What Happens After Dark by Jasmine Haynes

said.
    He grabbed her hand, made her stay put for another second. “What we do is good, Bree. But you need more. I intend to give it to you.”
    “I don’t want more.” She tipped her head and gave him a look. Oh you poor deluded man. “I’ve never had a boyfriend, Luke. I don’t know how to have one. What we do is all I know how to do. I don’t have anything more to give. But thank you for the mocha.”
    He wouldn’t let her go with just a thank-you . “There are other pleasures to explore. A date. It isn’t that difficult.”
    She didn’t answer. Instead she leaned forward, kissed his cheek. “Thanks for coming over to make me feel better.” She stood, purse in her hand.
    The subtext was that he hadn’t made her feel better despite his intention. He’d pushed, that’s what he’d done. While it was necessary, maybe the timing wasn’t perfect, but he’d already started down the path.
    He rose before she could get away, commanding her with his closeness, his maleness, and his bigger body. It didn’t matter about her high heels; he was master. “Bree,” he said and didn’t care if he was demanding. “Say yes.”
    He could see his distorted reflection in her eyes before she finally answered. “Yes.”
    “Yes what?” he murmured.
    She moved only her lips. “Yes, Master.” Then she left.
    She’d do it because he’d ordered her to, but not of her own free will. With Bree, though, Luke wasn’t sure that mattered. She was comfortable with commands.
    He hadn’t specified an evening for their date. He’d do that later. He’d done enough simply putting her on notice that it was coming. Now, however, he didn’t like having her beyond his reach, not when things were falling apart in her life.
    As he pushed through the coffee-shop door, he saw her head disappearing inside her car several spaces down. His Lexus was right at the front entrance, but by the time he’d pulled out and headed to the light, there were two cars between them. She turned left. He was supposed to go right.
    There was no indecision about it; he followed her without missing a beat.
    She accelerated faster than he did, but he could see her merge into the right lane ahead, then turn again. By the time he made the same right, she was two blocks down, turning left.
    When he got to the street, he saw it was a cul-de-sac. She’d parked in a driveway and was climbing out of the car.
    He didn’t turn down the road, and she didn’t see him.
    It had taken her six months to tell him where she lived. He would have preferred that she offer him her parents’ address, but he knew it would take another six months for that. He couldn’t wait that long; he had to know where to come when she needed him.

10
    HER PARENTS’ HOUSE WAS SHADOWED, GRAY, COLORLESS, AND IT wasn’t even dark yet, only four-thirty on Wednesday afternoon.
    On the bright side, her work was getting done by someone else. She hadn’t seen Luke since the coffee shop on Monday, but he’d called her both nights since then. They didn’t have phone sex last night, just talked. It was strange yet soothing. She couldn’t remember exactly what they said, and she thought she might actually have cried, but she couldn’t say for sure. Sometimes she felt like she was in another world, disconnected. Luke’s voice brought her back.
    He’d tried to get her to meet him for coffee again, but she’d put him off. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to, but there was so much pressure in rushing to work and rushing home again. Besides he made her nervous. What else would he ask for? She was still amazed he wanted to date her. She hadn’t dated since college. Dating had been bad, twisting her insides up. She’d given it up for simply having sex. With sex, she was more in control. With sex, it was just physical. She didn’t have to give them anything. For a little while, a man desired her and she was special. That’s all she’d wanted and needed for a long time. When a man stopped making