Page 7 of Marking Micah

“How do you know all this stuff, Arrow? This kind of goes beyond being a good Dom with good instincts.”

He shrugged. “When I came back from Afghanistan, I went through physical therapy, occupational therapy, and… therapy. A lot of it. I still go twice a month. I know what’s been helpful for me, and you know I volunteer as a peer counselor at the VA, and sometimes bring the horses with me. So I get it. I get what PTSD is like, even though yours and mine have different roots. But it’s the same feelings, so I believe I understand you—and feel free to let me know if I’m ever mistaken. I can admit when I’m wrong, and I’d rather know. But I also know that you are going to have to be pushed to one degree or another to get you through this. And you understand everything I do, I do with your best interests at the forefront of my mind?”

“Yes, absolutely.” She paused, biting her lip. “That doesn’t mean I’m always going to like it.”

“If this stuff wasn’t hard for you, we wouldn’t be here, Micah. So, that also means I’m going to want to get you into the dungeon. That’s inevitable. You’ve said you trust yourself in my hands, but we’ve been friends for the last five years. If scening together feels too weird to you at any point, there are some excellent Dominants here I can turn you over to with the utmost confidence, men and women both.”

“I… I came here understanding that we’d play at some point. With that intention. I don’t think I want that to happen with anyone but you,” she admitted, hoping she wasn’t saying toomuch. He was awfully good at reading between the lines, and she knew her emotions were pretty raw right now.

“I get that, but I needed to tell you there are other options. Neither of us knows exactly how you’re going to feel once things get started. And on that note, we’ve negotiated no sexual contact, and I want to reiterate that you have my word I’ll respect that.”

Another long shiver went through her, and this time it was more like a long, warm wave of yearning deep in her belly that spread down between her thighs. She squeezed them together, trying to will the feeling away.

He’s your friend.

His brow arched once more. “Micah?”

“Um, what if… what if I want to renegotiate that?”

She couldn’t believe she’d said the words aloud, and she could see he was trying his hardest to control his expression, but there was shock in his eyes, and his jaw went tight.

Fuck. Had she messed this up already?

CHAPTER 3

Arrow did his best to get his face under control, but he knew she’d seen his reaction.

Shit. He didn’t want to make her uncomfortable, but Christ, he hadn’t expected that from her.

Micah was his friend, and that was something he’d never, ever take advantage of, a line he’d sworn to himself he wouldn’t cross. But here she wasasking. And every cell in his body went a little wild at the idea, making him go instantly hard.

He cleared his throat, trying to get himself to calm the fuck down. But it was impossible not to notice things like the way her oversized t-shirt draped off one shoulder, leaving her beautiful, pale skin bare. The way tendrils of her silky brown hair had escaped her hair clip, framing her face in wisps of softness he was dying to touch.

Shit, he was dying to touch every damn inch of her. Always had been. But now that need had turned into a raging heat he’d need to keep a very tight rein on.

Get it together.

“If that’s something you’d like to discuss, we can, sure. But you need to be very, very certain about it. We’ve always been friends, and you know I’m protective as hell when it comes toyou. And one of the things I’ve been very aware of having to protect you from isme.”

“From you?” She gazed up at him, confusion shadowing her green eyes that caught the lamplight, reflecting it in their emerald depths. “I don’t understand what you mean.”

He glanced down at his hands clasped in his lap and willed himself to stop clenching them into fists.

How fucking arrogant had he been in going into this situation with such utter confidence that he’d be able to keep his years of desire for her out of the picture? Here, where they’d negotiated kink play? Where the whole setup meant Micah would be about as vulnerable as she could get?

He’d wanted to do what was best for her, and he still believed this was it. But thezingof desire that shot through his body at her request to negotiate for sexual contact had him rethinking his ability to keep his shit under control.

He was going to have to spend tonight after Micah went to bed doing some long, hard thinking about himself as a Dominant.

Fuck.

Meanwhile, she needed his assurance that he wasn’t going to fuck this up.

“I didn’t mean to imply that you’re in any sort of danger from me.”

“No, I know that. Of course not.”

“But… despite my years as a Dominant and as a kink educator, I’m still only human, Micah. And you’re a beautiful woman. Even more beautiful when you submit. I’ve seen it. And without that very firm line drawn, things could easily get a little fuzzy.”

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