Free Bound With Pearls by Sidney Bristol

Stripping off a glove, she flicked the green button and tapped the speaker button from memory.
    “Ginny, I thought you’d never call me back.”
    “Try again.”
    The masculine voice froze her in place.
    “Christine?” The tone of voice was authoritative and had her squeezing her thighs together. “Did I interrupt something?”
    “No. Sorry. I was cleaning.”
    Daniel chuckled. “You don’t run a cleaning company by any chance, do you?”
    She sputtered. “No. I work in marketing.”
    “I’m joking.” His voice had a warm, chocolate-like quality to it. Her insides quivered, hoping he had a reason for calling her. A reason she’d say yes to. As much as she wanted to see him again, she wasn’t going to be his fuck buddy. “I want to see you again. What are you doing Tuesday night?”
    She pumped her fist. Did she blindly trust he’d want more from her than the sex she’d denied them? She’d never know if she didn’t put herself out there. “Nothing. What did you have in mind?”
    “I was thinking dinner,” he replied without hesitation. That lack of a pause settled her nerves, at least until she understood what he wanted and she was catapulted to cloud nine. He wanted to go on a date. With her. Excitement and anticipation danced across her stomach in time to the pounding of her heart. “Someplace nice. And take it from there.”
    She forced herself to reply with a calm voice instead of whooping with glee. “That would be nice.” Nice? Nice was an understatement.
    She got to her feet, leaving behind the gloves and cleansers, and hoofed it into her bedroom. She now had an entirely other problem to figure out. What would she wear?
    “Great. I was thinking I could pick you up at six, if you’re comfortable with that.”
    His concern warmed her heart. She turned toward the vanity mirror and grinned at her reflection. “Sure. Six sounds good.”
    She gave him directions to her apartment and hung up with promises to talk soon. She wrapped her arms around herself and spun in a circle. She was going on a date with a man she’d let tie her up.

Chapter Five
     
    “Chris.” Daniel’s jaw went lax as the door opened. “You look amazing.”
    The black strapless dress she wore was artfully draped. She looked sexy enough he considered skipping dinner.
    “Thanks.” She flushed, an adorable habit he was growing fond of already.
    He stepped through the door and crowded her back against the wall. He had to kiss her. The heels she wore put them eye to eye and thwarted her attempt to act shy. Modesty he could understand, but it took confidence to stand toe-to-toe with him as she had at the dungeon.
    Pressing his body to hers, he took her mouth in a slow, open-mouth kiss. Chris wound her arms around his shoulders, pulling him closer, crushing her breasts to his chest. He tasted her, catching a mixture of toothpaste and mouthwash as he reacquainted himself with every inch of her magnificent lips.
    At this rate he was going to end up with a zipper tattoo on his dick. As much as he wanted to keep going, he broke the kiss.
    “Guess it’s a good thing I didn’t wear lipstick.” She chuckled against his cheek.
    He swiped his thumb across her mouth. “You don’t need lipstick.” No, her lips were red enough from his attentions, plus he wanted to kiss her whenever he felt like it. Lowering his hand to her neck, he ran his fingers over the red plastic gemstones circling her throat. “You don’t need these either. Real rubies, maybe.” The dress she wore, with the bare expanse of flesh, was his blank canvas. There was only one piece in his workroom that came to mind for her. It would look better and complement her beauty more, and symbolize exactly what he wanted from her. Could he work rubies into the design?
    “What’s wrong with my necklace?” She frowned and glanced down.
    “Nothing.” Maybe after tonight he would know if giving her the piece was a good idea. If they clicked again, and Friday hadn’t been