“It’ll ruin your image of me as neat and organized.”
And encroach on her personal space.“All the better.”
“Are you serious?”She squirmed a little, and he liked that.
“I’d like to see your place, yes.”He took a sip of the liquor.It wasn’t as fine as the stuff Connor stashed at the Running Wind, but it was more than serviceable.“I’ve been clear that I want to know all about you.Especially the things you don’t want me to know.”
“Why?”
“The Dom in me is curious.”
Color flooded her cheekbones, staining them red.She didn’t answer.Instead, she stared into the wine, obviously composing herself.
After expelling a breath, she met his gaze.“Fair warning, you might change your mind after looking around.”
“I’ll take my chances.”Little did she know this was only the first of her hesitations that he intended to destroy.“Where should I put my coat?”
“The back of the couch is fine.”
Rather than putting down his glass, he extended it to her, and she held it without protest.
He shrugged out of the leather bomber jacket and tossed it on top of hers before turning back to her.
“I could have taken it for you,” she said.“That was rude of me.”
“Yes.It was.”He looked at her, hard, uncompromising.To him, this wasn’t a game, and he was going to be damn sure she knew it.“We both know it’s happened more than once.Lack of civility is not something I find appealing, whether the behavior is intentional or not.”
“I…er…”
“It’s never acceptable, and it’s something I’m likely to punish a sub for.”
“I’m not a submissive,” she corrected quickly, breathlessly.
“Are you sure?”He made sure his voice was soft, rather than commanding.And that took a fuckton of effort.
He watched as the twin telltale streaks of red crept back onto her cheekbones.Her reaction was perfect.Pleasing.“Are you?Or are you secretly hoping you’ll push me far enough that I’ll have no choice but to take you in hand?Do you want me to make it easy for you?Shall I remove the choice so you can pretend it wasn’t consensual?”He added the last sentence quietly, so quietly that she had to lean forward to hear him.
“You’re my boss.”Desperation made her words rushed, slamming them together.But she was still looking at him, head tipped back, her hands clenched on their drink glasses.
Nathan wondered which one of them she was trying to convince.“I am, and I can be your boss in other areas, as well.”Then he clarified, “If you want it.And hear me clearly.You will have to ask.Take too long and I’ll change asking to pleading.”
“Nathan…”
“Do you have a safe word?”
“No.”Her answer was quick.Too quick.
“Choose one,” he instructed.It wasn’t a suggestion, and he knew she heard that in his tone.
“I don’t know.I wasn’t expecting this.”
“You were hoping,” he countered.“You knew what you were doing when you invited me up here.”
“I…”
“Be honest, Kelsey, with yourself, if not me.”He reined in his impatience.“You’ll never get what you want unless you are brave.Your choice.”
After a few seconds of silence, she admitted, “I want to be clear that this isn’t what I ultimately want for my life.I’ve fought for a really long time to make my own choices and decisions.I avoid men like you.”
