Read Online Devoted: A Masters and Mercenaries Novella by Lexi Blake - Free Book Online

he been honest with her? Had she thrown him off balance?
    The truth was she had so little time with him when she thought about it. The class lasted six weeks and they were done with one of them. If he hadn’t been such a jerk that first night she probably would already be sleeping with him.
    What had he been through? Who’d hurt him? He was in his thirties so it was likely that someone along the way had broken his heart. They’d kept things casual during their meetings.
    Dates. They were a lot like dates. Not the classes, but afterward he would take her to dinner and he always paid even when she offered. He would give her that look and she would find her hand moving away from the check. He picked her up before class—that was in their contract—and made sure to walk her to her door after dinner.
    He walked back in, looking deliciously yummy in his slacks and open-throated shirt that showed off tan skin. She happened to know that smooth skin covered a lot of muscle.
    Outside, the rain made the lights of Dallas look hazy and a bit surreal.
    She wanted to feel good. It had been so long. Was it wrong to ask him if he wanted to feel good, too?
    He stopped in front of her, his face softening. “Are you all right? Will told me I should call him if you started to feel pain.”
    The accident had been minor. She hadn’t even taken an aspirin.
    But she’d been scared as she’d gone into the oncoming lane and seen a truck coming her way. She’d realized that it sucked to be dying when she hadn’t even lived. She’d spent her whole life trying to please a father who couldn’t love her, living in the shadow of her larger than life rebellious sister, being dutiful, and what had it gotten her? She wasn’t happy. She’d taken over Slaten, but that had been about duty, too.
    Couldn’t she have one thing that was just for her? It wouldn’t last forever, but for a while she could feel free.
    “I feel fine.” That wasn’t being honest. “My body is fine, Flynn.”
    He moved into her space but somehow his height, his overwhelming presence, didn’t intimidate her. It comforted her. “And the rest of you? Sweetheart, you’re crying.”
    She had to chuckle at that. “I don’t do that around anyone but you, damn it.”
    His big hand came up and cupped her cheek, thumb swiping away the tear. “I don’t want you to hide things from me.”
    “What are we doing, Flynn? I know why we’re both in the class, but not everyone goes out afterward. Are we dating? It’s okay if we’re not. If we’re just getting to know each other so we can get through the class, that’s okay.”
    He stared at her for a moment as though trying to figure out what to say. And then he moved in again, their bodies almost touching. “I’ve been trying to get to know you.”
    “Because I’m your partner?”
    “Because you’re the first woman to move me in a very long time and I want to know if that’s real or something I made up in my head because I’m lonely.” His hand found her hair, smoothing it back.
    She was sure she resembled a drowned rat, but he was looking at her like she was something lovely. There was nothing he could have said that would have moved her more. He could have talked dirty or told her in sweet terms how much he wanted her. He could have told her he wanted to see where it went.
    He was lonely. She was so fucking lonely, and somehow when he was close to her she didn’t feel it.
    “Then I must have made it up, too,” she admitted. “I like being around you, Flynn. I don’t think about how shitty my life is when I’m around you.”
    His gaze threatened to melt her. “What are you asking me for, Amy? Are you asking me to play? I can do that. Anything sexual between us is likely going to include D/s. Or I can simply take care of you. I started a shower. It should be warm by now. I can let you go and get cleaned up and I’ll be the perfect gentleman.”
    She didn’t need a gentleman tonight. “Or you could be my