The Shy Dominant by Jan Irving Read Free Book Online Page A

up to, learn to trust. And in trusting him, they learned to trust themselves. They became better people and better fire fighters as a result.
    But asking Taz to mentor him because it was rumoured Taz was an experienced Dom was totally different. But what else could he do? He couldn’t get his woman out of his head, yet at the same time he was out of his league. He had all these fantasies, this hunger. Would he repulse Dharma? He felt so clumsy.
    He’d already blown it once.
    Fred said tersely, “I don’t know how to do this, to romance someone like Dharma.”
    “Romance?” Taz’s lips curled.
    “Yes, romance. Sex begins in the brain and the heart. If you ever dated smart people, you’d know this.”
    He hated remembering the look on Dharma’s face when he’d rejected her.
    It was killing him.
    When he’d visited the coffee house this morning Dharma immediately went into the back, leaving Sian to serve him. It had made him ache. Damn, he needed to talk to her. Just needed her…
    Somehow he had to win her back, give her what she’d asked for when she’d made herself so vulnerable to him on his kitchen countertop.
    “Will you teach me how to enthral her?”
    Taz blinked, then his eyes narrowed.
    “What?”
    “Just…the best Doms are obsessed with the needs of their subs.”
    Taz grinned, but then his expression became instantly impassive as a slender brunette crossed from her garden to his, carrying bulbs and soil.
    “What are you doin’?” he demanded. “I told you to stay off my property, Jenny.”
    Hurt moved through the young woman’s large vulnerable eyes. Fred felt instant annoyance with Taz. “You are such an asshole,” he muttered, going to the stranger.
    “Hi, I’m Fred. Are you Taz’s neighbour?” He stuck out his hand and Jenny flushed, putting down the bulbs and taking off her garden glove so she could shake.
    “I’m Jenny Ann Green, and yeah, I am.” Her accent was Southern, which went with her old world Laura Ashley style of dress. Christ, she was about the same age as Dharma but they couldn’t have been more different. This girl was shy and uncertain. Fred felt an instant kinship with her.
    “My condolences on having Taz as your neighbour.”
    “What are you doing here?” Taz crossed his arms, looking big and scary.
    “I…I forgot I’d cut these bulbs out for your yard. My grandma taught me to share—”
    “Take your bulbs and get lost.”
    Jenny paled, but then with cool dignity, turned her back on Taz and retraced her steps.
    “How could you be such an asshole?” Fred demanded. “She’s obviously a sweet person.”
    Taz stared after Jenny, face hard.
    “Taz?”
    “She needs to stay away from me.”
    “I’m sure she will since you’re acting like such a jackass.” Fred headed back to his SUV. No way could he ask Taz for help now. No way. Not after witnessing how cruel he’d been to someone innocent. He needed someone with heart to give him advice on Dharma, not just an unfeeling sex manual.
    “Wait…”
    Taz was at Fred’s door. He didn’t meet Fred’s gaze. In a voice so soft, Fred could barely catch his words, Taz said, “Jenny scares me, all right?”
    With that, Taz strode back to his house.
    Fred shook his head. “Who the hell are you, Taz?”
    * * * *
    “She’s very pretty.”
    Fred pretended not to hear the comment. “The girls are thrilled you’re coming to the dance recital.” He turned the SUV onto the side street that offered the best chance of finding parking at the busy community arts centre.
    Marilyn shrugged. “Least I could do since I’m in town.”
    “How long are you staying?” He had offered her the guest room in the house, but he didn’t want her there.
    “Just until the wedding. They grew so fast,” Marilyn noted as they walked towards the centre. “I never thought… The years just went by so fast.”
    “You need to respect their home, their routine. I’ll fight you to keep them, Marilyn. You’ll have to take the time