Penny: The Ties That Bind (Auction Night Book 2) Read online

  He rarely wears a tux and I'm pretty certain he made his assistant buy it. Thomas isn't a man who shops.

  But if he wants to play this game, I'm all on board. I'm getting a free dress out of the deal.

  "Well, Sir, lead on."

  Sir kind of slips out of my mouth. I don't mean for it to come out. It just does. The change in Thomas is instantaneous.

  I'm no longer standing by Thomas, but rather my Dom.

  My newly plucked ass puckers.

  "Hm, is that so?" He gives my ass a swat.

  I nibble at my lower lip and peek up at him. I'm smart enough not to rub at the sting over my left butt cheek. It will only encourage him.

  That would lead to more ass slapping which will make it impossible for him to keep his word.

  I say nothing and the moment passes.

  Kind of.

  Thomas' grip on my wrist is a little tighter than before and the tone of his voice is lower, deeper, more needful.

  "Get on the bike."

  I'm a little worried about tonight. I can handle Thomas, and I can handle Eric. Not that I handle them. They are one hundred percent in charge, but I manage myself just fine when I'm with either of them.

  Submitting to them is where I find my happy place. Thinking about having to do that with them both…together? It might be more than I can handle.

  I practically leap on behind him and hang on tight as we roar out of the parking lot.

  A million scenarios play out in my head as far as how tonight might wind up. They're terrifying, exciting, and I'm a hot and bothered mess by the time we arrive at our destination.

  We're pulling up outside one of those exclusive boutique shops I would never have the nerve to walk into by myself.

  My dog grooming business makes enough money to cover my bills and gives me enough extra to live frugally but happy. It does not give me enough to walk into a place like this with confidence.

  My mega-country star Dom, however, is in a different league. He waltzes in like he owns the place. I'm tucked tight to his side. I figure if I cling to him, the shopkeeper won't throw me out into the street with the trash.

  "Ah, there you are." An older woman with a bun on top of her head comes out from somewhere in the back. "We have everything ready."

  Everything?

  Ready?

  When did Thomas have time to call and set anything up?

  I glance at him and his grin splits ear to ear. He leans down and whispers. "You have one job and one only."

  I gulp because my Dom is speaking.

  "Yes, Sir?" But I have no idea what my one job is supposed to be.

  "You put the dresses on. You take them off. I decide what I like and we buy that. Got it?"

  I get it. For the next however long this is going to take, I'm his living Barbie doll.

  No sweat. I can do this and it's not like it's the first time he's ever told me what to do.

  "Yes, Sir."

  "You must be Penny?" The woman gives me a long hard look. "Call me Rosalee."

  "Nice to meet you, Rosalee."

  I feel small and insignificant beneath her professional assessment of my body. Her lips pinch and she tilts her head a little to the side.

  "You've got great curves. I think several of the dresses Thomas picked out will do just fine." She glances at Thomas and continues. "But I think I have a few others we should add to the selection."

  "As you wish," Thomas says.

  I keep my mouth shut.

  I have one job and there's no way I'm fucking it up.

  When did Thomas have time to pick out dresses? I'm trying to figure things out, but give up when I decide it's not worth the mental energy.

  Instead, I decide to enjoy myself. I have an entire afternoon to try out God knows how many dresses I might never have a chance to see again.

  This might be more fun than it was watching Thomas try to relax during our couple's massage with Helga, the manly-woman.

  I let her drag me toward the back of the shop where the changing rooms are, except these are not your ordinary changing rooms.

  I walk into a room which belongs in a bridal boutique and Thomas is right on our heels.

  He lowers himself down into an overstuffed leather recliner made for a man's frame and picks at his phone. I have a feeling he's not the first man in this store who has to watch his woman try on evening wear.

  I also catch a view of a section of the shop separated from the main part. Lingerie of every variety dangles from the wall, shelves, and racks in that room, and I do mean every variety.

  "Come this way, hun."

  We pass by a rack of about twenty or thirty dresses as she leads me around a dais to a dressing alcove. There's a louvered door which closes off the dressing area from the dais.

  "Now, take off everything while I get the first dress."

  Everything?

  I glance at Thomas and he gives a slow nod, telling me I am in fact supposed to strip down to nothing.

  Okay, I can do this.

  I strip out of my miniskirt and pull off my shirt. I fold those nice and neat. Not because I'm a neat freak but because Miss Rosalee is going to come in here. No way in hell am I giving her any reason to think I'm a slob. I even fold my bra in half and tuck the straps into the cup.

  I'm the poster child of OCD clothes folding. And she sure as shit looks at my nicely folded pile of clothes when she barges in with the first dress.

  And she's not concerned at all by the fact she left the door ajar leaving me exposed to the full intensity of Thomas' astute gaze.

  He gives me a once over, head to foot and back up to my pussy where my freshly plucked skin is still cherry red from the trauma of getting waxed.

  I roll my eyes and pretend I'm not standing buck naked in front of a stranger.

  Rosalee's attention focuses right on my tits and the two studs there.

  "Those are pretty." She speaks as if they're earrings instead of nipple piercings and I play it cool.

  "Thanks."

  Yes, I'm super cool.

  "We'll have to make sure the dress we pick covers those up…unless you don't mind if the studs show through the fabric."

  "She doesn't mind."

  Thomas' deep voice rumbles from right behind Rosalee. He is out of the chair and leaning nonchalantly against the doorframe, like it's nothing for him to be standing there while I'm sporting my nipple piercings to a stranger.

  Oh and standing naked.

  With a look of mortification on my face, Thomas rolls his eyes and returns to his seat.

  He's seen me naked in front of a crowd.

  Hell, he's fucked me in front of a crowd.

  But those are club members, a very exclusive group of people I consider family. Rosalee is different.

  Except, she brushes it off like it's nothing.

  "All right then, try this one."

  She hands me a slinky red gown with a slit that looks like it goes right up to my tits. It doesn't, it's just really high.

  If I'm not wearing panties, which I won't be, I'll be flashing my new hairless beaver to the entire club.

  Oh, and the thin silky fabric shows off my nipple studs very well. No hiding those rocks.

  Okay, it could be worse.

  Thomas takes a look at me and points to the dais. Bastard is having fun with this. I dutifully walk up on the dais and spin when his finger twirls for me to perform.

  "Nice." His low rumble is making me wet, but then anything he does makes me wet. "Hang on."

  He lifts his phone and snaps a picture.

  "Let's see what Eric thinks."

  Eric is in court. Is Thomas planning on sending him pictures of all the dresses?

  By dress number nine, that question is answered. Which leaves me to wonder what all these pictures of me in sexy gowns are doing to my Master in court.

  Is he sporting a woody in front of the judge? Impressing the lady jurors with his impressive package? Or, is he sitting behind his desk, being all
professional and shit?

  Knowing Eric, it could be any of the above.

  I'm getting a little tired, to be honest. As lovely as these dresses are, it's a workout to take one off, put another on, do the little spin thing on the dais, and pose for the camera.

  I should be in heaven, but fatigue is pulling at me.

  "Thomas…"

  "Yes, gorgeous?" There's a grin on his face as I model an emerald mermaid dress. It's stunning and I don't need one of the five mirrors in this room to see it.

  I only need to look in his eyes.

  "Can we take a break?"

  "Rosalee?" He turns to the woman who hasn't stopped hovering. "How about we take five?"

  "Sure. Let me bring in refreshments. Do you want a glass of champagne? And I have biscuits."

  I'm guessing those aren't the kind of biscuits I feed my four-footed friends at my shop but rather something fancy and human appropriate.

  I had a great lunch with Eric and Thomas, but I'm thinking some biscuits sound fabulous.

  Not sure about the champagne.

  Thomas steps in, taking the decision out of my hands. "Penny's not drinking right now, do you have something else?"

  "Oh yes, sparkling water, tea, flavored sodas? Plain water?"

  Thomas glances at me. "Water would be fine. Thank you very much."

  "Let me help you out of that dress and get a robe for you. We have another five left and then the lingerie."

  "Lingerie?"

  Thomas gives a sharp shake of his head. "Yes, something special for tonight."

  "Oh."

  There's a menacing force brewing in his gaze. His feral nature is coming out.

  Unfortunately, this isn't the time.

  Rosalee helps me out of the mermaid gown and gives me a fluffy robe to cover up in while she gets our drinks and those biscuits.

  "How are you holding up?" Thomas comes to my side with genuine concern.

  "Who knew trying on ball gowns could be so exhausting?" I give a soft laugh, but I'm really surprised how tired I feel.

  "I don't think it's the gowns that are making you tired."

  "I'm pretty sure it is."

  It's not like me to talk back, but I can't help but disagree.

  "Are you sure it's not something else?"

  "Like what?"

  "Have you thought about tonight at all?"

  Every second, of every minute for the past hour and a half.

  But I don't say this to him.

  I'm too damn transparent. Eric and Thomas see through any front I try to place between us.

  "Yeah, I thought so." He pulls me into a hug. "Remember, you can always back out."

  I know, and that is what scares me.

  Chapter 8

  We finish up with Rosalee. Thomas winds up purchasing that very first red silk dress with the thigh-high slit and top that leaves nothing to the imagination about whether my nipples are, or aren't, pierced.

  One look, and it's pretty damn obvious.

  It feels as if I've spent all day with Thomas, which I have. Except for lunch, and this morning, Eric hasn't been by my side.

  This is normal for us.

  It's rare for us to spend time together during the day. Eric has his clients and I have mine. Mine are of the four-footed barking variety, but they take up most of my day.

  Which leaves me wondering why do I feel Eric's absence with such a deep ache? A part of me is missing.

  And I know the two of them arranged for Thomas to have me most of the day. It's been two weeks since Thomas has been in town. He and I need this time to reconnect.

  However, knowing what tonight will bring, I feel more detached from my Master than expected. It's an uncomfortable ache.

  I rub my hands up and down my arms, needing a self-soothing hug.

  Thomas notices.

  Of course, he does. My men watch me under the lens of their dominant microscope. I can't move a muscle, or have a thought, they aren't intimately aware of.

  Thomas steps away and puts his phone to his ear while I wait for Rosalee to bag up my red silk dress and a red corset with a matching set of black lace panties and bra.

  "Here you go, dear." She gives me a wink. "Have fun tonight."

  "Thanks."

  Is that what's going to happen?

  Am I going to have fun?

  Or am I making the worst mistake of my life?

  I need Eric.

  I need him to hold me and tell me everything is going to be okay.

  Thomas returns and places a kiss to the tip of my shoulder.

  "Come on, let's get out of here," he says.

  It's barely four in the afternoon. We still have several hours before the auction. I don't need that much time to get ready.

  What are we going to do? Going home isn't an option.

  "Where are we going?" I shouldn't ask, but I do. I'm feeling a little out of sorts. I'm off-balanced because I'm needing Eric.

  "You'll see."

  He climbs on his Ducati and I join him on the back of the bike. Arms wrapped around him, I try to let him lead me and not question where we're going. If I need to know, he'll tell me.

  It's hard. I want to ask where we're going. But he's already told me to wait and see. He's not going to tell me.

  Sometimes it's hard being submissive. Placing my trust in his hands can be challenging at times. But I try.

  I try to trust him.

  Instead, I obsess over Eric.

  I'm not really aware where we are, or where we're headed. My thoughts turn so far inward it barely registers when Thomas comes to a stop and turns off the engine.

  The rumbling vibrations between my legs suddenly stop and I look up with surprise.

  He helps me off the bike and lifts the helmet off my head after I struggle with it. I'm frustrated and almost a little bit teary-eyed. This isn't normal and I don't understand this odd upwelling of emotion.

  I'm usually pretty even-keeled.

  That's when I realize we're standing outside the courthouse and Eric is trotting down the steps headed right for me.

  There's no thought about what comes next. Thomas stays by his bike while I launch into Eric's arms.

  "Hey there…" His strong arms wrap around me and he lifts me off my feet. "What's wrong?"

  Tears instantly fall down my cheeks and I'm an emotional, blubbering wreck. I can't explain my emotions, except I really missed Eric today.

  "I don't know…" I manage three nearly incoherent words.

  Eric holds me tight while Thomas comes up to us. He places a hand on my shoulder and lets me know he's there.

  I breathe a little easier with them touching me.

  "I'm a mess." I swipe at the tears. "Sorry."

  "Did you have a bad day?" Eric looks to Thomas who returns a flat expression like he doesn't understand it either.

  "No." I pull my face off his shoulder. "We had the best day ever."

  And it's true.

  Thomas and I had fun at the spa. I teased him during the couple's massage when he had to get naked and let a burly woman rub him down. And I loved trying on all the dresses. Except for the pussy plucking it's easily the best day I've had since Thomas left for his tour two weeks ago.

  I missed him.

  But I felt as if a piece of me was missing. I don't feel that way now.

  I'm complete with Thomas and Eric standing by me.

  "Okay, if you had a good day…" Eric wipes a tear from my cheek with the pad of his thumb, "then no more tears."

  "Did you win?" I remember the jurors were returning their verdict.

  His smile is wide and his eyes gleam with victory. "Yes."

  I hug him tighter and my heart is filled with joy rather than confusion.

  "I'm so happy for you."

  Thomas takes his hand off my back to shake Eric's hand. "Way to go. Looks like we have much to celebrate."

  Eric looks to me. "That we do."

  I'm not really sure what to make of the look in Eric's
eye, except he and Thomas are exchanging glances filled with entirely too much subtext I'm not understanding.

  They have something up their sleeves. I just know it.

  "Are you done for the day?" I'm eager. "Can you come home?"

  That's my way of saying I want to fuck.

  He gives a low, rumbly chuckle. It's the kind that melts me from the inside out.

  "I have to go back to the office for a little bit."

  I release the death hold I have of his neck. "Really?" It's impossible to hide my disappointment.

  "Unfortunately."

  Thomas clears his throat. "We could join you? Order in some Chinese food while you wrap up whatever it is high-powered lawyers wrap up after they win a case."

  I glance at Eric, hopeful he'll say yes.

  "What about getting ready for tonight?" Eric's question isn't directed at me.

  "Penny has her dress and I'll have my assistant grab our tuxes from home. We can eat here, get dressed, and head to the club."

  "I forget you have people to do shit for you. Must be nice being a superstar."

  "Only in my own mind."

  I laugh. Thomas is amazingly humble considering his success. It took me nearly a month before I knew he was a country music legend. But then, I'm not a country music fan.

  I suddenly realize I'm not crying anymore and that aching emptiness is gone.

  I'm right where I need to be.

  Right between my two dominant men.

  "Come along then," Eric says. "You two can hang out while I finish up a few things. Thomas, you're on dinner duty. Order something good. I have a ravenous appetite tonight."

  From the way Eric looks at me, I'm pretty sure he's not talking about food.

  I swallow against a lump in my throat as my imagination goes wild.

  "How about I meet you two there?" Thomas climbs on his Ducati and pulls his helmet over his head. "Instead of delivery, I'm going to grab something on the way. I'll be right behind you."

  And just like that, the two men pass me from one to the other. Eric wastes no time in taking my hand in his.

  "Did you have fun?"

  It's the second time he asks me this, but this time Thomas isn't around. I think he's concerned about what kind of headspace I'm in.

  "I really did. Did you know he took me to a day spa?"