Purgatory Masters(7)

He shrugged. “I’m a bit goal oriented, so starting a mental list of things I’d like to accomplish kept me on the straight and narrow.”

“I can imagine you on the straight, not so sure about the narrow.”

“Honey, I’m like a dog with a bone. Once I make up my mind I am determined enough to not let go. Even you’re on my list.”

Her mouth dropped open. “Why the heck would I be on your list? Hell, anyone’s list. That’s absurd.”

Before he could give her grief for such an asinine statement, a tree branch breaking above the truck caught his attention. He turned the wheel and depressed the gas, missing the strike by inches.

Luckily her driveway appeared and he turned toward the cabin. The sooner they were out of this hairy mess the better. He’d ask her for dinner where they could discuss their lives like normal adults. He pulled as close to the door as the drive allowed and threw the ignition in park. Loathe to let her go, but knowing it was the right thing for now, he jumped from the SUV and rushed around to help her out.

She lost her balance when she stepped out and Tucker grasped her arm to keep her from falling flat on her ass. If anything would make that gorgeous ass sore it would be him not some fucking slippery sidewalk.

“I’m okay. Thank you.”

They continued to the door and she quickly unlocked it and proceeded inside. At the threshold she turned back and said, “Do you want to come in?”

“If I come in now, I might not make it back to my place.” Not exactly the truth as far as the weather was concerned.

She looked over his shoulder and peered into the snow. “You might not make it back anyway. I don’t want to be responsible for anything happening to you.”

He was pretty sure he could get home just fine, but he didn’t want to leave her anymore than she wanted him to go. Or at least he hoped. He’d been waiting for weeks for her to rejoin the community when she was ready. She’d needed time to recover. Tonight he’d gotten tired of waiting and had been on his way to her cabin. Fortunately or unfortunately, depending on how you looked at it, fate stepped in and offered a helping hand. Who was he to turn it down?

“I’d like to stay.”

She stepped back and motioned him in.

This close, he caught scent of her perfume. Fruit and spice that teased his senses. He rather enjoyed that. Tucker glanced around the room, taking in the interior of the cabin. The open space included a comfy living room big enough for Sunday afternoon football parties, a decked out kitchen and a humongous fireplace that could easily warm the entire place.

“Can I offer you something to drink? Maybe a glass of wine?”

“I’m not going to turn down a night cap.” He winked at her.

She walked into the kitchen and he watched her every step of the way. Her gorgeous ass swayed when she moved, making him twitchy to put her on the ground, hands and knees so he could fuck her from behind. He closed his eyes and breathed deep. Get it together, man. You’re supposed to take things slow.

He’d waited a long time for an interesting woman to come along with similar tastes that might spark his interest again. And the minute he’d read about her foray into BDSM with two men at her side he’d known they had to reconnect.

“You know what?”

He lifted his head and met her gaze. “What?”

“I don’t want wine. Hell, I don’t even like wine. I want a margarita. After the day I’ve had, sour wine is just not going to cut it.”

Tucker smiled. He preferred beer. “Sure, I can do that.” He moved into the kitchen and edged precariously close to Maggie’s personal space. “But tequila is quite a bit stronger than wine. You wouldn’t be trying to get me drunk so I have to spend the night would you?”

Maggie rolled her eyes. “Assume much? Besides I thought we pretty much already established you couldn’t make it back home tonight.”

With her hair tucked behind her ears, and the coy smile plastered across her face, she reminded him of the Maggie he remembered from high school. While he thoroughly enjoyed her playfulness, and was eager to coax more from her, he wondered if she realized that all her sass and humor never reached her eyes. Her smile made her prettier than ever, but it was the glimpses of resignation in her gaze that reeled him in. He wanted to peel the layers from Miss Maggie and discover for himself exactly what made her tick. Was she the carefree girl from way back when or the buttoned up professor who spent more time on research than real life? What had Maggie Cisco become and what did she want?

For the first time in quite a while, he was ready to forgo safe ground and delve again into the often turbulent waters of a Dominant and submissive relationship. If she needed a mentor to help with her research, he was willing.