“I usually keep it like this, but I did go to the salon yesterday in preparation.”
He nodded. “So you knew you’d be getting naked.”
“I wouldn’t say that exactly. I guess . . . I don’t know. It’s like your mom warning you to wear clean underwear in case you have an accident, you know?”
From the confused look he gave her, she could tell he had no idea.
“I did it just in case, but I thought the odds of it actually happening were low.”
“You didn’t want to play tonight?”
“I did. Or I thought I did. Until it started and then it just seemed to go downhill.” From bad to worse.
“Did Mark stop and ask you how you were doing during the scene?”
“Yes.” She couldn’t land the other Dom in trouble just to keep herself out of it.
“And what did you tell him?”
Hell. She knew where he was going with this. “Is this really what you want to be doing right now?”
“It’s exactly what we should be doing right now. Because I need to learn about your needs, your fears, your desires, and the things that could possibly be a trigger.”
“I don’t have any triggers.”
“Oh, really?”
She nodded. “I had a hideously normal upbringing.”
“That so?”
“Yep.” Liar. Liar.
“I think you’re lying to me. We all have triggers. Things in the past that shape who we are now. And if I step on one of those accidentally it could cause you a lot of pain. And then I’d feel like shit. Is that really what you want?”
Damn it. He had her there.
“Fine. I’ll tell you about any triggers, all right?” But she wasn’t coming clean about her past. There was no need to dredge that up. All she wanted to do was live in the present.
“Okay.” He gave her a knowing look. But instead of pushing her, he ran his thumb down the slit of her pussy. She gasped.
“Now we’re going to discuss the rules of our relationship.”
“You like rules, huh?” All her life she’d played by the rules. She’d tried to do the right thing. After her mom died, she’d tried to be so good in the hopes her father might send some attention or praise her way. When she’d been with Richard, she’d endeavored to be the partner he’d wanted. She wanted to live her life the way she wished to. But in this instance, following the rules just might get her what she wanted. Him touching her.
“Rules keep us safe. They foster order and control.”
“Being a sheriff suits you perfectly then.”
“Most of the time. I like creating calm out of chaos. I don’t like when my people are in danger.”
“Your people?”
“The citizens of Haven.”
She stared at him. That was a huge burden to take on. “You’re not responsible for everyone.”
“I’m the sheriff, of course I am. It’s my job to keep everyone safe.”