“What happened?”

“I wasn’t very sure of myself. He helped, though. He guided me a little by asking what you and I had done together, then suggesting we do that.”

He raised an eyebrow. “So you watched a movie?”

She nodded.

“So after you gave him some commands to set it up, did he just kneel by your feet and watch the movie, or did you tell him about being disobedient then have to punish him like I did to you?”

Her cheeks flushed nicely at that.

“Tell me,” he said.

Did his sweet Ash actually slap the man’s ass? Did she order him to drop his pants? The thought sent heat straight to his groin, and at the same time a surge of jealousy spiked through him. What the hell was that about?

“I just … verbally punished him.”

She was lying. He knew it. But he wouldn’t call her on it, because he could tell something about the situation had upset her.

“So this man and you are good friends?”

“Yes, we’re pretty close.”

“Do you feel he’d be willing to commit to helping you with this?”

“I think so. Why?”

He smiled. “I was thinking that you might talk him into joining us for a few sessions.”

* * *

When Dare had suggested Adam join them for some sessions, Ashley had gone into shock. Did he mean for the three of them to … Oh, God. But then she realized he just meant to meet Adam and give them some pointers as to how she and Adam could practice together.

And she suspected he wanted to push the two of them together, so he wouldn’t feel so bad walking away.

She explained to him that Adam would not be interested.

* * *

“You’re quiet this morning,” Adam said as they ran along the tree-lined path together. He glanced her way. “Is it because of what happened when I came over the other night? Because I’ll do whatever I can to make it right between us. I’m really sorry about the kiss.”

“No,” she said, “it’s okay.”

But that was a lie. The whole thing, especially his rejection, made her uncomfortable. She had really thought that when he kissed her, they had finally breached the barrier between them and they could move on to a closer, more intimate relationship. One full of possibilities. But he had rejected that.

They were still friends, though, and she wanted that to keep being true.

“Are we still getting together tonight?” she asked. “I still need help with my research.”

“Yeah, of course.”

She had half expected him to refuse after the awkwardness of last time, but Adam always supported her and it seemed he wouldn’t let an unwanted kiss get in the way of that.

God, she desperately wanted to be in a romantic relationship with either one of these phenomenal men, but they had both rejected her on that front. She was starting to wonder if there was something wrong with her.