Total pages in book: 248
Estimated words: 236036 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1180(@200wpm)___ 944(@250wpm)___ 787(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 236036 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1180(@200wpm)___ 944(@250wpm)___ 787(@300wpm)
“Carter… it’s been, what? Almost a year? I mean we do sexy scenes, but not… not anything more.” Not discipline. Not punishment. Her rules had slowly dropped away one by one, and with it all the structure she’d depended on.
“It’s been since you decided you needed to turn a job into a career, sweetheart.” He sighed.
She narrowed her eyes. “What does that have to do with anything?”
“At first, I was just trying to give you space to explore and do your thing. You were so busy and excited. There was a lot going on and when I did try to call you out on your rules… you always had reasons why it was beyond your control.” He brushed the dirty-blond hair off his forehead, leaning back in his seat.
He was silent for a few seconds, but just when she was about to say something, he continued. “What was I going to do? Punish you because your boss made you stay at work later? Because you got less sleep when they handed you a last-minute project? It wasn’t your fault and we both knew things would get harder when you started aiming to move up.”
“But…”
“And the few times I decided to punish you anyway you didn’t react well. I could feel you withdrawing like you were mad about it.” And before she could retort, he held up a hand. “It wasn’t the usual after-spanking pouting. It was like you were putting up a wall between us. It started to feel like you no longer wanted me to be your Dom, so I dropped it.”
Her mouth opened, and then closed without a word. Had it been like that? It was so long now she couldn’t really remember. “I always wanted you to be my Dom.” That much at least was true.
“It didn’t seem like it to me, sweetheart. And, let’s be honest, since you moved into your new position you’ve been a lot more independent. I just didn’t think you wanted my help that way anymore.”
“So… this is all my fault?”
He dismissed that with a quick head shake. “Didn’t say that. People change. Needs change. I love you, all of you, not just a role. When you love someone and want to make things work, you have to adapt. So, I accepted what I thought you wanted, and adapted.”
“You could have asked.” It was all she could think of to say.
“You’re right.” He nodded in agreement. “I could have. Should have. I fucked up and that’s on me for assuming.” There was an expectant expression on his face after he said it.
She was supposed to do her part now and admit to her own fault in all of this—and there was more than enough blame to go around, she was sure. But she was also stubbornly unwilling to do that.
The silence drew out between them, but once he realized she wasn’t going to speak he gave a little half-shrug and picked up where he’d left off. “Seems like I was mistaken from my end, and I’m sorry about that, but it’s good to know you still want me to be in charge, because you’re in a heck of a lot of trouble.”
Her mouth dropped open and an indignant squawk rolled out. “You can’t just—”
“Can’t just what? Punish you? Pretty sure that’s part of my job as your Dom. Unless you’ve changed your mind about wanting that from me.” His eyes seemed to darken as he stared her down.
“No, I… I didn’t mean that.” She waved the suggestion away with one hand. “But it’s not fair to just… to just suddenly take control after all this time and then inform me I’m in trouble for rules you haven’t been enforcing.”
His head tipped to the side, as he considered what she’d said. “You’re not wrong, Ally. Maybe it’s a little unfair to suddenly step up after letting things slide, but there’s a couple things you’re not taking into account.”
He paused dramatically, and then held up a finger. “First, I think we both know I’m not the only one at fault for letting things break down here. One of your rules has always been to let me know if you needed help. You didn’t. Am I wrong?” One eyebrow went up as he waited.
She pursed her lips, and huffed. Maybe if she stayed silent, he’d just continue.
“Do you need more time in the corner to think about the question?”
That was the last thing she wanted. “You’re not wrong,” she admitted finally.
“Thank you. Second,”—he put another finger up—“we have to start somewhere. Besides, haven’t I let things slide long enough? Is letting this go really going to help anything?”
Her glance dropped to her lap where her hands twisted and twined. “I guess not.” Her voice was so soft that her own ears barely picked it up, but it seemed to be enough for him.