Dare Me

Summer glanced at the clock by the bureau. Six AM. Dawn had broken beyond the bat cave blinds of the bedroom suite. He slept with a peaceful slumber that broke her heart. They'd woken up a few more times to make love and snuggle, but it had taken him a while to surface after diving into the sub space after his first orgasm.

She took in his strong, muscled body, carved chest, olive skin. Dark curls tumbled over his forehead and her fingers itched to touch them. A rough five o'clock shadow stubbled his chin with a rough sexiness she craved on a full time basis. Oh yeah, I'm completely screwed. And not in a good way.

She'd fallen hard for Rafe Steele.

Dear God, how can I ever go back to my old life? He'd wrecked her for all others-wrecked her for the normal vanilla sex with its nice boundaries and neat actions that barely scratched the surface of deep emotion. By giving in to his needs, his want, he'd given her a priceless gift.

She sat up in bed. What had she done? How had he snuck past her defenses so quickly? When she'd visited that club for her orientation, she met many subs and not one had connected with her. Her experimentation with play called to her soul, but he'd ruined her for every man who might follow. Unless she asked him to stay.

As if reading her mind, he opened his eyes.

His smile lit up her insides with a glowing warmth. She wanted the time to treasure him, to show him the exotic world of submission that completed both of their souls. But he needed to have the courage to try to reach out for what he wanted. He needed to take the dare.

He pulled her down for a kiss. His lips moved over hers with the knowledge of a lover, and she gave it all back to him before finally pulling away. "What's wrong?" His voice was gritty and rough from sleep. "It's morning," she said simply.

Recognition dawned. He sat up, the sheets twisted around his hips. A mix of trepidation and want filled his eyes. "Are you kicking me out of the bed?" He tried for humor, but it fell flat in the waiting silence. She took a deep breath. She expected honesty from a sub, but that honesty began with her. "No. But are you ready to hear what I really want?"

He squeezed his eyes shut, as if preparing himself. "Yes."

"I want you." The words hung in the room like smoke after a gunfire. "I never expected to feel like this, but I want to see you again. I'd like to see where this relationship can go, if you're willing to try. You're an incredible man, Rafe Steele. You have everything I've always wanted, and after one night, I don't want to let you go. But if you don't feel the same way about me, I release you. Our contract ended at dawn. I will thank you for the most incredible evening of my life, and move on. I will never contact you again, and everything that happened behind these doors will never be mentioned."

Raw emotion glimmered in his eyes. His jaw clenched. Unclenched. Then the words spilled out of his mouth. "I don't want to let you go. I've never felt like this before. But I don't know if I can commit to this lifestyle." "I dare you."

He sucked in his breath. "Dare me to what?"

"To be honest with what you want. I'm not asking you to admit the lifestyle to your brothers or in public. This is private, between us. But I need to know you'll explore it with me. And give me everything I ask behind closed doors."

He seemed to struggle between the lure of his fantasy and the fear of reality. Her heart pounded and the blood squeezed through her veins. He needed to make his own choice or they could never work.

"I can't do it yet, Summer. I'm not ready."

She acknowledged his limitation and a heavy grief pressed into her limbs. Perhaps he would never be ready, but she needed to move down her own path and find her own answers. Tears pricked her eyelids. She leaned forward, kissed him, and slid out of bed.

"I understand, I really do. But I can't follow you right now. Thank you for everything you gave me, I won't forget it." She paused. "I won't forget you."

She gathered her clothes and closed the bedroom door behind her.

***

Rafe listened to the door shut and sat in the silence of the room.

She'd left.

An ache spread from his gut slowly outward, until his body throbbed as if he'd contracted the flu. Why was he having such a hard time letting her go? They'd had sex. Great sex, but it had only been one night. Relationships didn't form that fast, right?

He'd finally surrendered to his fantasy and it was everything he'd always dreamed. But now it was time to get back to reality. He'd find a woman to play lightly with, but no one who wanted a hardcore sub in the bedroom. Fantasies weren't meant to be forever.

Still, the idea Summer would find another sub to torture, fuck, heal, and pleasure made him sick. Rafe forced the images out of his head and tried to be rational. She led a different life from him and he couldn't follow. No way would he go to some club and be outed. No way would he take a backseat in a relationship when he was used to commanding on a daily basis. He'd just wanted a taste for the bedroom.

Now, it was over.

He clenched his jaw and climbed out of bed. Time to return to his real life, a life that was big and wonderful. He adored his brothers, his job, and his new home. Now, that he'd gotten his fantasy out of his system, Rafe was sure he'd be more satisfied finding a woman who was better suited to him.

He vowed to put Summer Preston out of his mind forever.