Page 8 of Rough

Once we reached the bar, the bartender behind the counter began sucking up to Garret almost immediately. He fretted and fussed over Garret, ignoring other customers in order to get Garret what he wanted immediately.

“I’m impressed,” I said with a chuckle after the bartender speedily handed us two vodka tonics.

“With what?” Garret arched one eyebrow and propped one elbow up on the bar top.

“They treat you like a God around here.” I chuckled.

“Well, I am the owner of the club. If they want to be handsomely rewarded for their work efforts, my staff already knows to do what I want. They know I’m good for it, and loyal, as long as they return the favor.” He shot me a charismatic wink that made me feel warm all over.

He exuded cool, poised confidence. It wasn’t a struggle for him to be breezy, or, if it was, he certainly didn’t show it.

“What kind of rewards do you give them?” I asked with a twisted smile.

Garret gave me a flirtatious grin in return. “Use your imagination.”

“My imagination tends to run wild,” I admitted in a frisky tone.

I didn’t mind diving into this flirty banter with him. In fact, I was having fun.

“Isn’t that the best way to live life?” Garret whispered in my ear, sending a sensational surge of goose bumps through my body, lavishing me with instant pleasure.

The way he looked at me sent a rushing thrill through my body that I knew I could easily become addicted to. I was already intoxicated by his dreamy gaze.

“To new beginnings,” he said and raised his glass in a toast.

I complied. “To new beginnings.” I clinked my glass against his and took a relishing sip of my drink.

I secretly hoped that as the night unfolded, and the alcohol freely poured that I would be able to unwind and loosen up beyond my regular self.

I didn’t want Garret to view me as a Dom with control freak problems. I wasn’t a sub, and as soon as he was clear on that, we’d be in good shape.

“I have a question for you,” Garret said, the mischievous glow back on his face.

“Shoot.” I cast him a warm and engaging smile.

He touched my hand and flirtatiously grazed his fingertips against my hand, skirting them across my knuckles. His eyes locked with mine. He gave me his full, undivided attention. I didn’t know whether to feel lucky or afraid.

“Are you up for trying something new?” His handsome silvery eyes danced with naughtiness.

Since I was still feeling like he was trying to challenge me, I knew I couldn’t fold. I put on my best poker face.

“I could ask you the same thing,” I said, trying to stand up straighter, squaring out my posture as I mirrored his.

Garret smiled, apparently oblivious to my efforts to dominate the situation. Nothing fazed him. It was both impressive and irritating at the same time.

“I asked you first,” he said, tossing me a spirited smirk with those gorgeous eyes of his.

I could get lost in those eyes, but I was still fearful of exactly what he wanted from me. The uncertainty was beginning to unravel the tangled webs inside my head.

I wasn’t afraid of Garret, but I was afraid of him putting me in a position where I had to do something outside my comfort zone. I had already agreed to join him at his club, and part of me felt like that singlehandedly proved that I could live up to the expectations. Unfortunately, we were too early into the game for me to back down.

Garret leaned in close to me. I caught a whiff of his masculine cologne. His light blue t-shirt was skintight and complimented his eyes.

“Let me ask you something else,” he said.

We were almost nose to nose now, and he was staring at me with an intensity that took my breath away.

“Okay…” I trailed off warily.

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