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Tightening his arms around her, Evander said simply, “She’s mine.”
“She’ll be good for you,” Elias told him soberly. “Are you prepared for separation issues once you return to work?”
“Callie is not a dog, Elias.”
“No, she is not. What she is, however, is a young woman whose small and narrow world has opened up to focus on one individual. Her social interaction rocketed from zero to sixty, and has been revving that way for four days and counting.” He gestured to the way she clung to Evander’s shirt. “Her safe place is now you, sir.”
Evander snorted. “Nowyou add the ‘sir’?”
“Sir is always present, whether I say it or not. Your evasion skills need work.”
Another point to the interfering dick, he thought, almost fondly. The man’s skillsets were numerous, and he should probably be a fucking psychologist with the way he read people and situations so easily. “We’re taking this slow, Elias, and getting to know each other. Callie might decide she prefers staying in D.C. or that this kind of relationship is a bad idea. I’ll worry about separation anxiety if and when we come to it.”
“Very good, sir.” With his usual calm demeanor in place, Elias inclined his head. “Do we have an itinerary during our stay in Denver, or are we winging it?”
“Nothing’s scheduled for tonight. I figured by the time we land and get to the hotel, we’ll all be hungry and ready to crash. Room service and movie night?”
“Are you inviting me to join you?” A dark eyebrow rose in question.
“Dinner and a movie, pal. If this relationship goes how I want it to, she’s going to be spending a lot of time around you, and she needs to become comfortable with how you are.”
“Charming, witty, and completely delightful?”
“Sure, unless you’ve got your Dom pants on.”
Elias lifted his shoulders. “I was raised in an age where spanking children for being naughty was an effective form of punishment. It still should be, if you ask me. There are too many youngsters with no boundaries, no respect, and who are just downright rude.” His scowl was fierce. “If not tolerating disobedient and disrespectful subs makes me a stern Dominant, then so be it.”
“Stern?” Evander chuckled. “Try army commander on steroids.”
“Exactly what a recalcitrant sub needs, sir.”
Evander shook his head, rubbing his cheek against Callie’s hair. “Still beats me how you spend all damn day and half the night calling mesir,yet you’re one of the strictest Doms I know.”
Utterly relaxed, his friend scratched an itch along his jaw. “That’s simple enough. For me,siris a mark of respect, not submission. During work hours, you are my employer and that status demands a certain decorum. Once I’m off the clock, I have no problem telling you to fuck off without a honorific in earshot.”
Was that a loophole? He’d keep that in mind the next time Elias annoyed the hell out of him with theyes, sir; no, sirbullshit.
“Will you be joining us tonight, off the clock?” Evander asked, rolling his eyes.
“Of course, sir. I’d be happy to accept your gracious invitation.”
“Bite me, Elias,” he muttered.
“I keep you on your toes, sir; you’d be lost without me.” Smug, the older man leaned back in his seat. “The realtor agreed to show you the first property tomorrow?”
Back to business, Evander thought, already missing the easy banter. His friend was the most organized man he’d ever met, and when projects like this were starting, he was grateful for those skills. “Yes. Hopefully, it will be the only property we view while we’re here. It’s perfect for everything we need at the foundation.”
“It’s been on the market for two years?”
“Two years, seven months, and twelve days.”
Elias nodded. His fingers tapped on the table in a light drumming rhythm. “Original price tag?”
“A couple hundred thousand short of five million.”
He whistled under his breath. “And now?”
“One-point-eight.”
