Page 90 of Rope Me In

My body hums as anticipation fills me. Tonight is going to be a good night.

Chapter 29

Kade

Is it possible togo from feeling nothing to feeling everything all at once? To feel as if you can finally breathe, like everything that was colorless is now technicolor and everything that was tasteless is now the most delicious thing you’ve ever eaten? Because that’s happened to me. And it’s all because of the woman standing in the bathroom in front of me.

Presley’s skin is dewy from her hot shower after a long day’s work. She doesn’t notice me as I stand in the doorway quietly, watching her for a moment. She’s scrunching her wet hair with some mousse that looks like whipped cream. Part of me wants to stop her to tell her that she’ll be showering again before she leaves for Night Hawk, but where’s the fun in that?

What’s more, I like that she’s taking time to get ready for me. I expected nothing less given how she reacted when I felt the stubble on her legs in the truck and her general shyness. That’s why I wanted to give her a bit of warning about what I’ve been dreaming up for us. I hadn’t planned for us to have sex for the first time tonight, but after what happened in the barn earlier with Gavin and the fact that I can tell her anxiety is still through the roof about playing tonight, it seemed appropriate. And I think introducing her to my rope will help ground her.

I wish we had all night, but the next hour or so willhave to do.

When Presley finally notices me standing in the doorway, her skin, already flushed from the humid bathroom, turns pinker under my intense gaze.

“Hey, Lemon.” I look her up and down as she turns toward me. She’s wearing a pair of black leggings and an oversized T-shirt with a graphic on it I don’t recognize. She’s makeup-free, but it looks like she’s put on a bit of lip moisturizer because her lips are shiny.

“Hey,” she says, her voice shy.

That shyness just won’t do. I take her by the hips and pull her into me, our bodies colliding. My cock is already at half-mast beneath my jeans, and she gasps when she feels it, her hands flying up to grip my biceps.

“Someone’s excited.” She runs one of her hands through my damp hair. Despite my plans to get dirty with her, I didn’t want to smell like a cow while I worshiped her body, so I showered, too.

“Aren’t you?” I ask, though I know she is. I can practically feel her soft body vibrate against mine, though I’m sure some of it’s from nerves leading up to our first time.

She takes a moment to answer, her eyes darting to the ground. I quickly place a finger under her chin and make her look into my eyes. “None of that, darlin’. You’re going to look at me tonight. I want you to watch everything I do to you.”

A spark of fire lights behind her irises as her mouth parts. Not wanting to waste another second of our precious time together, I seal my lips over hers. A small moan escapes from her, and I absorb it into me, groaning into the kiss as our tongues tangle in a now familiar dance.

When we first kissed, Presley said she was out of practice—but that’s never proven true. She’s an amazing kisser and plays me like a fiddle, knowing exactly how much pressure to give and when I need more or want to take control. As far as I’m concerned, she’s a master, and I can’t get enough of her.

If we’d had more time lately, I would’ve done more than kiss, cuddle, and grind on her like a horny teen. But with Lemon, I’ve been able to be patient because I know she’s worth the wait. She needed time to get used to me—to us—as well, but she’s ready. We’re both ready.

I force myself to pull back, our lips swollen and breathing labored, then I take her hand and tug her toward the room I’ve been staying in—or sort of been staying in, since a lot of nights, Lemon and I end up falling asleep wrapped in each other on her bed or the couch.

With her hand gripped in mine, we cross the short distance to the door, and I step back to let her enter first. I know what she’s going to see, but I don’t want to blindfold her for any of this tonight. She needs to have every sense available to her.

Once she’s in, I close and lock the door behind us. I locked the front door, too, not wanting a repeat of earlier in the barn. Not that Gavin would come looking for me here—he’s pretty much left me alone until today, making good on his word of being done with me. It’s something I didn’t truly think he’d do, which is why today’s invite to dinner was surprising. We’ve only spoken to each other when needed lately, mostly about chores.

That little fact has left a nagging voice in the back of my mind that’s got me wondering if tonight is about involving me more in the dude ranch and finally addressing the papers I found in the house or if the invitation is for something else entirely. It’s not like Gran or Momma have sought me out since our blowup, either, though that was probably at Gavin’s instruction. But that just makes me even more suspicious about tonight.

“Kade.” Presley grips my hand, and I put my full attention on her, leaving it there. I don’t want my lingering problems to taint tonight. She deserves for all of me to be here and present.

“Yes, darlin’?”

“That’s a lot of rope.”

I follow her gaze to the two twin-sized beds I’ve moved together, where coils of rope and other supplies sit on top of thedark-blue duvets. I plant a smirk on my face and step in front of her. “Did you think I was just tying your hands up?”

She cocks her head, eyes wide. “Aren’t you?”

I shake my head, watching her carefully to gauge her reaction. The news surprises her, but the red stain on her neck that’s rising to ghost over her cheeks tells me whatever she’s thinking excites her.

I cup her face in my hands. “I’m going to undress you. Then I’m going to do a chest and waist harness.”

Her body tenses, and I see slight worry flash in her eyes. Since that night in the loft, I’ve been slowly working to help her become more comfortable in her skin. Not just by touching her where she’s comfortable but with things to help build her confidence, like riding lessons on Big John and teaching her how to change the flat tires on her car.

But given her history with her asshole ex and how people in her life have treated her, I’m fully aware that being completely nude in front of me might be difficult, which is why I formed this plan.

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