Chapter 23 #2
“I believe you,” he said. “What I’m evaluating is how much it’s costing you.”
I held his gaze. “Then you should know it won’t break me.”
Something in his expression shifted, subtle but unmistakable.
“Good,” he said. “Because if this works, whoever we’re dealing with is going to realize they’re not as invisible as they think.”
He finally reached for his phone, attention splitting just enough to signal the conversation wasn’t over. “Eat,” he added. “We’ll talk about the next steps after.”
It wasn’t a suggestion.
And for the first time since the numbers started bleeding, I didn’t push back.
He was right, I was exhausted, and I couldn't shake it.
Saturday had been like nothing I'd experienced before, nor knew I wanted to.
I couldn't move more than a fraction of an inch, and I'd lost track of the number of almost orgasms my master had pushed me to and pulled back right before I fell over.
When he'd finally let me come, there had been no stopping it.
I didn't know how long it had lasted or the tears afterwards.
I barely remembered him removing the restraints. Or how I ended up in the other room.
I remember water at my lips. His hands as he carefully and gently cleaned me up before pulling me to him like a lover would, and then I'd woken up alone, wondering if it had been all a dream.
The aches in my body, the bruises, and the after effects of the session said otherwise.
He'd even checked in multiple times in addition to sending me flowers and my favorite chocolates.
If I didn't know better, I'd swear I wasn't the only one catching feelings but this arrangement was transactional and I needed to remind myself of that.
Mr. Reid cleared his throat, and my attention snapped back to the present.
"Ms. Rhodes?"
When my gaze met his beautiful eyes, I was surprised by the concern in them.
"Sorry."
He set his fork down and cocked his head. "Where did you go just now?"
I shook my head. "Sorry, I should get back to work." I started to close the box, but he reached out and gently grasped my wrist.
As his thumb ran circles over my binary tattoo, I froze. Heat moved through my body, my heart racing.
"I want to ask you a question," he asked, his voice shaky, catching me off guard.
I gulped, not knowing how to respond, knowing I should pull away but at the same time, enjoying the feel of his skin on mine.
"I know I'm your boss and that complicates things, but I had a nice time at dinner last week. If you can imagine, people don’t see that side of me. They won't want to."
"Mr. Reid."
"Mira," he paused, and I closed my eyes, the way he said my name doing things to my body that surprised me. "I'd like to take you out on a proper date."
My eyes snapped open, unsure I'd actually heard him correctly.
"Mr. Reid." This time I pulled my hand back and stood up.
He stood as well. "Mira, my name is Sebastian."
"I'm fully aware of that, Sir."
He groaned and turned away from me. "When we catch whoever this is, you'll be working with Victor or Micah. You won't be working directly with me anymore if that's what you're worried about.”
It had crossed my mind, but as I stood there staring at the back of his gorgeous black hair I wondered what he saw in me. I knew the type of girls he dated. They made the magazines.
"I'm flattered, Sir," I rushed out. "But I'm seeing someone."
It wasn’t the truth, but it wasn’t a lie either. I wasn’t in a relationship with my master, but relationships were forbidden while he trained me and we were engaging in our sessions. The rules were clear, even if the feelings weren’t.
My heart raced as I took in Reid’s silhouette against the Seattle skyline, the city stretched out behind him like something he owned simply by standing there.
Sebastian Reid had just asked me out.
The irony wasn’t lost on me. He was the man I’d been fantasizing about while blindfolded by another. The voice I’d borrowed in my head when sensation stripped everything else away. The one that had said my name as I drifted off to sleep in his arms.
I pressed my fingers into my palm. Grounding myself. Fantasies were safe because they weren’t real. Because they didn’t look at you or caress your wrist like they wanted to see into your soul.
But Sebastian Reid had. And that made my thoughts scatter in directions I didn’t trust.
I swallowed and straightened my shoulders, reminding myself where I was. Who he was. And who I was supposed to be. I was a nobody. Someone who, a few weeks ago, he wouldn’t have spared a second glance.
“I should get back to work,” I said. “Assuming I still have a job.”
He turned then, really looked at me, and a quiet laugh slipped free.
“Are you asking because you’re worried about your performance,” he said, “or because you’re the first woman who’s ever turned me down for a date?”
“I’m asking,” I said, “because I take my work seriously.”
His gaze searched mine.
“Good,” he said quietly. “So do I.”
He crossed his office and opened the door.
I thought that was it as I stepped toward the exit.
He turned to me as I reached the threshold, one hand bracing against the frame beside my head. Not touching me but close enough that I felt the heat from his body, the faint brush of his breath against my cheek.
“When this is over,” he said, his eyes dropping to my lips. “Things will be simpler.”
His mouth was close enough I forgot how to breathe. Close enough that it would not take much to close the distance.
“Is it serious?”
My tongue wet my bottom lip before I could stop myself. “What?”
“Your relationship?”
“I…”
He smiled. “Then he shouldn’t mind if you have dinner with me.”
He straightened, stepped back, and gestured to my desk.
“Let me know if you change your mind.”
I walked out, forcing my legs to cooperate, painfully aware that the offer he’d left hanging in the air had the power to undo me far more completely than my master ever could.