you've had time to absorb what you've learned this evening. You can find my contact information in the back of the book. I would especially appreciate hearing whether including aftercare helps strengthen your relationship."
Olivia's husband grinned and said, "I'll be sure to let you know. Maybe Livvy will be naughty on purpose to see if I take your words to heart."
Olivia playfully slapped her husband's arm and said, "Not very likely!" Her husband laughed, and most of the others joined in. It was a good ending point.
Everyone began to rise, and a few couples did speak with Dean quietly at the front. Abigail saw Karen and her husband walk over to join Elaine and Roger. They looked like two generations meeting over a common interest, totally comfortable with each other though they probably had never met. Both wives were smiling and holding their husband's hands, despite having been publicly disciplined. Russell looked up and caught Abigail's eye. He smiled at her and gave her a small nod. Tearing her eyes away from his, Abigail shook her head in disbelief that she had actually returned his smile. Standing, she started to shove everything back into her bag and then realized that she still had Dean's copy of the book. She pulled it back out of her bag, put her purse over her shoulder and headed to the front of the room to return it. When the couple he was speaking to had turned and walked away, she stepped closer, the book held out in her hand.
"Um, I wanted to return your book. Thank you for loaning it to me." Abigail attempted to shove it into his hand and he grinned. He took the book from her, only to open it and write something on the fly page.
Dean smiled down at her, holding it out. "Keep it, Abigail. I think you might find you can learn something from it if you actually take the time to read it and think about what it says."
Abigail blushed and started to shake her head but then nodded. "Thank you. It was… interesting."
Dean laughed softly, and reached out to place a finger under Abigail's chin, lifting it until he could look into her eyes. "No, Abigail. Thank you. I know this was difficult for you and I hope Sam appreciates the courage it took you to attend alone." He watched as her mouth opened, and waited to hear her deny his words. He was pleased when she closed her mouth again, her cheeks suffusing again with a soft pink flush. He spoke softly, "I don't know about your life, Abigail, but I do believe that you truly might be searching for something that has been missing. Please read the book and if you have any questions, or if you just want to talk about this, please give me a call or send me an email. Okay?"
Abby nodded, despite having no intention of ever speaking to this man again.
He smiled down at her. "Drive carefully."
Remaining silent, she nodded again and then broke eye contact, practically racing towards the door. She was in her car and halfway down the block before she was able to draw a deep breath.
Whew, what the hell is wrong with me? God, I stood there nodding like some plastic bobble-head doll! Nothing had made her feel this way in as long as she could remember and she laughed, a bit shakily. What had happened to the strong, independent woman she had become out of necessity? Pouring herself into her work in order to support herself and follow her dreams hadn't given her the time nor the inclination to allow any sort of long-term relationship to develop. Despite the fact that she hadn't dated in quite a while, she wasn't some tongue-tied teenager. She couldn't believe that this strange man's touch and his words had affected her so greatly. Feeling uncomfortable and out of control for the first time in years, she pushed Dean out of her mind. As for the unexpected physical and emotional reactions she was having—well, those could be chalked up to the demonstrations of discipline that she had witnessed. No wonder the doors to the bookstore had been locked. God forbid a totally unsuspecting
Olivia's husband grinned and said, "I'll be sure to let you know. Maybe Livvy will be naughty on purpose to see if I take your words to heart."
Olivia playfully slapped her husband's arm and said, "Not very likely!" Her husband laughed, and most of the others joined in. It was a good ending point.
Everyone began to rise, and a few couples did speak with Dean quietly at the front. Abigail saw Karen and her husband walk over to join Elaine and Roger. They looked like two generations meeting over a common interest, totally comfortable with each other though they probably had never met. Both wives were smiling and holding their husband's hands, despite having been publicly disciplined. Russell looked up and caught Abigail's eye. He smiled at her and gave her a small nod. Tearing her eyes away from his, Abigail shook her head in disbelief that she had actually returned his smile. Standing, she started to shove everything back into her bag and then realized that she still had Dean's copy of the book. She pulled it back out of her bag, put her purse over her shoulder and headed to the front of the room to return it. When the couple he was speaking to had turned and walked away, she stepped closer, the book held out in her hand.
"Um, I wanted to return your book. Thank you for loaning it to me." Abigail attempted to shove it into his hand and he grinned. He took the book from her, only to open it and write something on the fly page.
Dean smiled down at her, holding it out. "Keep it, Abigail. I think you might find you can learn something from it if you actually take the time to read it and think about what it says."
Abigail blushed and started to shake her head but then nodded. "Thank you. It was… interesting."
Dean laughed softly, and reached out to place a finger under Abigail's chin, lifting it until he could look into her eyes. "No, Abigail. Thank you. I know this was difficult for you and I hope Sam appreciates the courage it took you to attend alone." He watched as her mouth opened, and waited to hear her deny his words. He was pleased when she closed her mouth again, her cheeks suffusing again with a soft pink flush. He spoke softly, "I don't know about your life, Abigail, but I do believe that you truly might be searching for something that has been missing. Please read the book and if you have any questions, or if you just want to talk about this, please give me a call or send me an email. Okay?"
Abby nodded, despite having no intention of ever speaking to this man again.
He smiled down at her. "Drive carefully."
Remaining silent, she nodded again and then broke eye contact, practically racing towards the door. She was in her car and halfway down the block before she was able to draw a deep breath.
Whew, what the hell is wrong with me? God, I stood there nodding like some plastic bobble-head doll! Nothing had made her feel this way in as long as she could remember and she laughed, a bit shakily. What had happened to the strong, independent woman she had become out of necessity? Pouring herself into her work in order to support herself and follow her dreams hadn't given her the time nor the inclination to allow any sort of long-term relationship to develop. Despite the fact that she hadn't dated in quite a while, she wasn't some tongue-tied teenager. She couldn't believe that this strange man's touch and his words had affected her so greatly. Feeling uncomfortable and out of control for the first time in years, she pushed Dean out of her mind. As for the unexpected physical and emotional reactions she was having—well, those could be chalked up to the demonstrations of discipline that she had witnessed. No wonder the doors to the bookstore had been locked. God forbid a totally unsuspecting
Similar Books
