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43
Annie
I'd forgotten how beautiful the desert is at dawn. It's the one time that everything smells wet and fresh. The ground is softer. The sky magnificent.
It felt like months and months had passed since Cole had chased me through the desert morning, wielding a crop and birching branches. Neither were in evidence this morning, which was a relief.
And a tiny bit of a downer. It made me realize what I'd lost. What had happened to me on account of Bevington.
I didn't want to think the old asshole had changed my life. Cole didn't think I was aware of the night terrors because I never totally woke up. That was true, and a fair assumption. Except that it didn't feel like I ever truly slept, either. My whole life felt like it had fallen into twilight, one filled with things that suddenly made me jump. Things that made my heart pound. An unexpected touch. An unknown person.
Erin Trace had been retired, but Annie Knox wasn't completely back, and I resented it. At the same time, it was impossible not to look at Cole and hope that this wouldn't be the moment he chose to touch me.
I didn't think I could stand it yet.
"Race you to that bush," I said, pointing out one sage that stood taller than the others.
"That one? That short distance away? Not worth my time."
I smiled a little. "How about that telephone pole? That one way over there with the hawk on it."
Cole nodded thoughtfully. "What does the winner get?"
"The winner doesn't have to eat fish for breakfast."
"First," he said, "I haven't made you eat fish once since you got back."
Back. Not home.
Whatever.
"Second, who says you're going to win? I like fish."
"I say I'm going to win," I said, knowing better. Anyway, we were running past the pole in question.
It was a companionable run that ended at the front door of the compound. Cole wrapped an arm around my shoulders, scuffed my hair and said, "I win."
"What contest?" I asked, trying to sound huffy. "We never set up parameters."
"I always win," he said. "I'm the boss."
"Wow, somebody has an ego," I muttered just loud enough he couldn't quite hear me.
"What was that, slave?"
"Nothing, Master!" I skipped ahead of him toward my suite, waiting for him to unlock the door. I could move ahead of him. He never spanked me out of nowhere anymore, for fear of hurting me.
"Hmm," Cole said, and stepped through the door behind me.
I was already heading for the shower, my heart at least a little lighter. I'd shower, then put on something comfortable and see if there was yogurt for breakfast. I had homework and –
I saw his shadow as he stepped over the threshold. The second he was inside, Cole said, "Annie."
I froze. His tone was unmistakable but I still think I heard it wrong. I started to turn toward him and he said, "Don't move. Stay the way you are."
My heart jackrabbited in my chest. My hands were suddenly clammy and all the early morning sweat from the run felt cold.
"Take all your clothes off and fold them neatly and put them on that chair."
