“I told you no—that applies to both. Emotionally, I’ve never allowed myself to be in a vulnerable position.”
Until now.
Because I clearly couldn’t control what transpired between us. He’d proven that when he’d tied my hands and kissed me until I’d begged him for more. Until I’d absolutely had to touch him or die.
He led me out of the cantina and across the courtyard. He stalked, I tried to keep up. When we were almost at the archways of the entrance, I pulled my hand from his. He drew up short and glared at me.
“I don’t care if he knows,” he said of my father.
“I do.”
His jaw clenched.
“Dane,” I said, hearing the compelling plea in my voice. “I don’t know what I’m doing. I don’t know what’s really going on with us, except that I can’t seem to stop it or slow it down. I’m constantly thinking about you.”
I winced at that particular confession.
His jaw loosened and his bunched shoulders relaxed. “I don’t have a problem with that.”
“What do you have a problem with?”
“This isn’t exactly familiar territory for me, either, Ari. But I don’t know how to hold back when there’s something I want. I go after it.”
“Regardless of consequences?” Not that I really thought he’d suffer repercussions from pursuing me. Men like Dane Bax could contain their degree of involvement; not fall in love; fuck without turning it into anything too personal. He was powerful and very much in control of his environment. I’d witnessed this, experienced it enough with him to state it as fact.
I faced the firing squad alone. Not exactly a comforting thought.
He said, “I evaluate the risks. But this is something I’m committing to despite whatever dangers you think it poses to you. This is inescapable, Ari. Even you have to admit that.”
I took a deep breath. Let it out slowly. Why did I have the feeling that if I’d not sought out Sean, Kyle, and the others in the bar that day I’d still have found myself in this predicament with Dane? Fate was a crazy thing, after all.
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“My father’s waiting,” I said as an excuse to step away from the flame and try to get a better handle on the situation.
“You can’t pretend this isn’t happening,” Dane warned.
“I know. It’s just—”
“I’m staying in Scottsdale tonight. At the Four Seasons. I bought a table at a fund-raising gala and I’m in a charity golf tournament tomorrow. So you get the weekend. Rest up.” He stared solidly for a few moments, then gestured for me to precede him to the archways.
I mentally stammered over the rest up portion of his little speech.
We parted ways in the drive and I endured my father stealing glances at me until we reached I-17 and he blurted, “Something going on that I should know about?”
My pulse still raced from Dane and his words. Now I had apprehension to contend with because I didn’t lie to my dad. Sure, I bent the truth on occasion when it was for his own good. Just like every other person on the planet. But this … Wow. What to say?
“I suppose we have a little flirtation going on.” I grimaced. That was much more than a bit of bending. I’d had a searing orgasm last night just from his large body wedged between my parted legs and his mouth on my neck.
“He’s your boss, Ari,” my dad said in a stern, fatherly tone. “And older than you.”
“By only four years, Dad. Not a big deal at my age.”
“He’s just not—”
“In my tax bracket? I’m well aware of that. But it’s not the class difference that’s the pro—”
My mouth snapped shut.