Page 74 of Disciplining Dana

“So,” he began, “first thing you need to know is that if you ever do anything like you did in Argentina or the sapphire mine again, they’re going to fire you.”

Dana’s eyes went wide. “What? You”—she thrust her hand toward him—“you can’t make that a condition of this negotiation! You’re not Gary!”

“No, but before we came out here, he made it clear that’s the stance the company is taking. The underwriters are leaning heavy on the board because despite all that you bring to the table, they see nothing but potential risk.” Kurt tapped the counter gently. “Gary’s asked me for years to do what I can to try and keep you from endangering yourself, and God knows I’ve tried, but now it’s not in either of our hands. You’re on thin ice with McKerr-Dennison, and unless we can work this through...”

She opened her mouth as he spoke, and when he trailed off, she cried, “Dammit, Kurt! Why didn’t you lead with that! Why didn’t you tell me this before?”

“Because I didn’t want you to get angry and do something rash like I suspect you would,” he answered with a shrug.

“Like… what!”

“Storm off,” he replied evenly. “Quit.”

She gaped at him.

“You would have. You know it.”

Slowly, she closed her mouth. “Maybe.”

“No, Dana, not maybe.”

“What is it with people telling me they know what I’m going to do before I even do it?”

“For me?” Kurt spread his hand. “That’s easy: because I know you. Being with someone for seven years will do that.”

Dana pressed her lips together tightly before responding. “I suppose it will. But don’t forget”—she pointed at him—“I know things about you, too. Are you really sure you want to go through with this? Derek told me this wouldn’t be easy, and he gave us a less than a fifty-fifty chance of succeeding?—”

He said what?

“—and he’s right.”

“Less than a fifty-fifty chance…” Derek hadn’t said anything like that to him, and while Dana had accused Kurt of being dramatic, that prediction seemed a hundred times more so.

But he’s not wrong, is he?

Dana had once said, “everything in life worth doing takes risk,” and Kurt had never felt it truer than in this moment. Because here she was saying Derek Hawkins gave them less than a fifty-fifty chance of making it, and yet despite that, he still knew there was only one way forward.

“I don’t have a choice,” he replied, staring into Dana’s eyes. “Because unless we try, there’s a one hundred percent chance we won’t be together.”

Her throat worked as she swallowed, a sensation he’d felt himself more than once the past twenty-four hours.

Don’t press too hard. Remember, she’s gonna be like a spring colt after being given her first bit. You’ll need to go easy, give her time…

Derek’s words pushed past Kurt’s emotions. He rose from his stool, gazing down into her face. “I know we still have a lot to talk about, but I think this is enough for now.”

He wanted to reach for her, kiss her, take her in his arms and hold her. Right now, though, that was as much for himself as it was for her. What he should be thinking of was where she was emotionally, not what he wanted to salve his own nerves.

“Good night, Dana,” he said softly, beginning to turn away.

She grabbed his arm. “Don’t leave me alone. Please.”

Kurt stopped and slowly turned back to face her. “I thought you might need some time to yourself to think things through.”

“I do. And I will,” she replied softly, “but not tonight.” She squeezed his arm. “And I want to make it clear to you right now, we’re not going back to my room to fuck. I just… I just want to be with you.” The look on her face was both imploring and a demand. “Do you understand?”

He stepped close, his voice equally as soft. “Actually, probably more than you realize.”

He slipped his hand into hers, lacing their fingers together. Tugging her gently, she rose off her stool and followed him as he drew her away from the bar and out of the Dungeon. Wordlessly, they passed through the lobby then down the hall until he stopped in front of her room. She pulled out her keycard and opened the door, and they both entered. For the briefest of moments Kurt thought to speak, to ask one of the thousand questions racing through his head, but as he stood watching, Dana dropped the keycard on her dresser and slowly began undressing. He stopped himself; words weren’t necessary right now. In fact, words were an imposition. There was already so much that had been said, and while there was still so much more needed, it could wait. For now, this—what was taking place as he began to remove his own clothes—was enough.

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