blame
you for that, but I can’t tell you we don’t need it either.”
We. He says that as if we’re a couple. How lovely
that sounds. And impossible. “I haven’t a thing to wear.” She knew that
wouldn’t stop him, but at least it might give her a moment to come up with
another reason not to go.
“Perfect.”
It took her a moment to process the quick and unexpected
response. He can’t mean… He does. “You just want me naked?”
“I did admit to ulterior motives, didn’t I? What man
wouldn’t want you naked?” He leaned over and kissed her lightly on the lips. “I
actually did bring one thing for you to wear. A collar. Not as a sign of a
commitment, but because if you’re wearing one the other Doms will know you’re
taken, and I don’t think either of us wants someone trying to cut in. And
hopefully it will remind you that I’m going to protect you.”
She stared at him. He met her gaze, a soft smile playing on
lips that had touched her far too briefly. She hadn’t had a man lust after her
so frankly in a long time. “What are we going to do there?”
“Nothing that will damage you, bruise you or mark you in any
way. Nothing that will require you to be out of sight of others. And nothing
that will require you to be restrained or unable to get away.” He glanced at
her food. “Say the phrase ‘pad thai’ and I’ll stop. Other than that, you’re
going to have to leave it up to me.”
“We don’t get to negotiate?” She frowned.
Nick shook his head. “Darlin’, if you were any other sub,
I’d negotiate until the sun set, and it sets pretty late this time of year. I
don’t enjoy starting a scene and having someone safe word out of it if I can
avoid it by some good conversation beforehand, and you’ll have your safe word,
always. But the fact is, I don’t think that’s what you need. I think you need
to learn that it’s okay to trust again, as well as that it’s okay to play
again. And I intend to fulfill your needs as best as I can.”
Her needs had been fulfilled last night. It had been his
that she figured had been ignored. She wanted so badly to say yes to him, and
yet part of her wanted to yell no way and run. She took a breath and gave him
the most positive answer she could. “I’ll think about it.” She took another
bite of her pad thai. Prey needed to eat too and the food was yummy.
“Good.” He took hold of her hand, the one that wasn’t
holding a fork, and said, softly, “Dinner will be genuine Australian food.
Pizza.”
She didn’t recall saying yes to dinner either, but she was
distracted from objecting to the supposition by the incongruity of what he
said. “Pizza is Australian food, is it?”
“We have our own take on it, I think it’s fair to say.”
Chapter Five
The pizza was yummy. Zoe had never thought of having smoked
salmon and capers on pizza before, but she had to admit it went well. She
passed on the idea of egg pizza, however. That was too strange. But now she was
standing in front of Nick near the coat rack at Indigo. He’d ordered her to
strip, which she’d been dreading for hours.
“Do I have to?” She made a face at Nick, but she knew the
answer already. She sounded like a spoiled teenager, even to herself, begging
for something she knew she wasn’t going to get. All she had to do was walk out
or say her safe word. On some level, she knew she didn’t have to do anything he
told her to, and asking the question was an admission that she was going to
obey.
He chuckled. “No, not at all.”
She blinked. The music at Indigo was much quieter than it
had been the night before, instrumental rock with a hint of classical music in
it, dark and haunting. She’d definitely heard him correctly.
“Just stay still.”
He put his hands behind her, unfastened her bra and slipped
it off over her shoulders. Oh. She’d taken the blouse off without protest, and
then she’d balked. He hadn’t seen her breasts before, hadn’t seen the
you for that, but I can’t tell you we don’t need it either.”
We. He says that as if we’re a couple. How lovely
that sounds. And impossible. “I haven’t a thing to wear.” She knew that
wouldn’t stop him, but at least it might give her a moment to come up with
another reason not to go.
“Perfect.”
It took her a moment to process the quick and unexpected
response. He can’t mean… He does. “You just want me naked?”
“I did admit to ulterior motives, didn’t I? What man
wouldn’t want you naked?” He leaned over and kissed her lightly on the lips. “I
actually did bring one thing for you to wear. A collar. Not as a sign of a
commitment, but because if you’re wearing one the other Doms will know you’re
taken, and I don’t think either of us wants someone trying to cut in. And
hopefully it will remind you that I’m going to protect you.”
She stared at him. He met her gaze, a soft smile playing on
lips that had touched her far too briefly. She hadn’t had a man lust after her
so frankly in a long time. “What are we going to do there?”
“Nothing that will damage you, bruise you or mark you in any
way. Nothing that will require you to be out of sight of others. And nothing
that will require you to be restrained or unable to get away.” He glanced at
her food. “Say the phrase ‘pad thai’ and I’ll stop. Other than that, you’re
going to have to leave it up to me.”
“We don’t get to negotiate?” She frowned.
Nick shook his head. “Darlin’, if you were any other sub,
I’d negotiate until the sun set, and it sets pretty late this time of year. I
don’t enjoy starting a scene and having someone safe word out of it if I can
avoid it by some good conversation beforehand, and you’ll have your safe word,
always. But the fact is, I don’t think that’s what you need. I think you need
to learn that it’s okay to trust again, as well as that it’s okay to play
again. And I intend to fulfill your needs as best as I can.”
Her needs had been fulfilled last night. It had been his
that she figured had been ignored. She wanted so badly to say yes to him, and
yet part of her wanted to yell no way and run. She took a breath and gave him
the most positive answer she could. “I’ll think about it.” She took another
bite of her pad thai. Prey needed to eat too and the food was yummy.
“Good.” He took hold of her hand, the one that wasn’t
holding a fork, and said, softly, “Dinner will be genuine Australian food.
Pizza.”
She didn’t recall saying yes to dinner either, but she was
distracted from objecting to the supposition by the incongruity of what he
said. “Pizza is Australian food, is it?”
“We have our own take on it, I think it’s fair to say.”
Chapter Five
The pizza was yummy. Zoe had never thought of having smoked
salmon and capers on pizza before, but she had to admit it went well. She
passed on the idea of egg pizza, however. That was too strange. But now she was
standing in front of Nick near the coat rack at Indigo. He’d ordered her to
strip, which she’d been dreading for hours.
“Do I have to?” She made a face at Nick, but she knew the
answer already. She sounded like a spoiled teenager, even to herself, begging
for something she knew she wasn’t going to get. All she had to do was walk out
or say her safe word. On some level, she knew she didn’t have to do anything he
told her to, and asking the question was an admission that she was going to
obey.
He chuckled. “No, not at all.”
She blinked. The music at Indigo was much quieter than it
had been the night before, instrumental rock with a hint of classical music in
it, dark and haunting. She’d definitely heard him correctly.
“Just stay still.”
He put his hands behind her, unfastened her bra and slipped
it off over her shoulders. Oh. She’d taken the blouse off without protest, and
then she’d balked. He hadn’t seen her breasts before, hadn’t seen the
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