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“Okay. Well…”
After a few seconds, he seemed to get the hint that the words weren’t coming.
“There’s no rush,” he said. “Let’s order first.”
“Champagne, please,” she said.
He relayed that information to the blond bartender hanging on his every word. Then, drinks in hand, they moved through the dark crowded interior to an exit.
“The outdoor space is one of the things I like about this club,” he said, placing his hand on her lower back. Her skin tingled as her brain tried to form a coherent message for the rest of her body, a sane response to his touch and his voice.
Stay close. Follow him. Let him touch you.
Okay, so maybe she’d left her firm grip on logic and reason back in Tennessee.
“The club opens to the hotel’s pool deck. Fresh air, music, and space to move around,” he continued as he guided her toward the water. They stopped by the steps leading down to the shallow end.
“Now for your rules,” he said, his body close but not touching her.
She took a long drink from her champagne. She felt his green eyes tracking her every movement.
“First rule…the mask stays on.”
“I can work around it. For number three. I’m not making any promises about number four.”
The familiar panic rose. “I need your word. Please.”
“All right. You have it. The mask stays on.” He turned to her and raised his free hand. His fingers brushed over her lips. “Are there any other kinks I should know about?”
“More kinks?” she repeated. Then she realized what he meant.
For her, the mask was a necessity, not a preference. But to him, it was a game.
She felt a wave of relief that the reason could be so simple. Easy. She didn’t need to explain her desire to hide the scars that had labeled her a victim, the deep grooves that left her feeling ugly and unwanted.
As if a switch had been flipped, the bold and daring feeling she’d carried within her at the restaurant opening returned. She’d spent months planning this weekend. She’d lost weight and bought the perfect dress. And now she wanted to claim the prize. She wanted to claim him.
“Yeah,” he said. “I promise to keep an open mind.” And he winked at her.
“No,” she said, laughing. “No other kinks.” She paused. “What about you?”
“I have a few, but we’ll get there.” His fingers moved down her neck, and her nipples formed hard peaks, begging to be next. “Are there more rules?”
“I go home Monday, and I’m not looking to keep in touch.”
“Four fantasies in one weekend. You’re asking for a lot.” He abandoned her neck and wrapped his arm around her waist. “Good thing I like a challenge.”
She nodded and fixed her gaze on his fingers as he traced small circles in the palm of her hand.
“I’m not saying I’m looking for more.” He drew her back against the hard planes of his body, and his lips brushed her ear as he spoke. “I’m not in a position to offer promises right now. But walking away from you won’t be easy. Any man in my shoes would agree.”
She let out a soft moan, those words mingling with the feel of his body—she almost believed that more might be possible. But when the mask came off…
“So why just one weekend?” he said.
“Did you ever want to break free from the past and everything that made you you? And wish you could erase pieces of your life? Bury the memories that hurt too much?”
As soon as she said the words, she wanted to take them back. He was a SEAL, an elite soldier, the best of the best. Why would he want to walk away from everything he’d done to get there? Unless the things he’d seen and done while serving his country were too much—