Bound To Me (Leather #1) Read online

  At first, he felt his gesture would be romantic; but standing here now, uncertainty ate at him. He felt he like he’d made a mistake coming to her office. He held up the flowers as he smiled at her. “I brought these for you.”

  A slight smirk spread across her lips. He longed to press his mouth to hers savoring her flavor like he did the night before. She stepped out of the doorway and took the flowers from him. Her large brown eyes shined as she looked up at him, holding the flowers to her nose, inhaling the sweet scent, a warm pink flooding her cheeks. “Gerbera daisies, my favorite.”

  Score one for me! “I thought you might like them. They suit you.”

  “How so?” she asked.

  “Well, they seemed out of place in the shop.” Her face fell like he’d insulted her. He paused, choosing his next words carefully. He took a step toward her, his gaze never wavering from hers. “In a room full of boring white flowers, these stood out, like you do. They looked wild, like you are. Beautiful and yet completely uninhibited. Just like you.”

  Jeffrey sighed. “Holy hell. If you’re not doing him, I’ll do him for you.”

  Decland waited for Addison to acknowledge Jeffrey, but she ignored him, never taking her eyes off Decland. “Would you like to come in for a moment?”

  Though he remained calm on the outside, his nervous pulse pounded in his veins. “Yes, I would.”

  As she turned to lead him into her office, he couldn’t help but watch the way her pert ass swayed in her tight pencil skirt. He held his fist at his side, afraid he’d reach out and grab her, which he’d be tempted to do had she not left the door open. Addison turned, leaning up against her desk with a small smile playing on her lips. “I’m happy you stopped by.”

  “Are you?”

  “Hmm, slightly.” She placed the flowers behind her next to a large arrangement of white classic flowers. “They are absolutely beautiful, thank you.”

  “Nice flowers.” He pointed to the large cylinder of Calla lilies. Jealousy plagued him as he looked at the extravagant arrangement that dwarfed his smaller one.

  She glanced at them absently. “Yes, they are.”

  Was that all she was going to give him? Not an, oh, yeah, Jeffrey picked them out? To think she’d gotten flowers from another man did not sit well with Decland. Hell, he might even be more than jealous, perhaps down right possessive. Trying to keep his tone even, he chose another direction. “I had hoped to catch you for lunch.”

  Her eyebrows rose in surprise. “Like a date?”

  “That was the plan.” For some reason, his palms began to sweat as he waited for her to give him some kind of indication as to whether or not he was right to come to her office. Weren’t they a thing? Granted, not much talking got accomplished the night before, but surely they were an item. Addison sighed as the phone began to ring in her office.

  “Decland, I am not sure that we’re…” She took a deep breath, searching for what she was trying to say. Holy shit! She’s blowing me off! Panic started to set in as he waited for her to finish her sentence.

  “Doctor Tyler, line two is for you,” Jeffrey called from the exterior room, cutting her off.

  “Take a message. I’ll get back to them,” she answered a little too sharply.

  “I really think you should take this,” her assistant snapped back.

  “Ugh, okay.” She turned toward Decland apologetically. “This will just take a minute.”

  Decland nodded, his mouth completely dry. With more agitation then he meant, he shoved his hands into his pockets, turning away to look at the pleasant pictures on the wall. He could hear her light footsteps as she exited her office. Their hushed voices carried over to him easily.

  “What are you doing?” Jeffrey hissed at her.

  “I’m talking to him,” she whispered back.

  “No, you’re not. You’re about to shove your foot in your mouth with Mister Sex-me-up.”

  “It’s not like that.”

  Decland’s heart sank as she confirmed what he stood there waiting to hear.

  “Then do tell me what it’s like. Because a man like that does not just come in and plop his fine ass on your leather couch every day. Don’t fuck it up by overthinking,” Jeffrey demanded. What the hell kind of relationship did these two have?

  “Are we done?”

  Decland could picture the look she was giving him. Her arms crossed, eyes narrowed in annoyance.

  “No, Collin is on line two. Shall I take a message?” he asked faking a snide, even tone.

  “Ugh. No, I’ll take it while I’m out here.”

  At this exact second, Decland would’ve liked to be anywhere else but standing in her office waiting for her to come in and put him in his place. Once again, his eyes were drawn to the flawless flowers. His seemed to pale in comparison. A white card lay folded alongside the clear vase. Though he knew he shouldn’t, he couldn’t help but quietly go to her desk, lift the card and glance at the inscription.

  To a night to remember and many more

  -Collin

  A night to fucking remember? Her mouth was wrapped around Decland’s cock the night before, and she’s getting a night to remember card. He was beyond jealous. Fucking angry was more like it. As his breath heaved in and out of his chest, he tried to remain calm. She might not see him again. She might blow him off. As Addison took the phone, he could hear her voice turn into something light and polite.

  “Collin, hi. So good to hear from you so soon.” Decland planted his feet, doing his damnedest to stay in her office and not go into the waiting room to grab the phone out of her hand, bark the word ‘MINE’ into the receiver and hang up.

  “Yes, I got your flowers. They are lovely. I was going to give you all call later to thank you for them but you beat me to it.”

  Oh, was she really? How many times last night did she say her body belonged to him, and yet here she was setting up for her next date with Collin. Decland could feel his lips turning into a sneer as the conversation went on.

  “Oh, yes, I am attending the New York Society fundraiser for mental health this weekend. No, I haven’t got date. It’s nice of you to offer but…” But what? He wanted her to finish that sentence. He waited as she paused.

  “Oh, you’ve got a patient? Yes, we’ll talk later. No problem. Bye.”

  They’ll talk later? Clearly, what he thought they had and what she thought they had were two different things. Decland always saw what he wanted and went for it. Whether it was in business, starting a new company or women. He had wanted Addison. He went and got her, simple as that.

  The phone clicked back into place. Decland dropped the card then took a step away from her desk. He could still hear Addison talking with Jeffrey.

  “What? Why are you looking at me like that?” she snapped at him.

  “Oh, nothing. You just put on your fake nice voice for that call. I’m sure your high-pitched hi, how are you was loud enough.”

  “Loud enough for what?” she whispered.

  “Loud enough for Mister Tie-me-down in your office to hear you.”

  Decland rolled his eyes. He’d heard the whole damn thing. It was about time for him to get the hell out of there. As he turned for the door to make his excuse to leave, he nearly barreled over Addison as she came back in, her cheeks slightly pink.

  Decland stepped back. “I should be going now.”

  “Oh, really?” She seemed almost saddened by his leaving. Why, when she clearly had so many options on her plate?

  “Yes, you seem busy. It was a mistake coming here.”

  He moved to pass her, but her tentative hand pressing lightly into his stomach stopped him. “Don’t go just yet.”

  Decland hesitated wanting to stay to listen to what she had to say and wanting to leave just so he couldn’t find out anything else.

  Her amber eyes looked up at him, wide like they had been from beneath him the night before. “Please.”

  The chemistry between them was palpable as he weighed his op
tions. He knew this woman had a hold of him like no other ever had. He began pacing the room feeling caged in, like the only thing he ever wanted was just in reach yet so far away. “Why? Why do you want me to stay?”

  “Oh, holy shit,” Jeffrey’s panicked voice entered the room only seconds before his face did. “Addison you better get out here right now.”

  “Whatever it is, deal with it.” She reached for the door about to close it when she looked into the waiting room and froze, the blood leaving her face.

  Decland stepped up behind her like an alarm had gone off in his system to protect. As the elevator doors slid closed behind a crew-cut-looking mother fucker, Jeffrey shot to his feet. “You are not welcome here.”

  “Is that any way to greet an old friend?” His deep voice did nothing to hide the smarmy way he looked around the room like he owned it.

  He buttoned his cream-colored suit coat like he was getting ready to pose for GQ. When Decland locked eyes on him, he knew this guy was a douchebag.

  “Addison, babe, how’s it going?”

  “What are you doing here, Jason?” she asked through gritted teeth.

  “I left a couple of things at your place that I need to get.” He walked past Jeffrey, holding his hand up to his face to silence him.

  Addison huffed. Turning for her office, she all but forgot Decland as she stepped around him and began slamming files in a stack on her desk.

  Jason stepped up to Decland, extending his hand. He smiled. “Hi, I’m Jason. Addison’s fiancé.”

  “Ex. Ex-fiancé,” she snapped from behind Decland.

  Decland ignored Jason’s hand choosing instead to defer to her. “Addison, do you want me to go?” This was not something he wanted to intrude on.

  “Yes,” Jason answered.

  “No!” Addison insisted as she gave her ex the stink eye. “This should only take a minute.”

  “Oh, babe, don’t be like that.” Jason strolled farther into the room standing across from her.

  Decland waited for her to hand this joker his balls. Instead, she seemed to thaw out the longer the ass hat stood there and smiled. Decland was ready to head for the hills. First, the call with Collin; now this bullshit with some asshole-looking ex-fiancé.

  She sighed, rubbing her forehead. “What do you want, Jason?”

  “Oh, babe, I just want to stop by later and get some of my stuff.”

  Say no, Addison. Just say no. Decland pleaded internally, wanting her to cut this jerk out of her life permanently.

  She grunted. “Okay, I’ll be home later tonight.”

  Jason clapped his hand once with a victorious smile. “There’s my girl.”

  He slid around her desk, then did something that Decland was loath to witness. He watched as Jason stepped in close to Addison and placed a possessive hand on her neck then leaned in to kiss on her cheek. The alarming part wasn’t that she let him do it; it was in that unguarded moment Decland watched as her eyes slid closed, and she took a deep breath as if she were relishing the feel of her ex so close to her. It was in that second that he officially lost his shit. Jealousy swarmed his body to the point where he could barely contain himself. How he nodded to Jason as he walked out the door leaving Decland alone with Addison once again, he’ll never know.

  It wasn’t until Decland heard the waiting room door close that he spoke. “What the hell was that?”

  Addison’s eyes widened at his sharp tone. “What are you talking about?”

  “You’re something else, you know that?”

  Addison rounded the desk, slamming her office door as she stepped up to him, her eyes narrowed in annoyance.

  Decland didn’t give a shit how annoyed she was. He’d had enough. “Oh, so now you close the door?”

  “What the hell does—”

  “I heard you talking out there. To Jeffrey and then to Collin. Getting flowers from Collin.” He spit out the name like it was acid on his tongue.

  “How’d you know who they were from?”

  “Fucking looked while I sat here listening to the tales of the many men of Addison Tyler.”

  “You read the card? That was none of your business.” Her cheeks flamed red.

  “I didn’t mean to,” he snapped. “I was sitting here listing to you talk to that guy.”

  “So?”

  “So?” He knew his voice was getting louder. “So, let’s not forget whose cock you were riding last night. Or is it too hard to keep all your men straight?”

  Addison held up her hand, stopping him in his tracks. “Did you just call me a player?”

  “If the snakeskin stiletto fits!”

  “Why are you yelling at me?” Her tone was beginning to match his.

  As much as Decland wanted to reel in his anger, he couldn’t. Jealousy fueled his fire. “Because you were with me last night, making plans with your ex-fiancé for tonight and signing good old Collin up for the weekend. I thought—”

  “You thought what?” She cut him off, her words like ice in his veins. “You thought that we were a couple? I barely know you. And yes, we are great together in bed. But you and I both know you aren’t capable of more, and I was okay with that.”

  Her words were like a slap across the face. “You were okay with just having sex with me?”

  “Yes, Decland. I can handle that.”

  “And last night?”

  “It was a lot of fun. Hell, I’d even do it again. But not when you act like this.”

  “Act like what?”

  “Like…” She trailed off.

  “Like it didn’t mean something more to me. Like you don’t mean something more to me.” He voice came out as small as he felt. Even now, when he was at his lowest, he squared his shoulders and stood tall.

  “We both know what it was,” she offered. Her arms crossed over her chest, she looked him squarely in the eye like she owned his ass. There was nothing sexier than a formidable woman.

  “Enlighten me, Addison. What exactly do you think it was?’

  “It was an amazing time between two people.”

  “And nothing more?” he asked, hoping she would say he was wrong. Hoping that she’d give him something more than calling him a piece of ass.

  “Nothing more.”

  It felt like all the air in the room had been sucked out. He’d thought they really had something. Turns out, he was the only one who did. Without another word, he stormed out of the room, throwing the door open wide. With three strides he covered the distance between her office door and the waiting room door.

  “Decland, wait,” she called.

  He paused, turning only to offering her a cold look that reflected the words she’d just said to him. “What?”

  Addison glanced at her next patient sitting in the chair, wide-eyed. She cleared her throat giving him her most professional voice. “Please, don’t be like this.”

  He sneered. “Like what?”

  “Acting like a child,” she snapped.

  “Like a child? I’m not the one who has a parade of men in her office like each one is a toy.”

  “That’s not fair,” she threw back.

  Decland turned to Addison’s now red-faced patient. “If you want to learn how to screw a guy in more ways than one, then she’s your girl.” He threw the door open wide and stepped through, throwing the door to the stairwell open so hard the loud bang echoed behind him.

  As his feet hit the first stair, the stairwell doors began to swing closed. The last thing he heard was Jeffrey chiding Addison. “Giiiirrrlll, you cold.”

  Yes, she fucking is. Decland couldn’t agree more.

  Chapter 14

  “I am not cold.” Addison crossed her arms over her chest as she shot daggers at Jeffrey with her eyes.

  “That whole conversation was cold,” he countered, not backing down from her.

  “We’ll talk about this later.” She nodded to her wide-eyed patient who had witnessed the whole thing from her waiting room chair.

  Jeffrey t
urned away from Addison and began mumbling under his breath loud enough for everyone to hear. “I don’t know what else there is to discuss. He clearly wants more, and the ice skating rink around your heart won’t let him get there.”

  Addison chose to ignore him. As she put her best professional smile in place, she walked over to her patient, hand extended. “Hello, I’m Doctor Tyler.”

  The slight brunette shook Addison’s hand with a whisper of a touch. “I’m Michelle.”

  “So nice to meet you, Michelle. Please come in.” Addison motioned for her to lead the way into her office.

  Though Addison was average height, she towered over Michelle. As the door clicked shut behind them, Michelle stood in the middle of the office switching between wringing her hands and running them through her chin length hair. Each time she brushed a lock out of her eyes, it would fall back to its original position. Her bottom lip seemed disproportionate to the top one; perhaps it was the way she continually bit it.

  Addison smiled warmly, trying to make her newest patient feel more comfortable. “Would you care to sit down? Make yourself comfortable.”

  Michelle’s hazel eyes darted around the room. “That guy out there was mad at you.”

  Oh, shit. Here we go. Addison’s heart began to race, but still she exuded a calm exterior. “Yes, he was.”

  Michelle’s arms swung at her sides. “Doctor Thurgood told me you were the best at what you do.”

  “That’s very kind of him.”

  She hesitated, toying with the buttons on the sleeve of her plaid shirt. “Then why was he yelling at you?”

  How was she supposed to answer this? Crossing the line with a patient wasn’t appropriate. Too late for that. Decland had put her in a bad situation, one that had a direct path to the medical review board. She couldn’t decide if she was more pissed about the bumps he could cause in her career or the fact that he actually made her regret her words. “He is not a patient of mine. So let’s say that though I excel at my job, and I will help you in any way that I can, I am still navigating the difficult paths of dating just like anyone else.”

  “I kind of like that.” Michelle slid onto the leather couch, pulling her legs up to sit crossed legged.