here if they weren’t dedicated to the scene. And even employees like Mark seemed to be into BDSM, too. Angel seemed to be the odd man out here.
Wait, what about Cyn? Was she part of this lifestyle, too? She was if she was in here. Angel’s stomach rolled.
* * * *
After Angel had left with Mark, Lance resumed his seat and looked at Cinnamon still clutching his chair.
“Did Angel do something to you? You seem scared of him, but also fascinated, if I do say so. Just give me the word and he’s out of here. He’s Clay’s friend and colleague, not mine. So if you are uncomfortable, just say the word. There are other guys from Clay’s firm that can come in and help us.”
Cinnamon unclasped her hand from the leather chair and walked in front of Lance’s desk, taking a seat.
“What do you mean? He doesn’t bother me in the least. He’s just another Dom, no different from the others strolling around the place.”
Cinnamon looked down at her hands and seemed very interest in her nails.
Lance knew she was avoiding dealing with the feelings that he’d witnessed between Angel and her. “I thought the way you hid behind my chair and gripped the leather that you were afraid of him. Or maybe I have it wrong. Maybe you were holding yourself back from rushing him? I’ve never seen you act this way before,” Lance told her sarcastically
Cinnamon reached up and pulled a few hair pins out and pulled the black wig from her head. Holding it in her lap, she took her other hand and brushed it through her long copper locks and gave a sigh. “God, that feels better. I don’t know why I have to dress up every time I go into your side. The regulars all know me now and it’s such a waste of time having to dress up just to take inventory. Which, by the way, I didn’t get to finish.” Cinnamon didn’t want to talk about Angel. She didn’t know what to make of her reaction to him herself, let alone try and explain it to Lance.
Lance picked up the phone on his desk and in a minute he had Fred at the spice bar take over the inventory for her. She didn’t like to bother the bartenders. She knew that they had enough on their plate just keeping up with the crowd, without being saddled with a job she should have done. But she didn’t protest this time. She needed space between her and Angel. If she went back over to Lance’s side of the Playground, she would surely run into him.
Lance, after laying the phone receiver down, folded his hands on top of his desk and looked her straight in the eye.
“Listen, Cyn, I know you better than most people and what I saw here in this office with Angel is something I have never seen before. You’re always so cool and collected, even when dealing with a Dom twice your size. I know he is a bit intimidating, but you have dealt with worse and always come out on top with their respect. Angel got to you, didn’t he? And don’t lie. I only want the best for you.”
“To tell you the truth, Lance, I don’t know what I’m feeling right now. You think I would be used to big muscle-bound Doms by now, but for some reason he just got to me. Can we leave it at that? When I can explain, I will, but until then let’s just drop it. As far as him being here, he must be the best for this situation, or Clay wouldn’t have brought him in. I know you trust his judgment and I won’t allow my feelings to get in the way of catching the man grabbing the women in the parking lot. I couldn’t forgive myself if something happened to one of them just because of my reaction to Angel. I’ll go to my office and just get on with the nightly paperwork. Have Fred bring in the inventory list when he’s finished and I will e-mail our order out tonight.” Clutching her wig, she gave Lance a small smile and, walked out of his office towards her very vanilla bar. Just the way she liked it.
Reaching her office, next door, Cinnamon walked to her desk chair and slumped down in it. Throwing the wig on her desk