“You thought you didn’t have to follow the rules?”
She couldn’t believe he was being such a dick over something so stupid. “Yes,” she said, just to goad him. “That’s it exactly. I figured since there were only four of us, you wouldn’t care if I wore a leotard and tights into the dining room. I mean, seriously, who’s it going to bother? Not Fulton or Andie. And you typically don’t give me the time of day. I could probably sit on your desk, buck naked, and you wouldn’t lift an eyebrow.”
“It’s my fault, Master MacLure,” Andie said, appearing with a tray in her hands. “She wanted to get cleaned up and I told her it didn’t matter. Not with there only being the four of us here.”
Mariela stood up. “Don’t call him ‘Master,’ Andie. He’s not worthy of the title.”
She turned and walked out, not waiting for either of them to say anything in response.
• • •
Lennox watched Marie walk away with a lump in his throat the entire time. Yes, he was an ass. He shouldn’t have said anything to her. But hell, what was a man to do? She’d walked into the dining area in that dance outfit like it was no big deal. Didn’t she know what the sight of her in those skintight clothes would do to him?
Hell, why did she think there was a rule that only street clothes could be worn in the dining hall? Technically, the rule stated no fetish wear was allowed in the dining area, but that outfit she had on could in no way be considered street clothing.
Even though she’d left, he could still picture her perfectly in his mind. She was petite, and he liked that about her. Liked that she was small and dainty compared to him. Fuck, it was unbelievable what it did to the Dominant inside him to imagine her tiny body beneath him. How incredible it would feel to take possession of her.
He clenched his fists as the image of her swam before his eyes. The outfit had left nothing to his imagination, and even though he’d seen her naked before, to see her like she’d been today did nothing but mock him.
He pictured it all too clearly. Her lithe body, made strong by her dance routines. The firm muscles of her legs. How would they feel wrapped around him? His fingers itched to run over them, to feel their strength. No, more than that. To master her strength.
For he knew that the rush that came with taking control of a submissive was only multiplied when her submission was coupled with a strength she had willingly laid aside. And he had no doubt that as small as she was, Marie was a powerhouse. To be given her submission would be the sweetest of all gifts.
Yet even though he knew how amazing it would be, he could not allow himself to take it. He strongly suspected she would give it to him. He’d known for a long time that he need only look at her and she’d be on her knees. But it was an offering he could not accept.
He no longer allowed himself to indulge in his Dominant nature. Ever. In fact, he’d buried it so deep and for so long, he wasn’t sure he could revive that part of himself. What he did know was that he could not take the chance of finding out. The last time he’d freed that need within him, the results had been fatal. He could not take that risk again. Especially with Marie.
If the end result was she thought him a coldhearted bastard, so be it. He could live with that. What he could not live with was if he killed her the way he’d killed Winnie.
“I feel as though I should apologize again, Sir,” Andie said. “But I’m not exactly sure what for.”
“Has Andie been causing trouble, again?” Her Dom and one of his Master Professors came up behind her. “Do I need to take her over my knee?”
Lennox smiled as Fulton’s arms came around his submissive, even as she swatted at him in mock outrage.
“What’s this about ‘again’?” she asked. “When have I ever caused trouble?”
Fulton dropped a kiss on the top of her head. “The correct question is when have you not caused trouble?”
Andie crossed her arms. “Mpph. I didn’t know I caused you so many problems, Sir.”
“You’re putting words in my mouth, Andie. I didn’t say ‘problems.’ I said ‘trouble.’”
“Pretty much the same thing.”
“Hey, look,” Fulton said, obviously trying to change the subject. “Are those icing samples?”
Andie reached for the tray and held it out to him. “Yes. I was going to have Mariela help me decide which was better.”
Fulton grabbed a spoon from the place setting already on the table and took a bite of each one. “Mmm, I don’t know. They’re both really good to me. Boss?”
Lennox dutifully took another spoon and tasted them. “These are both excellent, but so is the icing you’ve been using previously. Why mess with a good thing?”
Andie shook her head and mumbled under her breath while cleaning up the space. She gathered everything together and started for the kitchen without saying anything.
“Andie?” Fulton asked as she walked away.
“Sex,” she called over her shoulder. “Just sex and nothing else.”
“What was that about?” Lennox asked Fulton as she left through the door that led to the kitchen.
“Damned if I know. I gave up trying to figure women out ages ago. It only gives you a headache.” Fulton scratched his head. “But she said ‘Sex and nothing else.’ That has to be good, right?”
“You would think.”
“Wish she’d have left some of that icing. Think I’ll go in the kitchen to see if I can get some more.”
Lennox snorted. “Good luck with that.”