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Yeah, right. She bumped him with her hip. I can tell youre a real slut. Though she remembered his words. I dont usually date outside the club It suggested hed been telling the truth, when he said hed been waiting for her call. She wasnt sure what to make of that. Truth be told, he was like nothing shed ever met before.
When he slid an arm around her back, she automatically leaned into him, feeling her tiredness. A m I prying? she asked.
No. Well, yeah, but I want you to be interested. Sometimes, depending on how a relationship ends, its too painful to keep a picture, you know?
But do you keep them?
It depends. On whether that helps me move on or not. The last one, no.
She saw the shadow, registered the tension that tightened the biceps against her shoulder blades. Im sorry. How long ago?
Over a year. Before you think it, no, you are not a rebound. He gave her a little admonishing squeeze.
She believed him. But what about her? He was her first foray into a relationship, hell, even dating, since that terrible day. Her first attempt to open herself up in the way a good romance demanded, fully experiencing the tingling delight, wonder and adventure of falling in love again, wherever it ended up. Only she wasnt sure what shed find in her heart, when and if she opened it fully again. She was afraid those spurts of unreasoning anger and desire to hurt, strike out, were evidence of the sharp slivers her heart had become.
She could see the ground level hallway off the sitting room led to a bathroom and home office. In his kitchen, where hed been checking his messages, a small four-person table was visible through the pass through. Following her desire, she headed for the stairs to the second level. She had a sudden impulse to take him at his word, see, explore whatever she wanted, without asking permission. A s she went up the carpeted stairs and reached the hallway, she noted there was a guest bedroom. It wasnt his, because it didnt have any personal articles. When he turned on the light, she could see two rooms off further down the hallway. More intriguing prints lined the walls. This time they were water scenes, shots that she assumed had called to the swimmer in him.
She glanced over her shoulder. He stood behind her, hand on the light switch, gazing down at her face in that intent way that made heat prickle on her skin and increased her awareness of where she was headed.
I want to see where you were lying, that night I called you, she said, her voice husky. Id like to see your bedroom.
He nodded, gesturing her forward, letting her lead. He didnt say anything further as she stepped through the doorway. Her gaze fell on a king-sized shaker style bed of dark sleek wood. The throw was the dark, swirling blue color of the deep ocean. A n oil painting positioned above the head board picked up the nautical theme. It depicted a storm-stirred sea against a lightning-illuminated bank of clouds, no other features except the turbulence of the waves and foam of the white caps.
She briefly noted his armoire and closet, a single dresser. One silk tie and jacket were folded over the arm of a straight chair. She imagined hed been running late after work and had left them there before heading for Marguerite and Tylers. Or maybe they were there for Monday. In her minds eye, she saw him getting ready for work. Sitting down in the chair to pull on his shoes, standing in front of the dresser mirror to adjust the tie.
Picking up his keys, sliding his wallet into his coat or pants. Through an open door, she saw a spacious master bath reflected in the mirror over the sink.
Her heart dared to give her another image. Her, living with him. Destroying all that neatness with her propensity for leaving her clothes everywhere. Turning on music in the morning to dance around him as he shaved at the mirror. Hed be smiling at her as she karaoked for him, garbled, because her toothbrush was in her mouth.
It hadnt even occurred to her hearts imaginings that shed stay in the guestroom.
Brendan touched her lower back as he moved past her. He went to the nightstand and laid his cell phone in the charger there.
Where do you She cut herself off, turned and went to the armoire. Opened it and let her gaze wander over the clothes hung to one side.
Compartments on the right held a few sets of good shoes, an assortment of ties and slacks on racks. There were some built-in drawers and she opened the top one to find socks, underwear, the lower one revealing jeans.
Nodding to herself, she moved to the closet. She noted he shifted, as if he might stop her, or wanted to say something first, but when she glanced at him, he only gestured, confirming she was free to do as she pleased. He sat down on the bed, his eyes on her.
The door did have a keyed lock, so he could secure it if he wished. But it was open to her. While it turned under her hand, she didnt immediately pull it open.
She knew what had to be in here. The carnival had made clear being a sexual submissive wasnt a casual pastime in his life. It was innate to who he was. The person who wanted to be with him would need not only to accept that, but embrace it. She wished she could banish Mistress Lydas words, but she couldnt, could she? Because she didnt know her feelings on any of it.
If she didnt open the closet, he might think she was rejecting that part of him. However, that wasnt why she was wavering. She didnt want the ugliness that had gripped her at the carnival to take over here. While she wasnt sure what had happened, she was pretty sure having the trappings and tools to put him entirely at her mercy had been a dangerous catalyst.
A s she wavered between what she owed him and what she owed herself, the overhead light clicked off. It would have alarmed her, except there was still light thrown into the room from the hallway. A nd Brendan was here.
She didnt turn, but heard his feet cross the carpet. Then his hand closed over hers on the doorknob. He pressed close, the curve of her buttock against his thigh, his hip bone. Flattening his palm on her abdomen, he traced the navel through her dress, a teasing circle, then curved his fingers inward so his knuckles glided up her body, shifting to follow the line of her left breast.
Hed lingered at the navel, identifying that bump of scar tissue, but he hadnt commented on it. A s his long fingers straightened so the pads grazed her nipple, before he closed over the curve fully, taking gentle possession, she whispered the truth of it.
I used to have a piercing there.
Yeah? He disengaged her grip on the knob, and brought her hand back behind her, guiding her until she molded her hand over his right buttock. Her thumb tucked into his jeans pocket, helping her keep her hand there. Her touch moved with cautious but unmistakable greedy pleasure over the well-toned muscle.
A s he let that hand go, he slid his arm forward over her shoulder. She figured hed cross over his other to clasp her other breast, but his destination was higher, his palm curving around her neck, one finger sliding over her cheek, thumb tracing her bottom lip. Slow caresses of her breast with the other hand made the nipple ache and flesh swell.
What was your favorite piece of jewelry for it? he murmured. What did it look like?
