The next thing she knew, he was carrying her across the threshold to his inner sanctum.
* * *
She had a flashing impression of a seating area surrounding a fireplace decorated with rich, luxurious fabrics in shades of muted red, dark brown, gold, and ivory. He set her down on her feet. When she turned to him, she realized he’d placed her at the foot of an enormous bed with a carved cherrywood headboard and four posters that must have been eight feet tall.
He walked to a mirrored door and opened it. When he disappeared, she craned to see him. He returned a moment later carrying a small box and . . . something that looked like cloth handcuffs attached to a black s
trap. The handcuffs were stitched very close together onto the length of tightly woven fabric.
“I’m going to tell you exactly what I plan to do, and if you choose not to participate in any part or all of it, just say so,” he said, walking toward her. She realized he’d probably noticed the uncertainty on her face when she’d seen those cuffs. He set the box on the bed and held up the black strap. “Go ahead and touch it,” he said quietly. She took the item and held it up to examine it while he unfastened the first two buttons of his dress shirt. “What do you think?” he asked.
“It’s very lightweight,” she said, trying to be objective even though her choppy breath betrayed her. She squeezed one of the cuffs. “And soft.”
“Metal handcuffs can bruise,” he said. “Especially in the heat of the moment. Your skin is pale and delicate. I’ll have to take extra care.”
She raised her brows and gave him an amused glance. He smiled and pointed at the tall bedpost. “I’m going to have you put your hands over your head, wrists together, and restrain you to the bedpost. Then I’m going touch you again. Any way I please, but for your pleasure.”
Any way I please, but for your pleasure.
She swallowed as his voice replayed in her head.
“I don’t understand,” she confessed, despite the sexual charge that had gone through at his stated intent. “Why do you have to restrain me? Isn’t touching me enough?”
“Oh, it’s more than enough,” he assured. “And if that’s what you’d like, you know what I’ve told you. Just tell me. I won’t be disappointed. Trust me. Do you believe me?”
She nodded.
“As for your question, maybe you should just find out for yourself why being restrained might have its advantages. For me, it’s because I have you at my mercy. You have to accept what I give you. On the other hand, everything you experience, all the anticipation and the pleasure, are mine. Mine to give. Yours to receive.” His eyes took on a feral glint.
“All right,” she said. “You can do it.”
“You haven’t heard the rest yet,” he said, his dark brows arching. “After you’re restrained, I’m going to put this inside you,” he said, lifting the box. He approached her and pointed at the photo on the box with his finger. “It’s a dual vibrator, very compact. One end goes inside you and the other buzzes your clit. It does its job so that I can touch you at my leisure,” he said, his deep voice dropping in volume and tickling her ear and nape. She nodded anxiously. She’d never used a vibrator before on her own, let alone with a man. It didn’t look too intimidating, however.
“What’s that?” she asked, pointing at an item featured on the box.
“Remote-control mechanism. I’m going to set the vibrator at a low level,” he explained, opening the new package, “and you can hold the remote control.”
“I get to hold it?”
He nodded, watching her face as he withdrew the vibrator. “I’d rather do it myself. I told you I was selfish, and I have a feeling I’m going to be over-the-top selfish when it comes to owning your pleasure.” Something about the way he said it made her nipples pinch tight. What mysteries was she about to experience? “But I realize you need some control at first, and this is a way for you to have it. What do you think?”
She nodded. She was having extreme trouble controlling her breath. “And when I’m restrained, you’re just going to touch me?”
“Yes. My hand against your skin. That’s all. And you’re going to come,” he said bluntly. “Several times. Then I’m going to lay you on that bed and fuck the daylights out of you.”
He watched her closely, the corner of his gorgeous mouth tilting when he saw her amazement. Without telling herself to, her gaze flickered down the length of his body. The bulge in his crotch area was glaringly obvious. As she looked, she saw the thick crown of his cock flick against the denim. She looked up into his face quickly and saw his knowing smile. “I think I’ll take you in a straight-up missionary position, like grandpa and grandma did it,” he murmured intimately, a thread of humor in his tone. He reached for the bottom of her T-shirt. “It’s going to be fantastic. We’ll reinvent a classic.”
She laughed softly at that and had a glimpse of his grin widening. She appreciated his levity as both her anxiety and arousal escalated. His fingers moved along her back, and she realized he was unzipping her dress. It was strangely exciting, hearing him speak aloud what he planned to do to her. He moved so quickly and concisely that before she knew it, she stood before him wearing only a light pink bra-and-underwear set, her dress pooled around her feet.
She stepped out of her sandals and kicked them aside. She looked into his face as he reached around to unfasten her bra. His head was lowered and they stood close. She caught his male scent and resisted an urge to bury her nose in his cotton-covered chest. How could he smell and feel so good? Was it possible to become addicted to another human being?
The hook on her bra released, and he met her stare as he drew the straps over her shoulders and down her arms. Her clit pinched in acute arousal when she saw the heat in his blue-green eyes. When he slipped the straps over her hands and the bra fell to the floor, he caught her forearms and lifted both of them over her head.
“Stay like that,” he instructed huskily. His gaze lowered over her. “It’s the first time I’ve ever seen you in good light.” He opened his hands on her ribs and swept them upward. With her arms above her head, her skin was pulled tight. She shivered at the sensation of his whisking hands. He cupped her breasts from below and held them up for his inspection. It was lewd. Arousing.
She held her breath as he ate her up with his stare.
“So beautiful,” he murmured, running his large thumbs over the peaking crests. “I’m not going to get enough of these nipples. Look how tight they get, just from a touch. And the skin is so soft,” he said, his fingers moving ever so slightly on the mounds.