Free The Reluctant Dom by Tymber Dalton

fucking place, so to speak. The faster you can get that through your thick skull, the faster you can help her, because I don't have time for this kind of bullshit when you've got serious stuff to learn!"
    Seth stepped back as Kaden closed his eyes and took a deep breath, calming himself. Had he thought Kaden was handling this remarkably well? Apparently not as well as Kaden tried to portray.
    "I'm sorry,” Kaden apologized. He stepped closer to Seth, his voice low and calm again. “When I ... when it happens, you need to be at the point where you literally step in and fully take over in name as well as function. Leah needs to see you in that role by that time. It'll be too late to get her trust and faith in you by then."
    He jabbed his finger at Seth. “That means you need to drop the bullshit, right now, and step up, buddy. I know it sucks. I know it's weird. I know it's contrary to every fucking thing you might feel right now. But you need to get used to pulling up in that driveway and looking at this house and thinking, ‘I'm home, this is my house, that's my wife.’ When you're doing that, she'll feel it, and it will help her."
    Seth nodded, unable to think of a reply. Kaden returned to the house. Seth looked around. Leah had already taken all his clothes inside. He suddenly realized she'd also grabbed a bag containing dirty clothes.
    He grabbed his guitar case and hurried inside. When he reached his bedroom she was still there, organizing his clothes for him, some things now neatly folded and stacked on his bed, dresser drawers open, the closet half-full. He anxiously searched for the bag of dirty clothes. When she looked at him, she laughed.
    "I already got the dirty ones."
    Stunned, his jaw dropped. “What, being into this stuff turns you psychic or something?"
    She pointed to a pile on the floor in the bathroom. “You looked panicked. Don't worry, I figured it out as soon as I opened the bag."
    He reddened, embarrassed. “I'm sorry, Leah. I'll go wash them.” He started for the bathroom.
    She frowned, firmly shaking her head. “No."
    "What do you mean no?"
    "That's my job."
    "Leah—"
    "No!” Her eyes widened. At her nearly frantic tone, Seth held up his hands in supplication.
    "Whoa. Calm down, babe."
    But she wasn't calm. “No! It's my job, Seth. I do that. I take care of Kaden, and I take care of you.” Her whole body trembled. Kaden suddenly appeared in the doorway, a worried look on his face. He didn't speak, just stood there watching. Seth suspected Leah didn't know he was there.
    Seth tried again, forcing his voice to stay calm. “Leah, honey, I don't expect—"
    She stepped forward, almost in his face now, looking up at him. “It's my job. Please ."
    He glanced at Kaden, looking for help but his friend stood there, unmoving, observing.
    Swallowing hard, Seth finally nodded. He placed his hands on her shoulders and gently squeezed. “Okay, honey. It's okay. I'm sorry."
    He heard her ragged breathing, watched her pulse thrum in her throat, her face flushed not from excitement but...
    She stared at him and he recognized the look from the night before. Barely constrained anguish fighting to bubble to the surface.
    He suspected this was his second lesson.
    Not sure what else to do, he grabbed her hands and gently squeezed them. “Babe, he told you to go easy on me. You've got to teach me this shit, remember?” He attempted what he hoped looked like a gentle smile. From the dangerous roll his stomach took, he wasn't sure he made it.
    She finally took a deep breath, then stepped into him for a hug. “I'm sorry, Seth,” she mumbled against his chest. “I know."
    It felt weird to hug her like that, knowing Kaden was watching. But when Seth looked at his friend, Kaden nodded and offered up a smile before silently disappearing down the hall.
    Seth figured he must have passed this test.
    She clutched at him, the same desperation from the night before. He dared rest his face against the top of her head,