Free Dangerously Bound by Eden Bradley Page A

jeans, and his own hand against the iron-hard erection
     beneath the denim had him shivering.
    Control.
    “Okay,” he said. “But I’m checking in with Jamie anyway to make sure you aren’t left
     alone if you need someone.”
    “That’s fine. I know I can go to Jamie, anyway. And I always have Marie Dawn, of course.”
    “Do you know anyone else here yet?” he asked. “I don’t know that she’d know what to
     do.”
    “I’ve talked with a few people online, but I haven’t met anyone in person yet. So,
     no—no one close. But I’ll be fine, Mick.”
    “Just covering the bases. That’s part of my job here, Allie. Or haven’t you played
     with anyone who goes by those standards?”
    “Of course I have! Mick, I’m not ‘kindergarten playing’ atkink any more than you are. The people I’ve played with are the real thing. Check
     my damn references.”
    Oh, he loved the fire in her. But her sharp-tongued reply was deserved.
    He blew out a breath. “That was an asinine thing for me to say.”
    “It was. But I’m glad to see you can admit it when you’re wrong.”
    “I can. Just know those times are rare.”
    She laughed. “God, you are such a Dom.”
    “Am I supposed to be insulted?” But he couldn’t help the slow grin that quirked the
     corners of his mouth.
    “Nope. Probably not.”
    He lowered his tone. “Don’t think for a minute that I am anything but dominant, Allie.”
    “Don’t worry. I’m pretty sure you won’t let me forget.”
    “You’ve got that right.”
    “Okay, so, Friday night at eight, appropriately dressed and in the appropriate frame
     of mind,” she said, her tone shifting. He could tell by the breathiness in her voice
     she was switching gears, edging into her submissive role the slightest bit. He liked
     it.
    What would she be like to play? To have her submit to him? Feisty or not, she would
     submit. He’d see to it that she did. He didn’t need a service sub in order to feel
     that yielding.
    His groin tightened.
    “We need to discuss sexual contact,” he told her.
    “Oh. Of course.”
    “Right now my limit is no sex.”
    There was a long pause. “No sex?”
    It was going to kill him, but if he was going to hang on to any shred of control,
     there had to be some line drawn in the sand.
    “I feel fine with some contact and, frankly, in getting youoff—I wouldn’t leave anyone high and dry. But we’re not going to get that involved.”
    There was another pause. “I understand.”
    “Do you? It’s
us
, Allie. The contact has to reflect how complicated this is.”
    “It doesn’t have to be, Mick,” she said quietly.
    “You know it does. It just
is
, and we can’t pretend this is something it’s not. We are not two people who’ve just
     met or have had nothing more than friendship between them. Safe, Sane and Consensual
     also means being realistic.”
    “Okay. I get it. I honestly wouldn’t choose to impose those limits, but if that’s
     where you stand . . .”
    “It is.”
    “All right,” she agreed.
    Thank the Lord. He wasn’t sure how long he’d have been able to hold out against any
     real argument.
    “Since I have you, is there anything else you’d like to discuss before we play?” he
     asked. “Any questions for me?”
    “I think we’ve covered everything for now. I understand some things change, and will
     expect that we can renegotiate as needed—outside of scene time, of course.”
    “Yes. As a matter of fact, I’ll check in with you that night before we start to see
     if you feel differently about anything, to see how you’re feeling physically.”
    “You’re very thorough,” she said.
    “I am.”
    “You’ve always been a perfectionist, though, haven’t you? I remember even in high
     school you’d polish your motorcycle for hours, making sure every inch of chrome gleamed.
     I liked hanging out in the garage with you, watching you work. Listening to music.”
    He didn’t want to think about the damn