Logan turned a little green. “I thought we were going to Trio.”
“Well, I cooked.”
Seth reached out to touch her hand. “Sweetie, it’s our first night here. Let’s go out. We can have it tomorrow night. Or we could save whatever you cooked for lunches and leftovers.”
“You have to eat a thing to have leftovers.” That answered one question. They didn’t want to take her seriously at all and they weren’t willing to be polite to save her feelings. “Why am I here?”
Logan sighed. “I told you she wasn’t listening.”
Fine. She was dumb as dirt. Her stomach was getting tight, and anger was starting to boil a little. “No, I wasn’t. I was thinking about something else. So tell me why I’m here. Because I wasn’t brought here to work, and Seth left me alone all day, so I wasn’t brought here to meet your friends. Why am I here?”
Seth’s whole face softened. He was like a gorgeous puppy with perfect abs when he got that look on his face. It had worked on her before, every single time. “Baby, I can’t wait for you to meet my friends. It’s not the time yet. I thought I would give you a couple of days to get settled in.”
“I unpacked. I think I’m settled in.” She was on the fence. He could be very thoughtful. Maybe he was really trying to give her time.
Seth patted her hand. “Uhm, maybe you just need a little time to kind of figure out the social situations around here. Tomorrow I’ll really talk to you about small-town life. This isn’t New York. You have to act a little differently around here.”
“What he’s trying to say is that your big-city princess act won’t fly around these parts,” Logan clarified. He was watching her with hooded eyes as he tipped back his beer.
She got the subtext. Seth didn’t want her to embarrass him. He’d never minded in New York, but it suddenly struck her that he didn’t have anyone in New York that he actually cared about. She’d never seen him hug a friend in New York or smile the way he did here. He’d shown her off in New York because it didn’t matter. Now that they were someplace that it did matter, she wasn’t good enough, and he thought he could change her.
She’d really thought he was the guy. Logan was a pipe dream. She wasn’t even really sure what she’d felt for Logan had been love. It had been a crazy hot attraction. It was still there. Every time she looked at him, she felt like that dumb moth who just kept circling the flame, getting closer and closer with every pass. He’d saved her once. He’d kissed her silly and made her feel more than she’d ever imagined, but he’d made it plain that she was way too much trouble.
Seth had been reality. She’d fit into his world, kind of sort of. She’d thought he liked her the way she was, but it was just another lie. He liked the way she looked. Some guys went for the blonde bombshell thing because they thought the way she looked meant she was good at sex. Her body was better suited for the 1950s. Most of the people she came up against thought she was too fat, but maybe Seth had a curvy-girl fetish.
But it was obvious he didn’t really like her or he wouldn’t be hiding her away.
“That isn’t what I’m saying at all,” Seth said quickly. “I’m just saying it could be a bit of culture shock.”
Logan shrugged. “If she can’t be who she is, there’s no damn reason for her to be here.”
She rather agreed, but the way he said it stung. Tears threatened, but she wasn’t going to cry. Dawsons didn’t cry. They were tough. She’d watched her brothers. They were her only role models. Oh, she’d had a parade of stepmothers, but they were cold for the most part, and she’d seen that crying didn’t work with men. Anger worked. And she was definitely angry. Rage clouded her judgment. Win had been right. She should never have come out here. Now she was alone.
“Try the food.” She didn’t make it a polite request. She wasn’t feeling polite. She stared at Seth because Logan was a lost cause.
Seth stopped and studied her for a moment. She could see that big brain of his working, trying to figure out exactly how to handle her. After a long moment, he nodded. “All right. I would love to try it.”
He was a good liar. He’d even managed to say the words with a smile and an emphasis on the word “love.” She walked over to the Crock-Pot and picked the best parts of the chicken, ladling on some of the rich gravy that had formed. She scooped up some choice potatoes. The plate was pretty. Probably not what he was expecting, but then she was about to show him she didn’t always do what he expected her to do.
“Dude, she’s about to pull some shit.” Logan’s eyes had narrowed. He didn’t move from his seat, but he was watching her like she was a dog who was growling his way.
Georgia set the plate in front of Seth. Logan didn’t matter. “Eat it.”
Seth’s shoulders squared, his face tightening, and just for a second she caught a glimpse of the real man behind the sweet façade. He was ruthless, and he really didn’t like being ordered around.
Logan never took his eyes off her. “I’m telling you, man. Shut this shit down now or I’ll have to do it. You want me to teach you how to top her? It’s not going to be easy.”
Top her? Seth wanted to top her? Well, if he’d wanted to easily do that then he should have stayed her boss. She’d done everything he asked of her then. “I’m not a sub.”
She wasn’t going to admit any of her fantasies at this point. She wouldn’t admit that Nat had talked to her about the possibility that she would be happier in a D/s relationship. She definitely wasn’t going to mention that before she’d left Dallas, Julian Lodge had offered to find a Dom for her.
She’d thought about it. And then left because she’d only wanted one Dom.
“Oh, you’re a sub.” Logan said it with an arrogant little smile that just made her stupid heart pound faster. “That’s what we’ve been negotiating, Georgia. Seth wants me to train the two of you so you can have a D/s relationship. You’re just fighting it. You’re a little sub who likes to rage against the machine because you haven’t found a Dom yet who has the patience to handle you.”
“Well, we both know that’s not going to be you.” He’d made himself plain enough.
The smile vanished. “I might have made a mistake back in Texas, Georgia. Seth wants to explore the lifestyle. I want you. This plan of his gives us all what we want.”
Damn, she should have paid attention. Her heart stopped just a bit. He wanted her? He wanted to be her Dom? God, she’d fantasized about it because Logan was right. After a lot of talks with Natalie and Kitten, she was pretty sure that she was probably more submissive than she wanted to admit. She just hadn’t found anyone she could trust. Was she misreading the situation? She took a deep breath and forced herself to take the leap. “Do you really want me?”
Logan shrugged a little, his eyes sliding away. “Sure. You’re sexy as hell, Georgia. But you should understand that it’s a training relationship. There’s no ‘happily ever after’ here, so don’t get that look in your eyes. Seth is very generously allowing me access to you while you’re in training.”
“Do you have to make it sound so nasty? I think it’s something the three of us can enjoy.” Seth had the fork in hand, but the plate was just sitting there. “I think it’s a good way to explore a relationship. We don’t have to place arbitrary boundaries on it.”
Well, it certainly seemed to work for the boys. There was only one problem. She wanted them to love her, and they’d just proven that they couldn’t. Did they expect to keep her here like some dirty little secret? What would happen when they went back to New York? He’d said he wouldn’t take her back as his assistant. Was she supposed to go back as his submissive? Would he keep her in the apartment for sex and then go about his job and his life like she didn’t really exist? Was this his perverse way of firing her?
She wanted to cry. God, she wanted to wail, but it wouldn’t fix anything and it would just make her look weak. Her father had hated it when she’d cried, told her how pathetic it made her. She couldn’t cry, so she leaned on the
one thing she could always fall back on. Anger.
“Eat it, Seth.” She was determined that he would take one fucking bite and then she would leave. They could take their little plan and go to hell. She would have to suck it up and admit to Win that she’d gotten played. Again.
“I’m telling you, man. This is about to go south,” Logan said. “That’s the voice she uses right before she starts throwing shit.”
Because he knew her so well.
Seth looked between the two of them like he couldn’t quite decide which one to obey. He finally sighed and took a bite of chicken and potatoes. He stopped, chewing thoughtfully, and finally a smile crossed his face. “Georgia, that is excellent. Seriously, Logan, you should try that. It’s really good. Sweetheart, you never told me you could cook.” He used his fork to pull off another piece of the chicken. “This is falling apart it’s so tender.”
Well, she was glad he liked it. And that was all his ass was getting. She pulled the plate out from under him, marched to the trash can, and dumped the whole thing in. He could afford new plates. He was Seth Stark. If he saw something he wanted, he just bought it and used it and discarded it.
“Hey, honey, I said it was good.” He was staring at her like she’d grown another head.
He’d never once seen her mad. It was a damn good thing she was leaving because after this, he would likely throw her out. Now that she knew what he was after—a pretty, trouble-free sex toy—she knew she didn’t fit the bill. She’d been careful around Seth, desperate for him to like her, but all that good behavior had been for nothing. He didn’t want her around his real friends even when she was playing nice. Well, except for Logan, but she was some sort of sexual sacrifice to him.
Stay. Maybe it could work out. And if it doesn’t, at least you’ll know if the sex would be good.
Those voices were back again, but she wasn’t listening. She grabbed the Crock-Pot and chucked that, too.
“Georgia!” Seth had his hands on his muscular hips looking every inch the disapproving male. “Stop it right now. I get it. I was being an ass. Now, sit down and we’ll talk about it.”
“She’s not going to talk. No way. No how. You’re lucky she didn’t dump the contents of that Crock-Pot on your head,” Logan pointed out.
Okay. That would have been a better idea, but she was kind of done with all of it now. Logan looked amused by the situation. She was so glad she could entertain him. Tears kind of blurred her vision as she looked at them.
“Georgia?” Logan asked, frowning and putting his beer down. He sighed. “Come on. Do what Seth says. Let’s sit down and talk this out like adults.”
Because she certainly wasn’t one of those. She was a toy to be kicked around and used up and tossed out when she was no longer pretty or useful. She’d seen it a hundred times before. Her dad had been crazy about her mom until he wasn’t and he’d kicked her out. He’d done it with four different wives and countless girlfriends, and finally he’d been done with each of his kids.
There was only one man she could count on. Win. Ben and Chase didn’t need their obnoxious sister hanging around with their new wife. Mark and Drew were god only knew where. She had one place to go.
She turned on her heels and started for the door.
“Georgia!” Seth yelled.
She grabbed her bag. Maybe he would be nice and send her things to her in Malibu, but he was just as likely to throw them away.
It didn’t matter. All that mattered was getting the hell out and never seeing either of them again. She had to hope she could find her way into town. But there was no way she was staying a second longer.
* * * *
Logan put down his beer and hopped off the barstool. Seth was just staring at the place where Georgia had been standing before making one of her trademarked exits.
Except she hadn’t yelled at them or really thrown crap at their heads like she usually did when she was throwing a hissy fit, brat attack. She’d stared for a minute like she’d lost something and then she’d turned and quietly walked away. She hadn’t even slammed the door. Fuck, he didn’t like how quiet she’d been.
“Are you going to go after her?” Logan asked, praying the answer was yes because he was pretty sure if Seth said no, he would still be walking out that door. And the minute he laid hands on her this time, he wasn’t sure he would be able to stop until he’d stripped her down and spread her wide.
Damn. The minute that evil glint had hit her eyes, his cock had gone to full fucking mast. His whole body had been ready for a fight, ready to take her down, but the quiet exit had him near to reeling. That wasn’t his Georgia. His Georgia really should have tossed something at his head as she spat bile his way.
She’d looked hurt. He’d handled her like crap. Again.
“What the hell was that?” Seth asked. “She’s never once behaved like that.”
Logan frowned at his friend. “You don’t know her, do you? She’s a brat. She hides a whole lot of hurt under that mouth. Tell me something. Was the food really good?”
“It was great.” Seth started moving toward the door.
“How have you lived with her and you didn’t even know she could cook?”
“I have staff. She doesn’t have to cook.”
“Well, you don’t have staff here. And you left her alone all day?” He wasn’t in a huge hurry. She hadn’t grabbed the keys to either of their cars and she wouldn’t get too far in those heels she was wearing. God, the woman was wearing four-inch heeled, fuck-me boots out in the middle of the wilderness. She’d gotten all dressed up and she’d cooked dinner and made cookies. And they’d kind of been assholes. Total assholes. Fuck. Seth needed some goddamn training, too.
“I had stuff to do. I couldn’t take her with me.” Seth’s face became a grim mask as he opened the door.
“And you wanted to figure out just how to handle her before you shoved her out into Bliss,” Logan surmised.
“She’s very city,” Seth said quietly as he walked out onto the deck.
He knew it. Damn Seth. “She’ll be fine. She can talk shoes with Laura and art with Stef and Jen. Tell me something, were you going to let her talk at Trio? Or were you going to pick the booth in the back and hide her away?”
It really pissed him off. If Georgia was his, he would show that fine woman off everywhere. He would even sic her on some of the other women when they got too aggressive. Rachel and Laura could flay a man alive at times and he wouldn’t even go into what his mommas could do. If Georgia was his, he would hide behind her designer skirts at every given opportunity. Conversely, he would beat the holy living shit out of any man who treated her poorly.
Like he and Seth just had.
Seth’s brows came together in a frustrated V. “I thought I would give her some time to adjust. I wasn’t ashamed of her, damn it. I have to go get her. Where the hell does she think she’s going? And I told her the food was good.”
Logan followed Seth across the back deck and caught sight of her stomping across the yard. She was actually making good time in those boots of hers. And she was going the wrong way. She was about to pass Nell and Henry’s and make her way up to Hell on Wheels. He would die before he let her walk into that bar. But he had a couple of minutes to tell Seth a thing or two before they went after her.
“I want you to think about it for two seconds, Seth. God. This is how you work, you know. You make a person feel like they’re the most important thing in the world and then something else comes up and you just expect us to be sitting around waiting for you to come home. She’s not a puppy. You can’t lock her up for the day and expect her to wag her tail and be happy to see you. You have always fucking done this. She got prettied up. She cooked dinner. She made dessert. And we both treated her like it didn’t mean shit. We both thought there was no way she could cook, and then we told her what she was good for.”
Seth went pale. “Sex. Shit. We told her she was good for sex.”
“Yeah. And you’re surpris
ed she’s walking out.”
Seth turned. “I have to stop her. I have to make her understand.”
“Let me get her. If this thing has half a chance of working out, we need to set ground rules now.” Seth had no idea what he was in for. Georgia wasn’t going to listen to sweet reason. They had passed that point. Now that he was looking back on the last ten minutes, he could see just how patient she’d actually been. They’d had a couple of chances to avoid Hurricane Georgia. Now they just had to deal with the winds.
“No. I have to apologize.” Seth took off after her.
Logan groaned. An apology wouldn’t work at this point. Seth should be ready for a full-on brat attack, with flying nails and screams. It was just how Georgia dealt with this level of hurt. It actually didn’t bug Logan all that much. He kind of understood it. Georgia had never had real boundaries. She’d had land mines, but no firm and loving boundaries. She’d had men she worshipped like her brothers, and every other damn man in the world had been a douchebag asshole who let her down, including her father, according to Ben. Georgia was a textbook case of needing a firm but loving hand. He was sure Seth could give her loving, but he wasn’t so sure about the firm part.
Logan stopped at the edge of the deck, his boots hitting some encrusted dirt. Someone had been all over the deck the night before. Had he made that mess?
“Go to hell!” Georgia’s voice carried over the sound of the river.
Logan looked out just as Georgia rounded on Seth, taking him down with one swing of her ridiculously oversized handbag. What the fuck did she carry in that thing? She said something he couldn’t hear but probably questioned Seth’s parentage, and then turned right back around and started across Henry and Nell’s yard.
Seth sat on his butt for a minute before getting up, obviously willing to give it another go. “Georgia, baby! Come on.”