"Or would you prefer to be my pet?" he asked, yanking the chain.
She gasped and placed her hands on his thighs to brace herself then nodded her head.
"Say it," he demanded.
She bit into her lower lip and moved her eyes over the bulge in his pants. W...
Damien had followed Amelia home after a tense dinner. He couldn't in good conscience return to his own home without seeing for himself that she was safe. As she changed in the bedroom, he remained in the living room, studying the collection of books that lined the walls of her small apartment.
When she finally emerged from the bedroom, she was wearing an oversized t-shirt. As she secured her long hair in a clip, her shirt lifted just past her midriff, exposing the black panties underneath. She blew the few loose strands of hair framing her diamond shaped face out of the way and walked into the kitchen to retrieve a glass cup.
"Do you want anything to drink?" she asked, holding up the glass to him.
Damien shook his head as he grabbed a book off the shelf and approached her with it. "Life in a Cage is the reason why I started Transforming Justice."
Amelia blankly stared into the sink as she filled up her glass and hummed.
"This looks pretty beat up," he commented, examining the bent spine and coffee stained pages. "You must have read it tons of times."
"I did," she confirmed. She turned off the tap and took a sip of the cold water. "Brooke had to read it for a poli-sci course our freshman year. After skimming the first chapter, she passed it off to me and dropped the class. I guess she didn't like that the author critiques systems that use mass incarceration to disguise modern day segregation."
"Unfortunately, this is a concept that can't be grasped by everyone, especially those who haven't been affected by oppressive systems." He placed the book on the kitchen island and watched her from behind the sink. "Is criminal justice reform something that you're passionate about?"
She shrugged. "I'm passionate about a lot of things."
"I'm not surprised, considering how much I've learned about you tonight." He chuckled when she bowed her head and blushed. "You aren't just Vaughn Morris' assistant. You're a leader, Amelia, and I meant it when I said I wanted you on my team."
"Moving into a lateral position is not something I'm interested in at the moment."
"Then forget about the executive assistant position," he told her. He walked around the island and pulled her in at the waist. With one hand on her cheek, he lifted her head and forced her to meet his gaze. "I'll put you in the field where you can help share stories. We can start a movement and make real change happen."
She laughed and shook her head at him, although he hadn't said anything humorous. "That sounds really great, Damien, and if you were anyone else, I'd jump at the opportunity."
"What are you saying?"
"I'm saying that it wouldn't be a good idea to work together," she answered. She quickly dropped her gaze before she could catch his reaction. Based on the rise and fall of his chest and the deep intake of breath, she could tell that he didn't like her response. "You've built something truly amazing, and I'd hate for it to fall apart because we mixed business with pleasure."
Damien sighed. He couldn't deny that she had made a valid point. Typically, he was rational and considered all possible outcomes for a situation, but he hadn't even thought twice about offering Amelia a job. Reluctantly, he released her and shoved his hands into his pockets, resisting the urge to touch her again.
"You're right," he said with a forced smile. "Anyway, I should let my sweet girl get to bed. It's been a long night."
Amelia didn't protest when he began walking toward the door. He didn't turn back to look at her, not even when she quietly said, "Goodnight, Damien."
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