Taboo: A Dark Romance Boxset (Stud Ranch 1)

“No,” he says. “It’s nice.”

I dip the cup and pour another steaming waterfall over his head. I swear he relaxes even more against me.

“Are you baptizing me?”

His sleepy question makes me smile. I was just planning to wash his hair but I like his explanation even more.

“Yes. From now on, you’re made new.” I run my fingers through the damp hair on his chest. “The past can’t hurt you anymore,” I whisper.

He grabs my hand, interlocking our fingers.

“I meant what I said before.” His eyes are still closed but his grip tightens. “I can’t stay away. The only way to be rid of me is to tell me to go.”

I shake my head even though he can’t see it and wrap my legs around his waist from behind, along with the one arm he isn’t already holding.

“I’m not letting you go anywhere.”

He groans. “Jesus, I want to fuck you again, but I’m so tired.”

I laugh. “You always want to fuck me. But I’ll be here tomorrow.” I kiss the back of his head. “And the day after that.” I kiss him again, this time on his neck. “And the day after that.” Kiss. “And the day after that.”

He growls. “You better be.”

And then, tired or not, he turns us around in the tub and pulls me on top of him.

Ten

MIRANDA

The past few weeks have been the happiest of my life.

Are people allowed to be this happy?

I don’t think so. Which is probably why, every second I’m not busy being happy, I’m absolutely terrified.

I’ve never thought of myself as an especially superstitious person, but all the sudden I’m obsessively looking for signs and omens.

Like, I find myself running odds all the time. Daniel just broke up with his Domme of three months, so that means my relationship with Dylan has a better chance of working out, right? Because how likely was it that we’d both find our ones at the same time?

Which is really bitchy and horrible of me, but there it is.

But I really feel like Dylan is it. The guy. The one, like I used to always roll my eyes when people talked about.

I swear though, we fit like puzzle pieces. He gives where I need to take and I think I do the same for him.

Both emotionally and physically. I mean physically, holy shit. I didn’t know this kind of chemistry was even possible. We spent all weekend together after that night at the club. We barely even got out of bed, and when we did, it was mainly just to eat or bathe… which usually just led to more fucking. Sometimes with rough play and forced scenarios, sometimes not.

Last week I texted him letting him know I’d be waiting in a unisex bathroom of a gas station just off the highway at a particular time and, God, my face heats just at the thought of it as I walk with Daniel downtown to get sushi for lunch.

“So I take it things are still good with Mr. Tall, Dark and Sexy?” Daniel asks, bumping my shoulder with his as we walk together.

I blush hotter and Daniel laughs. “It’s fine. You can talk about him. Jesus, I seriously need to get out of my own head and drama for a while. So regale me!”

I frown sympathetically and reach out to squeeze Daniel’s upper arm. “I’m so sorry things didn’t work out with Irina, hon.”

He shrugs and looks down at the sidewalk. “It’s fine. Her life’s too busy and I’m too high-maintenance. It’s better it ended now instead of getting dragged out.”

I want to press more because I can tell he’s hurting but I also know from experience that Daniel shies away from opening up about his feelings—at least without getting him shitfaced first. We’ve had our deepest conversations when he’s just hovering at the puke-his-guts-up line of drunkeness. Then he always claims he doesn’t remember anything we talked about the next day, even though he’s slipped up and referenced things from the conversations later.

To say Daniel is a little emotionally stunted is an understatement. I keep hoping he’ll find a partner who can reach him where I can’t. Obviously I don’t want him drinking all the time just to be able to have real conversations about what’s going on in his life.

We get to the restaurant and getting seated and ordering distracts me from worrying about him. As soon as we’re settled, though, I drop the bomb that’s been weighing on me.

“Dylan invited me over to their family estate to meet his brother. The brother who is the only member of his family he currently speaks to, so it’s sort of a big deal. He talks about Darren all the time and I know he’s really important to him.”

“Ooo,” Daniel crows, eyebrows up. “Meeting the family. This is getting serious. Are you going to take him back to Ohio for Christmas?”