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It was starting to sting.
TWENTY-TWO
Pike kept his eyes on the road as Oakley dug through her bag and grabbed fresh clothes to change into. She wriggled into clean underwear and jeans and then pulled her post-sex hair into a ponytail. By the time they drove up to the hospital, she looked like nothing had happened between them tonight.
And maybe for her, the memory could be wiped away that easily. But for him, the events of the evening lingered, sinking into his bones and settling in. He and Oakley hadn’t even made it to The Ranch tonight, but being with her had been like nothing he’d ever experienced. It had all been so easy, so effortless. They could joke and tease. They could be dirty. They could trust each other enough to indulge in a taboo fantasy.
He’d thought he’d feel like an absolute creep taking her up on her offer to play out that force fantasy. He never wanted to force a woman to do anything. But somehow it hadn’t felt that way with her. Knowing she was getting off on the roughness had been the biggest turn-on. It’d sparked something inside him that had made him want to spank her, had made him want to hold her down and tease her.
For the first time in his life, he understood where his friends in the lifestyle were coming from. Pike had thought he knew what it was about, but tonight with Oakley had felt altogether different. They’d called it a game, and on the surface, it had been. But the layer beneath was real and honest. They’d tapped into some part of themselves that they didn’t show the world. There’d been an undercurrent he’d never had before even when he’d done D/s scenes with others. And he knew there was more there, more to uncover and experience. But he had a feeling he may not get the chance because Oakley was going to run. When he’d said something about dating, she’d shut him down cold.
And he knew it wasn’t fair to expect anything more from her. He was acting like a groupie who tried to change the price of poker after the hookup. Oakley hadn’t led him on. She’d set up her parameters up front. But right now, he wasn’t so ready to play by those rules.
Pike turned down an aisle in the parking lot of the hospital, looking for a spot. Oakley grabbed her bag. “You can just drop me off at the front. You don’t have to get out.”
He peered over at her, sending her his non-negotiable look. “I’m going in.”
“But—”
“I want to see if Reagan is okay, too. And you’re going to need a ride back to your car.” He pulled into a parking spot.
“I can ride with my brother.”
“I’m the only one who can get into the garage. I’m coming with you. Get over it, mama.” He cut the ignition.
She blew out a breath. “This dominant thing is going to your head. But fine, come on. Just stick to the story that we’ve been working.”
“Of course.” He hopped out of the truck and went to her side. But she’d already gotten out before he could grab her door.
He wanted to take her hand as they walked through the lot, try to calm her. She had that frantic mama bear look on her face, but he knew his touch wouldn’t be welcome here. He couldn’t have her that way in real life. This was her family. He was the outsider.
They made their way into the waiting room and before Oakley could ask at the front desk, a man came striding toward them. He looked to be dressed for the outdoors—cargo pants, hiking boots, and an army green T-shirt—but somehow it all looked perfectly put together. Like he wasn’t really going camping but modeling for a camping catalog. The only thing that looked off was the dark hair going every which way—like the guy had been raking through it repeatedly.
The man met Oakley with a big hug. “Jesus, you must’ve teleported here. You said an hour.”
Oakley gave him a squeeze. “Pike was creative with the speed limit.”
Oakley’s brother stepped back and put a hand out to Pike. “Thanks for getting her here. I’m Devon.”
He shook Devon’s hand. “Pike. And no problem. We got here as soon as we could. How’s Reagan?”
“Her wrist is broken.”
Oakley winced, and Pike instinctively put a hand on her shoulder to give it a squeeze. Devon’s eyes went to the touch, and Pike lowered his hand to his side.
“But it was a clean break,” Devon assured Oakley. “They’re putting it in a splint for now. Then in a few days when the swelling goes down, they’ll cast it. A month in the cast and she’ll be all fixed up. Hunter is in there with her. I had to stay out here since Lucas crashed half an hour ago.”
Devon nodded his head toward one of the plastic waiting room chairs where a young boy was curled up and fast asleep.
Oakley let out a breath. “Thank God she’s all right. Where is she?”
“Right through those doors. It’s room B. Tell the nurse at the desk, and she’ll get you back there. I know Rae will be relieved to see you, and the hospital needs you to sign some papers anyway.”
She turned to Pike. “Thanks for bringing me.”
He cocked a thumb to the waiting room area. “I’ll be out here whenever y’all are ready to leave.”
“Pike—”
