muscles tensed. “What do you mean?” He tilted her chin so that they looked at each other.
“My membership.” She gave a little shrug. “It was one of the temporary ones. It ends tonight.”
His gorgeous face was a careful neutral. Her belly waited…waited…and then started a slow sinking. “Your membership was…” He shook his head. “Will you go for the full membership?”
Did that mean he wanted her to? “I’m not sure. To be honest, it would be a stretch for me financially.”
“I see,” he said, his gaze searching hers and losing some of its warmth in the process. Or maybe that was her imagination? Or her heartache?
She hung on his words, hoping he’d say something more. Needing him to.
“Well, I…I hope it works out.” His brow furrowed for just a moment.
He hoped…it worked out? What the hell did that mean? Master Kyler was a Dom who knew exactly how to say what he wanted. Clearly and without any pretense. That vague mess of words right there? Well, it told her everything she didn’t want to know, didn’t it?
Suddenly, she needed off of his lap, out of his arms, away from him. How had she let herself want more when he’d told her he couldn’t give it? Or wouldn’t. So, so dumb. But she just nodded. “Thank you for everything, Master Kyler. I’m going to head out.” She shifted.
He caught her around the waist, and she bit back a whimper. Because she really needed to get away from him—before she lost her temper or started to cry. Both reactions were bubbling up inside her. She pushed against his chest.
“Wait,” he said.
The word nearly made her gasp as hope rushed through her. “Why?” she asked, her voice strained. She forced herself to meet his gaze. But she didn’t find hope there.
“You’re…are you feeling okay again? After the scene, I mean?” He frowned.
Oh. She’d never achieved the depth of subspace with another Dom that she did with him, so she’d never experienced the fuzzy-headed euphoria and emotional roller coaster that it could take you on after a scene. They’d talked about that a bit after they’d fallen asleep together the first time, the night he’d first showed her his amazing cross tattoo. Just one more thing she liked about him, the sexy ink covering so much of his body. He’d said he was worried about her going into subspace with a less experienced Dominant and suggested she advise any future Doms before she played with them about how pain and intensity could impact her.
At the time, she’d just thought he was looking out for her.
But now… If his words tonight didn’t quash the stupid, stupid hope she’d momentarily felt, the memory of that exchange stomped on it with a pair of big, beefy shitkickers. “I’m fine, Sir. Thank you for your concern.” She pushed out of his lap and rose, the blanket still around her shoulders. She retrieved her clothes from the table. “May I take the blanket to the locker room with me?” Because she really didn’t want to bare herself in front of him. Not any more than she’d already done. Even if he didn’t see it—or was purposely ignoring it.
He stood, his slate gray button down still open over his sculpted chest and abs. “Of course.” He looked like he wanted to say something else, but he didn’t. So Mia left the little lounge. And him.
Threatening tears stung the backs of her eyes. She was just vulnerable after that scene, damnit. That’s all this was. Because Mia totally hadn’t gone and fallen for the freaking gorgeous orgasm machine of a Dom who’d told her not to do that. Nope. She hadn’t been that dumb at all.
Except. Yes. Yep. She totally had.
Head down and rushing in the direction of the locker room, she somehow didn’t see the big wall of man she ran into until her nose was smashed against his chest.
“Whoa there, little subbie,” he said, amusement in his voice.
“Oh,” she said, grateful that he’d steadied her before she’d fallen. “I’m so sorry, Master
“My membership.” She gave a little shrug. “It was one of the temporary ones. It ends tonight.”
His gorgeous face was a careful neutral. Her belly waited…waited…and then started a slow sinking. “Your membership was…” He shook his head. “Will you go for the full membership?”
Did that mean he wanted her to? “I’m not sure. To be honest, it would be a stretch for me financially.”
“I see,” he said, his gaze searching hers and losing some of its warmth in the process. Or maybe that was her imagination? Or her heartache?
She hung on his words, hoping he’d say something more. Needing him to.
“Well, I…I hope it works out.” His brow furrowed for just a moment.
He hoped…it worked out? What the hell did that mean? Master Kyler was a Dom who knew exactly how to say what he wanted. Clearly and without any pretense. That vague mess of words right there? Well, it told her everything she didn’t want to know, didn’t it?
Suddenly, she needed off of his lap, out of his arms, away from him. How had she let herself want more when he’d told her he couldn’t give it? Or wouldn’t. So, so dumb. But she just nodded. “Thank you for everything, Master Kyler. I’m going to head out.” She shifted.
He caught her around the waist, and she bit back a whimper. Because she really needed to get away from him—before she lost her temper or started to cry. Both reactions were bubbling up inside her. She pushed against his chest.
“Wait,” he said.
The word nearly made her gasp as hope rushed through her. “Why?” she asked, her voice strained. She forced herself to meet his gaze. But she didn’t find hope there.
“You’re…are you feeling okay again? After the scene, I mean?” He frowned.
Oh. She’d never achieved the depth of subspace with another Dom that she did with him, so she’d never experienced the fuzzy-headed euphoria and emotional roller coaster that it could take you on after a scene. They’d talked about that a bit after they’d fallen asleep together the first time, the night he’d first showed her his amazing cross tattoo. Just one more thing she liked about him, the sexy ink covering so much of his body. He’d said he was worried about her going into subspace with a less experienced Dominant and suggested she advise any future Doms before she played with them about how pain and intensity could impact her.
At the time, she’d just thought he was looking out for her.
But now… If his words tonight didn’t quash the stupid, stupid hope she’d momentarily felt, the memory of that exchange stomped on it with a pair of big, beefy shitkickers. “I’m fine, Sir. Thank you for your concern.” She pushed out of his lap and rose, the blanket still around her shoulders. She retrieved her clothes from the table. “May I take the blanket to the locker room with me?” Because she really didn’t want to bare herself in front of him. Not any more than she’d already done. Even if he didn’t see it—or was purposely ignoring it.
He stood, his slate gray button down still open over his sculpted chest and abs. “Of course.” He looked like he wanted to say something else, but he didn’t. So Mia left the little lounge. And him.
Threatening tears stung the backs of her eyes. She was just vulnerable after that scene, damnit. That’s all this was. Because Mia totally hadn’t gone and fallen for the freaking gorgeous orgasm machine of a Dom who’d told her not to do that. Nope. She hadn’t been that dumb at all.
Except. Yes. Yep. She totally had.
Head down and rushing in the direction of the locker room, she somehow didn’t see the big wall of man she ran into until her nose was smashed against his chest.
“Whoa there, little subbie,” he said, amusement in his voice.
“Oh,” she said, grateful that he’d steadied her before she’d fallen. “I’m so sorry, Master
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