After Hours (InterMix)(41)
I frowned at “without permission” and it wasn’t lost on him.
“Nothing you’re not up for, or into. I just like issuing orders and having them followed, and taking what I want.”
“How would you know I was up for it, if you just took whatever, the second you felt like it?”
“By talking to you beforehand, like this. And picking a signal or a safe word, so you can pull the plug. It’s the illusion of control I want, not actually forcing anyone to do something they’re not into.”
“Jesus Christ. The last thing I need is to go home with a guy who’s got safe words. Can’t sex just be simple?”
“What’s not simple about a single word? Free insurance policy that’ll save you a year of therapy bills, on the off chance I take things someplace you’re not up for. I’ll even let you pick it,” he added, bobbing his eyebrows.
“I’m not interested in sex that comes with a danger of psychological trauma, thanks. I already get that thrill from the ward.”
“I’m a decent guy. You said it yourself.”
“I believe you’re a trustworthy enough man.” I trusted him with my safety, after all, twelve hours a day. “But I seriously don’t see what’s in it for me.” I pictured his body, sprawled across my covers. Liar.
He smiled at that. “You think that when I say I like getting whatever I want, that a woman’s pleasure isn’t one of those things?”
His answer gave me pause, and Kelly’s grin deepened. That smile, rare as a rainbow. It softened his hard features and faded his scars, made my heart feel swollen in my chest. Damn him.
“Didn’t I make you feel good, that night in your room?”
“Yeah,” I admitted. “You did.” Twice. But I resented the hard sell, having a man trying to talk me into something as personal as sex.
Kelly’s gaze shifted past my shoulder as he thought. “Think of it like this.” His eyes swiveled back to mine. “When I say I want to possess a woman for a day, maybe a whole weekend, it’s like I’m inviting her to a dinner party. I’m making exactly the food I want, serving the drinks I like, planning everything. But she’s the guest. Just because I’m in charge doesn’t mean I won’t serve her a damn good meal.”
I shook my head.
“What else would you do with your time off? Babysit?”
“Probably.”
“Think about it. An entire two days without being asked to make a single decision.”
I gave him a dry look. “Two entire days taking orders for someone else’s enjoyment.”
It was Kelly’s turn to sigh. “Okay,” he said, holding up in his hands in surrender. “I’m not going to bully you into it—”
“No, I’m sure you’d save the bullying for once I was at your place, ready for my glamorous weekend as your sex slave.”
“Jesus, you need to get laid.”
Exasperated, I slid my nearly cleaned plate toward the taps and stood, but Kelly grabbed my wrist and tugged me back to sitting with a jolt. I shot him a glare. You did not just do that.
“Listen. I like you. And I want you. I’m inviting you to come over so we can explore the thing that’s between us. I know you feel it, same as me. I’m offering you a chance to shut your brain off for a weekend, so we can spoil each other’s bodies rotten. Let me boss you around and I promise you’ll find out I give twice as good as I get. I’m not gonna try to f*ck your ass or dress you up like a hooker—”
“Be still my heart. Kelly Robak, you charmer, you.”
“There’s four things a real man has to be able to do for a woman.”
“Exactly how many man-lists do you have?”
He let my wrist go and ticked the items off on his fingers. “Fix her car. Grill her a steak. Kick the ass of any guy who makes her cry. And f*ck her so hard she wakes up half-crippled.”
“Oh my God.” For a moment I just blinked at the gall of him. “You’re . . . You are ridiculous. Goodnight, Kelly.” I got up, heading for the exit. I realized my mistake a millisecond before he called me on it.
“Said I can fix your car, not teleport it from two towns over.”
I swiveled. “I’m sure a real man can call a woman a cab, can’t he?”
Kelly stood. “This city’s got exactly one cab, and that’s its driver.” He pointed to a supremely drunk man slumped beside the video poker machine.