What He Craves by Tawny Taylor Page A

around me, he reminded me of a jungle
cat. Like a big cat, quiet strength emanated from him. And danger. He was
deliciously dangerous. “This way.” Touching me very softly, he moved me into
position to be restrained. Back to the cross. Arms up and out in a wide vee,
legs spread. Before securing my arms, he unfastened my bra. He left it on,
hanging from the shoulder straps.
    My heart started pounding as he secured one cuff around my
wrist. It didn’t hurt, and I wasn’t afraid. But I was anxious, unsure what to
expect.
    “When we experience pain, endorphins rush through our
system,” he said, his voice very low.
    Pain?
    My hands clenched into fists as he secured the second cuff.
He was talking about pain. I didn’t like pain. Pain was something I avoided.
    My breathing quickened. My heart rate too. He knelt at my
feet, moved one closer to the post so he could secure my ankle. “Remember Bristol, say red if you need me to stop.”
    “O-okay.”
    Once he had the first ankle buckled in, he fastened the
other one.
    Now I was powerless to move.
    “Comfortable?” he asked. “Does anything hurt?”
    “No, nothing hurts.”
    “Good.” He gave me an up and down perusal before stepping up
to me. “You look so sweet, Bristol.” His voice was husky, and dark carnal
hunger shone in his eyes. That alone, coupled with the nervous energy charging
through my system was making me clench, making my burning tissues throb.
    “Thank you.”
    “You’re welcome.” His fingertip traced a line down the
center of my chest, between my breasts, down to my belly button. “Mmmm.”
    Mmmm indeed.
    My stomach tightened as little jolts of heat sizzled under
his fingertip. I’d never felt this way with a man before, as if any touch, even
the smallest, sent a current of electricity charging through me.
    The second he pulled his hand away, I was whimpering, my
body craving his next touch. When would it come? How long would I have to wait?

Chapter 1
    “Miss Deatrich, I need you to come with me.”
    Now, that was strange.
    Mr. McMillian rarely ever poked his head out of his office.
In fact, rumor had it most days he locked himself in there and took eight-hour
naps. In three years, I’d seen him a total of once. On my first day. Thus, to
have him waiting for me at my desk was very weird. It was even stranger to have
him asking me to follow him to his office. He’d never, ever done that before.
    He shut the door, motioning for me to sit in the chair
facing his desk.
    Puzzled, I sat.
    “First, I want to say that you’ve done a fine job for Tamby
Systems. Absolutely fine. So what I have to tell you is no reflection on your
performance.”
    It sounded like he was about to…was he…?
    He cleared his throat. “I’m afraid we’re going to have to
let you go.”
    Fired. I had just been fired.
    Ohmygod!
    “I’d be happy to give you a recommendation,” he continued,
as if he hadn’t just shattered my world and turned my life upside down.
    Fired. Couldn’t be. No.
    He added, “And of course, you’ll qualify to collect
unemployment until you’re able to find another position.”
    Unemployment paid five hundred dollars a week. Five hundred
dollars a week wasn’t enough to pay my bills.
    He said, “And you can continue your medical coverage. You’ll
have to pay the premiums, of course.”
    Of course. I’d pay the premiums with all the  money I wouldn’t
have. Because I’d been fired.
    Fired!
    Ohmygod.
    My mind spun. Not so long ago Shane had told me to dream, to
imagine the life I wanted and then to go after it. He’d said if I did that, my
dreams would come true.
    How wrong he’d been.
    How would I find another job? The market sucked. It had
taken me a long time to find this position.
    “Miss Deatrich.” My now ex-boss stood, extended a hand and
smiled. What the hell was he smiling about? “It was a pleasure having you with
the company. I wish you the best.”
    “When?” I muttered.
    His stupid grin dimmed slightly. “Now.