Cowboy Casanova (Rough Riders #12)(85)

aftercare, leave. Or make him leave.” Layla’s gaze turned shrewd. “What?”



“Ben’s already asked me to spend the night with him.”


“Have you?”


“No.”


“I see that not yet answer in your eyes, Ainsley.”


She fidgeted. “But he can just command me to stay over anyway, right?”


“Technically? Yes. Especially if you’ve agreed to give up your weekends to him.”


“We haven’t talked about that.”


“You need to. Next time you’re together before the clothes fly off and the restraints

come out.”


Ainsley rolled her eyes. “Gotcha.”


“I worry about you, knowing he’s in the area. You’re trying to prove you can handle

the bank president’s job. You’re new in town and it’d be easy to spend all your free

time with Bennett. I don’t want you to get too attached to him, because it won’t

last.”


As much as Ainsley wanted to protest, she’d be wise to listen to Layla since she’d

known Bennett for years. “All right.”


Relieved, Layla sagged against the loveseat. “Good.”


“Thanks for the advice. I never would’ve mustered the guts to do this if not for you.

”


“You’re welcome. I’m glad we’ve reconnected, A.”


“Me too.” Ainsley stood. “Let’s eat. Then you can give me hints on how to keep my

Dom on his toes while keeping my butt from getting paddled.”


“Don’t even pretend you don’t want that man spanking your ass at every opportunity.

”


“I’m blindfolding you tonight.”


That was an abrupt subject change. “I guess that’s one way to start the weekend,”

Ainsley said dryly. She’d weighed Layla’s advice and ignored it simply because she’d

wanted to spend the whole weekend with him. In his house. In his bed. Under his

control.


Bennett traced the line of her jaw and stared into her eyes. When he studied her so

intently, as he touched her with such familiarity, she felt more naked than when she

was actually naked. Stripping her defenses was more intimate than stripping her

clothes.


“Will I need to bind your hands so you don’t tear the blindfold off?”


“Maybe.” Ainsley’s heart pounded. How could he make her so skittish with just words?

“So you’re going to blindfold me, tie me up and then what?”


“Leave you in the barn while I come back inside and watch The Speed Channel.”


Her mouth dropped open.


“Isn’t that what you’re afraid of? I’ll take away your choices and leave you

powerless and at my whim? Then I’ll somehow abuse you, or your trust, which will allow

you to get upset and leave, which also lets you regain control?”


“Ben—”


“Bennett,” he corrected with an edge. “Answer the question.”


“I still don’t know…the truth is I’m confused.”


“I’ll un-confuse you. Because you’re not supposed to be thinking, are you?” His