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inkling that I could do well in business because I went toe-to-toe with some tough
attorneys and didn't bat an eye. Kind of cocky for someone with barely any facial
hair.
Cherish smiled.
At that moment I became a man in every sense of the word, and I wanted to
keep that control.
Over women?
Over my life.
Cherish heard another beeping noise. Without turning her head, she cut her
gaze to the side, toward the wall safe. Hoping Perry didn't catch her lack of
attention, she brought her stare back to him.
Perry took a beat before continuing to talk. I knew exactly what it was that I
wanted to be. I knew the name of the Lifestyle. I knew what I wanted to be called. I
knew how I wanted a woman to react to me and how I wanted to treat her.
Like property.
Yes.
Cherish blinked at the fact that he didn't correct her seemingly less than
flattering statement.
He placed his hands on the bed in front of her and leaned forward. I wanted a
woman I could take care of, play with, train to show her how to please me.
The beep sounded again. This time Cherish strained to keep her focus on
Perry. She swallowed, then wrung her hands together.
Casual Fridays 65
You thought I would refute the fact that I see my submissive as property. He
shook his head. I won't. He held Cherish's chin and brought his face closer to hers.
You're mine. You belong to me. What you get from me over the weekends is just a
taste. I need someone who is just as dedicated and focused.
On you?
On the relationship, on the Lifestyle. Not just for fun.
The beep sounded again, this time with Perry's face mere inches from
Cherish's.
Perry released an exasperated sigh through his nose. And not a diversion
until the next goddamn meeting. He pushed himself off the bed. Scene over.
What? Cherish rubbed her eyes as though she had been in a trance until he
uttered those two crucial words. Why did you stop?
You want your phone?
Cherish remained quiet. So Perry had heard that same beeping that meant
that she had missed a call or a text or a message or two, and that she'd perhaps
missed something crucial while she and her assistant played.
As Perry opened the safe, he said, I saw you looking over here. I know it's
killing you inside not to be able to see what you've missed.
It's not killing me. This time Cherish crossed her arms over her chest in
indignation.
I'm your assistant, remember? I know how often you check this thing. He
pulled the device from the safe and stormed over to her. I know if this could be
hardwired to your brain, you would be happy. So here. He presented the phone to
her.
Although it took every bit of strength and will not to look down to see what she
had missed, Cherish kept her stare directly on his. No.
Take it. I know you want to. He pushed the phone toward her again.
Then maybe you don't know everything about me.
66 Bridget Midway
I don't? Perry brought the phone up to his face and clicked a button.
When Cherish heard the tinkling sound of her phone being powered off, a part
of her wanted to scream. Turning off her one lifeline to her business side equated to
death.
On the other hand, she wanted to jump up and kiss him for allowing her what
she hadn't allowed herself in years a chance to be selfish and do something fun,
sexy, dangerous.
Last chance. Are you sure you don't want me to turn this back on so that you
can
Please, let's go back to the scene. She turned away from him, hoping it would
prompt him to return the dead phone to its cave and bring his attention back to her.
No. He did stroll back to the safe to return the phone. When he returned to
her, he said, Something had been bothering me for a few weeks, and I can't discuss
this within a scene.
Um, okay. Cherish grabbed a pillow and hugged it in front of her body.
Shoot.
Why are you covering your body now? Perry sat on the side of the bed and
faced her.
What are you talking about? I'm just holding on to a pillow to get
comfortable. Damn. In scene or out, he knew how to read her.
Cherish couldn't explain why she felt more naked and vulnerable out of scene
than in scene as Little Lamb. The determination and absolute fire in Perry's eyes
never changed from his gaze as her assistant, her Dom, or now, as just Perry. His
consistency frightened her.
Had he always been this rigid, or did this happen after his father passed
away? Or maybe the fact that he didn't change meant that in certain aspects of his
life, he wouldn't waver, wouldn't bend, wouldn't, or maybe couldn't, compromise.
Sex.
Casual Fridays 67
Perry blurted the word, and it hung in the air between them, separating them
even more.
The first time I saw you in person, I wanted to have sex with you.
The declaration should have brought Cherish closer to Perry. Instead she
scooted back from him.
He cleared his throat. Neither of us has made it a secret that sex is on our
minds. I dream about it. Perry put his hand on Cherish's leg. Whenever I play
with you now, I think of how great it would be to end the scene with us making
love.
She released a long breath. Cherish wanted to admit the same thing, although
from the way he talked, Perry already suspected that she felt the same way.
You say this like it's a bad thing. She put her hand on top of his.
The intimacy must have been too much for him to take. He slipped his hand
from under hers, leaving her flesh cold.
Perry waved his hand in between them. We haven't truly defined what we
have.
At this point, do we need to? We make each other feel good. Can't that be
enough? Certainly people have had affairs on much less than that. She smiled as a
way to get him comfortable with the idea.
He started to say something. His mouth opened, and he stared at her with
such intensity that she knew he wanted to say something earth-shattering. Instead
he hopped from the bed and strolled to the closet.
What were you going to say? Cherish didn't mean for the boss side of her to
come out. But being Cherish Burke meant never having to say excuse me.
Perry riffled through his clothes.
You were going to say something just now. I'd like to hear it.
Without a word, he strolled back to her. On the nightstand next to the bed, he
placed a box of condoms next to the empty wineglass they'd used last night.
68 Bridget Midway
He pointed to the box. This will change everything. You know that, right?
Does it have to? She shrugged her shoulders.
Are you saying that you wouldn't feel a bit strange to have me as a lover
now?
Although his words made it sound like he didn't want to pursue this new angle
to their arrangement, his cock showed otherwise. It started to rise the more he
stared at her.
Strange? I've crawled across the floor naked for you. I've jerked you off. I've
had your penis in my mouth. You've spanked me. And you actually think having sex
would seem strange? Cherish chuckled. I think we've talked enough.
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