Page 89 of Bedroom Therapy

“I’m glad—I mean glad that you wanted me there.”

The warm look on his face made her ache to cross the space that separated them and take him in her arms. But she stayed where she was because she knew that they needed to do things differently. If they fell back into the same old pattern, they could get into trouble again.

“Before you went out tonight, I was thinking about Dr. O’Neal’s prescription. I was thinking that maybe we could try a slightly different approach,” she said, then hurried on. “I mean we know that you haven’t been able to have an orgasm during intercourse. But what if we took an intermediate step?”

When he stared inquiringly at her, she went on, “Suppose I bring you to climax some other way?”

“Why do you think that will work?” he asked quietly.

She had come up with the answer when she’d first thought of renting this room. “For one thing, because I’ll be doing it for my own pleasure.”

He was listening intently, which gave her the resolve to continue. “You won’t have to worry about. . . about performing, because I’ll be the one in charge. I’ll be doing what I want to do.”

His doubtful look made her desperate to convince him that her new plan would work. After setting down her glass, she crossed the room and took his glass from his hand. Then she slid her arms around him.

“Oh Lord, Amanda,” you don’t know how much I’ve wanted to hug you tight. Just hug you and hang on,” he breathed.

“I know. Believe me, I do.”

When he clasped her body to his, she let out a small sigh as she pressed her head to his shoulder.

His erection was like an exclamation point between them. “Amanda, I don’t want to disappoint you,” he said in a barely audible voice. “That’s why I’ve been playing by your rules. That’s the only reason I’ve been able to keep from dragging you to bed. Because I knew it could turn out just the way it always does for me. And I know you want . . . you want . . .”

“Oh, Zach. You won’t disappoint me,” she answered, kissing his shoulder through the fabric of this tee shirt. “Not this time. I’m going to make sure that doesn’t happen. All you have to do is enjoy my fantasy.”

His hands slid up and down her back, then stopped abruptly. “Lord, you’re not wearing a bra under that dress!” he said.

She raised her head and gave him a sweet look. “Actually, I’m not wearing anything under this dress.”

He swore, then set her away from him. “I suppose you know what that piece of information is doing to me?”

She met his eyes with a steady gaze. “To me too. Only I’ve had the past hour and a half to turn myself on thinking about your meeting me here. But it’s not just the turn-on. It’s more than that. Our relationship is important to me, and I want it to work out.”

“Oh yeah.”

“Then let me have my wicked way with you.”

He arched an inquiring eyebrow.

Trying to sound bold, she raised her chin and said. “Let me set up another little game for us to play. Where I’m in total charge of your body.”

He tipped his head to one side, as he considered the implications. “As in . . . uh . . . bondage?”

“Well . . . honorary bondage.”

“What . . . uh . . . does that mean?”

She stiffened her posture and made her voice authoritative. “It means I want you naked on your back on that bed. With your arms spread-eagled. And I expect you to stay that way, until I say you can move.”

She finished by marching past him to the bed and yanking the silk coverlet and top sheet off the end, so that only the bottom sheet remained.

Whirling back to him, she ordered, “Now take off your clothes, and lie down.”

With her breath frozen in her lungs, she waited to see what would happen.

When Zach started to pull his tee shirt over his head, she let the captive breath trickle out.

He turned away from her, and when he tossed his shirt onto the chair, she admired the taut muscles of his broad back and nicely shaped arms. When he shucked off his jeans and briefs, she looked at his very masculine butt with appreciation. But she kept her voice hard and commanding in keeping with the role she had set herself to play.

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