Page 27 of Defended
Alexander smiled thinly, but it didn't quite meet his eyes. "Are you seeing her again?"
"This weekend," Kawan said, trying not to sound as defensive ashe felt. Something about his friend's demeanor was putting him a little on edge. He gave Alexander a look. "Is there a reason for the interrogation, counselor?"
The other man's gaze sharpened, full of challenge. "Is there a reason you consider a couple of perfectly innocent questions an interrogation?"
Kawan snorted.
"Your questions are never innocent."
The growing tension between them broke as Alexander laughed. "There is that." His expression softened, turning to something more like worry, and Kawan felt his stomach flip over as he saw unwanted pity written there. "I'm just... checking in."
The tension might be gone, but now an awkwardness rose in its place. Kawan knew that Alexander was only asking because he cared, because they were friends, but it still felt invasive. Unwanted. But the questions themselves weren't and he knew it.
"We're seeing each other again this Saturday."
"Is she a baby girl?" Alexander's tone warmed slightly, tinged with just a touch of relief. That disappeared as soon as Kawan hesitated.
"She's interested in Daddy Doms," Kawan said. Of course, Alexander had no problem picking up on what he wasn't saying.
"But she doesn't have any experience with them."
Kawan's fingers drummed on the edge of the armchair. "She doesn't have any experience with BDSM period."
"Oh, like that makes it any better," Alexander muttered, running his hand over his face before returning his gaze to Kawan. "Are you sure you want to do this?"
This.
Get involved with a woman who didn't have any experience in BDSM. One who was interested, but had no practical knowledge. It would be so easy to turn her into exactly whathewanted her to be, but that wouldn't be what was best for her in the end. But letting her find her own way meant she might end up deciding she wanted something different than he did. That he wasn't enough for her, or too much for her, or some combination of both.
Like Krissy had. If only that was all she'd done.
The little stab of pain in his chest at the thought of his ex didn't surprise him. What did surprise him was that he also felt a small ache at the idea that Melody might follow in her footsteps.
He couldn't possibly be that emotionally involved with her so quickly, could he?
Kawan leaned back in his chair, fighting the urge to cross his arms over his chest and close himself off. Who knew what Alexander might read into that defensive posture.
"We're just scening," he said, keeping his voice even and completely neglecting to mention the date he'd taken her on last night.
"I'm only asking because I care," Alexander said softly.
"I know. Don't think I don't appreciate it, even if it makes me uncomfortable." Kawan forced a half smile onto his face and batted his eyes. "I'm not used to having to answer to Daddy."
Alexander choked and Kawan's half-smile widened to a full one.
* * *
Dammit.Someone had taken her favorite sharpie.
Melody's lips thinned as she cast a suspicious gaze around the lab. It was just her, Corey, and Richard today and, to be honest, she couldn't really see either of them stealing her purple sharpie. Everyone knew the purple one was her special one. It was a true measure of her distraction this week that she'd left it behind yesterday.
But Kawan had been texting her and she hadn't been paying attention to what she was doing.
Everyone knew not to touch her purple sharpie or she would get medieval on them. At least, she'd thought that message had been made clear. She'd gotten a little spastic the last time it had disappeared. It had rolled off of her work station and thankfully had been found before she'd totally melted down.
What could she say? It was better than all the other sharpies and she wasn't quite sure what she was going to do when it ran out.
Corey's blond head lifted and he blanched a little when he took in her expression and angry stance. Although he could be a total misogynist, he was also a little scared of her and Lisa, the other female grad student on their team. They'd had a serious talk with him the first week they'd all had to work together when he'd tried to send Melody to get him some coffee. Since then, he'd done a one eighty and decided the two of them were 'cool,' but he still didn't like to test either of their tempers.
