Page 18 of Provoking Bryan

He smiled faintly, leaning back in his chair. “Maybe I don’t. But I’ve always been curious about… the lifestyle.”

Sara’s brows lifted in surprise. “You have?”

He nodded, his tone thoughtful. “Yeah. It’s always intrigued me, but I was raised to think it was kinky—something nice guys didn’t do. It wasn’t until recently that I realized it’s not just about sex or control. It’s about trust, connection, and knowing what the other person needs.”

Her pulse quickened, a mix of hope and wariness coursing through her. “And you think you could… do that? Be that?”

Bryan’s eyes darkened, his voice lowering as he replied. “I think, with the right person, I’d want to try. And I think that person might be you.”

Suddenly the vast expanse of the moonlit horizon felt impossibly small.

“Bryan…” she started, but he shook his head, cutting her off gently.

“Don’t answer now,” he said. “Take your time. If you decide this isn’t something you want with me, I’ll respect that. But if you do…” He leaned forward again, his eyes locking with hers.

“I know this sounds stupid, but maybe this could be the start of something.”

“Something good?”

Sara grinned. “That remains to be seen.”

Before either of them could say more, the sharp beep of the security monitor shattered the moment.

Bryan stood immediately, his body tense. “What is it?”

Sara moved to the console, her eyes scanning the feed. A shadow moved along the edge of the camera’s view, just beyond the perimeter.

“We’ve got company,” she said, her voice steady despite the sudden rush of adrenaline.

Bryan stepped up beside her, his hand brushing her shoulder briefly. “We’ll finish this later,” he said, his tone calm but firm.

Sara nodded, her focus shifting to the task at hand, but her mind lingered on his words.

As they prepared for whatever danger loomed outside, one thought burned bright in her mind:later might be closer than she ever expected.

6

SARA

Sara’s fingers danced over the controls of the drone, her eyes glued to the screen displaying its live feed. The dim light of the safe house cast long shadows, but her focus was razor-sharp. The blip of movement on the security monitor had triggered every instinct she had, and she wasn’t about to ignore it.

The drone hummed softly as it zipped over the perimeter, the infrared camera revealing the faint outlines of trees, rocks, and the occasional nocturnal animal scurrying in the darkness.

“Come on, show me what you are,” she muttered, tilting the joystick to move the drone toward the fence line.

Bryan’s voice drifted over her shoulder, steady and calm. “Find anything yet?”

“Not yet,” Sara replied, her tone clipped. “Give me a minute.”

Bryan didn’t press, standing back but watching her closely. She could feel his presence like a weight, steadying and grounding, even as her nerves hummed with adrenaline.

The screen flickered, a faint blur of movement catching her eye. She adjusted the drone’s angle, zooming in on the source of the disturbance.

“Gotcha,” she murmured.

A large shape loomed in the shadows, moving erratically. The drone’s lights swept over it, illuminating the culprit.

An antelope.

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