“It doesn’t matter,” I whispered back. “I’m already taken.”
“Please bring all purchases to the front of the store to check out, the store is now closed,” the woman at the front announced over the store intercom. “Thank you for shopping with us today.”
Chapter 16
Kade
As we drove home from the Lloyd Center, the air between Alix and me was thick with desire. She rode in the passenger seat with her hands politely in her lap, but twice, out of the corner of my eye, I saw her start to reach for me before pulling her hand back. For my part, I felt the same way, and was glad we’d discussed that rule. For safety’s sake, no touching in the car. At least, not while it was moving.
“Do you really think I can get through these books in time?” Alix asked to distract herself as we drove. “I mean, doesn’t it take a few weeks for you to get your scores back from taking the SAT or ACT?”
“It does, but remember, we can put in the application to a university before you even take the test, then forward the score to them once you get it back,” I replied. “As for the books themselves, I don’t think you’ll even need to. Like the math book: when I looked, at least half of it is stuff you’ll get in freshman or even sophomore classes. I got it, though, because it has lots of sample problems you can work through. I know doing it on a computer would be easier and cheaper, but you have to take the test the old fashioned way with a paper and pencil, so you might as well practice it that way too.”
“Yes, Kade,” Alix answered, sending a warm thrill through me. She knew how those two words affected me, and she smiled.
“When we get home, get changed. Something sexy that you bought,” I said, warm anticipation rushing through me. “I have something to show you.”
Alix nodded and didn’t question me at all. “Yes, Kade.”
Helping her with her bags, I immediately took them all to Alix’s room. An unfortunate side effect of the facade that we had to put on was that she would have to maintain her own bedroom. I had guests, employees, and other people over far too often for the fact that she wasn’t keeping her own bedroom to go unnoticed. In this case, though, it was probably a good thing, as it gave her more than enough drawer and closet space for her to not feel crowded. “You change here, I’ll change in my room. Wait for me to call you out.”
I left Alix in her room and went into mine. Opening my closet, I chuckled at the fact that I had exactly nine hangers inside, and four suits, each with two pairs of pants that were hung on a special hanger that kept the set together, a sport coat that I could wear with three different sets of other pants, each on their own hanger, and a tuxedo that I kept only for special occasions. Dress shirts I had laundered and folded at a dry cleaners, while my everyday casual and exercise shirts I just washed myself. Hanging up my pants and tossing my shirt into the laundry bin, I turned to my dresser, opening the third drawer down.
Each drawer in my dresser has a very specific purpose. The top drawer was reserved for socks, underwear, and pocket squares, mostly work stuff. The second drawer contained my undershirts and dress shirts in two matching stacks. I had a hand steamer that I used to make sure my shirts had no wrinkles before wearing them if I had to go jacket-less in a work situation, but other than that, I really didn’t care if Vince or Monica saw me with a fold line circling my body somewhere between my nipples and the bottom of my rib cage. I’m particular about my work attire and my clothing, but I’m not Patrick Bateman.
The third drawer, though, that one was very different, and very private. I looked inside and took out the handmade black silk pajama bottoms, which I tied around my waist since they had no elastic in their construction at all. While some Doms are into leather, that isn’t my sort of thing at all, but I do appreciate the power infused into the color black. I tied the drawstring with a square knot, not so tightly that I couldn’t get it off, but one that I could not just yank free easily.
Next came the lotion, which I rubbed over my chest and arms, and across my back as much as I could. Meant to moisturize, it also lent a gleam to my skin that made me look more powerful. Not quite baby oil, which I’d experimented with but hated due to the lack of friction, it would soon absorb into my skin to leave it touchable and tastable. There was no reason for Alix’s tongue to be dragged through nasty, chemical-laden residue.
The last items I pondered for a moment, wondering if Alix was ready, then nodding to myself. I would wear them, but remove them if she was worried or scared. The gloves came first, then the black mask.