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~ Rae
Sitting down at their table in the semi-private darkened alcove of Mythos, Rae glanced about the restaurant. Greek statues, arches, carved cherubs, even mosaics decorated the elegant restaurant, but she didn't pay much attention to them.
Everybody in the restaurant was staring at them.
Conn scooted her chair in and she snagged his arm, drawing him down to whisper in his ear. “Why's everybody staring at us?"
Chuckling softly, he kissed her cheek and moved to sit beside her. “Because you're gorgeous, darlin'."
Her heart skipped a beat and shot off to the races. “The dress isn't too much?"
"Oh, it's too much alright. But you look gorgeous in it, Rae. You're giving off a divine mixture of innocence and seductress that's driving every poor man in this restaurant insane."
"What about you?"
"Well, darlin', I'm imagining turning you over my knee."
Heat scalded her cheeks and she quickly buried her face in the menu, hoping to hide. “I knew you'd hate this dress. I tried to tell Miss Belle—"
"I don't hate it, Rae.” He slid his hand beneath the table and stroked her thigh beneath the skirt. “I love it. It's perfect and she knew it. And I still want to spank your delectable ass while I find out whether you wore anything beneath it or not."
Heat pounded through her, heart racing, palms—and other areas—dampening. Sparing a furtive glance at the other patrons, she hesitated. She needed answers, especially about what had happened in his office that day. Perhaps in public would be for the best, as long as they whispered. No one sat close enough to overhear, and at least he couldn't actually act on what they were talking about. “Did you spank other students?"
"Now that's a very interesting question.” Conn laid the menu down. “These past years, I've worked harder at understanding myself, what makes me tick. I learned how I should have proceeded with a woman like you."
Tired of scanning the menu, she laid hers down and took a sip of water. Not sure she really wanted to know, she asked, “Like me?"
"Eager to please, untrained and unsure, afraid of and attracted to a big bad man like me.” He laughed softly at the look on her face, whatever it was, and took her hand in his. “I took a few trips for conferences these past years and made connections with people who could help me."
She frowned, trying to imagine him asking for help. “With what?"
He leaned closer and whispered, “Kinky shit."
The waiter came over. Blood was pounding and rushing in her ears too loudly for her to hear what Conn told him. Nodding, the waiter left them alone once more.
"I needed help figuring out how to break you in, so to speak, if I ever tracked you down again. I needed help reining myself in, the proper things I should do to ensure you're safe and unafraid. The right way to build a long-term committed relationship and not just a night playing. It's a huge difference, Rae, and even five years ago, I intended to play for keeps.
"So that's the long answer of saying I did spank a few other women—who knew what they were and what I was. It was playing. Did I ever spank any other student? Absolutely not; I never had any relationship at all with a student before or after you. Did I ever fall for any other woman? No. Not like this."
He waited until she met his gaze. Fingers trembling, she gripped his hand harder.
"I loved you then, Rae, and I love you more now. I'm not losing you again."
"But—"
"We'll work out every single objection you have as they come up. I won't push, rush, or bully you into anything, but I'm not letting you run. You run, and I will follow, come hell or high water, and you can bet I'll spank your ass fire-engine red when I catch you.” He leaned over and kissed her shoulder, her ear. “And then I'm going to make love to you so hard and long you won't ever be able to run again."
Her stomach tightened, that familiar knot of nerves insisting she should run or fight, anything but stay. But his deep blue eyes locked on her, smoldering with intensity, and she couldn't run, not even for the fun of the chase. She didn't want to.
The waiter returned and poured two glasses of red wine. Rae took a hesitant sip, braced to not like it. But it was sweet and warm, thick, very, very good. Sip by sip, it flowed through her spreading heat. By the darkness in Conn's eyes, it affected him the same way.
"What is this?"
"Black Opal Shiraz. I typically drink Merlot but I thought you might like this better. It's sweeter than I usually drink."
"So you don't always want the sweetest?"
"Ah, now, darlin', that's a loaded question.” He stretched out his arm along the back of her chair, his fingers trailing over her arm. “I want my wine red and strong with a kick. The only problem is it really heats my blood. I'll only drink one glass tonight, or I won't be driving us home. I'll be too busy making you mine in the backseat of my car. My libido doesn't need any assistance right now in running amok."
