6

“The pillow…” He blinked. Nodded quickly. “Of course. We’re staying at the Marriott. I could meet you in the lobby—of course, White could meet you there himself.”

“Yes, he probably could.” Madeline decided to just go for it. She wanted to spend some time with Tim, away from his brother and the team. That he hadn’t taken over and asked her out didn’t change that. This would probably go nowhere, but she needed to see that for herself. So she went for blunt honesty. “I think he’s playing matchmaker, which is adorable. I couldn’t disappoint him.”

The skin around Tim’s eyes crinkled as he gave her a broad smile. “You do know he’s twenty-two, not twelve? And a big boy like that isn’t ‘adorable.’”

“Ha! I’ll have you know men don’t fully grow up until they hit their thirties. Most of your team is made up of children.”

“True.” Tim cocked his head slightly. “So you’re going out with me to make the boy happy?”

“I don’t know, Tim.” She grinned at him, having more fun just talking to Tim than she’d had on actual dates. “You haven’t asked me.”

Casually resting his hip on the arm of a seat, arms folded over his chest, Tim shrugged. “I said we could meet in the lobby.”

Something slapped a seat in the back of the bus. Dean made an irritated sound as Tim looked over at him. “You, brother, are an idiot. If you don’t ask her out for coffee, I will.”

Dean’s sharp tone made Madeline shiver. She could imagine him using that tone with her if he wasn’t pleased. Could see herself doing everything in her power to make sure he rarely had a reason to.

She’d been in the lifestyle for a few years, going to clubs in different cities, always sceneing with men more like Dean than Tim. There was no way she’d refuse if Dean asked her for coffee…or pretty much anything. He pushed all the right buttons by simply being in the same space as her.

Tim seemed to notice. He gave her a stiff smile. “He doesn’t say anything he doesn’t mean. He will take you.”

No mistaking his meaning. She frowned, irritated that Tim wasn’t making more of an effort. Even more irritated at herself for wanting him to. She took a deep breath. “I didn’t come here to see him. But I do think I’m wasting both our time. I’ll meet you in the lobby after the game. Good luck.”

Before she could turn her back on him, he put his hand on her arm. She went still. He spoke softly. “Wait.”

For several beats, she stood there, shaking with a strange mix of humiliation, frustration, and…anticipation. His grip on her arm was firm, not enough to hurt, but enough to keep her from walking away. She sensed something in him that she’d been missing before, a power that wasn’t quite as bold as his brother’s, but no less intense.

“I think I misunderstood—it doesn’t matter. Would you like to have coffee with me? Or we could go out for a beer.” He loosened his hold on her arm, but didn’t move it. “I’ll pick you up wherever you’re staying.” His lips twitched at the edges. “We’ll have to stop by the hotel to bring White his pillow though.”

“Naturally.” She wasn’t sure why it made her so happy that he’d finally stepped up, but it did. She turned to face him. “And I wouldn’t mind a beer actually. My treat if your boys win.”

“Hell no! I’ve made enough of a mess of this.” He lifted his hand, brushing his fingertips across her cheek, his gaze as soft and warm as his touch. “Let me show you I can be a gentleman.”

Dean covered a laugh with a cough.

Madeline ignored him. Which was so much easier now with Tim so close. All the Doms she’d been with were sure of themselves, took control of her easily, fulfilled her needs—and nothing more. She had a feeling Tim could give her more, which was frightening and thrilling all at once. She hadn’t gone on a date in a very long time unless one was to count a few meetings with potential Tops. Having a beer with a man who clearly wasn’t trying to get in her pants as quickly as possible, who wasn’t interested in her submission, would be a nice change.

“I’m not sure I’ve ever met a ‘gentleman.’” Oh, that sounded lame. She rolled her eyes and laughed. “Forget I said that. Going out for beer would be nice.”

“Nice?” Tim slid his hand into her hair, moving forward until she was trapped between a seat and his body. His lips were so very close to hers, close enough to feel his breath on her flesh, his heat. “Nice sounds boring.”

She swallowed hard, waiting for him to kiss her. Knowing if he did she was a goner. “It does.”

“I promise not to bore you, Madeline.”

“Good.”

“I hope you enjoy the game.” He released her hair and took her hand. Bent down to press a kiss to the back of it. Smiled up at her when she stared at him. “The way you were looking at me, you were about to make me into a liar. You should go before I stop caring that this bus is about to get very crowded.”

Hell, she was going to need a very cold shower when she got to her hotel room. She quickly gave him her cell number and got off the bus. She knew she was blushing when a few of the boys grinned at her.

That had to have been the strangest way she’d ever been asked out on a date. To have had him simply come on to her would have been simpler, made her feel sexy, but she might have turned him down because he wasn’t a Dom. Somehow, he’d managed to make her forget that she needed that dominance from a man. She wasn’t thinking about doing a scene with him, but she did want to be near him. Wanted him to touch her, to feel his lips on hers.

Which was so wrong, because she knew it could never work. She’d stopped dating a long time ago because her needs weren’t going to change. Accepting that meant she didn’t date. The men who satisfied her needs didn’t date women like her. Her job kept her away for too long for her to serve as a proper sub, even if she’d consider delving that deeply into the lifestyle. Diving in once a month to take off the edge was usually enough. She was happy with her life, had never considered changing it.

And she didn’t have any reason to start.