I follow her to the desk where she asks for her key, and put my arm around her waist. She stiffens a little but doesn’t pull away.
Win.
The silly reception girl looks like she’s going to have a fit of rage. I drag Pax away before I do or say anything that might cost me my job, and head to the elevators.
Same path, same steps, and yet different. She’s better. She called and made an appointment.
She’s here.
I take the key from her, open the door and usher her inside. She’s still smiling, and I’m grinning.
Get a grip, Riot. Nothing has really changed.
That’s right. It hasn’t. That serves to sober me up as I turn toward her and she pulls her hand free and takes a step back. She’s better. Not fine.
Not yet. Need to work on that. Find a way to make her lose all fear.
“Hey.” I don’t reach for her, let my hands hang loose. Safe. “I’m so fucking glad you’re here.”
That brings back her bright smile. “You are?”
“Shit yeah.” I nod. “Can I hold your hand again?”
She giggles, but she gives me her hand and I take it in mine carefully as if it might break.
“What did you wanna do today?”
“I said you should tell me. Forgot about that?”
I haven’t, but I’m not gonna start giving her orders without asking her. “Will you let me touch you today?”
She gulps. Too soon, I guess.
I stroke my thumb over her fingers. “Will you touch me, then?”
“Like last time?”
“If you like.”
“You said…” Red rises to her pale cheeks.
“I said what?”
“At the bar.” The color deepens. “That you’d let me.”
“Let you what, Pax?” She tries to pull her hand away, but I don’t let her. Not yet. “If I said it, I’ll do it. Tell me.”
“You said you’d let me,” a gulp, “tie you down.”
That. Oh shit, that. Blood rushes south, straight to my dick, and since when do I like bondage?
“Then you’ll tie me down, baby.” I wink at her, happy to see her relax a little. “Do with me whatever the hell you like.”
***
She doesn’t know how to tie the ropes. I help her the best I can. Help her tie me up. Never thought I’d see the day. The knots are a bit too tight, but that’s all right. A bit of pain goes a long way when you need to keep in control.
And boy, right now I’ll need all the help I can get with that. Sitting on the king-size bed, leaning against a mound of pillows, my hands tied over my head, I wonder if I’ve lost my mind.