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“Earlier?” Kaley was confused.

“Yes.” Regina straightened. “When Anthony brought you in, Master Jordan asked me to check you out. I still don’t see anything, and since you’re awake and alert, and your color is good, I’m going with my initial thought.”

“Which was?” Confused, Kaley needed to understand.

Regina looked at Anthony. He sighed. “Regina thinks I hit a trigger.”

“What is that?”

“It’s usually trauma buried in the psyche,” Regina said. “You may be aware of it or not.”

Kaley shook her head. “I can’t think of anything like that.” Knives flashed in her mind, but that couldn’t be it. Anthony wouldn’t have used a knife on her. But he had said he was going to remove her clothing.

“Don’t stress over it.” Regina smiled. “It will come to you when you least expect it.”

“Is that a good thing or a bad thing?” Kaley didn’t like the idea she couldn’t remember.

“Neither. Just go with it when the memories surface and call someone.” With that, Regina left the room.

“Need anything?” Jordan asked.

“Kaley?” Anthony asked.

“Ask Noah to make me some hot tea, please. He knows how I like it.”

“You got it.” Jordan left the room.

“Hot tea?”

“It will get me warm and help me settle down. I’m sorry I ruined our scene.” The night had started off so promising. She wanted to figure out what happened.

“There’s nothing to be sorry about.” He kissed her forehead. “Do I need to worry that Noah knows how you like your tea?”

“No. I get cold in the club sometimes, and I’ll make some hot tea. Noah jokes it’s the only way I can get warm.”

Anthony nodded. “Are you getting warm now?”

“Between you and the blankets, yes. The tea will help my nerves.” She let her head rest on his shoulder. “I can’t believe I safeworded.”

“I’m glad you did.”

“Why?”

“Something obviously scared you. We do need to talk about it, but I’m not sure tonight is a good time to do it.”

Kaley thought about his words. “I want to talk about it. I want to see if we can figure out what made me call my safe word.”

Jordan came into the room, cradling a mug in one hand and two bottles of water in the other. “Here you go,” he said, setting everything down on the small table. “I’ll be outside if you need me.”

Anthony propped her up in the bed and handed her the mug. “Be careful. That is really hot.”

She grinned as she took the mug and cradled it between her palms. It felt so good. The heat seeped into her veins. She blew on the tea, took a tentative sip, and sighed. “Nothing like a good tea to calm the nerves.”

They were both silent as she drank her tea. Her mind kept replaying their scene in the garden, but nothing they had done would have caused her to call her safe word. Yes, it was new to her to be blindfolded and tied up outside, but Anthony was there.

If there was one thing she’d learned it was that he was very protective. Anthony would never have done anything to intentionally hurt her or expose her in any way. “Did someone stumble onto us?” That was the only thing that came to mind.

“No. Drink your tea and quit thinking so hard.”

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