Of course he wouldn’t, he’s not an idiot, and since he seems like a nice guy and a good dominant, there’s no way he’ll let me off the hook without a response.
“I’m okay, really. The scene was perfect… you didn’t do anything I didn’t want.”
“Then why the freakout, doll?”
I close my eyes and take a deep breath, trying to decide how to respond.
“Remember rule number three, babygirl. Honesty always.”
The command in his tone has my inner submissive wanting to obey. After just one scene, I feel obligated to follow his rules. That’s a scary realization. I decide on a half-truth even though it makes me feel guilty.
“I didn’t expect it to be this way. It’s been a long time for me, and it just feels like a lot.” I might’ve left out the bit about his offhanded remark triggering me, but I disclosed more than I anticipated.
He nods in understanding. “I get it.”
I’m taken off-guard when he pulls me into his arms. His lips lightly brush over my brow as he holds me close. My flight response is strong right now, and I have to fight against it to stay in his arms. I slowly relax into his hold as he runs gentle hands over my back. I close my eyes and wrap my arms around his waist, returning the embrace.
The anxious energy flows out of me, and I suddenly feel silly. “I’m sorry I freaked out on you.”
“No worries, babygirl. It’s my fault. We should’ve talked more about expectations. That’s on me.”
I rest my chin on his chest and look up into his dark, earnest eyes. Guilt is written all over his face. I feel terrible. He has nothing to feel guilty about. It’s my own damage that had me panicking. He did everything just right.
How could he know his simple words would affect me on such a visceral level? Hell, I didn’t even realize something like this would happen.
“It’s not your fault. I just got overwhelmed and didn’t know how to handle it.”
I feel like a dirty liar for giving him half-truth after half-truth, but that’s all I have to offer right now.
Axel cups my cheeks in his hands and kisses me soft and slow. My eyes flutter closed as I return his kiss, proving to both him and myself that I’m really okay. He pulls away, dropping a kiss on my nose before stepping away. I instantly miss his hold.
Casual… this is just a casual encounter, I remind myself.
No attachments.
Then why am I feeling so much?
“It’s getting late,” I say, needing to end our night before it gets even more out of control.
“I don’t want to let you go yet,” he admits.
I don’t want to go either, but I need to before I do something crazy, like convince myself this could be more than casual. I don’t have anything to offer him or anyone. Everything I have to give is for Henry.
“I should go before I turn into a pumpkin,” I tease, trying to lighten the moment.
“I’d take you any way you come,” he says with a smile. “Besides, you’d look good in orange.”
I laugh at that. “Nobody looks good in orange.”
“You’d look good in a potato sack.”
The heated look he gives me has me blushing. I’m always blushing around him.
“Come on, doll. Let’s get you out of here before I’m tempted to get another look at you out of that dress.”
My core tightens in response to his words. I’m tempted to stay and start the night all over again, but my freak out is fresh in my mind, and I don’t want a repeat of that.
Like last night, he walks me to my car and opens my door. Before I can get in, he pulls me in for one more heated kiss. I lose track of time as his tongue pillages and plunders. I’m completely breathless by the time he pulls away. Damn, the man can kiss.