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“Not at one of your hotels?”
“We can stay at the Maison Sterling if you wish. I just thought you’d prefer to catch your own glimpse inside the wrought-iron gates.”
Excitement threatened to sweep her away. Of course she wanted to see the internal workings of his secret society. “You’re not playing fair.”
“Do you expect me to?” Without waiting for a response, he went on, “How many other people do you know who have been invited? And I’d like to take you to dinner someplace special.”
Her mind raced through the names of famous high-end restaurants in the French Quarter.
“Outside of New Orleans,” he clarified. “This one is private, someplace I can show off my beautiful submissive.”
Wide-eyed, she forgot to breathe. “I don’t even know if I want to be your submissive.”
“Even better. A weekend away will give you the chance to find out if we are compatible in all ways. You will have your safe word, and if you hate being my sub, you can discontinue the role. Then we can continue to have a nice time as associates.”
He was asking a lot. Maybe too much. Hope wasn’t sure whether she wanted that, whether she was strong enough to meet his desires and constant demands, but she was tempted.
Heat flared in his eyes. “Say yes, sweet Hope. What’s the worst that can happen? You’ll have a weekend away, get treated like a princess, explore your most sinful desires, learn about yourself, eat some wonderful food, visit the Zeta Society’s plantation. Champagne. A massage, perhaps?”
None of those things were the worst that that could happen, by any means. There was much more at stake, the possibility she would become attached to Rafe, the way her mother had been to Hope’s father. Then if things didn’t work out, she’d be devastated. It was far safer for her not to take the risk.
“Perhaps you might even be able to convince yourself that we are not compatible, that you wouldn’t fit into my lifestyle or that I would fit into yours. But you’d know for sure. Come with me, Hope. Find out for yourself.”
CHAPTER TEN
Damn Rafe and his tempting suggestions.
Hope’s alarm blared, and she dragged herself awake to turn it off. When blessed silence hung over the room, she flipped onto her back. She’d dreamed of walking down the aisle toward him. He wore a black tailored tuxedo. Naked or in a suit, he was delicious. But in her fantasies, in a tux? He’d swept his gaze over her, a slow, soft smile of appreciation curving his lips. How could she have doubted that marrying him was a good idea?
Exhausted from the restless night, she plumped her pillow and closed her eyes again. A nightmare pulled her under, and she was trapped in a place she didn’t understand. Rafe was her whole world. Bright strobe lights flashed through her, wild and unbalancing. Then she was in a house of mirrors, her image squat in one, elongated in another. She was businesswoman in a suit, a sub on her knees, a seductress at a restaurant. The glass shattered, and she was in a room that spun with color and screams, infatuated with a man who didn’t return the feeling.
She woke screaming, clenching the sheets.
The Colonel leaped onto the bed, eyes filled with condemnation.
“Sorry.” Hope released her death grip. “Did I disturb you?”
The cat licked her paw, then burrowed beneath the blankets, ignoring Hope.
With a sigh, Hope pushed herself up onto her elbows and grabbed her phone. Her heart stumbled at the sight of a text from Rafe. Why, oh why, did she have to have such a powerful reaction every time he contacted her?
Have dinner with me tonight? My place. We can talk privately. Try to cover the third C.
She was pretty sure they had that covered too. Last night she hadn’t wanted to admit the truth to either of them.
Phone still in hand, she dropped back against her pillow and blew out a breath as she considered his invitation. The last time she’d had a night that restless was almost two years ago, when her mother had died. Nightmares had lasted for weeks before exhaustion had cured her insomnia. Yet if she said no to Rafe, her brain would continue to feed her this horrible mix of possibility and fear. The question was, would she be as disturbed if she said yes?
