Part 1 (1/2)

Blind Obedience.

Brandi Michaels.

CHAPTER ONE.

aIall be happy to buzz Mr. Carver for you, Thea dear. I know he wouldnat want to keep you waiting. We have this little code I use when I know he wonat mind being interrupted.a Thea smiled at Vivian Holmes, whom shead known most of her life. The secretary had been one of her fatheras devoted employees for years. Now she worked for his successor, Blake Carter.

aThanks, Vivian, I really donat mind waiting. Iam lunching with a client at noon, but Iam running early for a change.a aIf youare sure.a aPositive.a Thea insisted. aBesides, Blake is just a tad bit annoyed with me right now.a G.o.d, what an understatement! aThereas no sense to hurry just so I can get chewed out sooner.a Vivian chuckled. aOh, Dear, I donat think you have much to worry about there. Itas clear as day that man dotes on you. And knowing what a model of decorum youave always been, itas hard to imagine you doing anything too terrible.a How about spending the night in her ex-fiancas apartment? Vivian was probably the only one in the company who hadnat heard the gossip. Her new love was more than a little ticked. Head called earlier, asking her to come to the office, and head sounded absolutely furious.

The phone rang, distracting Vivian and leaving Thea with her own turbulent thoughts. She and Blake had met when head taken over the reins of her familyas firm six months ago. Their attraction had been fierce and mutual. Theyad been dating every since. She fell more deeply in love with him each time they were together, but he seemed to be growing more indifferent.

Normally attentive and affectionate, Blakeas gradual withdrawal scared her badly. This past month, head canceled several dates. They hadnat spent a night together for two weeks.

It was driving her crazy. She couldnat eat or sleep or even think straight. She didnat understand what was happening. Had he grown bored with her already? Was there another woman? Their s.e.x life seemed okay, but then she didnat have much experience to judge it by.

When head canceled their dinner plans two nights ago, shead retaliated by spending the night at Ted Johnsonas apartment. Her plan had been to prod Blake, not humiliate him. But the gossip had spread like wildfire, taking on a life of its own. Thus this summons to his office.

Thea s.h.i.+fted restlessly in her seat, crossed her legs, then immediately uncrossed them when her skirt rode to mid-thigh. Shead dressed for lunch at the country club, pairing a short denim skirt with a lightweight blue blazer.

The outfit was trendy, but a far cry from her usual power suits. As an added bonus, blue just happened to be Blakeas favorite color on her. He insisted that it brought out the blue of her eyes and enhanced her fair complexion. He also seemed fond of her legs, so shead left them bare. It would take considerable charm and maybe a little s.e.x appeal to appease him today.

The inner office door opened, forcing all the air from her lungs. Blake appeared; a dark-haired, dark-eyed, corporate dragon who held her familyas fortune in the palm of his left hand and held her heart in the palm of his right.

He ushered a client from the room, shaking hands and saying good-bye. Then his unsmiling gaze settled on her.

aThea.a His tone and expression were devoid of emotion. His iron control always unnerved her. Rising slowly, she nodded a greeting while her insides churned. They didnat speak any other greetings, but her pulse raced as she pa.s.sed him in the doorway. The subtle woodsy scent of his after-shave put her senses on alert, as did the heat of his big body.

It had been the same since the first time theyad met. The tension between them was alive with s.e.xual excitement and challenge. It vibrated between them, making the air sizzle when they were together. No other man had ever sent her senses into a tailspin or filled her with such deep longing.

aPlease hold my calls, Vivian.a The soft thud of the door shut out the rest of the world, effectively coc.o.o.ning them in privacy. Thea walked across the room and took a seat in front of his desk, then watched as he sat down behind it. His catlike grace and supreme self-confidence fascinated her.

He wasnat a particularly tall man, but his athletic build and tightly muscled body made him appear larger than life. The elegant navy suit paired with a brilliant white s.h.i.+rt added to the imposing, untouchable image.

aRumor has it that youave been sleeping with Ted Johnson. You canat imagine how many people felt the need to tell me.a Thea cringed at the cold fury in his tone. It radiated from him in waves of tightly leashed emotion that made her pulse race. She searched the rigid lines of his face. Was he just furious at the thought of being duped or did he care enough to be genuinely hurt? If she knew his heart was involved, shead confess the truth in an instant. On the other hand, he might be even more furious at her attempt to manipulate him.

aIam sorry. I did spend a night at Tedas place, but it was totally innocent. I had no idea it would start a flurry of vicious gossip.a His features tightened even more. The hard line of his jaw went rigid. aIam the new CEO whoas been shaking up the whole company, and you didnat think anyone would be interested in my personal life? Especially since Iave been dating the former CEOas daughter?a Thea licked her lips in a rare display of nervousness. aI understand how the grapevine works. I just didnat realize my actions would be under such close scrutiny.a aYou thought you could sleep around and n.o.body would notice?a aI donat sleep around,a she snapped, irritation warring with contrition. aAnd even if I did, itas n.o.bodyas business but mine.a Blakeas eyes narrowed, but his gaze never wavered from her face. aNot even mine?a he asked on a low growl.

aIam not sure if itas your business or not,a she replied testily. She crossed her legs, deliberately taunting him with a flash of thigh. aYouave been noticeably absent these past few weeks. Are you seeing someone else?a ah.e.l.l, no,a he grumbled, looking momentarily shocked by the question. aIave been working.a aAnd avoiding me. I a.s.sumed you wanted our affair to die a natural death. Why pretend to care where I spend the night when you canat make the time to be with me?a There was enough hurt in her tone to cause a slight softening of his expression. Hope surged through her. He appeared intrigued rather than annoyed, but his tone remained guarded.

aClarify for me please. Youare complaining because we arenat spending enough time together? Youad rather speed up the courting process a little?a His question confused her. aCourting?a aIsnat that what itas called in the polite society you call your social circle?a he asked. aI have to admit Iam not too familiar with the rituals.a His rags to riches story fascinated her friends, but Thea had never considered him underprivileged in any fas.h.i.+on. He knew exactly who he was, what he wanted and how to get it. There was a core of steel beneath the corporate persona.

What shead never taken into account was the idea of a little insecurity blended with the steel. Could he be intimidated by her familyas wealth and social status? Did he really think she wanted a formal, long, drawn-out courts.h.i.+p?

aI think we bypa.s.sed the usual dating ritual when we became lovers.a aAnd you resent the fact that I pressured you into a more intimate relations.h.i.+p?a he asked, his steely gaze locked with hers. Then his tone grew rough again. aIs that why you decided to spend a few nights with the old socially acceptable boyfriend?a That stung and spurred her resentment. She glared at him, her face warming as her temper simmered. aIam not that desperate for attention,a she snapped, abut I am tired of arranging my schedule around yours and then having you cancel at a momentas notice. If you donat want to spend time with me, then you should just say so.a He gave that some thought, and then said, aI thought you might need a little s.p.a.ce. I just hadnat figured on you turning to another man for attention.a aI didnat turn to anyone.a aSo you say, but youare an incredibly pa.s.sionate woman, and youare obviously not happy with the status of our relations.h.i.+p. Are you ready to call it quits?a aNo!a Her breath caught in her throat. Her stomach rolled and panic surged through her. Pride kept her from begging, but she felt an overwhelming urge to cling to any hope.

aThen tell me exactly what you want. Iam not a mind reader. Do you want more of my time or less?a She wanted forever, but she couldnat even nudge him into here and now. aI want more.a aOr youall just sleep with other men?a His tone held such disgust that Thea felt herself blus.h.i.+ng. aI am not sleeping with Ted.a aYou expect me to believe you spent the whole night with an old lover and nothing happened? Do I have stupid written across my forehead?a he demanded harshly. aI wonat be made a fool.a Thea felt another jolt of panic. Had she risked everything, his love and his respect, with her ill-conceived scheme? What could she do to rectify the mistake?

aYou are the only man I want in my life. I swear I didnat sleep with Ted, but I donat see how I can prove it. Youall just have to trust me.a His eyes flared with anger, and then became swiftly hooded. aUnconditional trust? Thatas what youare asking?a She knew there hadnat been many people in his life that he could trust, but she wanted to be the most special person head ever known. She wanted adoration, devotion, and undying love.

aYes, I guess it is. Is that so impossible to accept?a Blake returned her gaze steadily and more tension vibrated between them. Her heart thudded against her chest, trapping the air in her lungs as she awaited his reply. Finally, in a voice totally lacking in warmth, he replied.

aIf youare telling me the truth, there might still be hope for our relations.h.i.+p. Iave come up with a plan.a Planning was what he did best. He hadnat become a corporate genius without highly developed organizational skills. Thea admired his talents, she just didnat know if she wanted their private lives arranged by a pie chart.

aWhat plan?a she asked warily.

aA plan thatas a step beyond our usual relations.h.i.+p. In fact, itas so unconventional I doubt youall agreed to it.a Theaas temper spiked again. He hadnat even told her the terms, yet he was dismissing her ability to meet his demands. It irritated her to no end. She hadnat become a top sales executive by dodging difficult challenges.

aSuppose you tell me what you want, and Iall decide whether or not Iam willing?a she snapped.

Tension escalated, heightened by her loss of temper. An instant of utter silence pulsed between them.

aBlind obedience,a he drawled softly. The deep, daring tone of his voice danced over her skin as he continued. aYou want unconditional trust? I want blind obedience.a Thea studied him intently. Shead always sensed a dark, primitive side to his nature. His iron control and the innate ability to harness that aspect of his personality both intrigued and unsettled her. Did she really want to unleash it?

aWhat kind of obedience?a aItas simple. I command, and you obey. At least until Iave worked through this anger or you decide that you canat live with my demands. If youare willing to put all your trust in me, it might just renew my faith in you.a Shead never been very good at obedience. He knew her strong views on womenas lib. aJust how long do you expect me to be subservient?a aI donat really expect you to last the hour,a he taunted, making the bold challenge sound like an insult.

That didnat set well with her, either. aSo youave come up with a plan thatas doomed to failure?a she grumbled in irritation. She was determined to prove him wrong, and prepared to do anything he suggested.

Well, nearly anything, she mentally hedged.

aItas only doomed if you let your straight-laced social conditioning take priority over your innate sensuality.a Sensuality? Thea wrinkled her brow in consternation. Was he talking intimacya”the personal, physical aspects of their relations.h.i.+p? Not just revenge for initiating the gossip? That sounded more palatable.

Another thought popped into her mind. aJust how public a plan is this?a she asked warily.

aPrivate. Very private,a he swore softly, his eyes going dark. aItas strictly between you and me.a His words and the sudden huskiness of his voice chased some of the chill from her blood. She loved it when his eyes darkened and his eyelids grew heavy. Maybe she was finally getting closer to learning what really made him tick. She badly wanted to share those intimate secrets.

aI guess weall have to put your plan into action and see what happens,a she said, clasping her hands together to still her sudden restlessness. aShould I a.s.sume we have a date tonight? One that you wonat cancel in a few hours?a aNot later. Right now,a he insisted, his face a mask of control again. aThe plan goes into effect right now and continues until one of us calls it off.a She watched in stilled silence as he rose, shrugged out of his suit jacket and tossed it across the end of the desk. Then he held her gaze as he slowly loosened the knot of his tie and unfastened the top b.u.t.ton of his s.h.i.+rt.

The office was in the penthouse of a high-rise. The wall of windows behind his desk faced several similar walls of windows. They were practically on display above the city and to all their neighboring business a.s.sociates.

Was he into exhibition s.e.x? Or was he just testing her? Just seeing how far he could push her? Shead missed him and badly wanted to be with him, but making love here and now would really push the limits of acceptable behavior.

aI said just between the two of us,a he reminded, adjusting the window blinds at an angle that afforded more privacy without blocking the bright morning suns.h.i.+ne. Then he turned his full attention to her again.

aWhy donat you get rid of your jacket, too?a The first command was politely disguised, but easy enough to accept. Thea studied his tight expression for another long moment, and then decided to play along with his game. She silently prayed that he wouldnat initiate something that would cause even more scandal.

She rose, pulled her arms from her blazer and draped it across the back of the chair. She was still standing when he issued the next order.

aTake down your hair.a Her hand went to the chignon at her nape. Her hair was long and fine and incredibly difficult to control. It had taken forever to get it pinned just right, and she was meeting her client in less than half an hour.

She looked at Blake, trying to gage his seriousness. The wicked gleam in his eyes taunted her. He could read her mind so d.a.m.ned easily. He knew shead balk at the request. Thatas the reason head expected her to fail. He already thought he knew her so well.

Unwilling to let him win so easily, she began pulling the pins from her hair. She steadily returned his perusal as she shook it free of confinement. It fell in a heavy blonde swish past her shoulders.

His mouth tilted in a faint smile. He had such a full, sensuous mouth. And his smile, even a hint of one, made her stomach do a little flip-flop. He was undoubtedly the s.e.xiest man shead ever known. A s.h.i.+ver of antic.i.p.ation ran through her body.

aThatas nice,a he praised, his gaze roaming over her face and tousled hair. Then he issued the next order. aNow give me your underwear.a That brought a surprised gasp from her lips. A different sort of quiver raced through her. Head never made such an intimate request in private, so why here and why now? Thea squirmed at the thought of removing her underwear and exposing herself so much. Where was he going with his demands? Was he bent on humiliating her the way he felt shead humiliated him?