Unconditional (Masters and Mercenaries #5.5)(27)

Well, forgive her for giving a crap about indigenous labor. “I wasn’t talking about that and you know it. I was talking about Keith.”

“Where does she think we can set up the manufacturing?” Keith asked, looking at Ryan for the first time.

Maybe she did know way too much about Ryan’s business but she was in college. She was curious. “How about here? Why don’t you create jobs in your own community?”

“Because my own community charges through the roof. Do you know what the product cost would be? Your boyfriend over there would laugh me right out of his office if I came in and pitched him a product that included First World labor costs,” Ryan argued back.

“I would turn him down flat. Ashley, why are you bugging Ryan about his labor costs? You’re a first year business student. He’s made millions. Lost it, too, but he’s well on his way to millions more,” Keith said.

“Yes, well, I would prefer those millions didn’t come with blood on them.” Ashley stopped. How had she lost control of the conversation?

And why were they both smiling?

She ignored them because that wasn’t the point. “I want to know what you said to Keith because he’s acting weird and I don’t like it.”

Keith stared at her. “I’m acting weird?”

“Yes,” she shot back. “You haven’t touched me all night and you didn’t spank me.”

“God, that’s rough.” Ryan grimaced.

Keith ignored him. “And you didn’t like that? You didn’t like that I haven’t touched you?”

She shouldn’t have started this, but she was certainly going to finish it. “I like what we have, and I don’t think Ryan should have a say in our relationship. We’re adults and we’ve both consented. I like our friendship.” It was so much more than that, but she couldn’t say the words. “And I won’t have Ryan manipulating you because he doesn’t like the idea. This is my life and my choice. I love you, Ryan. I’ll always be grateful to you, but I won’t let you walk all over me. I won’t.” They stood there still smiling while she had damn tears in her eyes. “Why are you two grinning like loons?”

“She never used to argue with me,” Ryan said, his eyes on her but his words directed at Keith. “She would start to tell me what she thought and then she would mumble something about needing to be somewhere else.”

“She’s smart. She has good ideas. Well, except about the labor issues. She’s crazy about those,” Keith admitted.

Ryan took a long breath. “Okay. I’m going to back off entirely because I like where this is going. Ash, let me know if you need any…let your Dom know if you need anything. You’re wearing his collar so you need to go through him. Keith?”

“Yeah?” Keith’s eyes were guarded as he looked over her brother-in-law.

“Want to have lunch tomorrow? Go over some of those crazy ideas I have?”

Her Dom’s mouth curled up slightly, and he held out a hand. “I’m pretty sure I’m free.”

They shook hands and Ashley felt the tension leave. “So, everyone’s okay?”

“Everyone except the sub who’s about to get her ass smacked red for cursing and not following her Dom and smarting off to another Dom. Other than her, everyone’s fine. Well, except for the Brit’s sub. She’s got electrodes attached to her clitoris.” Keith shuddered a little. He reached for her hand again. “See you later, Ryan.”

He started walking down the hall but not toward the bar this time.

“Hey, uhm, what just happened?” One minute he’d seemed reluctant and now he was striding through the club like he couldn’t wait another minute.

He stopped, turned on his heels, and suddenly crowded her. She backed up, a little surprised at the way he was looming over her. He was always so polite, always controlled, and now she sensed something primitive in him.

“You just happened.” He moved until their chests nearly touched, until she had to drop her head back to look at him. His handsome face was staring down at her. “I thought I wasn’t good for you, but maybe I am.”

Sometimes it was easy to forget that he was just human. In the short time she’d been with him, she’d started to see him as some sort of superhero. He handled his business with ease. He was rich and successful and yet he was also kind to the people around him. He was together, but he was just a man and men had insecurities like everyone else.

She put her hands on his chest, soothing her palms across his skin. “You are very good for me, Sir.”

“Tell me you’re happy with this.”

“I am happy.” She was happier than she’d been in forever. She had something to look forward to, something that belonged just to her.

His fingers came up and he tangled them in her hair. He rarely touched her like that. He petted her, but when he did it he smoothed her hair down, a calming sensation.

She wasn’t calm now and she could tell he wasn’t either. His jaw was tight, all his words grinding out of his mouth.

“I’m happy, too, baby. Happier than I’ve been in a long time.” His mouth hovered over hers. “Let me kiss you.”

He’d never kissed her mouth. He’d given her crazy pleasure, put his tongue all over her *, but she’d never felt his heat along her lips and it suddenly seemed so much more intimate. The other was just pleasure, an act he performed on her. This was something else. This required her participation.