Bound With Pearls by Sidney Bristol Page A

her cheeks still pink, probably a little uncomfortable as the focus of attention. “I went through discipline training with Master Brandon Halsted, Sir.”
    “Really? I’ve heard of him.” Bianca leaned forward.
    “Should I know him?” Daniel asked.
    Bianca shook her head. “He moved.”
    Chris had mentioned this Master Brandon before. He couldn’t decide if he owed the man a drink for teaching her or a fist for touching her. But hadn’t she said their relationship wasn’t a sexual one?
    It was distracting to try to carry on a coherent conversation with Bianca while Christine’s curves were so accessible. As much as he enjoyed his friend’s conversation, his heart wasn’t in it. His mind was racing a mile a minute. If he could do what he’d done with the inspiration from Christine’s tattoo, could he do that again? A concept for a new collection was solidifying in his head, adding yet another thing pulling him in a different direction.
    Christine’s supple body stiffened. Her head rose from his shoulder and she glanced at something behind them. He turned to see what had captured her attention.
    Lucy and her boyfriend were at a larger table, with a crowd. She stood on top of the table in a skimpy outfit, wiggling her ass as if that were how she made her money.
    He pitched his voice low. “She’s not supposed to be here, is she?”
    Her lips were compressed into a tight line. She shook her head. “No.”
    “What’s wrong?” Bianca asked, never one to be left out.
    He couldn’t say he was surprised by Lucy’s deception. Christine had mentioned her sister’s trip over dinner. He was disappointed for her sake. She shrugged and laid her head back on his shoulder, curling tightly to his side. She wrapped her arm around his waist, gripping his belt. Putting a hand over hers, he squeezed.
    “Lucy and Nathan are supposedly out of town,” he said, keeping his voice even.
    Bianca’s eyebrows rose. “Oh.”
    Lucy’s voice had a distinct, high-pitched quality. It cut through the din of club noise. He forced his grip on Christine’s hand to loosen. He’d like to have a conversation with Nathan, illuminate the finer points of maturity the man seemed to lack, but in this situation it wasn’t his place. He wasn’t Christine’s Dom. Yet. It wasn’t his right to interfere in her deal, but he wanted to. It was a tricky situation. Since she’d made the agreement with her sister before he was in the picture he didn’t want to intrude. If he were her Dom, if she wore his collar, this mess would not have happened.
    Lowering his voice, he asked, “Do you want to leave?”
    “I don’t want to make you leave,” she mumbled.
    Patting her hand, he glanced up at Bianca. “If you’ll excuse us, I think it’s time we went home.”
    “Of course,” Bianca said, rising as they stood.
    He ducked his head, pressing a kiss to the shorter woman’s cheek. He knew she was dying to ask him questions but was too polite to ask him here.
    “I’ll call you,” he said by way of an apology. He’d want to consult someone else about his growing infatuation before he did anything rash.
    “Christine,” Bianca said, turning to take one of her hands. “It was lovely to meet you. Don’t be a stranger.”
    Aware every moment they spent around Lucy and Nathan was one more chance for an unwanted confrontation, he steered Christine toward the door. This time he nodded to those he recognized but declined the unspoken invitations. He was not unaware of the interested stares, but he didn’t share, and he wasn’t about to let her go yet.
    The temperature outside was much colder. She wrapped her wool coat around her and hunched her shoulders. Every few steps she glanced at him.
    “We didn’t have to leave because of Lucy.”
    He turned her back to the car and gently pushed her against it. Her hands flattened against his chest under the lapels of his jacket.
    “It wasn’t worth putting up with your sister’s shit or making a