Total pages in book: 141
Estimated words: 129980 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 650(@200wpm)___ 520(@250wpm)___ 433(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 129980 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 650(@200wpm)___ 520(@250wpm)___ 433(@300wpm)
“You said you needed to be in control at all times. Not just in the bedroom.”
He nodded slowly. “There especially. But when we go out together, it is necessary that you understand I’m in control, and when I ask something of you, you do it.”
Her eyelashes fluttered, hopefully concealing the way she was feeling. Conflicted. Scared. Excited. She moistened her lips. Took several breaths. He was conveying something extremely important that would affect her. He was explaining how their relationship would play out. She needed to hear him and understand what he was saying so there would be no misunderstanding later. She realized Andrii wanted her to know exactly what she would be getting herself into with him.
“You need to tell me what that means.” She sounded as conflicted and as scared as she was feeling. She didn’t bother to try to hide it from him. “I’m not certain I understand what ‘at all times’ means.”
He reached out and slid his fingers through her hair. “It means exactly that. When we’re together, and hopefully, eventually, we’ll live together, because I want to be with you as much as possible. I had hoped to get you used to me before we had this talk, but I screwed up. I hadn’t planned to take you to bed so quickly. I don’t want just a sexual relationship with you. I want this chance with you. I think you want it too. That means we hash things out now.”
She did want to explore the relationship; she just didn’t know what he meant. What was expected. What she expected. She knew those fingers stroking caresses in her hair were meant to seduce her into doing as he wanted, but she was willing to feel every cell in her body coming alive. She was willing to be seduced in order to get the chance at a relationship that might be real when she’d only dared to dream of a man like Andrii.
“It means when I tell you to do something, I expect you to do it and not question me. I have my reasons, and you’ll have to trust that no matter what I’m asking, I’ll see to your protection and happiness. I need that level of trust from you.”
She swallowed her nerves and looked up at him. It was a mistake to meet the vivid intensity of his eyes. His hand cupped her face and then slid around to the nape of her neck, sending a million goose bumps erupting all over her skin. Her stomach did one of those slow somersaults she associated with him, and she went damp, her sex clenching with need.
“That all sounds good, Andrii, until we circle back to your punishment. I’m not down with that at all.”
Andrii’s fingers tightened on her nape as if he could brand his fingerprints into her skin.
“If you disobey me, there will be consequences. Punishments. I need to know you’re safe. I need to know you’re willing to put me first, just as I plan to do with you.”
Her breath left her lungs in a long rush, and she shook her head, an involuntary reaction. His fingers tightened.
“You need to know and believe that I would never hurt you. I’m not a man who would beat a woman.” His fingers began a slow massage on the nape of her neck. “That doesn’t mean a punishment wouldn’t include pain.”
She gasped and once more made the mistake of looking up at him. His eyes had darkened with desire. With lust. She could read the need in him for her to commit. To be part of him. There wasn’t just desire and lust, there were hints of growing affection, maybe even more, although she couldn’t understand how he’d developed genuine feelings for her so quickly. Just looking into his eyes made her want to give him everything he asked for without complaint or argument, but she wasn’t that illogical or adventurous.
“Pain?” She echoed the word. Once again, her voice came out strangled.
Azelie did her best to ignore the way his touch soothed her. The way his eyes conveyed his need and desire. She was so scared, and yet at the same time, she desperately wanted to be with him, even when it made no sense to her.
“I told you I would have no problem putting you over my knee. Just know that the punishment wouldn’t go too far, and afterward, I would see to your care. I’m not a sadist. I don’t want to see lasting marks on your body, but I do want to know you would accept your punishment with grace if you fucked up.”
She was involuntarily shaking her head again, but sadly, it wasn’t because of the things he was explaining to her, it was because her body reacted in a way she didn’t understand. She wanted to explore possibilities with him and that made no sense. The idea of him putting her over his knee because she’d chosen not to do what he asked, or she’d gone against him, scared the hell out of her. She wasn’t down with that at all. She went her own way when she determined it was the right thing to do. She was bound to “fuck up.”