“Where are they going?” she asked.
“I assume we’ll continue this as long as I’m in town.” He smiled. “We both certainly seem to enjoy it.”
She felt her cheeks heat, but she nodded. “And once you leave?”
He frowned. “Ash, I don’t see this becoming a long-term thing. You know I’m only here for another month or so, then once my business is finished, I go back to New York. And you have your job here. I don’t think either of us wants to complicate things by assuming there’s a future for us.”
She nodded. “Of course.” It sounded so reasonable, but she still felt unwanted.
“So are you happy about the information you’re getting for your article?” he asked.
She pursed her lips. Better to think about that than wallow in her feelings of rejection.
She nodded. “But I wanted to do one post with tips on being a Dominant, and one on being a sub, but so much of what you do seems to be a part of who you are. For example, you have a naturally authoritative voice.”
“Don’t assume it’s natural and therefore others can’t do it. It’s just a matter of keeping a firm tone and speaking with confidence.”
“You make it sound so easy.”
“It’s not necessarily easy, especially when you’re not used to it, but you’re not giving advice to people who are going to be going into this seriously, right? It’s more for those wanting to role-play to spice up their sex lives. Just advise them to relax and enjoy it.”
He picked up the bottle of wine and topped up her glass, then his own. “By the way, how did your practice session go the other day with your friend?”
Dare watched Ashley. He could tell she’d been unhappy when he’d said their sexual relationship would end when he finished his business here in town. Could she really believe they had a future?
He was sure it was just her insecurities kicking in. She was clearly interested in this friend of hers.
She rubbed her hands along her denim-clad thighs, making him too aware of how much he’d like to feel those lovely, long legs around his waist again. With her naked and moaning in his arms.
“It went okay.” Then she frowned. “It was a bit awkward, actually.”
“What happened?”
“I wasn’t very sure of myself. He helped, though. He guided me a little by asking what you and I had done together, then suggesting we do that.”
He raised an eyebrow. “So you watched a movie?”
She nodded.
“So after you gave him some commands to set it up, did he just kneel by your feet and watch the movie, or did you tell him about being disobedient then have to punish him like I did to you?”
Her cheeks flushed nicely at that.
“Tell me,” he said.
Did his sweet Ash actually slap the man’s ass? Did she order him to drop his pants? The thought sent heat straight to his groin, at the same time as a surge of jealousy spiked through him. What the hell was that about?
“I just … verbally punished him.”
She was lying. He knew it. But he wouldn’t call her on it, because he could tell something about the situation had upset her.
“So this man and you are good friends?”
“Yes, we’re pretty close.”
“Do you feel he’d be willing to commit to helping you with this?”
“I think so. Why?”
He smiled. “I was thinking that you might talk him into joining us for a few sessions.”
When Dare had suggested Adam join them for some sessions, Ashley had gone into shock. Did he mean for the three of them to … Oh, God. But then she realized he just meant to meet Adam and give them some pointers as to how she and Adam could practice together.
And she suspected he wanted to push the two of them together, so he wouldn’t feel so bad walking away.
She explained to him that Adam would not be interested.
“You’re quiet this morning,” Adam said as they ran along the tree-lined path together. He glanced her way. “Is it because of what happened when I came over the other night? Because I’ll do whatever I can to make it right between us. I’m really sorry about the kiss.”
“No,” she said, “it’s okay.”
But that was a lie. The whole thing, especially his rejection, made her uncomfortable. She had really thought that when he kissed her, they had finally breached the barrier between them and they could move on to a closer, more intimate relationship. One full of possibilities. But he had rejected that.
They were still friends, though, and she wanted that to keep being true.
“Are we still getting together tonight?” she asked. “I still need help with my research.”