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Authors: Avery Gale
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them yet.” When she heard Ash growl, Meri shook her head and sighed. Obviously he was remembering they had all been together just a few days ago. Sighing, she added, “Yes, I know we were all at the gazebo recently, but I didn’t want to bring it up in front of everyone.”
This time Dex was the one who seemed incredulous, “By everyone, I’m assuming you mean the two of us?” Oh brother, talk about a no-win question. If I answer honestly, they’ll misunderstand. And if I lie , they’ll know.
Meri took another deep breath and looked up at the stars as if they might suddenly decide to shower her with a brilliant answer. “It wasn’t that I didn’t want you to know—precisely. It was more that I didn’t want you to feel obligated to help. And whether or not you are willing to admit it, it is exactly what would have happened.” Hell’s bells and seashells, that’s exactly what’s happening now. And if they will just step back for a minute they’ll know it, too. She might not have been looking directly at them in the bright light of day, but the energy vibrating around them was screaming overprotection. Meri wondered if all Doms were like this or just the ones in her circle of friends. Maybe it was those who were former military or former Special Forces who were also Doms, although she suspected that was a chicken and egg argument as well since every member of any branch of the Special Forces Meri had ever met, seemed to be a Dom. Sighing, she finally decided it was a question for Dan.
Only a few people knew how close she and Dr. Dan Deal really were. And even fewer knew their family connection. Dan’s mother and Meri’s mom were sisters, and when her aunt and uncle were killed by a drunk driver just after Dan started high school, the Lanhams immediately moved the young man into their home. Meri hadn’t even started junior high school yet, but she and her older cousin bonded quickly. He’d been her protector and best pal until he’d moved to college four years later.
Meri wished her sweet cousin would find a woman who deserved his affection. He was one of the nicest men she knew and even though he was a sexual Dominant, he didn’t seem the type of Dom who would want to control every aspect of his sub’s life. It wasn’t that he couldn’t be overly protective at times, because he’d certainly had taken her to task for some of the poor choices she’d made while in college. He’d always reserved his lectures for the mistakes he’d seen as dumb rather than dangerous. Dan had always encouraged her to push beyond what she thought she could do academically and professionally. She had often wished she had a dollar for every time he’d reminded her “the worst you can do is fail.”
She’d been in high school when she’d decided to run for a student government position at her posh private school. She had lost the election by a narrow margin and been devastated. Dan had been home that weekend and found her crying in her dad’s office. He’d listened quietly as she’d poured out her heart, ask her questions that she’d figured out later had gently led her to figure out all on her own what he’d known all along…that in the great scheme of things, this was a small bump in the road. He’d eventually donned her dad’s old felt Fedora and started singing the old Frank Sinatra classic, “Pick Yourself Up”. The words still echoed in her head whenever she felt like she’d failed. So take a deep breath - Pick yourself up - Dust yourself off - Start all over again.
“I’m not sure whether to be pissed off or encouraged by the fact she isn’t answering the question.” Dex’s voice broke through the tune playing in Meri’s head and she frantically searched her memory hoping to remember what he’d asked her. “I know that expression, sweetheart. I’m fairly certain you didn’t even hear me ask you when you had planned to talk to Jax or Micah, so you might as well stop wasting all that
This time Dex was the one who seemed incredulous, “By everyone, I’m assuming you mean the two of us?” Oh brother, talk about a no-win question. If I answer honestly, they’ll misunderstand. And if I lie , they’ll know.
Meri took another deep breath and looked up at the stars as if they might suddenly decide to shower her with a brilliant answer. “It wasn’t that I didn’t want you to know—precisely. It was more that I didn’t want you to feel obligated to help. And whether or not you are willing to admit it, it is exactly what would have happened.” Hell’s bells and seashells, that’s exactly what’s happening now. And if they will just step back for a minute they’ll know it, too. She might not have been looking directly at them in the bright light of day, but the energy vibrating around them was screaming overprotection. Meri wondered if all Doms were like this or just the ones in her circle of friends. Maybe it was those who were former military or former Special Forces who were also Doms, although she suspected that was a chicken and egg argument as well since every member of any branch of the Special Forces Meri had ever met, seemed to be a Dom. Sighing, she finally decided it was a question for Dan.
Only a few people knew how close she and Dr. Dan Deal really were. And even fewer knew their family connection. Dan’s mother and Meri’s mom were sisters, and when her aunt and uncle were killed by a drunk driver just after Dan started high school, the Lanhams immediately moved the young man into their home. Meri hadn’t even started junior high school yet, but she and her older cousin bonded quickly. He’d been her protector and best pal until he’d moved to college four years later.
Meri wished her sweet cousin would find a woman who deserved his affection. He was one of the nicest men she knew and even though he was a sexual Dominant, he didn’t seem the type of Dom who would want to control every aspect of his sub’s life. It wasn’t that he couldn’t be overly protective at times, because he’d certainly had taken her to task for some of the poor choices she’d made while in college. He’d always reserved his lectures for the mistakes he’d seen as dumb rather than dangerous. Dan had always encouraged her to push beyond what she thought she could do academically and professionally. She had often wished she had a dollar for every time he’d reminded her “the worst you can do is fail.”
She’d been in high school when she’d decided to run for a student government position at her posh private school. She had lost the election by a narrow margin and been devastated. Dan had been home that weekend and found her crying in her dad’s office. He’d listened quietly as she’d poured out her heart, ask her questions that she’d figured out later had gently led her to figure out all on her own what he’d known all along…that in the great scheme of things, this was a small bump in the road. He’d eventually donned her dad’s old felt Fedora and started singing the old Frank Sinatra classic, “Pick Yourself Up”. The words still echoed in her head whenever she felt like she’d failed. So take a deep breath - Pick yourself up - Dust yourself off - Start all over again.
“I’m not sure whether to be pissed off or encouraged by the fact she isn’t answering the question.” Dex’s voice broke through the tune playing in Meri’s head and she frantically searched her memory hoping to remember what he’d asked her. “I know that expression, sweetheart. I’m fairly certain you didn’t even hear me ask you when you had planned to talk to Jax or Micah, so you might as well stop wasting all that
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