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"You don't want to discuss that kiss we shared, or talk about whatever else I probably did to you last night and still don't remember?"
His grin widened a bit along with his eyes as he shook his head at me.
"You should just tell me, James." I had no intention of letting this go anymore.
"I know we need to talk about it, Win, I do. It's just that I don't think right now…today…is the right time for that discussion." He brought his thumb back to my cheekbone and caressed. "It was a long, traumatic night, and I was right there watching you struggle the whole time. There weren't that many hours for sleep by the time we got back here, and if I'm fucking drained, you have to be ready to drop." He looked at my bandaged hand and gently covered it with his own. "So, I'd like to propose how today will go instead of what you had planned, because your original one of dishing out Thanksgiving dinners for the homeless is definitely out. You know that, right?" The determined look he gave me was tempered with kindness, which oddly soothed me in spite of my disappointment.
My heart sank, but I was in no position to argue. I couldn't serve food. I wasn't totally confident I could shower and dress without some help. It was also an hour past the time I said I'd would be in. "I figured as much," I said with a heavy heart.
"Caleb and your mom already gave me full authority to make sure you take it very slow today."
I nodded and tried to get
a grip on my emotions.
"It can't be that bad, Win. They must have plenty of volunteers today. Don't people with guilty consciences flock in for Thanksgiving in particular to help out? I've seen it in the news before."
"Yeah…it's not that. They'll have plenty of help today, you're right."
"Then why so sad?" He dipped his head to meet me face to face. "You look devastated."
"The cookies for Shane and Brenna…I promised them, and now I'll just be another asshole adult who let them down. I hate being that person more than I hate the sight of blood." I felt myself choke up. I could barely make sense of my emotions right now. Part of me wanted to fall into a deep sleep of denial, and the other part wanted to hear James's version of the two of us after he brought me back home.
"You've never been an asshole and you never will be," he said as he pulled me into his arms. I breathed in his spicy scent and realized nothing felt better than being against James. Nothing. I was quickly becoming addicted and didn't want him to pull away. I could be happy being held by him for as long as he wanted to do it.
"James, I…I hate to ask this, but will you take me to the center…just so I can drop off the cookies to Shane and Brenna?" My mouth was against the side of his neck, and I had the furious urge to lick him there.
His arms tightened their hold as he comprehended my question. "On one condition."
"What is it?" What could he possibly want from me in return? James has never needed anything from me.
"You're coming with me to my parents' for Thanksgiving after."
Chapter Nine
JAMES
"I can do that," she agreed, maybe a little too quickly.
She surprised me by being so compliant, but her willingness only served as a turn-on for me. I wasn't complaining. Her eyes flicked over me as she studied my face, probably searching for answers about my motivations for asking her to join me at my parents'. I wasn't ready to do much beyond taking care of her right now, but the spark of an idea had taken root in my head anyway.
Something that would probably never fucking work.
But man, I wanted it to.
I didn't have the answers, but I sure as hell wasn't going to jinx everything by rushing in half-cocked. Which was never my problem around Winter. Ever. My dick was of the fully cocked variety if in the same room with her. Telling me she loved me last night wasn't helping in the sense of trying to keep everything cool and moving slowly. My heart was screaming one thing and my head another. Caution was a trait I'd adopted as a way to survive in my world, and I needed it now.
At least Thanksgiving dinner with my father, something I'd dreaded for weeks, was now a meeting I actually looked forward to. Which was a novelty. I wanted to see the look on his face once he realized who I'd brought with me. I wouldn't offer a sliver of an explanation to him either. Let him try and figure out what was going on without benefit of the whole backstory for once. My father wasn't going to be allowed to control my future. As long as I had breath in my body, any decisions regarding my life were my own.
Winter didn't even hesitate in agreeing to go with me. In fact, she'd gone along with every one of my demands since I'd started handing them down this morning—which only made her all the more irresistible. I could no longer mistake her consistent signals for what they truly were: naturally submissive behaviors. My thoughts flashed to an image of her bound naked to my bed, her body splayed out for me to worship. I felt my mouth begin to water, and everything below the waist start to tighten.
Off-the-charts-fucking sexy was how she appeared in my fleeting fantasy. I had to keep reminding myself that's all it was. A glorious fantasy.
For now.
And I'd thought I was attracted to Winter before last night. My inner Dom was dying to meet her inner sub with a craving so intense I feared how things might eventually play out. I'd never felt this way about any other woman before. Not Leah. Not anyone.
My previous belief that Winter and I weren't suited was quickly going down in flames, and I was running out of reasons to keep a distance. Especially when she looked at me like she was doing right now with her sexy eyes melting through my resistance like a hot knife into butter.
