Page 41 of To Catch a Sub

“Yes.”

He waited, sure she’d say something more, but she actually did what he asked and answered the yes or no question with yes or no. His lips twitched, and when she grinned, he gave in and returned the smile.

“Have you ever been a bartender?”

“No.” She drew out the vowel, in a teasing way.

He narrowed his eyes, thinking. She hadn’t been a bartender, but she’d done something related to alcohol. What kind of job would a thief…

“Have you ever been a sommelier?”

She let out a delighted laugh. “Yes.”

He groaned. “What ridiculously expensive bottle of wine did you steal?”

“I’m sorry, I can’t answer that.” She pursed her lips in a mocking almost-pout. “It’s not a yes or no question.”

He wanted to kiss her and shake her. No, it would be better to shake her, then kiss her.

Fuck. He had to stop thinking about kissing her, fucking her, topping her…

Except he couldn’t. He had to think about that last one.

Landon leaned forward, elbows braced on his knees. Time to ask the real question. The one had had been haunting him. “Colette?”

“Yes, Landon?”

“Are you a sexual submissive?”

Colette’s gaze met and held his. Every muscle in his body was tense in anticipation of her reply.

She took a slow breath, released it, and then dropped her gaze from his. “Yes,” she said softly. “I am.”

TEN

The British Museum

Several years earlier

Okay, this is…helpful, even if it makes my job harder.” Landon smiled at Colette. “Who told you about this lock, and the key?”

“I don’t want to get anyone into trouble.” She looked around. “Actually, we shouldn’t be in here.” Colette grabbed Landon’s arm and dragged him to the door. “We shouldn’t be in this section of the museum at all.”

Landon let her push him out, and when she nervously fumbled the key, he took it from her and locked the door. She went to tuck the key back under the rug, but he pulled out an evidence bag and put the key in it, before tucking it into his pocket.

“Evidence?” Her voice rose in panic. “Evidence of what? Am I going to jail? Or worse, am I losing my internship?” Colette grabbed him by the lapels and tried to shake him. “You better not get me fired.”

He took her hands and gently pried them loose from his jacket. Once again there was a little tingle when they touched. “Colette, the key shouldn’t be there. I’m going to talk to the museum director about this.”

“Oh my god, I’m getting fired. Why did I show you this?” Her eyes were wide and luminescent behind her glasses.

Guilt bit at him. “You told me because you had information you thought the police needed.”

Colette opened her mouth, closed it, then started walking away, her shoulders hunched, arms wrapped around her middle.

He felt like an ass.

Landon followed her, his longer legs eating up the meters. He was able to catch her at the security door, putting his hand on it before she could exit back into the public areas of the museum.