“The way she ran out of the last meeting she attended, we need to think that one through.”
“Agreed,” Daniel said. “But I thought it’d be a good idea for her to be here for something not group related.”
It had been a casual lunch, just make-your-own sandwiches. They ate sitting in the kitchen, and Jeff thought Daniel’s idea to slowly integrate Sasha back into the group was a good one. But at the moment he wasn’t able to think about Sasha. He looked to his right to where Nathaniel was talking to Abby and met the Dominant’s eyes.
“When will you be leaving for New York?” he asked.
“I thought we’d head out later this evening,” Nathaniel said. “What time’s your flight?”
“Later this evening.”
“You know, by moving Dena to New York, you’re really going to mess with her stalker. I think we’ll either see an increase in activity or nothing at all while he plans what to do next.”
“If he makes any sort of move, I want you to call me. It doesn’t matter what time of day it is.”
Nathaniel nodded. “Will do. Any luck finding out who it is?”
“No, but I have a pretty good idea of who it isn’t.”
“That’s a start.”
“I had hoped to know a lot more by this time.”
“Going to dig into people who have it out for the senator?” Daniel asked.
“Yes,” Jeff confirmed. “And it’s a damn long list.”
“Come on, now. He’s not all that bad,” Dena said with a roll of her eyes, and Jeff again felt a momentary sense of guilt for not telling her about the details of his meeting with her father all those years ago.
“He’s not all that good, either,” he said.
She opened her mouth to protest, but just then someone new came into the room. “I parked at the guesthouse since your driveway’s already overflowing with cars.”
Everyone’s head spun to the doorway at the sound of the smooth British accent. Daniel’s close friend Cole Johnson stood with a backpack slung over one shoulder. He was smiling, but the smile quickly faded as he glanced around the room.
“Have I interrupted something? I apologize,” he said.
Daniel stood and walked over to Cole. “I didn’t expect you until next week.” He punched his arm. “Don’t you ever call?”
“I rang twice on the way here, but you didn’t pick up. I rang the doorbell, but no one answered. It was unlocked, so here I am.” He shrugged. “You always tell me to make myself at home.”
Cole was an award-winning journalist and had been on assignment in India for the past several months.
“You’re always welcome,” Daniel assured him. “Let me take your bag. I think you know everyone.”
Cole passed him the bag and walked over to Julie. “Julie.” He took her hands and kissed her cheek. “So good to see you again. You’ve made Daniel very happy.”
Julie stood up straighter and squared her shoulders. “Thank you, Sir. The feeling’s mutual.”
“Cole is fine when we’re not with the group.” He winked at her. “I’m only an arse in the playroom.”
Daniel snorted. “That’s debatable.”
Cole ignored him and moved to Sasha. He didn’t touch her, but simply stood before her with a kind smile. “Hi there, Sasha. Good to see you again. How are you?”
Jeff was glad Cole remembered Sasha’s trauma and brought up the incident indirectly. But then again, it had been Cole who’d held her after she’d nearly fallen.
At Cole’s greeting, Sasha stood. “I’m afraid I don’t remember much of our first meeting, but I’m doing well.” She held out her hand. “Sasha Blake. I understand I owe you thanks for your help a few months ago.”
Cole shook her hand. “Cole Johnson. And no thanks required. I’m glad I could assist.”
“The guesthouse is ready,” Daniel said. “I had it prepared for you after the last play party.”
“Excellent,” Cole said. “So tell me what I walked in on today.”
Daniel explained what had happened to Dena and where she was going.
“If you don’t want to go to New York,” he said when Daniel finished, “you’re more than welcome to stay at the guesthouse with me. Or I could find something else and you could stay by yourself.”
A jealousy like he’d never experienced rushed through Jeff, catching him off guard. “Frankly, I think it’s better that she go out of town. That way we throw him off her trail, at least for a while.”
“I’d like to do something to help,” Cole said. “You have dogs, right? I can take care of them.”
“I have a cat, too,” Dena said.
“I could bring them here to the guesthouse. I miss having a pet.” Something almost wistful-looking flashed in Cole’s eyes for a second, or at least it appeared that way to Jeff, and he quickly agreed for Cole to keep his dogs and Dena’s cat.
Nathaniel looked at his watch. “We need to be hitting the road soon.”
Dena nodded and made her way to Jeff. “Can I speak to you alone for a few minutes?”
Her expression showed resignation, and though he wondered what was on her mind, he had a strong feeling he didn’t want to know.
“Last night was wonderful,” Dena started, and something in his heart broke because he knew there was a “but” to follow. “But I don’t want what happened between us last night to distract from time with your father. Let’s put our relationship to the side, and we’ll deal with it when you get back.”
By the time she finished speaking, he wasn’t heartbroken anymore. He was angry. “Don’t you think we’ve put our relationship to the side long enough?”
“We can pick up where we left off when you get back.”
“Fuck that. I’m tired of putting us last.”
“Jeff, don’t—”
“Don’t what? Act like we’re important? I’ll tell you what. Forget Nathaniel and Abby. Come with me. Come to Colorado with me. Let’s face the coming days as a couple.” He wanted her to acknowledge that the night before meant something. That their relationship was still a priority to her.
“I can’t. There’s too much work and a court case and—”
“Agreed,” Daniel said. “But I thought it’d be a good idea for her to be here for something not group related.”
It had been a casual lunch, just make-your-own sandwiches. They ate sitting in the kitchen, and Jeff thought Daniel’s idea to slowly integrate Sasha back into the group was a good one. But at the moment he wasn’t able to think about Sasha. He looked to his right to where Nathaniel was talking to Abby and met the Dominant’s eyes.
“When will you be leaving for New York?” he asked.
“I thought we’d head out later this evening,” Nathaniel said. “What time’s your flight?”
“Later this evening.”
“You know, by moving Dena to New York, you’re really going to mess with her stalker. I think we’ll either see an increase in activity or nothing at all while he plans what to do next.”
“If he makes any sort of move, I want you to call me. It doesn’t matter what time of day it is.”
Nathaniel nodded. “Will do. Any luck finding out who it is?”
“No, but I have a pretty good idea of who it isn’t.”
“That’s a start.”
“I had hoped to know a lot more by this time.”
“Going to dig into people who have it out for the senator?” Daniel asked.
“Yes,” Jeff confirmed. “And it’s a damn long list.”
“Come on, now. He’s not all that bad,” Dena said with a roll of her eyes, and Jeff again felt a momentary sense of guilt for not telling her about the details of his meeting with her father all those years ago.
“He’s not all that good, either,” he said.
She opened her mouth to protest, but just then someone new came into the room. “I parked at the guesthouse since your driveway’s already overflowing with cars.”
Everyone’s head spun to the doorway at the sound of the smooth British accent. Daniel’s close friend Cole Johnson stood with a backpack slung over one shoulder. He was smiling, but the smile quickly faded as he glanced around the room.
“Have I interrupted something? I apologize,” he said.
Daniel stood and walked over to Cole. “I didn’t expect you until next week.” He punched his arm. “Don’t you ever call?”
“I rang twice on the way here, but you didn’t pick up. I rang the doorbell, but no one answered. It was unlocked, so here I am.” He shrugged. “You always tell me to make myself at home.”
Cole was an award-winning journalist and had been on assignment in India for the past several months.
“You’re always welcome,” Daniel assured him. “Let me take your bag. I think you know everyone.”
Cole passed him the bag and walked over to Julie. “Julie.” He took her hands and kissed her cheek. “So good to see you again. You’ve made Daniel very happy.”
Julie stood up straighter and squared her shoulders. “Thank you, Sir. The feeling’s mutual.”
“Cole is fine when we’re not with the group.” He winked at her. “I’m only an arse in the playroom.”
Daniel snorted. “That’s debatable.”
Cole ignored him and moved to Sasha. He didn’t touch her, but simply stood before her with a kind smile. “Hi there, Sasha. Good to see you again. How are you?”
Jeff was glad Cole remembered Sasha’s trauma and brought up the incident indirectly. But then again, it had been Cole who’d held her after she’d nearly fallen.
At Cole’s greeting, Sasha stood. “I’m afraid I don’t remember much of our first meeting, but I’m doing well.” She held out her hand. “Sasha Blake. I understand I owe you thanks for your help a few months ago.”
Cole shook her hand. “Cole Johnson. And no thanks required. I’m glad I could assist.”
“The guesthouse is ready,” Daniel said. “I had it prepared for you after the last play party.”
“Excellent,” Cole said. “So tell me what I walked in on today.”
Daniel explained what had happened to Dena and where she was going.
“If you don’t want to go to New York,” he said when Daniel finished, “you’re more than welcome to stay at the guesthouse with me. Or I could find something else and you could stay by yourself.”
A jealousy like he’d never experienced rushed through Jeff, catching him off guard. “Frankly, I think it’s better that she go out of town. That way we throw him off her trail, at least for a while.”
“I’d like to do something to help,” Cole said. “You have dogs, right? I can take care of them.”
“I have a cat, too,” Dena said.
“I could bring them here to the guesthouse. I miss having a pet.” Something almost wistful-looking flashed in Cole’s eyes for a second, or at least it appeared that way to Jeff, and he quickly agreed for Cole to keep his dogs and Dena’s cat.
Nathaniel looked at his watch. “We need to be hitting the road soon.”
Dena nodded and made her way to Jeff. “Can I speak to you alone for a few minutes?”
Her expression showed resignation, and though he wondered what was on her mind, he had a strong feeling he didn’t want to know.
“Last night was wonderful,” Dena started, and something in his heart broke because he knew there was a “but” to follow. “But I don’t want what happened between us last night to distract from time with your father. Let’s put our relationship to the side, and we’ll deal with it when you get back.”
By the time she finished speaking, he wasn’t heartbroken anymore. He was angry. “Don’t you think we’ve put our relationship to the side long enough?”
“We can pick up where we left off when you get back.”
“Fuck that. I’m tired of putting us last.”
“Jeff, don’t—”
“Don’t what? Act like we’re important? I’ll tell you what. Forget Nathaniel and Abby. Come with me. Come to Colorado with me. Let’s face the coming days as a couple.” He wanted her to acknowledge that the night before meant something. That their relationship was still a priority to her.
“I can’t. There’s too much work and a court case and—”
