Shade(248)

Chapter 87



“Can I ask you a personal question?” Lily asked as he was cutting a piece of steak.

They were at King’s restaurant, enjoying lunch. He had surprised Lily by taking the afternoon off since she had been acting strangely the last few days. Whenever he had tried to probe about what was wrong, she had evaded his questions. Shade had begun to think it was nerves as her due date neared.

Shade looked up from his plate. “Go ahead.” He took the bite of steak he had just cut.

“Are you a Dom Dom or a Dom?”

The bite of steak in his mouth went down the wrong way and he began choking, needing several seconds to clear his throat. Taking a drink of his beer, he blinked back the water in his eyes as he stared across the table at his wife.

“Are you a Dom Dom or a Dom?”

“I heard you the first time,” Shade said hoarsely. “Quit saying that. It sounds like a sucker.”

Lily laughed, taking a bite of her own steak. “Are you embarrassed?”

“No, but I think we should talk about this when we’re at home.”

Lily looked at him from underneath her lashes, shrugging. “I want to talk about it now.”

The restaurant was crowded with customers eating their own lunch. King was standing beside the door, greeting the customers and seating them. It dawned on Shade why she was asking him right then. It was a neutral environment where the subject could be changed or diverted if it became uncomfortable for her. She could find an excuse to leave the table to talk to King.#p#分页标题#e#

He laid his fork on his plate. “What do you mean by a Dom Dom or a Dom?”

His wife straightened in her seat, trying to appear collected; however, her trembling fingers played with her water glass, exhibiting how nervous she truly was about his answers.

“I meant do you consider yourself a Master or someone who only does it occasionally?”

Shade considered her question carefully. “I am a Dom all the time. Although some men only do it when they want—when they feel the need to release the Dominant side of themselves—it’s not something I switch on and off.”

Lily licked her bottom lip, staring at her plate. “I don’t understand. Sometimes you’re bossy, but other than the few times when we’ve made love and it was your turn, you don’t seem overtly Dom-like to me, not compared to the relationship you shared with Bliss.”

“How would you know about the relationship I shared with Bliss?”

“I asked her.” Lily’s voice dropped to a whisper. “During Beth’s baby shower, a few of the women were talking about the men.”

“I was a topic of conversation at a baby shower?”

“No! Bliss and a few of the women became a little inebriated and began talking. Killyama was talking about Train, and then she asked me about your tattoos. She really wanted to know—”

“I know what she wanted to know. Did you tell her?” His jaw was clenched so tight he could barely talk.

“Of course not! But Bliss did then Jewell. Don’t be angry. They didn’t know I was listening. They had offered to pack Beth’s gifts to her car. I took one out, and they didn’t see me.”

“You could have told them you were there,” Shade snapped.

“I could have … but I didn’t,” Lily readily agreed. “I want to understand you.”

“All you had to do was ask me instead of listening to gossip.”

“I’ve tried, but you always make me feel as if I’m imagining things or blowing things out of proportion. I wanted to understand that side of you better.”

“What did you find out?”

“That you treat me differently than them.”

“Each submissive is different, and you’re my wife.”

Lily took a drink of her water before continuing. “She said you’re a master with a whip, that you can leave patterns without bruising that go away in a few hours. She said you made several on her back, but you haven’t with me. I looked. Why?”

“I told you, each submissive is different, with their own particular needs. Bliss enjoys pain; she craves it. You do not.”

“How do you know? You haven’t really tested my limits, have you?”

“No,” Shade admitted.

“Why? Because of my past?”

“Partially…” Shade continued, despite the flash of hurt that crossed her face. “And partially because I knew you would ask when you were ready for more.”

“Like the other women in the clubhouse did?” Lily looked away from him, staring at the doorway of the restaurant.

When King frowned, taking a step forward, Shade shook his head. Lily had broached the subject, and he wasn’t going to let her end it before it was settled.