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  “Wow. That’s awesome.” The man did have an interesting tale to tell, and little did he know his love for pets endeared her to him even more. Simon hated animals. Almost as much as he hated humans. Maybe that should have been a sign to her. Or maybe she shouldn’t have gone into that relationship with blinders on. “Why did you leave the army? You’re so young.”

  “I was tired. I worked hard for nine years. When it was time to reenlist, I decided to cut loose. Being in the military, well, being on the front line, it takes a toll on people. I’m no exception. I couldn’t stand the thought of giving any more of my life to that sort of death and destruction.” He shivered as he spoke.

  “Sorry.” She felt bad for bringing up such a painful experience.

  “No worries. It’s part of who I am. And without the army, I wouldn’t be where I am today, doing what I love most in the world—training in the K-9 unit.”

  “You’re clearly good at it.” She reached down and gave Thor a pat on the head. “Why didn’t you become a police officer when you got out?”

  He shrugged. “Frankly, I had lost interest. There’s a huge difference between the military police and a civilian officer. I knew by then I was way more interested in training dogs than handing out traffic tickets.”

  That made sense.

  “Hey, you managed to eat.” Gage reached for her wrapper and balled it up with his. “I’ll keep in mind that any time you need nourishment…all I have to do is talk your ear off.” The twinkle in his eye made her go soft in all the wrong places…or maybe she needed to admit the places were right.

  Gage cleaned off the table and walked Kayla back across the street, Thor at his side. He leaned over her desk as she sat. “Dinner?”

  “You’re persistent.”

  “I am.”

  She tried to think of an excuse to avoid him for the evening. If she let herself continue seeing him this often, she might lose her resolve to keep it simple.

  “Did your car start okay this morning?”

  “Yes. Thank you very much. I still owe you for the battery.”

  “Good. You can cook for me. I’ll be over around six.” And with that, he sauntered off, leaving her speechless and stressed.

  She watched as Thor wagged his tail, glancing back over his shoulder to look at Kayla. His owner did not.

  •●•

  Gage pulled into Kayla’s driveway at exactly six o’clock. He jumped from his Jeep and waited for Thor to hop out behind him. The dog looked excited when he saw where they were, wagging his tail and circling Gage’s legs. “Dude, you’re going to give me a complex if you keep this up.” He climbed the steps to her front door and rang the doorbell. Thor stuck his nose to the window as if he knew he would get a glimpse of Kayla first.

  When the door finally opened, Kayla stood there nervously holding the frame, her face flat. “I told you I don’t cook.”

  Gage smiled. At least she wasn’t flat out rejecting him. “And I told you I didn’t care.”

  Thor wasn’t patient enough for this conversation from the doorstep. He pushed his way past Gage and nuzzled Kayla’s hand until she smiled down and patted his head.

  She lifted her gaze and rolled her eyes. “You coming in? Or just dropping Thor off for babysitting?”

  Gage entered when she stepped back, and he shut the door behind him. He lifted his nose in the air and sniffed. “Wait a minute. I smell food.”

  “Yeah, well, I was afraid you weren’t kidding about dinner, and a man your size has to eat, so I picked up Mexican on the way home. It’s warming in the oven.”

  Gage took her hand and lifted it to his face, rubbing his close-cropped beard with the backs of her fingers as he gauged her reaction. She still wore the dress she’d had on at work, a sundress that reached to her knees. He loved it. The color, a pale pink, suited her perfectly, and the bodice hugged her chest. She’d worn a short sweater over it at work, but now the sweater was gone.

  One of the bonuses of living in Vegas—the weather forced women to be sexy all year.

  She didn’t pull away from him. In fact, she leaned closer. “Gage,” she muttered.

  “Yeah.”

  “I can’t do the girlfriend thing.” She shook her head and gently tugged her hand away.

  “You mentioned that.” He ignored her and made his way into her home. When he reached her kitchen, he started opening cabinets and drawers until he had plates and silverware.

  Kayla leaned against the island, biting her lip. Thor sidled up to her and rubbed her leg with his head until she set her hand on him and stroked his fur.

  Gage removed two tinfoil trays from the oven and set them on potholders on the island. He decided to talk while he worked. “You need a Dom. I’m a Dom. You like me. I like you.” He opened the foil tops, letting the steam out. “God, that smells delicious.”

  “I never said I needed a Dom.”

  “True. But you do. You’ve been milling around Extreme for months. I’ve rarely seen you work with a Dom. I bet it was tough for you to ask me to do a scene with you.” He lifted his gaze to watch her expression.

  She nodded. That was all he got.

  “So, maybe we can eat first, and then we’ll play a game.”

  “A game?” She stepped back, her eyes going wide.

  He swore he saw fear in her expression. That didn’t set well. “A verbal game, baby. Words. You sit staring at me while I try to piece together your life. That way you don’t have to actually tell me anything.”

  “I don’t like that game.”

  “I’m sure you don’t.” He forced a smile and dished up the food onto two plates. When he finished, he carried it to the table. “Sit, baby. Eat.”

  Kayla came to his side and took the same chair she had last night. He liked this new arrangement. He liked eating with this woman while his dog sat at her feet as though she were his new owner. He wasn’t even jealous. If his dog liked someone, it said a lot about the person.

  They ate with few words between them. Surprisingly Gage didn’t have to beg Kayla to eat this time. He wasn’t sure if she ate so slowly all the time, or just when she was with him.

  When they finished, Kayla started to stand.

  He set a hand on her arm. “Stay. I’ll clean up.”

  She nodded, her eyes wide again. Shocked. Hadn’t a man ever take care of her before?

  Gage put the food in the refrigerator and the plates in the sink, and then he took Kayla’s hand and lured her into the living area. He pulled her down next to him on the couch.

  She turned sideways, leaned against the arm, and tucked her legs under her, careful to keep her skirt wrapped around her knees. Thor, having followed her, sat again at her feet, sighing as he settled his head on his front paws.

  Gage turned halfway around so he faced her. “All right. So, let me get my facts straight. You were born and raised in Vegas.”

  “Yes, Sir.”

  He shook his head. “Don’t do that. We’re just talking. When you sub for me, you can call me Sir if you’d like. When we’re just two people hanging out or eating or whatever, we’re equals.”

  She nodded. “Okay.”

  Gage went back to his inquisition, hoping to gain some insight into Kayla’s past. “So, your dad worked for the department until he died when you were eighteen?”

  “Yeah.” She lowered her gaze and fiddled with the material of her dress in her lap.

  “I’m sorry. That sucks. Where was your mom?”

  “She died when I was young. Breast cancer. It was just me and my dad.”

  “Oh, baby. I’m so sorry.” Hearing that made his chest squeeze. He knew about sick parents. It tugged at his heart. He wanted to reach for her and pull her close to him, but he didn’t.

  When she didn’t move, he continued. Better to leave that subject behind. “So you worked at the police station after your dad died?”

  “Yes.” The one-word answers were better than nothing.

  “Did you go to college?”
<
br />   “I got my associates before—”

  “Before what?”

  She hesitated, her fingers balling into fists. “Before I moved away for a few years.”

  And there was the gap. “Where did you go?”

  She lifted her gaze. “I’d rather not discuss it. It’s private and it’s painful, Gage. Please leave it alone.”

  Fuck. He nodded. If he didn’t respect a few boundaries, she’d never trust him. “Okay, baby. Then you came back, two years ago?”

  “Yeah.” Tears filled her eyes, and she wiped them with the back of her hand.

  Fuck fuck. “Chief Edwards gave you a job.”

  “He did. He’s like a father to me. Thank God.” Her cheeks were pink, but the tears stopped.

  “When did you first dabble in BDSM?”

  She opened her mouth, and then she paused. It seemed she was thinking of the best way to answer, probably without giving too much away, but not wanting to lie to him. He liked that. “When I moved away.”

  “Ah, and it was good?”

  “At first.” She unfolded her legs, twisted her body, and stood. She stepped over Thor and began to pace. Thor lifted his head and wagged his tail, but he didn’t get up. “Look, Gage. This isn’t going to work. I’m not giving you more than that. I can’t. I won’t. And it’s not fair to you. I’m sorry I approached you and gave you the wrong impression. I didn’t mean to lead you on. I only wanted to do a scene.”

  Lead me on?

  The woman had no more led him on than she had spit in his face. Something in her mind was seriously twisted. “Kayla.” He waited for her to stop pacing and look at him. “You’ve done no such thing. You did not lead me on by asking me to do a scene. It’s customary to do such a thing, and it has nothing whatsoever to do with the way I feel about you.”

  She flinched and stepped back.

  Fuck. Again, fuck. He shouldn’t have said that. He was pushing. “What I mean is that I would do a scene with you any day. I would do a scene with nearly anyone who asked me if I thought it was the right thing for them. I’m incredibly sorry for misjudging you the night you asked me to flog you. That was the first time I’ve ever agreed to do something I shouldn’t have. The reality is I knew better. I could tell you were hesitant. My judgment was clouded by the fact that I wanted to do anything you asked me, even against my instincts.

  “I was overjoyed you approached me, and I should have known better. Read you better. Paid closer attention. I’m so sorry, baby.” He stood and shuffled closer to her. When she didn’t move, he set his hands on her shoulders and waited for her to lift her gaze. “I was attracted to you, and I let that cloud my decision to flog you. I knew better.”

  She shook her head. “How do you do that?”

  “Do what?”

  “Turn something that was my fault around and make it yours?”

  Now he smiled. “Baby, no matter what, and above all else, as a Dom it’s my responsibility to see to the needs of a submissive in my care. Not hers. You have every right to be angry with me for what happened Friday night.”

  “Me?” She widened her eyes incredulously. “Are you kidding?”

  “Nope. My job. If you give me a second chance, let me in, I promise to make sure nothing like that happens again. Whatever issues you have, we’ll work through them. When you’re ready to tell me more about your hiatus from Vegas, you will. I’m asking for that chance.” He bent his knees to get level with her face.

  She shook her head. “I can’t do that to you.”

  “Do what?”

  “Lead you along thinking I’ll ever be ready to give you more.”

  “My risk. Not yours.” He stepped closer until his face was inches from hers. “You said yourself you felt safe with me. Can you deny you’re interested in me?”

  “No, but—”

  He cut her off. “Then I can work with that. Spend some time with me. If all it amounts to is you conquering some of your fears, it will be time well spent. If you fall head over heels in love with me and can’t stand to be without me even for a minute, time well spent.”

  She flinched. “Been there done that. Got the scars to prove it.” She shook her head. “I can’t jump into this with you. Not now. Probably not ever. It’s too fast. I don’t have a good track record making rash decisions.”

  Ouch. She said everything and nothing at the same time.

  “Kayla, I’m not asking you to move in with me and declare your undying love. This may be Vegas, but I’m not planning to drag you to some Elvis church, either. I’m talking about getting to know each other. Safe. Sane. Consensual.” He reached with one hand and tucked her curls behind her ears.

  She leaned into his touch.

  Thank God. She was leery. He got that. But she was also interested.

  “You’ve known me for two years. Have I ever given you any reason to believe I wasn’t one of the good guys? I get that someone fucked with you. That’s clear. I’m not him. I swear I’ll prove it.”

  She gave him a wan smile. Thank God. It was better than nothing.

  “Listen. I promise not to pressure you to do anything. I’ll take my cues from you. Whatever you need from me, it’s yours.”

  “Who are you?”

  He smiled. “Gage Holland.” And then he glanced at his watch. “And I’m late.” He released her reluctantly, stepping back a few paces. “There’s one thing you need to know about me, if you don’t already.”

  “What?”

  “When I’m not at work, I’m usually at the gym. I fight amateur MMA on the side.”

  “What’s that?”

  “Mixed Martial Arts.” He grinned. “Love it.”

  “Like boxing?” Her shoulders relaxed.

  “Sort of. But rougher. Less rules.”

  She smiled. “Huh. That, I’d like to see.” She softened more under his touch. Good. Great. Excellent. He’d found a topic that didn’t make her skittish.

  He nearly collapsed. The woman wanted to see him fight? His heart beat faster, and his cock jumped to attention. She was full of the unexpected, and the idea she wanted to come see him made him hornier than hell. “Anytime you want. But right now, the guys are waiting on me to work out. They’ll give me shit for weeks if I don’t come because I’m with a girl.” He chuckled. It was true.

  “What guys are those?”

  “Well, the owner of the gym, Joe Marks, calls us The Fight Club. And honestly, you probably know almost all of us, because the six of us dubbed The Fight Club also belong to Extreme.”

  “Really?” Her face lit up more. “Intriguing. Who are they?”

  “Rider, for one.”

  “Rider? Huh. Guess I can see that. You two look almost the same.”

  Gage lifted an eyebrow at that comment. “You have the hots for Rider too?”

  She giggled at that. Her voice sounded like music. She was always so serious. He wasn’t sure he’d ever seen her let go. Finally, a subject she found interesting. Who would have thought? “Of course not. Besides, he has a girlfriend.”

  “Yes. Emily. Attached at the hip.” He eyed her closely.

  She grinned wider. “No, I don’t have the hots for Rider, as you put it. Stop looking at me like that.”

  He shook his ridiculous jealousy away and continued. “The other four members of our so-dubbed fight club are Rafe, Mason, Zane, and Conner. If you hang around me long enough, you’ll meet them all. I’m sure you’d recognize them.”

  “Is Rafe the one who got married a while back?”

  “Yep. He’s the one. Katy. You’ve probably seen her too. Small, about your size, curly brown hair a bit shorter than yours.”

  “Oh, right. I’ve met her. She’s sweet.”

  “That she is. And super fucking intelligent too. She’s a lawyer.”

  Kayla’s shoulders slumped. “Ugh. My current goal is to get back in school and finish my first degree. I can’t imagine how much work and how many years it would take to reach that.”

  “You’re g
oing back to school?”

  “As soon as I can afford it.”

  “That’s awesome. I’m sure you’ll do excellent at anything you set your mind to.” To hell with the guys. They could harass him for a month if they wanted. He had Kayla engaged, her eyes twinkling with interest in several subjects for the first time. No way was he going to leave.

  “You need to go.” She glanced at her own watch. “What time are you supposed to be there?”

  “Now.” Ugh.

  “Go.” She pointed at the door and then turned to look at Thor. “Does Thor go to the gym?”

  “Not usually. I’ll run him by the house.”

  “Leave him here with me. We’ll go out back. I can throw a stick.”

  Gage froze at that idea. It would mean he had to come back. God bless his dog. “You don’t mind?”

  “Not at all. Love your dog.”

  “You’ll think about everything I said?”

  “Sure.”

  “I might be late.”

  She shrugged. “I’ll live.”

  He hesitated a moment and then decided to go for it. He stepped into her space again, hauled her against him, and kissed her forehead. It wasn’t her lips, but it was a start. He released her just as fast, knowing if he didn’t, he never would. As he headed toward the door, he turned to Thor. “Be good, buddy. I’ll be back.”

  Chapter Six

  Kayla sat on the back patio on her favorite chair, her legs curled under her, her head tipped toward the clear night sky.

  Thor lay at her feet panting from the two thousand times he’d run across her tiny lawn and brought her back the only stick she managed to find in the yard. She didn’t even have a tree. More like an oversized patio with a few feet of grass around it.

  She couldn’t believe what had happened in the last few days. How had she gone from permanently lonely and depressed to having a huge sexy boxing guy pleading with her to give him a chance? And what was she supposed to do with that?