Page 55 of Danger and Dominance (Black Fox Security Doms #1)

Cassidy

“Alone at last.” David sighed with relief as the sound of Jennifer and Brenda’s conversation cut off with the closing of his apartment door.

Turning to Cassidy, who had been standing with him to say goodbye, he reached out with his right arm and pulled her against him, burying his nose in her hair.

She wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tightly.

She couldn’t press herself against his chest; it was more of a side hug because of his sling, but it was as close as she could get.

Jennifer’s questions had brought up all sorts of thoughts in her head, and she wasn’t sure what she should do. She didn’t want to disappoint anyone, but it seemed unavoidable.

How strange was it to think that people would be disappointed if she wasn’t there, no matter which she chose? She wasn’t used to having people care about her.

Once Kincaid had given the go-ahead, her phone had flooded with texts from the other submissives from Stronghold, all of them checking in, most of them complaining that they hadn’t been able to talk to her.

Every single one of them either offered to come up or asked what they could do to help. They were a community.

But she’d found a community here, too, and not just in David’s arms.

“I can practically hear you thinking from here,” he said, resting his chin on top of her head. “Is it about anything specific?”

She sighed again. It was probably better to talk about it than to keep it in. Besides, she wanted to know what he thought. Not just because his opinion mattered to her, though it did, but because he would actually have some say in the options since she was currently living in his apartment.

“Jennifer asked me what’s next, as in what am I going to do now that I don’t have to worry about Don anymore,” she said and felt David stiffen slightly against her. Not his dick; his whole body. “She said I could move in with Jensen and Mick again, or Yasmine asked her to offer to be housemates.”

“Or you could stay here.”

The words were said flatly, and she couldn’t tell what he was thinking, so she pulled back so she could see his face. His expression was carved from stone, but his blue eyes were steady, intent on her.

“Do you want me to stay here?”

“If you want to stay here. I don’t want to push you.”

“Well, I don’t want to push you.” She sighed, exasperated. “Is it really that hard to just tell me what you want?”

A glimmer of a smile curved his lips.

“I don’t know, why don’t you tell me? You’re doing the same thing.”

Scowling at him, she released his waist so she could reach up and lightly slap his chest right above where his left hand was resting against it.

“You know what I mean. You’re the Dom. Aren’t you supposed to be bossing me around or something?” She said it jokingly. She had actually been in that kind of relationship, and she didn’t want it, and she knew he knew that.

He laughed, tightening his one-armed grip around her waist.

“I do like bossing you around, but I’m also not going to make major decisions for you. I don’t want to push you, either, especially because of what you’ve been through. If you choose to live here with me, I want it to be because you want to, not because you’re doing what you think I want.”

Cassidy huffed because, well, same.

As she did so, David’s hand left her side and started traveling further south, off the back of her shirt and down to her jeans. She stared at him as his palm slid over her butt.

“Really? You’re injured.”

“My shoulder is injured; my dick is just fine.” He glanced down to prove his point.

He’d now stiffened everywhere. The bulge at the front of his jeans was very obvious.

“This is the first time we’ve been alone in days.

Besides, a few orgasms might make you relaxed enough to just tell me what you want…

and they might help you want to stay with me. ” He winked at her.

“I still think it would be easier if you just told me what you want. I can’t just move in here because I want to. It’s your apartment.”

“If I didn’t want you to move in here, you wouldn’t.” He squeezed her butt, curving his fingers under the cheek and hitching her up closer to him. “If that’s what you’re worried about.”

She scowled at him.

“Why couldn’t you just say that from the beginning?”

“Because this is how we communicate.” His grin was entirely unrepentant. “It works for us. We get there eventually.”

“So, I’m staying here?” She just wanted to make sure she was understanding him correctly.

“Do you want to stay here?”

“I want to strangle you.” Cassidy glared at him, making him chuckle, but his expression had turned more serious.

“I meant here in Pittsburgh,” he explained.

“Long term. While you’re here, yes, I want you to stay with me…

if that’s what you want.” He ignored the exasperated noise she made.

“But I was wondering if you were thinking about going back to Maryland, eventually. I just want to know if I should prepare myself to get my heart broken.”

Oh. Warmth and happiness surged inside her. He wasn’t just saying that, and he wasn’t teasing. Every word dripped with complete sincerity.

“Your heart would be broken?”

“My heart broke when I thought I’d already lost you,” he said, shaking his head.

“There’s nothing quite like seeing the woman you’re falling for being dragged away by her stalker to really narrow your perspective.

As much as we dance around things, I don’t want to dance around this.

You mean more to me than any woman I’ve ever been in a relationship with, even though we haven’t been together very long.

I’m also older now than I was in my previous relationships and know what I want and what I don’t want, so maybe it’s just not taking me as much time to realize it.

But yeah, I know if you stay even just a few more weeks, I’d be heartbroken if you leave. ”

Every part of her wanted to melt.

Before she could answer him, his lips came down on hers, claiming hers with a kiss, and she kissed him back with all the feeling that she hadn’t gotten to express.

Careful not to jostle his arm, she went up on her tiptoes, wrapping her arms around his neck as they deepened the kiss. Heat pulsed through her.

When they broke apart, she stared at him, her arms still holding on tight.

“What if I want to live with someone else? Because this feels like too soon to live together?” she asked.

“I would argue that we’ve already been doing it, and it’s working out great, but if that’s what you want, then, of course. I’ll just be happy if I get to keep taking you out.”

“I do want to live here, but it feels like it’s too soon.”

“Is there anything I can do to convince you otherwise?”

“I don’t know. I have to think about it.”

He nodded.

“Then let me know when you decide. In the meantime…” Despite only being one-armed, when he tightened his grip on her, he was able to lift her up and swing her around, so they were facing the hallway where the bedroom was.

Cassidy laughed, shaking her head.

“We are not having sex. It’ll hurt your arm!”

“Trust me, little spark, we’ll find a way.”

It took a bit of maneuvering with the pillows to prop him up, and Cassidy couldn’t rest her hands on his shoulders or his chest, but she ended up on top of him, riding him for all she was worth.

Maybe it was because they’d almost lost each other, maybe it was because they both knew she was staying in Pittsburgh and they were starting a future together, but it was the most intensely intimate orgasm she’d experienced.

David

Waking up next to Cassidy, David reached for her since his arm wasn’t already around her, then immediately groaned in pain.

Oh, yeah. I got shot.

In the haze of coming awake and being back in his own bed, he’d forgotten for just a moment.

The moment he groaned, Cassidy jerked beside him, sitting up to reveal her delightful breasts as the sheet slipped down. Her head was definitely not in a sexy space as she turned frantically to him, unfortunately, pulling down the covers on him as well as her gaze roved over him.

“Are you okay? What hurts? Did you tear your stitches?”

“Yes, my shoulder, and no, I’m fine ,” he said, turning onto his back so he could reach out with his uninjured arm and pull her down beside him.

She only resisted for a moment before conceding and coming down to rest her head on his right shoulder.

“I just forgot I was injured for a moment and tried to use my left arm. I’m okay. ”

“Oh, shoot, what if you pulled your stitches?” She was already trying to push up again, reaching for his bandaged shoulder. “I should look.”

“You should relax and cuddle with me. Now.” He infused his voice with a little Dom bossiness and felt her immediately subside, settling into his good shoulder.

Her hair tickled his bicep as her hand came to rest on his chest, and she muttered something that was probably extremely uncomplimentary under her breath.

Since he couldn’t make out exactly what she said, he ignored it.

Turning his head, he nuzzled his nose in her hair.

“This is nice. I hope you know that I’m going to want you to come over for lots of sleepovers if you’re not living here.”

“What, you won’t come to me?” she asked, teasing.

“I can, but if you’re living with housemates, I’d choose some that you’re okay with them hearing you scream.” He chuckled as she slapped his chest.

The ringing of his phone interrupted them. Before he could even try to reach for it, Cassidy was up and scrambling to get it for him. Sighing inwardly, he let her. She frowned when she looked down at the display.