Page 42 of For the Sub

Completely charmed, he gave her a warm smile. “I’m glad you have people who are concerned about you.”

“Really?”

“Besides, I’m the dragon. I can take care of myself, Princess.”

“I met him at a BDSM club,” she told John, as if Niles hadn’t offered that reassurance. “I’ve known him for a number of years,” she added. “And this is not the first time he’s defended my honor, and I instigated our first scene.”

“You do realize that he—?”

“For Christ’s sake, John, yes. Please give me some credit.”

Niles tightened his hold on her.

But that didn’t slow her down. “I ran a background check, and not just because I knew you’d ask if I had.” After a pause, she continued, “This brings up an interesting question, though, doesn’t it? How do you know who he is?”

When the man exhaled, she went on in a gentler tone. “Your job here is done, John. I love you and Margot both, and I appreciate that you care. I’m going to tell your wife to come and spend time with Master Niles and form her own opinions.”

Defeated, John raised his hands.

“I think the hamburgers are burning.” With that, she squirmed from Niles’s grip and strode toward the door.

“No hard feelings?” John asked.

“She’s lucky to have friends like you,” Niles responded.

Maybe as a peace offering, John grabbed a plate, and Niles transferred the meat onto it.

The man carried it inside while Niles put on the next batch.

Glad for a little solitude, he stood in front of the grill, drinking the last of his beer, watching the first tendrils of the orange sunset.

Beneath the wide-open sky, it was easy to understand the appeal of her lifestyle.

The views were spectacular.

The cabin he was staying at contained no personal effects. It had been decorated to appeal to hunters and fishermen, with a bare minimum of nicer touches so that women didn’t feel out of place.

In contrast, Brandy had created a home.

Her place was cozy, lived in, as the strewn-about dog toys proved.

Nearby, she even had a greenhouse, with huge plants inside. Though he’d be hard-pressed to identify any of them, he surmised it took a certain amount of attention to grow them that big. It was another outward sign of her nurturing personality.

Because he was still cooking, Brandy brought him a fresh beer along with a plate filled with potato salad, carrots, fruit, and one of the charred burgers. He was grateful no one had criticized his barbecuing skills—at least not to his face.

The dogs spent a significant amount of time sitting near him—hoping to scavenge bits of meat, he was sure. He glanced around, looking for Brandy before splitting an overdone patty in half and feeding it to the animals.

“That’s one way to stop MW from biting your feet,” John observed. “I was sent to light the chimenea. Penance for pissing off both women.”

“Tough times,” Niles agreed.

“I’m curious. What’s it like being around so many beautiful women all the time?”

He didn’t have to think about his answer. “Unrewarding. Meaningless.”

“Seriously, man?”

“Be grateful for what you have.”

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