Page 59 of Security and Submission
Well. This was certainly going to be a more interesting afternoon than she’d planned to have.
Chapter 21
Zeus
Meeting Yas in front of Sarah’s, Tiger’s leash in hand, Zeus enjoyed giving her a long once-over as she and Hope came out the door. She’d forgotten that she needed to walk Hope before they left, so now they were going to do it together. Like last night, she’d chosen not to appear in public, even on the street, in her sweats.
Today she was dressed more like the woman he’d first met—slim-fitted jeans that rolled up to expose some of her ankles and calves to the warming air, a simple maroon t-shirt that brought out the pink in her dusky cheeks, and her hair pulled back in a high, sleek ponytail. Her cheeks turned redder when their gazes met.
“Good morning,” he said as she came down the walkway to meet him at the sidewalk.
“Morning.” She glanced at him, then away, and then back at him. As though she wasn’t sure what she should do.
Part of him wanted to reach out and take her hand, but he doubted she’d accept that from him right now. Not when she was so determined to keep things casual.
“Did you sleep well?” he asked, smoothly turning, so it was easy for her to join him. As they started to walk, he saw her relax.
He wondered if it was the text about the blow job that had made her so tense. Not that he regretted it, even if it was. Although he wouldn’t hold her to it if it made her uncomfortable.
“I did. And I slept in, which I haven’t done in ages.” Yas smiled at him, pausing as Hope stopped to sniff a mailbox. “Sarah’s guest bedroom is very comfortable. Plus, the whole not having to worry about that guy finding me.”
“That would help,” he agreed, grateful she’d given him such an easy segue into the topic. “Do you know anything more about him?”
“Other than the fact that I’m guessing he’s married to one of the women who took a financial course from me, no.” Yasmine shook her head, sighing as her ponytail flipped back and forth. Hope lifted her head, and they started walking again, Tiger straining to lead the way—not that anyone was fighting him for it. “I do some volunteer work for a local women’s shelter. Though I suppose he could be married to one of my college students, the women’s shelter seems more likely.”
Zeus would be willing to bet his whole house that the women’s shelter belonged to Naomi.
“That makes sense. How did you end up getting into that?” he asked casually.
“Oh, I’m friends with the woman who runs it.”
They paused again as Hope and Tiger both tried to sniff at the same spot. Zeus couldn’t see anything different about that piece of sidewalk, but Hope peed on it, immediately followed by Tiger when she moved out of the way, so clearly there was something in their opinion. He was always amused at what Tiger chose to take notice of, and it was even more amusing with Hope following suit.
“How did you meet her?” he asked, giving her a look out of the corner of his eye as an unwelcome thought occurred to him. “Did you…”
“Oh, no, I never needed the shelter for that, thankfully,” Yas said, shaking her head. “Naomi and I actually met at a… um… club that we’re both members of.”
“The Outlands?” He asked the question before he could think about it, which wasn’t like him, but he knew that Drew and Naomi were members, and Yas had just confirmed that it was Naomi’s shelter. Yas startled at his response, and he realized he might need to give a little more information. “I ah, I know a Naomi, too. And she’s part of the club I go to.”
“You go to The Outlands?” She relaxed, not sounding entirely surprised. “I’ve never seen you there.”
“I haven’t seen you there, either. I don’t go much.” He didn’t tell her that he didn’t go much because the last time he’d been there, it had been with his ex, Noelle, and now he didn’t feel like going when the only people he’d really know were his untrusting team members. Even if they had invited him recently.
“I don’t go much anymore, either. I was doing house parties for a little bit, but…” Yas shrugged. “Too many exes abound.”
He chuckled. The urge to reach out and hold her hand was growing stronger as they walked down the sidewalk, but he managed to resist by shoving the hand closest to her into his pocket.
“Well, now that we’ve established we’re both members of The Outlands and kinky… that should make things interesting. I’m assuming you’re submissive.”
“Why, because I’m a woman?” she retorted, though there wasn’t any heat in her words.
Zeus was pretty sure she just couldn’t help but brat at times, especially when she was feeling a little vulnerable. He didn’t mind since it let him know exactly when he’d hit on a sensitive point.
Tiger and Hope had come to another halt, so he took another step toward Yas, crowding her space. She sucked in a breath, looking up at him with widening eyes, her pupils dilating.
“No, because last night you enjoyed submitting to me,” he said in a low, growling voice. “Even if we didn’t call it that at the time.”
Rather than responding, Yas huffed and looked away. Then she frowned.
