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He stands still, watching me like a predator.
“Like what you see, Sir?”I tease.
“Very much so, kitten.You know how to please me,” he replies, his gaze flickering to my bare skin.“But if you don’t get changed now, we won’t be leaving this bedroom, I promise you.”
“Can’t I get exercise another way, Sir?”I quip, flipping my long auburn hair to one side, knowing it drives him wild.
His eyes darken, heat thickening the air between us.“Oh, you will.You’ll have me for breakfast.”
I swallow, his words sending a rush of heat through me.“Something to look forward to, Sir,” I say, quickly grabbing some activewear I have stashed.I see him smile before leaving my room.
Slipping into shorts and a T-shirt, I find him waiting in the living room.“I can’t say I’m looking forward to this,” I admit, already missing the warmth of my bed.
He laughs.“I don’t love it either, but running clears the mind.It creates space.Helps you heal,” he says, his eyes taking on a contemplative look.
It makes me wonder just how damaged he is.He’s only given me the bare minimum about his life in the Special Forces.That sort of thing has to affect a person’s mental state.
“Shall we?”he asks, stepping forward and opening the door for me.
* * *
God, the man is like Usain Bolt.Here I am, spluttering and practically coughing up a lung I didn’t even know was full until now.We return from our run, and he opens the door effortlessly, a neat ‘V’ of sweat darkening his blue crew-neck T-shirt.
Next to him, I must look like a mess—red-faced, with flyaway hair all over the place, and probably smelling less than fresh.He hands me a water bottle, and I snatch it, gulping it down like I’ve just crossed the Sahara.
He watches me, and I feel a twinge of embarrassment.“Okay, so I’m out of shape,” I admit.
He quirks an eyebrow.“Nothing you can’t improve on.Every day’s a new start.”
“Oh God, don’t go all Tony Robbins on me,” I say, and he laughs, the sound making my insides flutter.
He looks pleasantly surprised that he’s laughing too.“I wouldn’t dare,” he says, taking a hefty gulp from his water bottle.
My eyes are drawn to the way his Adam’s apple bobs and the sheen of sweat on his tattooed arm.I step closer, trailing my hand up his arm.“I like these,” I say.“What do they signify?”
He takes a deep breath as if weighing whether to answer.“They’re birds… owls, an eagle, and a phoenix in the desert.”
“Phoenix?”My interest piques.What a coincidence.That’s my safe word.
“Yes,” he nods.“They’re tributes to my closest mates, my fallen soldiers, Carter, Roger, Toby, and Joel.The phoenix represents my best friend, Carter.He died in my arms, but I like to think of him as immortal.”He looks surprised that he told me that, but I’m so grateful to him for sharing something so personal with me.
“I’m so sorry,” I say, feeling my eyes well up.“Will you tell me what happened?”I ask softly, his arm resting against my cheek, his fingers gently tucking a stray strand of hair behind my ear.
“One day, but right now, you have to get ready for Dr.Diedra.”
Ugh, my therapist.I can’t tell if he’s avoiding the topic or genuinely planning to share later.Time will tell.
My fingers lightly brush over the Phoenix tattoo, and he shivers slightly.Then he plants a kiss on my forehead.“I’m going to take a shower, then drive you to Montauk,” he says.
“Do you eat?”I ask, still reveling in the warmth of his touch.
“All the time,” he says, his eyes sparkling, the atmosphere shifting.
I blush, feeling a pang of jealousy at the thought that he’s likely had a string of submissives before me.The idea of him with another woman sends a shiver down my spine that’s part envy, part arousal.“How about breakfast after we see Dr.Diedra?”
His smile is my undoing.It liquefies my bones, making me weak.“I was thinking the same,” he replies.But now, with that smile, I don’t think I can wait.
I follow him, every step widening the physical gap but doing nothing to lessen my emotional craving for him.He pivots suddenly, locking eyes with me, and the air between us crackles with tension.“Sir, I need my breakfast now,” I assert, my voice tinged with longing and desire.
