Page 53 of Disciplining Dana

“Yep. Because of how they identify and how they typically view sex in general, they often see kinks from an entirely different perspective than those who view kink from only the traditional sexual viewpoint.”

“That… actually makes sense.”

“Yep, but Ace or otherwise,” Luna continued, “the fact is not everything kinky needs to end up in the bedroom.”

Kurt downed the last of his Old Fashioned. “So… could one be in a relationship with someone and provide them discipline and also be sexually kinky with them in other ways too?”

“Uh… duh!” Luna said with a grin, pointing a finger at herself. “Service sub here, and, believe me, I don’t sleep with everyone I serve.”

“Can attest,” Drake said with a smile.

“Listen”—Luna’s face was animated as she leaned toward Kurt—“strong relationships are built on more than just shared kink. Kink can be a component, for sure—an absolutely rich, incredible, and fun component—but any relationship built solely on kink is likely doomed to failure in the long run.”

Doomed to failure. A phrase that sounded all too close to the threat Kurt had laid on Dana’s doorstep less than an hour ago.

“This is about Ms. Aziz, isn’t it?” Luna’s voice brought his head up. “What she did today.”

A long second dragged by before he nodded. “Yes.”

She bobbed her head. “Well, I hope you can work things out. She seems like a nice person. Mr. Hawkins seems to think so, anyways.”

Kurt widened his eyes. “He said that to you?”

“He said it to Erika, and trust me, considering what your friend did, if he didn’t believe that at some level, she wouldn’t still be here. He would’ve sent her packing the minute she came out of”—she gestured in the general direction of the mine—“there.”

A nice person. A good person. And that was the thing; despite how much Dana frustrated him, deep down she really was a good person. An incredibly intelligent person who could simultaneously be both amazing and infuriating.

And that had once been enough. But now… now it made what she’d done today untenable. To know what it was like being with her in her best moments, then consider what could happen in her worst was more than he could continue to deal with.

“You’ve given me some things to think about,” he said to Luna. “All of you,” he added, glancing to include Drake and Jenna. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” each of them replied in turn.

Having bidden them goodnight, Kurt went back to his room. He’d been right not to head there earlier, though he hadn’t known why at the time. Now… now he had much to think about, things to consider and possibly reconsider. Nothing about what he, Jenna, Drake, and Luna had discussed made him question his ultimatum to Dana; if anything, it only reinforced it. But the finality of how it might end certainly was enough to give him pause. He and Dana needed to do as Luna had suggested and come to a compromise. Otherwise…

Each of them had a difficult decision to make.

CHAPTER 13

Dana

“Kurt, please call me.”

Dana slowly slipped her cell back into her pocket. He hadn’t answered when she’d called earlier this morning nor when she’d come to his room to try to find him. Now she stood outside his door, opening and closing her fingers to tamp down the irritation that wanted to rise inside her.

He’s doing this to get back at me. For what I did yesterday.

Which she realized was ironic to say, but what he was doing right now felt more spiteful than calculated. She’d been underground most of the time he’d been trying to reach her, and while her reasons for being there were part of why he was so angry with her currently, punishing her like this was… childish.

Pot meet kettle.

She groaned. Okay, her conscience could harp at her all it wanted, but there was a difference between what she’d done and what Kurt was doing now. Rather than dwell on the semantics of it, though, she was going to follow his example: she was going to find out where he’d gone.

Dana strode from the hallway and out into the main building’s lobby. It was early, but a few people were about, either making their way to the café or the cafeteria, plus several were seated around the enormous fireplace, talking quietly. Dana scanned the area, but there was no sign of Kurt, nor could she find him when she glanced into either breakfast location. The sunrise had broken over the mountains to the east, but when she stepped outside, it was still chilly, and she pulled up the collar of her jacket a little tighter.

Which way?

That was the question. If Kurt had come out here, which way had he gone? Rawhide Ranch had paths running all over the place, from building to building, as they’d discovered the other day, but which one had he taken?

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