Page 17 of Filthy Dirty Dom

“I’m glad one of us has. Because I’m resolved, Leslie, but that doesn’t mean I don’t struggle with it. Every damn day. But what I was going to say was, your interest in the lifestyle, is it new?”

“Oh.” Why did she suddenly feel self-conscious talking to Alex about this? Why was she suddenly feeling ashamed, the way she had when she’d been fifteen and had just watched her neighbor with her dom?

When Alex continued to look at her expectantly, she cleared her throat. “I’ve been interested in it for years,” she said. “In at least exploring the possibilities. But I never had the nerve to really seek it out before. But that’s not your problem.”

He swiped a hand across his jaw. “You really don’t think so?”

“I really don’t. David obviously wasn’t the right guy for me to explore this lifestyle with, but I’ll find someone who is.”

Alex narrowed his eyes, his features suddenly dark. “Careful, Leslie.”

Her eyes rounded with genuine surprise. “Careful of what?”

“You really think you can casually say that you’re going to explore kink with someone else, and I’m going to be fine with it?”

She stared at him slack jawed. “I don’t understand, Alex. As you just got done telling me, you want me, but your resolved not to have me. That means you have no say in who or what I do when it comes to anything I do, especially who I spend time in sex clubs with.”

“You’re trying to make me jealous, right? Did you know I was at the club? Is that why you dragged Dr. Dickhead in there with you?”

At his insulting words, Leslie frowned. “Are you serious? No, I didn’t know you were there. I wasn’t stalking you, and I wasn’t trying to make you jealous.” Anger and resentment seethed within her. “I am not doing this with you. This was a mistake. I’m leaving.”

She stood and Alex stood as well. “I’m taking you home, Leslie.”

His gaze was unwavering and she knew he meant it. “Fine,” she said. “Take me home. But don’t say another word to me, Alex. Because you just pissed me off, and I’m going to be pissed at you for a very, very long time. And just so you know. I will be going back to a sex club on my own. And before I go, I will make sure, for both our sakes, that you are nowhere to be seen.”

They spent the ride to her brownstone studio and apartment combo in silence, but Alex knew she was as keenly aware of him as he was of her. All Alex could do was remember her words about going to a sex club again and making sure he wasn’t anywhere around.

Maybe he deserved her anger.

Maybe he shouldn’t have accused her of following him to the club.

But honestly? Given the persistence and boldness she’d exhibited in trying to seduce him, he wouldn’t have been surprised. And the fact that she’d come after him so strong?

Secretly, he loved and hated it.

Loved it because it had proven how far she was willing to go to have him.

Hated it because every single time, he’d been tempted.

Suddenly, Leslie touched his arm, but only briefly before she withdrew her hand. “Now that I’ve had a chance to think about it, I’m not pissed by what you said, Alex. Let’s face it. With the way I’ve acted in the past, it would be a fair conclusion that I went to the sex club hoping you’d be there. But I’m done being an idiot. It was the sex club not you that led me there tonight.”

For a moment, that rankled, which went to show how messed up he was. He didn’t mean to, but he knew he played mind games with her. That he gave him bits of himself even as he pushed her away. It was proof positive that she was hell on his self-control. That she was, and always would be, his weakness.

If he wanted to, he could pull over, pull her to him, then shower her throat with kisses. He’d run his hand up her pretty throat then kiss the hell out of her delicious mouth and position her to straddle him. Then he’d—

Shit. No fucking fantasizing. At least not until he could get home and make good use of his fist for yet another night of jacking off to thoughts of Leslie.

“You’re not an idiot, Leslie. Don’t let me hear you talk that way about yourself again.”

Instead of giving him a sassy “or what?” she just sighed.

“So, when’s our next training session?” she asked.

Recently, Leslie had placed the winning bid for a date with Alex at a fundraising bachelor auction. They’d agreed he’d train with her for a Mud Run race. They’d only trained a few times since then, but each time he’d been impressed with Leslie’s strength, speed, and stamina, as well as how damn good she looked in athletic gear.

“I’m still sore from our last session,” he said wryly.

She laughed. “Right.”