Page 134 of Bad Enough

With a smile of reassurance, he sat on the edge of the bed to pull his boots off. Standing again, his hands reached for his belt. He pulled the loose end with his right hand, flipped the buckle with his left, and slid the leather from the prong. With one pull, he slipped the belt from the loops of his jeans, then threw it to join his shirt. When the metal clinked against the floor, he saw her jump slightly, and her skin rose in gooseflesh. He wanted to pull her close to warm her, but he was afraid if he did, he wouldn’t continue with his plan.

He unbuttoned his jeans and slid the zipper down, the rasp of the metal teeth loud in the quiet. Her breaths were beginning to speed up, her chest rising and falling in awareness of what was coming.

He slid the jeans down gently past his hips. Once he’d cleared his hips, he shoved the denim down to his ankles in an impatient push. He removed the pants from his legs, throwing them to his clothing pile, and also pulled his socks from his feet. Shoving them in his boots, he then tossed the boots over to the pile as well. She definitely jumped at their thunk.

His hand was shaking as it raised to hers holding the blindfold. After taking it from her, he reached back up to her face and stroked the back of his hand down her cheek, the white silk strand trailing along her side.

“So beautiful. So trusting. You undo me, Sylvan.” He ran his hands up and down her arms to try and chase some of the gooseflesh away.

Draping the blindfold around his neck, he took the rope from her hand and laid it on the bed, then began the sensual assault of undressing her. With every button he slipped, every tie he loosened, every zipper he released, he made sure to kiss the inch of skin it revealed. With every piece of clothing he took off of her, his hands smoothed over the flushed skin. When he knelt at her feet to remove her boots, he heard her whimper.

When she was bared to him, his hands curved around the back of her thighs, and he looked up at her. “It’s time.”

She picked up the rope again and held it out to him. His smile was a mere ghost of humor while curling her fingers around it. He shook his head. “No, Sylvan. Not this time.”

She furrowed her brow. “But?—”

He stopped her question with a finger pressed to his lips. “It’s not for you, princess. It’s for me.”

Her confusion remained. “I don’t understand.”

“I know. That’s why I’m telling you. The rope isn’t to restrain you. It’s to restrain me. Do you understand?”

Her gaze was curious. Understanding dawned in a flash, her eyes widening in surprise, her mouth dropping open, her cheeks blushing deep. “But… you’re a Dom.”

“And what is a Dom’s job?”

“To take care of their sub’s needs.”

“Correct, princess.”

“But I don’t need this. I don’t need to tie you up.”

“Not specifically, maybe. But you need me to give myself to you, and this is the best way I can do that. If I make myself vulnerable to you, it is a clear statement that I trust you implicitly. That I’m choosing you. That I’m giving you everything.”

Her eyes swam with tears. “Everything?” she whispered.

“Everything, Sylvan. Every broken, grumpy piece of me. I’m yours. Always.”

Her hands smoothed across his forehead, down his cheeks, and rested there. She bent down and pressed her lips to his forehead. When she stood upright, there were tears falling from her eyes.

“Why are you crying? Aren’t you happy?”

She nodded. “So happy.”

He pulled the blindfold from around his neck and held it up to her. “Do your worst, princess.”

“The gesture is enough.”

Shaking his head, he reassured her. “No. I want this. I want you to have this.”

Now, it was her hands shaking as they reached out to take it from his hand. The exchange was far more symbolic than he had imagined it would be.

No going back now. And dammit, I don’t want to go back.

52

JULY 15TH

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