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“Not really,” Nora said. “We weren’t together when we were at the Bureau. That didn’t happen until after Braden left, so he didn’t really have a right to say anything when we worked together. Back then we were still kind of dancing around our feelings for each other. When it all shook out and we both found ourselves together and working with Locke, it was like all those years at the FBI had been in my imagination. All of a sudden, Braden wanted to keep me underglass.”
“How did you prove to him that you were competent enough to be involved?” Ariaasked.
They reached the little beach below the house and removed their shoes before stepping onto thesand.
“I didn’t. I just told him,” Norasaid.
“I don’t think that will work with Damian,” Ariasaid.
“It didn’t work with Braden at first either,” Nora said. “You just keep saying it. You keep trying. And you try to see his side of it too. He loves you. No, he reveres you. He wants to protect you, and before you talk about the fact that it’s the twenty-first century, you should know that I don’t buy into every argument of modernfeminism.”
Aria did a double take. “You’re not afeminist?”
“I didn’t say that.” They stopped a few feet from the water and Nora paused their conversation to ask if it was a good spot to set up camp. Aria nodded and Nora continued as they lay down their towels. “I’m just saying I think you can believe men and women are equal without thinking they’re the same. These guys — Locke, Braden, Damian, all of them — are danger junkies on testosterone overload. Do you really think Damian’s going to be Mr. Mom after you have the baby while you run New York? Is that even what youwant?”
Aria sat back on her towel. It felt subversive to admit that Damian’s sheer maleness was part of his appeal, that she’d been turned on from the beginning by his take-charge demeanor, his animalistic need to protecther.
Whatever Nora said, it was the twenty-first century. There was a lot of righteous — and usually rightful — backlash against traditional gendermodels.
But was it so wrong to admit that she agreed with Nora? To want to be seen as an equal in terms of intelligence and inner strength and courage while enjoying Damian’s physical prowess? His ability and determination to keep hersafe?
Is that what critics would call trying to have it bothways?
Nora laughed next to her. “You’re overthinking,” she said. “I can almost hear the wheels of your mind trying to reconcile all the things you’re supposed to say with the things you want to say. It’s just you and me here. Why don’t you just tell me thetruth?”
“I know Damian won’t ever be some hipster with a beard, playing guitar and staying home with the baby,” Aria said. “And no, I don’t want him tobe.”
“Now we’re getting somewhere,” Nora said. “So you like him the way he is, but you want to have a role in thebusiness.”
Aria nodded. “I guessso.”
Nora sat back and closed her eyes to the sun. “That’s not sobad.”
“It’snot?”
Nora shook her head. “It sounds like you agree in principle. I’ve never seen Damian treat you with anything but respect; you just have to hammer out the details, and that may taketime.”
“Time and a few arguments?” Ariasuggested.
Nora turned her head, shielded her eyes against the sun. “More than a few, but won’t it be worthit?”
“Was it worth it for you?” Ariaasked.
“Without question,” Nora said. “I work with Locke, same as Braden. Sometimes I push to get my way, sometimes he pushes back. We always work it out. Plus, he’s incredible in bed. Like, first-rate. And I’m willing to bet Damian is the same.” She closed her eyes again. “I’m telling you: it’s all thattestosterone.”
Aria laughed. “I guessso.”
“You can’t change these men.” Nora spoke in a murmur, as if she were falling asleep. “This is how they come. The only question is whether you wanthim.”
It wasn’t a question. Aria wantedhim.
He set her aflame every time he touched her, took her to physical heights she hadn’t known existed. He made her feel protected andloved.
Seen.
She rested easy in the knowledge that he had the physical ability to back up his bluster, that he would do anything to keep hersafe.
What more could shewant?
