Page 11 of Exposed to You

So Jeremy had used me to make conversation with Dallon King. I couldn’t really fault him for that; he didn’t know what had happened between us.

“What’s going on with you two, Amy? Why is it such a big deal he went to your work?”

I sighed. “It’s nothing, Jer. I’m sorry for freaking out. I was just surprised and Dallon King can be… pushy.”

I could practically hear Jeremy’s smile. “That’s because he wants you. It’s Dallon King’s way.”

I was glad we were having this conversation over the phone so he couldn’t see me blush. “Yeah, well, nothing is going to happen.”

Jeremy laughed. “Sure, Amy. Look, I’ve got to go—I’m out with Isobel’s friends. I take it you’re not coming by anymore?”

I had been so caught up in my own drama, I’d forgotten Jeremy had wanted me to meet his new girlfriend that night. Who was the bad friend now?

“Oh jeez, I’m sorry, Jer—I totally forgot when he showed. And then we went for drinks. Another time, okay?”

Jeremy chuckled. “All right, Amy. Have a good night.”

“You too.”

I hit END and ran a hand through my hair, let it fall around my shoulders messily. My phone pinged and I opened my text messages to find them empty before checking my email.

Dearest A,

Thank you again for letting me keep the pictures. I’m lonely without the other ones, however ;).

Thank you also for spending the evening with me. Please let me know that you made it home all right,

—D.

I blushed as an image of Dallon King with his trademark, piercing blue eyes appeared in my mind, winking and telling me that he missed the other pictures. I swallowed hard. With shaky hands, I opened up my email and looked at the picture he’d sent me, one of the two that I had deleted. It was now the only copy of the spanking photos that existed—if I could trust that Dallon had really deleted the trail, that is.

His words ran through my mind: “I’m not asking if you enjoyed getting spanked, though I’m dying to ask.”

No.

I could feel myself getting riled up again, despite the nice time we’d had together, so I closed my email, jumped out of bed and paced my room a few times before I began changing.

How could anyone like getting spanked?

As I marched into the bathroom and began brushing my teeth, my anger grew until I was fuming that he had actually had the balls to ask me that question. I was also angry that it was getting to me.

No, I did not like getting spanked, thank-you-very-much, Mr. King!

I shoved my toothbrush back into the holder and stared at my flushed expression in the mirror. There was no doubt he’d liked it, however—that he was into that sort of thing. But was I?

I closed my eyes, and all I could see was an imagined image of me bent over his bed before his hand came down with a smack. The way I must have looked! It was beyond embarrassing. The memory of how it went down seemed burned into my memory.

I’d heard the snap of the shutter and then he’d approached me, his hands on my bottom and then my thighs…

I shivered, went back to my room and wrapped myself up in my covers again, unable to stop the memory from playing out again in my mind.

He spanked me and the shutter went again, and then he slipped his fingers between my legs…

I threw the covers over my head. He’d tested whether or not I’d liked it… And liked it or not, my body had given him the answer he’d wanted. It didn’t matter what I told him now; he’d asked me the question because he believed I did. Maybe he wanted me to realize it too. Maybe he planned to make me so confused and unsure that I would go to him and accept his deal, dying to find out the answer.

I groaned and rolled over, curling myself into a little ball. Like it or not, his plan was working.

***

The next day, Sam and Luke arrived and helped me load up Sam’s SUV with all my stuff. They even helped me take apart my bed, Luke carrying the heaviest pieces, like the headboard and baseboard, down the flights of stairs. I must have thanked him a million times for helping me out with it, feeling bad the entire time that I hadn’t had a boyfriend to help carry things as well. Sam just put an arm around me and told me not to worry about it.

It was hard not to be jealous watching Sam and Luke interact. They seemed to just get each other the way couples do in movies, the way I’d never thought could happen in real life. My ex-boyfriends consisted of jerks and losers, starting with guys that barely graduated High School and ending with those that had cheated on me or used me in some way, usually sex or money or both. So Dallon King had been right on the money when he’d insinuated that I’d never had a boyfriend that had cared about me. It had always been me doing the caring, and I’d had my heart broken more than I cared to admit.

Dallon King would not be an addition to that list.

I watched as Luke closed the hatch on the back of the SUV and leaned down to plant a kiss on Sam’s perfect, straight nose. She smiled up at him before wrapping her arms around his waist and giving him a quick squeeze. Then we all climbed into the SUV and made our way to Brooklyn.

“How’s your place?” I asked as we drove.

Sam turned around in the passenger seat to beam at me. “It’s amazing, Amy! I’m so excited. We’re really having a great time and are going furniture shopping tomorrow.”

“That’s great,” I smiled, pushing down the twinge of jealousy that had risen into my stomach. Sam was my best friend and I was happy for her.

“So what did you get up to last night?” Sam asked.

I looked out the window and tried to sound casual. “I was supposed to meet up with Jer to meet his new girlfriend, but I went out for drinks instead.”

“Jeremy has a girlfriend that isn’t you? I’m surprised.”

I laughed awkwardly. “We’re just friends. I wanted to meet her. I guess I will another time. Her name’s Isobel.”

“Hmm,” Sam said thoughtfully. “So who did you go for drinks with?”

I sighed inwardly. Sam always wanted to know what I was up to, not just because we were best friends, but also because she was super maternal and generally interested in other people. It was one of the things I liked best about her and the reason she hoped to focus on Family Law.

There was no way I could lie to her, but I knew she would get super excited and interested once I told her who I had gone for drinks with. It would be a subject that would be difficult to skirt over in the future.

“His name is Dallon King. I met him the other day. He came into the café and asked if I wanted to go for drinks after work.”

Luke whistled loudly. “Dallon King. I’ve heard of him.”

I rolled my eyes. Great. Another one.

Sam glanced at Luke, and I could see her wheels turning. “How? Who is he?”

“He’s in securities, a high position of some sort, but he also collected donations to start a charity to protect animals. I think it’s a shelter or something,” he said, shrugging it off. “Anyway, he’s maybe thirty and super wealthy.”

“Nice!” Sam turned back to me and smiled appreciatively. “A shelter for animals… He must be a really nice guy.”

I made a noise that could have passed for an affirmation. If pressed.

“Is he good-looking?” Sam didn’t glance at Luke before asking, but I saw him glance at her.

“Yeah, he is. I think he knows it, too.”

“Arrogant?”

“Definitely arrogant. But it’s more that he is where he

is, and I’m where I am, and—”

Sam cut me off before I could continue. “I know where you’re going with that, and it’s dumb. You’re hot, smart, and a good person, Amy. If this guy has a charity for sheltering pets, he’s probably just as kind and appreciates that about you. In addition to you being hot, of course,” she winked.

“Yeah, maybe. Thanks,” I squirmed a little, not feeling comfortable receiving a compliment under the circumstances, and especially with Luke being in the car. If he weren’t, I might have told Sam I suspected there was more to Dallon King than met the eye; that he was into some sex stuff I might not be. What would the lawyer term for it be—sexual deviance?

Sam sighed loudly. “I can tell you don’t believe me. But just because Michael was an ass doesn’t mean he will be too.”

“I think she gets it,” Luke said gently and patted Sam on her knee.

“I just wish she saw how amazing she is too.”

Luke laughed and looked at me in the rear-view mirror. “Do you know how amazing you are, Amy?”

I laughed in response. “Yep. Totally amazing.”

Sam punched Luke playfully on his arm and faced forward in her seat again. “All right, let’s change the subject from the smoldering, wealthy animal lover. But I want details later.”

***

Once Luke and Sam helped me set up the bed and roll the mattress over its frame, I told them they could take off.

“I really appreciate your help and I don’t want to take any more of your time. I’m just going to make the bed, unpack a bit and put my artwork up.”

“Why don’t you come out with us for dinner?” Luke asked, eying my “kitchen” and its pathetic hotplate. I was personally delighted that the landlord Bran had thrown in a small bar fridge after I’d signed the lease.

“I’m not really hungry and want to start decorating right away.”

“Let her get to it,” Sam said, most likely empathizing with my desire to make the place livable as soon as possible.

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