Total pages in book: 220
Estimated words: 212755 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1064(@200wpm)___ 851(@250wpm)___ 709(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 212755 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1064(@200wpm)___ 851(@250wpm)___ 709(@300wpm)
Shrugging, he leaned back and seemed to mentally say fuck it as he got blunter. “I’m boring? Not dynamic enough? I don’t know.”
I wasn’t sure boring was a bad thing, honestly.
“I don’t need volatile or dramatic.” I smiled as his grin filled with confidence. “Me needs someone who is sane and functional and steady. Pup me needs someone who can be playful at times and can see past the…the strangeness, I guess.”
It was normal to me, but I knew not everyone saw it that way.
Adults spent way too much time and energy fighting the urge to play pretend and I just didn’t get it.
He scoffed. “It’s not strange, just unique. Like the models or the other pups. It’s a part of who you are.”
Speaking of the other models and the pups…
“Why weren’t you flirting with anyone else at the party?” I wasn’t egotistical enough to think I was the sexiest sub there or even the cutest…that would definitely have been Ian. His whole face had lit up when he’d smiled.
But Cohen had spent the whole time hanging out with Preston.
I’d honestly thought he was some kind of token straight friend until he’d started watching me. It was one of the reasons I hadn’t even thought about questioning his smile or the way he was checking me out. I’d been too shocked.
So there had to be a story.
Cohen set his fork down and studied me for a long moment. “I’ve been a friend of Preston and Eli’s for a long time. So that’s part of it. I wouldn’t want to cause drama in their life by dating someone who works with them. But—and please keep this to yourself—I’m a silent partner.”
Ah.
“No dating employees?” I could understand that, even if it was more of a preference than a policy based on what I’d seen from everyone else. “And what…no dating drama?”
That made even more sense.
He shrugged, looking slightly guilty as he had to nod. “There are probably a lot of nice guys there, but getting to know them would mean getting too involved in the day-to-day side of things.”
“So the lingerie stuff or the puppy play part doesn’t bother you?” I wasn’t sure I would’ve had the restraint not to go at least sniffing around all the cuties that worked there if I’d been a Dom. Some of them just cried out that they wanted to be cuddled and cared for.
“No. I dated Eli knowing his penchant for pretty things.” The casual tone and the relaxed way he went back to poking at the last crumbs of his chocolate cake said he believed what he’d said.
And I might’ve been just a bit skeptical.
Pushing the negative thoughts to the back of my head, I focused on my questions, not my worries. “So you don’t have a thing for the lingerie?”
I’d never been into it for myself even though I could see how pretty the guys were in it. But I wanted to make sure Cohen wasn’t going to be secretly longing for something I couldn’t give him. I’d never be a sub to dress up like that for a lot of reasons.
Primarily because even Leashes & Lace didn’t carry bras in my size.
Eli had been helpful and looked…and had decided market research was in order.
He was scary.
Cohen got a thoughtful, distracted look in his eyes that seemed to mean he was lost in thought or maybe lost in analysis. He’d said something vague about him being in finance, and since he gave off a Wall Street Wolf kind of vibe, I had to guess he was fairly successful.
Maybe the thinking thing was what had put some subs off?
I thought intelligence was sexy, and even in bad porn, a sexy pretend nerd in fake glasses was hot, so the real deal was even better.
After another moment, he came back into focus. “No, I enjoy it and I’ll always like seeing the models, but it’s not something I need to make me happy in a relationship.”
That was good to know.
But just the way he’d said it, I had to tease him.
“So are you hinting that I need to be okay with you leering at the sexy models?” I knew he could tell I was kidding as he laughed, looking sheepish as he shook his head.
“That’s not what I meant.” He stretched his foot out and ran it along my leg sending a shiver through me. “But you don’t sound like you think that’s a bad idea. So would this be a mutually gratifying visit?”
Now I was blushing, and that just encouraged the sexy man.
His gaze turned almost predatory as his foot kept up the slow caress. “I bet you’ve enjoyed going to the photo shoots. I happen to know the models loved when you came to visit.”
I had to look like some kind of overgrown tomato, but I couldn’t help laughing. “They were so funny and cute. I love watching them and seeing the work behind the magic that shows up online.”