Discipline

I swallowed. “Fair enough.”

“So you’re on the same page as me, then?”

“Mm-hm,” I answered, though my mind had other thoughts. Daniel seemed to suspect this, eyeing my blatantly suspicious purse-lipped smile. With a reluctant grin, he narrowed his gaze.

“I have this strange feeling that you’re lying to me right now.”

“Mm-mm.” I simply shook my head. Though despite a breeze, I did a shimmy out of my jacket, watching Daniel’s blue eyes electrify at the sight of my mint dress hugging my body. Running his hand from his forehead to his chin, he groaned and looked skyward.

“Come on, Nina.”

I burst out laughing. “What?”

“I’m going to have trouble sitting through dinner with you wearing that.”

A smirk twisted on my lips. “Should I take it off?”

“Don’t do that to me right now.”

His wasn’t being playful but I couldn’t help my giggle. “Alright. Let’s go inside then.”

“After you.” His tone was polite but the look in his eyes was anything but. I bit my smile back as I walked ahead of him into the dimly lit restaurant, well aware that he was giving himself the opportunity to check me out from behind. After being seated in a far corner and ordering a bottle of wine, I chastised him playfully with my eyes. “Sorry,” he muttered.

“Don’t be sorry. I said do what you want, didn’t I?”

Daniel cracked a smile at the sound of those words. “Yeah, but…” He tilted his head, squinting. “That just seems like a cruel joke.”

“Why’s that?”

He laughed. “Because I’ve worked in Woodhill for almost ten years and if I ever did or said the things I really wanted, I would’ve already been fired for failing all the kids whose private tutors do their homework.” The smile on his face faltered a bit. “And ‘do what you want’ sounds too good to be true after a long-term relationship where most things eventually became off-limits.”

I tried to hide my curiosity but not hard enough. “Mm. What kind of things?”

Daniel flashed me look and a twist of a smile despite looking irked. “You’re trying to torture me tonight, aren’t you?”

“The opposite.”

His eyes trailed from mine to my lips and the mischievous look on my face. “Then let’s change the subject.”

“Why?” I couldn’t suppress my urge to challenge him.

Daniel’s laugh was short and his face grew dark as he lowered his voice to a murmur. “Nina, all I can think of right now is putting my hands all over that body of yours. I’m doing my best to suppress that urge right now, so please don’t make me list the sexual favors that I’ve missed for the past two-and-a-half years while sitting in front of you because I don’t know if I’m going to be able to hold it together despite being in public.”

His words sucked the breath out of me for a second. Despite the angry glint in his eye, I could feel devilishness curving my lips, overcome by the sudden need to bring the animal out of him. “That’s okay. I don’t mind if you can’t hold it together.”

He looked taken aback and simultaneously amused. “You wouldn’t mind me throwing you over this table right now?” he challenged, his eyes smoldering. “In the middle of this restaurant?”

I did my best to keep calm. “Have you ever fantasized about something like that?”

Daniel stared intensely at me, appearing angry, annoyed and aroused by my bold tongue. I studied the mix of emotions on his face, hot excitement surging through my entire body. My legs crossed, my thighs pumped as I waited for his answer. It finally came and with a hint of steeliness.

“Yes, I’ve fantasized about having sex in public.”

“Have you ever done it?” I asked. Daniel’s eyes dipped into my cleavage as I leaned forward to rest my chin in my hand.

“No,” he answered, sounding brittle. His body was rigid, controlled.

“Tell me what else you fantasize about.”