Chapter 8
Chapter Eight
Morgan
Asad’s bad mood was like a black cloud following them back to the hotel.
He didn’t let go of her hand, though, and he seemed more relaxed after they’d talked, but the bad mood still lingered.
At least, she thought it did. Since they rode the rest of the way in silence, she figured it was still there.
She knew of one sure-fire way to get any man out of a bad mood.
She thought about trying to do it in the car, but she wasn’t sure how he would react.
She also wasn’t brave enough to just reach over and undo his pants.
She wasn’t really his girlfriend, and even though they’d scened together before, that had been at Stronghold in the known quantity of the club.
“Well, at least that’s the family dinner over with,” Asad joked as they got out of the car. It seemed as if he was shaking off his bad mood, or trying to, returning to the charming joker he normally was. “Now we just have the rest of the week.”
Morgan giggled because he seemed to expect it, though her heart hurt for him.
She hadn’t expected anything like the admissions he’d made in the car.
She couldn’t help picturing a little boy, desperate for his parents’ attention, and so hurt when he finally thought he was going to get it only to have them prioritize his brother yet again.
Morgan hadn’t had siblings, but sometimes, it had felt like she was competing with the son her father wished he’d had instead of her. At least she’d been able to hate that figment of her father’s imagination. She thought it must be worse for someone who loved their brother and still had to compete.
“Let me know if there’s anything you want me to do,” she said, meeting him behind the car. This time he didn’t take her hand, and she felt the loss. The connection.
She was feeling even antsier because, after that dinner, she felt as if more was riding on this week for Asad than she’d realized. She didn’t want to mess it up for him, and she needed something to calm her nerves—like a really good spanking or even better, a flogger or whip.
“You’re already doing it,” he said as they headed inside to the elevators. “You were perfect tonight. Trust me, my parents loved you, and that really is a good thing, even though I’m all up in my feels about it.”
This time, Morgan truly laughed when he winked at her, just because he sounded so silly using the slang.
“Okay, good.”
As they got into the elevator and headed up to their floor, she could feel her nerves starting to rise.
She wanted to comfort Asad, and she wanted a scene, or at least a spanking and an orgasm, but she couldn’t tell if that was what he wanted.
She was starting to second-guess herself based on how distant he seemed, as though he was lost in his own thoughts.
He wasn’t holding her hand anymore or looking at her, even though he said she’d done a good job. It was hard to feel as though that was true. Morgan didn’t know what to do or say, so she waited quietly next to him as the elevator came to a halt, then followed him to their room.
“I’m going to go get changed in the bathroom,” he said once they were inside. Heading to his suitcase, he scooped out what looked like pajama pants.
“Oh… okay.” Morgan’s hands fluttered at her side. She wasn’t sure what she was supposed to say or do. That wasn’t what she’d expected him to say. Maybe he needed a minute or two of privacy after the dinner. But she hadn’t expected him to get changed in there… she’d thought they’d…
Well, she was wrong.
Trying not to feel put out—this wasn’t about her, it was about him—Morgan went to the dresser where she’d put her things, and took out her nightgown.
It was a silky, lacy little thing with a matching robe that she’d brought but hadn’t been planning on wearing.
Now it felt like maybe she should put it on, so she did, tucking her dirty clothes neatly away in another drawer.
Then she looked at the closed bathroom door.
Should she knock? She needed to take off her makeup and do her skincare routine, especially if she wasn’t getting a spanking tonight.
Her routines helped soothe her, the very act of putting makeup on and taking it off always calming her.
But if Asad needed some more time and privacy, she didn’t want to interrupt him.
She supposed he wasn’t feeling all that amorous after the dinner with his parents, which she could understand.
Maybe sex wouldn’t be the same kind of relief for him it would be for her.
He was a Dom, after all. Taking control might not be something he wanted right now.
Maybe he wanted to relax and not have to deal with a needy sub.
Going over to the bed, Morgan pulled out her phone.
She’d had it on silent, so it didn’t interrupt the dinner, and there were several missed texts.
She answered the one from her friend Freddy first, letting him know she was doing fine and that she hoped he had a good week. Then she checked in on her group chat.
Amy: How did dinner go?
Sam: They’re probably still eating.
Noelle: I’m sure you’re doing great!
Neither Carolyn nor Marissa had texted, probably because there wasn’t anything new to say.
It went well. His family is nice. We just got back to the hotel.
That wasn’t the total truth, but she didn’t think Asad would want her sharing everything he’d told her. If it was all public knowledge, she was pretty sure she would have already heard about it. Like her with her past, he probably wanted to be able to choose who he talked to about it.
Noelle: You just got back, and you’re talking to us instead of banging that hottie? Girl, get off the phone!
He’s in the bathroom.
She didn’t know how to say that she didn’t think he was going to be up for sex after the dinner since she’d told them it had gone well. Which was too bad because she would have liked their advice about it, but she couldn’t ask for it without explaining that she’d just lied.
This was why she didn’t like lying, but she couldn’t regret respecting Asad’s privacy.
Marissa: Ew, hope he didn’t eat something that disagreed with him. How’s your stomach?
Carolyn: Maybe he’s man-scaping for her.
Amy: Um… aren’t they supposed to not be having sex?
Noelle: Wait, what? Who said that? I thought that was the point of this trip.
Amy: Zach told me they were doing this week platonically. I think he heard it from Kincaid.
Marissa: I hadn’t heard anything about that. But no one tells me anything.
Sam: Yeah, I overheard some of the guys giving Asad a talking-to about it. They’re worried about Morgan’s emotions getting confused.
Morgan stared at her phone in shock, then shook her head. The door to the bathroom opened, and she automatically hit the off button on the screen, pressing the phone to her lap. Feeling oddly vulnerable, she was very glad she’d put on the robe.
People were making choices about her life without her again.
Pressing her lips together, she swallowed back the emotions, putting her usual practiced smile on her lips.
“All done?” she asked as Asad emerged.
It wasn’t just pajama pants. He also had on a t-shirt she hadn’t seen him pick up. His gorgeous body was basically completely covered from bicep to ankle. The Persian Excursion was wearing more clothing than she was.
“It’s all yours,” he said, gesturing back at the bathroom. Then his hand came up to cover his mouth as he yawned, his other arm stretching out. The expression on his face was one of exhaustion.
Hm. Maybe he really was just tired. It had been a long day with the drive, then dinner with his family.
An emotional day for him, though not for her.
Maybe Sam had heard wrong. And just because someone had told Asad to keep his hands to himself didn’t mean he would.
It wasn’t like they hadn’t scened before.
She would give him the benefit of the doubt tonight.
Still, as she closed the bathroom door behind her and began her nightly routine, she couldn’t help but check the text messages again. Her friends were discussing whether or not Morgan should sleep with Asad—as if it was their decision.
Morgan shook her head, shaking away the unhappy emotions, the resentment.
She took a deep breath.
Then another.
Then she looked at the messages again.
They were just talking, not trying to decide for her. It was gossip. And they were making some good points—like Carolyn’s point that pretending to be in a relationship all week might be easier if they were having sex and that it wasn’t anyone else’s business what they did.
They weren’t trying to decide for her.
Not like some of her other friends, who meant well but kept interfering in her life…
Morgan took another deep breath and let it out slowly, counting to ten as she did so. She didn’t want to be angry. She didn’t know how much of what Sam said was true. It was hearsay. Sam had overhead the guys talking to Asad. She might have misinterpreted.
But if someone was… what did Amy call it? The female version of cock-blocking. That’s right. If someone was clam-jamming her, she was going to be pissed. No matter what their intentions were.
She took another deep breath and counted to ten.
There was no point in being mad when she didn’t know for sure what had happened.
Texting her friends that she was going to bed and that she’d update them later, Morgan turned her phone to do-not-disturb so she could get a break from all of it. The whole point of coming here was to get away from everything.
She started on her nighttime routine, beginning with the soft, fuzzy headband that pushed her hair out of her face, then her makeup remover.
Just the touch of the furry band pulled some of the tension from her body, and as she began rubbing the makeup off her face in rhythmic, circular motions, she could feel more of it sliding away.
There was something hypnotic about skincare, at least for her.