Chapter 98 (1/2)

“She interviewed me for the WSU student newspaper.”

“Which Kate edits,” Ana interjects.

“I want to be a journalist,” Kate tells Mia.

My father offers Ana some wine while Mia and Kate discuss journalism. Kavanagh has an internship at the Seattle Times, no doubt set up for her by her father.

From the corner of my eye I notice that Ana’s studying me.

“What?” I ask.

“Please don’t be mad at me,” she says, so low that only I can hear.

“I’m not mad at you,” I lie.

Her eyes narrow, and it’s obvious she doesn’t believe me.

“Yes, I am mad at you,” I confess. And now I feel like I’m overreacting. I close my eyes.

Get a grip, Grey.

“Palm-twitchingly mad?” she whispers.

“What are you two whispering about?” Kavanagh interrupts.

Good God! Is she always like this? So intrusive? How the hell does Elliot put up with her? I glower at her, and she has the sense to back off.

“Just about my trip to Georgia,” Ana says, with sweetness and charm.

Kate smirks. “How was José when you went to the bar with him on Friday?” she asks, with a brash look in my direction.

What. The. Fuck. Is. This?

Ana tenses beside me.

“He was fine,” she says quietly.

“Palm-twitchingly mad,” I whisper to her. “Especially now.”

So she went to a bar with the guy who was trying to ram his tongue down her throat the last time I saw him. And she’d already agreed to be mine. Sneaking off to a bar with another man? And without my permission…

She deserves to be punished.

Around me, dinner is being served.

I’ve agreed not to go too hard on her…maybe I should use a flogger. Or maybe I should administer a straightforward spanking, harder than the last one. Here, tonight.

Yes. That has possibilities.

Ana’s looking down at her fingers. Kate, Elliot, and Mia are in a conversation about French cooking, and Dad returns to the table. Where’s he been?

“Call for you, darling. It’s the hospital,” he says to Grace.

“Please start, everyone,” Mom says, passing a plate of food to Ana.

Smells good.

Ana licks her lips and the action resonates in my groin. She must be starving. Good. That’s something.