Liv's Journey Read online

  The fellow frowned, but didn't glower. "Have her back by three. We can't finish today's shoot without our star model."

  Liv's cheeks colored as she reached for the straw hat that sat on the table.

  Trey took the comment in good grace. "No problem." He gestured toward Liv and grinned, and she returned his expression and followed him toward the truck.

  The foals were pretty quiet in the hot sun, but Liv seemed delighted to stand at the fence and look at them.

  The hat cast a shadow on her face, but her eyes glowed with pleasure.

  "So, how long have you been a model?"

  "For about twelve years."

  "You don't look old enough to have done anythin’ for twelve years."

  She laughed. "Oh, I'm old enough. I started when I was twelve."

  He nodded. "That's young. You were a child star?"

  Liv shrugged. "How long have you been in the army?"

  "Ten years or so."

  Her eyes stayed on the horses, and he wished she would turn her pretty face toward him again.

  They chatted amiably for a while, until the hot sun got to be a little too much, and then they headed toward the shade of the magnolia and box elder trees. A dark red blanket softened the ground for them as they ate their lunch.

  The quiet was pleasant. He was comfortable with her. They talked about movies for a little while, finding they had similar taste in film.

  She ate very little. Her stiff posture suggested that she was uncomfortable, and Trey couldn't help but wonder if he'd said something wrong.

  He tried changing the subject. "So what do you do for fun?"

  "Nothing much." She sipped at the wine.

  "Liv is all work, no play?"

  She smiled. "I'm dull. I have a lot of work functions."

  "Do you like what you do?"

  "Usually."

  He watched her face as she spoke. There was something more to this woman. Something unseen, but screaming to get out.

  "Are you planning on making the army your career? Or is it a sojourn for you?"

  She had deftly turned the conversation. Apparently, she didn't care to talk about modeling. Trey wondered at that. Liv was a "star" performer, at least according to her photographer, and yet she didn't want to talk about her work. Why? He didn't want to pry…yet.

  "It's my career. I thought about bein' a rancher as I grew up, but I had too much fun playin' soldier. I went to college for a year, but soldierin' still called to me, so I signed up. It took me another three years of online programs before I finished my degree, but eventually I made it to officer trainin' school, and here I am."

  "It must be nice to do something you love."

  "You don't?"

  "You know, it must be getting late. I ought to get back to the shoot."

  He caught her eyes, but she looked away. Yeah, definitely hidden depths there.

  "Sure." They packed up the basket and blanket and he drove her back to work.

  He reached out and caught her arm as she was opening the truck door from the inside. "I had a good time getting to know you, Liv. Are you free tonight?"

  She looked at the hand on her forearm and put her warm palm over it. "I think there's a planning session tonight over dinner, but I'd be free after that."

  "How about I drive you out away from the ranch lights, and we can study the stars for a while?"

  "Isn't that going a little fast?"

  Maybe it was. He was eager to kiss her, there was no getting around that. And a romantic night under the stars had the potential to lead to something hot. But mostly he wanted to spend quiet time with her, getting to know her better.

  "Maybe you'd rather go cow tippin'?"

  "Cow…what?"

  "Cow tippin'. You wait until the cows are asleep—they sleep standin' up—and then you sneak up on them and topple them over. Of course, you have to run like hell to get away."

  "You must be joking."

  He chuckled. "Gotcha."

  She laughed. "You snot."

  Trey turned toward her more fully and cupped her cheeks in his hands. "You are so beautiful, Liv."

  She stiffened. "I used to be beautiful, maybe." Both of her hands covered his. "Anyway, I have an early morning tomorrow. Tonight's not such a good idea."

  Whoops. He'd made a mess of it somehow. He dropped his hands slowly. "Mind if I come by tomorrow? I have to help my brother Ace with our side business, but I'll have some free time in the afternoon."

  "Side business? Now you have my curiosity." She turned toward the sound of her name being called from outside. "I have to go. Tomorrow would be okay. Thanks for lunch, Trey."

  "My pleasure," he said as she hurried out of the truck. Her perfume lingered, leaving a sweet and subtle reminder of her behind.

  * * *

  The small cabins that accommodated ranch guests were well-appointed, despite their rustic looks. Liv's was spacious, but not fancy, consisting of one large room and a bathroom. Everything was clean and fresh-smelling. She found the pale blue walls relaxing, and she needed to relax. She considered having a shot of vodka from the mini bar, but then habit kicked in and she turned away from the impulse—too many calories.

  She thought over her time with Trey and the things she'd discovered about him. He was a nice guy; maybe he was too nice. Liv had a tendency to fall for men who treated her badly. She was attracted to men with confidence and surety, even forceful personalities, but she didn't like being treated like a doormat. It was hard to find a person who was capable and ambitious as well as concerned for her happiness.

  Trey might be one.

  Or he might not.

  Contemplating the following day and anticipating meeting him again was exciting, but she tried to keep it in perspective. It was obvious that he was attracted to her—asking for a second date was an indicator—but, truth be told, a lot of men were attracted to her because of her looks. She could dress down and go without makeup, but something about her appearance still got attention. Since she'd gained weight, she couldn't understand it. But it was undeniable.

  She hated to think that Trey was focused on bedding a supermodel rather than knowing the Liv inside the body. That made her want to halt the relationship before it got much of a start. Being disappointed by people was depleting, and in many ways, she'd rather keep a good-guy impression of Trey, even if their friendship had to end, rather than find out he was the usual kind of schmuck.

  But, like him, she'd soldier on. The prize, if it even existed, would be worth the potential disappointment.

  She had a five a.m. call the next morning, so Liv bathed and went to bed. Her last thoughts before sleep were of Trey's callused hands on her face.

  * * *

  Chapter 2

  After spending a few hours of comfortable talk with his brother Ace, Trey slept poorly. It wasn't Ace's fault–Trey couldn’t stop thinking about Liv and her secret. His first thought was that he'd love to spank it out of her and then kiss it to make it all better, but he had the distinct feeling that subtle would work better. And, since his inclination was to find the submissive side of a woman and give her what she craved, he needed to find out what Liv's proclivity was in that regard. If she wasn't as submissive as he guessed, then the idea of even a casual relationship was out. He didn't like women who tried to steer him around by his dick.

  When morning finally rolled around, Trey ceased torturing himself by trying to sleep. He got up and met Ace—always an early morning person—at the kitchen table and joined him for breakfast.

  "So, the BDSM Boot Camp is startin' in two days. What can I do to help?"

  Ace took a bite of a fresh biscuit and followed it by a sip of strong, fragrant coffee. "I got the food yesterday, and moved most of the equipment out of the storage shed and into the old house. There are a couple more pieces that I could use a hand with. And then I have to take out some of the conference furniture and prepare the smaller private rooms."

  "Are you expectin' the same turn out as
last year?"

  "Yeah. 'Bout fifteen couples and triads and maybe ten singles. Not too many new faces, but a few. There's one girl you might be interested in."

  Trey's mind turned to Liv. "I'm not lookin' for a permanent sub."

  "Yeah you are. You just don't know it yet. You'll know her when you find her."

  Trey frowned over his eggs and mumbled. "But will she know me?"

  Ace leaned back and eyed Trey until Trey shifted in his seat. Sometimes, the eight years that separated them seemed like a lot longer.

  "What?"

  "You have someone in mind, don't you?"

  "No. I met someone I'm interested in, but really, I don’t know her. I'm still findin' out what makes her tick."

  "Well, if you want to bring her to the BDSM Boot Camp, you'd best find out quick-like."

  "Yeah, well… Shouldn't we ought to get to movin' that equipment?"

  * * *

  The old house still had that lived-in appeal, even though it was used for small conferences like the Boot Camp groups instead of everyday living. Their father had built the new house after their mother's death, and Trey and his brothers and sisters accepted the change with as much good grace as they could. They understood that their father needed a big adjustment in order to get on with his life as a widower. Still, even knowing that it was necessary, Trey missed the old house with its comfortable wood paneling and narrow oak staircase with the railing he and the other kids couldn't resist sliding down. He'd never forget terrorizing his older sister, Queenie, as she was getting ready for her first date, so many years ago. Chasing her around the house until he tripped and gashed open his forehead. The old scar had healed, but the memory would be precious forever.

  But things changed over time, and the old house had become the Boot Camp Inc. conference center, with casual seating in the main room, small conference rooms in adjacent rooms, and some guest rooms upstairs for overnight conference attendees. Boot Camp Inc. ran at least one corporate bonding boot camp every couple of months, with additional “special” camps like the one coming up thrown in for good measure. The old house was slowly migrating away from its warm charm into something more flexible and business-oriented.

  As they cleared away some of the chairs on the main floor and put some BDSM equipment around the place, Trey imagined Liv trembling with anticipation at each station. She'd arch her perfect bottom up on the spanking bench, and fidget her long legs while standing with her hands up on the trapeze bar. On the x-frame she'd beg for an orgasm while he manipulated her tender breasts and pussy.

  He had to figure out what motivated her and what she was holding back about. If he could find the key to Liv, he might open the door to her submissive heart. Or to a Pandora's box, he reminded himself. It hadn't always worked in his favor in the past.

  By noon, the place was pretty well set up for a BDSM event. Their regular housekeeping service would prepare the upstairs rooms for occupancy the next day, much as they prepared the private cabins out on the ranch for clients who didn't want the dorm-style accommodations of the house.

  Trey took a shower, ate lunch, and gathered up some fresh-baked sugar cookies from Consuelo. He wrapped them in a festive cloth napkin and set out for the photo shoot.

  When he got there, the focus was on Liv. She wore a low-cut silk top, with her breasts pushed up, showing a great deal of plump cleavage. Her linen slacks were tailored perfectly to show off her curves. He wanted to have her in his arms, under his hands, writhing with pleasure.

  He tried to clear that thought as Liv flirted with the camera. It was no wonder they called her a star—she had all the moves down pat, and added her playful, charming personality to the mix.

  Waiting for her to be free, Trey walked over to an empty director's chair and sat down. He was approached by a young woman with her hair in curlers. He smiled at her and stood up. "Am I sittin' in your chair, ma'am?"

  "Oh no. That's the shoot director's chair. He's off doing something. You're safe there for now." She introduced herself as "Gabriella."

  Trey shook her delicate hand and told her his name. "You're one of the models for this shoot?"

  "The curlers gave me away, huh?" she teased.

  "Well, most people wouldn't wear them to work."

  She giggled. It was a melodious sound, but young. She looked to be maybe 19: her face was smooth and unlined, her brown eyes round and framed with long, thick dark lashes. She was truly beautiful, with a few extra pounds on her frame giving her shapely padding. Trey was struck anew at the idea that these women were shunned by the normal modeling community for being a few sizes bigger. They looked exquisite to him.

  "Do you know when they'll be takin’ a break?"

  Gabriella shook her head. "I'm not sure, but probably soon. They've been shooting for almost an hour. Liv must be tired."

  Trey had never given much thought to how difficult a model's work might be. To him, as a consumer, it seemed like they stood in front of the camera and made a few faces. But, in reality, their expressions had to talk to the camera and to the consumer without words. They had to portray the tone and purpose of the advertisement with their bodies. It must be tiring to be "on" like that for hours. As he watched, he gained new respect for the models he'd only admired for their beauty before.

  Next to him, Gabriella sighed. "I hope I can be like Liv someday. She's amazing."

  "You make her sound so old," Trey pointed out.

  "She's twenty-four! She's only got another four or five years left."

  "Then she's relegated to the Old Models' Home?"

  Gabriella giggled again. "No. She'll have to move into something else. Acting, maybe, although at our size, that's not so easy."

  The photographer called a break, so Trey stood. "I think your size is perfect."

  She eyed him for a moment, then smiled. "Thank you." She looked toward one of the trailers. "I have to get to make-up now. You were waiting for Liv, right?"

  "Yeah."

  "I'll tell her you’re here." She hurried off before Trey could prevent her from telling Liv about his presence. He would have preferred that she find him on her own.

  As it was, when Gabriella pointed out Trey, Liv's face broke into a sweet smile and she hurried over to greet him.

  "Trey! You made it!"

  "Did you doubt I would?"

  Her cheeks got a little pink. "I wasn't sure. It is getting late, and…well, I'm glad you're here."

  He smoothed a fingertip down her cheek. "I'm glad I'm here, too." He gestured toward the grove of magnolias and pecan trees. "Care to go for a walk?"

  "Sure. Let me change. These clothes aren't actually mine."

  Trey hadn't thought of that, but it made sense. "No problem."

  It took her about ten minutes, during which he met the director who needed his chair back, and another of the models. The little flock of women were all so pretty and personable, he felt like he was a welcome diversion rather than a pain in the ass.

  Liv returned wearing jeans and a light cotton blouse with short sleeves, and sneakers. She looked tall and curvy in all the right places, but modest, in contrast to her earlier cleavage-bearing outfit.

  Trey took her by the hand and they wandered off into the trees.

  Their conversation was stilted, but as they warmed into it, it got more relaxed.

  "So my mother had the headshots taken and sent them to a bunch of modeling agencies. A couple bit, and that was the beginning."

  "Your mother must have been ambitious for you."

  "She wasn't the kind of mom who bakes cookies after school, but she did think my looks were my ticket. In many ways she was right."

  "Was your mom livin' vicariously through you, do you think?"

  Liv looked pensive as she reached out and touched one of the trees they were passing. "I don't think so. She had a pretty solid writing career. I think she hoped for a way to pay for my college education. It kind of got out of hand, that's all."

  "So you never went to colle
ge?"

  "No time. I was clawing my way in my career."

  Trey squeezed her hand. "Do you regret it?"

  "No." She hesitated. "Yes. I have nothing to fall back on. What did you study in college?"

  "My degree is in U.S. History."

  "That's an accomplishment."

  "I go through continuous trainin' on a variety of things, so I'm never really done in my army education."

  He paused their progress. They were deep in the fragrant trees where a narrow deer track meandered through to a stream not far away. The water sound was pleasant background music. Trey turned her so that they stood face to face, and then he cupped her chin.

  She didn't resist the pressure of his lips on hers.

  He reveled in the warm softness of her and her little intake of air as he tongued her mouth open just far enough to admit him. His hands moved into her long hair, finding it silky and slippery clean. She tasted of licorice, which surprised him a little.

  "Licorice?" he whispered.

  "It's my weakness. I can't resist licorice jelly beans."

  He chuckled and pressed his forehead to hers. It was nice that she was tall. Most women were dwarfed by his six-foot-six frame. "Now I know how to tempt you into my evil web."

  "You're about as evil as the Energizer Bunny."

  He laughed again. "My batteries last even longer."

  Liv smiled. "I'll bet they do. Are you going to kiss me again, or talk me to death?"

  "Well, given those choices…" He pulled her into his arms and stole into her mouth again, this time with more force. She seemed to enjoy it, making little mewling noises and offering her tongue as a dueling-mate.

  As he kissed her, Trey ran his hands down her back and to her rump, squeezing it and pressing her hips forward into his erection. He was throbbing and the heat of her soft belly against him made it almost painful, but he didn't want to stop. It was a different kind of relief he wanted. But he needed to be confident of her submissiveness before he pressed for much more. It wouldn't do to frighten her or put himself in a position to be disappointed.

  Panting, they broke away, and she rested her forehead against his collarbone.

  He pressed her chin up with two fingers so that he could look her in the eyes. "I won't tell you that you're beautiful, Liv, because I'll bet you hear that from a hundred people a day. But I will tell you that you appeal to me on a lot of different levels, not just because you're a good fit against my body."