Page 94 of Security and Submission
“If you know anything about the team, I assume you know that we’re not exactly close,” Zeus said slowly, as if he was carefully choosing every word that came out of his mouth.
“I know a little. If it helps, I hadn’t heard about you, either, at least not that I really realized… I sort of recognized your name, but I didn’t know you were the same Zeus Claudia had mentioned, and I wasn’t even sure that was the right name.” Yasmine put the serving spoon down, a little sad that he waited until it was firmly settled before he reached for it, rather than giving their hands the chance to touch again.
“But you were engaged to Mason.” The heavy suspicion in his voice was both deserved and frustrating.
“Yes, but he didn’t really share anything with me, not about work. We mostly talked about the wedding. Plans for the future. What we wanted our lives to look like.” Not about anything serious or in the present. Which, she now realized, had probably been a mistake.
As usual, she’d been so focused on what she wanted, she hadn’t been looking at what they actually had. Because they hadn’t really had anything other than some similarities in what they wanted out of life. But there hadn’t been the connection or the chemistry she already had with Zeus, and he was just a fuck buddy.
“Did you know who I was before or after we fucked?”
The blunt way he asked, almost an accusation, made her wince.
“Before,” she admitted. “But literally, like, the day before. I found out at game night with the girls, then that night Pete James showed up. I didn’t plan this. Any of this.”
Zeus leaned back in his seat, crossing his arms over his chest and studying her. Their dinners were both still in front of them, untouched and growing colder. But if he wasn’t eating, then she shouldn’t have to, either, right? Only Tiger was eating; she could hear him crunching his food under the table.
“I believe you didn’t plan it,” he said after a long moment. “But you should have told me you knew me and how.”
“Well, excuse me, but when you came over, I didn’t know anything was going to happen between us,” she sniped back, stabbing a piece of chicken with her fork. She was starting to move past the guilt and entering frustration. It wasn’t as if she’d had bad intentions or anything. “And once I realized something was happening, I didn’t want to lose out on an orgasm just because you happen to work with some people I know.”
“Including someone you were once engaged to.” The clipped way he said it made her scowl.
“Which wasn’t important. Claudia told Audrey and Cassidy not to tell Mason or David, so I didn’t tell you, either. Everyone was in the dark.” She circled the fork in the air before biting off the piece of chicken with a snap of her teeth. “That’s about as fair as I could make it.”
“Everyone except you, Claudia, Audrey, and Cassidy.”
“To be fair, none of them know that we’ve fucked. Including my girl friends. Although I’m pretty sure Claudia now suspects, or she wouldn’t have worked so hard to push you into letting me stay tonight. Which I’m starting to wish she hadn’t.” Some very real hurt leaked into her voice.
It wasn’t that she hadn’t fucked up. She had.
At the same time, she didn’t think that what she had done was that bad either. She and Zeus weren’t in a real relationship. They were just fucking. Which was a secret from everyone. So, she’d kept a secret from him, too.
And maybe, if I’m enough of a brat about it, he’ll spank me, then we can move past this.
Okay, yeah. So, she might be pushing him right now, too. Goading him. Trying to get him to react.
But they would probably both feel better if he spanked her.
She took another bite, chewing furiously, gaze focused on her plate. The chicken and rice were really good. Well-seasoned. Juicy. Still warm, thankfully, and filling. It settled easily into her stomach, and she suddenly wondered if he’d already been planning on making this, or if he’d decided to because it seemed like good comfort food.
Not that she was going to ask him right now.
“All right.”
When she looked up, Zeus was now focused on his own food, a slight frown on his face.
“All right?” she asked, unsure of what he meant. At least the anger seemed to have faded from his body. That had to be a good sign, right?
“All right,” he repeated.
They ate the rest of the meal in silence, then Yasmine excused herself to the guest bedroom rather than taking Tiger for a walk with him. She wanted to be near him, but she also didn’t want to infringe on him if he didn’t want her there… and she didn’t think that he did. It wasn’t that he was giving her the cold shoulder exactly, but he wasn’t welcoming, either.
He was withdrawn and contemplative.
Which she needed a break from. The difference in his demeanor toward her was making her really anxious. She figured staying back while he took Tiger out was probably better for both of them since he didn’t seem interested in spanking her. Still, she wasn’t able to fully relax until she heard him come back inside, and she was no longer alone in the house.
She’d taken advantage of Zeus’ absence to get into her pajamas and do her nightly routine.
