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Abruptly, he let her go. As if nothing had just transpired, he leaned back in his chair, his expression again casually amused.
Lia reached for her water bottle with a trembling hand. She sipped, glad for the moment to pull herself together.
“In answer to the question I think you wereactuallyasking,”
he said, as if he hadn’t just flipped all her masochistic switches with his primal touch, “that woman I was with at the wedding was not my girlfriend. I escorted her as a favor to the groom, who’s a friend of mine.”
Getting herself back under control, Lia shrugged, feigning indifference. It made her uncomfortable to realize just how pleased she was at his answer. Eager to change the subject yet again, she asked, “What about you? Any tattoos in interesting places?”
“Not nearly as interesting a location as yours, but yeah, I have a tattoo.” Beau tugged aside the open V-neck of his pirate’s shirt to reveal a small tattoo of what looked to Lia like Chinese or Japanese characters on his left pec.
“What’s it say?” She tried to focus on the characters rather than on his smooth, tan skin and the rippling muscle beneath.
“It saysnana korobi, ya oki,” he replied. “It’s a Japanese proverb that translates as, ‘fall down seven times, stand up eight.’ It means choosing to never give up hope, and to always strive for more. Or, to put it another way—if life knocks you on your ass, you need to get back on your feet.”
“A good philosophy,” Lia offered.
“And one you might consider in your search for submissive grace,” Beau replied with a lift of his brow.
Lia snorted. “Too bad I don’t possess either characteristic. Just ask Lawrence.”
“Forget Lawrence,” Beau replied decisively. Again, he fixed her with a discerning gaze. “Let’s focus on you. You came to The Enclave with some kind of expectation, right? You were clearly looking for more than whatever you could get at the public clubs. What drew you to their program in the first place?”
Lia took a moment to collect her thoughts, deciding how much to share. Despite his rakish, Rhett Butler air, she somehow sensed she could trust him.
“I first met Lucia—Master Anthony’s slave girl—at the BDSM club in town—The Garden. He owns it, you know.”
Beau nodded.
“He used to bring her down there sometimes to play,” Lia continued. “I would watch them scene, barely able to contain my longing for what they seemed to share.” She sighed. “Lucia always had this kind of serene glow—this deep, intrinsic peace and fulfillment that I’ve never experienced, not in any lasting way. Eventually, I got up the nerve to talk to them. They were super supportive and nonjudgmental when I confessed how in awe I was of their obvious connection and Lucia’s inner grace. When Master Anthony told me about the training they offer here, and actually suggested I might want to sign up, I jumped at the chance.”
She laughed bitterly. “I was an idiot. I thought if I just followed their rules, I would automatically connect with my own inner sub. Turns out I don’t have one. I’m just a hardcore masochist who doesn’t like to take orders. What is a lifestyle for them is apparently just a kink for me—a way to get off, nothing more.”
“Maybe you weren’t the problem.”
Lia snorted. “Trust me. I wasdefinitelythe problem. Ask anyone here.”
Beau smiled, shaking his head slightly. “Just because their particular training regimen didn’t work for you doesn’t mean there isn’t a submissive hiding inside you.” He paused a beat. “Maybe you just need a different approach.”
Chapter 6
Lia shrugged. “Maybe.”
Then she crossed her arms, the defenses going up once more. “Or maybe I’m just being realistic. I’m what they call in academia a high achiever. That means I go after things I know I can succeed at. Impossible goals don’t interest me, so I take them off the table.”
Beau was increasingly intrigued with this girl, even if she was way too young for him. She had a delicate bone structure, angular, almost feline. He liked the twinkling diamond stud in her nose and the tiny hoops that rimmed her ears. He loved the cotton-candy hair, which added whimsy to the whole sexy package.
She exhibited a tough-girl persona, which was intriguing in and of itself. He could sense the passion beneath. There was nothing sexier in his mind than a strong-willed submissive. It made the taming even more exciting. Her husky voice, at odds with her diminutive stature, was sexy as hell.
What was his own angle in all this? Why was he pressing her about finding her inner submissive? What did he really know about her, beyond the fact she handled intensive scenes with grace and courage?
Back off,Jackson, he warned himself.You’re not her advisor in BDSM or anything else.
Lia had finished her ham quiche, the mini pizza and the corn fritter bites, and was now distracting Beau with the incredibly sensual way she was licking the custard from atiny éclair.
Looking away before she gave him an erection, Beau asked, “So, what do you do for a living, Ms. High Achiever?”
“I have a Master’s in library science. In fact, I’m starting a terrific job in the research library at UNC-Asheville the week after next. I’m really excited about it.”
