Just One Taste (Topped #2)(40)

He opened the door and suddenly he was the one trying not to fall. She launched herself at him, her arms and legs winding around him.

“I’m so happy for you!” She let out a squeal and kissed him as she held on. “You’re going to be Chef!”

He held on to her, loving the way she felt in his arms. “It’s still a franchise and I have to run the big things by Sean. He and Big Tag are helping finance me. It’s going to be a while before I’m all on my own.”

“I’m so proud of you,” she whispered in his ear. “You deserve it, Eric. You’re an amazing chef and you’re going to be an awesome boss.” She kissed him again, this time on the cheek. “But you should hire a business manager because you suck at math.”

He eased her down, not letting go even when she was steady. “I suck at math?”

She chuckled but wouldn’t back down. “You do. Oh, you can do all the fractions you like, but I’ve seen you try to balance a checkbook and you get angry at it.”

“The banks deliberately make that confusing.” He defended himself even though he knew she was right.

She shook her head, her hands running up his side as though she couldn’t help but touch him. “Nope. They do try to make it easy. It’s all money in and money out. What’s going to happen when you have to add in projection costs and…oh, no, the dreaded payroll accounting.”

Thank god he could cook because all those other things kind of gave him the hives. “I was hoping that someone smarter than me would kind of guide me down that path. Maybe some super intelligent woman who managed to put herself through college and who’s about to earn a highly rated business degree.”

She stepped back and that wall between them seemed to slam into place again. “Wow, uhm, of course I’ll look at your plans, but like I said, I have a job lined up.”

What had put that look on her face? Did she think he was trying to use her? “Hey, I wasn’t asking you to work for free. I would pay you a consultation fee.”

She shook her head and seemed to brush it off. “Don’t be silly. I would love to take a look at your business plan and very likely tear it apart and tell you all the places you’re going wrong. No. Seriously, I’ll give it a look and tell you what I think. And I would love to see the space. I like the Sundance location, but you better have foot traffic.”

He was relieved the awkward moment had passed. “I absolutely have foot traffic. And the Bass is right down the street. I thought I could pick up some of the after-theater crowd.”

She went up on her toes and gave him a quick kiss. “Good. E-mail it to me or print it out and bring in what you have and I’ll give you my opinion. My new job happens to be in downtown Fort Worth, so I expect free lunches. Also, I’m not wearing a puppy collar. I’m a free-range puppy. I’m very well trained.”

He would simply leave the pink collar and leash he’d bought for her in his locker and she would never have to know. “Of course.”

She grinned then turned and started to walk toward the club. Damn, but he liked to watch her walk, her hips swaying.

He should have thought about that leash. She’d been leashed for much of her life. It would rankle. She enjoyed submission on a sexual level. It gave her permission to enjoy the sex, but Deena would always need to know she was a partner in play. It was why he feared she wouldn’t enjoy life with some random Dom who wouldn’t understand why she was here and what she needed deep down.

He followed her, feeling more optimistic than he had before.





Eric was leaving Top. Eric was starting his own restaurant.

Eric wasn’t Eddie.

That was her new mantra. She looked down at the pretty sapphire-colored corset and tiny PVC mini she was wearing, sure reminders of the fact that her new friend wasn’t anything like her old husband. Eddie had rarely bought her a birthday gift, much less something as decadent and luxurious as a new set of fet wear. It had been waiting for her the day after what she now referred to as Butt Plug Armageddon. Once Eric had decided to take control, he’d bought her three new sets of club wear. There was the one she was wearing, a super slutty mini dress with f*ck me heels, and a red corset with the tiniest thong she’d ever seen. They all made her feel sexy and just the right side of trashy and…

Taken care of. Those stupid clothes made her feel taken care of.

Though he’d merely said he enjoyed buying clothes for his sub and hinted that he would do it for any sub, she wasn’t stupid. He’d done it for her because he’d seen the sad state of her clothes and understood how they made her feel.

He was too good to be true. Had she found the flaw? He needed business help and she was good at business. Everyone knew what her degree was in. Well, if she managed to pass.

“You look very serious for a girl about to bark all night,” Tiff said with a glint in her eye.

She stared at her friend through the mirror. It was all happening so fast. It was going to be hard to leave Top, but she would still have this club.

Maybe.

How would she handle seeing Eric with another sub? Their contract only lasted so long and she already knew how dangerous it would be to sign another with him. If she let herself, she would fall in love with the man, and that couldn’t happen.

She forced the thoughts away and closed her locker, turning to Tiffany. “I am not a yippy puppy. I’m a free-range puppy. You let him put a collar on you?”