“Okay.” Nerves fluttered in her belly as the haze of pleasure mellowed and reality set in. She was going to have to really work hard at pulling this off so she didn’t let Wyatt down in front of his colleagues. He was putting a lot of faith in her.
“And until then”—he put a knuckle beneath her chin—“you will not train with anyone, you will not pleasure yourself, and you will get some rest.”
The authoritative tone sent a soft hum through her veins. “Yes, sir.”
“And just so you know, I consider our arrangement, as temporary as it is, an exclusive one. I expect you to be faithful to me from now until the end of it. I don’t share.”
Her shoulders stiffened. Knowing that he was heading home turned on and pent up poked at her mind like bony fingers. Did he have some girl he saw on the side? He wasn’t dating anyone, but she doubted a man like Wyatt was a monk. She hated the crackle of jealousy working its way through her, but she couldn’t help it. “And you?”
The corner of his mouth lifted, as if amused by the question. “I would never disrespect you that way. The exclusivity goes both ways.”
She released a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding on to.
“And if you change your mind about any of this . . .”
She reached out and grabbed his hand. “I’m not going to change my mind.”
He gave her fingers a squeeze. “’Til Friday, then.”
“’Til Friday.”
And with that, he gave her another gentle kiss and was gone.
The second the door closed behind him, the vacuum his absence left behind walloped Kelsey. It was as if all the warmth in the room had just disappeared. She grabbed the throw from the back of the couch and wrapped it around her shoulders. She’d lived alone for the last year and had enjoyed the solitude, but she had the instinctive urge to call after him. To ask him to stay here with her at the cabin. Something in her settled when he was close by.
And that terrified her more than anything had in a long time.
The last thing she needed was another addiction.
And Wyatt Austin was turning out to be a very, very tempting drug.
CHAPTER SEVEN
“You’re going to what?” Jace asked once he and Wyatt were back on the highway heading toward Dallas.
Wyatt leaned against the headrest, his body still buzzing with unreleased energy and his better judgment starting to sneak back in now that his head was clearing. “I know. She should’ve just taken the money.”
“Ha. That would’ve set up a nightmare of a trip. Her being on your arm all day as your girlfriend and then sharing your room at night, possibly your bed. You would’ve spent most of the trip jerking off in the shower to keep your hands off her. Sounds like fun for all.”
It would’ve been tortuous. But at least it would’ve been safer. “I don’t want to hurt her.”
“So don’t.” Jace glanced his way, headlights from a car coming in the opposite direction flashing across his features. “I know it’s been a long time for you, but you’re still a master of self-control. You’re not going to lose your shit and do something stupid. That’s my style, not yours. You know how to do this. Pay attention to her signals, sift out what her needs are, and then push her to her edge.”
Wyatt sighed and rubbed his eyes beneath his glasses. “I don’t know if I’m as calm and in control as you think.”
“Did you fuck her tonight?” Jace asked, shifting his gaze back to the road.
“No.”
“Would she have let you?”
“Yes.” And he’d wanted to. God, had he wanted to. “It wasn’t the right time.”
Jace gave a triumphant smile. “See. There you go. Proof positive you’ve still got it. Because believe me, not many men would walk away from a willing Kelsey LeBreck. That girl is temptation personified. I’ve seen male subs grovel at her feet for the mere privilege of serving her a glass of water.”
“She got on her knees for me, man,” Wyatt said, looking out the side window, almost talking to himself. “I was ready to say no, that there was no way I could do this, go down that road again. But seeing her there, I couldn’t fucking stop the urge. The need to claim her welled up and took over. Orders started falling out of my mouth like I was possessed by some former version of myself.”
Jace reached out and gripped Wyatt’s shoulder, giving it a squeeze. “Welcome back to the dark side, brother. We’ve got cookies. Hope you enjoy your stay.”