Page 24 of Unzoned

Her chin rose and she met his gaze. Her eyes were shimmering with unshed tears. Her cheeks tinted pink, and her lips- those pouty, kissable lips- parted slightly while she took him in.

"I-I'm sorry. So, sorry. Dad told me- but I already knew. You aren't that kind of guy. You are- well- perfect. Not in the never makes any mistakes kind of way, but the makes everything okay even when it's not kinda way." She rambled on, but he didn't stop her. "I was an idiot. I was scared. Things were going great, but would it last? Can we last?"

"Do you want us to last?"

She blinked, sending one tear sliding down her cheek. "Yes."

"You do." He nodded, more pleased in that moment than any other he could remember. "Good. Because so do I."

"The bracelets are beautiful."

"You understand what they mean?"

Another nod. "Yes. They mean I belong to you. They mean I'm yours, and you're mine."

He silently walked to the dresser and pulled out another jewelry box. "This." He opened the box, showing her the silver collar resting inside. "This is what I want to give you when you're ready, and when I'm ready. It locks, and only the key will take it off. So, when I give it to you, when you wear it, it will be when we decide this is a forever thing."

He snapped the box closed and put it back on the dresser. "I don't take it lightly."

"H-have you ever given one before? I mean, your girlfriends-"

He laughed. "My girlfriends never had any interest in a collar. They wanted some kinky bedroom shit and some spankings here and there. They weren't the real thing, because you were. They were a way to pass the time." He crouched down in front of her, unbuttoning his tux jacket.

"I'm sorry." She said again, softer this time, with the weight of her remorse heavy in the air.

"You're here now, but you have earned another punishment. A severe one." He lifted her chin with two fingers when she tried to look back down. "You won't get any cream after this one. It's going to be bad."

Her chest rose and fell faster, her breath began to come out in short pants. "Okay." Another tear fell down her cheek.

"But not tonight." He unbuttoned the top of his shirt. "Tonight, we reconnect. We make this real." He stood up and looked down at her. Her tear stained face upturned and confused. "Stand up, strip, and stand by the bed, Jade. I want to fuck you."

He watched her as she stood and began to undress. He could help her, taken the zipper down for her at least, but he wasn't looking for just a naked Jade. He wanted an offering. And she seemed to get that. With the zipper down, she shimmied the dress over her shoulders and down the length of her body, displaying every naked inch of herself with the gown pooling at her feet.

"Fuck," he whispered. It wasn't that she was naked, he’d seen that before. It wasn't even that she was standing in one the most elaborately decorated bedrooms he'd ever been in and there were twinkling lights surrounding them. It was her eyes. When they met his, the sincerity and depth of her emotions played there, waiting for him to accept her and take her. Trust that he would care for her and love her like no one else could. It was enough to suck the breath out of his lungs.

He was in front of her in three long strides. With one hand on her hip and the other curled around the nape of her neck, he lowered his mouth to hers. Her mouth soft beneath his lips, and when she parted them for him, he deepened the kiss, tasting her, memorizing the sweetness that was his Jade. Both her hands slipped up to his shoulders, gripping his suit jacket as he delved deeper.

The way she flattened her body against his made his cock push harder against his pants. She had to feel it, pressed up against him the way she was every inch of her body could sense his tension, his desire. The feel of her warm, smooth skin beneath his hand as he slid his hand up the side of her waist, up to the swell of her breast pushed him to the edge.

He pushed against her, walking her back toward the bed. To where he'd wanted her to stand waiting for him before he'd gotten greedy and pounced on her. Once against the bed, he guided her onto it, leaving her laying naked on top the plush blankets and stood at the side of the bed looking down at her.

"What are you doing?" She pushed herself up to her elbows.

"Joining you." He yanked at his tie, ridding himself of it and the rest of his clothing in record pace. Jade's gazed dipped to take in his naked form, and he loved it. The feel of her gaze, the appreciative gasp when he'd dropped his boxers. She'd had him in her mouth, she knew his size well, but he assumed it was much different this time for her as much for him.

The bed dipped as he climbed onto the mattress. "These knees are beautiful." He placed a kiss to each bent knee and gripped them. "But they are too close together." With a quick shove, he had her legs spread open for him, revealing the gift he'd been waiting for. "Fuck me, Jade." He let out a low whistle. She'd been to the salon.

"You mentioned once-" her words were cut off with his kiss. The woman knew exactly how to stroke him. A little patch of hair remained, but the rest was gone. Her plump lips were open, giving him a good view of her already swollen clit.

"You are perfect." Stretching over the length of her, he brushed her hair back from her face.

"I'm still scared," her whispered confession came just before she reached up and kissed his cheek.

"I know." He brushed his lips over her ear. "Give me your fears and your doubts."

"You can't protect me from everything." Her hands roamed over his shoulders, the feathery touch of her fingers tingling down his spine.

"No, but I can battle them with you."

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