Page 110 of Craving Cooper

“What’s that?” she says. I follow the line of her gaze, my eyes dropping to the cardboard box that was delivered this morning. That feels like a lifetime ago, and to be honest, I’d forgotten all about it.

“It’s just something I bought.”

“Clearly.” Mallory crosses her arms, tilting her head at me. “But what is it?”

“I’m not sure I should tell you.”

“Why not? Is it a present?”

“Not exactly.”

“Then why are you hesitating over telling me about it?”

“Because of what we’ve just been talking about downstairs.”

She frowns. “In that case, you definitely need to tell me.”

“Okay.” I step up to her and pull her into my arms, unfolding hers in the process. She leans back, like she needs the space, but I shake my head and smile down at her. “Don’t be so defensive.”

“Then tell me what’s in the box.”

“It’s some anal beads, a couple of butt plugs, and some lubricant.” She stares at me, like she’s working that out, and then her face clears. “I thought that, maybe over the weekend, in between moving your things, we could… experiment a little.” She nods her head, not because she’s agreeing with me, but with a movement that’s so considered, it feels like she’s having second thoughts. “Is something wrong?” I ask.

“I don’t know.” She frowns. “I mean… this is obviously something you like doing,” she says. “I think I already knew that before I overheard your conversation with Meredith, but what I didn’t realize until just now was that it wasn’t something you’d done with her.”

“No, it wasn’t.”

“Because she didn’t want to.”

“No. She made that very clear.”

“And yet you stayed with her.”

“Yes.” I pull her closer, even though she’s resistant. “I’ve been with other women who haven’t been keen on anal sex, or who’ve been okay with anal play, but haven’t wanted to take it any further, and I’ve always accepted their decisions.”

“And stayed with them, too?” she asks.

“For a while. Until the relationship had run its course. This isn’t a deal breaker for me. And it doesn’t mean there was anything special about them that made me stay, regardless of their choices, if that’s what you’re thinking.”

“Then why did you?”

“Why did I stay?” I ask, and she nods. “Because I was lazy. Because it was convenient.” I shrug my shoulders. “Who knows? Does it matter now?”

“I guess not,” she says, tilting her head.

“So, do you wanna change your mind?” I ask.

“What about?”

“About experimenting. About me, being inside your ass,” I say, my voice dropping to a low growl, which seems to make her shudder. “You can if you want. I won’t love you any less.”

“I know you won’t,” she says, sounding more confident at last. “And I don’t want to change my mind. I want it, too. At least I wanna try, anyway.”

“Okay.”

She smiles and relaxes into my arms again… thank god. “Just promise you’ll take it easy with me,” she says.

“Of course I will.”

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