“I’m taking the class.” A stubborn look came into her eyes. “I’m sorry if that upsets you.”
She wanted to take a class where some other Dom would put his hands on her body? She wanted to take a class where almost everyone fucked their training partner. God knows he had.
She didn’t want him to train her, didn’t want him to be her Dom. The truth slowly dawned on him. He’d seen what he’d wanted to see. He’d fallen fast and hard for the first time in his life and couldn’t bear the idea that it wasn’t reciprocated. Hadn’t he learned?
She’d wanted a fuck and he’d been willing to give it to her.
And honestly, why would he think the incredibly smart scientist with the perfect family would want him for anything but sex? Her dad was a sheriff and his dad had been an abusive asshole. Her stepmom was some kind of medical superhero. His stepmom had chucked him out on the street. Her father would figure out how much time Hutch had spent in jail.
“I’m not trying to hurt you,” she said, sounding uncertain for the first time.
He turned away and put his plate close to the sink. A numbness had descended and his appetite was a hundred percent gone. “No problem. I misunderstood.”
“I think you might be misunderstanding now. I’m not saying I don’t like you. I really do. But I want to take the class.”
“Cool. You should.”
He heard her sigh. “I’m not sure what’s happening here. Last night was great, but I didn’t think you would stop going to Sanctum because we spent one night together. I thought we might see each other there after I finished the class.”
He thought he’d go to Sanctum with her. He hadn’t wanted to go lately, but last night had given him fresh energy. And now it was all gone. He rinsed off the skillet he’d used. “Good. I tend to play on Saturdays. Kyle can watch you then. I’m sure by the time you finish the training class, we’ll have cleared up your security problems.” He turned. “I’m going to go take a shower and get ready for work. Kyle can drive you in.”
“You’re not coming with us?” She turned and looked so vulnerable and sweet that he wanted to carry her back to bed and convince her that he was a better bet than he was.
But it was time to be realistic. It was time to save whatever dignity he had. “No. I have to go into the office. I don’t know how late I’ll be.”
“I feel like I’m not explaining well enough,” she began.
He held a hand up because he’d gotten the message loud and clear. She might be willing to sleep with him, but she wouldn’t change her plans for him. She wasn’t going to consider getting serious about him. He didn’t need to hear all her reasons. He knew them by heart. “It’s cool. What happened last night was nice. I thought it would be fun to continue that while we were working together.”
“I never said I didn’t want that.”
She wanted the sex, but she was going to keep her options open. Yeah, he’d heard that before. He wasn’t anyone’s serious guy. He was the dude who kept candy at his desk and got the waitress off in a broom closet. Noelle was the woman who might win a Nobel Prize one day.
“We’ll take it as it comes,” he replied because even though she’d broken his heart he wasn’t sure he would be able to resist if she invited him into her bed again.
He would have to remember what it was. Sex. Temporary sex.
That was all he was worth.
* * * *
She’d seriously fucked things up with Hutch, and she wasn’t sure what had happened. She sat next to Kyle, who was driving her sedan, and kind of wished she was on the train and they’d left the car for Hutch. He was going to have to switch a couple of times to get to the McKay-Taggart building. It was a straight shot to Genedyne. One train, three stops. It was faster on the train because they didn’t have to deal with traffic, but Kyle had insisted. Something about it being easier to watch her in a car than on a train.
And Hutch had agreed. He’d nodded and given her that pleasant smile that didn’t come anywhere near his eyes.
He’d made breakfast for her and she’d kicked him in the gut.
“Should I turn on the radio?” It was so quiet that it was awkward.
“I’m fine.” Kyle kept his eyes on the road, which wasn’t hard because they weren’t actually moving. They were sitting. Like she’d warned him about.
She fell back into silence as they moved two car lengths before the light turned again.
“Why did he think I wouldn’t go to the training class? We hadn’t talked about it at all so I’m confused on why he thought I would cancel.” She asked the question out loud before she could think better of it. She didn’t have many guy friends, didn’t have many friends at all when she thought about it.