Page 19 of Training His Pet

She slowly dropped her hand, an embarrassed smile on her lips. “Sorry. I know. It’s just. Well.”

“You’re rambling,” he pointed out while forcing down his own bubble of laughter.

“I wasn’t expecting you to be half naked is all. Did I wake you?” She moved her gaze to the messed sheets of the bed.

“No.” He rolled his shoulders back to stretch. He’d been away from the gym for a few days, and he was starting to feel it. “Did you sleep okay?” he asked, more to get his mind off the sweet blush of her cheeks than out of concern.

“Yeah. The bed is really comfortable.”

“You hungry?” He grabbed his shirt from the dresser.

“I could eat.” She grinned.

He grabbed his shoes with his socks tucked in them and headed toward her at the doorway. “Well, there’s nothing here to eat. Might as well make our run to town now.”

“Didn’t that guy last night say there was a café here? Can’t we just go up there? I have cash.”

Dax eyed her. Curious energy surrounded her. Like she couldn’t wait to explore and find something new.

“I’m not sure it’s a good idea for you to be around the other guests,” he said, brushing past her through the doorway. As he did, he felt her body touch his. A simple touch, one he’d experienced walking in the crowded train stations back home with strangers, but this one was different. He’d felt it when he had held her hand the night before, and now there it was again. Heat. A sudden burst of white-hot heat that shot right through him.

He dropped his boots by a kitchen chair and plunked himself down in it.

“Why?”

“Why what?” he asked, grabbing a sock. What had they been talking about?

“The café? Why do you think it’s a bad idea?”

He slipped his foot into the sock. “Because these people aren’t like the sort of people you hang out with.”

“What does that mean?” Great. She sounded offended. Getting her riled up wouldn’t gain cooperation. Erika wasn’t his girlfriend, or hell, even a friend; he couldn’t start demanding obedience and making her follow orders. She wasn’t one of his soldiers either. If he was going to keep her safe and tucked away from the rest of the resort, he’d need to make her see reason.

“Some of the guests will be walking around naked, some on leashes, some will be eating out of dishes on the floor. There might even be a few people having sex at the table next to you.” While any of those things were possible, Dax doubted so much play would be happening at the breakfast table so early in the morning. But the idea was to get her to play ball with him.

Except she didn’t.

Her eyes widened with wonderment. That pink tongue of hers ran over her lips, like he’d just placed a sizzling steak in front of her.

“It’s just not a good idea,” he said and finished lacing up his boots.

“You think I’d be rude to people? You don’t even know me.” She stepped closer to him, arms folded, and a heated glare pointed in his direction. “I’m not some close-minded asshole. This is their resort, they are here for their fun, I’m just hiding out. I know that. And I doubt a little pet play or public sex would offend me.” She rolled her eyes.

“Pet play.” He said the words soft while looking up at her from his chair.

“Yeah. That’s what you were talking about, right?” she asked with the same firm tone.

He stood up from the chair, making her step back from his close proximity. Maybe he’d judged her too harshly.

“What do you know about it, exactly?” he asked.

“Enough not to be shocked, and I’m hungry. And you said your friend was stopping by this morning,” she pointed out. “We can go to the store after we’ve eaten.” Her lips spread wide into a smile, producing a deep dimple on her left cheek. “Or, you can make the run to the store, and I’ll stay here and get breakfast. Whatever.” She turned around and stalked off to her room.

Dammit.

“Let’s go,” he said gruffly when she stepped back out with her purse. “We’ll eat and then make the store run.”

“Good idea,” she said, patting his chest.

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