“Oh, sure.”
She started to push her chair back, but he gave a subtle shake of his head and raised one dark brow, and she smiled as he stood and pulled out her chair for her. This princess treatment would take some getting used to, but she definitely liked it.
When they got to his car she remembered to wait for him to open her door, then hand her in. He got into the driver’s seat and told her, “That was better. You’re a quick learner. I think despite the bratty tendencies, you’re going to be a very good bottom.”
“Maybe. I hope so. I really don’t know how I’ll respond, since it’s been a while, and the few friends I’ve scened with since I’ve been here have been, well, entirely different. But I feel you’re going to be a very good Top. I did see you play with some of the women at the Dallas club.”
“Did you, now?” he asked as he pulled onto the road and headed back toward the Ranch.
“I did. It seemed you always took very good care of them, and I know they came away happy.”
“It’s good that you’ve seen me play so you have some idea of what I’m about. I’ve only seen you with your ex, and now that I have a clearer understanding of the relationship and how it all came out in your kink dynamic, I feel like whatever happens with us is going to be a series of new discoveries for you.”
“It will be, I think. No matter how many years I’ve been going to the dungeons, it was only ever with Kenny, until we split up. As I said, I’ve tried to scene with a few friends there, and a few here, mostly with women, because it’s just felt safer. But I haven’t really been able to get there, you know? I never can quite reach subspace—not that I always did with Kenny, either, and less and less over the years. I’m only saying this because I don’t know what will happen with you. I have no idea how much my experience will come into play, how much my age will affect me. I'm so out of practice, and I have no idea what my body can take these days.”
“You need to rediscover yourself. We’ll take it slow, let you get your feet under you again. We can figure it out together, okay?”
Something in her chest went warm and a lump started in her throat, making it impossible to answer. Instead, she reached out and laid her hand on his leg, trying to communicate something to him she hadn’t even figured out yet. All she knew was how she felt: warm and hopeful and a little scared. And grateful to him for his gentleness with her right now.
He glanced at her briefly, then turned his focus back to the road. But he covered her hand with his, folding his fingers around hers, and his hand was big and so warm, and she felt safer than she had in a very long time.
The rest of the ride was quiet, with neither of them speaking much, other than Brody asking if she was cold and turning on the heated seat for her. When they reached the staff apartments, he pulled into the underground garage and parked, and she realized as he handed her from the car that she enjoyed his careful treatment of her. They rode the elevator up to the third floor, and he walked her to her door.
“I’m glad we did dinner tonight,” he said.
“Me, too.”
He reached out with one finger and tilted her chin, looking into her eyes. “You doing okay?”
“Yes, I am. I really am. I’m just thinking… about a lot of things. But it’s all good.”
“If anything we talked about tonight triggered you, or put you off balance, you can wait on the questionnaire. I’ll never have unreasonable expectations of you.”
“I appreciate that, but I really am fine. And I’m eager to get started on it. I think… if it’s okay with you, that putting off going to the Dungeon is only going to give me time to overthink. And I know we have to go over the questionnaire after I fill it out, so I’m going to work on it tonight and get it back to you as soon as possible. I have the next few days off work, and I think you have a few days before your first class, so if you don’t mind…?”
“I definitely don’t mind getting things started, as long as you feel ready. To be honest,” he said, his tone lowering, “I’ve been ready since the moment we met.”
“Oh…” She didn’t know what else to say, how to respond to the sincerity in his voice, the admiration in his eyes.
“And Claudia? There’s something I need you to tell me now, if you can.”
“Of course,” she answered, realizing he still had his fingers tucked under her chin.
“I need to know if kissing you is on or off the table.”
She smiled—she couldn’t help it. “Oh, it’s definitely on the table.”
“Yeah?” He grinned, that dimple creasing his cheek, and she was already melting as he leaned in and pressed his lips to hers.
And god, his lips were so tender and sweet as he kissed her, then did it again. His beard was soft on her skin, and she loved the feel of it. She let herself lean into him, opening her lips under his. His kiss was soft, yet somehow demanding at the same time, and heat shimmered over her skin. As he slipped his tongue into her mouth, searching, teasing, tempting her, that heat spearing into her body, she filled up with a need so strong her legs felt as if they might go out from under her.
She moaned quietly as he pulled away, her gaze on his mouth. She wanted more. Needed more. But oh, how lovely towantin this way. She took several long moments to simply revel in that feeling, in the yearning that seemed to burrow deep inside her. How was it that she’d never felt anything like this before?
She looked up at him, and his dark eyes were burning with as much need as she felt flooding her veins. Could it be true that he wanted her as much as she wanted him?
When he cupped her face in his big hand, his palm so warm against her skin, she sighed quietly and lifted her chin, needing to be kissed again. And as if he could hear her thoughts, or sensed the intensity of her need, he pulled her in closer and lowered his mouth to hers once more.
This time his kiss was commanding, scorching hot. She went limp against him, and he pulled her closer still, until they were body-to-body, until she swore she could feel the hammering of his heart against hers. All she knew was the insistent heat swarming her, how good his big, muscled frame felt, the contrast of all that hard muscle with the lovely warmth and softness of his tongue as he slipped into her mouth again.
