Total pages in book: 24
Estimated words: 22387 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 112(@200wpm)___ 90(@250wpm)___ 75(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 22387 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 112(@200wpm)___ 90(@250wpm)___ 75(@300wpm)
His excited hello had been quickly followed with an impish grin and an exclamation that it’d been a wonderful date and he was ready to go back to my place.
Thirty seconds wasn’t a date by any definition.
Hunter shrugged, bouncing between cheeky and contrived innocence. “So we should walk in and then out? I mean, it seems a bit rude, but if that’s what you want.”
Shaking my head, I reached out and rested my hand on his back, steering him toward the door. “Being naughty will not get you what you want.”
The shiver that went through him seemed to fire right to my dick. “I’ll be good, Sir.”
Little Hunter was sweet and wanted to be cared for and cuddled.
Big Hunter was naughty, cheeky, and wanted to be put in his place.
I was starting to see how the mixed signals had thrown me the first time we’d hung out together. It was making me feel less guilty for how everything had gone before, but I had to admit I was nervous about going too fast and fucking up again.
“We’ll see.” My dismissive tone had him giggling and his eyes sparkling as we were greeted by the host and led to our booth.
He managed to behave until we were left alone.
Leaning forward against the table, he kept his voice low and sexy as he radiated an erotic teasing no one had ever aimed at me before. “What kind of punishment would I get if I was naughty?”
I wasn’t the type of Dom to have ever gotten this kind of attention.
I was the Dom everyone described as safe and steady.
No one flirted and egged on safe and steady.
No one but Hunter.
“For starters, nothing that would get you an orgasm.” Denial wasn’t a threat, though. He shivered and his eyes got a sexy, faraway look in them.
I probably should’ve kept teasing and playing along, but I’d never been good at following should’ves…
“When I bring up denial like that, what is your first reaction?” The question didn’t seem to surprise him.
Giving me a smile that went from cheeky to sweet, he relaxed back on his bench and stretched out a foot until it was resting against mine.
As I waited, I could almost see his mind whirling, and I wasn’t sure if he would answer me or give me a cute nonanswer.
But once he started to speak, I realized how seriously he’d taken my question. “I like the feeling of being owned. Even if it’s all a game, I like it.”
He shrugged, trying to brush off some of the seriousness, but I could see how honest he was being. “It pushes my buttons. You don’t have to worry—”
I shook my head, cutting him off as I raised one finger. “No, you’re going to let me tell you how I feel and how I want to respond.”
His lips quirked, and I got a half shrug that was too practiced to be sincere. “I was going to explain that you didn’t have to worry about me being a stalker or anything.”
Clearly, someone had reacted badly to his confession before.
“I’m more methodical. I would obviously be the better stalker.” My pronouncement had him barking out a laugh, breaking the tension as I continued. “I’m also more thoughtful than some of the men you’ve dated because that’s a very common emotion for a submissive. I’d worry more if I thought you wanted it but couldn’t articulate your feelings.”
Something in his eyes said he was listening to more than my words, so I continued, keeping eye contact and speaking as honestly as I could. “I’m not looking for just a night with you. I never was. I simply didn’t think I was the right person to make you happy.”
There’d been no ignoring how he’d made me feel during our first date, but I’d never wanted to make him uncomfortable.
Shrugging, I forced myself to continue. “Later when I started seeing you at the coffee shop, I thought I’d misread too much that first night to get us past it.”
Agreement flashed in his eyes before he nodded, making it clear he’d been feeling the same way. I gave him a smile, trying to project confidence as I tried to let him see what I was feeling. “Knowing you want to be controlled and that it makes you feel safe and owned is not going to scare me away because I want to own you and control you.”
We really were on the same page…at least I thought so…we just had to work through the initial awkward phase.
Again.
Well, if we were counting lunch the other day as our second first date, at least this time we’d made it to date number two.
“And if you second-guess yourself or try to tell me what to feel again, I’m going to call this our second date and the lunch the other day as a do-over first date.” I had to bite back a laugh as he groaned.