Page 47 of The Pain We Nurture

Colin walked slowly in with her and she backed up a few more feet, this time away from him. He gave her a knowing smile before heading left to the closet door, entering a code to unlock the door. He opened it and turned on the light. Showing off yet again another room that was three times bigger than her former apartment bedroom and he found himself wondering how she felt about that.

Colin kept quiet however, not wanting to say anything to make her feel less than. He’d told her he had plenty of audacity, but he never wanted to intentionally offend her.

Olivia hesitated in the doorway, same as she did when she first entered the master bedroom.

Colin observed her carefully, watching as she looked around the room slowly. Her eyes perused the expansive shelves, backlit with warm lighting that matched the hallway lighting. He had a mechanical tie rack, an area in the back with hooks for hanging hats or purses. There were so many color coordinated tailored suits that he knew without even asking that it made her eyes cross thinking of how much money was just hanging on one rack alone.

It was a lot.

The room was very comfortable, hosting the cream color from downstairs, and had a lush carpet. He bit back a grin as she wiggled her toes in it experimentally. Then he stared riveted, not having given her feet much thought, and he felt precum dripping down his dick at the sight of her pretty toes.

Jesus Christ. I’ve never been a feet guy before, he thought his eyes flickering back to hers and his eyes crinkled as he smiled at her.

The defining feature in the room was the massive marble top island stationed in the middle of the large space. It hosted cabinets all around, painted the same deep green color as the bedroom. The massive island was the only pop of color in the room, aside from the clothes hanging from hangers on racks against the wall. It was all cream and marble, making the room feel even more expansive than it already was. Above the island hung another smaller but beautiful crystal lighting feature.

Colin saw her eyes stop and stare at a decanter of whiskey next to a colorful bouquet of flowers. She wrinkled her nose disdainfully.

He tightened his lips and bit back a groan at her reaction, knowing there was liquor all over the house. Please don’t be a problem.

Olivia’s eyes narrowed and she twisted her lips, mirroring his silence.

No bueno.

He’d stayed quiet, thinking he would have to give her something regarding this. To buy himself enough time to show her he was responsible. He built his entire brand on safety and responsibility, and he really didn’t want her to take this away from him.

“You suuurreee like to drink, don’t you?” she didn't bother masking the slight contempt in her voice. Her eyes turned to his. Colin nodded once, giving her a slight up and down once over.

His mouth turned up on one side.

“I enjoy it, in moderation. Everything I buy is expensive top shelf liquor….so it doesn’t take much to feel good. And I don’t drive drunk, my car’s software doesn’t allow it. I also don’t drink to get drunk either. And I will make sure you won’t either, unless you just need one of those nights. And maybe on the occasional girl’s night out-if you ask for permission first,” Colin replied rather absent-mindedly, before turning to an extremely expensive-looking cabinet.

Olivia scoffed. She wouldn't be asking permission for things like a girl's night out but resigned herself to broaching that topic another time. Today had been stressful enough.

He turned back to face her, leaning his back against the drawers and folding his arms and legs. His tattoos bunched and flexed with his muscles. And that sexual tension between the two of them tightened as he watched her eyes do another slow meander down his body. He spoke quickly, knowing if she didn’t stop looking at him like that, he was going to drag her into his closet and do unspeakable things to her.

And he knew she couldn’t handle it, not her first night.

“If you ever feel triggered by drinking, or my drinking, please let me know right away. You can safe word with sex, and drinking. Nothing else. Would you like to pick a safe word now? I left it optional in the agreement. I wanted it to be something you were comfortable with and would be easy for you to remember,” his eyes bored into hers as she cradled her glass closer and shifted from foot to foot.

“Um…it can be anything?” Olivia asked hesitantly. Her eyes flickered from his eyes to his chest, and back again. She looked unsettled, even though she knew what she had signed up for.

Olivia clutched the box even closer to her, the cheap particle board slightly crunching under her fingers.

He tilted his head, wondering if it was a sex toy. Whatever it was, she hadn’t wanted the movers to see it. It was the only thing she elected to carry out of the apartment, aside from the blueprints.

“It needs to be something easy that you can think of, in times of…sexual distress. For when you’re being punished, et cetera,” Colin said softly, his head tilting as he studied her reaction, biting back a dangerous smile.

Olivia’s whole body looked like it had caught fire. Her face, neck and shoulders flushed a beautiful red color. His eyes wandered across her skin greedily, wondering just how much she would flush in other places. Her nipples hardened and his eyes flickered back to hers as she took a cautious step back. Still he waited, silently.

Olivia cleared her throat. “Bunny,” she said with an air of confident finality, bringing her glass up to her lips and downing all the wine inside.

Colin selfishly felt minutely relieved that she didn’t seem to be demanding he stop drinking-at least tonight, anyway.

Colin nodded, turning and began pulling out drawers, motioning silently with his hand for her to come and see. Olivia leaned against the doorway, refusing to enter the space with him just yet, however spacious. Olivia craned her neck slightly to see.

“Bras, panties, socks, tanks, tees, sweatshirts, sweatpants, pajamas are in these drawers. Courtesy of Mary,” Colin showed her one by one.

She cocked her head as she surveyed the items he held up, and he noted that Mary had picked all very feminine and skimpy undergarments. He took pleasure in rifling through them curiously, as if he pawed through women's undergarments all the time. He didn’t.

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