Ally
“Are you nervous, baby?”
Evan leans against the white door to the private suite and regards me with watchful eyes. I swallow hard and break gaze in order to scan my new surroundings. The room is well lit with recessed lights and sconces on the walls. It reminds me of a dungeon. A bed in the middle of the room, complete with wrought iron head and foot boards, sits centered on a plush red rug. To my far right is another closed white door, and beside it, a tablet is mounted on the wall.
I return his question with one of my own.
“What’s over there?” I gesture to the door with my head, and Evan follows my movement.
“A full bath. There are toiletries for your convenience as well.”
“And the tablet?”
He smirks. “Think of it as an ordering service.”
My stomach flips at the glint in his eye. “For food?”
He rubs his index finger across his full lips. His eyes are full of promise and pleasure. It’s downright unnerving to be on the receiving end of such a potent stare. “Among…other things.”
“Okay.” I try to keep my shoulders back in confidence. The truth is, I haven’t been on a first date or a one night stand in over a decade. Doubt creeps in with
my nerves. “Show me?”
He peruses me slowly before pushing off the door. “It’ll be my…pleasure.”
My stomach swoops again at hearing that word fall from his lips.
I follow him to the tablet mounted on the wall. A swipe of his keycard brings it to life.
“Tell me, Ally,” Evan begins in that deep tenor of his. “What are you looking for this evening?”
“Surprises,” I breathe. A flush forms on my cheeks.
“Are you wearing lingerie?”
I bite my lip. “Yes.”
Evan nearly growls. “Good girl. Have you ever played with ropes or scarves?”
My mind flits back over scattering memories of Otto and me. I ignite inside, remembering the loss of control and being at someone else’s mercy.
“Yes,” I reply huskily and watch as Evan’s gaze darkens. He taps along the screen, too quick for me to understand what he’s doing.
“Tonight will be quite fun.”
Oh, God. I sure hope so.
“I hope you’re ready,” he states conversationally as he stalks toward me. I tip my head back when he gets close. Standing at his full height must bring him to at least six foot, maybe six one. Next to my five-foot-three, I’m dwarfed by his massive size. Without breaking eye contact, he shrugs casually out of his suit jacket and tosses it away without a care to where it lands. I want to explore him more now that he’s removed a layer of clothing, but I don’t get the chance.
Evan swipes his hand through the curtain of hair at my neck, swiftly gathering a handful in a tight fist. The tiniest movements send prickles of pain across my scalp. He leans down until our eyes are locked, faces inches apart. So close, I can feel his warm breath waft across my lips. His other hand grips my jaw, keeping my face steady.
“Do you want this?” All traces of humor vanish from his tone. This is raw, and heady, and oh, so serious.
I swallow thickly. “Yes.”
He releases my jaw and traces his index finger in a slow decent along the column of my throat. “Do you want…me?” He pauses his finger just inside the nearly indecent cut of my dress between my breasts.
This is it. The point of no return. I take a fortifying breath.