CHAPTER2
Justin McKay loved owning his own business. Usually. It was days like today when he seriously questioned his decision to open his own mechanic’s shop two years ago. Shaking his head, he strolled into the small utility room that contained his washer and dryer. He removed his grease-soaked clothes and tossed them into the washer with a generous amount of soap. Why couldn’t he go back to the night before when he’d been hanging out with his friends at the club without the worries of employees and everything that came with them?
The morning had been a nightmare. Normally Saturdays weren’t that bad. They were only open half a day and the guys spent most of their time doing simple oil changes. It all came down to Jax. He’d hired the kid about a month ago, and he was about as bright as a box of rocks. Even after hearing the explanation, Justin still wasn’t sure what the kid had done exactly. All Justin knew was that one minute he was working underneath the car and the next he was being covered in dirty oil. Once he got the leak plugged, Justin had sent Jax home and spent the next two hours cleaning the oil off everything and throwing sawdust on the floor of his garage so it could soak up some of the mess. He’d have to go in early on Monday and sweep it up.
As much as Justin didn’t want to fire the kid, he was only nineteen and seemed excited by the idea of being able to work on and restore vintage cars. The problem was that Justin couldn’t trust Jax on his own. Every task he was given he screwed up somehow. It wasn’t on purpose, but it still cost time and money. Justin had been hoping to have Mr. Smith’s car back to him early next week. After today, that wasn’t likely to happen.
Sighing, Justin padded naked to the bathroom. He needed a shower. While he was used to working in grease and grime, he wasn’t used to wearing it.
Ten minutes later, Justin was feeling better. He’d scrubbed himself down—twice—and put on a comfortable pair of jeans. He had nowhere to be until later that night.
Thinking about Serpent’s Kiss, the kink club he’d been a member of for the last year and a half, brought a smile to his face. He hadn’t been sure it was a great idea with him being single and all, but it had ended up being a very good thing. There was a nice mix of singles and couples at the club and everyone was friendly. Of course, a lot of that had to do with the club mistress and owner, Katrina Mayer. She made sure things worked the way she wanted them to. If you created too much drama, then she politely asked you to leave.
He rolled his shoulders as he headed toward the kitchen for some lunch. Maybe he could find a play partner tonight. It had been a while since he’d done more than socialize at the club or keep an eye on Kate when her husband had to work late and wasn’t able to accompany her to the club.
Grabbing the leftover Chinese food from the refrigerator, he dumped the contents of the container onto a plate and popped it into the microwave. Quick, easy, and ready in minutes. Considering he was starving, those were all pluses in his book.
The microwave dinged, letting him know his meal was ready. He removed the plate of beef lo mein and took it into the living room. Surely there was a game on he could watch while he scarfed down his food.
Justin had just swallowed his last bite when there was a knock on his door. He glanced up at the clock. It was half past two. Since he wasn’t expecting anyone, he had no idea who it could be. A delivery, maybe? But even then, he was left scratching his head. He hadn’t ordered anything recently.
Setting his empty plate on the coffee table, he walked over to the door and looked through the peephole. He jerked back and swiftly opened the door. Standing on his threshold was his best friend’s little sister. Justin and Mark had been best friends since they were sixteen. In high school they’d done everything together—even went on a few double dates. Now that they were both adults, they got together at least once a month to catch up and shoot the bull while downing a few beers and yelling at whatever game happened to be on the big screen of their local sports bar.
Kim stood there staring at him with wide eyes.
“Hi,” he said.
“Hi.” She looked nervous.
“Did something happen?”
She shook her head. “No. Nothing…no. May I come in?”
He took a step back and motion for her to enter. Kim walked inside and he closed the door behind her. “Are you sure you’re all right?”
“Yeah. I’m fine. Promise.” She flashed him one of those sweet smiles of hers. It caused his chest to clench every time. He didn’t see her as often anymore as he used to, but they still ran into each other on occasion. Justin had been such a fixture at their house during the last two years of high school that he was often invited to family gatherings. Whether he wanted to admit it or not, seeing Kim at those times had been a definite highlight.
He reached for the remote and turned off the television. She was obviously here to talk to him about something. “Would you like something to drink?”
“Sure.”
She was acting really strange. “What would you like? I have water, soda, beer, wine…pick your poison.”
His joke fell flat.
“Water. Thank you.”
He nodded and ducked into the kitchen.
Justin took his time getting Kim’s water. Standing in his living room fidgeting with the belt of her coat, she looked almost fragile. It threw him because he knew she wasn’t any such thing. Kim had graduated at the top of her class in college and landed a job almost immediately thanks to one of her professors. She’d excelled in her position and quickly rose within the company. Last he’d heard, she was being considered for a promotion. The woman knew what she wanted and went after it. That was one of the things he admired about her—one of the things he’d always admired about her.
As he headed back into the living room where Kim was waiting, he racked his brain trying to figure out why she was here. All thoughts went out the window, however, when his gaze fell on Kim kneeling on the floor, naked. Her head was bowed, her knees parted, and her forearms rested on her thighs, palms up.
He froze. It had been seventeen years since he’d seen this much of her. And even though he’d seen dozens of women sans clothing since then, it didn’t lessen the effect she had on him. Seeing her bare flesh flushed and her chest heaving with every breath had him instantly hard and his cock straining against his jeans.
The last time he’d been seventeen and he’d walked by her bedroom one night on his way to brush his teeth. She’d left the door open a crack and when he’d glanced inside, unable to resist, he’d watched her change into her pajamas. Kim was the first live woman he’d ever seen naked.
“What are you doing?” He somehow managed to choke out the question even though it felt as if he had no air left in his lungs.
She didn’t look at him, which bothered Justin a great deal, but at least she answered. Sort of. “I want to submit to you.”
Placing the glass he was holding down on the side table, Justin closed the distance between them. When he was in front of her, he extended his hand.
At first, she hesitated, but then she took it, and he helped her up. Once Kim was on her feet, he left her long enough to retrieve a blanket from his room, and then wrapped it around her shoulders. It didn’t completely cover her, but it made things a little less distracting. He’d wanted Kim Langley from that first time he’d seen her dressing in her bedroom. The only thing that had kept him from making a move on her was her brother. Mark would kill him. Or castrate him. Maybe both.
Trying to keep a level head, Justin led her over to his couch. He sat down facing her, their knees within inches of each other. It would be so much easier if he weren’t so aware of her. “Now, tell me what this is about.”
Kim glanced up at him and then back down at her lap. Her cheeks were flushed and she looked embarrassed. “I saw you.”
He furrowed his brow in confusion. “Saw me?”
“Yes. At Serpent’s Kiss. You’re into BDSM. You’re a Dom, right?”
Justin’s heart skipped a beat. She was at the club? Why? How?
“Anyway, I want you to be the one to show me. I want to submit to you.” The words were spoken in not much more than a whisper.
It wasn’t often Justin was at a loss for words, but this was one of those times. Needing some space, he stood and walked to the other side of the room.
His mind was racing and his cock was throbbing. How many times had he fantasized about her over the years? How many times had it been the memory of her face and body that had brought him to orgasm? Now here she was offering herself to him and he couldn’t do it. He couldn’t. If Mark ever found out he would view it as a betrayal. And as much as he wanted her, he couldn’t do that to his best friend. Or to her.
The sound of sobs had him whipping his head back around in her direction. She was clutching the blanket around her and tears were streaming down her face.
Justin’s heart broke. “Please, don’t cry.”
She shook her head and wiped at the moisture on her cheeks. “You don’t want me.”
“It’s not that,” he said as he strolled back over to her side.
“It’s okay. I understand.”
He lowered himself back down onto the couch and rubbed a hand over his face in frustration. “No you don’t.”
This time she met his gaze. He tilted his head downward toward the physical evidence that contradicted her assumption. When she looked up again, there was a clear question in her eyes.
“Kim, I can’t do that to you. You deserve more than one night of kinky sex.”
She straightened her shoulders and gave him a look he was far more familiar with. This wasn’t the timid Kim who’d walked through his door. “What if that’s all I want?”
“What about your brother?”
“Mark has nothing to do with this.” Kim folded her hands in her lap. “I want to know if I’m really submissive. I think I am, but…” She took a deep breath. “Ali said that BDSM is about trust. I trust you.”
He heard the tremble in her voice. “Do you?”