Page 105 of The Dom with a Safeword

She walked behind her and pressed a kiss to the back of Q’s neck. “I love you the way you are.”

Q’s shoulders tensed and the knife froze in place, hovering over the vegetable. It’d been a week since Q’s bad night with that jerk Dom. Sabrina had used the L-word dozens of times since then yet she still acted as if she didn’t believe it. She’d known it would be hard to prove to her friend after what she’d put her through. All she could do now was keep at it, until she finally gave in and accepted her love.

A long sigh then Q said, “I know, beautiful.”

Sabrina paused halfway to the fridge. She knew? A big grin stretched across her face. It was about time! Though they’d been acting like girlfriends, something was still missing. The last week had been the best they’d had since Jude left, but it wasn’t perfect. Things were tense between them. They hadn’t done anything kinky and she was beginning to crave it. She’d even bratted a bit last night, hoping Q’s inner Domme would rise to the surface and deliver a smack-down. But it hadn’t. Though moping less than before, Q was still unhappy. What would it take to get the old Q back?

Sabrina felt it too. An emptiness. Like a piece of them was missing. She had Q on her right but her left was gone. Jude. She still got choked up when she thought of him. His song had been on the radio a couple days ago and she’d had to pull over the car to cry.

She sighed and wiped her eyes. Damn onions. They had to force themselves to move on. At least now they had each other.

She threw some ingredients on the table then grabbed her mp3 player and docked it. Picking some quiet background music only took a few minutes, but she kept checking on Q anyway. The girl was next to helpless in the kitchen. It was both amusing and sad. Funny because Q needed adult supervision to attempt an omelet. Sad because Q’s older brothers raised her through her teens – meaning that beer in her morning cereal had been common, whereas real food hadn’t.

A knock at the door startled her. She turned to Q. “You expecting someone?”

Q shook her head. “It might be the neighbor looking for his cat again.”

“Hmm. I’ll get it. Keep stirring the onions.” She left the kitchen but called over her shoulder, “Take them off in a minute though if I’m not back.” At the door, she wiped her hands on her jeans then gripped the doorknob, swung it open, and gasped.

Six plus feet of masculine beauty stood in her doorway. He hooked his thumbs in his pockets and rocked back on his heels, his expression pained.

“Jude,” she breathed. She couldn’t move. Never in a million years had she expected him to show up on her doorstep.

“Hi.” When she just stared, he pressed his lips together and gave her a tiny smile that spoke more of discomfort than humor.

Sabrina gave her head a little shake. Swallowing down the words that were dying to spill out was almost impossible. Her jaw worked. Saying, you bastard, where the fuck have you been, would not endear her to him.

He’s here. But why?

“Um… come in. We’re cooking.” She backed out of the way. Then she couldn’t resist it anymore. “If you left a toothbrush behind, it’s long gone.”

Those eyes of his, focused down on her. Had he even registered what she’d said?

He stepped closer, then tentatively reached out and took a lock of her hair between his fingers. The nearness, the scent of him – it sent some indefinable emotion spiraling down inside her. She should speak, slap him, do something.

When she didn’t pull away, he played with her hair then released it. “God, I missed this,” he whispered.

She blinked, opened her mouth then closed it again. “Look, whatever it is you want…” Tears brimmed in her eyes but she tensed, blinking to make them go away. “You can’t just…”

So damn confusing…showing up like this. The possibilities confounded her. Was he truly back? Or just visiting? If she asked him bluntly if he was staying and he said no again, she would break. If she let him in, Q would think it too. And twice might shatter her friend. She couldn’t let that happen.

“I can’t just what?” He searched her face then straightened a little and took a breath. “I missed you. Both of you.”

“Who is it, Sabrina?” Q asked from the kitchen.

But when he raised his head to reply, she put the flat of her hand on his chest. She looked directly at him, blinking back more stupid tears. She wanted to wrap her arms around his waist, lay her head against his chest, inhale his familiar scent, feel his heavy hands on her back…she wanted to stay like that forever. But she had to protect Q.

“Don’t… Don’t you hurt her. Please. Go away now if you’re not staying. You don’t know what this did. I won’t have her hurt again –”

“Shh.” For a second, he gently laid his finger across her lips. “I won’t. I promise, Sabrina. I’m sorry.” Regret surfaced in his eyes.

“Okay,” she said softly then raised her voice. “Q. It’s Jude.”

A moment of silence then, “Ha, ha. Very funny.”

Jude smiled. “You’re not going to come say hi, brat?”

A loud clatter in the kitchen made Sabrina run in to check on Q. She stood, eyes wide, cooked onions around her on the floor. If she’d burned her bare feet she hadn’t noticed. Sabrina went to the counter for a towel, when she turned around, Q was gone.