Total pages in book: 68
Estimated words: 63970 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 320(@200wpm)___ 256(@250wpm)___ 213(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 63970 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 320(@200wpm)___ 256(@250wpm)___ 213(@300wpm)
“Why weren’t you ready? I mean, if you were before, what happened to make you not ready?”
A little spit had happened. “People change. I changed. So how about you? How did you decide to become a big, bad Dom?”
“I didn’t have a lot of discipline growing up,” he admitted. “Not that I was a bad kid, but I was the kind of kid who skated by on charm, if you know what I mean. When the world went bad, it hit me hard. I ended up in the lifestyle because someone I admired had taught himself discipline through it. There were times in my life when I wasn’t in control of anything, and I learned that if I could master myself enough to take care of someone else, that could sometimes be the thing I needed to hold myself together.”
So he was super strong, charming, and willing to make himself vulnerable. Too many Doms came in with “I was born to dominate, baby. I can’t give up control.” What they really meant was that they were selfish assholes. It was why she loved Sanctum. Big Tag tended to weed them out pretty quick. “Rough childhood?”
“Not at all. That was the point. I had a lovely childhood, though it wasn’t a wealthy one. We were poor. My father wasn’t around, but my older brother was. My mom…I still miss my mother.”
“I do, too.” The darkness allowed her to do what she wouldn’t in the light. It let her allow the tears that pierced her eyes to drop onto her cheeks. “I miss her every day. My dad, too. I was a late in life baby for them. I think they’d given up on the idea. Then oops, here I come when they were both in their forties. Sometimes I think I became a nurse because I knew I would have to take care of them. And I wasn’t supposed to talk about specifics. I’m sorry.”
“I think those rules are going to be very hard to follow,” he replied. “Telling me you’re a nurse isn’t something I’m going to spank you for. I find it fascinating. I haven’t had a permanent partner.”
“Never?” That was surprising. He seemed so comfortable with the lifestyle.
“No. I’m afraid my career took up a lot of my time. I belong to a club on the West Coast. I have several subs I play with on a regular basis, but I travel a lot for business and it didn’t come together for me. I’m looking to slow down a bit, move into another phase of my career.”
Was he looking to retire? “I wouldn’t mind slowing down and seeing something of the world. I think that’s what I’ll do next. I want to take some time off from work and travel. Both of my parents are gone so I don’t have anyone to take care of.”
His hand stroked across her thighs. “Traveling is a good thing. I’ve seen a whole lot of the world, but I admit I didn’t take it into my soul the way I should have. When I was younger all I could see was my own ambition. Now when I travel I like to take my time, get to understand where I am in the world. Hand me your drink. I think we’re ready for the first course.”
She managed to get the piña colada back in his hand and relaxed. Sir was a comfortable seat despite the muscles. He was comfortable to be around period. His easy manner coupled with the fact that he knew how to play made it all more possible that this would be the weekend she needed.
If only she could stop thinking about the one who’d gotten away. When Sir had talked about his childhood, she’d wondered about Jared’s. She’d known he’d grown up rough, not without love, but with a million financial insecurities she didn’t understand. His world had seemed precarious.
And it had been precarious, as his friend had proven. She could still remember how the police had come in and pulled him from her arms. Their first kiss. Their only kiss.
“Are you ready?” Sir asked.
She had to be because she couldn’t go back. She couldn’t be the Sarah Jared needed, and that meant moving on. Even if only for the weekend. “I am.”
She breathed in the scent of what he offered her. Strawberries and cream. She loved them.
It had to be enough for now.
* * * *
“Seriously, you already spanked your sub?” JT seemed more relaxed after two hours of conversation with the woman chosen for him.
Jared glanced around the locker room. Most of the Doms had simply moved to the party going on in the largest of the dungeon spaces. He could hear the thud of music playing through the club. He’d been told there was a nice buffet since all they’d had were finger foods during the initial meeting, and there was supposed to be a couple of interesting teaching scenes.