Bind by Sierra Cartwright

would complicate things far too much.
    Decision made, she went back inside to take a long, cool shower.
    It wasn’t until afterward that she checked her cell phone.
    She’d missed a call from her mother, presumably to confirm their lunch date tomorrow. Either that or her intuition had warned her that her only child was thinking of doing something potentially dangerous.
    There were no emails or texts from Connor. While that didn’t surprise her, she admitted it did disappoint her, even though she hadn’t given him her number. But it reinforced his point. He was a man of his word, something he felt essential to building trust.
    As she towel-dried her hair, she recognized she was playing games with herself. The fact she’d been disappointed that he hadn’t reached out to her forced her to realize that she wanted to see him. She’d liked being in his arms, liked his teasing introduction to the sex they would have.
    Still, she desperately needed some semblance of control. Instead of letting him send his driver, she planned to take her own car. And she wasn’t going to show up at eight.
    She keyed in her message and sent it before she could change her mind and do things his way.
    Less than thirty seconds later, he responded with his address and a code for entry to the parking garage.
    That was it? She stared at the phone, waiting for something more. Anything. But her screen remained blank.
    Seriously?
    She’d expected him to object, insist on sending April, or at least remind her that he was a big bad Dom and that he’d suggested eight o’clock. And he’d given her no arguments. The confounding man made it difficult to get frustrated with him.
    After dropping the phone onto the counter, she hurried into the bedroom.
    She chose her favorite bra. It was a nude color and covered with black lace. She’d paid a small fortune for it at a lingerie shop, and she wore it only on special occasions. Then she grabbed a pair of black underwear, something modest. Not that it mattered, she told herself. She wasn’t intending that Connor would ever see them.
    Then she went into her closet to search for the right outfit. Something that said this was a discussion, not a prelude to his seduction. Something that kept her covered up.
    After sorting through all of the hangers and digging through her drawers, she selected a sleeveless maxidress. She added platform sandals and a little jacket that covered her shoulders.
    Her hair was the next big decision. Up? Loose? She sighed, remembering the way he’d held her when he’d kissed her.
    She opened a drawer and took out a couple of clips to pull it back. Lingering dampness from her shower caused strands to curl around her cheekbones. She pushed them away, hoping they’d stay in place.
    After a minimal brush of mascara and a touch of lipstick, she studied herself then wiped off the lipstick.
    She left her house at seven-thirty and found his place with no delays, meaning she arrived right on time. So she drove around the block several times.
    By the time she entered the parking garage, the clock read eight-oh-five.
    She pulled in and saw him standing near a car that she recognized as the sedan from earlier. He was lazing against a concrete wall, one booted foot propped on the wall behind him.
    He wore a tight, long-sleeved charcoal T-shirt. The shirt had three small buttons, and he’d left the top two open. As if that weren’t bad enough, well-worn blue jeans hugged his legs.
    Lara had to force herself to concentrate. It was impossible to believe she’d asked this man to marry her.
    Her heart did a slow thud in her chest as she imagined coming home to him every day. This just wasn’t possible.
    She took her time parking, aware of him there, arms folded, watching her. She even stalled for a few seconds, gathering her purse, unfastening her safety belt, checking that she had everything.
    Evidently he grew tired of waiting. He pushed away from the wall and strode forward to open her