Battleship (Anchored Book 2) Read online

  “Just talk to him,” I tell her. “And be patient with each other. You both have a lot to learn, and when you’re ready, and if you’re both interested, I can recommend a good place for you two to take some classes.”

  Casey nods and thanks me again before heading to her cubicle to pick up her stuff. I shoot an email to her team to let them know she’ll be out for the rest of the day and that they can come to me with any problems or issues they’re dealing with, and then I settle back into editing the articles for a new website we’ve been working on.

  The only problem is that my mind isn’t on my work, and it’s not on Casey, and it’s not on Brand First.

  Lily has completely consumed my thoughts, and I keep staring at my phone, wishing she’d call.

  Chapter 7

  Lily

  “You should just call him,” Christina says.

  “Creeper,” I say, not looking up. I can feel her peeking over my shoulder as I stare at the picture on my phone for the millionth time.

  Jaxson Thorn.

  When I left Anchored, I clung to the business card he’d given me as he kissed me goodnight. I went home and immediately looked him up online. He works for a company called Brand First and yes, their website has a picture of him.

  And oh, Thorn looks good enough to eat.

  Or blow.

  Or fuck.

  “You liked him,” Christina says. “And he’s a good guy.”

  “I know. You keep telling me.” I close the browser on my phone and turn around to Christina. We’re both on break at the same time, which rarely happens. In a few minutes, I’m going to have to go back to my room at the daycare and take care of a group of rowdy, lovable children, but right now I just want to daydream about Thorn.

  “You should give him a chance.”

  “I’m not submissive,” I shrug. “I appreciate you bringing me to Anchored, but it’s just not for me. He needs someone who can meet those needs and Christina, I’m just not that girl.”

  “You’re scared,” she says. “I get that. We all are at first. That doesn’t mean you’re not submissive. It just means you need to get some courage. Would it help if you came back to the club again? Zack and I can pull some strings, try to bring you as a guest again so you don’t have to pay.”

  I shake my head. “Thanks, but I don’t think I should go back.”

  “Because you don’t want to see Thorn?”

  “If I see him, I’m going to want something I can never have. Christina, he was hot as hell.”

  “Wait until you see him without his shirt on.” All week, Christina has been pushing me to contact Thorn. Apparently, she’s quite the fan. He’s mysterious and a little bit dangerous, according to her, but he’s a sub favorite at Anchored.

  She told me he always plays fair. He’s always kind. He always gives aftercare. He’s gentle and firm at the same time, and he always, always gets his subs off.

  I’ve been with so many guys in the past who didn’t care whether I came or not, just as long as they did. I’ve been with people who couldn’t even tell that I hadn’t come. They just had no interest in it at all, but Thorn wasn’t like that.

  We only spent an hour together, but he’s all I can think about.

  “I’m sure he’s forgotten me by now,” I shake my head.

  “Trust me,” Christina says, grabbing her purse and standing to leave. “Anyone who could forget you is an idiot, and Jaxson Thorn isn’t dumb.”

  She heads out of the break room and I’m left alone with only my thoughts and the rest of my half-eaten sandwich.

  Now that she’s gone, I reflect on what she says, and even though I don’t want to admit she’s right, I know she’s right. Jaxson wouldn’t have given me his number if he didn’t want me to call him. He wouldn’t have spent so much time with me if he didn’t think I was at least a little interesting.

  I’ve wrestled with this for days, wondering if I should have texted him right away, if I should have called. I’m such a dork when it comes to dating and unfortunately, I don’t have the best track record. It’s not that any of my relationships have been particularly horrible. They haven’t. It’s just that when it comes to guys, I feel out of my element.

  Give me a group of little kids and I can teach them everything they need to know to survive kindergarten. I can teach them to tie their shoes and teach them to read and I can teach them basic safety and first aid skills, but send me on a date with a hot guy?

  I forget everything about who I am.

  I forget how to function.

  “Oh, good, you’re here,” a familiar voice breaks through my thoughts. Carmen, my direct supervisor, comes into the room. I know exactly what she’s going to say before she says it. Carmen doesn’t beat around the bush. She doesn’t make small talk and she doesn’t ask.

  She just orders people around.

  This is part of how she’s been able to be successful as a daycare manager. She doesn’t take orders or ask for advice. She says how things are going to be, and everyone moves to make sure she gets what she wants.

  “I’m going to need you to come in on Saturday,” she tells me. “Destiny can’t come in, so you need to fill in for her.”

  When I took this job, it was with the understanding that I would work five days a week. Monday through Friday is more than enough work for one person for one week. I do not need to be taking Saturday hours, too.

  Carmen knows I don’t have a family or a boyfriend or a demanding mother. She knows I don’t have people who will miss me if I work on the weekends, so she has no problem picking me as her weekend back-up person, but I’ve asked her several times not to bring me in on Saturdays.

  It’s not that I’m lazy. I’m not. I work hard and I’m always on time. I do a great job with my kids, but everyone needs a break. The weekends are my break. Saturday and Sunday are the days when I have time to read or relax or just do nothing.

  I don’t want to come in on Saturday, and obviously, asking nicely hasn’t stopped Carmen from scheduling me.

  I think of last weekend and how I felt with Jaxson Thorn.

  Master Thorn.

  When he was touching me, I felt like everything was going to be okay. I felt safe. I felt wild, but secure. It was like I had a place where I could let my inhibitions go and know that no matter what happened, he wasn’t about to let me fall.

  I want that feeling again.

  When I was with Master Thorn, I liked myself. I liked that girl. I liked the brave girl. I liked feeling fierce and incredible, and I want that feeling again. I want to chase it and catch it, and I know there’s no better time than now.

  Carmen is already turning to leave the room, obviously sure I’m not going to argue with her, so she’s surprised when I stand up.

  “Sorry, Carmen,” I shake my head. “I’m not available Saturday.”

  “But you need to come in,” she looks surprised. “Destiny won’t be here.”

  “I’m sorry, but I’ve already told you that I’m no longer free to work Saturdays. You’ll have to find someone else.”

  She narrows her eyes. “Have you forgotten that your evaluation is coming up? I’d hate to have to give you a negative review.”

  “Are you threatening me?”

  “I’m just reminding you.”

  “Well, Carmen, let me remind you of something,” I throw my trash away and wash my hands in the sink, staring at her the entire time. “I am not available to work Saturdays and that has nothing to do with my work as a teacher here. If you write a false evaluation based on the fact that you notified me at the last minute you wanted me to work overtime and I refused, I’ll be happy to bring it up with the facility director.”

  Carmen might be harsh, but she’s not about to go head-to-head with Destiny. Destiny rules the daycare with an iron fist and she doesn’t put up with crap from anyone.

  Carmen glares at me, makes a weird noise, and then stomps out of the room.

  I’m filled with a sense of accomplishment
and satisfaction, and I wonder why I didn’t stand up for myself earlier. I should have. It feels good to say what I want and what I mean. It feels calming to know that I defended myself.

  I spoke up for myself.

  I should have done this a long time ago, but I never felt confident enough. This entire week, though, I’ve felt different. I’ve felt sexy. I’ve felt sultry. I’ve felt like a woman who knows what she wants instead of an awkward girl who is floundering, and I know exactly who I have to thank for that.

  I take a deep breath and pull out my phone.

  I type a text and hit “send” before I can back out, and then I head back to my class.

  It’s time to teach some kids how to read.

  Chapter 8

  Thorn

  I can’t stop thinking about you.

  The sentence burns itself into my brain.

  So the little vixen has decided to be brave.

  The question is, how brave?

  I smile at my phone before I type back a message of my own.

  I’d love to see you again, Lily. Dinner tonight?

  A message comes back only two minutes later.

  I get home from work by seven. Is that too late?

  Oh, sweet Lily. You have so much to learn.

  Words can’t express how excited I am that she decided to reach out and message me. At this point, I didn’t think she was going to call or text. It’s been several days and in my experience, once people go back to work after the weekend, they tend to slip back into the reality of their daily lives. Once you’re sitting at your job, it’s easy to brush away the magic you experienced over the weekend.

  It’s easy to convince yourself you imagined things were more special than they really were. Lily isn’t doing that, though. Oh, there’s no doubt in my mind she spent the last several days thinking about the moments we shared together at Anchored.

  Did she touch herself thinking about me?

  Did she yearn for me?

  Did she dream of me?

  Talking with Casey shouldn’t have gotten me excited, but it did. Explaining BDSM to her made me all the more excited to teach Lily. I glance at the clock: only a few more hours to go.

  Lily and I text for a few minutes and she sends me her address so I can pick her up for dinner. I know the perfect place to take her. She’ll love it.

  I just wish my cock wasn’t so hard thinking about her. The way she came apart under my hands was incredible, fantastic. I’m already hungry for more. I’m already anxious and ready to touch her again, to play with her again.

  I’m already aching to bury myself deep inside of her.

  **

  Lily lives on a quiet suburban street. We decided to meet at eight so she could have time to get ready after work. When I pull into the driveway at 7:55, she comes outside to meet me.

  “Hey,” I say, stepping out of the car. “I’m supposed to come to the door and pick you up, romantic-style.”

  She raises an eyebrow. “You want to meet my dad, too?”

  “Do you live with your dad?”

  “No.”

  “Then, no, I don’t want to meet him. Not tonight. Let me look at you, gorgeous.” I motion for her to spin in a circle and Lily smiles, but does what I ask. She’s wearing a simple red dress with black flats, but she looks beautiful. Her outfit is perfect for a night on the town or a night in bed. It could go either way.

  “Well?” She asks nervously. “What do you think?”

  “I think you look beautiful.”

  “You look quite nice yourself,” she smiles and steps forward, coming to give me a hug. I wrap my arms around her and kiss her forehead.

  “I’m glad you texted me,” I tell her.

  “Me too.”

  Suddenly, I hear a screech and peer behind Lily at her front window. There’s a little ball of fur squeezed between her blinds and the glass panes of the window.

  “Don’t mind Owl,” she says. “He doesn’t like when I go out with boys.”

  “Owl?”

  “My kitten.”

  Lily turns and waves at the little cat, who appears to be growling and hissing. At me? Is he mad at me?

  “Come on, now,” I say to Owl. “I’m not going to hurt her.”

  Lily looks up at me, her eyes wide.

  “Much,” I add, and she blushes. “Don’t worry,” I whisper into her ear, pressing my lips against her. “I won’t do anything you aren’t begging me to do.”

  “Is that a promise?”

  “Of course.”

  Lily shivers, but it’s not from the cold. It’s a perfectly lovely evening. No, she’s nervous because we’re both very aware that outside of the club, anything could happen. We aren’t on a time limit. We aren’t on a drinking limit. We have the night and we have each other.

  “Shall we go?” I ask, and she nods. I open the car door for her and help her inside, catching a glimpse of creamy white thigh as she settles in. Lily glances up at me, checking to see if I noticed, and I smile. Pressing my hand on her leg, I lean in and whisper, “I hope to see more than just your thighs tonight, darling.”

  She blushes and swallows hard, and I close the door and walk over to my side. Once we’re on the road, Lily seems to relax a little bit.

  “So how long have you worked as a web designer?” She asks.

  “I’m actually primarily the content editor,” I tell her. “I do work with the designers occasionally and I’m experienced in graphic design, but most of what I do is related to writing.”

  “Do you like your job? It sounds like it must be either really interesting or terribly boring.”

  “For the most part, it’s pretty fun. I have a lot of fantastic clients and my team members all work really hard. What about you? How was work this week?”

  “Something happened today, and I think I have you to blame for it.”

  “Oh?”

  “That came out wrong. I mean I have you to thank for it. I don’t know. It’s just that ever since we…you know…on Saturday,” she says, but I cut her off.

  “Lily, if we’re going to be spending time together, whether that means dating or just playing at the club, then there’s something you need to know about me. I don’t do guessing games. So, no, I don’t know what you mean about Saturday. Please tell me, and please be specific.”

  “When you fingered me at the bar,” she says.

  “Thank you, beautiful. Yes, I remember playing with your soft pussy at the bar. What does that have to do with your job?”

  “I’m not very outgoing,” she says. “You saw Owl. I’m kind of a total cat lady.”

  I chuckle. “Somehow, I find that difficult to believe.”

  “Well, believe it. I’ve been having a hard time dealing with a lot of things at work. My boss is just really overbearing and, to be honest, kind of bossy. Today, though, I was thinking about you and the club and the way you made me feel.”

  “And how did I make you feel?”

  “Bold. Sassy. Strong. I thought about those feelings, and I tried to harness them, and I stood up for myself,” Lily turns to me and smiles. “It doesn’t sound like much, but to me, it was everything.”

  “I’m proud of you. Standing up for yourself is never easy, especially when it’s in a workplace setting.”

  “Thanks. I still don’t think I’m submissive, but trusting you at the bar felt nice. I felt like I was safe to be a little wild, and you were right there with me. You were taking care of me, and I knew that no matter what happened, everything was going to be okay.”

  “That’s what BDSM is all about, Lily. It’s about trust. It’s about taking care of each other.”

  “I liked it more than I should have, Thorn. I liked it a lot. Too much.” She looks out the window, and I reach for her hand and give her a comforting squeeze. It’s going to be a good night, and we have a lot to talk about, but first, I’m going to push her a little bit.

  “Do you want to play a game?”

  “What kind of game?”
She looks at me suspiciously.

  “A fun kind.”

  “All right.”

  “Pull your skirt up.”

  She looks around, as if to silently remind me we’re in the car.

  “Here?”

  “Yes.”

  “We’re in the car.”

  “I’m aware of that.”

  “What if someone sees?”

  “Do you trust me?”

  “What?”

  “Lily, do you trust me?”

  “Yes.”

  “Then pull your skirt up.”

  She hesitates just another minute, and then she pulls her skirt up to her waist. Now it’s my turn to be shocked. She’s not wearing panties, and she’s got a huge smirk on her face.

  “No panties?”

  “I thought you might want to play some games tonight,” Lily smiles. “So I can prepared. Surprised?”

  “Oh, sweetie, I should spank that sweet pussy of yours.”

  “Spank my pussy?” She squeaks out, and suddenly, the little kitten doesn’t seem so brave.

  “We have all night, darling. Now start rubbing that clit. We’re almost to the restaurant.”

  Chapter 9

  Lily

  By the time we get to the restaurant, I’m close to coming in Thorn’s car. I’m literally on the edge as we pull into the parking lot.

  “All right, princess, you have a choice to make.”

  “Okay,” I whisper, still rubbing my body. I’m so, so close. Touching myself on the drive over made me nervous at first, but then I realized the other cars weren’t paying me any attention, and I could touch myself without fear of being seen. We didn’t hit any red lights or stop next to any other vehicles, so even though the drive had the illusion of being public, Thorn was the only one watching me.

  I’ve been touching myself almost constantly since last Saturday, but somehow, I haven’t found satisfaction. Rubbing my body in front of Thorn is exhilarating, and it makes me feel so damn sexy.