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normal?
    “How’s your ankle?”
    She flexed the offending joint, wincing as pain shot up her
leg. “Still sore.” At least speech was getting easier.
    “It will be. When you’ve had a shower I’ll get an ice pack
on it and strap it up for you.”
    Shower? Who said she was having a shower? Obviously his
perception of her visit to his apartment was at odds with her own. But Lord,
she thought as she flexed her stiffening shoulders, she could really do with a
shower—when the bag thief had sent her flying, parts of her body had moved in
ways they weren’t supposed to.
    She got to his apartment the same way she’d got from the
office to his car—in his arms. And whatever she’d imagined that apartment to be
like, it was nothing like the masculine statement of the reality—a wide-open
space decorated in black, brown and cream with the odd, rich dark-red accent,
all in an ultra-modern style.
    The main living area was split-level. The central sunken
area provided a focal point, with comfortable seating arranged around a large,
chunky coffee table that could almost have been a piece of modern art. The
raised outer area was almost like a wide walkway round the perimeter from where
other rooms could be accessed. Almost diagonally opposite the main entrance
there was an open-plan kitchen and dining area—again ultra-modern.
    Adam carried her down to one of the huge comfortable-looking
sofas and gently lowered her to it. Her eyes quickly took in other features—the
modern flame-effect fire on the wall, the bookcases, the impressive-looking
sound system, all very masculine. There were only two other doors, one of which
had to lead to Adam’s bedroom.
    The man himself looked down at her, his expression
unreadable. “Right. First things first. I’ll show you round later, not that
there’s much to see. Can you tolerate aspirin? Good, stay there and I’ll bring
you some.”
    She watched him covertly as he moved around the kitchen.
He’d divested himself of his jacket and tie and in the fitted white shirt she
could appreciate the play of his powerful muscles. She shivered slightly,
remembering how it had felt to be in his arms, cradled carefully against that
broad chest. When he turned to bring her the medication and a glass of water,
she saw that he was also carrying a plate of crackers and cheese.
    “You need to eat,” he said, his expression unyielding. “You
can’t take aspirin on an empty stomach and since we haven’t had dinner yet, you
have to have something.”
    Beth waited for him to leave the plate on the coffee table
so she could help herself. The last thing she expected was for him to sit
beside her and actually feed her the snack. Was he really sitting there, large
as life, presenting the cracker and Brie as if he were feeding a child?
Wide-eyed, she looked at him and in return received a raised eyebrow and a
stern look.
    “Eat.”
    Her eyes never left his as she took a bite, chewed and
swallowed. If she’d thought that that would satisfy him, she’d was sadly
mistaken. He let her take a sip of water, then watched as she took a second
bite. When she went to take the cracker from him, the look in his eyes was
enough to stay her hand. The process continued until both crackers were
finished. He then dropped the aspirin into her hand.
    “And make sure you have all the water. Good girl.” He took
the glass from her when she’d finished it. “I think we could do with a drink.
Tea or coffee?”
    “Coffee. Thank you.” Again, she was unable to meet his gaze.
Why did the image of a sub thanking her Dom for attending to her needs come so
easily to mind?
    She watched him again while he made the coffee. He really
was irresistible as a spectator sport. At one point, his mobile phone rang and he
took the call in the kitchen area. She couldn’t hear his side of the
conversation but something made her think it was to do with her predicament—a
feeling that Adam confirmed when he returned, bearing a tray laden