“No, no. It’s Vegas, baby. It was all about learning to be more effective poker players. Essential life skills.” He winked over his shoulder at her.
“Oh, of course. How silly of me to think you had ulterior motives.”
“Hey, you were just as bad as I was. You were constantly trying to get me to take my shirt off.”
When he looked back at her, she was eye-groping his chest. “Yeah, but that’s just because I was too shy to ask you to take your pants off.”
A vivid recollection of the first time she’d taken him in her mouth rose to mind – the tentative way she’d tongued the head of his cock, tasting him, looking up at him for reassurance that she was doing it right. His dick twitched, apparently ready to go again even though it would be a bad, bad idea. So many of their firsts had been together, but he hadn’t been the first to bind her or spank her, and that annoyed him.
As a teenager, why had he been so hesitant when she’d all but dared him to get kinky with her? He’d been so afraid of ruining what they had that he’d stifled their sexual exploration of each other and she’d found someone to give her what she wanted.
Now he wished he’d done more with his life so he’d have a chance of collaring her. That slender throat practically begged for one. How was she unclaimed, let alone single?
When the omelets were done, they ate, talked about work, their old friends, and new ones, what they normally did for fun on weekends. The conversation turned to the club, to kink, and eventually to what they were most into. He’d always imagined this conversation, but he’d never thought it would happen, let alone that it would feel so fucking right.
They slept two hours twined together before they both headed off to work. Nate resented every second of the time they’d wasted sleeping.
***
Nate slouched back in one of the two chairs across Jimmy’s desk, watching his boss discuss plans for the modifications Atlas Larson wanted done to his wife’s SUV. How a former car thief had hooked up with a hot cop, Nate would never know.
Why would Larson even think of looking that high for himself? Hell, Nate had a decent job and a clean record, but he should have known better than to think he’d had a serious chance with someone like Riley. Concert pianists didn’t date mechanics.
“Nate, did you hear that?” Jimmy asked, tossing a ball of paper at him and hitting his shoulder.
“Huh? Sorry. I missed it.”
“Poker game or woman?” Atlas asked, smiling crookedly.
“Oh, his ex blew back into town, and he’s been all twisted up for a week because he left the ball in her court and she hasn’t called back.”
“Damn. Did you fuck her?”
Nate glowered at them both.
Atlas tsked, looking amused. “Man, I told you, don’t take the kink all the way to ten the first time. It freaks them out.”
“Fuck you, Atlas.”
The monster of a man cocked his head to the side and grinned. “Hmm…I’d have to ask Mila first. We’ve been exclusive up until now, but for you...”
“Two dominants hooking up? Isn’t that usually a problem? Wouldn’t there be a fight?”
“I could take him,” Nate and Atlas said simultaneously.
Jimmy barked a laugh and shook his head, then chewed thoughtfully on his habitual toothpick. “Besides, what ever happened to wooing a woman – you know? Flowers, soft music, wine. Jewelry?”
Nate grimaced. “Fuck jewelry. I bought her a ring when we were fresh out of high school. She left me before I could pay it off. I’m just glad I didn’t propose, considering she’s ghosted me twice.”
“Ouch,” Atlas said, clapping a hand on Nate’s shoulder. “Maybe she’s into the sex, but not into you? Or she likes you but she’s pretty vanilla? Maybe she had sub drop.”
“Maybe.”
Things had been awesome – or so he’d tho
ught. They’d hung out in bed, talking and laughing. She’d been quiet when he kissed her goodbye in the parking lot, but he’d thought it was exhaustion. Maybe she regretted what they’d done?
He’d texted her and left a voicemail message, but that’s as far as he’d let himself go, even though he really wanted to show up at her mom’s house and make a romantic ass of himself.