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“Certain behaviors, huh? You wereappalledwhen I took you to Clay’s!”
“Because I don’t want to get entangled in that stuff anymore. I’d hoped I’d grown out of it.”
“That may be the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard come out of your mouth, and let me tell you, you say some straight-up ridiculous shit sometimes, shug. Don’t try to act like you and Leah aren’t cut from the same cloth, because yousoare.”
Valerie rolled her eyes. “Is he or isn’t he?”
“Why don’t you ask him?”
“Because I don’t want to have a discussion with him about it. Discussions tend to lead to negotiations and the making of plans, and I don’t want to make any plans.”
She groaned and Valerie could practically imagine her stomping her foot. “Ugh.Fine. Yes. He is.”
“Shit.”
“Hey, I think you two could hit it off, but if you’re not into him, you could always just refuse him. He’s the kind of guy who doesn’t really ask more than once, anyway.”
“It’s not that I’m not into him and what he could potentially offer. I’m just trying not to get too excited. I get the feeling he…knowswhat’s doing. I thought the last guy I was attached to was the consummate dom, but now I’m starting to wonder if he was doing a fake-it-until-you-make-it routine.”
Unlike Rich, Tim could command her attention just by looking at her. Rich had always had to ask for it.
“Are you over there at his house right now?” Carine asked.
“Yes. I’m checking the other architect’s measurements because they seemed off. The house actually seems smaller on the inside than what was in the plans.”
“Well, you’d know. If doing the work bothers you that much, though, you could just tell him you can’t do it. I’m sure he’d understand.”
“But I’m so curious now.”
Carine giggled. “Yeah, he does tend to have that effect on women. After he got divorced, everyone was waiting around to see who he’d rebound with, but to the best of my knowledge, no one ever figured out who it was. I mean, I’m sure he was getting some from somebody, but he wasn’t getting it here.”
“So he hasn’t had a submissive in all that time?”
“Honey, I guarantee you he has. He plays. He just doesn’t keep ’em.”
“Well, that’s a good thing.”
“Forwho?”
“For me and him. I don’t want to be kept.”
“So you want to play with him?”
Valerie pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed at herself. “I do.”
“Then enjoy.” Carine giggled again. “And tell me all about it. He’s not my type, but I do love to live vicariously through you brave ladies.”
“Brave?”
“Oh, let’s not have this discussion right now. My momma is in the next room watchingTop Gunand the television volume keeps goin’ lower and lower. Call me tomorrow. Maybe we can chat, and you can tell me all the salacious stuff about you that you’ve been holding in for the past six months.”
“Better get some popcorn, then. Bye.” Valerie disconnected the call and reached into the cargo bay of the SUV for her measuring wheel. She needed to get a good idea of how far from accurate her fellow “professional” architect’s work was. If the numbers were way off, Tim needed to try to get his money back, regardless of how long it had been since he’d had the plans made.
“That shark should try to get his money back anyway.”
She slammed the truck gate closed and the sight of Tim standing near her rear wheel made her yelp like a startled seagull.
“Didn’t mean to frighten you. Can I back you out? I need to run a quick errand and don’t have enough room to get my truck around you.”
“Oh.” Heart pounding, she patted her pockets and tried to catch her breath. She’d just called the man a shark and peppered Carine all about his sexual predilections, and Valerie had no way of knowing how much he’d heard. “I-I think the keys are in the kitchen. I didn’t need them because I’d left the doors unlocked.”
“I’ll get ’em,” he said mildly and walked to the house.
She might never know what he’d heard, and if hehadheard anything incriminating, he might never confess that he had. Instead, he’d use the information as a weapon against her. He’d taunt her with her own words until she was flustered and fidgety, and he’d have her exactly where he wanted her.
Shit.
