“You have a safe word, Kelsey.You’re free to stop any scene.You’re the one in charge.”
That was the bigger problem.She hadn’t wanted to stop any of them.The more she got, the more she wanted.
“How about someone who will protect you, care for you?”
“I’ve been honest with you from the beginning,” she said, her voice cracking.“About my background, about the importance of me making my own decisions.I can’t let someone else decide what’s best for me.I spent years fighting to get where I am.”
“So this…this week has been nothing but a fun little experiment for you?”Jaw set, he crossed to her then brutally dug his fingers into her shoulders, forcing her to meet his gaze.“What we did, what we shared, the fact you submitted to me, wore my collar, fucking or making love meant nothing?”
“You’re an excellent Dom.”She felt as if she were navigating a minefield.“And it was an experience I’ll never forget.”
“An experience.”His eyes were darkened by daggers.
Clearly he hadn’t been prepared for her to tell him no.And likely most people didn’t refuse him.
“I want to be clear.You’re saying our personal relationship is over.You don’t want any further after-hours contact?”
“Unless it’s business-related, no.”She remained resolute, knowing the exterior was a façade in danger of crumbling.
“Nothing?”
She gave a half-smile, but it faded before it could fully form.“I’ll see you at work on Monday.”
Tension grew, stretched, dragging her resistance to its limits.
He gave a tight nod.
She exhaled.
He released her, and she rubbed at the marks his fingers had left on her skin.
“No need to show me out.”
Nathan stalked to the couch and snatched up his jacket but didn’t wait to put it on.She realized that was the most uncontrolled emotion she’d ever seen from him.Under all circumstances, he was cool, collected.
With a decisive click, he closed the door behind him.The precision reverberated with a more pointed statement than it would have if he’d slammed it.
Numb, heartbroken, she sank into the couch and stared at the flickering flames, unable to chase away the cold…and the stunning, shocking hollowness.
* * * *
“You didwhat?”Andi demanded.“What in the ever-living, Christ-giving, Satan-sucking balls are you thinking?”
That wasn’t the type of support Kelsey had thought she’d get from her best friend.But she should have known better.“You’re not helping.”
“Oh.Sorry.”Andi made a show of cleaning out one of her ears.“Okay.Start over.I clearly didn’t hear you right.”
Kelsey exhaled and reached for her wineglass.
After Nathan had left, she’d sat on the couch for a full hour before she’d forced herself to get up and shower and dress in something other than club wear.
She’d spent the next two hours moving about the condo listlessly, shifting papers, looking at photographs only to put them back down without even really seeing them.
Two days ago her life had been filled with excitement and adventure.And now the adrenaline had seeped away, she’d been left raw.
Unable to stand her own company and her tumultuous thoughts any longer, she’d put on a pair of sheepskin-lined boots, jeans, a jacket and a scarf and headed out of the door.
Mr.Martinez had been in the hallway, and he’d flattened himself against the wall, clutching the lapels of his robe.“Oh.You have clothes on.I was preparing for another heart attack.”
