Queenie
Damn. She approached, trying to swallow her nerves. “Hi.”
“I didn’t think you’d come.”
“I almost didn’t.”
“I guess.” She shrugged rather nonchalantly. “If that phone call was important, you can finish it.”
“And give you a chance to make a break for it?” Boyd crooked a brow at her, lips curling into an amused smile. “It wasn’t that important.”
The sun shone right into his eyes, which sparkled in the light. Everything about the man screamed money, from his perfectly styled hair to his well-trimmed beard. Even his casual shirt and jeans had an expensive air to them.
“What are you drinking?” he asked as he approached the counter.
Queenie ordered herself a latte macchiato while he drank his black. Brutal , she thought to herself. When he steered towards the chairs on the waterfront patio, Queenie hesitated. “Would you mind if we walked instead?”
“I’d prefer it, actually.”
Unsure of where to start, Queenie began with the basics. “Do you live around here?”
He pointed at one of the skyscrapers near the water. “That building there.”
“Well, no wonder you know this place so well.” She sighed, happy that they were taking their time.
“You’re not sure what to say.”
“That obvious, huh?”
“I feel the same.” After a pause and a sip of his coffee, Boyd continued, “Well I wanted to see you again, but then I thought about what this might mean to you. I felt like having given you my number was a bad idea.”
“You have his eyes.” Queenie didn’t dare look at him. “I mean, they remind me of him. I’m just glad yours are less daunting.”
“I truly didn’t know. A pompous, immature little ass, yes. But I didn’t raise him to be a bully.”
“I didn’t want anyone to know.”
“Why not?”
Focusing on her feet, she tried not to let old feelings surge to the surface. “I guess I thought it would make it worse.”
“Did he ever hurt you? Physically.”
“He’d trip me occasionally, or ‘accidentally’ throw a ball at me.
” Out of the corner of her eye, Queenie saw Boyd work his jaw.
Emboldened, she let her gaze drop to the hand that flexed next to him.
She watched, mesmerised, as he clenched his fist. The veins popped there, and Queenie briefly imagined him gripping something else.
She banished that thought as quickly as it came.
“Queenie…” Boyd stopped walking, trailing off as if his words had escaped him.
She came to a rest beside him, and he tipped her gaze to his with a finger under her chin.
She took him in, desperate for something to distract her from meeting those haunting eyes.
His neatly trimmed hair ruffled in the soft breeze and his silver earrings glimmered in the sunlight.
She finally settled on the silver chain looped around his neck.
“I’m sorry.”
“I know.” She sighed again, unsure of why she admitted the truth. “I didn’t want to come, but Allison said it would be the perfect revenge.”
“Ah, I see I’m only a means to an end,” Boyd laughed. His hand cupped her jawline, and his thumb ran softly over her lower lip. She couldn’t help but lean into the touch. “I’m all for a good revenge story.”
“You are?” Surprised, she met his gaze. His pupils were blown wide, eyes swimming with fury and desire, but soft around the edges like the leaves of a tree in the spring.
“I am.”
Queenie could only stare at the man, dumbfounded.
Boyd leaned closer, his lips parting as he lowered his voice to a rumble that had a shiver zipping down her spine. “Tell me, Queenie, how far would you go for revenge?”
Ice rattled against the plastic walls of Queenie’s cup as her hand trembled. She lost herself in those intoxicating eyes, letting his words sink in. “I…”
“When I saw you last night, you had me captured. That gorgeous dress hugged your curves so deliciously that I could barely take my eyes off you.” His thumb pressed harder against her lip, pulling her mouth open. “What a pleasant surprise it was to get your text this morning.”
She swallowed hard, her heart thundering against her ribcage. Maybe this wasn’t such a bad idea after all.
Boyd hummed, ducking down to run his nose along her cheek and to her ear. “I can make you forget the past for a few hours. By the time I’m finished with you, the only thing these eyes are going to do is make you fall apart.”
“Boyd,” she gasped.
“Oh, sweet queen of mine. I can’t wait to hear my name falling from your lips while you tremble under my touch.”
Oh no.
Then he straightened, taking a step back and bringing his drink to his lips. As if he hadn’t just been mauling her in the middle of town. “Only if that is the kind of revenge you are looking for.”
Like she could form a coherent sentence right now.
The ghost of Boyd’s breath still whispered across her neck.
She stared up at him, her mind painting beautiful pictures of his body pressed against hers and his dirty words easing her nerves in more ways than one.
“I think I’d like that,” she said before she could stop herself.
Boyd’s quirky grin widened into a full smile. “Oh, Queenie, you’re going to rob me of my sanity.”
“I’ll just take that as a compliment.” Queenie schooled her features, but her heart still thundered in her chest. She’d never done anything like this before. ‘Casual’ had never been her thing.
“Please do.” When he took a step, Queenie did as well. “So, Queenie, do you have rules?”
“Rules?”
“Things you’ll allow a man to do and things you’d rather not experience.”
Of course she had limits, but her mind was blanking. “I’m not sure. I’ve never done anything like this.”
“But you have been with men before?”
“Yes, I have.”
Boyd led her out of the park and down the road, towards the building he’d pointed at before. “I like to have a safeword when I’m with a woman. Something that gives us both an out, no questions asked.”
She came to a screeching halt and stared up at him. “Please tell me you’re not going to tie me up.”
“So you do have limits.” The corner of his mouth twitched, and he reached out to brush a stray curl behind her ear. “Safewords can be used in any situation. It could be something I say, or even the way I say it.”
Queenie’s heart fluttered. That was actually super sweet of him. In a matter of minutes, Boyd had made her speechless—more than once.
“If it’s said, we stop what we are doing. Immediately. There will be no judgement, nor do you have to explain anything. I will take a step back and give you space until you are ready to tell me what you need.”
“Even if it’s being held?”
Boyd nodded, warm eyes melting. “You could also leave if you like. I wouldn’t chase you or pressure you in any way.”
“And you would be able to ask me to leave?”
“Yes, it goes both ways. Though I would give you time to dress appropriately,” he added with a wink and those cute dimples popping once more.
She indicated her understanding with a slow bob of her head, walking alongside him. “I don’t have a safeword.”
“I usually use blueberry.”
“How did you choose it?”
Boyd shrugged. “I love blueberry cake. I wanted the safeword to be something positive.”
“What better way than to use a favourite dessert.”
“Exactly.” Boyd greeted the doorman, allowing Queenie to step in ahead of him. “So, you don’t like being tied up?”
She blushed, following him into the elevator. “I’ve never tried it, but that seems like it needs a lot of trust. Are you into that?”
He pressed the button for the twenty-sixth floor, then pulled her close by an arm around her shoulders. He mouthed over the cleft of her ear, his breath hot against her cheek. “I have tried it a few times—along with being tied up myself. I enjoyed it, though it’s not one of my favourite kinks.”
Queenie took a deep breath in, letting his woodsy cologne ground her. Notes of seductive sage and sandalwood swept her away, and she relaxed into his strong arms. “What do you enjoy more?”
“I’m a pleaser,” he husked as the doors opened and he gently nudged her out. “Right over there. 2603.”
Boyd only dropped his hand on her waist in favour of unlocking the door.
He held it open, letting her step in first. Sunlight flooded the open space.
She walked farther into the living room bypassing the hallway to her left.
The kitchen was on the smaller side, but still fitted a beautiful island with black marble countertops.
The dark, rustic furniture provided a striking contrast to the light that came through the floor-to-ceiling windows.
She set her cup on that island, taking in the view over Discovery Green. “This is gorgeous.”
Boyd hummed, pleased as his arms found their way around her waist. “I think my view is a lot better with you in it.”
She let herself relax against him and laid her hand over his wrist to hold onto. “You already have me in your apartment. You don’t have to glamour me even more.”
“Do you always have a hard time accepting compliments?”
She thought it over—briefly. “You could say that.”
Boyd didn’t address it, instead whispering, “I like how you feel in my arms.”
Rolling her head against his shoulder, she soaked up the kiss he placed on her hair.
She tried not to think about what she was about to do or how she might embarrass herself.
She simply wanted to enjoy being held. It had been a while since she’d been close with someone and now that she felt his warmth around her, she didn’t want it to end.
“Have you eaten?”
“Yes, why? Would you have made me something?”
“Happily.”
Queenie spun in his arms, placing her hand on his chest. Slowly, she lifted her gaze until she met the sea of forest green staring back at her.
Butterflies tickled her stomach, banished only by the sensation of feeling…
safe . Boyd had been nothing but kind and respectful.
The pictures he’d seeded in her mind bloomed again as she combed through his beard.
Her fingers danced over his jaw, past his ear, and curled around his neck where she gently tugged.