Page 21 of The Dom with a Safeword

“You’ve never been in a pit, have you?” Statement rather than question. If he had to ask, the answer was obvious. “The energy, the violence...what’s not to like?”

“I’ve been in my fair share. But you…you’re built like a little bird. Getting an elbow to the face, getting trampled. Those possibilities alone should be reason enough for you to stay out.”

Q refused to rise to his baiting. She took a last drink of her coffee and sat back. “I can take more abuse than you seem to think. I like pain, and you don’t get trampled if you stay on your feet. Besides, what’s life without adrenaline?”

“I get most of my adrenaline from other sources.”

“Like?”

“Torturing willing young damsels.”

Q grinned saucily and leaned forward on her elbows – enough to give him an eyeful of cleavage. His gaze obligingly fell in. “You’d be out of luck with me then,” she said huskily. “I don’t play a very good damsel in distress.”

“A challenge, huh? I like that.”

She shook her long bangs down across one eye and inspected him like a piece of meat. “Oh, I’d have you lying down and taking it like a man in no time. I don’t think you could dominate me. You’re nowhere near mean enough.”

“And I have no doubt I could teach you some manners.”

Q arched a brow, trying to look blasé even though her pulse raced. Her gaze fell to his biceps, and she caught herself about to lick her lips. Despite her words, she was sure he could make her do all sorts of things. She shivered. “Be careful. I might hold you to your word.”

“You should be careful. I’d be the one holding your leash.”

“Isn’t it a little early to be talking collars, sunshine?”

“If we played together, you’d wear what I told you to.”

She bit her bottom lip and gave him a naughty look. “If we decided to look into this idea more seriously, how would you feel about Sabrina joining us? Do you think you could handle two?”

His blue eyes widened. “Hell, I’d be willing to die trying. Could you handle sharing Sabrina with me? Is she even into kink?”

Q considered the question for a minute, although she’d been thinking about it for days. She figured Sabrina would be more likely to get involved with her if there was a guy to fall back on. She seemed to have a need for a traditional relationship. If nothing else, Jude would be a good public cover. He was probably her best chance to get Sabrina to give her a shot. And easy access to cock would suit Q – she didn’t believe in getting intimate with inanimate objects. If he was as nice as he seemed, and he knew how to Dom without being an ass, this could turn out to be pretty awesome.

“As far as kink goes, she’s never tried it, but she’s starting to get all submissive around me. Don’t cut me out of things and I won’t go bat-shit crazy. I haven’t talked to her about this, though. You’d have to give us some time to discuss it.”

“I wouldn’t cut you out of it. I like both of you for different reasons. As a package deal you’re pretty irresistible. I’m not a switch, though. I won’t submit or bottom for you.”

“That’s fine. Sabrina is almost more sub than I can handle most days, and we’re not even together. Yet.”

“I’ve never played with a switch. The dynamic might take a bit of time to figure out. It would be... interesting.”

Q could almost see scenarios running through his head. She wondered if they were similar to the ones running through her own. This idea made her damp enough that she might have to go home to change, even though she was wearing jeans. She swallowed. “Let me talk to Sabrina and we’ll go from there.”

He nodded, reaching out and tracing his index finger over her hand where it rested on the table beside her cup. Her lips parted as she absorbed the tickling sensation. He turned her hand over and traced designs on her palm and wrist. It was getting hard to keep her breathing even.

“Does she want to investigate the house some more?”

“Evil man,” she laughed breathlessly. “Using a poor, innocent girl’s pastimes against her. But yes, she’s been going on about wanting to have a séance at your house.”

“She has to know that if she comes over again, we’re probably going to do more dastardly things to her. She’s not that naive.”

“No, but she’s new to messing around with girls and she has no real knowledge of kink. She’s only had a couple of boyfriends, for that matter. We’ll have to be careful with her, if this is going to work.”

“That works for me. It’s a complicated situation, and I’ll need time to adjust, myself.”

She bit back a smile. “You need to adjust yourself? Need a hand with that?”

He chuckled and grinned wickedly, then leaned in. “Anytime.”