number.
“Hey, I thought you might call.” Maggie’s voice was filled with laughter, but this was serious.
“Are you sure? I warned you once not to say that unless you were absolutely positive that you meant it.” His heart thudded, skipping beats as he waited for her answer. A Sub needed to trust her Dom completely. It took time, patience and worthiness on the Dom’s part. He didn’t think they were there yet, but...
“I’m sure.” Now, her voice was soft and a little shaky.
“Maybe, we should stay home instead.” He didn’t want to. Now that she’d put the Club on the agenda, he wanted to take her there and show her off.
“Oh. Okay. Sure. If you don’t want to go, that’s fine.” Her voice cracked.
“Damn it. That’s not what I meant.” His hand tightened on the phone. “I’d love to take you to the Club.”
“Really? You aren’t...”
“I’m not what?” Now, his temper rose along with his d**k.
“Nothing. Never mind.”
“Say it.”
“It’s nothing.”
“It’s not nothing. You still don’t trust me.” This hurt more than he wanted it to. All his feelings for her were like that—too strong, too raw and too dangerous for his long-term well-being.
“How can you say that?”
“How can you think I wouldn’t want to take you to the Club?”
“Ah...”
He waited, almost hearing her mind scrambling for some lie he’d believe. She still thought she was too heavy and therefore unattractive. He should’ve taken her ex to court for hiding assets and let the asshole go to jail. The man deserved the death sentence for destroying her confidence. Terry tried to show her every day how gorgeous and giving she was, but obviously, she didn’t believe him. He had no idea what else he could do to convince her. “You know what? Don’t answer that question.”
“No?” The word slipped out like a squeak.
Good, she should be nervous. “No.” He leaned forward on his desk. “I’m going to ask you two questions again but this time think before you answer.”
“Okay.”
“And rabbit, I expect an honest answer. Understood?”
“Yes, Sir.”
He smiled. She understood perfectly. He usually reserved the use of her nickname for their bedroom. “Do you truly want to go to the Club? Before you answer, know that I want to take you there more than you can imagine.” He lowered his voice. “You should see how happy my d**k is just thinking about it.”
She laughed. “Yes. I’m ready to go to the Club as long as I’m with you.”
“You’d better not go with anyone else.” He almost growled. He wasn’t into sharing. He’d gladly show her off but no one else was going to f**k her.
“Your second question, Sir.”
“I should punish you for pushing me along.”
“I’m sorry, Sir.” She didn’t sound sorry at all. “But I have an appointment.”
“You do? What kind of appointment?” He leaned back on his chair. She hadn’t mentioned anything that morning. Of course, she hadn’t said anything about the Club either.
“I have to get ready for tonight. You know, hair, nails, clothes.”
“I certainly don’t want you to miss those appointments.” His d**k pressed against his zipper at the promise in her words. She wanted to be ready for him. “So, the second question is...Did you mean it when you said I could do whatever I wanted?” His heart slowed again. There were so many lovely things he couldn’t wait to show her. He’d taught her a lot but some things couldn’t be done in a house full of kids, especially one with thin walls.
“I did.” Her words were whisper soft. “It’s your birthday and this is your present.”
“You already gave me the present of the trip and the remodeling of our bedroom.”
“The soundproofing of our room was your idea and you’re paying for it.”
“Yeah, but your present to me will come later— every night and every morning if we wake early or the kids sleep in late.” God, he wanted to f**k her 24/7. “And during the day on the weekends.” s**t, he was going to have to j******f, or he’d never make it through an hour at the Club with her.
“Yes, but the soundproofing of our bedroom is Daddy Terry’s present. Me and you at the Club, that’s Sir’s present.”
“f**k, Maggie.” He was as hard as a rock. “What time are you going to be there?”
“Six.”
He looked at his watch. It was almost three. “I’ll never make it that long. Swing by the office.”
“Terry, I don’t know.”
He didn’t care if his entire staff knew he was banging her in his office, but it made her uncomfortable. As her Dom, her happiness came before his, but this time, they could both get what they wanted. “I’m expanding the offices.”
“Yeah. I know.”
“I have the key to the floor below this one. There’s no one there.”
“No one? I thought you were hiring someone to renovate.”
“I am, but I haven’t decided which contractor is getting the job.”
“And no one will be there or come in while we’re...You know.”
“You can lock the door behind you.”
“Okay, but it’ll have to be quick.
“Trust me. That won’t be a problem.” He rubbed his d**k through his pants. “Oh, I need you to bring something.” He’d been waiting to introduce her to a few toys.
“Sure. What?”
“That’s a secret. Go to my closet. You know where the key is.”
“Oh, that closet.” Her voice held a smile.
“Yes, that closet.” His toy chest, so to speak. “On the top shelf is a small wooden box. Bring that and don’t open it.”
“You’re kidding, right?”
“Not in the least, rabbit.” He smirked. She was going to be so pissed when she realized it was locked. His little rabbit did her best to obey, but she was curious and had her own mind even when it came to bedroom play. He’d never imagined that he’d find mild disobedience attractive in a Sub, but he should’ve known. It meant he got to pseudo punish her—a lot and his d**k really, really liked that.