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There was such clear panic displayed on his face that even she could pick it up.
“I’m sorry,” she said, unsure of what to say to comfort him. She figured an apology might help.
“Why are you apologizing?” Brody asked.
“Because you’re upset. You are upset, right?”
“Urgh, more like wishing I had some sort of social filter,” he muttered.
“Oh, I struggle with that too.” Maybe that’s why she felt so at ease with him.
“You did nothing wrong though. You don’t need to apologize.”
She blinked. She’d learned early on that it didn’t matter if she was in the wrong or not.
Cate always had to apologize.
“Cate, you okay?” Rhodes called out from the table.
She glanced over at him with a nod. She was fine. Just a bit . . . flummoxed. “I don’t have to apologize if something isn’t my fault.”
Rhodes stared at her for a long moment. “I’ve been trying to tell you that for years.”
He had?
“Next time say it louder.”
To her surprise, he grinned like she’d said something funny. But she couldn’t understand what.
“So your boyfriend spanks your girlfriend?” she asked Brody.
Brody gulped. “Um. Yep.”
“That’s interesting. I thought that only happened in books.” She’d never understood why her body reacted so much to those scenes. Reading was her one escape. Well . . . she could slip into Little headspace, too, but she didn’t allow herself to do that.
But reading . . . she could escape into another world. Be another person.
A person who wasn’t so different and difficult.
Someone who could function.
Who didn’t need to live with their brother because otherwise she’d become a total recluse who forgot to eat, or exercise, or pay her bills.
She loved reading romance, especially books with dominant men who spanked their women and were crazy, protective, and possessive.
Her favorite author was CJ Bennett.
Brody rubbed the back of his neck. “Nah, it happens plenty in real life too.”
She leaned forward. “Do you get spanked?”
Unfortunately, the room went quiet just as she said that.
Rhodes stood and came over. “Brody, I’m so sorry. Cate, honey, you can’t really ask questions like that.” He put his hand on her shoulder, but she still flinched.
Rhodes grimaced.
Shit.
