Page 41 of Ward Willing
I’m grinding my jaw so hard my teeth start to ache.
She giggles and acts surprised. “That’s sweet of you. I’ll have a glass of chardonnay.”
I’m walking away before she can thank me, and before Liam can try to hand me his wallet again.
I order at the bar, but the bartender doesn’t ID me. I come here almost every week, and I know the staff. My foot taps angrily against the metal pole of the bar, and my blood boils. I don’t look over at the booth. Ican’twatch Liam flirting with someone. I’m pretty sure it would kill me.
My nostrils flare when I think of Liam discovering his Dominant side with someone else. Withanothersub. Someone closer to his age. Someoneperfectlike her. He’s a catch; I’m sure she’ll tell all her friends about the nice guy she met at the bar tonight. If she’s experienced, she can teach him. If not, they can discover their kinks together.
The thought makes me sick.
It’s not like he’d be willing to try it with me, anyway.
Thisneverfucking happened.
I think of Chase, one of Liam’s younger brothers. I don’t know him that well. By the time I came back to Crestwood, he and his wife, Juliet, were living in Northern California. He’s a Dom, and Juliet discovered she was a sub after experimenting with him.
Is that what would happen?
One night would lead to dating, and Liam would rock her fucking world with multiple orgasms, and the next thing I knew, they’d be married, and…
Fuck.
I squeeze my eyes shut as my heart pounds in my chest.
The bartender tells me the total, but as I hold my card out, a large, warm hand tugs it down.
“It’s on me,” Liam says, coming to stand next to me at the bar. The bartender takes his card before I can protest. “Don’t think I didn’t see the way you ignored my money earlier,” he murmurs, not looking at me.
God, when he talks in that voice, it makes my cunt shiver with delight.
“I’m perfectly capable of paying for drinks.”
Liam’s blue-grey eyes bore into mine with such intensity, it makes my toes curl inside of my boots.
“There’s no reason you have to pay for a stranger’s Chardonnay.”
I don’t say anything as I sulk, leaning against the bar. “She seems nice. You should date more.”
The words taste like ash in my mouth.
“I’m not really into casual dating.” My brows furrow as I study the wood grain of the bar. “Besides, I’m not sure what her ulterior motives are.”
I scoff. “She’s obviously sussed out that you’re a Dom.”
“Am I?” he asks casually.
I snap my eyes up to his. “Yeah, I mean… that’s what your quiz said.”
He cocks his head as he inches closer. “I thought we weren’t talking about that?”
“You don’t want to know?” I ask, lips curving up slightly, riling him up intentionally.
“Of course I do. You know what? Fuck it. I’ve been dying to ask you about it,” he adds, his voice low and rough. “But that doesn’t mean weshould.Do you see the difference?”
God. When he scolds me…
“What do you want to know?” I ask, knowing my question is dangerous. Knowing he could shut me down again.
