Page 53 of Audiophile

“Is breeding one of your favorite DKP scenes?”

I clear my throat and try to get my head back on straight. “Asked for an ass and received one. That’ll do it.”

Reed’s dimple peeks out as touches my hot cheek and glances at his watch. “Six minutes.”

My jaw drops open, but as soon as I recover, I take a leaf out of Mama’s book and swat his shoulder. “Go away! Be useful or be grilled! Either way, don’t come to me for help.” I shove him toward the piranhas, and he has the audacity to laugh as he goes.

Livi bites first. “So, Reed. How long are you in town?”

Reed raises an eyebrow at me, but he’s on his own. He settles in on the barstool next to Darin’s. “Not sure. Playing it by ear.”

“Ah, and you get a lot of vacation time for that type of thing, or are you between jobs?”

“Livi, offer our guest a drink,” Mama scolds. Livi pours Reed a glass of water before Ma asks again, feigning disinterest, “Areyou on vacation up here?”

Reed smothers a grin, but his eyes twinkle. “I run my own company, and luckily I can work remotely.”

“Your own company?” Ma repeats with a pointed stare at me.“That’s a real man,”she mouths to me, though everyone can see. My face has to be tomato red, because Reed glances at me and chokes back laughter.

“What do you do? Where do you live?” Mama asks.

“I’m in sound engineering, and I do some voice acting. I was in Los Angeles, but I’m moving, once I decide where to land.”

“Oh?” Aunt Carla raises her brows at me before sending Reed a winning smile. “Is Swift River in the running?”

“With this hospitality, absolutely,” he says, and all eyes shift to me. “But most likely somewhere bigger. San Diego, maybe.”

I breathe a small sigh of relief. Reed visiting here is messing with my libido, emotions, reputation, and family. Him moving here would upend my life.

Chapter twenty

Petra

The entire family peltsReed with questions, each less subtle than the one before. Reed answers them all with poise, until even I’m convinced that he’s a charming middle-class boy from a Christian family in Iowa who loves kids and sound engineering.

He sounds…perfect. Or maybe someone else’s perfect. It’s a watered-down version of the Reed I know, and guilt twists in my chest. I shouldn’t have pressed my issues with my family on him. I pass Hailey over to Darin and grab his hand, tugging him up from his seat.

“I’m going to show Reed the yard,” I announce, not giving anyone room to object. He follows me through the glass doors to the back porch, where we’re mostly hidden from view. We blend into the dark, but the warm, yellow light from the living room caresses his face.

“Did I do something wrong?” he asks.

“No, I did. I shouldn’t set limits. DKP isyour company. I don’t want you to be someone else. You deserve to be comfortable and supported for the whole, wonderful person you are.”

Reed wraps his arms around me and roughly pulls me into his chest. “Petra.” He sighs into my neck, as though he hurts. His hand sneaks under my blouse to cradle my back, and I wait for him to say something else, anything, but he’s quiet.

“My parents don’t know the extent of it either. My siblings do, but I can’t bring myself to have that conversation with my mom. I’m not ashamed, and she might get it, but it’s easier to show hermy YouTube where I play a PG-13 pretend boyfriend for lonely girls.”

“You’re much more than that,” I protest, locking eyes with him, determined to impress the enormity of the truth on him. “I had an awful relationship with my body until I listened to you. I wasn’t merely self-conscious, Reed. Ihatedmyself. Every stretch mark, every inch of skin, every stupid, fucking ovarian follicle. You changed something in me, until I could see myself in a mirror and not mind, or touch myself and find pleasure in it.Youdid that for me and who knows how many other women.”

Reed’s fingers are gentle on my jaw as his thumb smooths over my mouth. “What am I gonna do with you, Petronia Diamante?”

My only anchor to this moment is the soft swipe of his finger on my lip. The ache is back, and I’m desperate for Reed’s mouth on mine. “What do you want to do with me?”

“Anything you’ll let me. Will you leave with me tonight? Let me collect my side of the deal?” When he leans back, his serious eyes search my face for an answer. For once, he doesn’t have to wait.

“Yes. But this time I’m bringing my own pajamas.”

Reed smirks. “Pack as if you’re Livi.”

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