Heat crept across her cheeks. “It’s just a bar…”
“No. It’s a bar that caters to swingers, doms, and subs.”
Oh, dear God. Bridget stared at him. Up until that moment, she really hadn’t believed any of the rumors, and while that was some freaky stuff right there, it wasn’t why she’d bolted. She’d jump in front of a speeding taxi before she admitted why she really ran. “I was at that kind of club?”
He nodded.
“You were at that kind of club?” Holy crap, she was having images of him tying her down—she threw the brakes on that train before it could fully take off.
A smirk played across his lips. “I’m not really big in the lifestyle, but I do like to dominate in bed.”
That train totally just zoomed off, throwing out silk ties and blindfolds and candle wax. All sorts of stuff she’d read in erotica.
“Okay, now that I know you had no idea what you were getting yourself into, which is sort of cute, by the way, that still doesn’t tell me anything. It wasn’t like I handcuffed you to the bed or scared you off.”
Handcuffs? Crimmey. A low heat started in her belly, even though she wondered if she should be so turned on by the idea.
“And you had nothing to fear from me,” Chad continued in a low, smooth voice. “Your pleasure would’ve come first every single time.”
God, she wished he hadn’t said that. “It doesn’t matter. I’m not interested—”
“Bull. Shit. You were interested. And you’re interested now.” Chad leaned in so close that when he spoke his lips grazed her cheek, sending shivers straight to her core. “You may not have known what Leather and Lace was, but you went home with me because you wanted me. I have no idea why you ran, but still, you are very interested.”
“I’m not—”
He swore under his breath, and then he cupped her cheeks. His hands were rough from years of playing baseball, but she liked the feel of them. He tilted her head back and with no other warning, he brought his mouth to hers, kissing away her protests and denials. His tongue swept past her lips, tangling with hers.
The kiss was one of pure dominance and control. His way of proving to her she was attracted to him and still very much interested. And there was no sense in lying or throwing up false protests at this point. Her body yielded to the kiss. Gripping the front of his sweater, she sunk into his hard body and kissed him back with fervor.
It seemed like forever before he lifted his head, breathing just as heavily as she was. Staring down at her, he swallowed hard and slowly removed his hands from her cheeks. “Like I said, you’re still very, very interested.”
…
Bridget didn’t remember walking back to the Smithsonian. Her legs felt like jelly, and she was in a daze. Had Chad kissed her just to prove she wanted him? If so, he’d gotten what he wanted, because the moment his lips touched hers she had turned to goo.
And then he had left her, turned around and left her on the side of the street.
Not like she didn’t sort of deserve it, considering she had left him without a backward glance last time.
Never in a million years would she have thought she’d ever run into Chase and be kissed by him again.
Once she shut the office door behind her, she turned and found Maddie at her desk, hands cupping her chin.
“Bridget?”
She sighed. “Madison?”
Her friend tilted her head to the side as she tapped long, manicured fingers off her cheek. “So, you and Chad…?”
Shuffling to her desk, she plopped down in her seat and toed her way toward the cart. She dropped her purse on it before she answered. “What about it?”
Silence.
Bridget dared a peek at her boss. “What?”
“You two met at a bar?”
At least that part was true. Bridget nodded.
“And you didn’t think to tell me?” Maddie’s eyes narrowed. “It’s not like you wouldn’t know who he was or who he was related to.”
“It really wasn’t a big deal,” she said, glaring at the mass of pens in their holder. Someone had placed a black pen in with the colored ones. Bastard. “I honestly forgot about it.”
Madison snorted. “I don’t believe you.”
Snatching the black pen, she placed it with the blue ones. “We just talked. It was nothing.”
“Nothing… Yeah, okay.” Maddie sat up, crossing her arms, giving Bridget her best bullshit-detector stare. “I’ve known Chad my whole life.”
“I know.” She mirrored her friend’s posture, except the stupid flower poked her in the breast.
Madison smiled a little too brightly. “Chad has always been the…outgoing one. Usually up to no good, but very…playful. When he was younger, he used to always play pranks, and even now he’s really friendly.”
Ah, yes, Chad was really friendly. Bridget schooled her expression.
The look on Madison’s face said she wasn’t fooled. “But I’ve never seen him act like he did with you today.”
Bridget struggled to keep her face impassive while internally she was as curious as Pepsi strung out on catnip. “What do you mean?”
“Well, like I said, Chad has always been a friendly person, but he was so in your personal space I was pretty sure he was going to shove his tongue down your throat at some point.”
Her face flushed.
Madison’s eyes narrowed. “And did he grab your thigh at some point?”
“Uh, I…I think so.” She cleared her throat as she swiveled back to her desk. Pens. Pens needed places for order. “He doesn’t normally do that?”
“Only with women he’s slept with,” she quipped.