Page 27 of Dance for Me
The sadist was completely right and that scared her.
There was no going back to what had been. In only a few hours, Braun had started a process that she couldn’t undo. He’d unlocked parts of her she’d spent years chaining down with little more than himself and his words. Awakened urges inside her she couldn’t control.
Somehow, he’d found the chink in her armor and peeled chunks of it away so he could climb inside her and find what hurt.
Bodie glanced up at him before she reached for the box again. His jaw was rigid, the muscle ticking. She liked the thick, dark stubble. Even though he was angry with Jasper, his blue eyes smoldering with irritation, he kept his temper in check. When he spoke, he bit the words off with a snap, but without lifting his voice.
He noticed her watching him and she blushed hard enough her cheeks warmed. The harsh set of his mouth softened into an amused smile, and she squirmed on his lap in response. Her heart tilted and quivered in her chest when he pressed a firm kiss to her forehead. “Good girl, Bodie.”
Liam caught her eye, rolled his, then gave her a subtle thumbs-up. He didn’t seem surprised or concerned she was curled up on Braun’s thighs; if anything, he appeared pleased for her. “Well if these two aren’t done squabbling by the time you finish the pie, Bo, come see me at the bar. Time to let the horde in.”
The food in her mouth turned to ash. She swallowed, glancing around at the empty club, and realized the calm, quiet space she’d grown almost comfortable with would soon be alive with things she really had no comprehension of.
Not everything was cuddles and kisses on the forehead.
At Liam’s proclamation, Loki and Atticus grinned at each other and shoved to their feet. Atticus was the epitome of intimidating when he stood tall, his wide shoulders rolling back into perfect posture.
“Have you had enough to eat, little one?” Braun asked her quietly.
Oh yeah. What she’d eaten wasn’t sitting well in her stomach, ruined by nerves. She nodded slowly and tucked her hands back into the blanket. “Yes. Thank you for thinking of me.”
“Thinking of you is my pleasure,” he responded without so much as a blip of hesitation. His attention switched to Liam and the other Doms. “Liam, feel free to share what’s left with the monkeys at the zoo.”
Loki high-fived Atticus before they both dived for the box still in Liam’s hands. The rest of the pizza was gone in seconds, and Liam huffed as he carried the empty box away. “Could’ve given me a head-up on that, boss.”
“Where’s the fun in that?”
Bodie worried her lip, biting the firm flesh. She couldn’t sit here forever. She was supposed to dance tonight, and Braun—well, Braun had better things to do than babysit her. This lovely bubble of peace and safety was about to pop, and she just wasn’t ready to face what waited for her outside.
“Braun,” Connie said earnestly. “You’re doing paperwork tonight? I think Bodie might like to take a nap...away from the hustle and bustle. Why don’t you take her back to your office, and I’ll man the floor for an hour?”
“We can finish this later,” Jasper offered, yet another one who kept his cool even in the midst of a spirited argument. “The lass is looking a bit peaked.”
“You don’t have to fuss over me,” Bodie insisted, feeling awkward under the keen gaze of the Mistress.
“That’s kind of my job description as a Dominant, little one.” His fingers nudged her chin up so he could study her face with the same concentration as Connie had. “I think a nap is a good idea. You’re too pale, and you look exhausted.”
“I’m not submissive,” she whispered, flinching when Jasper snorted. “I’m not.”
Braun kissed her forehead again, then went a step further and brushed his nose against hers. Eskimo kiss! “I know, little one. I know.”
“I think a little subbie doth protest too much,” Jasper muttered as he rose gracefully from his seat. “If she were mine, a good spanking would make her mind up one way or the other.”
“If she were yours, J, there would be no question as to whether she was submissive or not. Besides, you play with pain sluts, and Boadicea isn’t your type.”
Ice blue eyes sparked with appreciation. “I could make an exception.”
“No, you couldn’t. Sadist you are, my friend, but you know damn well a scene with a non-masochistic sub would leave you dissatisfied. You’d be traumatized, your hair would turn whi—oh, that’s how that happened, huh?” Braun’s laugh jostled Bodie, the sound wicked and teasing. “Go play with your own toys and enjoy yourself.”
Flipping Braun the bird, Jasper grinned and exited the seating area with the stealth of a panther on the prowl. God help the poor woman who stepped into his sights.
“Are you sure you’re okay with walking the floor, Connie? It’s a lot to ask when you’ve got bartending duty as well. Doing both is going to cut deeply into your scene time.”
She waved that away with an elegant hand, and Bodie envied the ladylike grace with which she pulled the gesture off. If Bodie attempted it, no doubt she’d accidentally backhand the nearest person or appear to be swatting flies. “Nonsense. I can do both. Kevin wasn’t sure what time he’d be arriving, and David said he might not be able to make it at all. But regardless, they’ll just have to wait until my duties are done.” Gray eyes darkened considerably. “I am the Mistress, after all. They wait for me.”
Holy smokes, Connie had two men on the go? Bodie’s mouth dropped open in shock. How did that work? Did she split her time between the two of them, or play with them both together? She was only one woman; how did one woman do...things with two men?
“That’s raised all manner of questions for your pet, Braun.” Connie smirked, but Bodie saw no ridicule in the other woman’s eyes. “Send her to me for a lesson one evening when the boys are here, I’ll answer whatever questions she has.”