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His expression immediately shadowed.
“But no.” It was the truth. She wanted him. Maybe one day her fear about total submission, or her anger about Clara, would override her need for him, but apparently it wasn’t today. She wanted him, and she didn’t like the shadows in his eyes. “It really does worry you, being the dominant one?”
“Of course it does. It’s a responsibility. One that I enjoy, but there are risks, and that’s why trust is so important.” He seemed relieved she’d mentioned it, his expression relaxing. “We have a connection, a bond, you and I. We’re well matched and that’s worth fighting for.” His hand closed over her hip, possessively. “I want to fight for this…and by fight I don’t mean argue.” His mouth lifted at one side.
A soft laugh escaped her. “I’m glad you clarified. I’d hate to think you actually enjoyed that..." she tossed her head back...“scene out there.”
“I enjoyed the sex we had, not the argument.”
“We're agreed on that then.”
He nodded, then his eyelids dropped.
The tension of the moment intensified. He could do that, she realized, he could make the mood change. It was part of his role as master, to control the mood to suit what needed to be done – or on this occasion – what needed to be said. Her throat felt tight.
“I need you to understand how things are with Clara.” He looked at her, clearly assessing her reaction.
“I thought we'd pushed Clara away now?”
“We have…for the moment. It’s important you know I can never truly end that connection because she’s the mother of my child.”
Why did that hurt? It was ridiculous of her to be jealous of his past and its hold on him. She’d no right to feel that way, yet she did.
She turned away, acutely aware he was studying her expression. It hurts because I do want him, I do want more. And Clara was in the way, the ex. Her own reaction disturbed her. It wasn’t in her nature to be possessive, but she was. And it was too soon to be territorial, but it'd happened.
Lucas didn’t let her turn away for long. Drawing her back to face him, he held her in place. “Naomi, the past never goes away.”
Naomi wasn’t sure she wanted to hear that, but if she put her hands over her ears and shook her head – which she had the urge to do – it would look like she didn’t trust him. She had to trust him on this. “I understand.”
“I want to be with you, and I’m passionate about that. About you.” He smoothed her hair back from her face.
It wasn’t what Naomi expected to hear. She was urging herself to be guarded, to get her priorities right, and yet he could undo all of that with a simple remark. “Really?”
“Really. The reason I chased you down is because I don’t want to be without you.”
Again, Naomi felt her chest tighten. She put her finger to his mouth, silencing him. The relief she felt made her breathe, and it made her smile. “Lucas. You’ve given me freedom to enjoy sex fully, beyond anything I’ve ever known. I didn’t even know I was submissive until you showed me.” Her heart ached as she said it aloud.
He stared into her eyes then nodded.
Embarrassed by her confession, she glanced away. “In fact I trust you more in bed than I do out of it.”
He held her gaze. “Excuse me? Explain yourself.”
“I’m still finding my way with you as a businessman. Look,“ she prodded him in the chest with one finger, “you’ve got your issues I’ve got mine. I have a lot at stake here. I owe it to my mother’s memory to make a success of my business. Right now, after my meet with Georgio, I wonder if I should have turned your dinner date down that first evening.”
“You don’t mean that.” His brow furrowed.
“I’m a businesswoman as much as you are a businessman. I need to guard my corner, and that’s been hard when I’m physically and emotionally involved with you.”
He nodded. She knew he understood her – he knew that she was falling for him, and that she was resisting it. “That’s in hand. It’s up to you and Georgio now.”
“Yes, and if he says no, he doesn’t want to represent me, than I'll go to another agent. How will you feel about that?” She held her breath. It'd taken a lot of nerve to say it aloud, but it had to be done. No compromise, not when it came to Drusilla’s.
He didn’t answer right away, and she could see he was struggling with the need to take charge – to make it fit. “I’d have to live with it. I want you and that has nothing to do with business.”
Relief flooded her. She wilted against him, resting against his massive chest, her eyes closing for a moment.
“I guess it’s my turn now. Cards on the table.”
