Her fingers dragged lower, then rested lightly against my belt buckle.
“You thinking too hard,” she said quietly behind me.
I took another pull from the cigar, letting the smoke go before I answered.
“You always gotta say something after I tell you no, huh?”
“Maybe I just don’t agree with your answer.”
I reached up with my free hand and caught her wrist before she could go any further.
“That’s the problem right there,” I said, glancing back at her. “You think this is a negotiation.”
“It is.” She met my eyes, unfazed. “You’re a business man, right? You know how it is. You wouldn’t take no as an answer on the first go, so why should I?”
I studied her for a second.
That defiance.I was so tempted to drill it out of her. And that’s exactly why I said no.
I let her wrist go, leaning back into the couch again.
“You don’t even know what you asking for,” I repeat.
“Then teach me.”
I huffed quietly. “You don’t get trained into submission, Aurora. You either wired for it or you’re not. And you’re not.”
She stepped around the couch then, coming into my line of sight, arms folding as she looked down at me.
“And you decided I’m not?”
“Not if you don’t listen.”
She rolled her eyes. “You keep saying that like I don’t listen at all.”
I took another pull from the cigar, watching her through the smoke.
“You don’t,” I said simply. “You hear me and that ain’t the same thing. I always gotta repeat myself with you.”
“You like that I don’t listen,” she leaned in and put her hand on my chest again, “you wouldn’t be sitting here thinking about it if you didn’t.”
My jaw flexed and my eye twitched.
“Besides,” she looked at me. “ I listen enough.”
“If you listened enough, you’d know I don’t like being touched.”
“Liar.” She pushed further. “You like when I touch you.”
See what I mean?
“I’m not arguing with you about it anymore. I said no. Get your rat and go get dressed.”
Surprising no one, she didn’t move. In fact, she even got closer, close enough that I could feel her breath on my skin. Then she lowered herself down on her knees in front of me, back straight, hands resting lightly against her thighs.
I looked down at her, puffing smoke again.
She held my gaze with no smile this time.
