Taking Courage by S.J. Maylee Page A

to run, but she
had nowhere to go. Her decision to pick up her life and move to Chicago had left
her with nothing but an empty apartment. There was no one to give her a hug at
the end of a long day. There was also no one to tell her she couldn't make it
on her own, not unless her dad called back.
    At
least she didn't have to worry about her ex calling her anymore. Mike had the
decency to stop harassing her about the annulment when she’d agreed not to air
his cheating ways. He got to keep his business deal with Daddy, and she got
free of the yuck her father tried to sink her with.
    She
straightened her posture and rolled her shoulders back. The move to Chicago was
not done under false bravado, and today proved she had the skills to help this
company. She did that, not her father, not her brothers. Was it too much to ask
for someone to believe in her?
    Her
hand took hold of the door. After a quick look into the empty hallway, she
pushed it closed and slid the lock home. She turned around to find his dark
eyes still trained on her.
    She
edged her way near him. He looked like a tiger ready to snap. A chill ran down
her back, slowing her forward movement.
    She
could back away now and not embarrass herself. He didn't really want her here,
not really. She remembered all too clearly pushing his hand to be her trainer.
She broke eye contact with Simon and let her gaze wonder around the room.
    The
move to Chicago could be a success even without Simon on her side. She did not
need to run home if things didn't work out with him. She could continue in her
position here as Project Manager and work on building a life for herself in
Chicago. Charlie could always find her a new trainer.
    Her
thumb felt for her pulse on her wrist. It screamed at her to not stop moving,
to not give up, to wait and see how things progressed. A lump swelled inside
her throat. She couldn't back her heart down now. The pressure in her chest
told her what her heart wanted. After coming this far, she needed to keep
going.
    One
foot in front of the other she made her way around his desk. He separated his
legs and patted his lap. His expression was blank of all emotion and chilled
her to the bone. She stepped between his legs and sat, cautiously, not wanting
to push on the plug.
    His
hand snaked between her legs, caressed the inside of her thigh, and up to the
apex of her legs. They sat quietly for a couple of heartbeats. She on his lap
as his hand possessively held her pussy. Her eyes turned to his and found him
watching her.
    “How
was your day?” He shifted his fingers, reminding her who was in control.
    “It
was long, but I think it went well.” She took a calming breath.
    His
fingers flexed along her seam pulling her attention to her sex. Her eyes closed
letting the sensation flow and ease the tension from her body. More, she wanted
more. Images of their first night together filled her mind. The control he
demanded shook her to the core. She wanted that again, wanted to give Simon control
of her body.
    “Are
you going to run from me, or are you going to stay?”
    “What?”
Her eyes flashed wide. How could he know her deepest fear? “I don't want to
leave.”
    “You
didn't answer my question.”
    “I
want to stay, and I plan on staying.”
    The
tips of his fingers dragged through her folds, and he found her entrance and
dipped inside. He pushed in and out, each time inching closer to her cervix.
Sweat tickled at her neck.
    He
was giving her practice submitting, so it was nothing personal. A strange pressure
pulsed at the back of her eyes, and she refused to acknowledge it. Master Simon's fingers stroked deliciously across her pussy. Sitting here and letting him have free range of her body was all she needed to
think about.
    His
control felt like a drug she was quickly growing addicted to.
    She
needed to be open. Her body needed to be available to him, not her heart. He
didn't want her heart.
    “What
was that thought?” His finger stilled at the