Page 37 of Chosen

“No offense but the last time I went outside with you, we practically ran into a bear.”

“You’re holding that one against me? Really?” Damon chuckled. “We’re in the bear’s house, Sam. If anything, it was rude of us to intrude on his homestead.”

“Still. You have to admit it wasn’t, like, the best time.”

“Come on,” Damon said, his hand already reaching for mine. “Let’s get you some fresh air. I promise I’ll keep you safe just like before.”

“Fine. But if we come across any bears, I’m never going outside again.”

“That feels a little dramatic, doesn’t it?” Damon offered as he gingerly pulled me from my seat, bringing me close to his chest. “And I already said that I’d keep you safe. Are you saying you doubt my abilities in that department?”

“I didn’t say anything about your abilities in any department,” I clarified. “Maybe I’m just a big believer in the bear’s abilities. Did you ever consider that?”

“You should be careful with what you say.” Damon lowered his voice, something dangerous and delicious lining his every word. “You wouldn’t want me to get the wrong idea, would you?”

“The wrong idea?”

“That you don’t feel protected by me,” he replied, his hand going up to my chin, tilting my gaze toward his. “That you need me to show you just how well I can keep you safe.”

“Maybe so.” I played the game right back at Damon as I pulled away from him with a grin.

“In that case—” he started as he reached for me.

But I took another step back from him, my grin growing even wider.

“I just need to put on my shoes and then we can go,” I replied, knowing full well that Damon’s eyes were on my every move as I headed over toward the other side of the room.

* * *

The fresh air was nice.

It was always nice out here, perfect and clean smelling.

It was beginning to get a little too easy to picture a life out here, something less complicated, something less busy than the city. I looked over at Damon by my side, his attention on the path ahead of us, like he was scoping things out for the future.

In a way, I guess I was scoping things out for the future, too.

I’d never given much thought to what my romantic life was going to look like. With how swamped I always was with work, I just kind of assumed the rest of the pieces would fall into place over time, whether or not I had a part to play in it. I’d especially never imagined myself with someone like Damon, so connected to the Earth, so connected to everything. I thought I’d end up with a guy like me, just as neurotic, a classic overthinker who tried to plan out each move five moves ahead.

But Damon was the total opposite of anything I could’ve expected.

Not just in personality, but in the bedroom, too. If I’d never thought I’d end up with someone like Damon, I’d certainly never thought I’d end up with a dominant type either. It was both fascinating and a little terrifying how easily we both fit into our roles, how much I enjoyed being dominated by a man I hadn’t known that long. I’d never thought I’d be incorporating BDSM into my life, in any capacity, and yet here I was, Damon’s overeager submissive—

Wait.

Was I his submissive? Was this like the relationship talk where we needed to set boundaries and make sure everyone was on the same page?

Suddenly, I was dizzy with the question.

The relationship talk.

How much longer were we going to put that one off? Was there even anything to talk about?

“You okay back there? You’re a little quiet,” Damon said, his attention still on the path ahead of us.

“I’m fine. Just feeling a little… overwhelmed.”

“Overwhelmed?”

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