Page 72 of Dominate Me

“Cookies, too?”

“I aim to please,” I said, setting the glasses on the bed.

Her green eyes liquefied. “Yeah, you do.”

I pressed my lips to her forehead, handing her the juice. “Drink this, you need the sugar. Subspace can work like a diabetic on a crash.”

“Thank you, for tonight and taking care of me.”

Like I wanted to do anything else. She was magnificent when she surrendered to me.

“Trust me, Haley. The pleasure was all mine.”

I kissed her again, unable to keep any part of my body away from hers, before I pulled away and went to her bathroom and turned on the tub. It wasn’t large, it wasn’t even a decent-sized soaking tub. We’d be cramped, but I’d make it work.

Digging through her cupboards I didn’t find any bubble wash so I dumped a large amount of soapy, lavender-scented body wash in the tub and hoped that’d make it relaxing enough.

“Ready for your bath?” I asked when I went back to her room. She was crunching on a cookie, her lips twisted.

She held one out. “This is a nasty combination.”

“Come on.” I laughed at her expression and scooped her into my arms. She was tall and lean, but light in my arms as she wrapped her arms around my neck and dropped her head to my shoulder. Like she belonged there.

Like she needed to be wrapped around me as much as I wanted to be wrapped up in her.

We sat in the tub, her back to my chest, her legs inside of my bent ones while I massaged her shoulders.

The lights were dimmed, and the scent of the soap was relaxing.

I leaned back, wrapped my arms around her chest and pulled her against me.

I ran my hands up and down her arms. She relaxed beneath me and I started talking. Explaining. I had done it earlier, I’d told her about Courtney, but I didn’t want any secrets between us. No hint of anything that could be misconstrued.

She’d been completely forthcoming with me.

“Meredith and I grew up together, Haley.” She tensed in my arms but I pulled her tight against my back. “Let me get this out, okay? There’s no way to avoid Meredith, our lives are too tightly entwined.” She murmured an okay and once her shoulders relaxed, I continued. “Her dad and my dad were great friends. We grew up together and her dad’s office brings all of their business to my firm. Meredith is poised to take over. She’s smart, really smart, and I won’t deny that she wants me. But she’ll never have me and she hates that there’s something out there she can’t conquer.”

“She’s friends with Courtney.”

I laughed. “Meredith’s only loyalty is to herself. But I met Courtney through her and liked her. She was sweet and kind, timid in a way that made me think she was afraid of her own shadow. I introduced her to bondage play when we started dating. I wanted that connection to her, and for a long time, I’ve carried that weight...that with what she ended up doing...had I not introduced her to that life, would she have still jumped over the edge?”

“You can’t blame yourself. Our decisions are our own.”

“I know. I know that in my head, and Courtney had demons she was always running from. She grew up in a really bad, horrific home life. She was never stable, always searching for something, and I missed the signs until it was too late.” I pressed my lips to the back of Haley’s head, needing that connection. Until Haley walked into my life, I hadn’t seen the difference between someone who wanted pain and someone who wanted submission. They were different, really, even when they were so close to the same. “After she attempted suicide, I got her help, sent her to a treatment program, and Meredith has stayed friends with her. I think because Courtney will always listen to her.”

“I’m starting to hate Meredith.”

I was, too.

“Meredith likes being the big fish in a small pond. Courtney trusts her and Meredith will always use that to her advantage. I don’t want there to be any secrets between us, Haley. Not now, not ever. I don’t want you doubting me, what I feel for you.”

It was beginning to be everything. Too soon to admit it but I hoped while I held her to me, told her everything I could, that she’d understand.

“And she’ll be there Saturday?”

“She will along with her dad, but like Gabby said, we can keep Meredith away from you.”

She huffed. “I don’t need protecting from some jealous woman. Not if she knows I’m yours.”

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