by Sophie Oak
Dani swung her head around to the couch. Sure enough, there was a pillow and blankets. He had left her. He’d come down here to sleep. “You didn’t want to sleep with me?”
“Our relationship isn’t about sleep, dear.” Julian enunciated the word sleep, and it had the intended effect on Finn. His face twisted and got really red.
“You don’t have a relationship with her. You don’t even know her.”
Julian’s lips rode up in an arrogant version of a smile. “I obviously know her better than you.”
“Stop.” Dani got in the middle of them. She put a hand on both chests. “I have no idea what’s happening here, but I want it to stop.”
Julian’s dark head came forward in a courtly gesture. “Of course. I am so sorry to have caused you distress. Please feel free to leave with your friend.”
Dani felt her eyes narrow. If he wanted her to leave, he should just say it. “What is that supposed to mean?”
Abby stepped forward, sympathy on her face. “Why don’t we head back inside, Jack, Sam?”
Sam glanced from Julian and Dani back to Abby. “Why would we do that? The show’s out here, baby. If it weren’t brutally early in the morning, I would say let’s make some popcorn.”
“Don’t think about snacks until after Julian decides if he’s going to kill Finn.” Jack took a step back, obviously more comfortable now.
Finn ignored their audience. “Dani, baby, I don’t care what happened with him. Let me take you away from here, and we can talk. Please, you don’t know who you’re dealing with. Lucas told me about him. He’s into all kinds of things.”
“And that’s important to you, why? Finn, you’re my best friend. I am asking you to walk away. I’m fine. I’m more than fine. I know what I’m doing. Please go back to Dallas, and I’ll talk to you on Monday.” She needed to figure out what the hell was wrong with Julian. He’d completely shut down.
“He won’t go back to Dallas, Danielle.” Julian’s eyes slid between her and her best friend, finally stopping on Finn, who paled slightly under Julian’s stare. “He won’t go anywhere without you.”
Dani sighed, frustration in her every breath. Did she really need to do this in front of her boss? “Finn, I’m an adult. I made the decision to spend the night with Julian. I know exactly what he’s into.”
“Did you know he sleeps with men?” Finn made it sound like an accusation.
“Well, let the lightning strike, buddy. So do you. He’s bisexual. Why on earth do you care?” Dani stared at Finn, waiting to see when the horns would grow out of his head.
“He’s upset because he wants you, little one.”
Dani softened slightly at Julian’s tone. She shook her head. “No, you don’t understand. We’re just friends. We’ve been friends since we were kids.”
The silence that fell over the room made Dani’s stomach turn. She watched Finn and saw the blood slowly drain from his face.
Sam leaned over to his wife. “Does Dani not know that Finn’s bi, too?”
“No, he’s not.” Dani said the words, hoping she could make them true. If they weren’t, then that part of her world that had always been the best piece was utterly false. She’d always known that she and Finn were meant for each other, just that one little twist of fate kept them apart. If Finn wasn’t gay, then he’d chosen not to be with her.
“Dani, I can explain.” Finn’s words fell flat and heavy between them.
Dani turned to Julian, hoping for something, anything from him. He looked slightly amused, but nothing more. There were no open arms for her to run to, no encouraging look. He was remote, untouchable. Despite the intimacy shared between them the night before, there was nothing between them now. Like there was nothing between her and Finn.
“Dani, I can explain.” Finn tried again, and this time he took a step toward her.
Dani moved back. “Don’t. I don’t want an explanation. I want a yes or no answer. Have you ever slept with a woman?”
Finn swallowed, the movement visible. He started to say something, but finally just nodded, turning his eyes from her.
“How many?” Now that the wound was opened, she couldn’t seem to stop picking at it to find out how deep it went.
“Damn, Dani, I don’t know. They didn’t mean anything.”
But they meant something to her. They meant the world to her. Tears blurred her vision as she turned, picked up her clothes, and started to walk into the small bathroom. She passed the couch. Julian wouldn’t have been terribly comfortable on it. He was too tall to stretch out. His knees would have been bent. Still, he’d chosen discomfort over sleeping beside her. She paused briefly at the bathroom door, but no one tried to stop her. She walked in, locked the door, and got dressed.
When she was done, she sat down on the toilet seat and put her head in hands. Her time with Julian was done long before she thought it would be. And her time with Finn…that was over, too.
Chapter Seven
Julian watched the SUV drive down the long path that led to the highway. Danielle was running again. This time she was running from him.
And that Finn person. Though she wouldn’t get far, since he was in the vehicle with her. That fact rankled far more than it should.
“I can’t believe you didn’t try to convince her to stay.” Abigail’s hazel eyes were little laser beams trying to cut him in half.
“Why would I do that?” Julian asked.
He knew why he should have done that. He should have done that because he’d enjoyed her. He should have asked her to stay because he’d hated that moment when the light in her eyes had died. The impulse to gather her close and hold her to his heart had been almost impossible to ignore. He didn’t ask her to stay because a part of him didn’t want to ask. A big part of him wanted to force her to his side, and that meant something to him. That meant she belonged to him.
“Abby, why don’t you and Sam go get some breakfast?” Jackson asked.
Abigail sighed and then did something that completely surprised Julian. She walked up and put her arms around him. “It’ll be okay. I know why you did it. I just wished you hadn’t.”
She gave him what he could only take as an encouraging smile and walked back into the main house.
Samuel was grinning, his gorgeously cut chest on full display. There was a tattoo on his right bicep, the same logo they used on their brand. “Damn, now she’s going to try her hand at matchmaking. Good luck to you, Julian.”
Julian felt his jaw tighten as Abigail and Samuel walked back toward the house. He kept his eyes completely off the SUV.
It was all for the best.
He ignored the sick feeling in the pit of his stomach that screamed at him to get in his fucking car and go after her. It was the same voice that had him curling around her and drifting off to sleep the night before. He’d caught himself just before he made the mistake. He did not sleep with his slaves. He didn’t sleep with anyone. But then Danielle wasn’t a slave. There was no contract between them and no real talk of one. He shouldn’t have had sex with her in the first place.
The night before, he’d forced himself to roll out of bed and walk away from her. He’d grabbed a pillow and blanket and slept very little. The way she felt, the little moans she made, the soft submission she’d given to him completely naturally had kept him awake most of the night. She’d been perfect, and for the first time in a very long time, Julian had lost himself in the sex.
It wasn’t what he’d intended at all. He’d intended to warm her up and then take her up to the playroom. He had planned on introducing her to the pleasures of Dominance and submission. It was supposed to be a teaching session. He was the Master, and she the slave. He was in control.
He’d meant to have sex. He’d had no plans to make love.
Julian didn’t lie to himself. It was a self-defeating exercise. He’d made love to Danielle. He’d taken her without a contract, without any thought put into it. He’d simply felt. He’d felt her heat and sof
tness, her willingness to please him. She’d flowered under his dominance, and he hadn’t been able to hold himself back.
It was a relief to see her go. Danielle Bay could be very disruptive.
“I’ll handle Abby. She means well. She just wants everyone to be as happy as she is.” Jackson strode to the love seat where Julian’s shirt from last night lay folded. He picked it up and tossed it back Julian’s way. “Come on. The livestock don’t give a damn that you have woman troubles.”
Julian shrugged into his shirt and slipped into his shoes, hurrying to keep up with Jack. “I do not have woman troubles.”
His woman troubles had very conveniently driven off, leaving him alone, and that was how he liked it. Danielle had the very good sense to know when to leave, and Julian had shown remarkable restraint in letting her go. Julian buttoned his shirt as he wondered exactly where Danielle was going. Home? He was given to understand that she had already moved her things to her fiancé’s home. How would she handle getting her belongings back? Would that little prick who’d come for her this morning take care of her?
Julian had to check himself. Finn Taylor had narrowly avoided being knocked on his ass and shown his place in the world. Julian had had the most ferocious urge to take the little shit by the back of his neck, shove him to the ground, and not allow him to get back up until he’d acknowledged who his Master was. The instant he’d seen Finn, Julian had a sexual reaction to the younger man. It had proven to him beyond a shadow of a doubt that Danielle wasn’t for him. He’d known the second a vision of himself between the two of them flashed across his brain that he would let Danielle go.
He really needed to take new subs. It was starting to affect him in undesirable ways.
Jackson strode across the lawn. The early morning air was warm, and the sky above was seemingly endless. Julian stopped and stared at the perfect blue sky. It was quiet and calm after this morning’s roiling emotion.
“Nice, huh?” Jackson had a tranquil expression on his face as he stood and looked up at the big sky. “You don’t get this in the city. You don’t get to feel like you’re the only person in the whole world. This is what I love. This is why I get up early, you know. I get up before Abby and Sam and the kids, and I get a whole hour when everything is quiet.” He frowned suddenly. “Which is why I nearly took that little shit’s head off this morning. He interrupted my alone time. Do you know how hard it is to get alone time with two babies in the house?”
He turned on his boot heels and made a beeline for a large structure Julian was a bit worried was an actual working barn. When the smell hit him, he was certain. Definitely a barn.
When he followed, he saw several stalls. Each looked to be carefully maintained and contained a prime piece of horseflesh. It was surprisingly quiet and peaceful in the barn. There was only the sound of the horses breathing and Jackson speaking soothingly. Jackson was running his hand over the snout of a large brown horse.
“This must be Ranger.” Julian had heard all about Jackson’s favorite horse. It was a magnificent animal. Jackson tossed him a bright orange carrot.
“Make friends, Julian. Ranger here is like everyone else. He has to be courted. Hold it by the stalk, or he might decide your fingers are tasty, too.”
Yes, the horse was obviously like all creatures, willing to take far more than he wanted to give. Still, if he was careful, Julian knew he could control this as he did everything in his life. He held the carrot out, and the horse nickered gratefully before biting down.
“Let’s take a ride, my friend. You’ve been on horseback before, right?”
Julian shook his head. “Despite the fact that I’m a native Texan, I’ve rarely been in the country. They don’t allow horses in my condo.”
Jackson threw back his head and laughed. He walked over to another stall and started prepping a second horse, this one black and powerful-looking. “Oh, I am going to have so much fun this week. By the end of it, Sam and I will have you riding like a pro. We’ll make a cowboy out of you, yet.”
Julian wasn’t sure he wanted to be a cowboy but figured he would handle it like he’d handled everything. He would figure out the tasks Jackson gave him and master them with intelligence and discipline. Discipline was the key to everything.
He hadn’t been able to properly discipline Danielle. He’d only spanked her the once, but she’d responded beautifully. The flesh of her ass had pinkened and gotten warm to the touch. Her breath had started out in gasps and fits and then become softer and more languid. Truly submissive. By the time he was done, she was relaxed and dreamy. If he’d ordered her to her knees to suck his cock, she would have done so. She wouldn’t have thought about the fact that they weren’t alone. She simply would have followed instructions because pleasing him was part of what gave her pleasure. He could have molded her to be exactly the type of slave he’d always wanted.
Julian leaned against the wooden fence of the stall as Ranger continued to chew. He could have molded Danielle, but why? He’d molded Sally into exactly what he wanted and kept her for years past that first contract, and still, he’d been compelled to give her away. He’d been comfortable with Sally, but the restlessness had taken over. Maybe he did lie to himself. Maybe what he wanted and what he needed were two different things.
“See, I can hear you thinking from here.” Jackson eased a blanket over the black horse’s back.
“Well, I will try to think more quietly then.”
“Don’t. I’m deeply enjoying your confusion.”
Julian turned to face his oldest friend. He thought briefly about dismissing the subject, but decided to try that friendly discussion thing Leo said he lacked. “Well, I am not. And I’m not really confused. I’m simply surprised that I allowed myself to be pulled into Danielle’s problems.”
Deep green eyes assessed him. “Oh, you’re confused. Dani knocked you flat on your ass the same way Abby knocked me on mine.”
He was not going there. “This is nothing like what happened between you and Abigail. I don’t even understand what happened between you and Abigail.”
Jackson cinched the saddle into place and moved to get Ranger ready, too. “If you don’t understand it, how can you say it’s not the same?”
“I have no intentions of marrying Danielle. I’m not serious about her.” But it had felt serious the night before. He could admit that to himself. Making love to Danielle had been a little like sitting in front of a warm fire on a hot night. He’d huddled too close and gotten a bit singed.
Jackson worked with skill and had the horse saddled quickly. He had his hands on the reins as he opened the stall door. “I wasn’t serious about Abby, Julian. It was just a fun little fling. It was never supposed to go beyond a night or two. One day I just woke up and there was a ring on my finger, and I had to deal with it.”
He said it with a perfectly straight face. Julian had to give it to his protégé. He had learned a thing or two. “That’s complete bullshit, Jackson.”
The smile that crossed Jackson’s face was one of pure joy. “Damn straight. I knew I was going to marry that woman pretty damn quick. I’m smarter than you. I was just trying to put you at ease.”
Jackson handed Julian the reins to the black horse and showed him how to lead the animal. The big black horse was a fascinating study of power and beauty. Julian found himself looking forward to the morning’s lessons. It had been a long time since he’d tackled something new. Perhaps physical exercise would get his mind off Danielle.
Jackson stopped both horses outside the barn. He was very serious as he looked Julian over. “I’ve known you all of my adult life, Julian. I know there’s only six years between us, but you’ve been a father figure to me for a long time.”
“I prefer to think of myself as a slightly older brother.” Julian was warmed by Jackson’s words. He’d always thought of the younger man as his spiritual son. He’d seen something in the rough young man that called to him. Though Jackson had been broke and spent most of his
childhood living off the charity of others, Julian understood him. He understood his need to be in control. He’d been the one to teach Jackson to control and refine the impulse. And Jackson had taught him that it was okay to give a damn about someone. Jackson might owe him, but Julian owed Jackson as well.
“My point is, I know you pretty damn well. I saw the way you looked at her, Julian. I haven’t seen you look at a woman like that. I’ve only seen you look like that once in the entire time I’ve known you. You were crazy about him.”
An unfamiliar sense of embarrassment flooded Julian’s system. He had been unaware that Jackson knew how he’d felt about Samuel all those years ago. It was over, of course. It had never really started. Samuel hadn’t been interested. Samuel loved Jackson and now Abby. There had been no place for Julian. “I wasn’t in love with him.”
“I wouldn’t blame you. He’s intensely lovable. He’s a little like Dani. So eager to please and so sweet that the world kind of lights up when they smile. She’s a good match for you. She’ll keep you on your toes, and she won’t settle. She’ll force you to love her, really love her, if you want to keep her. Can’t you see that’s what you need?”
“It sounds perfectly atrocious, Jackson.” Julian was done. There was a reason he didn’t chat about his feelings. “I’ll leave the whole marriage and love thing in your hands. I prefer to relax. I only have a week. Are you going to teach me to ride or not?”
Jackson sighed. “I’d teach you more if you would let me, but let’s start with this.” His nose wrinkled up. “Wow. We’re going to have to get you some boots. Cow pats can be hell on dress shoes.”
Julian looked down. Sure enough, his thousand-dollar shoes were firmly planted in a cow’s refuse. He scraped his shoe against the grass and wished he’d stayed in bed.
* * * *
Dani held herself as far away as she could from Finn. She pressed up against the passenger door of the SUV. If Willow Fork had taxis, she would have called one, but the idea of standing there with everyone feeling sorry for her had made her agree to allow Finn to take her home. And she couldn’t stand another second of Julian looking anywhere but where she was.
