He scrutinized me as if trying to read my thoughts. I often felt like his concentrated stare pierced my thoughts, or even my very soul. Now, I just saw suspicion and doubt. I needed to ease any doubt he had tonight. Even though I intended to wound his ego. Again.
We ate in relative silence, although I merely picked at my salad and some of the soup. The olive oil bread rolls were delicious, and I finished one of them. I carefully watched as Dirk finished his soup and his first glass of wine. His eyebrows raised as he finished the last of his wine.
I poured him some more wine. He nodded in appreciation.
I made sure to bend over when I served him his chicken, my cleavage on full display. It didn’t go unnoticed, but I didn’t see the expected look of desire in his eyes. I hadn’t seen that look in some time.
When he had finished his meal, I cleared off the dishes and poured him one more glass of wine.
“I’m going to get into something more comfortable.” I let my hand trail up his arm to his shoulder.
“I’m feeling tired. I’m thinking I’ll just go to bed.”
“Dirk! The doctor gave us one more assignment. We should do that, don’t you think?”
“Assignment?”
“Sensory touching, or whatever she called it.”
“Sensate touch? You want to do that tonight?”
“Yes, Dirk. Don’t you?”
He sighed heavily, and I could see his eyes droop a little. Maybe the tranquilizer was a bit too much.
“I’m so tired. Can I get a raincheck on that?”
“Don’t you think we should do it tonight? You trust the doctor, right?”
“She’s a therapist, Scarlet. Not a doctor.”
“Therapist. Doctor. Whatever. You trust her, right? Don’t you think we should do what she suggests?”
He pondered the question before answering, and my mind raced through the possibilities.
My goal was to get Dirk into bed tonight. I needed him to have a major failure and not be able to get hard. Sinking my claws into him deeper so that he questioned his virility was my only goal.
I didn’t consider him susceptible to much, and he had always been virile and vigorous in bed. More so than any other man I’d ever fucked. Especially at his age.
He was definitely an alpha male, but he had expressed concerns about our age difference after we got married. Nothing he ever seemed to fixate on, but he had expressed the fear more than once. He was concerned I would lose interest in him and look for someone younger. I needed to play on that fear to keep our marriage together.
Otherwise, other measures would need to be taken.
“Okay, Scarlet. I trust her and if she thinks we should do this, then I will do it.” His jaw tightened again, and he squared his shoulders as he breathed in deeply. It was like he was getting ready for a key at bat on the softball field rather than considering some wonderfully sensuous sex play.
No matter how cold I needed to be, his tone was disheartening. I had always expected him to grow tired of me and want to leave me. All men were the same. They couldn’t stay with a woman without straying from her. I thought that maybe Dirk Baxter was different, but I was wrong.
I was sure of one thing, though. Tonight I was determined to humiliate him in bed. Again.
Chapter22
Sometimes When We Touch
I swayedmy hips a little more than usual as I led Dirk back to our bedroom, even though Dirk hadn’t been in it for over two months. Sensual mood music played over the speaker system. Looking over my shoulder, I gave him an inviting smile when I saw he was following me dutifully, instead of heading to the guest bedroom.
If he would just not act like he was headed to the principal’s office for punishment, then I would be happier. I wasn’t against providing some punishment, though. In fact, my plan was to punish his ego.
“So, what do we do, Dirk?” I stood by the bed, still in my Alaia dress, looking fucking fantastic.
