Page 13 of Power Play

“You’re perfect.” Her cheeks turned pink, and he couldn’t help but grin. “Before you take off, what is your cell number?” She rattled off her number, and he dialed it. Her phone rang. “Now you have my number. Please call me when you get home so I know you’re safe.”

Amusement flared in her eyes. “I can do that.”

“Thank you. I’ll call you in the morning and see when we can meet up tomorrow.”

“That would be nice.”

“Good night, Regina. Dream of me.” He stepped back and shut the door. Staying out of the way, he watched her pull out of the parking spot and drive away.

Feisty woman, but he liked that about her. He wanted a woman who challenged him, not some doormat. Regina was no one’s doormat. Climbing into his car, Dane drove to town and the house he was renting.

From what he’d been told, he’d been lucky to find a short-term rental. Originally, he’d planned to be in Pleasant Valley for six months, four months before the grand opening, and two months after. But after being here, he found he liked this small town. Wicked Sanctuary was a plus. Finding Regina, even more so.

There wasn’t much for him in Chicago. Yes, his family was there, but the Chicago gallery had a fantastic manager, and he didn’t need to be on site. Maybe he would stay here. Tonight was not for making that decision. First he had to see how things went with Regina.

He was a few minutes from his temporary home when his cell rang. He punched the handsfree button on the steering wheel. “Hello.”

“Hi, Dane. I’m home.” Regina’s sweet voice carried through his car speakers.

“Thank you for calling me.”

“You’re welcome. Talk to you tomorrow, but please don’t call too early.”

Dane laughed. “I won’t call until after eleven, my sweet.”

She was silent. “Night.” The line went dead.

Did she not like him calling her “my sweet”? Well, she’d have to get used to it. This wasn’t going to be a traditional courtship, not when he wanted to play with her tomorrow night. He needed to plan something special for her.

She claimed he was typical Aries. Tomorrow he’d show her just how much of an Aries he was.

Chapter Five

Regina rushed through her apartment. Dane would be here in thirty minutes to pick her up. In the past week, he had taken her for a picnic on the beach, hiking in the Olympic National Park, and to a wildlife sanctuary.

He’d taken her out for dinner every night as well. From Greek food to barbecue to burgers to whatever tonight might hold. With each adventure, they talked about anything and everything. In all her life, she’d never had a man who wanted to know her so well.

She got to know him too. He liked adventure, but he also enjoyed quiet time. He’d been in the lifestyle for eight years. She’d teased him that he started as a baby, and he quipped back he was older than she thought.

They talked about how he liked running the gallery and finding local talent. He was the oldest of three kids; he had two younger brothers. One was engaged, and the other was working on his dissertation to become a microbiologist.

When he asked about her family, she skirted around the question, telling him her family was alive and well, but they didn’t have much contact. Not that she hadn’t tried. Each year, she sent a Christmas card, hoping they would talk to her.

But no. They couldn’t get over how she’d chosen nursing over being a woman of means and marrying to increase the family fortune. That was not her. She liked helping people. It didn’t matter to her if they were rich or poor, where they came from, or their background. All deserved compassion and care.

Regina glanced at the clock. Damn. Her boss had called her. One thirty-minute call of nothing but frustration and here she was. The hospital was short-handed, and her boss wanted her to work. Regina barely stopped herself from going off on her boss. She’d also already worked more than her forty hours. Burnout was real for nurses. When you dealt with life and death situations, you needed time away from the job. Regina firmly but nicely told the charge nurse she couldn’t come in today.

Guilt settled low in her gut. She didn’t like hanging up on people or telling her boss no. Usually she didn’t mind taking an extra shift. Not today. She wanted to spend today with Dane.

Last night, she laid in bed trying to remember more about Dane from when her brother brought him home. She remembered the tall, lanky boy who was working a project with her brother. She didn’t know it at the time, but it was the look in his eyes. That “Dom stare” as she called it. Dane had filled out even more in the past ten years, and now, was all muscle and sexy as hell.

The brief kiss when she was a shy eighteen-year-old hadn’t prepared her for the Dane of today. That was a long time ago, she reminded herself. Dane had shown her he was a decent guy. He apologized for coming on strong, although she understood. He was a Dom, and some of them did come on strong, but he was also an Aries, and Aries men didn’t always know when to stop.

She grinned as she remembered his confusion when she said he was an Aries. She loved reading about the astrological signs and seeing how well they matched people. Sometimes they were right, other times not. But it was interesting when personalities matched their signs.

Regina hopped in the shower and cleaned up in record time. Good thing she already knew what she wanted to wear. She put on the black gauzy skirt with a handkerchief hemline, and a deep purple top that would leave her shoulders and front of her neck bare since it fastened around her neck.

Sexy, yet not overt. She dried her hair and secured it with clips. She walked out to her bedroom and examined herself in the mirror. The skirt was long enough she could go without tights. She slipped on a pair of black two-inch heels. Regina gave a longing glance at her stilettos, but it had been a while since she’d worn them, and the last thing she wanted to do was trip and fall. Or worse, twist an ankle.

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