“Like pain?”She frowned “I don’t understand.”
“That’s okay.You don’t have to learn everything in one day.Some people like a little pain mixed into their pleasure.”
“What do you mean?”
“It varies.Some it’s hair pulling, some it’s spanking, some it’s more hardcore.Something about hormones and chemicals can make some of the body’s signals get mixed up in the moment.”
“I—I don’t know if I’d like that.”Her voice shook and she looked away.
“Then we won’t do it.”He cupped her face, and searched her face, looking for any clue about what she was thinking.“It’s not about what anyone else does or likes.What happens between us is just that, between us.”Uncertainty clouded her eyes.
“But how can it be if you aren’t going to keep me?”
“Oh, little dove, I’m not telling you no.I’m just wanting you to give it a little time.I want you to be sure you can handle this kind of life.It’s a lot different than what you’re used to.There will likely be things you have a hard time with.”
“Such as?”
“I’ve already told you about the mamas.They’re not going anywhere.There will be times when I can’t tell you what I’m doing or where I’m going, no matter how badly you or I might want that.There will be times when we go on lockdown.That means everyone holes up here at the clubhouse.We’ve had some trouble lately and Raven is working on making sure the place is more secure.Making sure everyone here is safe, no matter what happens.”He smoothed his thumb over the apple of her cheek.“It’s a lot to take in, and I’ve only scratched the surface.Take a nap, then we’ll figure out what’s next.Things always look easier when you have enough rest.”He waited, watching to see if she would argue or do as he asked.
“All right,” she said with a sigh.She moved closer to him, then remembered she was facing him and wiggled until her back was to him.Hawkeye tugged her back against him then took a deep breath and forced himself to relax.It took several minutes, but Delilah relaxed against him and after a while longer her soft snore let him know she was asleep.He stayed there a little while longer, enjoying the feeling of her in his arms, as well as making sure she was well asleep and his moving wouldn’t wake her before easing out of bed and going to his computer.
He pulled a can of C4 from the dorm fridge he kept in one corner, cracked it open and got to work.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Delilah woke knowingsomething was different.First becoming aware she wasn’t on the floor, then she heard the mechanical clicking that reminded her of the old typewriter her mother had owned.She had loved playing with it when no one was around to stop her.It sounded like it was only a few feet away. But the sound didn’t fit where she was, at least not that she remembered.She lay still, the sound telling her she wasn’t alone, but she wasn’t sure who it was or what they might do once they realized she was awake.
It took a couple of minutes for everything that had happened to come back to her.She remembered being taken from the pantry, the motorcycles and she couldn’t keep her face from heating at the way she’d begged Hawkeye to show her why so many women enjoyed sex.That’s where she was, in Hawkeye’s room.It seemed he wasn’t beside her any longer but where was he?Almost as important, where was the typewriter?
Assuming that since she was in Hawkeye’s room, in his bed, and that he kept insisting she was safe here, she decided whoever was in the roomprobablywouldn’t hurt her.She opened her eyes and looked around.There wasn’t much light.What little there was seemed to be coming from the foot of the bed, same with the typewriter noise.Lifting herself up on one elbow, she looked toward the foot of the bed.
All the screens she’d seen earlier were lit, things flashing and moving faster than she could keep track of them.Hawkeye had his back to her, headphones on his head.She went up on her knees and crawled to the foot of the bed, the stood.His fingers flew over the keyboard and that was what had woken her.She moved up behind him and set a hand on his shoulder.
Hawkeye jumped.He ripped the headphones off his head and spun around to face her.She stepped back, trying to get out of his way.He calmed as soon as he realized it was her.
“Sorry, baby, you surprised me.I guess I was kind of lost in what I was doing.You all right?”he stood and moved closer.
