Page 27 of Make Me Stay (Safe Harbor)
“Leave.” He didn’t turn his head toward me, either because he couldn’t or wouldn’t, neither of which were great developments.
“Were you attacked?” I demanded. There was no one else in the room, but I still kicked to raise the bed skirt and rolled over to check the bathroom. Empty. No signs of a struggle. “Was there a break-in?”
“No. Leave, please.” He ground out each muffled word, face buried in a pillow. “I did it to myself.”
“You did it to yourself?” Now I was seriously alarmed, my worries about self-harm flooding back in. I glanced at the empty desk and bedside table. No evidence, but that didn’t mean anything. “Did you take something? Too many pain pills?”
“Chill, officer.” Cal let out a mighty groan but still didn’t look at me. “It’s a…kink thing. I’m sober. Not self-harming.”
“Oh. Um. Okay.” My gaze continued to flit around like a hook-up partner might materialize at any moment. Anxiety retreating, I took note again of his nude state, more leisurely this time, registering one hell of an ass and a toned back with an impressive backpiece featuring a ship on a churning ocean between his shoulder blades. “Kink? Like bondage? By yourself?” Not waiting for him to answer, I added, “How do you get free?”
“You want a demo?” Even tied up, Cal managed to be cranky and commanding. And hot, although I had no business registering that. If my pulse pounded, it had to be from residual fear and adrenaline, not desire. I forced my eyes away from his ass as Cal continued, “There’s a key safe by my right hand. It’ll open in a bit and drop the key into my palm so I can loosen the rigging.”
“And what if it doesn’t open?” I was picturing all the ways in which Cal could die from this little hobby.
“Christ. Come closer, push 9292, and put me out of my misery so I can sit up and show you I’m fine.”
I didn’t need a second invitation to approach the bed and get him loose from the rope. Putting the brakes on my chair, I steadied myself enough to stand and punch in the code on the little box with a countdown timer. Thankfully, the key code worked, which loosened the central attachment point and allowed Cal to slip free even before I finished untangling him.
“There.” I lowered myself back into my chair.
“You can go now.” Scooting around, Cal wrapped himself in the camp-themed quilt from the bottom of the bed, sitting up in the middle of his messy sheets.
“We’re not going to talk about this?” I made no move to head for the door.
“No.” Cal pulled the quilt more snuggly around him, ending my cataloging of his various injuries and tattoos and one hell of a nice chest with sparse hair and dark-pink nipples. When I stayed put, Cal huffed a breath. “Sorry. Thank you for the help. It won’t happen again while I’m here, I assure you. I don’t often do this.”
“I’m not worried about what you do when you’re alone. Jerk off all you want. Watch porn. Enjoy the good Wi-Fi and privacy. And I’m sorry that I and the smoke alarm interrupted your solo time.” I tried to counter his stiff, formal tone with relaxed concern and humor. “But I’m worried about you. Are you okay? Safe?”
I wasn’t sure precisely how to inquire about Cal’s mental state, and from the looks of his tight-lipped frown, I’d missed the target.
“I’m fine. I know what I’m doing.”
“It’s natural to be a little embarrassed and awkward, but we need to talk about this. I can’t pretend I didn’t see.”
“I’m not embarrassed.” Cal gave a long-suffering groan. “And you could pretend you saw nothing. That would be appreciated. I like what I like as far as getting off. Have you never known anyone kinky before? You’re awfully close to pearl-clutching and calling for the manager at the horror of someone liking a little rope.”
“I’m not a prude.” I held up my hands, trying to relax my body language more. I didn’t want to kink shame. I only wanted Cal safe. “And sure, I know kinky people. I have a few turn-ons some might find kinky myself. I’m only trying to understand why you’d do something potentially risky solo?”
“Okay. Apparently, we’re having this conversation. One, I don’t play the hook-up game, even for kink. I tried once and…” Trailing off, Cal wound a fistful of the quilt around his fingers, and my heart twisted. I wasn’t a violent dude, but the idea of someone hurting Cal had all my protective instincts awake and growling.
“It’s all right. You don’t have to tell me details.” I kept my voice soothing even though that protective part of me wanted names, dates, and addresses.
“No, nothing happened. I chickened out. Deleted the app. That’s the thing. Can’t trust strangers for the sorts of things I like. And like I said the other day, I do pining much better than random lust anyway.”
