Joseph nodded in silent thanks, still holding on to Miss Carrigan’s arm. He turned to the other Dom just as another redhead joined the group, looking confused. Joseph nodded to her and then said, “Conrad, please accept my earnest apologies. Miss Carrigan isn’t a participant in this weekend’s events. Although she was warned to stay out of this corridor, because of privacy concerns, I didn’t elaborate as to why she shouldn’t be here. I’ll see your fantasy is rescheduled, and your registration fee returned to you. As soon as I’m finished here I’ll join you, and we can work out the details.”
The other redhead was obviously quick to grasp that there had been a mishap. At Joseph’s nod, she turned to Conrad, clasping her hands together. “May I serve you at the feast, Sir?”
Conrad smiled as he stroked her cheek and nodded. “No worries, Joseph. We can talk later.” He turned to lead the submissive down the stairs and then abruptly stopped. “I’m truly sorry if I scared you, Miss. I’m not usually a brute and hope I have the chance to make it up to you.”
Miss Carrigan still hadn’t broken eye contact with Joseph, whose face had taken on a slightly ruddy hue as he stared back at her, but she waved a hand at Conrad and said, “Sorry about calling you a dickweed. Where I come from, men who handle women like that intend them harm, not fun.”
“Understandable. See you down there, Joseph.”
Josh gestured toward the stairs with his chin, and Violet and Lucas followed him. He chuckled when Miss Carrigan glowered at Joseph as he escorted her farther into the hallway, muttering, “I can take care of myself, you…you…” Her words trailed off as they gave them their privacy.
Violet linked her fingers with his and then joined hands with Lucas, too, and whispered, “Miss Carrigan is some kind of technician, and she was here to work. She bounced back pretty quickly, but I think that Dom really scared her.”
Lucas snorted. “She looked like she could handle herself well enough.”
Josh chuckled, agreeing with his brother. “She’s got a tiger by the tail at the moment. Hope she fares well.”
* * * *
Bunny’s heart beat fiercely as she tried again without success to break free from Joseph’s firm but gentle grasp on her arm as he led her down the hall. Her reaction had nothing to do with fear and everything to do with wild arousal as he effortlessly kept her in tow and opened a heavy wooden door at the opposite end of the corridor from where she’d originally entered.
“Where are you taking me?”
“My private suite.”
“I don’t remember there being a stairway leading to your suite.”
“There is more than one way to access it.”
With little choice in the matter, she followed him up the staircase, which was lit by sconces on the walls every few feet. Though the architecture was modern traditional, the lighting gave the space an air of timelessness. She could just as easily have been in a Victorian manor, transported to an age gone by. She’d noticed that about the whole place. Few contemporary elements, like the in-house sound and entertainment system had been allowed to remain visible, as if to hide distractions from visitors. Even though she thrived on contemporary technology, made her living with it in fact, the thought was a pleasant one. Nothing to detract from the atmosphere or the formidable man who owned it all…and set her panties on fire every time she saw him.
She tugged on her arm. “It’s a minor scrape, and I told you I have a first aid kit in my truck. This isn’t necessary.”
He stopped abruptly on the stairs and shocked her when he trapped her against the wall, mashing her body with his, towering over her. “Maybe not but this is,” he ground out before tangling his fist in her hair and anchoring her so she couldn’t get away.
He drilled her with his dark, fathomless eyes, and his full lips flattened into a firm line as his jaw jutted. Her heartbeat was a tribal rhythm in her ears as she looked up at him, flabbergasted and unable to move…and not wanting to, as he leaned so close they were sharing the same breath. His mingled scent of black coffee, spearmint, and male pheromones made her lips throb for a kiss and her pussy soften and swell, as if anticipating his first thrust.
The thought of a man like him taking charge brought a soft moan to her lips, and she saw the satisfied, predatory gleam in his eyes before his lips landed on hers, short circuiting her brain.
She’d known a kiss from him would be like this. Ensnaring her in his arms so she couldn’t move. Enthralling her so she didn’t want to move. She let him in, reveling in his quiet groan as his velvety tongue swept against hers, not demanding or conquering her into submission. Oh no. He teased her with gentle flicks, tilting his head to the side to take it a little deeper and pausing for breath and to nip at her bottom lip with his teeth before kissing her again. All resistance drained from her, and she released her grip on his coat sleeve to wrap her arms around his neck, giving in to him.