Page 28 of Bought
His words had been full of a dark authority I couldn’t resist. But I wanted to resist. I could feel the urge to relax into the force of his will and let it carry me, yet I fought it. He couldn’t know that. I didn’t want him to have that kind of power over me.
What I wanted was to hook him so completely that he’d take me back to his house without a second’s thought, and I couldn’t believe I was in danger of falling under his spell myself.
“Kneel?” I had to force the word out as I trembled in his grip, fighting that horrifying sense of vulnerability. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”
His fingers flexed around my throat, more a light caress that anything else, and it made goosebumps rise all over my skin. I should have been panicking and yet for some reason, it was almost as if I was less afraid with this hand on my throat than when it wasn’t. As if the strength of him behind me was holding me up. “No?” His warm breath was against my ear. “You can’t say no to your master, little one. Don’t you realize that?”
You have no idea what you’re getting yourself into.
No, I didn’t. Yet an odd anticipation was gathering inside me, a kind of rush, as if I’d pushed myself off a cliff with no guarantee that anyone would catch me and now, I was falling. Perhaps to my death.
Or perhaps you’ll fly instead.
I swallowed, my mouth dry, conscious of the strength of his grip on my wrists, the warmth of his palm against my throat. The heat of his iron-hard body at my back. It would be so easy to let myself fall back against it, fall into it, but I couldn’t give in, not yet.
“I can say no,” I said shakily. “Or at least a safe word, right?” I didn’t know much of anything about BDSM, but I did know that safe words were part of the deal.
His fingers tightened a little. “Does that mean you want more?”
“Yes.” My voice was hoarse, but I meant it. I needed him to take me home.
“I don’t believe you.”
“But I—”
“It’s about more than doing what I say, little one. You have to want me, too.”
Want me.…
The words echoed in my head. I’d never wanted anyone before, not a single person, not sexually. I’d always been too afraid and too wary and wanting someone felt like giving up what little power I did have. Also, sexual desire was now inextricably linked with all the creepy men who’d made passes and groped me over the years. And it was never about me as a person. It was never about my choice or what I wanted.
But Fox wanted me and yet he was possibly the first man I’d ever met who wasn’t taking anything from me. It was the opposite. Right here, right now, he was giving me a choice. I could choose for myself. I could have what I wanted.
And you want him.
Realization flooded through me in a hot rush and suddenly everything made sense. The prickling of my skin and my intense awareness of him. The way his presence felt dangerous and yet despite that I wanted to get closer. The hunger inside me that I’d felt ignite when I’d kissed him…
Stupid to be so blind, to be so unaware of my own responses that I didn’t know what I was feeling. Then again, I’d never felt it before so how would I know? It was attraction, wasn’t it?
I knew now, I could feel it now, and my heartbeat was picking up speed, my skin drawing tight at the feel of him behind me, heat surging in my veins.
This was my choice, and I felt the power of it.
“Yes,” I said huskily. “I want you.”
I must have sounded convincing because he said without hesitation, “In that case your safe word will be blue. Say it back to me.”
Blue. For his eyes.
“Blue,” I repeated in a scratchy voice.
“Good. Say it when you’re uncomfortable and we’ll pause things.” His fingers flexed again. “Remember though, this is just a taste.”
“And if I want more?”
“That will be my decision, not yours.”
The pressure of his hand around my throat was possessive and the feel of it made me ache. Made me want to relax into his hold and be claimed. Be held and not let go of. A bizarre thing to want when one squeeze of his hand and I’d be choking. I wouldn’t be able to stop him, he was too strong.