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Chapter Four
“Are you going to invite me in?” Nathan asked after he’d parked near her condominium building on Caroline Street.
Since he’d first set eyes on her, he’d been captivated.
When Connor had called a couple of hours ago, Nathan had been speechless. So much so that his brother had checked to be sure they were still connected.
From the little he’d known about Kelsey, Nathan would never have suspected she had an interest in BDSM and he’d asked a dozen questions, enough to ascertain that it had been a female friend who had called and not a Dom or sub calling on her behalf. Connor had said he didn’t have any further information, and Nathan had been determined to discover the rest.
Only one thing was sure in his mind. If she was interested in learning about D/s, she would do it under his guidance.
He’d ended the call and searched her out, only to see that she’d left for the day. His fucking watch had shown that his heart rate was elevated. Nathan had told himself that wasn’t possible. But as he’d stared and focused on regulating his breathing, the number had decreased.
Because he’d skipped his usual morning workout, he’d decided to spend some time in the fitness center while he thought through the best way to approach her.
And the moment she’d walked into the cardio area, he’d known it. All his protective senses had gone on alert, and he’d seen her in a completely new light.
He’d noticed her surreptitious glances and the way she’d turned her head the moment he’d acknowledged them. When he’d walked past her after lifting weights, he’d made his decision. Talking to her outside work was more appropriate. And he’d been honest earlier. Once he’d made a decision, he acted on it.
He’d been waiting a couple of minutes when she’d exited the ladies’ dressing room. And he’d registered her reaction to seeing him.
The same attraction he felt had been reflected in her wide, hazel eyes, in the way she’d parted her lips and the way she’d paused. He’d known that getting her to go out with him might take a little persuasion, but he was determined.
Something hot had arced through him, searing him with possessiveness.
He turned off the engine and angled his body to see her better beneath the overhead streetlight. “Kelsey?”
“Uhm…” She looked at him and brought her chin up. “This is awkward.”
“Is it?”
“You don’t think so?”
“Tell me why you do.”
“Isn’t it obvious? You’re my boss. My job depends on pleasing you.”
“Would you like me to fire you?”
“What?” She threaded her purse strap through her fingers. “Will you be serious?”
“I am. If you working for me stops us having an honest discussion about this—”
“About what?”
“The attraction we both feel.”
“I…” She let out her breath.
“Deny it,” he told her. “Go ahead. But I’ll know if you’re lying.”
“Mr. Donovan—”
“Nathan,” he reminded her.
She squeezed her eyes closed for a long time.
Patiently, he waited.
She eventually looked at him again. “I’m not sure I’ve ever felt more uncomfortable.”
“We could discuss it inside. That would enable us to have a little more distance between us. Make no mistake, though, we will talk, either tonight or in the future. I have questions, so do you. We both want and deserve honest answers.”
For a few more seconds, she fiddled with her purse strap. “I’m nervous.”
“Thank you for saying so. And you don’t need to be. It would be more disconcerting for you to show up for work tomorrow knowing Connor had told me you were going to Deviation. You’d be wondering what he’d said, guessing at my reactions, thinking that maybe you should resign. Let’s put it all on the table, have a look at it, discuss it, see where we are.”
“You’re making this sound very…” She let go of the thin strap of leather that she’d been playing with. “Reasonable.”
“Good. It should be.” For now.
“You can leave your car out here,” she said, pointing across the street.
Which meant she was inviting him up. He was unaccountably happy about that.
“Or there’s a parking garage.”
“Perfect.”
He followed her instructions and navigated to the guest spaces. After he’d shut off the engine, he came around to open her door then grabbed her duffel bag.
She led him up a flight of stairs then exited in her hallway.
Her building was in a vibrant area, near museums, the medical center, restaurants. By comparison, his house seemed a bit isolated. That was something he really hadn’t paid attention to until now.
