“Your fiancée! Well, excuse me!” Cay held out her orange hand. “Pleased to meet you. I’m Cay Carter, and this is my wife, Andi.”
Jamie shook both of their hands but did not return the greeting with anything more than a smile. When Cay’s mouth fell in perplexity, Etta came up behind her and explained, “I’m afraid that Jamie’s voice isn’t working today. Please, don’t be offended. Although you may wish to count yourself lucky… she’ll talk your ear off most days.”
The Carters quickly forgot about Jamie as they sat at Etta’s desk and went over their preliminary terms for the merger. Cay made it clear that she would remain the editor in chief of the subsidiary. “Adele and I have gone over this extensively, and she’s totally on board,” she said with a trill. She was completely absorbed in her conversation with Etta, but wife Andi spent more than a few seconds letting her eyes wander up and down Jamie’s slender legs. When she looked back at Etta, it was envy on her face.
So the damned day continued.
After the Carters, it was Jem Mercier, who barely gave any warning she was coming and had to be penciled in that morning. She might as well have been talking in code for all Jamie knew. By that point, she was spacing off, aware that everyone who came in and out of that office was staring at her in either lust or envy. Sometimes the envy was directed at her. Other times, it was directed at Etta, and this was from those who were already in serious relationships. Etta was relishing this. Every time another’s eyes focused on Jamie, Etta’s ego inflated five more points.
The meetings didn’t stop until four. The last guest shook Etta’s hand and was followed out to the main office. When Etta returned, it was with a smirk bigger than Jamie’s hair. She locked the door and told Natasha that she didn’t want to be disturbed for at least half an hour, unless it was an emergency.
Jamie knew what that meant.
“Getting cramped?” Etta held out her hand. “Why not stretch your legs?”
Jamie accepted her help, legs grateful to be used again.I didn’t realize how cramped I was until now.Etta kissed her knuckles, gaze never leaving Jamie’s flattered face.
“I hope you’re not too bored. We’re having dinner after we leave. An important dinner that Adele will be joining us on. It’s with some of her… business associates, shall we say.”
So, insufferable fuckheads ala Hyacinth Winston. Jamie was not excited by the prospect, but she wasn’t panicking… yet.
“I have a little time to spare with you, though.” Etta drew Jamie into her arms, body encircled by Armani and tough but feminine Clive Christian perfume. “Only question is… how should we spend it?”
Jamie clutched her jacket, feeling Etta tense beneath her touch.I know how I want to spend it. On her knees, over the desk, on the couch… there were so many ways for Etta to have her way with Jamie right now.
Etta played with the loose end of Jamie’s diamond belt. “Do you like this? I thought of you the moment I saw it at the jeweler’s when I was having a watch fixed. I knew I wanted to see it around your waist, taunting me. And it has.”
She pulled harder. Jamie’s eyes widened as the belt cinched tightly around her waist.
“After all this time, I still don’t think you know what you do to me. You don’t even have to speak or move. Looking at you hasalways made me a complete and utter fool. Remember, the first time I saw you downstairs that fateful day… I knew I had to have you. I needed you.”
Jamie was lost against Etta’s chest, feeling that touch on her sides, her hair, her collar around her neck.Touch me all over.
“It’s a rare woman who turns me into such a base creature.” Etta tucked Jamie’s hair back and fingered the earring she picked out for her. “You know how much I value my ability to control every aspect of my life, let alone my business.” The belt was as tight as it could get. Jamie could still breathe – barely – but it was cutting it close. “So for you to come into my life and tear that all apart… it doesn’t matter how many times I punish you for it. It’s never enough, because the next day you’re doing it again. The worst part is you don’t even realize you’re doing it.” She snorted. “Most of the time. You know you’re doing it to me now, though, don’t you?”
Was that permission to speak? Jamie’s fingers slipped against the softness of Etta’s suit, the rest of her also turning to jelly. Her knees had to stop wobbling. The more this scene continued, the more she wanted to make an utter fool of herself, like Etta always claimed she made a fool out ofher.
“No, ma’am,” she whimpered. “I don’t mean to do anything. I’m wearing what you told me to wear.”
“You did your makeup and kept your hair this way.” Etta combed it with her hand before clutching Jamie’s ass and bringing her thigh to her fiancée’s. “Don’t deny it. I don’t want you to lie. Surely, you know what a vixen you are, my flower.”
Only Etta could make her feel like this. Like she was the most beautiful woman in the world. She had to be, to slay a tough dragon like her with one look. “I can’t help it,” she said, rubbing Etta’s collar. “You make me this way, ma’am. I’m just…”
Etta’s hand went under Jamie’s short skirt and found her lingerie. Jamie yelped, holding herself close to her fiancée as Etta stimulated her through lace and silk. “You’re just the most beautiful, most irresistible woman inthe world. You’re mine, aren’t you?”
“Yes, ma’am…”
“Yes, what?”
She gulped. “Yes, Mistress.” It was difficult for Jamie to say that loudly and proudly. She had a feeling she wasn’t supposed to. “I’m all yours, to do with as you please.”
Although she continued to stare into her eyes, Etta removed the belt from around Jamie’s waist and pulled it up to her torso. Before Jamie had the chance to beg for it, Etta tied her up in it, the diamonds pressing against her arms and digging into her breasts. “I know. I will use you as I please, I promise you.”
Jamie still shook in her heels. Etta was there to steady her, but she was also a diabolical wolf to her demure sheep. A force to be utterly reckoned with.
“Are you ready for me, Jamie?” Growls littered her throat. Etta’s hips pushed against Jamie’s stomach.Oh, my God. This is happening.So much time together, and she still thought that. “Because there’s no way I can go to dinner until I’ve had you at least once. I crave you like the whole world craves the sun and rain both. You make me so happy. I take great delight in looking at you.” Jamie knew Etta got her this dress because the bust was easy to manipulate, and yet she gasped to have it pulled down and expose her bra. “But you also give me such a burning need that I want to both run from you and come to you. Do you understand? You have power over me, and you don’t even realize it.”
Jamie whimpered from the chain digging into her body. It wasn’t painful. It wasn’t even erotic yet. “I love you, Mistress. Any power I have over you is because I love you. I can’t help myself just like you can’t.”
