relax,” I tell him with a small smile. “Think about what you’d like. I want to please you. Take your time.”
He nods, his gaze still on the toys. “Okay.”
He walks to me and tugs the blanket away from my body. He looks me over, then runs a hand up my belly to my breast.
“Can’t we just be gentle at first?” He kisses my neck.
“Of course,” I agree shakily. Inside my worst fears are coming true. He doesn’t want this.
His teeth close around my earlobe, and I gasp. Then he moves away and fingers a few of the toys.
When he lifts the belt, I blurt, “Is that to tie me up or spank me?” I mentally smack my forehead, hard. I can’t believe I just said that.
His brow furrows as he processes my words. He looks at the belt, then back to me. His lips curl at the corners. “Both.”
I think I might faint.
He cocks his head to the side. “You want that?”
So badly. I nod eagerly.
“I’m worried I’ll hurt you.”
I roll my eyes. “That’s the idea.”
He doesn’t say a word as he stares at the belt. The room is silent, and I wait with bated breath for his response. I should’ve put on music. I can hear my own heartbeat.
“Just start slow.” I fiddle with the sheet. Please try. “If it’s more than I can handle, I’ll tell you.”
He still looks unsure, so I continue, “It’s an experiment for both of us. I’m sure we’ll make mistakes. But I know you have enough control not to truly harm me.”
Finally he looks at me with a fairly passable stern face. “Lay back and give me your hands.”
I obey instantly when I might have otherwise been sassy. I want to encourage him, not challenge him. Not yet anyway. My evil side grins.
He cuffs my hands together and attaches them to the bedpost with the rope, leaving my legs free.
“If you kick me, I’ll cuff your legs too,” he says, low and dangerous.
I’ve kicked him before. But the way he said this, I’m instantly wet with arousal.
While his words are still running through my head, he flips me to my stomach. My vulnerable areas are covered, and calmness sweeps me. This position has always been more comfortable for me, but Nick happens to be a breast man. There’s another reason we’re incompat—
The slap of the belt on his palm has me on high alert. My heart races.
Oh. My. God.
I can’t believe this is happening. The first whack stings, but not nearly as bad as I thought. He does it again, and I yelp.
“ Shh! ” he orders.
I huff. “Why do I have to be—”
The belt hits my butt cheek. “Ow!”
Someone has taken the Dom article to heart. I grumble because this is not what I expected. He massages my ass, then strokes up and down my back. The slight heat spreading across my rear, the pull on my arms, and the hard edges of the handcuffs on my wrists—all of it soothes me in a way I’ve never experienced. My fists unclench. My body stills. I relax into the mattress. He slaps me a few more times with his hand, chastising me when I make noise. But the pain is nothing compared to the pleasure. The throb between my legs is intense. My clit is swollen and tingling. I’ve never felt so needy. And for the first time ever, I actually want him inside me.
He turns me onto my back. This time when he palms my breasts, I arch into it instead of away, enjoying the scrape of his calluses on my nipples. With a hand on either thigh, he opens my legs, then positions himself between them. His erection rubs against my opening, slipping in my moisture, but I tense out of habit. He backs away and puts on a condom. When he comes back, his eyes are fierce and determined. I’ve seen that look before. Instinctively I put a leg up to block him.
He arches a brow and holds my ankle down onto the sheet. Then I see him reach for the cuff, and my breath quickens.
“No,” I plead.
He stops and watches me from narrowed eyes. “I’ll just do one leg.”
I don’t answer. I hate that I panicked. This is what I wanted!
He must see the
Learning to Kill: Stories