The Gift of Strength Read Online M.A. Innes

Categories Genre: BDSM, Erotic, M-M Romance Tags Authors:
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Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 72494 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 362(@200wpm)___ 290(@250wpm)___ 242(@300wpm)
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His cheeks pinked slightly but he kept my gaze as he slowly nodded. “Sorry, that…that wasn’t the right way to handle it.”

No, it hadn’t been.

“It’s understandable.” Trying to be polite, I glossed over it since he wasn’t mine to punish yet. “I just want to make sure however they phrased things didn’t change your opinion of me. I wouldn’t do anything to hurt you.”

His eyes flashed wide as he started shaking his head.

“No. I…that’s…” Taking a breath seemed to scatter his thoughts even more. “No, they made me curious, and you’re…you’re so you, and God, I just said that.”

Then his head hit the table and he let out a dramatic groan.

Of course, Jake timed his visit perfectly, dropping off a bottle of water for my cutie and another beer for me. “Here you go. Most guys around here use red as a safeword, so that’ll stop anything.”

As I glared at the helpful asshole who wasn’t even trying to hide his devilish grin, Payton’s head popped up. “He wouldn’t hurt me. I’m just an idiot. And thank you for the water.”

Jake shook his head and gave Payton a wink. “Oh, he’d love to hurt you, cutie. Just not the way you’re imagining.”

Then the dickhead walked off.

Could this night get any worse?

Chapter 4

Payton

Oh…

Really?

Nothing in my head was logical, so I did my best to keep all my thoughts tightly locked behind my lips, but that dam was going to fail any second.

Bex just kept looking at me and I couldn’t breathe…so I opened my mouth.

That was a terrible decision.

I should’ve just let myself expire gracefully.

“He shouldn’t tease people like that.” Okay, not too stupid, right?

Swallowing, I knew I had to stop anything else from coming out, so I reached for my water.

Drinking wasn’t smart either.

“He was teasing but, Payton, he was also being honest.” As Bex’s gentle words finally made it through to my brain, I swallowed wrong and started choking.

I was going to die without ever having figured out what pups did besides wag their tails or why a Dom would want one.

Fuck.

Bex’s shocked and worried expression didn’t help any, but I managed not to die before he could get up from the table. He was still watching me like he thought I might just keel over at any moment, so I did my best to look like a functioning human.

It was hard.

“I’m fine.” Taking another sip, smaller that time, and carefully setting the bottle back down before he could say anything else shocking, I ignored the odd looks we were getting. “Sorry.”

The twinkle in his eyes said he was trying not to laugh, but I really didn’t blame him, so I ignored it as he shook his head. “No, it’s my fault. I should’ve timed that better.”

Possibly.

“You didn’t know I was such an idiot.” Or so easily startled.

“No.” His firm tone did crazy things to my insides and I had to fight to stay still. “Can I be honest with you about what I’m thinking?”

Oh, I wasn’t sure I liked that idea.

I found myself nodding anyway, though.

“No drinking until I’m done.” He flashed a grin as I groaned, but his serious expression was back so fast I started to doubt what I’d seen. “You are not an idiot or anything else negative that keeps firing through your mind. I think you are a confused sub who doesn’t seem to understand what it means to submit or how strong you have to be to submit.”

When all I could do was blink and shove my hands under my thighs so I didn’t accidentally reach for the water bottle and choke again, his smile came back, softer this time…and he continued. “I also think you have questions and I would be glad to answer them.”

When he paused, I managed a nod because he wasn’t wrong about that.

I’d gotten some of my practical questions answered, and I understood about the different kinds of tails now. But it was the more emotional aspects I hadn’t figured out yet. “Thank you.”

That earned me another smile.

“You’re welcome. But one thing I want to be completely honest about is that Jake wasn’t wrong. I am attracted to you, but I can keep my hands and my desires to myself.” His cheeky grin said I probably looked startled again. “I’m not an uncontrolled teenager. I understand that just because I want doesn’t mean I can have.”

He gave me a moment and drank some of his beer before continuing. “I’d have kept my inappropriate thoughts to myself if we’d just met at work. Keeping your private life private is important to you, so I won’t say anything about seeing you here or mention anything we talk about.”

I hadn’t even thought of that.

“Thank you.” I knew I had to say something but my thoughts were still scattered, so I pointed to my water. “I’m going to have some now.”


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