Rex laughed.
When he disconnected the call Carmen was looking at him with curiosity. Immediately she turned her face away, refusing to ask.
Rex smiled. She didn’t want to accept that someone might want to harm her. That was understandable. Until he found out what was going on, he was happy to let her think it was just some little sex game he had going on. Besides, she enjoyed it. He could see it and he could feel it. She was secretly intrigued by his latest demands.
Upping the ante, that’s what she’d called it.
Yes, it suited Rex perfectly.
* * *
CARMEN’S SILENT OBJECTION didn’t last.
The first night she only reproached him with her eyes, withholding comment but making her mood felt in that way women could. By the time they got back to London and found the place, they were both tired and edgy. Sensing another argument brewing, Rex gave her the master bedroom and assured her of her privacy for the night.
The following morning he skipped out early to find fresh coffee and breakfast takeout. Luckily there was a nearby Italian coffee bar that served pastries and breakfast wraps. By the time he got back to the apartment with the goodies, she was in the shower. She seemed impressed that he’d gone to some effort and they ended up in each other’s arms. They made it through the weekend drifting on a tide of sexual indulgence and intimacy. Thankfully her ankle didn’t get any worse, although it had helped keep her in check. By Sunday she was able to move around without his aid.
Monday morning, however, brought about a complete revolt and she made it quite clear that once she was back in business mode she didn’t want to be controlled in any way.
“Too bad,” he said, daring her to defy him.
She stared daggers at him.
It was going to be a demanding week, Rex decided.
She hadn’t complained about the apartment, which was a relief. It was comfortable, anonymous, and it did the job. Nobody knew where they were. At least, nobody he couldn’t trust. Then he asked himself who he could trust? I can trust my people. Lance was the only one who knew. No doubt he’d share it with the other guys by the time Rex got in. They’d be looking for an explanation as to why he wasn’t in his own home, but he knew them inside out and he had no reason to doubt their discretion—which he would ask for as soon as he got to Slipstream.
It wasn’t until Rex told Carmen he had no intention of leaving her until he made sure she was safely inside a secure building where visitors had ID that was checked when they came in and out that she flipped completely.
“What, are you insane?”
He shrugged. “Possessive. For now you’re mine. It’s my prerogative.”
She stared at him with a mixture of horror and fascination. “It’s just silly.”
Rex stood his ground. He intended to take her to work and collect her from there at the end of the day.
“New rules,” he stated.
That was met with muttering and disbelief.
By the time he got her down to the car in the underground car park, she was seething. She practically stomped away to the car, forcing him to hurry to keep up.
“Be careful, you might hurt your ankle.”
She glared at him across the roof of the car while he retrieved the keys from his pocket. “This is not what I agreed to. You keep shifting the goalposts to mess with my head.”
“You were hurt. I’m caring for you and taking you to work. Big deal.” Rex nodded at her. “Get in.”
She wrenched open the door and climbed in, practically slamming the thing off its hinges when she shut it.
Rex rolled his eyes and looked up at the ceiling of the underground car park, praying for strength. For a woman who enjoyed playing the submissive in the bedroom she sure could turn into a spitfire when the mood took her. He couldn’t help wondering if that’s what had happened to her. Even though she’d said it was just him she’d been submissive with, he had a mad image of her being hog-tied by some bloke because she was letting rip with her feelings about some issue or other, and then she’d got off on it. The idea amused him greatly. It broke the tension he felt and as he got into the driver’s seat he smiled her way.
“What?” she snapped.
“I was just picturing you hog-tied, which I assure you I am quite willing to do, if necessary.”
“Hog-tied?” She looked at him aghast. “What the hell sort of kinky freak pervert are you?”