Micah sent Nathan a questioning look as he got up. Nathan knew what he was asking. Was he going through with Julies threesome a second time? With a resigned sigh, he nodded. But this was going to be the last time, damn it. Sometime between now and the next time she decided she wanted an anonymous interlude, he was going to convince her that he was the only man she needed in her bed. Preferably for a hell of a long time.
He hadnt called. Shed honest to goodness expected him to call after their date and all shed gotten was a big wall of silence.
Julie locked up her salon and walked toward her car, the frown shed worn all day wearing a hole in her brain. She slid into the passenger seat and drew in a deep breath, appreciating as always the smell of expensive leather.
Her cell phone had remained silent. Shed checked messages on her home phone for the past two days and had come up with a big fat zero.
With her second night at The House looming, she was in a huge quandary. Go with it or call it off?
As she backed out of her parking space, she shook her head. Why the fuck was she waiting around on a man? Again. This was the kind of stupid shit she had done when she was younger and a hell of a lot dumber.
She hadnt panted after a man in a long time, and damn if she was going to start. Okay, so shed been panting an awful lot. Drooling, more like it, but that didnt mean she was going to stay at home, twiddling her thumbs while she waited for Nathan to make up his mind.
No kiss, no come-on, no promise to call her, no asking her out on another date. The evening had ended in silence and the silence remained. Hello? Slow to get the message much?
"Youre a dumbass, Julie. Youve let another guy twist you around and make a total ninny out of yourself. "
Just saying it made her feel better. The first step in becoming smarter was to admit what a dumbass you were.
She wished she could just be angry, but the truth was, she was hurt by Nathans indifference. He seemed interested enough when they were together. Hed said some really sweet things and hed seemed sincere.
"Dont they all," she muttered.
She swung into her favorite take-out place and waited for her order. Dinner alone at her apartment wasnt on her list of favorite ways to spend the evening, but with Faith out of town getting hitched and Serena having plans with Damon, it left her options slim. It wasnt as if Nathan was knocking down her door.
She had walked into her apartment, juggling purse, keys and food when her phone rang. Thoroughly disgusted with the way she leapt at the thing, she forced herself to let it ring more than twice before she answered.
"Hey, Julie, its Serena. "
"Oh, hey. "
She had to force a light, cheerful tone because her disappointment was damn near crushing. You moron.
"Damon wanted me to check with you to see if things were still a go for tomorrow night?"
She frowned. "Why wouldnt they be. ”
Serena paused. "Well, you know, you and Nathan went out . . . "
Julie snorted in disgust. "Hes not interested, Serena. And Im not waiting around for him. I get the feeling Im his backup plan or something. Fuck that. "
"Ah, damn. I was hoping hed call you. "
"You and me both," she muttered, too low for Serena to hear. "Well, look, its not the end of the world. The threesome . . . it was dreamy and it has the added benefit of not making me crazy.
Honestly, I was nuts for getting involved with Nathan to begin with. Hes obviously not that into me. "
Serena sighed. "Okay well, Id hoped it would work out. But hes a moron if he passed up an opportunity to have you. "
Julie grinned. "I love it when you get all loyal on me. "
"Ill kick his ass next time I see him. "
"Nah, hes not worth it. Besides, youd just hurt yourself. Dont worry about me, Serena. I plan to have fun and forget all about Nathan Tucker. "
As she hung up the phone, she shook her head in disgust. Her vow of forgetting about Nathan Tucker seemed to be a common one. So when was she actually going to heed it?
Chapter 15
“I want you to come to The House tonight," Damon said as he forked a small bite of steak onto Serenas tongue.
The two were enjoying dinner in front of the fireplace, which Damon kept burning year-round, no matter the outside temperature.
She cuddled into his side, forgoing the next bite that he offered.
"Youre asking," she said in a puzzled tone.
It wasnt as if he had actually phrased it as such, but normally he wouldnt say anything at all. If he wanted to take her to The House, he did so. Their relationship was a study in submission. Hers. It was something she still questioned at times, but shed never backed away. No, she wanted it, craved it, too much. Much as she craved him. His love, his protection.
"Julie will be there tonight," he said after a hesitation. "And as you know, so will Micah and Nathan. Even though they wont be in the common room, I wanted you to know that they would be there before I took you. "
She cocked her head sideways, studying his features. His warm brown eyes that softened with such love every time he looked at her.
"Does the idea that they could see me excite you?"
Damon was nothing if not honest. Even to his detriment. She could see the arousal in his eyes and knew the answer to her question already, but she wanted to hear what he was thinking. She thought she knew some of his thought process, but to hear him? Already a low thrum of desire swelled in her belly.
"What excites me is for them to see that youre my woman. My love. The woman who has trusted herself into my care. Not just them. Anyone. In my eyes, there is no woman more beautiful than you when you dance under the lash of my crop. For others to see and recognize that beauty gives me immense satisfaction. "
She had no words, no response. She sat there, staring at him with wide eyes, her heart fluttering wildly.
"Does my barbarity shock you?" he asked.
For a moment concern sparked in his gaze, but he regarded her calmly, as if he trusted her to accept him.
She touched his face, allowing him to slide his lips over her fingertips in a gentle kiss. "Has my reluctance made you insecure? Its not what I ever intended, Damon. Ive tried to be so careful to be fair to you in my caution. "
He smiled. "Youve done nothing wrong, Serena mine. I wont lie to you. Do I expect the people you know to even know youre there? No. But the idea of them being there, of the possibility that they could walk into the room and see you naked, under my hands, so submissive. Mine. Mine. "