“I’m going to push you.” She pressed against his back, and she saw he wasn’t having fun. “Come on, Chains, don’t be a drag. We can have a lot of fun together if you just let it happen.” She pushed his back again, and this time, he didn’t fight against her.
He lifted his legs in the air, and she giggled as she pushed his back again. Together they could have the happiness she’d always dreamed of having.
Chapter Six
On the walk back home, Chains checked his phone. Almost immediately after, his mood was off. The neighborhood was dark, only the rare streetlight giving them some light.
“Is everything okay?” she asked.
He nodded. “Look, I need to go out for a bit. Shouldn’t take too long. I didn’t want to do this, but do you mind waiting downstairs?”
“You still don’t trust me.” It wasn’t a question, but a fact. She wasn’t sure if she should feel insulted or not after the progress they’d made.
They walked up the front stairs of his house. The front light was off, so it was all shadows. He stopped in front of the door, his keys in hand. “It’s not that. I’m just being cautious. I can’t risk losing you.”
It had only been a week, but Lori hoped that he’d trust her one day. She wasn’t angry, though, because she sensed this was about his insecurity, not a control thing. They were very much alike. Lori didn’t mind humoring him because the alternative was her old life—one she wanted no part of.
“Fine.”
She wanted to ask where he was going, but she suspected she wouldn’t like the answer, so kept her mouth shut. He led her back into the basement once they were inside. It felt like her own personal space. Chains made sure she had every comfort possible, so it was almost a relief to return to the basement.
He pressed his hand against the wall near her head, their bodies close. “Did you like your walk?”
She nodded. The truth was his closeness affected her. Lori ached for him to kiss her, touch her, claim her. It was one thing to make her feel wanted and special, but she needed more.
“You’re quiet.”
Lori nibbled her lower lip. The faint scent of his cologne was driving her crazy. What kind of man kept a woman prisoner and never made a move? She wasn’t even sure he liked her in a romantic way. Everything about him was an enigma. “Just thinking.”
“About what?”
“What am I doing here? I mean, what’re your intentions with me?”
His eyes were so dark, impossible to read. “I haven’t thought that far ahead.”
Lori had never been with a man sexually, so she didn’t want to push too far and regret the decision. She’d just never been wanted by a man, never felt desirable. Her self-esteem had always been in the dumps thanks to her weight, and the neglect at home.
“Am I supposed to be your prisoner, or have you decided to skip the dating and steal yourself a wife?” Lori held her breath. She’d put out a feeler, hoping to learn more of how he felt about her. Her worst fear was finding out he had no sexual interest in her. Maybe he’d even laugh at the suggestion.
“I never planned on any of this. When I saw you in the diner, everything changed for me,” he said. “I was satisfied fucking random women, living alone with only my job to keep me focused. Then, in the blink of an eye, it wasn’t enough. You’re all that matters to me now.”
“What does that mean?”
He narrowed his eyes, obviously not catching her drift. “It means you’re the only woman I want, Lori.” Chains ran the backs of his fingers along her jawline, and she closed her eyes, leaning into his touch.
“Chains…”
He kissed her on the mouth, his tongue demanding entrance. Every bone in her body felt like jelly the moment his lips met hers. She reached up and held his shoulders, kissing back, savoring the intimacy. He moved lower, suckling her pulse point, then kissing down her neck. His rough stubble scraped her skin, but she loved his big body weighing down over her. Her breathing picked up, her entire body thrumming with a need she’d never known. When he ran his hand down her side, he growled once he reached her hip, his fingers squeezing hard into her flesh. She gasped, and he abruptly pulled away, putting more than an arm’s length between them.
“I’m sorry,” he said, running a hand over his shaved head. “I have to be careful with you.”
“Why?” she blurted the word, missing their connection. Lori wanted to understand. Had she done something wrong?
“I’m trying to take things nice and slow. I’m not used to being a gentleman, but I know you’re a virgin, Lori.”
Her mouth fell open, and she knew her cheeks were turning red. How could he know that? She wanted to refute him, but it was the truth. “Don’t you want me?”
“Stop temp