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“Sorry to interrupt. Nugget needs to go out, and you mentioned you wanted to have Kaley home by five; it’s after that now.”

“Thanks, Gran. I’ll be right there.” His grandmother left, and he turned back to Kaley.

Her cheeks were flushed.

“Sorry to break this up. Stay for dinner?”

Kaley shook her head. “I have to put gas in the van tonight and check email to make sure there are no cancellations.”

Anthony rested his forehead against hers, staring into her eyes. “All right.” He wanted to convince her to stay, but she did have a job. He stood and then helped her to her feet. “Let me take Nugget out right quick, then I’ll take you home.”

“Okay. I am sorry, Anthony.”

“For what?”

“For needing to leave.”

He grinned. “We’ll have our time together soon.” Another kiss and he pulled back before his body went into overdrive. Yes, he wanted her in his bed and in his life. But it wouldn’t happen tonight. They had time.

Chapter Fourteen

“Hi there, beautiful,” Anthony said the next Saturday night at the club.

“Handsome,” Kaley quipped back with a smile. The week had been a good one. She sat for Anthony on Sunday. It was fascinating to watch him work. The concentration on his face, the way his hand flew over the sketch pad, and the passion in his eyes.

She’d learned a lot about him this week. The loft in his house was his studio, but also where he kept his knives. Kaley shivered. She avoided that area even when Anthony asked her if she wanted to see them. Out of habit, she rubbed right below her ribcage.

Enough. It was a long time ago, and Anthony wasn’t the person who hurt her. Not that she would play with knives, nope that was out of the question.

“Do you want to scene tonight?” he asked her.

“If you’d like.” All week, again, he was at her apartment waiting with food when she got home. She tried to convince him to stop, but he wouldn’t listen. Each night, he left her with a scorching kiss and erotic dreams. Her frustration level was getting high that he wasn’t listening to her.

Kaley almost laughed. She hadn’t had sex in a couple of years due to her work schedule and never finding a man she wanted in her bed. Now she was feeling impatient because Anthony heard her when she said she wanted to go slow. She was a mass of contradictions.

“I would like.” Anthony picked up her hand. “I’m going to check with Max and see if I can get the area I want.”

Kaley stiffened.

“Within boundaries. I might push your soft limits a bit, but I won’t go over. Promise. Do you trust me?”

Her shoulders dropped. “Yes.” She did and had told him that before.

“Then remember: I will follow your limits.” He squeezed her hand before letting go and sliding off the stool. “Be back in a minute.”

She watched him walk away, enjoying the view of his body’s fluid movements as he walked. Damn, that man was built. She wasn’t surprised. A member called her name, and she went to get their order. It was going to be a long shift.

* * * *

Anthony grinned as he headed over to speak to Max. He wondered if she was as frustrated as he was. Lately she had been giving off signals she wanted more and was ready to move forward. The frustration was his own fault. He wanted to take his time with her. He was enjoying finding out little things about her. She didn’t like spicy food, never watched TV, read local news on the computer, and loved to read.

Oh, and she didn’t like knives. Knife play was a hard limit with her, and he understood. He’d seen the fear in her eyes when he showed her his loft on Wednesday. She had avoided the area where the knives were. She’d glanced at the table once, then adverted her eyes, apparently to make sure not to look at them again. There was something there. He would ask her about it when the time felt right. And maybe in a few years, when they were more comfortable with each other, and had talked more about it, he would consider pushing that limit.

Max was talking with another Dom, so Anthony waited several feet away.

“Anthony,” Max said as the other Dom walked away.

“Evening, Max. I was wondering if the garden is empty tonight?”

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