Page 39 of My Masked Shadow

“You’re… different than I thought.”

My chest tightens painfully. “Yeah?”

She nods, staring at her fingers, twisting the edge of the gray blanket I wrapped her in. “I thought you were just… loud. Arrogant. Annoying.”

“All true,” I agree with a grin.

“But…” She swallows. “You’re also really… attentive.”

I grip the steering wheel tighter again and glance at her. “Barbara.”

“No—don’t look at me. I’m embarrassed enough.”

I don’t look at her, but I soften my voice. “You think I’m not aware of every breath you take? Every twitch? You think I wasn’t watching your biometrics the entire time? Ready to shut the sim down the second you panicked for real?”

She doesn’t reply.

“You’re not some toy to me,” I continue. “Even when I treat you like one because it gets both of us off.”

She coughs, her cheeks darkening further.

“And while I do want to control you during sex,” I add, “I also want to know you. Your mind, your tastes, your boundaries, your weird-ass fears about lumberyard murderers?—”

“That was your scenario!”

“You loved it,” I point out.

She lets out a breath. “I did.”

I risk a quick glance. Her gaze is distant, thoughtful, emotional in a way that scares me more than anything we did tonight.

“Did you decide if you’re okay?” I ask.

She nods slowly. “Yeah. Actually… yeah, I am.”

Relief punches me in the chest.

“Good.”

We drive in silence for another minute before she clears her throat.

“So,” Barbara says. “Hypothetically… if I had another fantasy?—”

I slam on the brakes at a red light.

Her eyes go wide. “Ethan!”

“Hush. I’m focusing.”

She smacks my arm. “I said hypothetically!”

“And I’m hypothetically listening very carefully.”

She groans into the blanket. “You’re impossible.”

“Correct,” I purr. “Now continue.”

“No.”