Page 46 of Protected
Then his gaze softened, and he squeezed her hand. “Let’s take kink out of the equation for a minute. I’m attracted to you, and you’re attracted to me. That we do agree on. I think we owe it to ourselves to at least see where it leads. Say yes, Darci. Say yes to trying a relationship. I want you so much. And with every taste I get of you I want you even more.”
Their meal arrived and interrupted the conversation. The food was delicious, but Darci mostly picked at her plate, feeling anxious. Finally, she spoke.
“OK. We can try. I don’t know if I’m ready for power exchange again yet.”
He grinned. “Thank you, Darci. We can stay away from power exchange. I won’t even spank you like I promised.” He winked and heat flooded her cheeks.
“I worry that because of our natures we will wind up slipping into something kinky without having a proper discussion about it first,” she confessed.
“That’s a valid concern. We talked about it some the night we met, but you’re right, we’ll need a longer conversation. I promise we'll have it when the time comes. I can’t promise not to get bossy, but you have my full consent to call me on it if you think I’ve crossed a line we haven’t negotiated.”
She stabbed a vegetable with her fork. “I can live with that.” Popping the food into her mouth, she took a deep breath. Now for the harder discussion.
“Would you give me a ride home after we finish here?” She tried to sound nonchalant.
“Did you forget some files?”
“No. I just miss my bed, and I need to be alone to think.”
His stare turned into a harsh glare. “Absolutely not. You’re not staying there alone.”
She rolled her eyes. “Why not? It’s my apartment, and the police cleared it.”
“I don’t care, Darci. That fucker is still out there, and you are not going home.”
“You can’t tell me what to do,” she said, testing him. He glared.
“You’re right, I can’t. But so help me, Darci, if you go home, I will spend the night in front of your door, and you can’t stop that.” He was angry now.
She sighed loudly. “Bradley, I can’t let this guy, whoever the fuck he is, disrupt my life. I want to be in my home. I can’t think around you. How am I supposed to sort out my feelings for you if I’m staying at your place?”
“It isn’t safe for you there. I promise I’ll keep my distance. We don’t have to share a bed. I can sleep on the couch. You can have the bedroom.”
“I’ll stay tonight, but damn it, I want to go home. I want to get dressed out of a closet not a suitcase. I want to finish cleaning up.” Darci gave him a pleading look.
“We can go tomorrow after work, and I’ll help you do more of the cleaning. We can bring more of your clothes to my house, and you are welcome to the closet. I only use a quarter of it, anyway.” She let out a sigh of exasperation. This conversation was going nowhere.
“Fine. Can we go home now?”
Bradley appeared frustrated. He motioned for the waiter and paid their bill.
“Can we please go back to having a pleasant conversation?” he asked quietly.
“We could if you would stop being so damn controlling.”
He threw his head back, and his body shook as laughter rippled through him.
“I don’t see anything funny.” She blew out a huff with a look of irritation on her face.
“I just know how submissive you can be. I thought you liked controlling in a man.” He winked, and she blushed as the waiter returned with his card.
“You’re mean,” she said after they were alone again.
“Oh, darlin’, you have no idea.”
“Let’s go, before I get a cab and go to my place.”
“Don’t push your luck. You might not be my submissive, but I would track you down and turn you over my knee if you did that. I’m taking you home with me.”
