She led him into her living room. “Would you like something to drink? Juice or water?”
He shook his head. “No, I don’t have long.”
She sank onto the couch while he took an armchair diagonal to her. She waited, not knowing what the hell to say or how to instigate a normal conversation. What could she say anyway? Did you enjoy the show? Did you see me suck off Gray in the hallway after he spanked my ass?
A red-hot glow seeped into her cheeks, and she looked down.
He dropped her shoes on the floor, and the sound made her look up again.
“I just wanted to make sure you were all right,” he said softly.
Her gaze lifted to his eyes, and she saw genuine concern there. She relaxed slightly and gave him a hesitant smile.
“That was sweet of you, Damon, but you didn’t need to worry about me. Or come all this way to return my shoes. Though I love those shoes.” She gave them a longing glance, grateful to have them back.
Damon chuckled. “It was the least I could do. Somehow I don’t think last night went as you thought it would. It certainly didn’t go according to my plan.”
She fidgeted in her seat and twisted her fingers together in her lap. “No, I don’t suppose it did,” she agreed. Then she looked directly into his soft brown eyes. “But I’m glad it did happen that way. It showed me…it showed me a lot.” She refused to get more specific, but he seemed to understand.
He nodded. “I think I knew that. But I had to be sure.”
She looked away again, down at her fingers. “Did…did you watch last night?” She wasn’t sure why she even wanted to know, what demon prompted her to ask.
She peeked at him from the corner of her eye and saw the corners of his mouth turn slightly upward.
“Watching is what I do,” he said nonchalantly. “It’s my job to make sure no one is hurt.”
“And what did you think?” she asked, tilting her head at an angle to look more directly at him.
He regarded her thoughtfully for a moment. “It’s obvious he wasn’t a stranger to you. He seemed to know what it was you most needed when even you were not certain. You reacted to him when Brent left you cold.”
She inhaled in surprise.
He smiled gently. “Faith, I see a lot of people in the throes of passion. You were obviously not. You were obviously frustrated and disappointed. If your mysterious man hadn’t stepped in when he did, I was prepared to stop things. It was apparent it wasn’t the experience you expected or wanted.”
She smiled ruefully. “Will it offend you if I tell you I won’t ever be back?”
He laughed. “No. If I had to guess, you’d have one very angry man to deal with if you ever set foot back at the club.”
She harrumphed under her breath, but she knew Damon was right. Gray might well blow a gasket if she ventured back into the club. On the other hand, if he reacted like he did the first time…
A delicious thrill coursed through her body at the thought.
Damon rose, smoothing hands down his neatly tailored slacks. She took in his appearance for the first time since he’d arrived so unexpectedly on her doorstep. He looked like money. He was the epitome of refinement. Apparently it wasn’t just an act he portrayed for his job at the club.
“I should be going,” he said. “I wanted to bring you your shoes and to see how you were doing after your experience last night.”
She also stood and smiled. “Thanks, Damon. I appreciate it.”
“Keep me posted, okay? Let me know how your search goes for you.”
“Uh, well, okay, sure. I’ve got your e-mail.”
He leaned over, cupped her elbow in his hand and kissed her cheek. Then he headed for the door, leaving her standing there feeling slightly confused.
She sighed as he closed the door behind him. Then she flopped back on the couch and let out her breath like a sagging balloon.
Why couldn’t she be attracted to Damon? He seemed open enough to the things she wanted. Hell, he’d even watched her suck off another man, and for some inexplicable reason, that didn’t creep her out. It titillated her in an odd way.
Who knew she was a closet sex maniac? Okay, not maniac. One instance of public acts didn’t relegate her to nympho status. What was surprising to her was her reaction to the various scenarios she’d witnessed last night.
She’d seen things that by all rights should horrify a girl like her. Instead, she’d watched with breathless wonder, a new awakening dawning inside her. But. The proverbial but cropped up. She wasn’t sure she wanted to experience them so clinically. Like an exhibition at a freak show.
The club, while very enlightening, wasn’t what she really wanted. What she wanted was to be taken on a similar journey, but she wanted the journey to be real. Not a trumped-up show for an audience. And she wanted a man who would take care of her every need.