Chapter 13 #2
“Except you acted guilty and uncomfortable at the store, causing to salesman to wonder what was going on. There are only a couple of reasons to return a gift like that. The guy who bought it really couldn’t afford it and needed to return it.
Or the woman who’d received it couldn’t keep it without taking a beating from her conscience, which generally happens for one of two reasons.
Either she’s decided she’s going to break up with him. Or she’s cheating on him.”
“I already explained my rationale. It wasn’t any of those things.”
“Well, the salesman felt it necessary to give me a call—a heads up, I think.”
She swallowed. “I didn’t mean for that to happen. But it’s actually none of his business.”
“It is to some extent. He lost his commission on the sale.”
“I hadn’t thought of it that way, but I really don’t feel I need to factor that in. It wasn’t an appropriate gift in the first place.”
He narrowed his eyes. “If that’s how you felt, you should have said so.”
“Would you have returned it?”
“No.”
“And that’s why I didn’t tell you.That’s why I decided to take care of it myself.”
“And that’s why you’re in trouble.”
“I refuse to accept that.”
“If you’d given me the necklace back and told me why, I could’ve held onto it until we were further along and then given it back to you.”
“And what if we’d broken up?”
“Then I’d have traded it in for a Rolex or something else.”
“Oh,” she said. “Do stores let you do that?”
“Certain kinds of stores do. A store that deals in very high quality fine jewelry and handles estate sales runs its business in a different way than a department store.”
She bit her lip. “I don’t know very much about those sorts of stores.”
“That’s why you should’ve asked questions.”
“Is it part of the manipulation? Buying expensive things? And paying for things I can’t afford? Is it designed to make me feel less powerful? Or beholden to you?”
“I guess that’s a fair question, but it’s an ugly one.”
“Sorry,” she said softly. “It’s all moving so fast. And you opened the door to this…to my wondering. When you showed me how savvy you are about female psychology and how easily you turn it to your advantage.”
He couldn’t deny it. It was true that he’d thought a lot about the sexual power play that could exist between men and women and how best to use what he’d learned to get what he wanted.
“I’m not spending money to get you to do what I want.
You’re already doing what I want. I bought the necklace because I wanted to give you something beautiful.
I didn’t think it would be looked at as coercive.
You’re a successful working woman. You could buy it for yourself if you wanted to. ”
“Do you know what an associate physics professor makes? I have a mortgage and a car payment and living expenses that eat up most of my salary. If I bought a necklace like that, I’d be paying it off for a year.”
If he’d stopped to think about it, he would’ve known that was true without her saying so.
Hell, he could’ve looked her salary up. He just wasn’t used to thinking about it.
Rosalie had never wanted to know about money, except how much of it there was for her to spend.
Also, she’d loved getting expensive gifts.
When he’d gotten to the point that he could afford to buy them, he had.
Football had been his highest priority. The gifts were a way of showing Rosalie that she was on his mind and mattered to him, too.
“We have a lot of things to learn about each other,” he said.
“It’s very intriguing, isn’t it? Most relationships—” She colored again in that way that he loved.
“Most relationships what?”
“Aren’t this fascinating. Or at least none of mine were.”
He smirked. “You’re a consummate scientist in so many ways.”
“Thank you,” she said. “I think. Was that a compliment?”
“More of an observation, but I do enjoy that about you.”
“So we’re ok? You’re not angry?”
“You didn’t handle things the right way. Do you acknowledge that?”
“With a little reluctance, yes.”
He smiled. He didn’t mind the reluctance.
Her resistance just made winning more satisfying.
He knew her ass was sore and a little bruised, so he’d decided spanking wouldn’t be her punishment.
“If you think you’re reluctant now, wait until you see what happens when you turn a romantic gesture into a source of embarrassment. ”
She stiffened. “Dean, you said yourself you’d let the bruises fade before you’d punish me again.”
“Inaccurate.”
“That’s what you said.”
“I don’t believe it was. I said I wouldn’t spank you until they faded. I never said I wouldn’t discipline you in other ways.”
She took a half step back. “How?”
“Why don’t you concentrate on being extra sweet today, and we’ll see.”
“That’s very—” She paused, clearly not sure which approach to take.
He pulled her to him. “Start with a kiss.”
“Oh,” she said, relaxing against him and putting her arms around his neck. “That’s easy. I like kissing you.” She brought her mouth to his and met his tongue between their lips. She tasted faintly of toothpaste and liquor.
Kissing would’ve easily led to so much more, so he released her. “I’m proud of you for keeping it together on the plane.”
“Thanks. I did okay. Falling asleep helps,” she said with a cheeky smile. “Being with you helped a lot too,” she said seriously. “Holding onto your arm made me think about some things that were a good distraction.”
“Glad I could help,” he said, squeezing her ass.
She pressed against him with that natural responsiveness that was the key to everything.
“I arranged for us to have a private tour of the city. The driver will be downstairs in about thirty minutes. Don’t forget to put your sunscreen in your bag in case we’re in sun,” he said, releasing her.
“A private tour?” she asked, smiling.
“You said you don’t like crowded buses. I don’t either. But it’s great city. I’d like you to see it.”
“You really are very thoughtful, Dean. I don’t know if that’s because you want me to keep letting you do whatever you want to me or whether it’s just in your nature to arrange the world so it’s at its best for us.”
He didn’t answer.
“Not going to comment?”
“I didn’t hear a question.”
“I want to know whether this is the honeymoon period or if the royal treatment is a girlfriend perk.”
He chuckled. “This is definitely not a honeymoon because you have too many clothes on for that be the case. As for living well, I didn’t always, but I do now when I think about it.
A lot of the time I don’t care about getting the best hotel room since I’m unlikely to notice the view when I’m concentrating on work.
It’ll always be a different story when you’re with me. I want you to have the view.”
“Why?”
“So you’ll know how much you matter to me.”
“That’s probably the most wonderful thing anyone has ever said to me,” she said, her eyes shining with tears. “You don’t have to go so overboard though to prove it. Flowers and seeing a truly awful romantic comedy now and then proves it just fine.”
“Probably,” he said, not adding that if she’d seen the way her face had lit up when she’d walked to the windows and looked out at the waterfront, she wouldn’t question why he wasn’t likely to stop paying attention to what made her happy.
She kissed him again briefly. “I’m excited about this tour. I’ll wear my walking clogs. They’re dressier than tennis shoes, but also tour-friendly I think.”