“Group projects. You know how I feel about those.”
He let his head fall back against the seat and laughed. “You’re adorable and I love you.”
She huffed and stood up. “Keep making fun. I’ll make sure Hunter and Patrick do the most ridiculous thing they can think of for your bachelor party, mister.”
He held up a finger and crooked it in a come-here motion. She inched toward him warily, and he had to fight to keep the smirk off his face.
When she leaned down so her ear was near his mouth he said, “Try it and see what happens, kitten. I think we both know I’ll win this little game.”
She poked her tongue out at him and he just shook his head. “You get a pass for now. I make no promises not to revoke it when we get to Solitaire.”
Like the smart girl she was, she backed away before Lance could make anymore threats. He turned and watched as she rejoined her friends near the back of the plane. Her gaze drifted to his and a pretty blush warmed her cheeks. She liked to fight her inner submissive, but their battle of wills turned her on and he enjoyed turning her on so he didn’t mind going a few rounds with her. They both knew in the end Marissa would wind up on her knees in submission to him, but Lance would hand her the world every chance he got because if anyone owned anyone in this relationship, he belonged to her completely.
13
Friday, December 21st
Marissa
“I’m so excited for you, girl,” Austin said as she stood on her tiptoes and put a tree topper on one of the last trees they had to decorate.
Marissa nodded absently. “Me too.”
“Earth to Marissa. Where’s your head at girl?”
Marissa shook her head. “Sorry. Was distracted.”
Austin’s gaze followed Marissa’s and landed on Patrick, Lance, Hunter, and the other men of Solitaire standing around the bar laughing and drinking scotch.
“We have some of the best-looking men in the country, don’t we?” Austin asked.
This time Marissa flashed her friend a grin. “We sure do. I’m a lucky bitch.”
“You’re telling me,” Lana said from her perch on a couch where she was tying ribbon into bows.
“I’m glad you brought friends, Marissa. Solitaire needs more women,” Austin said.
Just then Erin Green, a new face at the club, came storming into the bar area and made a beeline for Samuel with her phone in her hand.
“I told you it was a bad idea to skip town this close to the swearing in.”
Marissa watched as Samuel calmed the woman down. She didn’t know what Erin was stressed about, but she liked watching Samuel with her. The Dom had a special place in her heart since he’d saved her life a few months prior.
Samuel held Erin’s hand, and the couple walked toward the group of women working on decorations. He held his hand out and Erin huffed but slapped her phone into his hand. He winked at Marissa and tucked it into his pocket.
“Find something to keep this one busy won’t you ladies?”
Dakota Hylander swooped in and grabbed Erin’s hand. “I got you, honey. Turn your work brain off for an hour and help me with this tree.”
“Where’s Emily and Tamara?” Dakota asked as she pulled a pair of silver nipple clamps out of a box and hung them on a tree.
“What do you think? Should we do the whole tree in them?”
Everyone enthusiastically agreed, but Dakota hadn’t forgotten her original question and looked expectantly at Austin.
“I think Emily is trying to keep Tamara company. From what I understand, she’s feeling a bit wounded and doesn’t want to be social right now. I’m sure Em or David will coax her out soon.”
Marissa cleared her throat. “I know Lance is trying to help with whatever her problem is. Maybe I can do something too?”
Austin shrugged. “I’m honestly not sure. I wasn’t given a lot of details, but if Lance is helping, I’m sure he can fill you in and Tamara would be glad for the help even if she won’t admit it.”
Marissa gave her a smile. “I’ll talk to him and see if I can help.”
“You can help me out by loaning me your phone,” Erin said with a pout as she sorted a box of nipple clamps Dakota handed her.
“And why do you have a box full of nipple clamps?”
Dakota smirked. “Someone who makes them gave us six boxes for the gift store. We’ll never sell that many. I figured why the hell not put them to some kind of use.”
Marissa watched Erin and thought she might like to befriend her so she tugged her phone out of her back pocket and held it out to the woman.
“Trying to get Erin in trouble, Kitten?”
Marissa jumped and jerked her phone to her chest.
“What makes you say that?”
Lance just shook his head.
“Come with me.”
Marissa frowned. “Sorry.”
Lance motioned for the door to the lobby. “Come on.”
Marissa gave the group of women a little wave and followed Lance.
“I wasn’t trying to get her in trouble.”
Lance chuckled when they were in the lobby away from the others. “You didn’t. But you should respect their dynamic and not help another sub deliberately disobey their Dom. That’s not why I brought you out here, though. I need to talk to you about something.”
“That doesn’t sound good.”
Lance laughed. “It’s the weather. We need to make a choice.”
“Is it going to get bad? It doesn’t seem that bad right now.”
Lance leaned against the reception desk, and Marissa thought he looked exceptionally handsome. He may be in charge of the world in Chicago, but here he was relaxed and seemed at home.
“So what’s the choice?”
“We either fly to Phoenix tonight and skip the party or we take a risk and hope we can still fly out Sunday like we planned.”
“Well, fuck. I don’t like that choice.”
Lance laughed. “Me either, Riss. But that’s where we’re at. So what’s it gonna be?”
“Oh, geeze. You’re leaving it up to me?”
He nodded.
“Damn it. I want to be at the party with our friends.”
He picked up her hand. “So we’ll ride it out and see what happens. Let’s go back in and try not to stress about it.”
She sighed and leaned into him for a kiss.
“Sure, we can’t just go upstairs?”
He grinned. “Soon, little Kitten. Soon.”
“Oh before we go back in, was there anything I can help you with for Tamara?”
He lifted an eyebrow. “Someone fill you in?”
Marissa shook her head. “Not exactly. Just hinted that maybe I could help you.”
Lance dragged a hand through his hair. “She’s in a bit of a delicate situation with a client blackmailing her. I’m working on a risk profile on him so David can have more to work with when he confronts him.”
“I want to help.”
Lance nodded and kissed her again. “We’ll work on it together tonight, then.”
Back in the bar, Marissa rejoined the others in decorating and Lance went back to the men. A few minutes later, they all filed out, looking serious.