Текст книги "Finding Master Right"

Автор книги: Sparrow Beckett

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Текущая страница: 12 (всего у книги 17 страниц)

“Getting her to date Ambrose is going to fix how you feel about her?”

“Shh. Of course it is.”

Rook shook his head sympathetically. “If you believe that, maybe you’re the one who should be seeing Dr. Clarke.”

Counseling? No, thanks. Time for a change of subject.

“How’s school?”

Rook’s expression went from concerned to shuttered. “It’s school. I’m sure college will be better. The one I’m hoping to get into seems a lot more open-minded.”

“Kids can be idiots.” Banner grimaced. “If you ever need to talk, you know how to get ahold of me. Don’t be shy, even if it’s in the middle of my office hours or the middle of the night.”

Banner could feel Rook weighing his next words. What did the kid have going on that was a secret? Usually, he told him everything.

“Dr. Clarke wants to put me on a mood stabilizer.”

He sighed. Why medicate a kid because society didn’t get him? Rook didn’t have a mood disorder, he just had to stop dealing with asshats.

“Well, that’ll be up to you and Mom. Do you feel like you need one?”

“I don’t know. It won’t make me straight, and it won’t make the other kids leave me alone.” He shrugged. “So I get fog and side effects, and they get to keep being idiots.”

“Exactly.”

“I’m not switching schools again. It didn’t work last time. There’ll be homophobes in my face for the rest of my life. I just have to learn how to deal with them.”

Banner looked at the boy, so small for his age and so sensitive to the people around him. Sure he had money now, but money didn’t fix the most important things in life. Was there anything else he could do for him that he wasn’t doing?

“Stop looking at me like that. Moving me into your place and having me homeschooled won’t fix anything. I don’t belong in a bubble. Are you going to hire me to work for you from home when I grow up, so that I’ll never have to deal with people?” He turned away and drew some bold charcoal lines on his canvas.

He watched his baby brother as the landscape blossomed from his hand onto the canvas. Only blacks and grays. It was funny how the situations around his mother and his brother made him feel helpless and angry for completely different reasons.

Rook laughed humorlessly. “Eventually, I’ll have to leave the house for something, and I’ll have to deal with the same crap. There’s no hiding from it. If I was taller I could get some respect, but being small, femme, and gay? I’m a walking stereotype. Although I do fight the stereotype that gay men always dress well.”

“You’re killing me. Why won’t you take self-defense classes? I could hire you a bodyguard for certain parts of the day, if you think it’d help.” He grabbed Rook in a one-armed hug when his charcoal left the paper and rested his chin on the kid’s head.

“It’s only comments now, Banner. People don’t get attacked so much around here. It’s just the way they stop talking when you walk into a room and the words you hear whispered behind your back. A bodyguard can’t stop gossip. Self-defense doesn’t work against words.”

“But you have Dylan. And me.”

“Yes, and Ambrose and Konstanin. Meadow isn’t ready for me to come out to her, I don’t think, but her heart is in the right place. Eventually, I’ll tell her. And Mom, well, I don’t know if she can handle more right now. Her life needs to be easy and happy.”

Banner sighed and let him go when he started to pull away.

“I just want you to remember that I’m in your corner, no matter what. If you need to talk or if you need help, you call me.”

Around them, birds sang. A weird, cheerful mask dropped into place on Rook’s expressive face.

“I can’t lean on you forever. Don’t worry about me. I’m the master of my own fate.”

Rook turned back to his work. The sun was warm in the clearing, but something about the boy’s demeanor chilled Banner to the bone.

Chapter 13

Sub drop sucked. Even after Banner’s reassurance that it was normal and that Kate wasn’t broken, it still took a few days for the heavy cloud to lift.

Today, she was starting to feel more like herself. As she perused her closet for something to wear, she felt a sense of optimism for the first time in a while.

Banner had set up a date with his friend, Ambrose. Well, it was more of a group thing because she’d insisted Banner come. Even regular blind dates were awkward, and she didn’t want to go by herself. Banner was kind enough to agree, even though he seemed hesitant about it. It must be awkward for him, too, but if they were going to stay friends, he’d have to deal with it. The idea of “just friends” dampened her mood a bit, but she’d been telling herself over and over for days that it was best for both of them.

Every year, the town set up a harvest fair just before Thanksgiving. Last year, winter had come early, so everyone bundled up and sipped hot cider as they wandered through the outdoor tents filled with homemade goods. Thankfully, today the sun was shining, and it was unseasonably warm.

As she shoved hangers of clothes aside, growing frustrated with her limited options, she realized just how much of a girl she was being. Was looking perfect that important? What were the chances things would work differently with Ambrose than the other guys Banner had introduced her to? They were nice but there was no spark, no sign of chemistry whatsoever. In fact, the whole time she’d talked to them, all she could think about was Banner.

She sighed in resignation. Maybe it was silly and girly, but it mattered to her what she looked like. Warm for November still equaled needing a sweater. She pulled out a green one that matched her eyes, then threw on a pair of jeans and zippered tall brown boots over them. After a glance in the mirror, she starting pulling her hair back into a ponytail then stopped. Wearing her hair back was instinctual, but Banner liked it better down. Even when meeting his friend, she still felt the urge to please him.

“Ugh. What is wrong with me?”

Her reflection didn’t have an answer.

After saying a quick good-bye to Pixie, she grabbed her purse and headed out the door.

Dom search, take four hundred and one.

The fairgrounds at the center square bustled with shoppers, families, and couples out for a stroll. The smell of cider donuts hit her as soon as she stepped out of her car. Her stomach rumbled. Maybe skipping breakfast had been a bad idea, but her belly had been fluttering with nerves all morning.

Banner was easy to find across the plaza. She waved, and he spotted her, smiling in a way that made her heart skip beats.

No, no, no. She wasn’t supposed to be checking him out. She was supposed to be checking out his friend!

She slid her gaze to the man walking next to Banner. How she hadn’t seen him first was a mystery. He was at least two inches taller than Banner and about twice as thick. His short buzz cut and tattooed arms made him look either military or criminal. Swallowing hard, she hoped for the former.

As they came closer, she looked at the friend’s eyes, searching for clues about what kind of person he was. He met her gaze, steady at first, then his eyes crinkled a bit at the corners. The bright blue was a sharp contrast to the hardened look of the rest of him.

“Hey,” Banner said.

Instinctually, she went to hug him. When he hugged her back then kissed her cheek, she realized it might have been a mistake. Should she be showing him affection, even as a friend, in front of a potential date? God, she sucked at this.

Feeling insecure, she turned to Ambrose and smiled shyly. “Hi. I’m Kate.”

He held out his hand, which she shook. “Ambrose. I’ve heard a lot about you.”

The sexy smile that went with his statement made her blush. Just how close were the two of them, and how much detail had Banner told him? Great. Now she felt awkward and vulnerable. This was going well.

“How are you?” Banner asked.

“Hungry.”

“Aha!” Ambrose’s expression brightened. “A girl who likes to eat? That’s my kind of woman.”

“Does that mean you don’t like stick figures? ’Cause I don’t plan to starve myself for a man.”

“Body size doesn’t matter. I just like women. But when they enjoy a good meal with me, all the better.” He leaned in and whispered, “Don’t tell anybody, but I’m a bit of a food snob.”

She grinned, charmed by him already.

“It’s true.” Banner rolled his eyes. “He’s all about the fancy shit. Snails and lobster and everything.”

“What about cider donuts?” she asked with a sideways glance.

He shrugged. “Never tried them. Every time the fair comes along, I’m away on business, so this is my first time.”

“You’ve never had a cider donut?” she nearly shouted. “Well, what are we waiting for? You can’t possibly live a second longer without one.”

He laughed, then said to Banner, “I like this one already.”

Her nose led her to the booth where the bakery had set up a makeshift donut shop. Trays of sugary donuts waited to be devoured. Her mouth watered already.

She went to order, but Ambrose stepped in before she could. “I’ll take a dozen.”

When she opened her mouth to offer to pay, Ambrose waved her away.

A few moments later, they each had one in hand.

“Go ahead,” she said to Ambrose. “Let’s see if I steered you right.”

He took a bite, managing to fit almost the whole thing in one mouthful. His eyes narrowed as he contemplated an answer, as if he were a food critic at a fancy restaurant. She had to laugh at his exaggerated expression.

“Hmmm.”

“Come on,” she said. “You can’t hate it. If you hate it, this date is over.”

Nodding, he swallowed the bite. “It’s delicious.”

“Told you!”

“Seriously,” he said, shoving the rest in his mouth. “Probably the best-tasting breakfast I’ve ever had. I’d buy three dozen more, but then I wouldn’t fit into my pants anymore.”

“Some things are worth getting fat for.” She took a bite of hers.

Banner piped in. “I’m gonna bring some to Rook. The boy has a sweet tooth just like our dad did.”

She’d almost forgotten he was there. Feeling guilty, she turned to give him some attention too. “That’s a good idea. How’s he doing, anyway?”

He shrugged. “Seems like something’s up. I’ve been visiting more often just so he knows I’m around to talk to.” He frowned. “I worry about him.”

“I know. But you’re a great brother, and he’s lucky to have you.”

Ambrose took another donut from the bag and held it out to her. She wanted it badly, still hungry from having skipped breakfast, but she hesitated. “I probably shouldn’t.”

“Come on,” he said, waving it in front of her. “I know you want it.”

Laughing, she grabbed the donut. “You’re bad.”

His eyes darkened in an instant. “You have no idea.”

The mood shifted and the funny feeling she got when Banner acted dominant crept into her belly, making her freeze in place. She wasn’t hungry for donuts anymore.

“Um.” She cleared her throat. “So, what do you do for work?”

Ambrose smiled, seeming to enjoy making her squirm. She couldn’t tell if it annoyed her or aroused her. The whole sub drop thing was still keeping her off balance.

“I’m in the shipping business.”

“Ah.”

He laughed again.

“What?”

“It’s a conversation ender. Nobody ever asks me more.”

“Oh.” Guilt crept up on her and she frowned. “Sorry. I just don’t know—”

“Don’t be sorry. It’s a boring job, and it’s even more boring talking about it.” He looked around at the tents. “I need a drink.”

“Cider!”

“Now you’re talking,” he said with a grin. “Hard cider?”

She peered around the booths. Tables were set up with baked goods and homemade house goods, but she remembered from last year there was a beer tent. “They have that somewhere around here. I like hot cider though.”

He gestured away from the donut booth. “Let’s go find some, then.”

His genuine smile, easy demeanor but hint of dominance made Ambrose the most likely match so far. Banner had good taste in best friends.

The thought sent a reminder, and she swung around, feeling bad Banner was an afterthought. “Coming?” she asked him.

“Uh.” He ran his hand through his hair, then shook his head. “Nah. I’m going to go look around for the fresh ravioli Meadow likes. I’ll catch up with you later.”

He was probably just giving them space to be polite, which made her sorry she’d pushed him to come. She didn’t mean to make him feel like the third wheel. Honestly, she’d thought Ambrose would bore her and she’d mostly hang out with Banner. But Ambrose was fun and sweet and hot. She wanted to get to know him better, if for no other reason than it would take her mind off of Banner. Maybe throwing herself into this situation with Ambrose was a bad idea but sitting around her apartment moping over Mr. Perfect not wanting her wasn’t going to fix anything.

She studied Banner’s face for a moment. She thought she caught a fleeting look of hurt, but it was gone in an instant, and he gave her a reassuring smile instead.

Maybe he wasn’t okay, but neither was she. This was his idea, so fuck him if he was upset about it.

Kate nodded and walked off with Ambrose, determined to have a good time and secretly hoping Banner would come charging back up to reclaim her.

He didn’t.

They spent the morning sampling the food the fair had to offer. She was surprised at just how much fun she was having with Ambrose. He was easy to be with, easy to like. If not for his size, she wouldn’t sense the same amount of danger there was with Banner, but there were hints of dominance—enough to keep her interest.

Maybe this was what was supposed to happen all along. Ambrose seemed like a better match.

In the back of her mind, though, Banner was there with that rejected look on his face. But this had been his idea. And she knew he wanted her with someone he trusted instead of some fake Dom she might meet in a club.

Ambrose was his best friend. If they clicked, he’d be happy for them.

Right?

***

She’d gone to the fair hungry and left so stuffed she was sure she wouldn’t eat for a week. Apple pie, fried dough, fresh cannolis, caramel apples—it was amazing the button hadn’t popped off her jeans and folding herself into her car was uncomfortable. They never did find Banner again, but Ambrose kept her distracted.

The stop-and-go traffic through town gave her time to assess the day.

The man could eat! Which made her not as shy about trying some of everything too. He seemed to like that her appetite could almost keep up with his. He’d named her his Foodie Friend, and they had plans for Vietnamese food the next weekend. At his place.

What if he wanted to play right away? Was she ready for that? She thought about playing with Ambrose, but Banner kept replacing him in her thoughts.

It was Banner she wanted, but he was determined to get rid of her. The rejection still stung, even if the reasons made sense. Feelings often weren’t very sensible.

She pushed the thoughts away and pretended Banner had never happened. Making believe she’d met Ambrose by chance at the market, she thought about their upcoming date.

She wondered what kinds of things he was into. Banner had told her their kinks mostly lined up, but he’d also mentioned Ambrose wasn’t as strict and had a weakness for brats.

Was she a brat?

A shiver shot down her spine as she daydreamed about what they might do in the privacy of his house.

In her head, they were in Banner’s dungeon. She’d never been in other dungeons so most of her fantasies happened there.

If he was into the same things as Banner, would he tie her up? Use her mouth? Whisper nasty threats in her ear?

She shuddered.

A picture formed in her mind. She was on Banner’s bed on all fours while someone shuffled behind her. Whimpering, she wondered if he was getting lube.

Would Ambrose insist on taking her ass as Banner had wanted to? A man came up behind her, stroked down her back, making her arch like a cat and purr.

“There’s my kitty,” he said, voice rough and seductive.

But it was Banner’s voice.

Fuck.

She gave her head a shake and placed Ambrose there instead. Her clit tingled, and she wished she had access to her vibrator. In five minutes she’d be home and could take care of things. She squirmed in her seat. No harm in fantasizing to get ready though.

Ambrose walked around her needy body then put a finger under her chin to force her to look at him. Only Banner’s face was there when she tilted her head up.

Ugh!

“Get out of my head!”

She forced Ambrose back into the picture.

“Are you a good kitty or a bad kitty?” he whispered.

“Um.”

He moved his hand to her hair and yanked it.

In real life, a rush of heat flooded her pussy. Her underwear was probably soaked. Oh, she was a bad kitty, alright.

A car honked and she looked up, realizing she’d been sitting at a green light. Mortified, she cleared her head and focused on driving the rest of the way home. Her clit still ached when she made it into her condo parking lot. Vibrator was a must. But first, she wanted to text Banner. Maybe some resolution would get him out of her fantasies.

She pulled out her phone and wrote, Ambrose is great. Thanks for the hook-up!

She waited a moment to see if there’d be a response. When none came, she sighed and walked to the door. Pixie would need to go out, so her vibrator plans would have to be put on hold. Actually, by the time she got settled back at home, the mood would be over. She hated when that happened.

Her text alert beeped right as she went through the door. It was Banner.

I’m glad you hit it off. He’s a good guy. You can trust him.

But maybe I don’t want a good guy, she almost wrote. Maybe I want you.

Whoa. Where had that come from?

Feeling confused and still a little horny, she set her purse on the counter. It probably wasn’t wise to text him back right now. Not with her feelings all out of whack. Maybe sub drop was still affecting her.

She looked at Pixie, and Pixie looked back at her.

“What’s wrong with me, Pixie?”

She snorted.

“You’re so full of wisdom, you know that?”

Maybe she should stop talking to dogs and talk to Janine instead. But what could she say?

I can’t stop fantasizing about a guy, but I’m dating his best friend?

Classy.

Maybe getting somewhere with Ambrose would clear Banner from her mind and replace him in her fantasies. Yeah. That sounded good.

She took out her phone and texted Ambrose this time. Can’t wait for next weekend. What should I wear?

That should start the ball rolling.

Chapter 14

“You look like shit.” From his perch at the breakfast bar, Rook watched Banner breaking eggs into the frying pan. The kid didn’t look much better, with his hair tousled and unkempt and dark circles under his eyes. Should he start turning off the internet after midnight so that he would sleep more?

“Watch your language.” Banner frowned at the eggs as though they’d personally offended him.

“You’re the one who taught me how to cuss.”

“Point taken.”

He was glad to have his brother as a distraction for the weekend, even if he was too perceptive. He tried not to look at the breakfast bar, but it was hard to avoid with the kid sitting there.

Banner had been avoiding that part of the kitchen because it made him think of Kate. It reminded him of dragging her out from under the counter and defiling her on the kitchen floor. The way she’d looked at him, the softness of her skin, her scent, the tickle of her hair on his face when she was near. The Kate in his mind kissed him, and he could almost hear the crumpling of his pathetic heart.

For weeks he’d been trying to tell himself that it was for the best. That she deserved to have her own desires satisfied instead of being forced to submit to his, that he didn’t want her anyway—even that the despondency he felt would make him a better artist. It was all fucking bullshit. He wanted her back. He wanted to be selfish and drive over to Ambrose’s house and drag her out of there. To remind her who owned her.

But he didn’t.

Instead, he suffered through calls and visits from both Ambrose and Kate, singing each other’s praises and thanking him for introducing them. They were perfect for each other. Kate was the best submissive Ambrose had ever trained. Ambrose was exactly the kind of Dom that she’d been looking for. He was smart and funny and charming, and if she gave the asshole one more compliment Banner was going to have to hate him out of principle. That would be terribly inconvenient seeing as how he’d promised himself the Kate thing wouldn’t affect their friendship.

A man shouldn’t dread hearing from his best friend, but every time his phone rang lately, it got Banner’s hackles up.

They were probably fucking like bunnies, and if Ambrose had figured out how to tap into her submissive streak, they had to be deliriously happy.

“Are the eggs supposed to be smoking like that?”

“Fuck.” Banner slid the ruined food into the compost bin and started over.

Rook came around the counter and took the spatula from his hand.

“Here, let me.”

Silently, Banner handed the task over and sat on the counter.

“You need to talk to someone. I know you don’t want to tell me what’s going on, but you’re a mess. She was hot and awesome and you hooked her up with Ambrose. Dumb move, but whatever, it’s your choice.” Rook flipped the eggs, then put bread in the toaster. “What you’ve done here is end things with a girl you’re crazy about and make it so that you can’t cry on your best friend’s shoulder.”

“What do you suggest I do, then, Dr. Clarke?” Maybe the kid had been spending too much time with his therapist.

“Seriously? You’re asking a fourteen-year-old gay kid for his opinion on your hetero, twenty-something love life. That’s pretty sad. I’m in love with a guy. I’m probably not your best bet for advice.”

When the toast popped, Banner buttered it, and Rook slid the eggs onto the plates. They were a well-oiled machine.

“I can tell you’re not sleeping.” Rook shrugged and handed Banner a fork. “I think you need counseling.”

“To forget a girl? This happens to people all the time. I just need to get over it.” He salted his eggs under Rook’s watchful eye. Too much salt would get him a lecture.

“Not to get over her. To figure out why you think you’re not good enough for her.”

Banner’s mouth hung open, waiting for the next bite of egg, which had stalled partway to his mouth.

He thought back through his time with Kate. He’d sabotaged things on purpose, for her, but was there something to what Rook was saying? Sure, his father had been all business, and his mother rejected him, but he was okay with that, right? He was a successful businessman with loyal friends and an awesome brother. People liked him.

So why was it he was still single?

He had sexual needs that were intense and specific, but other people managed to find partners whose kinks matched well enough. He’d thought that he was at peace with himself and his proclivities, but maybe there was some shame there, underneath it all. A hard core of doubt that made him wonder if he should subject anyone to having to deal with his demands and perversions long term.

Maybe there was something seriously wrong with him.

Banner shook his head and kept eating. No sense in psychoanalyzing yourself while your eggs got cold.

He looked up at Rook, who was watching him with a worried frown.

“I’m okay. Quit looking at me like that.” He finished the last of his toast and took Rook’s empty plate to the sink. “Now, go shower and put on something nice. You’re my date for the art gallery this afternoon.”

Rook got to his feet and laughed sarcastically. “Sure. Go hard with the distractions, Banner. You can try to hide all you want. I still see you.”

***

A thump on his desk alerted Banner to the fact that someone had come in, unnoticed. When he looked up, Belle was standing there, and a steaming disposable coffee cup was sitting squarely in the middle of his workspace.

“What?”

“Hot chocolate. You will drink this now. Later I will bring you lunch.” She stood with her hands on her hips, her brow creased. Why was everyone looking at him like that lately?

“You don’t need to babysit me. I’m a grown-assed man,” he grumbled.

“You’re a grown-assed man with a broken heart. You’re lucky I didn’t bring you a tub of Häagen-Dazs.” She tapped her foot.

“How is that lucky?” He smiled, and she smiled back, but the concern didn’t leave her expression.

“When things ended between Gavin and me, you babysat me for months. Do you remember that?”

He didn’t realize it had made an impression on her then, because she’d been such a mess. Gavin had been borderline abusive, so Banner was just glad she’d gotten through it okay. Luckily, things between Belle and Shannon were much happier and more loving. Belle deserved to be with someone who appreciated her.

She came around the desk and hugged him. He sighed and let her. How did she always know what he needed? Guilt over the fact that she’d been carrying him at work for almost a month tried to crowd in, but hopefully the raise he’d given her let her know how much he appreciated it.

From the doorway, Tanja cleared her throat. “Ambrose is here, Sir. He’s wondering if you’re in a meeting.”

Tanja was covering for him, too, the longer she worked there. She’d lied to Ambrose for him about meetings a few times. Not something he was proud of, but self-preservation had kicked in. Ambrose talked so incessantly about Kate that it was obvious he was in love. It made Banner want to throw things at his head.

He glanced at Belle, who let him go and grimaced. She knew something was up with Ambrose, but she didn’t need the gory details.

“Tell him to come in, please, Tanja.”

The girl nodded and headed back to the reception area. He braced himself for the Kate Fanclub meeting. Belle headed for the door, muttering something about cookie-dough Häagen-Dazs.

Ambrose strode into the room grinning like an idiot and sprawled onto the chair across from Banner.

“Where’ve you been hiding, dumbass? I’ve been texting you all morning.”

“Meetings,” Banner grunted. “Don’t you ever work?”

“I’ve temporarily handed most of my work over to Augustine. He needs to know how to run the company too.” Ambrose’s brother, only two years younger, was like a classier, more reserved version of Ambrose. He was more suited to being the financial manager, but Ambrose was determined to give the kid as much responsibility as he could handle.

“What, in case you sprain your dick and can’t go in to work?” Way to fish for information you don’t want to hear, idiot.

“Mmmm. It could happen, eventually.”

“Not yet?” Fuck. It was like poking at a sore tooth. It hurt like hell, but he couldn’t help himself.

“Actually, that’s what I came to talk to you about.”

Of course. Damn.

Ambrose got up and closed the door, then reclaimed his chair. Great. This visit just kept getting better.

“I know it’s only been about a month, and Kate’s training has been going really well, but I think it’s stalled.” He scratched at his head. “She’s a dream sub, really. She does anything I ask her to without complaining. Sure, she brats sometimes, but you know I like that.”

Visions of Kate giving Ambrose a blow job in the parking lot of the farmer’s market sprung to mind. He knew the two of them had a standing date to go there every weekend, not to mention the fact that they’d gone to almost every classy restaurant in town together.

He should have taken her out on a date or something himself, when he’d had a chance. It was too late for that now. Hopefully, Ambrose was more of a gentleman with her than he’d been.

Did he hold doors for her? Did he bring her flowers? Or did he finger fuck her while the waiters weren’t paying attention?

“Are you okay?”

“I think I’m catching a cold or something.” Maybe that explanation would cover the jealous heat he could feel creeping up his neck.

“That sucks.” Ambrose grimaced. “So, she kneels like a pro, knows the positions I want her to know, walks at my elbow, makes good eye contact, pays attention to my cues.”

Fuck, what was Ambrose doing with her? She wanted to be a submissive, not a slave.

“I can imagine some of that went over like a lead balloon.” Banner tried not to look annoyed, but he really should have been paying closer attention to the girl’s needs. “Submissive, not slave. That’s why I gave her to you, remember?”

“Yeah, that’s mostly stuff she learned from you, though, dickhead. I’m not usually that thorough with protocol.”

She was still doing the things he’d taught her?

“I saved you some work. What’s the issue?”

Ambrose sucked at his even white teeth and leaned forward in his chair. “She’s not . . . fully submitting to me. You know what I mean? I can feel her holding back.”

Traitorous hope welled in his chest. Maybe she didn’t like Ambrose as much as she had been saying.

“She was doing that with me too. Maybe you’re not the right guy for her either.” They stared at each other in silence until it became uncomfortable.

“So now you want me to give her to Konstantin to see if they hit it off?” Ambrose’s expression went bland. With him that meant angry.

His guts twisted. Envy was making him say stupid things. “Well, no. I . . .”

“Just because you’re lazy and self-centered, doesn’t mean I’ll give up on her too.” Ambrose said quietly. Fighting words. “Kicking a new sub aside because she doesn’t learn fast enough is cruel. Not the behavior I expected from you, of all people.”

“It wasn’t like that!” Was that what Ambrose had been thinking? “I told you, she needs someone who isn’t as extreme. The idea of being a slave horrifies her. Would you force a girl you were in love with to try your kinks if she wasn’t into it? Kate deserves more consideration than that.” He hated the way his voice had wobbled when he’d said her name, but maybe Ambrose wouldn’t notice.

“She’s a grown woman. Why wouldn’t you let her decide for herself?” Ambrose grew quiet again, studying him. “You know what? I really like Kate. I enjoy domming her.”

It knocked the wind out of Banner’s lungs. “I can’t listen to details. Please.” He held up his hands, and Ambrose glared at him.

“It’s still early in my relationship with her. I’m not in love with her. Yet. And I doubt she’s in love with me.” Ambrose sighed and shook his head. “Why don’t you just talk to her and try to work this out? You’re being an idiot. What happened to your interpersonal skills?”

“I’m not good enough for her,” Banner blurted.