Chapter 6 Ares #2
“Me buying you stuff isn’t because you’re not capable. It’s because aside from it giving me pleasure to take care of you, I can. How much were these?” Ares held his cup of stuffed pancake up.
Josie shrugged. “Overpriced.”
“These overpriced delicious treats, whatever they cost, I could buy everyone in this market ten and it wouldn’t make a dent in my bank account.”
“That is a little intimidating, but I’ll try to get over it. Your turn,” Josie held up her spoon to his mouth, and the gesture was so unexpected, Ares laughed, held her wrist and took her spoonful into his mouth. Laughing, they fed each other, taking turns.
“This is the most fun I’ve ever had on a date.”
“I want to take one ride with you on the merry go around and then I want you to come back to my place.”
“Why?” The little smile around her mouth was so adorable.
“Because I don’t want this night to end just yet. I want to keep talking to you.”
“Just talking?” The blush on her cheeks was adorable but she maintained eye contact.
“Would you be open to more?” He held her hand, rubbed his thumb over her gloved hand.
“I don’t want this night to end either, Ares.”
His name out of her lips, all soft and breathy like a bell on Christmas morning.
“I have a dungeon in my house. Would you like to see it?”
Immediately, her cheeks turned pink. “I know about kink stuff, but I’ve never tried it. I’ve wanted to but—”
“But what stopped you?” Ares rubbed his thumb over the webbing on her hand.
“My ex didn’t think I could handle it or he had no interest.”
Ares’s jaw tightened, and he forced himself to relax. “Is it over between you two?”
“Yes. We dated during culinary college for three years, but he didn’t think I would ever be a professional or match his ambition.” her voice trembled.
“Josie, we don’t need to talk about him. You have lots of ambition,” he ran the back of his fist along her cheek. She exhaled a shuddering breath.
“I know. I’m mad at myself for staying with him for so long.” she filled her spoon with another bite of pastry and whip cream. “Last bite.”
“I’ll take it.” He brought her wrist towards his mouth, and holding her gaze, he finished the sweet bite.
“I’ve read romance books and took an intro class at Club Bandit. I know I’m not into pain. I don’t know if I have a service kink but I don’t like conflict and I know I’m a people pleaser.”
“Nothing wrong with that,” he tucked a stray curl behind her ear. “As long as you don’t forget yourself.”
Josie pulled her shoulders back. “Didn’t you promise me a ride?” her dimples showed when she smiled like that, wide enough to show her pearly whites. She brushed her fingers along his arm.
His cock twitched. Did she just say…? The way she blushed and ducked her head confirmed that Josie realized what she just said.
Amusement bubbled up inside his chest and he laughed, picked up their garbage and took Josie’s arm. “Let’s go find you a carriage.”
“Aww! What if I want to ride a stead?” Josie raised her eyebrows.
“You really want to ride,” he tossed out their garbage, then wrapped his arms around her. “And you can ride me any time you want.”
He kissed her hungrily, tracing the seam of her mouth with his tongue until her lips parted for him and the heat between their two bodies rose and it felt like it was just them in this busy place. He broke the kiss, took her hand in his.
“Now who has the service kink?” She waggled her eyebrows.
“Never said I didn’t.” Ares squeezed her hand.
She laughed, that joyful sound ringing in his ears as they made their way to the carousel and the long line.
Josie shuffled from foot to foot. Ares rested his hands on her shoulders, pulling her against him, trying to support her.
Josie leaned against him and he sighed. Being with her melted away all his stress about Axis Management. With her, he dropped his vigilant survey of his brother, of their business, and soaked in the moment.
Finally, they got to the head of the line, Josie stumbled on the step leading up to the horses, Ares caught her by the arm.
“Thanks.”
“Choose your ride.” And on the platform, surrounded by children and other adults getting on the carousel horses, they broke into laughter. Ares knew he’d do whatever was necessary to make this woman his forever.
He helped Josie up on a white horse, and stood, holding on to the pole, with his hand on the small of her back. “This is nice.”
“Yes, it is,” he brushed his lips softly against hers.
The ride started and the cheesy music played and Ares tried to soak in all the details of how the light hit Josie’s glasses, how she laughed as the carousel raised her up and down, and how his hand felt resting on the small of her back.
For years he put aside his own happiness to make sure Xander succeeded, and he never complained, never begrudged Xander for what he wanted because Ares loved his brother and would do whatever he could to take care of him but tonight, he could relax and let it be all about him and Josie.
The ride ended and Josie accepted his hand to get off her horse.
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. What would you like to do next?”
Josie bit her lip, but squeezed his hand and pulled him towards the exit.
“I think I want to see your dungeon. Just to look,” she blushed and looked at the ground.
Pleasure, heady and thick, flowed through Ares’s veins. He couldn’t think of a more perfect way to end their first date.
“I can’t wait to show you.”
Ares would do anything to make this woman happy, and he couldn’t wait to continue the best night he’d had in a long time.