But out first week together, when Ward offered to take me out and I found out he’d never tried sushi before, we went to this little place close to our residence hall, and Ward was instantly hooked on it.
I don’t know if Ward’s obsession with sushi is because I love sushi, or because his old man always called it “bait” and had an irrational aversion to it without so much as ever having tasted it before, but Ward now begs to go every week. He eagerly talks as we walk, discussing something from one of our classes. I’m pretending to listen to what he’s saying, but I’m not. Not really.
Am I listening to him? Absolutely, I am. The sound of his voice, the inflection, everything about him. I could listen to him talk for hours.
Shit. Iamin love with him.
I’ve known this but I’ve tried not to think about it. Because I don’t want to spend all semester crushing on him only to get my heart crushed.
We reach the restaurant and, fortunately, it’s not very crowded. We take a table in the back, a booth, which gives us enough privacy he won’t feel like we can’t freely talk. I’ve learned to ask for a booth if we can when we go out to eat, because Ward loosens up a lot when he doesn’t feel self-conscious.
Once we’ve put our orders in and we have our beverages, Ward leans close, across the table. “I really love our date nights,” he whispers. Then his blue gaze fixes on mine and I realize he’s waiting to see my reaction.
My heart races, pounding.
He’s really into me.
I wasn’t imagining those earlier fumbling attempts at flirting on his part over the past few weeks.
Meeting his gaze, I lean in close. “I do, too,” I whisper.
He has long lashes and they flutter as he chews on his lower lip. “I don’t know what to do now.”
I offer my hand, laid face-up in the middle of the table.
He glances down at it, then places his hand in mine.
I gently close my fingers around it. “There are things we need to talk about.”
Holy crap, I’m really going to do this!
He nods, still chewing on his bottom lip.
I’m struggling against the urge to kiss him right now, but I don’t want to freak him out. He’s not only in the closet, he’s hidden inside a locked and fortified basement somewhere deep inside his closet.
“I’m in charge in this relationship.” I can tone back my kinkier needs. That’s the lie I tell myself, anyway. “If I tell you to do something, that’s it.”
He frowns. “What about school?”
“School comes first for both of us. And I’ll never out you against your will. I meant what I said about keeping your secrets. But within those limits, I’m in charge, and you obey.”
He sucks in a sharp breath. “Like…” He glances around, even though no one can hear us and no one’s paying us the slightest bit of attention. “Like a Master and slave?” he whispers.
Ooooh, boy.
If I thought my pulse was hammering before, now it’s really racing.
I nod. “Exactly like that.”
I swear I think he shivers. “I’ve always had fantasies about that.”
I squeeze his hand, because I don’t want to stress him out. “We can talk about those once we’re back home and alone, baby.” Yeah, calling him that’s a risk.
His cheeks adorably flush with pink. “I like that.”
I know what he means, but I push just a little. “Like what?”
He takes a deep breath. “Baby.”
