Page 85 of Three Sweet Nothings (The Blindfold Club)

Chapter

THIRTY

What the fuck? Impulse took over when the woman’s gaze connected with Kyle’s.

No. He was mine.

I was dimly aware I was acting like a child, but couldn’t stop myself. I launched over the table, grabbed the back of his head, and jerked him into my kiss.

It seared over my lips and I loved the familiar taste. Bourbon, and lust, and the flavor that was distinctly him. It was like he was ready for it. He’d called my bluff, and this kiss was his victory. Oh, hell. Let’s just make it a victory lap, then. His hand pushed my hair out of its way and cupped my cheek, deepening the kiss until I was burning from the inside.

When we finally drew away from each other, I was short of breath and his mouth pulled into a dazzling smile.

“I lied,” I choked out. “It’d bother me.”

He looked pleased as he swiveled in his seat, returning his full attention to me. “Good. If the roles were reversed, I know it’d fucking bother me.”

I settled back down into my own seat, adjusting the cloth napkin. “Then, full disclosure, I had a client hit on me today.”

“Yeah?” Up went Kyle’s shields, and his eyes shuttered. “How’d that go?”

“Since the guy’s currently going through a divorce?” I grimaced. “Yeah, no thanks.”

Naturally, I left out the part where the client was Tariq Crawford.

The enormous football player had finished up his appointment with Henry at the same moment I was coming back from filling my bottle at the water cooler. He’d flashed a disarming smile and struck up a conversation. From his easy-going attitude, you never would have guessed he’d just come from a meeting regarding his divorce.

It all seemed pleasant and without purpose until he’d moved to stand a little too close. His voice had dropped low as he asked if he could have my number. You know, just in case he couldn’t get in touch with Henry. I pasted on a smile, not wanting to make such a huge client feel uncomfortable, and politely reminded him I was no longer involved with his divorce.

“Is that your only reason for turning him down?” Kyle asked, pulling me from my memory. His face was emotionless, but he seemed stiff.

“No,” I said. “I had other reasons.”

Was it excitement he was trying to disguise? His voice was hurried. “Which are?”

“Unimportant.” I took a sip of my martini and set it down, keeping my gaze locked on his. “I want to talk about Joseph. Was this your idea or his?”

For a moment, it seemed like Kyle wasn’t going to let it go, but he appeared to relax. “It was his. He’s offered to help me.”

“With what?”

I’d swear the temperature in the room climbed a thousand degrees. He was so handsome in the golden light of the room. “He’s offered to train me to become like him. A Dom.”

“Holy shit.” Beneath the table, I crossed my legs. It wasn’t that much of a stretch, was it? Kyle already took command in the bedroom, but from what I understood, there was more to it than just that.

“Is that what you want?” I asked. “Would you like being responsible for someone else?”

“The right person?” His voice was like gravel, and I felt it all the way down to my toes. “Yes.”

I couldn’t breathe. His gaze drilled into me and a noise sounded in my head. It could have been an airhorn celebrating, or the warning sound a submarine makes when it dives. Either worked. I felt elated and anxious at the same instance.

His expression was unreadable. “Does that scare you?”

“No, I . . .” I wasn’t sure how to feel about it. If I was honest with myself, I liked when he told me what to do. He’d always had a dominant personality, starting years ago with him demanding my phone number at the university bookstore. Even tonight, he’d taken command, and there’d been a freedom in that. “I’m interested in why it appeals to you.”

He considered his answer but seemed to go with something simple. “I like being in charge.” He knocked back his drink and set it on the table. “Pushing you to new limits is exciting.”

My mouth went dry. “So, I’d be your submissive?”

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