He should just leave. Text her and apologize. She’d said they were one short, but he could text another sub, like Sy, so he didn’t leave her in a lurch. Sy was always up for a last-minute change in plans. Hell, he routinely did sessions with Cyn, so he could handle the unexpected.
But Tiger couldn’t just invite a replacement without checking with her first. And he was just too chickenshit to tell her to her face he was bailing.
Which meant he wasn’t going to back out.
He’d thought a lot about her visit to the garage. Especially that kiss. And of course the invitation to have sex on his desk. She’d seemed committed to following through, but she’d smoothly changed course when he was too fucked up for the timing. But the very fact the offer had been on the table had been unsettling.
They’d done a lot of things in Progeny’s private rooms. But not sex. Not him sliding his cock into her wet pussy, feeling her hands grip him, hold on as he thrust, took them both on that ride.
Having a hard-on was a good distraction from what he manfully refused to call terror when he contemplated getting out of his truck. However, he suspected it was better to turn his mind to other things to calm down.
He’d thought a lot about her approach. Not too solicitous, the “Let me help you, oh I’m so sorry you’re going through this” stuff he would have hated, even if he hadn’t been in a mood to hate everything anyway. She just took over, laid out his choices like she did in a session.
Get on your knees.
Fuck me on your desk.
Watch TV until your brain melts.
She’d even made it clear about him being here tonight. The choices were his, his will driving things, meeting her halfway.
That squeezing panic he’d felt when he’d first seen her in his office had evaporated when she’d blatantly reminded him he had a dick that worked. The savagery that had surged through him had worked too well. He’d nearly lost it with her. Which meant he owed her. So here he was.
He hadn’t hated that kiss. Truth, it was an even bigger reason for why he was here, instead of guilt over his animal behavior. It had been a great kiss, one that had made him feel more like himself. At least for a few minutes.
He was shakier about this than he’d anticipated. He should have asked her to meet him in the parking lot.
Christ.He hadn’t come here to be a clingy loser, desperate to stick close to someone who could handle communication and cover for what he couldn’t hear. He had to do what she’d said. Kick his own will into gear and be the big-dick-swinging tough guy she expected him to be. Ready to serve his Mistress in whatever way she needed. If he faced something he didn’t know how to handle, well, he’d figure it out. Like when something was wrong with an engine. There was always a solution. You just had to settle down, look for it, feel for it, listen…
“Goddamn fucking hell.” Cursing when he couldn’t hear himself curse took the joy out of it, but he did it anyway. Seizing the handles of his duffel, he shoved himself out of the truck. If it had been his work truck, he would have slammed the door hard enough to flip the damn thing.
But Maryshka was right about his 1955 Chevy short bed pickup. Figuring that the patrons tonight would be driving their high dollar rides, he’d decided his boy deserved to show off a little. The Chevy could hold its own among a crowd of pricey sportscars. In the past, having his truck at something like this had been a draw for amateur gearheads, those who might think of his garage for their more complex upgrades or repair needs.
Fuck knew how he’d handle those conversations tonight, so it was probably good he’d parked toward the back. He closed the door in a measured way. Dipped down to brush a little gravel dust off a white wall tire.
Then he headed across the parking area.
Skye let out a breath. When he’d left the truck, he looked like he wanted to kill something, but she saw him take a moment, pamper his vehicle. Maryshka teased him about taking it out to dinner on its birthday and anniversary.
When he saw her, his shoulders and expression eased some. Giving her a half smile, he moved in her direction.
Someone else was approaching him. Bethany was another sub, here tonight not to be a canvas, but additional waitstaff. She was one of those Tiger had mentored until she got her bearings. After the evening’s sessions were over, Bethany sometimes gravitated to him to have a drink and talk sub-shop.
She was calling out to him. Since she likely hadn’t seen him since the garage incident, Skye expected Bethany would greet him with an exuberant, caring hug, a gesture that fit her loving personality.
The problem was he didn’t see her yet. Skye pointed, and Tiger glanced over his shoulder when Bethany was about five feet away. Not optimal, since she flung herself at him for that hug, but better than if she’d completely taken him by surprise.
He was still stiff as a board when she wrapped her arms around him. He put the duffel down while still in her embrace, holding her with one arm and easing her back while recovering his smile. He offered a nod or two as she chattered at him, as if he could understand her. He was going to try and fake it.
She’d been there. There was a time and place for it, but this wasn’t it. This kind of situation, it just made things worse. Skye had reached them, and laid a hand on Bethany’s arm, drawing her attention as she typed into her phone. Her brisk but reassuring Helen Mirren voice seemed the most appropriate choice.
“Tiger can’t hear you, Bethany.” She angled it so Tiger could read it, was part of the conversation. “His hearing was damaged in the incident at his garage. Just use your phone like I’m doing to communicate with him.”
“Oh.Oh. Tiger, I’m so sorry.” Bethany looked up at Tiger, realized he probably still didn’t understand her, though Skye expected her expression gave him the gist of it. He’d clasped Skye’s wrist as he read the phone. His grip tightened with a note of challenge, reflected in the flash of his gaze. He wasn’t pleased she’d told Bethany.
Bethany dipped her head to her phone, typed fast and showed it to Tiger, even as she spoke the same words to him. “I’m glad to see you. Glad you’re doing this tonight.”
“I appreciate that.” Tiger’s expression looked as wooden as his response. Skye wasn’t sure Bethany noticed, since she was flustered.