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“Well in that case, I’ll see you in fifteen minutes.”
He escorted her into the hallway and toward the elevators, feeling more hopeful than he had in years. Something about Kaylee called to him. When they’d crashed into one another and he’d first gazed into her eyes, it was as though the heavens opened and shined a spotlight on her. She radiated sweetness and warmth, but he also sensed troubled emotions from her as well. A darkness that occasionally clouded her eyes. He wanted to demand the name of every person who’d ever hurt her and hunt them down one by one. The possessiveness he felt for her after just a brief interaction was startling.
Once he saw Kaylee off on the elevator, he hurried back to his apartment. As he passed through the lobby, he grabbed his hat and gloves off a rack where housekeeping had set them to dry. He had just enough time to hurry back to his apartment and change out of his soiled clothing. The hot chocolate had gotten on his shirt, pants, and coat. He wanted to make a good impression on their first date.
Whoa… what?
Was this a first date?
His heart raced with excitement at the prospect. It was just some hot chocolate in the cafeteria, but it certainly seemed like a date. They’d made plans to meet at a specific time so they might enjoy a beverage together and… yes, it was a date. The first of many, he hoped.
A punishing wind swept down from the sky, and he wondered why Kaylee had been on her way outside in nothing but a sweater. He recalled she hadn’t been wearing warm waterproof boots. If she were his Little girl, he wouldn’t let her go outside when there was a windchill in the negative teens. Absolutely not. He would keep her inside where it was warm, and if she tried to sneak out—especially while dressed improperly for the harsh weather—he would take her over his knee and redden her pert little bottom. His blood heated to feverish levels as he imagined doing just that.
Back at his apartment, he changed into a pair of jeans and a flannel shirt. He also brushed his hair and teeth, applied a smidgen of cologne, and stared at himself in the mirror for a solid thirty seconds, trying to decide if he looked respectable enough. He hadn’t gone on a first date with a woman in well over twenty years. He did the math in his head. Okay, twenty-one years to be exact. He’d dated Heather for one year before they eloped to Vegas, both of them content to get married quickly without the fuss of planning a wedding and dealing with busybody relatives.
He swallowed hard as he took in his appearance. Shit, was he too old for Kaylee? He judged her to be in her early thirties, though he didn’t want to assume her age. What if she were even younger than that and she’d just decided to humor him?
Doubts and insecurities rushed through him, but he took a steadying breath and reminded himself that even if things didn’t work out with Kaylee, there was no harm in trying. At least he hoped there wasn’t.
He hoped he didn’t fall hard for her only to be rejected.
A glance outside showed the snow was coming down in sheets, so he used the underground tunnel that connected the apartment complex to the main lodge. He jogged past the carts that were frequently used for travel, deciding to go on foot. It wasn’t very far, and besides, he needed to burn off some of his anxious energy.
He arrived at the cafeteria a minute early to find Kaylee already waiting in the hallway. She hadn’t noticed him yet, and he watched as she spoke to a woman who’d just exited the cafeteria.
“Hey, Amanda!”
“Hey! So good to see you again, Kaylee. Where’s Chad?” the dark-haired woman asked as she peered up and down the hallway. “He sleeping in?”
Stephen didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but it was impossible not to hear the conversation that ensued. He continued heading in Kaylee’s direction, though he slowed his pace, not wanting to interrupt the two women. Okay, if he were being honest, he also wanted to know who the fuck Chad was.
“We broke up just before Thanksgiving. I came to Rawhide on my own. In fact, I’ll be here until the second of January.”
Stephen perked up at that. Today was December fourth. He had almost a full month to get to know Kaylee before she returned to Richmond.
But was it foolish to spend time with her if she was eventually leaving?
Maybe he should stick to dating people who lived and worked at Rawhide. Logically, he would have a better chance of developing a long-term relationship with someone who called the resort home rather than a woman who lived on the East Coast. As he stared at her, however, he couldn’t fight his intense attraction. Nor could he suppress the surges of possessiveness that kept heating his blood.
“I’m sorry to hear you guys broke up,” the other woman said. “Are you okay?”
“Thank you, but I’m fine.” Kaylee waved a dismissive hand in the air, but the wobble in her voice indicated she was anything but fine. This Chad guy had hurt her.
“Are you looking for a new Dom?”
Kaylee shook her head. “Nope. I just came to the Ranch to unwind. I’ll probably enjoy a few sessions in the dungeon once I finish getting settled in, but I’m not looking for a relationship, just the occasional play partner.”
“Gotcha. Well, I hope you have a great time. I’m here for another week, so I’m sure we’ll run into one another again. In fact, how about lunch tomorrow?”
“Lunch tomorrow sounds great. How about the Italian restaurant? I’ve been dreaming about the eggplant parmesan they serve. Noon?”
“Perfect! I’ll see you then.”
The other woman headed down the hallway. Stephen waited a few seconds before clearing his throat to alert Kaylee to his presence. She turned and gave him a furious look that confused him.
“You were eavesdropping on me, mister. Don’t try to deny it. I saw your reflection in the wall art just as we started discussing lunch plans.” She gestured at a framed print of a mountainous landscape. “For shame.”
Stephen gaped at her. He opened his mouth to apologize, only for her to break into a fit of giggles. “Um…” He rarely found himself at a loss for words, but he didn’t quite know how to respond.
