Nicole Edwards - Perception

Xander definitely liked her. She wasn’t just looking to pass him along to someone else. And maybe that was because he was ready to purchase a two million dollar property, and she was more interested in the commission. He didn’t know for sure. But he did get the feeling that he could trust her to follow through.

A solid fifteen minutes later, Mercedes was pulling through an electronic gate that had seen better days. Rusted and hanging by the hinges on one side, Xander didn’t doubt that it was out of commission, which explained why it had been propped open.

He noted the eight foot stone wall that ran around the perimeter of the parking area and then back around behind the building. Interesting. They were in a light industrial area, but he knew the crime rate wasn’t high because he’d done some preliminary research. He figured the original owner must’ve thought the wall added something.

Aside from making it look like a prison, it didn’t hold any appeal whatsoever.

But Xander wasn’t going to say anything. He didn’t give a shit if the place were surrounded by land mines. The price was right, and if the building wasn’t going to fall in on itself, he knew it’d be a damn good investment.

And at this point that was all that mattered.

Mercedes pulled into one of the partially striped parking spots right near the front doors of the vacant building. She was doing her best to focus on the road and not on the intimidating man crammed in her car.

She had struggled to hold in her laugh when he somehow managed to squeeze his gigantic body into her small car. And then again when he somehow managed to get the seatbelt on. No wonder he’d offered to follow her. Then again, he had been a good sport because if she’d been in his shoes, she wouldn’t have attempted to fold herself into such a small space. As it was, his neck was at an odd angle.

Definitely a good sport.

But, despite his discomfort, they had made it. Thank God. She was about to get a chance to breathe fresh air, rather than the subtle, sultry scent of what she could only assume was expensive cologne. The man smelled amazing, but she damn sure didn’t want him to know she thought so.

Xander Boone was everything Shane had described him as being. Tall, confident, straight-forward. And blunt, as she’d learned by his less than discreet reference to the dilapidated building she currently worked out of. Too bad Shane hadn’t bothered to add that Xander was also ruggedly handsome and a tad on the intimidating side.

Not that she was going to let the last bother her. She could hold her own.

Climbing out of the car, she headed to the glass doors. Using the key she’d had to pick up that morning, she gained entrance and held the door open for Xander. To her surprise, he merely glared at her, placing his hand above her head and holding the door open.

“Ladies first,” he told her with a grin that gave her a glimpse of straight white teeth.

“Thank you,” she answered, trying not to smile back at him and failing.

Once inside, Mercedes did her best to stay out of his way. There wasn’t much she could show him, and he wouldn’t have to go far to see everything. The warehouse was huge, without a lot of walls. Not to mention in desperate need of some cosmetic surgery.

That was an easy fix, and if what Shane had told her was true, Xander wouldn’t be bothered by a few blemishes.

So, she stood back, watching him move around the warehouse.

She was drawn to him, just as she had been when he’d stepped through her office door. But she realized after just one glimpse that she shouldn’t be drawn to him. They were too much alike.

Just that morning, while she had waited for Xander to arrive, she’d dared to ask Shane a little more about the mystery client who was coming to see her.

“He’s a Dom,” Shane had told her.

Interesting. “Does he belong to the same club you do?” she had inquired, hoping to sound casual. Shane had informed her that he was a member of Kink, an opulent BDSM club she’d heard about, but had never visited.

Mercedes belonged to a club, but she hadn’t bothered to mention that to Shane. She’d been surprised to find out Shane was a Dom in the first place, and still hadn’t produced the nerve to question him more even though she was intrigued.

“Yeah. He’s the one who got me in there.”

Yep, that’s about all she learned about Xander Boone. Well, other than what the Google search had offered her. He wasn’t just a Dom. He was a rich Dom. A very successful, rich, Dom.

Which meant he was off limits.

And that was a good thing because the man’s charisma was palpable, and when he turned those sexy, moss green eyes on her, had she been any other woman, she might’ve swooned.

She wasn’t the swooning type.

“I want to know how serious the owner is to sell,” Xander stated firmly as he made his way toward her. “There’re quite a few things that have to be done to this place to get it up to code.”

Ok, so the man definitely wasn’t new to this.

“I can ask.”

“I prefer to tell,” he told her as he approached. “I’ll list out the issues because I do want to make an offer. I assure you, it’ll be fair.”

Mercedes nodded her head as she watched him. Yes, she certainly could see his dominating personality. It was prominent, yet somehow not terribly overbearing. If that were even the right word to use to describe a man who stood at least six and a half feet tall and was built like the defensive line of a football team. The whole freaking line.

“So what do you say? We’ll go back to your office and get things started?”

Although he’d kindly phrased it as a question, Mercedes got the distinct impression that he was informing her, not asking.

Mercedes was speechless.

For the first time in her entire life, she didn’t know what to say. And that was saying something because not only was she a damn good real estate agent, she was also a formidable Domme.

One who, from this moment on, knew she could easily like this man.

As a friend. And nothing more.

Soft opening of Devotion…

Tuesday

Xander Boone couldn’t take his eyes off of the dazzling blonde walking through the door of the private room he had reserved at Devotion. The beauty he was currently eyeing was none other than Samantha McCoy, the alluring wife of Logan McCoy, a man Xander considered a friend and potentially a future business partner.

Tonight at the soft opening of Devotion, just like almost any night from what he’d heard, Logan’s wife had certainly garnered some attention. Xander’s was no exception. He might not know her all that well, aside from what her husband had mentioned, but Samantha had a way about her that drew people. It was in her eyes.

Considering she’d set her sights on him specifically, according to Logan, Xander knew she was making an honest effort to get his attention.

It had worked.

Then again, thanks to his conversation with Logan, Xander had been expecting it. The fact that he was always interested in shaking things up a little, he had committed to playing along, hence the reason they were there.

Making no attempt to conceal his appreciation for Samantha’s physical appeal, Xander continued to eye her as she made her way closer.

He offered the hint of a smile when she tentatively walked into the room, allowing the door to close behind her as she stared up at him. There was curiosity gleaming in her celadon green eyes, along with what he sensed was something akin to nervousness as she glanced down to the toy in his hand and then back up to meet his gaze.

Mission accomplished.

Sure, Xander had purposely untucked and unbuttoned his shirt and carried the mini flogger with him to answer the door, but that was for effect. Mostly. He wanted to see her reaction, and he got exactly what he was expecting. Samantha was walking into a situation that she was not all that familiar with, but he’d already known that thanks to his conversation with Logan.

Sue him for wanting to have a little fun with her.

As Sam and Logan moved slowly into the room, Xander continued to study her, his eyes perusing her lean, slight build. There was no denying the fact that the woman was gorgeous with her long blonde hair, glowing green eyes and tons of curves. However, the way she carried herself, – strong and confident – despite her reluctance to the situation, was far more enticing than just her mere physical beauty.

Xander was immensely drawn to a woman’s inner strength. More so than any physical characteristic. In fact, it was a prerequisite of his.

And he’d met a number of submissives who didn’t quite understand the concept. He’d played with many who were under the incorrect notion that a Dom was looking for a woman who would just roll over and submit.

They were wrong. Dead wrong.

At least as far as Xander was concerned.

The stronger a woman was, the more he admired her. Regardless if she would easily submit or not.

Looking at Samantha now, Xander noticed the way she was clinging to Logan, holding on as though he were her lifeline. In his opinion, her response to his presence was somewhat deceiving in the sense that it gave the distinct impression she was unaware of what might happen tonight. But from what Xander knew of her, he wasn’t fooled. Samantha McCoy was anything but oblivious.

Xander’d had the pleasure of talking to Logan on more than one occasion about this scenario specifically, and the little adventure they were about to embark upon had been in the works for a couple of weeks, ever since they had a definite date determined for the opening of Devotion.