21 Lindsey
Lindsey
THAT’S MY GOOD GIRL.
I can’t stop replaying Dane’s message to me last week. Nor can I stop imagining him saying it to me in his deep and rumbling voice. It’s all I’ve been able to think about every time I send him my check-ins and every time he praises me for following through.
Sometimes—okay, a lot of times—I go back and read the message to make sure I didn’t read the wording wrong, but I hadn’t. Then I sent him back a blushing emoji. I regretted it as soon as I did, but he started it, right? Or is that something else he says to his other submissives?
The thought makes me a bit jealous, even if it’s irrational.
I knew what I was getting into when I started working with him.
This is his job, which means I’m a job. Maybe flirting is part of it?
It’s not like that counts as sex. If anything, what I said I’d do to ease his disappointment was crossing a line, but he wanted to know what I thought, and I was being honest. I haven’t made a comment like that since then, and I wasn’t able to drop off or pick up Kas at the obstacle course this past Friday due to work, so I haven’t seen him in person, but our messages have been flirtier than they were.
Unless I’m imagining it?
“Mom?”
My gaze moves from my chicken Caesar salad to Kas, who’s sitting across from me in the booth.
I had a day off today, so she asked if we could come to the diner for dinner.
It was an easy yes, and prior to this, we spent our time watching a movie.
Eventually, she asked to play her game. I said she could but only if she taught me how to play.
I thought she’d say no, but we ended up playing a bit of Critter Cove together before coming here.
It’s been a nice day, a day I wish we could do more often.
“Yeah, honey?”
“I go visit Dad soon, right?”
At the mention of Jeremy, I attempt to keep a calm and cool face.
I’d nearly forgotten he existed with everything that’s been happening recently.
Dane has replaced my thoughts of him, which, until a second ago, I thought was a good thing.
But maybe it’s not so good considering he’s supposed to be my platonic Dom.
“Yep. Next weekend.”
She plays with her food. “Do you think he’d come here instead?”
The idea of Jeremy coming here, invading my mountain town, which has truly become my safe haven away from bad memories, makes my skin crawl.
“No, it’s better if you go visit him in Santa Solana.”
“Can I skip it then?”
My eyebrows lift, her question surprising me. “Why? I thought you liked visiting your dad. Did something happen last time?”
She shakes her head, and relief floods me.
“Then what is it, honey?”
“I don’t want to miss the obstacle course.”
I stab a forkful of salad, thinking this is my perfect way to ask about Tyler. “Oh?” She nods. “Does this have to do with a certain guy in attendance?”
Kas’s brow furrows before she asks, “You mean Logger Dane?”
“Logger Dane?” I grin.
“Yeah, that’s what we all call him now. He’s nice for an old guy. Kind of reminds me of Uncle Fox but less treelike.”
I laugh. Not only did she call Dane old, but she called Fox a tree. He does have legs and arms like tree trunks, come to think of it.
“Have you told Fox you compare him to a tree?”
“Yep.”
I shake my head at my kid and eat a bite of my food before answering her previous question. “I can ask your dad if we can reschedule, but you start school at the end of August, so it gets a bit tricky.”
“That’s why dad should come here. Can’t he stay at the motel or something? Or with us?”
I think of Jeremy and his prissy girlfriend in a cheap motel and almost cackle. Then I think about him in my home, and I want to throw up.
“He’d rent a house,” I say. “But I don’t think he’ll have time with such short notice. And you know he works a lot, too.”
“But so do you.”
Kas doesn’t say it with any malice, but I see the way her eyes lose a bit of their sparkle. Guilt over my work schedule and lack of time with her that I’d managed to shove down by hanging out with her today comes back in full force.
“I know. I’m sorry.” I wish I could say something different, like if her asshole dad paid child support on time instead of being a dick, then I wouldn’t have to work so much.
That reminds me, I need to call my lawyer and see if there’s any update on that front. I just haven’t had the time.
Kas picks up a french fry and plops it back down on her plate. I’m about to change the subject from me being a crap mom and her asshole dad to asking her about Tyler when the door to the diner jingles.
I’m sitting with my back to the door, but Kas looks up at whoever walked in, and the spark in her eye flickers back to life. I’m about to turn to see if it’s Nathan or one of her friends when she says, “Logger Dane!”
The back of my neck prickles, and I know without turning that Dane is staring at the back of my head.
I hear his booted footsteps, and a second later, he’s standing at the head of our table.
He’s freshly showered, silver and dark-brown hair damp so it looks darker in color than usual.
The scent of his cologne, or whatever it is on his person, wafts to my nose, and my mouth waters at the masculine scent.
“Hey, kid.”
“We were just talking about you,” Kas says.
Dane softly smiles, his gaze settling on me in the intense way it does.
Now I feel like I’m naked and under a microscope.
I didn’t dress up to come here. I’m not wearing any makeup, and I’m in a plain T-shirt and a pair of shorts made from stretchy material.
Had I known I’d run into him, I would’ve at least put on some mascara.
“Were you?” he asks.
“Yeah, I told my mom you’re less treelike than my Uncle Fox.”
I press my lips together to hold in an embarrassed laugh, but Dane looks amused, the skin around his hazel eyes crinkling. “Am I now?”
“Yep.” Kas grins before popping a fry in her mouth as if what she said is completely normal.
Dane’s focus shifts to me, and he puts his hands in his pockets. I try to keep my attention off his forearms, but by doing that, I’m now focused on his face. His bearded jaw, that perfect freaking nose, and pretty eyes I can and do get lost in.
That’s my good girl.
Inexplicable heat rises in my body, and I feel ashamed. Now is not the right time to think of that. Not in public. Not with Kas here. Actually, I should never think of it again. Ever.
“Dane!”
Both Dane and I look toward the source of the voice.
It’s one of the waitresses, Cheryl, and she’s smiling as she walks toward us.
She’s a nice woman. Thin, blond, beautiful, younger than me, and a local.
I’ve never had a problem with her, and I like her.
But the way she’s looking at Dane makes my skin itch. Do they know each other well?
My eyes study Dane’s profile as she walks over with a bag in her hand. His eyes don’t light up, and he doesn’t smile. His face is neutral, and while it should satisfy me, it just makes me annoyed. Not at him but at me for even caring what or who he does in his free time.
“I was going to bring your order out to you like usual, but it’s nice to see you come inside instead of handing you your dinner through your truck window.” She giggles.
Dane nods and takes the bag from her. “I wanted to pay off my tab.”
“Oh! Yeah, sure. Let me do that for you.”
I guess that explains why I’ve never seen him here before.
He doesn’t usually come inside, which probably means my jealousy is for nothing.
Again, not that I have any right to be jealous.
I do wonder, though, as I look at the way Cheryl stares at him, if she follows him on Loopr and knows what he does for a living.
“Thanks, Cheryl.” He reaches in his pocket and hands her cash from a dark leather wallet.
She looks surprised but takes it, looking at me then back to him before she says, “Thanks. Do you need change?”
“I’m good.”
“Okay, then.” She stares at him with a flirty smile, as if she’s waiting for him to say something, but he doesn’t. It’s stupid, but I’m happy he doesn’t flirt back. “See you next time.”
Dane nods and turns back so he’s facing me and Kas. Cheryl stares at his profile for a beat longer, and I swear she pouts at his easy dismissal. Before I can think about her reaction, she walks to another table, leaving the three of us.
“Are you going to eat alone, Logger Dane?” Kas asks.
I attempt not to laugh again at hearing Kas call Dane that to his face.
A hint of a smile plays at his mouth, and he nods. “Yes.”
“Eat with us.”
My eyebrows shoot up. Kas is friendly, always has been, but she’s never invited a near stranger to eat dinner with us. But as I observe her, it’s clear she’s as taken with Dane as I am—and in such a short amount of time.
“It’s okay, kid. You enjoy time with your mom.”
“Mom’s okay with it, aren’t you, Mom?”
I attempt to stop my cheeks from flushing at being put on the spot. Kas looks so hopeful, and I don’t want to deny her. It may be an awkward meal, but I’m not going to say no.
“Yeah, of course, Logger Dane. Join us.”
He swallows, Adam’s apple bobbing in his strong throat. He adjusts subtly on his feet. Dane is studying me, gaze boring through to my soul. I read what he’s saying in his eyes: It’s up to you.
I soften my expression and dip my chin. What can it hurt? Kas obviously wants him here, and who am I to deny her?
“Alright, then,” he says. “I’ll join you.”
“Scoot over, Mom.”
I shake my head and do as she requests, scooting over so Dane can join me on my side. He stares at the spot then to a chair at a table next to us.
“It’s fine,” I offer. “There’s plenty of space.”
He eyes me to be sure before finally sliding in so we’re next to each other across from Kas. I’d misjudged how much space we’d have. He’s not a small man, and I’m not a small woman.
The heat of his body sets my skin ablaze, and our arms are touching. This isn’t the first time we’ve touched, but we’ve never been in a situation like this.
“Is this okay?” Dane asks.