The Beginning

Just then their waitress—a cute brunette with her hair piled into messy knot on her head, and large ice blue eyes with a dash of freckles across her nose—appeared at their table.

"Hi, I'm Mandy. I'll be your server this evening,"she said cheerily, her small electronic tablet balanced on her palm waiting to type in their selection. "What can I get you guys to drink?"

"We'll have a bottle of your best Pino Noir,"Tucker said politely flashing her one of his heart stoping, charming smiles.

"Great choice, I know just the one to go with your protein course. I'll be right back Sir,"Mandy said with a wink and flounced off, putting a little extra sway in her hips.

The green monster of jealousy flared in Rose's gut. How dare she flirt with her date! She squashed it down and put on her everyday polite, blaséface.

"A genie lamp really not on your shoulder, hmm," Tucker parroted back to her as if Mandy had never interrupted them. "If I rub it do I get three wishes?"

"Depends on what those wishes would be,"she said with a coy little smile.

"Hmmm, let's see,"Tucker said, lifting his eyes to the ceiling in thought. "I think the ability to read minds would be fun."

"Be careful what you wish for. You may not like what you hear. I tend to have a very dirty mind."

"I like a dirty mind, the filthier the better. Ok then what would you wish for?"

"Uh-huh, that's what they all say until someone gets offended." She didn't even hesitate as she ticked off her wishes on her fingers, "But I would wish for the ability to teleport anywhere in the world. And the ability to be able to clone myself with picture-in-a-picture type dual consciousness that way I could be in two places at once."

A devils grin slid across his enticing mouth and he traced a fingertip along her clavicle. "I like those wishes. There's all kinds of, twisted things I could do with you, if I had two of you to play with."

She swallowed hard. Not that she would ever, under any circumstances, admit it but his insinuation was one of her go-to fantasies. She could feel the blush creep into her cheeks again and squirmed in her seat. She thanked god Mandy picked that moment to reappear at their table with the wine.

-Tucker-

"I just wanted to tell you Mr. Drake, Miss Edwards," Mandy said, setting down their glasses and the bottle of pricey wine and switching on the center table top. She seemed stiff and over polite now as if she were meeting a huge celebrity, trying to keep her excitement in check. "You are in good hands this evening and I will make certain your dinner expectations are flawless, Mr. Drake,"she gave them a small nod and a giant smile, turning to leave.

It irked him when people treated him like he was some pompous Saudi prince, when they realized—or thought they did—who he was. He worked for a living just like anyone else.

"What was that about?"Rose said as Tucker poured the dark red wine into her glass.

"I don't know, she probably thinks I'm CEO of Drake Industries,"he said.

Drake Industries was a well known name but he and his sisters took every effort to keep the public guessing at what Drake Industries actually was. There was always some charity event or another Drake Industries either donated a boatload of money too or hosted. People knew Tanner to be the face of the company, which she was absolutely made for, but Tucker had no use for publicity or boatloads of money or the responsibility of being CEO.

"Well?...Are you?"

He shrugged. "Sorry love, you got the wrong Drake. It's Tanner Drake she's confusing me with."It wasn't a complete lie, Tanner Drake really was the CEO. He just left out the part about him being the owner of the company and Tanner actually being is twin sister.

Rose was very good at concealing her emotions, but the Army had poured thousands of dollars into training him to read facial cues and body language. His trained eye caught the faintest drop of disappointment in her shoulders.

"Well, it's probably a good thing,"she said casually. "If I knew I was sitting here with a guy who was an insanely rich on top of being ridiculously sexy, then I would be a big giant all of nerves and most likely make a total ass of myself."

Most people do, hence the misdirect.

Mandy halted any further explanation for the moment, appearing at their table setting a pot on the warm surface and filling it with assorted cheeses and flavorful oils. This time she only smiled and politely nodded.

"Oh,"Rose said a little shocked. "Wow, we didn't even order yet."

"Don't worry about it, I took care of it,"Tucker said with a cocky grin.

"There we are, enjoy,"Mandy said setting down a bowl of plump warm bread of various shades and shapes along with two sets of extra long, skinny, two tine forks for dipping. She seemed to vanish just as quickly.

"I've never had a date order for me before,"Rose said with a cocked eyebrow. "When did you order?"

"I know the manager and made some arrangements for this evening. I like to be in control of my environment."Again not a total lie, he didn't know the manager personally but slipping a couple Franklins into any managers pocket will make him your best friend. He wanted a smooth and effortless dinner with her, and didn't have the patience for long winded, star struck servers.

His eyes dropped to her hand on his upper thigh. His pulse pounded in his scull. She acted as if her hand was innocently resting on a knee or elbow, just any other casual touch, but Tucker was willing to bet this woman knew exactly how close her hand was to his balls.

"It's refreshing to be with a man who can take charge and knows what he wants. My last boyfriend couldn't make up his mind for anything. I was the one who called all of the shots,"she stopped herself. "Sorry I don't mean to bring up my ex."

"Hey we all have a past right? He was obviously an idiot to throw away someone as hot and sexy as you. So anytime you want to point out that fact and make me look good then, by all means."

"Not much for humble pie are we?"

"Naw, I've always been more of a cherry pie kind of guy." Tucker smiled and discreetly moved her hand to his crotch pressing his half-hard cock against her palm. He dropped his voice to a whisper. "How's this for knowing what I want."

She gave him a sideways look as she gripped him tighter through his pants. He groaned at her touch, wishing her could feel her soft skin without the barrier of clothes. The feel of her nails grazing his hardness through the wool of his pants made the muscles in his stomach flinch.

"This is very flattering, but I am not that easy, handsome."

"No I don't think you are. I have a feeling you are going to make me actually put in effort to be with you, aren't you?"

She cocked an eyebrow at him and took a sip of her wine. "As much as I would love to be an easy trollop, and fuck you sideways...we both know those are the type of girls who the hot guy brags about to his buddies, and may eventually call her back but only when he wants a piece. I personally believe if something isn't earned in life, it doesn't really hold much value, do you?"

Tucker had to laugh out right. She was so calm and collected when she called him out like that. Women didn't do that to him. He was used to submissive women just going along with whatever shit he said or wanted or—the 'easy trollops'as she called them—thinking it was some sort of female empowerment to throw themselves at him.

"You're so fucking awesome,"he said without thought, when his laughing stopped. He wrapped his arm around her and squeezed her to his side. "But wait, go back to the wanting to fuck me sideways bit. I didn't quite hear that part."

"Yes you did. I'm surprised you heard anything past that part, you naughty beast,"she said around her own laughter.

"Hey, I heard every word. You said you want to be an easy trollop and fuck me sideways and then there was something about you only wanting a piece."He held up his hands in mock surrender. "Listen sweetheart if you just want to get laid just say so."

She rolled her eyes and shoved his shoulder. "Oh for goodness sake. You're such a dog."

"I'm just kidding. I actually really did hear what you said, and I couldn't agree with you more."He wiggled his eyebrows. One of his favorite scenes popped in his head—capturing a hoity-toity princess for ransom who despised him, fucking her just because he could, and by the time the debt had been paid, she begged to stay as his fuck toy. "Trust me, I don't mind earning what's mine."

"By that insidious tone,"she said smirking and replacing her hand back on his thigh. "I have a feeling, you're not particularly talking about money. But, thats not a conversation I want to have with you. At least not on the first date."

"Why not? Discussing sex is much more fun than sitting awkwardly and chatting about the weather."His fingers trailed up her arm and saw her breath pick up. He knew she felt the same electricity he did.

"Because, it's inappropriate dinner conversation,"she said, with the tiniest bit of shakiness to her voice.

"Then what pray-tell would be considered an appropriate dinner topic, my clever little fox?"

"You know, things like books, or what you do in your free time, or your dog, or..."

"The standard boring get to know you questions?" he finished for her. Her hands moved a lot more when she talked when she was nervous. The very idea he had an affect on her made him feel like a god.

"Ok fine that stuff is boring but it's important. I mean I could be secretly a serial killer or a rapist, or escaped mental patient or even a guy and you wouldn't know until it was too late."

She talked faster too.

He chuckled. "Sweetheart, you can't rape the willing. Please believe I'd drop whatever I was doing in a heartbeat, without the slightest bit of protest, if you wanted sex from me. And since I have this new fangled thing called the internet, I know you're not an escaped mental patient or a serial killer. And if you're hiding a cock and balls under that dress then I'm the freaking Pope."

She laughed out right with the most infectious, adorable laugh. "Ok fine. But you could be. Your Facebook wasn't exactly overflowing with information."

"No you're totally right...I am hiding a cock and balls,"he said straight faced.

She rolled her eyes and pursed her lips, lightly smacking his arm in that silly manner girls did when they were flustered. What the hell was wrong with him, that girly shit usually irritated the hell out of him, but on her it was adorable and sexy. She left her hand on his bare forearm, idly tracing her fingertip up and down.

"You know what I mean,"she said around a giggle.

"Oh right. Well, I don't kill people for fun or sport or compulsion so you can cross serial killer off and I've never seen the inside of a psych ward." He took a sip of the dark wine before dropping his voice an octave, adding a touch of conspiracy, "And believe me, I make damned certain, sex is completely consensual."

Rose uncrossed and recrossed her long smooth legs and unconsciously bit the corner of her lip. He could tell he had an affect on her despite her efforts to appear aloof. He was going to have fun making this controlled put together women—who for some reason felt it necessary to hide away anything real—beg. Dominating someone who is naturally submissive was easy and made for great blowjobs, but completely owning a women like Rose, in the bedroom, was rewarding on almost a spiritual level.

"Good, now that neither of us are psychos...what do you do for fun?"

She was very good at steering the conversation back to him, but he liked making her uncomfortable. He didn't think she was a put off by the topic of sex. Quite the opposite. She was exited by it but pretended not to be.

He shrugged. "I like to do what everyone does in their free time; read, watch tv, take Odin for hikes, catch a game with my buddies, go to the range..."He put conspiracy into his tone again, "go to a certain club when the need arises."

"I wouldn't have taken you for a club rat,"she chuckled. "I would've take you for more of a sports bar kind of guy, and not the blaring-techno-packed-to-the-gills-dance-club kind of guy. You know, it's funny, right before you asked me out, my friend Jess was just trying to convince me to go out to a club for a girls night."

"Yeah, how was dancing with the girls last night?" he grinned at her, knowing full well he just caught her in a lie. He stabbed a piece of bread and swirled the long fork in the molten cheese.

"Oh you know, it was, fun,"she stammered before taking a swig of her wine.

"The Emerald City is a really cool place. They turned an abandoned warehouse into a night club."He pulled that one right out of his ass, it wasn't even a real place.

"Yeah I love all of the exposed pipes and whatnot," she said.

"That place has been closed down now for six months, since somebody got shot outside,"he smirked. "How'd you get in?"

"Ok fine, I didn't go out last night,"Rose said, with a sheepish look. "Not because I don't drink or don't like clubs or anything like that, its just my friends are not trust worthy enough to see me drunk. You would not believe the number of times I have been ditched for a guy, or more often than not end up playing nurse maid to a hammered friend."

"I think you need better friends,"Tucker said. "You're right about the sports bar though. I would take hot wings, cold beer and a sex kitten like you on my arm over a crowded, sweaty night club with techno music pounding in my skull, any day of the week." He suggestively raised his eyebrows at her, "But that's not the type of club I was talking about."

Despite the slight blush of embarrassment in her cheeks, she kept her emotions in check and her voice calm, "Oh right. You meant a strip club, that makes much more sense. I actually like strip clubs. They're fun...expensive, but fun."

Tucker was pleasantly caught off guard by her confession. She was definitely keeping a sex vixen hidden behind those captivating eyes and under those hour glass, pin-up girl curves. He was bound and determined to see it. He smoothly draped his arm around her shoulders, idly running his fingertips across the back of her exposed neck. Her skin was like pure silk, he couldn't keep his hands off her no matter how small the touch. He was dying to feel every hidden inch.

"So what, you just decided to hit up the local titty bar one night just for the hell of it?"

"Don't be ridiculous, silly boy,"she teased. The word boy struck a tiny nerve but he let her continue her story without interruption. "One of my best friends was a stripper at an upscale club on the weekends. I told her I had never been to one, so she made me come in the next Friday she worked so I could see for myself. I was nervous at first. But once I saw some of the girls tricks were absolutely amazing, I mean gymnast amazing, I was hooked. My friend loved when I came in, said she would make double what she normally made when I was there, because you know, guys love to see two chicks together. She always made a huge show of pulling me on stage and squashing her boobs in my face or giving me lap dances right in the middle of the stage for everyone to watch."

He picked up on the longing in her voice and guessed this stripper friend of hers was pretty close.

"Damn, its too bad I missed it. I bet that was one hell of a show."He had to force away the image of her sitting naked in a chair—except thigh high fishnet stockings and eight inch stripper heels—with another woman on her lap and the other stripper's nipples in her mouth, lest he embarrass himself like a horny teenager. He shifted in his seat, only moderately concealing predicament. "Did you like it or did it make you uncomfortable?"

"No I liked it,"Rose snuggled closer to his side, sliding her fingertip along the grey fabric between two of his shirt buttons. "I can appreciate the soft curves of a woman and the hardness of a man."Her incredible sea green eyes dropped to his lap as a mischievous smile curved her soft thick lips and her fingers traced the line of his jaw.

Yeah so much for trying to keep that down now, fuck!

Before he could stop himself, Tucker grabbed her wrist and nipped the delicate skin covering her rapid pulse, hard with his teeth then swirled the tip of his tongue over the spot. Her breath caught in her throat on a soft moan. That small sound of pleasure was like his own personal brand of heroine. It took every once of will he possessed not to yank her onto his lap, bind these soft wrists—with whatever useless scrap of lace she called panties—behind her back and fuck her until she couldn't walk, right here in the middle of the restaurant.

"Um, that's surprisingly really hot."She bit the corner of her lip again.

That little sexual tick drove him crazy. He didn't even think she realized she did it. "I think you have a little bit of a dark side and have not met the right man to help you explore and embrace it."

Her eyes seemed to sparkle to a deeper jade green, but she kept the same polite smile as if she were a bank teller and he was just another customer.

"I don't know what you're talking about,"she said a little defensively, pulling her wrist from his firm grip. "I don't have a dark side. No darker than anyone else, anyway."

"Uh-huh,"he said, unconvinced. She might as well have said grass naturally grows purple. "Come with me to my, er...the club I go to and let me show how to not be afraid of what you want. You might even make some new and improved friends while you're at it."

"I'm not afraid, I already told you I like strip-"

He interrupted her mid sentence, "The place I go to, is sometimes referred to as a Dungeon."Tension jumped in his chest. He hoped he was reading her right and hadn't stepped over a line.

She drained the last gulp of her wine. "Oh I see...Do you go as a Dom or as a sub?"she said as calmly as if she just asked what type of suit he preferred.

Ha! I knew she wasn't vanilla! A big grin spread across his face. "I told you, I know how to handle pretty little things who get out of line...Come with me, as my guest, and if you hate it then you don't ever have to go back."

She chewed her lip and toyed with the rim of her wine glass. Tucker could see every fiber in her being wanted to say yes but for some reason she hesitated, almost as if she were trying to persuade herself to not want to go.

Mandy returned to their table pushing a severing cart laden with thick hunks of sliced filet mignon, lamb, ahi tuna, vegetables in every color of the rainbow, a metal pot with fragrant steam rising from under the lid, and a second bottle of the Pino Noir. As she replaced their first course with the second, she launched into her lengthy spiel of the different cuts of meats and their cooking times, all with a big friendly smile.

Tucker's jaw began to clench as she continued on with the different herbs and whatnot that went into the oil. Finally, he stopped her mid sentence, gently clasping her fingertips. He let his eyes sparkle in a lusty way, flashing her his most charming smile and let authority thicken his accent, "Sweetheart, that sounds delicious but I'm sure like any great magician, the chef would not want to have his culinary secretes revealed. It would spoil the magic. Thank you ever so much Mandy."

Mandy fell hook line and sinker for his dirty little trick just like any other woman he ever used it on since he had been a teenager. She blushed, bit her lip and giggled, "As you wish, Mr. Drake. Whatever you need, I'll be more than happy to get for you."

"Just keep our glasses full, our table cleared of clutter and keep the chefs secretes, ok sweetheart? And I guarantee there will be a very large tip for your time."