She wanted to be taken care of, and what man wouldn’t want to? She was sweet, soft and delicate in all the right places. As he stood watching her, she stirred and moved restlessly on the lounger. Her eyes fluttered open. She blinked as she looked at him, and then her eyes widened in surprise.
“Gray?” she asked sleepily. “What are you doing here?”
He bent and ran a finger down her arm. “I hope you haven’t been lying out here all day. You’ll burn.”
“Was in the shade most of the day,” she mumbled. “What are you doing here? How did you know where I was?”
She shifted and sat up in the seat and continued to regard him with sleepy eyes.
“I wanted to talk to you,” he said simply.
Her expression was disbelieving.
“I know I’ve acted like an ass,” he said. “The fact is, Faith, you threw me for a loop.”
He knelt on the wood deck, shifting his weight to alleviate the discomfort on his knees. She placed a gentle finger over his lips, and he was shocked into silence.
“Let’s go inside to talk,” she said.
He rose and held out his hand to help her up. Her hair, tousled by her nap, blew in the breeze, and he reached out to snag a tendril, unable to resist touching the silky tresses.
She turned and walked inside, leaving him to follow. He watched the gentle sway of her hips, and he imagined himself between her thighs, his hands curled around those hips as he thrust into her.
His throat tightened, and he swallowed against the uncomfortable sensation.
When she entered the house, she turned and looked over her shoulder at him. “You coming?”
He moved forward, the knot growing a little larger in his stomach at the thought of what he was about to embark on. He was continuing, not ending, his chain of deception, and he was looking to start a relationship steeped in those lies.
The cooler interior air brushed over his face as he stepped inside. Faith padded barefoot into the kitchen and opened the fridge.
“You want something to drink?” she asked. “There’s beer, wine and some juice.”
He shook his head then said, “No, I’m fine.”
She poured herself a glass of juice then walked back into the living room where he stood. “So what did you want to talk to me about?”
He observed the slight tremble of her lips, something she tried to disguise by raising the glass to her mouth. She was nervous. Hell, so was he, but he didn’t want her to feel uneasy with him.
He reached out and cupped his hand under her elbow. “Let’s sit down.”
She gazed at him with troubled eyes as if fearing what he’d say. Unable to help it, he leaned in, cupped the back of her neck with his hand and pulled her to him. Her glass pressed into his stomach, mashed between them as he captured her lips with his.
He swallowed the whispery sound of surprised pleasure that escaped her mouth. He tasted the tangy orange on her tongue, absorbed her flavor and savored it with every swipe of his tongue over hers.
When he pulled away, her unfocused gaze met his, confusion outlined in the depths of her eyes. Her mouth, now puffy from his kiss, tempted him again. Later, he told himself. He’d sample every inch of her skin.
He nudged her backward until her legs met the edge of the couch. Then he sat her down. Opting to stand, he moved a few steps back and began pacing, unable to control the anxious energy flowing through him.
“I made a mistake in pushing you away,” he said.
Her green eyes widened. She set her glass on the end table then folded her hands in her lap, clutching at her fingers until the tips were white.
He stopped pacing and looked directly at her. “I want what you want, Faith. You, in my bed, in my arms, my way.”
Color surged into her cheeks as she reacted to his blunt statement.
He moved toward her, kneeling in front of her. He gathered her hands in his and raised her fingers to his lips. “I’m not easy, Faith. I’ll push you. I’ll demand things of you that you may not be sure you can give. If we do this, you’ll give everything to me. In return, I’ll cherish your gift. I’ll see to your every need. I’ll take care of you.”
A slow blaze began to burn in her eyes as she studied him. “You want this?” she asked huskily. “You want me? This isn’t some game? Some role you think I want you to play?”
He cupped her chin in his hand and stared into her eyes. “No games. You’re off for a week. As it turns out, so am I. This is the perfect opportunity for us to explore this relationship.”
Her chin trembled in his hand. He rubbed his thumb over her velvety lips before he stood and began pacing again.
“There are some things you need to understand, Faith. If we do this, I will be in complete and utter control. There are no safe words, no playacting, no ‘lifestyle’ books to read. That’s all bullshit. I’ve never lived by anyone else’s rules and certainly not a bunch of rabid lifestylers all spewing what people do or don’t do according to their list of guidelines.
“If that’s what you’re expecting, then you need to walk now. You can forget about anything you’ve read or experienced, because what I will demand from you bears no resemblance to what a bunch of role players screwing around with sex games would.”
He paused to let his words sink in. Then he walked forward again, kneeling once more in front of her. He threaded his hand into her hair, twining the strands around his fingers as he caressed her scalp.
“You’ll be mine. Mine. You’ll give your everything to me, and in return, I’ll give you more than you can ever imagine. I’ll take care of you, pleasure you, provide for you.”
“Wow,” she said after a shaky breath.
“Is that a yes?” he asked as he stroked through her hair.
Slowly she slid her hands up his chest and around his neck. Her fingers curled at his nape, and she dug her fingers into his hair. “Yes,” she whispered.
He carefully extricated his hands from her hair then touched her face with his fingers. They fanned lightly over her cheeks, and he pressed his lips to hers.
When he pulled away, they were both breathing heavily, though the kiss had been tender. He slid his fingers over her shoulders and down her arms, enjoying the sensation of her skin on his.
“Let’s drive into Galveston. Go someplace nice to eat. When we come back, we can start all over again.”
She rubbed her hand over her mouth nervously and nodded. “Okay,” she said huskily.