The Hunted (16 page)

“I know,” I said, dryly.  “I remember.  You don’t do relationships - ever!”

“Oh how pompous I was.  And that just goes to prove that there is an exception to every rule.  You are my exception, Issy.  Only you.”

I suddenly felt claustrophobic.  This was all too much, way too quickly.  I felt like I needed to escape.

“Actually, I think I will have that ice-cream.  Shall we take them into the dining room?”

Lucas narrowed his eyes at me suspiciously so I smiled as brightly as I could manage, whilst taking a slow deep breath and releasing slowly in an effort to remain calm.

“Get the ice-cream and two spoons from that drawer and take them into the living room.  Let’s see what rubbish is on TV for half an hour and then we’ll both turn in.  Okay?”

“Okay,” I almost squeaked under his watchful eye.  I grabbed the ice-cream and spoons and shot out of the room, back down the hallway and into the living room.  I sat and continued to take deep calming breaths until Lucas appeared with two glasses of white wine.

He placed the wine glasses on the coffee table and switched on the huge TV. He flicked through the channels.  He then took one tub of ice-cream and a spoon and proceeded to eat his ice-cream whilst still flicking though channels.  We didn’t speak but it wasn’t an uncomfortable silence.  I took the other tub and began to eat the smooth, creamy vanilla flavored ice.  It was heavenly and I was soon scraping the last of it out of the tub.  I began to relax as Lucas flicked through the film channels and then onto the music channels. 

He stopped on a showing of Paramore’s Unplugged set, although the volume was turned down quite low.  He then took our empty tubs, placed them on the coffee table and picked up the wine glasses.  He handed mine to me and then sat back, looking at me strangely.

I sipped at my wine slowly and kept my eyes on the TV until he spoke.

“Better?”

“Hmmm?” I responded vaguely.

“Are you feeling better?  Less weird?” I could feel his eyes on me.

“I’m fine, thanks.  This wine is gorgeous.  Nice and crisp after the sweet ice-cream.”

“Well actually, I had planned on bringing out ice-cream and champagne to celebrate the successful first day of our trial period.”

“Hmmm.” I kept my eyes glued to the screen.

“But, in view of the terror in your eyes just then, in the kitchen, I thought it might be a step too far.”

“Oh.” 
Does nothing get past this man?

“We’ll take things at your pace, Issy.  You are clearly terrified of me developing feelings for you, and I am pretty scared about what will happen at the end of the month if you haven’t developed any feelings for me.  But we can’t move forward like that so we just need to relax and see where, if anywhere, this takes us.  Deal?”

I could not believe how perceptive he was.  I thought I’d hidden my near panic attack well but, not only had he picked up on it, he’d known how to handle it too.  He could’ve tackled me head on, which would have pushed me too far and he knew it.  He could’ve ignored it and cheerfully attempted to pretend that he didn’t know how close I was to a full on panic. 

But, amazingly, he’d noticed but not allowed me to see and had given me the time out that I needed to calm myself.  Now that I was calm, he wanted to reassure me to try to avoid me freaking out in future.  For a guy who was a self confessed loner, who’d never had a relationship, he was incredibly sensitive and understanding.  He was trying to take some pressure off, rather than putting more pressure on me.

I turned to face him.  His eyes eagerly swept over my face and probed into the depths of my eyes, searching for an indication of my thoughts and feelings about what he’d said.  I smiled reassuringly.  “Deal,” I whispered.

Relief washed through his features and he reached forward, took my wineglass and placed both glasses of the coffee table.  “Come here,” he said, softly.

He took me into his arms and just held me against his chest, stroking my hair gently.  We sat like that, watching the end of Paramore’s set, in a reassuring silence.  I found myself relaxing further and wondering what it would be like to go to a BDSM club.

“Lucas.”

“Hmmm?”

“Would you take me to your former BDSM club so that I can see what happens? What possibilities there are?”

“No, absolutely not!”  His tone was firm.

“Why not?”

“Never mind that.  I am not taking you there and that’s final.”

“Okay.  But if I can find someone else willing to take me to one, I am going.”

He thought for a second.  “We’ll talk about it another time.  Don’t you dare ask anyone else to take you.”

“I wouldn’t have to if you’d take me.”

“Just drop it.  I said we’ll talk about it another time and we will.  Let me show you the things that I want to first then we’ll reconsider.”

I felt slightly mollified and the truth was, I wouldn’t want to go there with anyone but Lucas anyway.

When the program finished, Lucas used the remote to turn off the TV and then stood, with me still in his arms, and walked back to the bedroom.  He kissed me softly on my forehead before setting me down.  I went into the bathroom and then realized that I didn’t have a toothbrush.  Oh well, I’d just have to share his.

When I wandered back into the bedroom, it was empty.  I stood looking at the bed, wondering which side of the bed Lucas usually slept, unless he lay in the centre.  I reasoned that he would sleep nearest the alarm clock so I got in the other side, still wearing his tee shirt. Moments later, he emerged from his dressing room wearing only a pair of clingy boxers. 
Oh my!  Will I ever tire at looking at his fit body?

He slid into the bed next to me and turned off the lamp.  “Goodnight Issy,” he said.  I was stunned – no contact, no sexual advances .... nothing. Now that, I hadn’t been expecting.  I lay on my back and wondered why I felt slightly rejected and affronted. 

I lay awake for a while, mulling over the events of the day.  I still couldn’t believe that I had agreed to a month’s trial with Lucas.  Actually, I realized that Lucas had asked for a month in which to persuade me to take things further.  Why was I thinking of this as a month’s trial period?  We hadn’t actually discussed or agreed how this month was going to work in practice. 

Was it significant that I had automatically assumed that it would be a trial period - like we were pretending to be in a relationship?

That’s pretty much how the day had worked out.  I couldn’t really say how I thought about it.  I knew that I had enjoyed being in his company.  Enjoyed more great sex.  Enjoyed him taking control.  But did I want to continue the month in this way? 
One day at a time, Issy.  Relax and see what happens – you have a cast iron get out clause at the end of the month.  Stop fretting!

As I lay there, my mind consumed by doubts and questions, I heard Lucas’ breathing become gradually deeper as he sank into a seemingly peaceful sleep. 
He has gotten his own way today - I just hope he realizes that there is no chance of this going any further.  I would be young, free and single again at the end of the month. 
I just hoped that we would be civil with one another at that point and beyond. 

I desperately wanted to work on Mini Dakota.  I hoped I just hadn’t blown any chance of seeing the job through to the end.  It occurred to me then that his involvement with the boys’ band meant that there could be other complications if we couldn’t get along long term. 
Oh crap! Why did I have a feeling that this was going to end in disaster?  What the hell have I done?

Hunting Lust – Part Three of Orion the Hunter

Available from Amazon Kindle in January 2013.