Playing for Real: Paolo's Playhouse, Book 5 Read online

  When she looked up from her desk, she was shocked to see she only had a couple hours before Paolo picked her up for their date.

  As she showered, she thought back to their sessions this past week. Darker. More intense. Incredibly arousing. Tempting and a little bit scary as he took possession of her body.

  Yet he’d held her tenderly all night long.

  Would he be dominating even when they were with other people? Perhaps the more important question was whether she would submit to him when they were with other people.

  The thought didn’t scare her like it used to. Instead she looked forward to being with him, letting him take the reins and worry about everything. Looked forward to seeing him, hearing his voice, smelling his unique scent, touching him, tasting him.

  She dried her hair and pulled on some dressy jeans and a black tank. She’d pulled on black, heeled boots and added a multi-strand silver necklace and silver hoops when Paolo rang the buzzer. Excited tingles danced over her skin. She buzzed him in.

  He looked mouthwatering in jeans and a gray T-shirt. Even dressed down, there was an air of authority around him.

  “Julianne, you look wonderful.” Paolo drew her close and kissed her lightly.

  She melted against him. “Hi. You look pretty good yourself.”

  “Are you ready? I am looking forward to introducing you to Ben and Piper.”

  “You’ve known them for a long time?” she asked as she grabbed her purse and a sweater.

  “I have known Ben since college. He has been with Piper for a couple years now.”

  “I’m looking forward to meeting your friends.” She locked the door behind them.

  “There are some vacant office spaces on the second floor of the Warehouse,” Paolo said lightly as he followed her down the narrow staircase.

  “What? Where did that come from?”

  “Several spaces there would be perfect for your business. I can show them to you tomorrow.”

  She stopped on the stairs, turned to look up at him on the step above her. “No.” As if she could afford any space in that building.

  He frowned as he looked down on her. “Very well.” He skirted around her on the stairs until he stood one step below, then turned and blocked her way. Their faces were nearly even in that position. “There is an apartment in a building I own that recently became available close to the Warehouse. It has security, an elevator, and studio space that would give you much more room for your business.”

  “I’m fine where I am, thank you.” He shouldn’t tempt her like that. It would be so easy to give in to him. So easy to let him take care of everything for her.

  When they reached the foyer, Paolo took her into his arms. “I worry about you. Your safety. Your business.”

  “I’m perfectly safe and my business is fine, thank you. I appreciate your concern, but I couldn’t move to one of those spaces even if I wanted to. They sound lovely, but even though my business is doing well, I could never afford that kind of rent.”

  “You let me worry about that.”

  She froze, pulled away from him. “No. My business. My apartment. My life. Those are my worries, not yours. You get my body a couple nights a week. You don’t get any say over the rest of my life.”

  “Julianne.”

  She’d let the last couple sessions get to her. She might like the way he commanded her during play dates, but that was as far as it could go. She’d never be a woman who couldn’t take care of herself. “I like you, Paolo. I like you a lot, but I can’t let you try to take over my life.”

  “Take over your life?” He frowned. “You are overreacting. I mentioned a couple opportunities for you to have a larger, safer place to live and work. I didn’t order you to move.”

  “You said you’d take care of my rent.”

  “I didn’t…” He sighed. “I didn’t intend for it to sound that way, but perhaps it did.”

  “Yeah, it did. It sounded like you wanted to set me up in a nice apartment in exchange for sex.”

  “I never said that.”

  “It was implied.”

  His expression darkened. “It never was implied.”

  How could she have forgotten how constantly controlling he was? He would never be able to keep from dominating her all the time. Well, she was more than his submissive. “This is a mistake. This whole thing is a mistake.”

  “Julianne, we have gone over this before. I will never interfere with your business.” Paolo grasped her shoulders. “But I will look out for you. I will recommend your business to my friends and I will let you know if and when I can help you. I care about you. That is not a mistake.”

  Was she overreacting? She sighed and leaned into him. “I’m sorry. It’s a sore subject.”

  “I understand it is important for you to be able to take care of yourself. You are a strong woman. You have been taking care of everything for years. And doing a magnificent job of it. Look what you have done. Built a successful business doing something you love. There is nothing wrong with letting someone who cares about you help.”

  Julianne took a deep breath. “Thank you for your concern, but I can’t afford space in your building. It’s as simple as that.”

  “I understand. I am sorry I upset you.” He put his arm around her but she didn’t relax against him. “Are you ready to go now?”

  She nodded. She was glad they were heading for a bar. Maybe after a drink or two she could start to relax again.

  The limo was waiting at the curb. She slid all the way over in the seat and looked out the window. Paolo slid over until his thigh was touching hers.

  “Are you angry at me, cara?”

  She let out a quick huff. “No.”

  “Yet you will not look at me.”

  Slowly, Julianne turned her head as the car took off down the street. The look of concern on his handsome face made her lower her chin. He lifted it again with one finger.

  “I would never offer or expect anything from you because we have had sex. We are dating. Yes? We are in a relationship. Yes?”

  “Yes. But…”

  He frowned. “But?”

  She shifted in her seat to face him. “I don’t know how to be a sub and a girlfriend.”

  “There is no difference. You are both. It is who you are.”

  “I don’t know who I am when I’m with you.”

  “Oh, cara.” He stroked her face lightly with the tips of his fingers. “You are Julianne. A strong, creative woman. A brave, passionate woman. That is who you are. Whether you are with me or not. Whether we are in a playroom or a restaurant or the local park. You are my Julianne.”

  Tears prickled her eyes. He said all the right things, but she still felt unsettled. She would always be a submissive with him. Their relationship would never be equal.

  “You want me to submit to you all the time.”

  He slid his fingers through her hair and cupped the back of her head. She felt his possessiveness down to her soul “Yes.”

  “But a relationship should be an equal partnership.”

  “Rarely do couples share all their responsibilities equally. A successful relationship is whatever works for the people involved.”

  “I guess you’re right.”

  “Of course, I am.” He kissed her lightly. “We will work this out together.”

  Shivery tingles danced along her skin. “I will admit I hunger to submit to you again.”

  Paolo groaned. “Oh, cara. What you do to me.” He pulled her close and crushed her mouth with his. She opened to his probing tongue, let him invade her senses. When he pulled back, they were both breathing heavily. Paolo glanced out the window. “We have only a few more minutes. We must talk soon about what the future might be like for us.” He cupped her mound. “I wish you were wearing a dress instead of jeans.”

  She should have thought he’d like to put his hand up her skirt. She’d like him to as well. “Sorry.”

  “No reason for you to apologize. I did not tell yo
u to wear a skirt.” He rubbed her between her legs. “However, I may have to forbid heavy pants like this that give me no access to a part of this body that I desire to have.”

  “So no more jeans?” She pointedly looked at the blue denim encasing his thighs.

  “I’ll reserve judgment because the way the denim cups your ass makes me hard.”

  She laughed. “The way the denim cups your ass makes me wet.”

  He pulled her close for another kiss. The limo slowed, stopped. “We’ve arrived at Scandals. We will have to postpone the rest of this conversation for another time.” Paolo helped her out of the car, then stopped to talk to Jack.

  From the outside, Scandals looked like many other corner bars in the neighborhood. As soon as they walked in the door, Julianne could see this was a popular place. The majority of the patrons were in their twenties or thirties, but she noticed several older couples as well. Music played from a pulsing jukebox in the corner and the stools at the horseshoe-shaped bar were full.

  Paolo took her hand and led her through the maze of tables until they reached a round table for four at the other side of the barroom. An attractive couple was already there, deep in conversation. The man smiled and stood when he saw them approach. The woman, a petite blonde with a pink stripe in her hair, jumped out of her chair and threw her arms around Paolo.

  “It’s about time,” she cried. When she let go of Paolo, she turned to Julianne and smiled widely. “Hi, I’m Piper, you must be Julianne.”

  Julianne couldn’t help but smile back, even after the quick burst of jealousy she felt after seeing the little blonde launch herself at Paolo. “That would be me.”

  Paolo slipped his arm around Julianne’s waist and pulled her tight against him. He made introductions all around, then held out the chair for her and ordered drinks from a redheaded waitress for the two of them. Julianne was used to it now, thought of it as rather chivalrous.

  She found Piper easy to talk to and soon they were discussing thoughts for redecorating the bar. As they were throwing around ideas, some sensible, some totally wild, Piper admitted she doubted Ben wanted to change anything. Julianne turned to ask Ben what he thought and she paused as she saw Paolo and Ben laughing together.

  Paolo looked so lighthearted and carefree. Usually when they were together, he was the intense, controlling Dom, but seeing him now, just a guy out with friends, she remembered their relaxing Sunday at the park. He hadn’t dominated her then, she’d felt like his girlfriend, nothing else.

  He must have felt her staring at him because he turned to her. His smile dropped from his face. “Is something wrong?”

  “No.” She tried to laugh, but she couldn’t make the sound come out. She’d had this great epiphany and she couldn’t talk about it now.

  “We were talking about redecorating this place,” Piper chimed in, saving Julianne from having to speak. “What do you think, Ben? Sports bar? Irish pub? Yuppie bar?”

  “What are you talking about?” Ben asked with a frown. “We’re not redecorating.”

  “I know.” Piper laughed. “But we’ve been having a great time talking about it.”

  “Why talk about something we’re not going to do?”

  “Because it’s fun?”

  Paolo took Julianne’s hand, threaded his fingers with hers. The intense look was back on his face. He ignored his friends’ good-natured bickering. “Are you all right?”

  “I’m fine.”

  “Are you still upset? About what we talked about earlier?”

  Julianne glanced over to Ben and Piper, their bickering had turned to sexy whispers. She looked back to Paolo who was smiling indulgently at his friends. “No.” Paolo didn’t stay in that tidy box she’d tried to put him in. Nothing about their relationship did. She took a deep breath. “I’m okay. I’m going to just be your girlfriend tonight.”

  “What else are you?” Piper asked, her eyes widening not-so-innocently.

  Shit. Julianne didn’t think she’d been listening. “What?”

  “Well, I’m Ben’s waitress as well as his girlfriend. And you are…?”

  “His decorator,” Julianne quipped. “He doesn’t want me working tonight, so no more talk of redecorating the bar.”

  “Good,” Ben replied. “Scandals is staying just the way it is.”

  “No prob,” Piper said. “We’ll talk jewelry. I love your necklace!”

  The evening passed by quickly. Ben and Paolo shared stories of going to college together. Their longtime friendship was easy to see. She liked learning more about Paolo. Liked learning more about him as a man.

  Of course, his friends knew about the Playhouse. Knew Paolo was a Dom. Probably assumed Julianne was a sub. But they made it clear it was no big deal.

  Julianne enjoyed talking with Piper and hoped she might have found a new friend to call from time to time, a friend with whom she could be herself. As the evening went on, she would almost forget about the other side of her relationship with Paolo, but then at odd moments he’d slip his hand under the table and cuff her wrist. Or pin her with his I-am-Dom-you-are-sub gaze.

  And every time he did, a thrill ran through her.

  She was his. It was time to stop fighting it.

  Time to stop separating her time with Paolo into neat little boxes that weren’t so neat anymore. Time to bust those boxes right open. She would be a submissive and a girlfriend and a businesswoman. She’d find a way.

  “Did you have a good time?” Paolo asked when he was back with Julianne in the limo. He’d enjoyed spending time with Ben and Piper, but he was glad to finally be alone with Julianne again.

  “I had a great time.” It was too dark to see her face, but Paolo heard the smile in her voice. She reached out to take his hand. “I like your friends.”

  “I’m glad. They liked you too.” He tugged her close, brushed his lips over her soft cheek. “Come home with me? Stay the night?”

  “Okay,” she agreed without hesitation. “No more boxes.”

  “Boxes?”

  A brief shake of her head. “Nothing. I want to go home with you. Spend the night with you.”

  His heart shouldn’t have soared like that. The fact that it had was the only reason he could think why he caught her chin between his thumb and index finger and said, “Remember when I told you I would give you control some night?”

  “Yes?” Was that eagerness or nervousness in the shaky tone of her voice?

  “When we get home, the night is all yours, so I want you to spend the rest of the ride planning what you want to do.”

  She brought her free hand up to cup his cheek. Her lips brushed his. “Thank you.”

  And while his heart had soared a moment ago, her obvious pleasure at being given control made it plummet now. Perhaps he’d been wrong about her. Perhaps her need for control was too strong. She might not be a drama queen like Holly, but she might never truly embrace her submission either. They might never be able to make a relationship work.

  Paolo helped her from the car, kept his arm around her as they walked into the building, rode the elevator to the third floor. Julianne was silent as they made their way up, but then, so was he. Her body was warm and soft next to his. Her scent wound around him and he couldn’t resist nuzzling her neck, breathing her in, savoring her softness.

  As soon as he closed the door behind them, Julianne stepped away from him, turned to look him over. He studied her warily, wondering what was going on in that beautiful, intelligent head of hers. Her lips lifted in a slow smile.

  “To the bedroom,” she said. She grabbed his hand and led him through the doorway and to the end of the bed. “We need to get you out of those clothes.”

  Paolo reached up to start unbuttoning his shirt, but she stopped him with a frown and a lift of her hand.

  “I’m doing this.”

  He nodded and dropped his hands to his sides.

  She slowly opened his shirt, her concentration focused on each button as she pushed it free. After
she drew his shirt off and folded it over the chair in the corner, she ran her hands over his arms, his chest, a sound close to a purr escaping her lips. Her touch was hot but gentle, almost reverent.

  Julianne cupped his face and pressed her lips to his. The kiss started gentle, a mere brush of lips, but then she moaned and crushed her mouth to his. He opened to her insistent tongue, let her plunge and thrust until he gave in to the urge to suck on her, drink from her.

  When she pulled back they were both breathing heavily. His cock ached as it pressed against his zipper. She locked her gaze on his as she undressed. He worshipped her with his eyes as she slowly bared herself to him. This was no sexy strip tease, just an efficient yet graceful reveal as each article of clothing dropped to the floor.

  When she was completely naked, Julianne dropped to her knees in front of him and unbuckled his belt. Her hand brushed against his erection and he hissed from the teasing contact. She smiled up at him and then rubbed her face over the front of his jeans, stroking his arousal with her cheek through the fabric.

  “Sit on the edge of the mattress,” she instructed. He did as she commanded and she slipped his shoes from his feet, then gently massaged each foot before she stripped off the socks. She slid her hands beneath the hem of the pants, stroking his calves and ankles. Her touch sent shivers along his skin and he may have moaned from the delicious sensations.

  Julianne moved between his thighs then and when her hand reached for his zipper, his cock throbbed with the anticipation. She stroked him for several long moments before she unbuttoned the jeans and lowered the zipper. His erection lunged against her hand as it was released. He definitely moaned then.

  She told him to stand and she pulled his pants and underwear down and off. She folded his pants and placed them on the chair along with his socks and briefs. When she joined him again at the side of the bed, she pushed down on his shoulders so that he sat back on the edge of the mattress. She stepped between his open legs until his cock bumped against her stomach and her breasts rubbed against his chest.