Page 17 of Training His Pet

“Scary?” Her gaze snapped to him. “It’s not scary.” She took a deep breath. “But aren’t they gonna mind having us there, you know, people not into that sort of thing.”

They pulled up to a gate with a security building and a PIN pad. Dax parked and rolled his window down. He punched in a code and the gates slowly opened before them. The lights along the fencing didn’t give much away other than a dirt road and plenty of trees and bushes along the path.

“You won’t be wandering around, so it won’t be a problem,” Dax said, but he didn’t actually answer the question.

He slowly drove the car down the road until he pulled through another gate and found a parking spot outside a large white farmhouse. After putting the car in park, he turned to her. “I’m gonna go talk to Devin and get the keys to the cabin. He’s waiting for me, but I want you to stay here.”

“Why?” she asked.

He clamped his mouth closed and narrowed his eyes. “Because I said so. His wife is probably sleeping, and I don’t want to cause any disturbances. It’s three in the morning.” He tapped the clock on the radio.

She slowly moved her gaze from his finger to his eyes. “Because you said so?”

“Just stay here,” he ordered and climbed out of the car. She watched him walk up the steps to the house, battling with herself if she should follow or stay back. She didn’t know these people, and it was three in the morning.

She decided to keep to the car.

The screen door opened and a man stepped onto the porch. The soft yellow lighting from the light above the door illuminated his face. Severe. She couldn’t think of another way of seeing him. They spoke and Dax nodded, gesturing toward the car. He led the stranger down the steps to her side of the car.

Dax opened her door and held out his hand for her. She grasped it, her palm pressing against his. A warm current ran over her. She moved her gaze up from their connected hands to his eyes. He watched her with curiosity, but a warning lingered in his gaze. An unspoken command to not cause him trouble.

“This is Erika.” Dax didn’t let her hand drop and dragged her closer to his side. “Erika, this is Devin. He owns the resort.”

Erika nodded, since putting her hand out was out of the question with his grip intensifying the longer she remained silent. “Nice to meet you. Thanks, by the way, for the cabin. I hope we aren’t putting you out.”

Devin’s gaze swept over her, sizing her up.

“It’s not a problem. It’s a bit secluded. We just started building cabins on the back part of the lot. It’s the first finished.” He moved his attention to Dax. “Trevor will be by tomorrow, he said. If you need anything, let me know. The cabin’s not stocked yet, so you’ll have to make a run tomorrow, or there’s the café.”

“We’ll make a run.”

Devin’s firm gaze turned back on Erika. She took a small step closer to Dax.

“I understand you’re not familiar with the things that go on here. Dax will clue you in. I only ask that you keep any comments you may have to yourself. People come here because they can be themselves without worry of judgment. I aim to keep it that way.”

Erika nodded. “Of course. I would never say something out of turn.”

Devin grunted. “I’m going to bed.”

“Thanks, Devin,” Dax said and tilted his head up to point at a window on the second floor. “Sorry to wake you, Kara.”

The blinds, which had been split open by a hand, snapped closed.

Erika chuckled at the obvious snoop.

“Maybe I’ll take care of some business before I hit the sack.” Devin slapped Dax on his shoulder and dropped a key in his hand. “See you in the morning.”

Erika watched him trudge off up the steps and into the house, only turning to Dax once the front door had closed. “Is he going to beat her? Just because she looked out the window?”

Dax frowned. “You just promised not to be judgmental,” he pointed out.

“I didn’t—I mean—I’m not.” She pulled her hand free of his grip.

“He was joking, Erika. He wouldn’t punish Kara over something like looking out a window.” He opened her door again and gestured for her to get back inside.

She climbed in and watched him walk around the car to his door. He fired up the engine and slowly backed out before driving down a road behind the house.

Punish.

---