Beg Me by Jennifer Probst

no part of. He relaxed in the booth, drank his beer, hung with his brothers, and enjoyed being next to Cara. The heat from her bare leg practically seethed through his jeans and burned him. The scent of musk drifted from her skin. So familiar. So enticing.
    Like arousal.
    The thought skittered past his brain and stopped. His dick was so hard, it strained his pants and made sitting so close uncomfortable as hell. Was she hot for him? If he slipped his hand underneath her denim skirt and between her thighs, would he find her wet for him?
    “I heard Paul is treating you well over at Chains,” Rick mentioned. “I’m glad. He’s a good guy.”
    Cara didn’t seem too nervous that Rick knew details. Since they were all involved in the lifestyle, no one had to worry about freaking out anyone else, and they talked as openly as they would in a club. Rem always told her it was hard to keep secrets from his brothers. It would drive most women batshit crazy, but Cara loved being involved in a large, noisy family. It was another part of her he adored so much.
    “Yes. He thinks I’m ready to take on a public scene.”
    WTF?
    His fingers jerked around his beer. “What are you talking about?” he demanded.
    She looked at him, startled. “Paul thinks I’m ready to push myself a bit more.”
    “That’s fucking ridiculous,” he grated out. He fought back the simmering anger ready to explode. What was going on? He’d assumed Cara was backing out of the club after their night together. She wasn’t ready for another Dom. Sure he’d wanted to tear Paul apart piece by piece for having his hands on her, but Paul was doing right by Cara allowing her to explore the BDSM world the right way. Still, she wasn’t ready to display herself to a crowd who watched her. “A public scene is a big commitment. If Paul is pushing you, there’s something seriously wrong.”
    Her gaze narrowed. Annoyance gleamed from meadow green eyes. “It’s not Paul’s decision, just his recommendation. I know if I’m ready or not, Rem,” she said coolly. “But that’s up to me. Not you.”
    “It certainly is up to me,” he shot back. “You’re not ready for that shit and I’m not letting you do it.”
    “You don’t have a choice. You have no right.”
    “Watch me.”
    “No, Rem. You’re my friend, remember. You don’t want any more than that.” Her voice dropped to a whisper. “You can’t be both.”
    Her last words struck him like a meaty punch in the stomach. They stared at each other, the sexual energy whirling around them like a violent tornado. Rem smothered a violent curse, shaking with frustration.
    Summer finally spoke up. “It’s definitely a leap, but you’ll know if you’re ready. I did.” Rafe took her hand and pressed her palm to his lips. “If this is a part of who you are, who you need to be, Chains is a good place to find it.”
    “Thanks.” She forced a smile and stood up. “I have to go. Harry is still nervous when I leave him alone for too long.”
    “I’ll walk you out,” he said gruffly.
    “No.” The word lashed him like a whip. “I’ve got this. Thanks for letting me join you guys, tonight. I loved meeting everyone.”
    They said their goodbyes while Rem remained quiet. She walked away, and he stared at the table, taking note of the trickle of water linking his beer glass to hers.
    “Rem?”
    He looked up. Rick seemed to be the one to speak for all of them. “Go after her. Tell her you’ll be her Dom at Chains. You belong together.”
    He’d thought that once before. He’d been wrong. He’d spent years questioning every move, every action, until he lay awake at night with a burning emptiness in his gut. His life after Cara had been a mess of jagged pieces he was desperate to put back into a puzzle. Now, she’d returned, and he wanted her just as bad. Logically, he understood he was still afraid of getting hurt. Afraid of not giving her what she needed. Afraid of failing them both.
    “I