Page 72 of Disciplining Dana

They both stared at each other in silence.

“So… now what?” she asked quietly.

Mr. Hawkins looked away. “Well, I suppose that all depends on what you do next.”

Dana followed his gaze. To where Kurt stood watching them.

“Are you willing to try and work this out? Is that something you truly want?”

“Yes,” she whispered, not taking her eyes off Kurt.

“Then I suggest you stay right here.”

Mr. Hawkins slipped up from his bar stool and began to leave. He’d barely taken three steps before he stopped and turned back to her.

“Before I go, Ms. Aziz,” he said, “I want you to know it’s been a genuine pleasure meeting you. Still only give the two of you a forty-sixty chance, but… you’re an incredibly strong woman, and that, honestly, is hot as hell. Mr. Ellery…”

He looked to where Kurt waited before glancing back at Dana with a smile.

“He’s a very lucky man.”

CHAPTER 18

Kurt

Derek Hawkins walked away.

“Good luck,” was all he’d said when he’d come up, but before Kurt could ask what the hell he meant by that, the man had simply turned and strode off toward the door.

Good luck? How was he supposed to take that?

He turned to look at Dana, and she gazed back, waiting, her face emotionless.

Your move, champ.

He took the stairs and crossed the space separating them until he came up to the stool Derek had vacated less than a minute ago. When he got there, he felt Dana studying him, and rather than meet that gaze full on, he glanced at the bar top, noticing her empty glass.

“Can I get you another bourbon?”

She narrowed her eyes. “How’d you know?”

“Oh, c’mon, Dana…”

“Okay”—she held up her hand—“fair enough. I suppose by now you’d know what I drink.” She gestured to the tumbler. “I’m fine, though, thank you.”

Now he did meet her gaze, and they both contemplated each other for a long moment.

“So… now what?” she asked quietly.

“So, now we talk.”

“Okay,” was all she said, waiting for him to respond.

“Can I assume you’ll agree to discuss what we spoke about earlier?”

“I’ll agree to hear what you have to say, and we can negotiate from there,” she replied.

“So, you’re not going to just walk away?”

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