Tymber Dalton - Pinch Me

Heat filled her face, but she didn’t answer.

“He didn’t tell you the same way I didn’t tell you that you and Dad used to have lots and lots of conversations about your temper over the years when you were growing up, and even past college. He didn’t tell you the same way I didn’t tell you that, up until you met Rob, you were a pretty miserable person. Like you had a huge chip on your shoulder.”

She slumped farther down in her chair. “I did?”

“Yeah. Like you were trying to prove yourself all the time.”

She studied her hands. “If I was so bad,” she muttered, “why do people even want to be friends with me?”

“Because people love you, Laura. As aggravating as you can be at times, you are ten times as generous and loving and fun to be around. You have your moments. We all do. In other words, you’re as human as the rest of us.”

She didn’t have a reply.

He eventually spoke again. “The reason I love Rob is because I could see how good he is for you. How for the first time in your life you seemed to be relaxed and able to actually enjoy all of life and not drive-drive-drive yourself off a friggin’ cliff. He’s good for you. He gives you a sense of stability, a calm I’ve never seen you have in your life. Before…this, you looked like you’d finally found peace with him.”

“I did?”

“Yeah. So I can forgive him for trying to not overwhelm you with stuff you might not be able to process. Especially a fact like that. I think you should, too.”

“What if there’s more he hasn’t told me?”

“Guess what? There’s probably a lot he hasn’t told you. We can’t regurgitate everything that’s happened in your life or between us and you.”

“I meant holding back deliberately.”

“Like how you can be a pushy, judgmental bitch when your feelings get hurt?”

She glared at him.

He let out a snort. “Oh, don’t give me that look, sis.” He picked up his empty mug and headed back to the kitchen. “If looks could kill, believe me, you would have put me in my grave before you were ten.”

Rob drove to the house, too tired to even think about the fight. He hated himself for not telling her sooner.

He also hated himself for not telling her about the BDSM.

Unfortunately, that was a very complex topic, and involved far more than simply explaining away friends’ unusual relationship dynamics.

What he hated most of all was that he’d lost her trust, something he’d prided himself in keeping and cherishing and protecting beyond all else.

That hurt more than anything. She no longer trusted him.

And he knew he only had himself to blame.

He shut his phone off and climbed into bed. It felt weird to sleep here now. Especially alone. But from the way she’d gone off on him, he knew she needed to calm down, as did he, before they talked.

He was too exhausted to talk. Too exhausted to try to fix the situation.

Not to mention his heart hurt too much.

Maybe she needs time away from me. Time alone to rediscover who she is.

He’d always told himself, ever since he’d taken her on as not just his submissive, but as his fiancée, that if she ever wanted to leave he’d let her go. That he would never stand in her way. That he loved her enough he would never be one of those abusive fucks who held women hostage emotionally.

Now faced with the real possibility of her leaving, he wasn’t sure he was strong enough to survive losing her.

The crazy days working had taken a toll on Rob. When he finally awoke it was after three o’clock in the afternoon and he’d missed a call from Bill, who’d left a message telling Rob they were going grocery shopping and asking how he was.

Nothing from Laura. No texts, no calls.

He knew the shop would be busy but hoped he might be able to talk to Steve for a few minutes. Laura’s truck wasn’t parked out front when he drove up, so he stopped and went in.

Steve took one look at him and waved him outside onto the dock.

“What happened?”

They’d never gone into details about their friends’ private lives with Steve, Carol, and other vanilla friends. They’d met some of their friends before, but that was it.

Keeping BDSM out of the equation, he told Steve what happened, and what he’d done.

Steve rubbed a hand over his face and stared out at the water for awhile. Both boats were out on dive or fishing charters, and the slips sat empty. A cool breeze off the Gulf blew through the mangroves on the other side of the channel from the docks.

Finally, he focused on Rob again.

“I can’t say that I blame you for holding that back from her. In your shoes, I probably would have done the same thing.”

“So how do I make it right?”

“Have you talked to her?”

“Not yet.”

Steve looked out over the water again, slowly nodding. “She’s got a temper on her.”

“Yeah.”

“You know, one thing I haven’t seen much of since the two of you got together is that infamous temper of hers.” He met Rob’s gaze. “She’s been the happiest I’ve ever seen in her life. Carol said the same thing the other day. You’re good for her. Real good.”

The older man leaned forward and tapped the picnic table again with his finger, as he had the other day when they talked. “I’m not about to get involved in your personal relationship with her. I don’t know or care what the two of you do together. All I know is I really want to see her that happy again. So whatever it takes for you to make that happen, I’m all for it.”

Steve sat back with a nod. “I was going to ask if you think a cookout would be a good idea. My house,” he added. “Tomorrow. Invite all your friends, her friends. The closest ones.”

“All of them?”

“All of them.” He didn’t flinch away from Rob’s gaze. “Because maybe if we get them all in one spot together with her, it might help jiggle something loose.”

“You don’t mind?”

“Are they all consenting adults?”

“Yeah.”

“Okay then. Not my cup of tea, but I’m not passing judgment on them. Especially since the past couple of years seem to have been the happiest of her life. They’re part of that every bit as much as you are. If I recall, she met Shayla and Tony and all of them right before she met you.”

“We…I met her through them.”

He nodded again. “All right then. Tomorrow, five o’clock, my house.” He stood and started to go inside.

“What do I tell everyone to bring?”

He turned. “Themselves and a side dish. I’ll make burgers and brats.” He snorted. “Maybe it’ll help your brat.” He headed inside.

It took every ounce of strength Rob had not to bust out laughing. Either Steve had just made one of the funniest unintentional jokes he’d ever heard…

Or maybe Steve knew more than he let on.

Just like he’d nearly busted a nut the other night over Laura’s comment about him being the only one to hurt her.

It was a common private joke they shared, and had given him a little hope that she might be close to a breakthrough.

Either way, it didn’t matter. He pulled out his phone and started making calls. Fortunately, he was off tomorrow night, because he had to work that night from six until six tomorrow morning.

As the day wore on, Laura felt horrible about what she’d said to Rob. Bill was right, she didn’t have a right to be mean to Rob, no matter how aggravated she’d felt. She also didn’t feel up to going into the shop and facing Steve.

Somehow, she suspected he’d give her both barrels for yelling at Rob, too.

She also knew she deserved it.

Knowing Rob needed to sleep before another work shift that night, Laura wondered if he’d even come by the house before he left for work.

When she didn’t call him, Bill did, leaving a message for Rob before they went grocery shopping.

Finally, a little after five, Rob stopped by, dressed for work.

She got up and went to him and put her arms around him, buried her face against his chest. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I’m really, really sorry. I shouldn’t have yelled at you.”

Tension drained from him as he carefully hugged her. “It’s okay, sweetie. I know this is stressful.”

“Yeah, but you didn’t deserve me going after you like that.”

“We’ll get through this.” He made her look up at him. “But, seriously, can you trust me?”

She nodded. “Yeah. I do.”

He kissed her. It made her want to cry again, the sweet tenderness of it.

“Tomorrow, at Steve’s, we’re having a cookout. All our friends.”

“He knows about the fight?”

Rob smiled. “Yeah. I went over and talked to him to get some advice.”

Now she really felt horrible. “Sorry,” she softly said.

“It’s okay. He offered to hold the cookout. I’ve already called everyone and they’re coming down. Five o’clock.”

“Everyone?”

He nodded. “Everyone that’s a close friend. People from the shop, a few local friends. But yes, including Shayla and Tony and everyone.”

A stray thought floated through. “What about Steve and Carol? Are they okay with…that?”

“It was Steve’s idea.” He stared into her eyes. “Okay?”

She nodded. “Okay. Thank you.”

“You don’t need to thank me.”

“Thank you for forgiving me.”

The way his expression shifted nearly broke her heart. The anguish lurking just below his surface made her feel even more horrible for the things she’d said and thought. “Laura, I’ll do whatever it takes to make sure you’re happy, and that you can trust me, and to help you get your memory back and keep you safe. If it means a few bumps in the road along the way, well, that’s nothing. I’ll go through that and more a thousand times over if it means I can take care of you and make you happy.”