Masked
Everyone has their desires and Catherine's is to remain masked when she's having sex. And that's all it is. Sex. She relies on a special Dominant who takes care of her but makes sure she gets her needs met. It's a strange arrangement, but it works. Until one night, Justin Travers changes everything.
A sexual Dominant who enjoys adventurous partners, Justin is up for anything. When he meets a pretty, shy, court reporter, he's convinced he's met her before at a Play Party. The opportunity to test his theory is more shattering than he expects and he finds himself wanting to unmask the woman who refuses to allow anyone to know her.
The connection forces Catherine to face her fears and for Justin to be more of a Dominant than he ever hoped he could be.
"Excuse me."
Catherine jumped as his deep voice interrupted her musings. She raised her gaze and found herself looking into the blue eyes she had just been day dreaming about. She cleared her throat, nervous. "Yes?"
His arm swept the room, indicating the crowd. "There doesn't seem to be anywhere to sit. May I share your table?" His smile caused her stomach to flutter. "I promise I won't disturb you."
Any coherent comment she may have made was lost, and all she could say was, "Of course."
She licked her suddenly dry lips and jerked her eyes back to her book. While he connected his laptop, settled in his chair and began to eat, Catherine sat like a stone, wishing she was smoother with men.
It was hard enough to find a man with her sexual preferences. Being shy on top of being obsessed with dark fantasies had made for a series of long lonely nights.
"I've seen you here before." His voice drew her gaze. "Do you work at the courthouse?"
READ MORE"Yes. I'm a court reporter. And you?" She sounded so polite and stilted to her own ears.
"I'm a lawyer." He cringed. "People usually quit speaking to me at this point."
"They do?" How could they? I can't take my eyes off you. "I like lawyers. I work with them all day."
"Well, I'm glad you do." He took another bite of his sandwich. "Do you like your job?"
"I do. It's very interesting."
"How did you become a court reporter?"
Catherine wasn't used to small talk, but she wanted to try. He seemed to really want to know. "Initially I wanted to be a lawyer, but I lack the killer instinct. Plus, getting up in front of people and talking scares me to death." Painfully shy would be more accurate. She smiled and took a discreet bite of her salad.
"But you like the courtroom?"
"I love observing the process."
"You like being behind the scenes." His penetrating gaze was a little unnerving, like being a witness on the stand under his cross examination.
"I guess you could say that." She lowered her eyes to the table. "What about you? Did you want to be a lawyer when you were young?"
He nodded. "My father is a lawyer in the Bay Area. It was a family tradition I didn't mind following."
"So, you're from the Bay Area? When did you move here?"
He grinned. "I'm a newcomer. I've only been here about a year. I hear that you have to say you're a newcomer until you've lived here for twenty-five years or more."
She laughed. "I've heard you have to say it if you weren't born here."
"Were you born here?"
"No. I'm a newcomer, too. I've only been here for ten years."
They both laughed.
Then his eyes sharpened as they examined her face and a strand of black hair that escaped from her French braid. "I know you from somewhere else, don't I?"
"You've probably seen me in the courthouse." Not likely. She would have remembered.
"No. It was somewhere else. I just have a vision of you with your hair down, not up."
A nasty suspicion wound its way up her spine. "Really? Maybe it was at a bar."
"I don't think so..." His blue eyes studied her with the same intensity he usually reserved for his computer screen.
Could he have seen her at one of David's parties? It was rare that Catherine went to them, but lately she'd needed validation, relief. His parties gave her a sense of belonging that was missing in the rest of her life.
"I don't remember seeing you." She forced a smile. "My name is Catherine Lanyard."
"I'm Justin Travers." He put out his hand. "I wish I could remember where I've seen you."
Time to run to the nearest exit. If she stayed, he might figure it out. She closed her book carefully and picked up her purse. "I'm sure you'll remember. I'll see you again, I'm sure. Nice to meet you, Justin."
Catherine bolted for the door.
COLLAPSE