Page 27 of Second Go-Round

“My dad and I went to see the Sox,” I whispered, hating how weak I sounded and yet determined to explain why my heart would never be available for the taking. “Mom had tried calling Dad, but of course, neither of us heard his cell ring. We were leaving Fenway when he checked his messages. She had called to say goodbye.”

“Oh, fuck,” he breathed the words, easily putting two and two together. Jarod reached over the table and grabbed hold of my hand.

His strong fingers laced through mine, offering comfort. Neither of us spoke, and I swallowed down threatening tears.

“We have to live every day, every moment, as though it’s our last,” I finally stated quietly.

Jarod nodded, his thumb rubbing over the back of my hand in a too-sweet gesture that restarted my unease from earlier.

“God, enough of this deep shit already,” I stated with a forced laugh while pulling from his hold and sitting back in my chair.

He seemed to understand my need for space and only hesitated a second before crossing his arms on the table and leaning forward, his eyes taking on a flirty glint.

My blood heated instantly, regardless of the heaviness we’d just escaped.

“I’m a near-stranger, hired for the night to fulfill your sexual fantasies. So...” His slow smirk twinged arousal between my thighs. “What’s your number one?”

My face heated as warmth rushed through my body.

“Oh, this is going to be good.” He full-on grinned. “Come on. Spill the truth that’s making your pupils swell.”

Considering what I’d told him about Mom, there was no point in holding back. “I want to be watched.”

One of Jarod’s eyebrows rose. “You’re an exhibitionist?”

Face even hotter, I shrugged. “Tonight when you made me come on the dance floor is the closest I’ve been to being on display before, but I’ve dreamed about it.”

“Having someone watch you masturbate, or a crowd getting off on a man making you come until you black out?”

“Not a bunch of people.” I shifted on my seat, my core clenching at emptiness. “Just one man in a dark corner, like a peeking Tom all secretive and shit.”

“Well, damn. Had I known sooner, I could have brought someone along to fulfill that one.”

My throat went dry in a flash. “That would have been hot. One professional escort fucking me, another watching us...” A shudder rippled down through me as a huff of laughter flitted past my lips. “You’d ruin me for life for sure.”

Jarod peered at me until I shifted again, realizing I’d let the truth of what he did to me slip.

“What?” I asked, sounding way too breathless and needy.

“I could make a call.”

A thrill shot through me, pulsing my core even though I was one last round away from being done. “Seriously?”

“Dead. One of Elite’s newest hires also works as a Dom over at Chantelle’s and would probably be into that. He lives not too far from here too.”

So that rumor about a BDSM club was real.

“What if he’s on the clock?”

“What if he’s not?” Jarod shot back, his eyes full of mischief.

The tip of my tongue found my top lip. “I can’t afford to pay another escort.”

Jarod’s gaze roamed down my neck, to my pebbled nipples pressing against my T-shirt. “My treat.”

Not that I really cared, but I glanced at the clock. I’d really rather have had the situation set up in advance and made to look like a clandestine meeting that someone just happened to stumble upon.

“Or we could save it for next time,” he murmured.

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