Total pages in book: 158
Estimated words: 160684 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 803(@200wpm)___ 643(@250wpm)___ 536(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 160684 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 803(@200wpm)___ 643(@250wpm)___ 536(@300wpm)
Steele’s hand came to the back of her neck. “That can’t have been easy, baby.”
“It was good and bad. I had a couple of boyfriends that I tried to ask . . . well, to explain what I wanted. One of them was game to try things, but it just didn’t work. After Joe died, well, I was recovering both physically and mentally. And then with Brooks . . . sometimes it just felt like all my energy went into getting by. And there wasn’t anything left for dating. Plus, I just didn’t feel safe revealing that part of myself to people. Not after being rejected before.”
“Baby,” Steele said soothingly, rocking her back and forth. “You don’t have to worry about being rejected by us. You can tell us anything. Any desires, any needs, you tell us. Understand?”
She nodded, although she was still somewhat unsure.
Grady crouched down and reached out to touch her chin. A shock of surprise and pleasure filled her.
“There might be things we want. Things that you might not have tried before and might be nervous about. This doesn’t just go one way. There’s always give and take. And communication. Something, I’m not always good at, but I’ll try if you will.”
“Yes,” she said quietly. She cleared her throat. “I’ll try.”
“That’s my good girl,” Grady told her huskily. “You definitely need a reward.”
“Even though I ran away and hid?”
“Do you do that often? You used to do that with Joe? Those other idiots?” Steele asked.
“Idiots?” She turned her head to look at Steele. “Why do you call them that?”
“They let you go, didn’t they? Idiots.”
Oh. That was sweet. Even if untrue.
“You didn’t answer the question,” Grady pointed out.
She tugged at her earring.
“Uh-uh. No more of that.” Steele drew her hand away and lightly slapped it.
Okay. Whoa.
“Not really,” she said. “The hiding thing is kind of new.”
“We need to make it so she comes to us,” Grady said, looking at Steele.
“That’s exactly what I said. Running away from us isn’t acceptable.” Steele squeezed her, then let her go.
Grady reached down and lifted her onto her feet. But instead of immediately letting her go, he took hold of her hand and led her from the room.
“No, from now on, you come to us. If you run and hide, when we catch you, you’ll need to be punished.”
“Maybe it’s time we talked about this safeword. Because it sounds like I’m gonna get punished a lot.”
Steele let out a bark of laughter and she couldn’t help but turn to grin at him.
Even though she hadn’t been joking.
34
Grady led her into the most gorgeous kitchen. There were light marble countertops and dark gray cabinets. And it had the most enormous island she’d ever seen.
“This is beautiful.”
He didn’t reply. Instead, he just lifted her onto the counter.
It seemed like Grady wasn’t as reserved anymore. Perhaps because they’d loosened the no-employee rule? Or maybe it was something else.
Whatever it was, she liked it.
“What would you like your safeword to be?” he asked her as he started whipping up some eggs.
“Um, I don’t know.” She reached for a grape that he held out to her, but he drew it back.
“No. Open.”
With a blush, she opened her mouth and let him pop the grape into her mouth. She glanced around as Steele moved into the room and sat at the small dining table.
“Maybe spinach?” she suggested.
“Bit long, but all right,” Steele agreed. “Grady, Effie is having Saturday off.”
“I am?” she asked.
“Done,” Grady agreed as he whipped up some eggs.
“Why do I need Saturday off?” she asked.
“Because you’re going to have a nap in the afternoon. Then Raul will pick you up at five. You’ll have dinner at Pinkies with us and then spend the evening in our area. Then come home with us for the night.”
“Oh. I don’t need a nap, though. I can still work.”
“You need the nap.” Steele gave her a firm look that made her shiver. “You won’t be sleeping much.”
Dear. Lord.
“What . . . what exactly do you want from me?” She congratulated herself on asking that question. It seemed a sensible one to ask. One that would help set up rules and boundaries.
Grady turned to her, his face serious. “Everything.”
Steele walked over and leaned a hip against the counter next to her leg. “Think I should stand here in case you feel the need to run.”
Grady eyed her. “If I put you somewhere, that’s where you stay.”
“Hmm. Good rule.” Steele nodded.
Grady pulled out that darn list and a pen and added it.
“Do you carry that thing everywhere?” she asked.
“Yes.”
Good Lord.
He started cooking the eggs, then turned to slice up an avocado. She wouldn’t lie, it smelled delicious.
“When you say everything . . . do you really mean, everything?”
“Yes,” Steele said. “Doesn’t mean you have to give it all to us right now. As long as there are no threats to you, physical or emotional. Those things we need to know now. There are things about us we might not give to you yet. But when the time is right, we will. Yeah?”