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I’ve always liked control in bed. Restraints. A little pain mixed with pleasure. Giving orders and having them followed. There’s a darker edge to what I enjoy when I know the woman I’m with wants it too.

But Cora is different.

She told me she was a virgin before I took things any further that first morning, and I haven’t forgotten it for a second. She’s curious about the control, that much is obvious, but curiosity isn’t the same thing as being ready for everything I like.

If we ever get there, I’ll introduce her to it slowly.

Right now, I’m still trying not to be the man who takes her virginity while her father is missing.

I haven’t slept properly in days. The spare bedroom door might as well be mocking me. Especially knowing she’s only a few feet away. Every night, I lie in my bed thinking about her. Thinking about her smart mouth.

And the way she responds to the little bits of control I’ve shown her. The way she looks at me when I tell her to do something, that brief flash of surprise crossing her face before she decides whether she wants to obey.

Fuck. I drag both hands over my face. This is Dan’s daughter. That should be enough to stop me. Instead, I’ve thrown caution to the wind, allowing myself to lose control. I not only crave her physically, now I think about the way she laughs when she thinks I’m being too serious.

The way she talks when she gets excited about something. The way she worries about everyone else even when she is terrified herself. I enjoy being around her. And that in itself is messing with my mind. What would Dan think of all this?

I met Dan years ago in the military. We started out as two men who had been thrown into the same unit and were expected to trust each other with our lives. That kind of trust doesn’t happen easily. Not for me. But Dan had a way about him.

He was calm when everyone else lost their heads. Stubborn enough to be irritating, and loyal in a way that made us realize very quickly that if he called us a friend, he meant it. We had each other’s backs through situations most people would never understand.

And somewhere along the way, the man became family. I remember meeting Cora when she was a kid, all energy and endless questions. I saw her a handful of times over the years after that, but the last time was when she was still a teenager.

I’m fifteen years older. I have lived more life than she has. The more experienced one. The one who is supposed to know better. So why the fuck am I sitting here wondering what Dan would say if he knew how much I wanted her?

I lean back in my chair and stare at the ceiling. Would he approve? I seriously fucking doubt it. Would he understand that I would never hurt her? Maybe. That thought is enough to make me sit forward again. Because that is the one thing I know for certain. I would never hurt Cora.

Not intentionally. But wanting her and being good for her are two completely different things. Yet, I know it’s only a matter of time before I give in. I’m already in too deep as it is. And hiding in my office doesn’t change anything.

I stand. The decision is made before I can talk myself out of it. I need to stop avoiding her. When I leave the office, the apartment is quiet. I find Cora sitting on the couch with her legs tucked beneath her, staring at nothing in particular.

She looks up when she hears me. “Any news?”

The hope in her voice makes my chest tighten. “Not yet.”

Her face falls slightly. I hate it. “River is following another lead,” I add. “Royal is still working on the drive.”

Cora nods, but her attention returns to the television. It isn’t on. She’s just staring at the blank screen. I stand there for a moment. Then I clear my throat. “You want to watch a movie?”

Her head snaps toward me, and she gives me a blinding smile. “I would love that.”

I walk toward the couch and sit beside her. “What do you want to watch?”

She thinks about it. “You can’t go wrong with a rom-com.”

I frown and immediately I feel her gaze on mine. I turn to hold her amused gaze. “You don’t agree?” she asks.

“Not really. I’d rather watch heads being blown off than watch people fall in love,” I point out.

She raises an eyebrow. “Predictable.” She wrinkles her nose. “I was hoping you had better taste.”

“I have excellent taste.”

“You want to watch people get shot,” she retorts.

I shake my head and grimace. “And you want to watch people fall in love for two hours.”

“Yes.”