Her Submission Read online

“A few times but only as a passenger.”

  “Boyfriend or husband driving?”

  She wasn’t surprised by the stranger’s attempt to learn something of a personal nature other than her favorite ice cream was mint chocolate chip. It came with the territory when you’re a decent looking twenty-three year old female and the man asking the question is traveling alone. He wasn’t wearing a wedding ring, not that that said anything these days.

  Like earlier, his gaze was intense. A little disconcerting. A little exciting.

  “The guy and I hadn’t known each other that long so he was kind of a boyfriend,” she explained. “The way he handled his bike scared me.”

  He didn’t so much as blink. “Enough so that he became an ex?”

  “Pretty much.”

  She’d gotten to her feet after dealing with the jack but had stayed in close proximity in case the man needed help getting the flat off. Whatever his injuries had been, he hadn’t lost upper body strength as witness by the easy way he pulled off the tire. He’d already gotten out the spare and wasted no time sliding it in place. She liked how he handled himself. There was a smoothness to him, a confidence that made her think he’d emotionally gotten over the accident.

  That was something they could talk about—putting the past behind them.

  Or she would if she’d been more successful at it.

  Earlier in the day she’d walked up the road a quarter mile to the café and adjacent ice cream parlor that did great business in the summer as vacationers headed into the mountains. She’d made her purchase and had been sitting at a picnic table when a new pickup with a fancy canopy pulled into the gravel parking area. A man had gotten out but instead of heading into the parlor, he’d headed right for where she was sitting, leaned against her table, and stretched. He obviously was in no hurry. She’d been a little concerned about personal space but when wasn’t she?

  After her initial discomfort, she felt herself being drawn to him. There was something intriguing about him, a commanding presence. A deepness to his gaze as if he was looking for something in her.

  For a moment she thought he’d found it, but that was crazy. They were strangers.

  He’d asked how much the ice cream cost and whether it was good which had helped her get past her what, nervous energy? They’d even engaged in a friendly argument about the best flavors. Instead of putting a move on her, he’d gone into the parlor and came out with a double strawberry cone.

  “Just what the doctor ordered,” he’d told her before slowly getting back into his truck.

  All the way back to where she was spending the summer, she’d mulled over the brief connection. He didn’t turn her on but there was something about him she couldn’t quite shake, a mysterious aura. A man like that might have a place in her fantasies.

  Fortunately he’d never know what direction her fantasies took.

  She’d been surprised and a little suspicious when he showed up at the Pause Awhile Campground where she worked, but his explanation that he’d decided he needed a break from driving and had been taking in the waterfalls off the road between the café and campground made sense. He’d barely gotten underway when he spotted the Pause Awhile sign. He’d been debating checking it out for future reference when the driver’s side rear tire started going flat. He’d had no choice but to pull in so he could deal with it. He certainly hadn’t expected to see her.

  The longer she watched the man who hadn’t bothered to introduce himself, the more intrigued she became. If his vehicle was any indication, he was better off financially than those who rented RV spaces here. He was traveling by himself and if she said and did the right things, he might decide to spend the night.

  Unless she decided she’d rather sleep alone—which she didn’t always want to because at night her imagination sometimes took her into places she didn’t understand. What she labeled sexual fantasies got her hot and bothered all right. They also left her feeling out of control and confused. Where the hell did they come from?

  “The not quite a boyfriend with the motorcycle had some good qualities,” she said by way of continuing the conversation and putting distance between herself and thoughts she didn’t need. “A decent job for one.”

  “But?”

  “But he was into macho if you know what I mean.”

  The stranger held out his hand, prompting her to drop a lug nut into his palm. Their fingers didn’t touch but came close enough that she felt the potential. “He wanted you to play the little woman?”

  “We didn’t live together.” I’ve only done that once. Never again. Maybe. “He thought that whatever he was doing or wanted to do took priority. I should kick my agenda aside to accommodate him.”

  “And you’re a liberated woman.”

  Truth was she wasn’t sure what label to put on herself. Messed up for sure. Thinking she was running out of time in which to decide whether she was interested in more than a casual conversation, she watched as he slipped the rest of the lug nuts in place. After lowering the truck, he picked up the lug wrench in preparation for tightening them even more.

  “Let me.” She held out her hand. “Whoever does this part needs to kneel and right now that isn’t your strong suit.”

  He stared at her without speaking for so long she became acutely aware of the male/female component. He wasn’t just looking her over, he was going beneath the surface, searching for something he had no intention of sharing with her. It could be as simple as an older man trying to decide whether a young thing was interested in him, but she didn’t think so. She might have been more concerned if they weren’t in a public area.

  At length it occurred to her that he was waiting for her to make good on her offer. She took the tool from him and again knelt. It was pushing ninety this afternoon which was why she had on shorts. Fortunately, he’d pulled onto the grass/weeds that flanked the campground entrance instead of going clear to the rocky area near the office. Her task took a fair amount of upper body strength but not her full attention. As a result she remained aware of his presence. He hadn’t invaded her personal space the way he had at the ice cream parlor but neither did she feel apart from him. He struck her as someone accustomed to being in close proximity with another human being. Maybe a wife? Maybe a sex slave?

  Sex slave! Where had the thought come from? Damn it, much more of that nonsense and she’d have to see a shrink, something she vowed she’d never do. She wasn’t the most squared away person in the world, but she was able to function. What more did she want?

  A different past.

  Done with her task, she looked over her shoulder at the slightly-over-six-foot-tall man. His features were in shadow which made seeing his expression difficult. Being on her knees like this was more intimidating than she wanted to admit. Disconcerting.

  And he knew it.

  “It’s a good thing I don’t charge mechanics’ rates,” she said as she got to her feet. She tightened her hold on the lug wrench. Forget a one night stand. He was too—too something.

  “I appreciate it. So—“ He looked around. “Are you staying with family or friends?”

  “I work here.”

  “You do?”

  She could tell he hadn’t expected that but then most people didn’t. “It’s a summer job, May through October. I get a place to stay and a not bad salary. Get to meet a lot of different people and occasionally work on my auto repair skills.”

  His disbelieving expression faded a little to be replaced by something she didn’t understand but maybe should try to.

  “You keep saying I. So it’s just you doing what, being a campground host?”

  “It’s kind of communal living only with a constantly changing cast of characters,” she said to let him know she wasn’t here alone. “I answered a Craig’s List ad. They hired me.”

  “Hmm. It doesn’t look like a first class operation.”

  “It isn’t. People are only supposed to say for ten days but my guess is nearly half of the RVs here bel
ong to people who have nowhere else to live. As long as they pay their rent, the owners don’t mind.”

  His nod made her wonder if he could relate, but he didn’t strike her as someone who carried his house on his back. His truck was top of the line, his clothes expensive looking. His dark hair was on the long side. Her guess was he’d been more interested in getting back on his feet after his accident than haircuts.

  “All done,” she said, indicating the spare tire. “Now you’re free to go.”

  “Free? Yeah, I am.”

  Unexpectedly, she couldn’t think of anything to say. Shouldn’t he want to get back on the road? To her way of thinking, she hadn’t given out any signals that she was into a roll in the hay. Maybe she’d entertained the thought at first but he was too—something. Knowing maybe.

  “So you have limitations on how many hours you should drive in a day?” All right, so it wasn’t the most brilliant question she’d ever asked, but hopefully he’d get the hint that it was time for him to move on.

  He smiled, one of those grins that don’t reach his eyes and made her think he was doing what he figured was expected. “This is the longest trip I’ve taken since the accident. Part of it was because I needed a change of scenery.”

  Change of scenery. She could relate to that. Restless. Dissatisfied. Always looking for—something.

  “Put your feet up when you get home and keep going with your physical therapy.” What was her problem? One moment she wanted him gone, the next she wanted to learn more about him.

  “Look, I’d like to pay you for—“

  “No. Helping you allowed me to get my good deed over with for the day.”

  On the tail of another semi-smile, he held out his hand. “Thanks for the help. Your parents raised an independent woman.”

  Her so-called parents had had nothing to do with how she’d turned out. She might have dropped that on him if not for the way he kept holding onto her hand. He didn’t have it in a death grip, but she’d have to work at getting loose.

  Memories of handcuffs and locked doors stirred. Damn it! Would she never get that nightmare time out of her system? Barely holding onto self-control, she pulled back. He held on a second longer and then released her.

  “It’s been interesting,” he said. “One more question and then I’ll let you go back to work. What are your plans once summer’s over? This place closes down doesn’t it?”

  “Yes.” What did he mean by interesting and what had the overly-long handshake been about?

  “Maybe you’re in college?”

  “I’ve taken a few courses.” The way he kept looking at her made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. The damn man intimidated and intrigued her at the same time. “I’m not worried about paying the bills. Something always comes up.”

  The corner of his mouth twitched. “What’s that saying, something about a rolling stone not gathering any moss? You aren’t interested in settling down?”

  What do you care? “No. There’s nothing wrong with that.”

  “I didn’t say there was, but most young women have a life plan. Specific goals.”

  How do I begin to do that? “Sounds boring.”

  He was mulling over what she’d just said, looking for flaws in her so-called logic. Well damn it, what she did or didn’t do with her life was none of his business. Going it alone was the only thing she knew.

  He opened the cab door. “I hope you find what you’re looking for.”

  “What makes you think I’m looking for something?”

  “Because you are.”

  Chapter three

  The stranger hadn’t asked her name and she’d never see him again so why was she having trouble shaking him off Kaci wondered as she locked herself in the travel trailer that had been her home since she’d taken the job. Of course she hadn’t asked what his name was but then she couldn’t remember when she’d last wanted to get to know someone.

  Wanted or dared?

  “What the hell’s your problem?” she muttered. “Pretending to be more complicated than you are?”

  She closed the curtain to the window over the toy sized sink and sat in the lone recliner, careful not to bump the adjacent so-called dining table. She’d nearly turned down the job offer when she’d seen the claustrophobic space she’d have to live in, but she hadn’t because at the time she hadn’t had any alternative. Despite what she’d told the man with the flat, she worried about being able to pay the bills, not that she had many.

  He’d been right. She needed to think about how she was going to feed herself once the weather turned. Maybe she should have asked if he needed someone to—to what? Hell, she knew less about him than the other way around.

  Enough!

  Hoping to turn off her mind, she aimed the remote at the small TV. She’d been kept busy checking in two new groups until dark and was hungry. However, sitting for a few minutes while watching a sit com was preferable to putting something together for dinner.

  The comedy was about a large family with three noisy teenagers, a pair of preschool twins, a mother-in-law who lived in the attic, and various other relatives who kept dropping by. Tonight’s episode focused on the oldest girl and some argument she was having with her boyfriend. Most of the parents’ suggestions were more crazy than helpful, but even with the irritating laugh track, the family member’s love for each other was evident.

  Hell. Someone should do a sit com about a family like hers had been, only there wouldn’t be anything funny about that.

  Instead of opening the refrigerator during the commercials, she leaned back and closed her eyes. A day full of fresh air and physical activity might be the best thing that had happened to her today. Instead of opening her imagination to scenes and scenarios that would keep her awake and aroused for hours, she’d actually get some sleep.

  Sleep. Oblivion. No thinking. No sexual need pouring through her veins.

  Naked. Her hands cupping her breasts. Staring at the red indentations on her nipples. Trying not to acknowledge the metal circling her wrists or her collar’s weight.

  “What was today’s lesson, slave?”

  “That—that you can and will do whatever you want to me, Master.”

  “In part but there’s more to it than that.”

  “I, Master, I don’t know what you want me to say.”

  “That’s because you didn’t pay attention. Now I’m going to have to repeat the lesson, starting with reapplying the nipple clamps. Come here.”

  Whimpering, she began scooting forward on her knees. He hadn’t given her permission to release her sore breasts so she continued to cradle them. No matter how long she propelled herself forward, she couldn’t get closer to him. He was sitting but somehow retreating. Teasing and taunting her.

  “I’m tired of waiting, slave. You know what happens when you displease me.”

  She did.

  Kaci jerked upright. Disoriented, she stared at the TV where a couple of men ogled a new car. Pieces of the too-familiar dream—she hated calling it a fantasy—clung to her sub consciousness. Much more of this and she wouldn’t be able to separate reality from the crazy exciting and maybe dangerous places her mind took her. Wouldn’t that be a mess? Instead of being locked up because she’d been found guilty of a crime, this time they’d throw away the keys because—

  Her tinny sounding doorbell bleated. Cursing, she got up and covered the five feet separating the recliner from the front door. She reached for the knob, then stopped. She might still be half asleep but she wasn’t stupid. “Who is it?”

  “Bob. From space thirty-seven. I ain’t got no water.”

  In her befuddled state she wasn’t sure whether space thirty-seven was in the west or east section. She’d dealt with enough water emergencies to know most of the time the RV owner hadn’t properly hooked his rig up to the campground’s system. Well, she’d known this wasn’t going to be a nine-to-five job.

  “All right. Just a minute.”

  “My wife wa
nts to take a shower. She’s pissed.”

  Tell someone who cares. “I need to stop by the office for the tools,” she said. “Why don’t you go back. I’ll meet you there.”

  “Yeah, I better. The old lady’s about to tear my head off. Says—“

  “Don’t worry about it. This’ll only take a minute.”

  The man grumbled something. Wondering if he was cursing her, she opened the door and peeked out. Thanks to the miserable excuse for a bug light overhead, she couldn’t see much. One thing she was sure of, her guest wasn’t standing there waiting for her. Nervousness took a nibble out of her, but she shrugged it off.

  She reached for the key to the office and then descended the rickety stairs. Damn it, she’d forgotten to put her shoes back on. Fortunately, her feet were calloused. It would take all her self control not bawl Bob out if the problem turned out to be what she suspected.

  Grabbing the tool kit with the wrenches in it didn’t take long. That done she headed down the thankfully sand path that meandered around the various RV sites. Now that she was wide awake, she remembered she’d rented space thirty-seven today to a middle aged couple with a yapping dog. The wife hadn’t been happy about having to take a space deep in the trees. Well, if they’d wanted a prime location, they should have reserved one instead of showing up at the last minute.

  As she approached the RV in question, she noted that none of the interior lights were on. The first day on the job she’d discovered the campground lacked decent lighting both overhead and along the paths. When she’d asked the owners about it, they’d smiled and explained that this was a wilderness area, not a city street. People wanted to get close to nature so they could stare at the stars. As a result, there were countless dark areas. If a person wasn’t careful, he or she could stumble and fall. More to the point, not everyone who stayed here was what she’d call an upstanding citizen. Already she’d dealt with a number of thefts of such things as lawn furniture and barbeques she blamed on the lack of illumination.

  Chiding herself for not grabbing a flashlight, she pondered calling out for Bob, but late as it was, those in the nearby RVs might be asleep. Hoping she wouldn’t stub one or more of her toes, she put down the tool bag and headed for what she hoped was the front door.