Page 12 of Submit

Because it is.

She took a deep breath and ordered her racing pulse to calm. It didn’t help. She knocked anyway.

And felt the breath escape her lungs when Adam opened the door.

So damn handsome. No, that word was not enough. He was stunning in his black slacks, his white shirt rolled up at the sleeves. Flash of strong, white teeth as he smiled at her. Flash of burning lust when he took her hand and guided her inside.

“Welcome, Skye.”

“Thank you.”

She didn’t know what else to say, feeling shy suddenly. Overwhelmed. And something else, something to do with being in his presence. She didn’t understand it. It felt good, right, yet alien to her at the same time. And she was melting a little all over.

“Come and have a seat on the sofa.”

He’d taken her into the living room. It was a beautiful house with great architectural details. Her artist’s eye took it all in quickly: the scrolling crown molding, the polished wood floors, the gorgeous wide mantle. Soft white walls, an eclectic collection of contemporary and antique furnishings. The enormous tan suede sofa was all clean, modern lines, while the square coffee table was a gorgeously carved piece of old Indonesian teak topped in glass. Soothing neutral colors everywhere except for the astonishing collection of modern art on the walls and the dark red Persian rug. She wanted to really look at the art, but it was too much to focus on with Adam standing expectantly behind her.

She sat down, her stomach fluttering. She was unsure what to do with her hands, and fisted them at her sides, finally. Her stomach gave a sharp jump when he sat beside her.

“You don’t need to be nervous,” he said quietly. “But I don’t mind if you are.”

Another smile, this one definitely wicked. She averted her gaze, but he immediately cupped her chin in his hand, forcing her to look into that dark blue gaze.

His tone was more commanding this time. “Don’t hide your eyes from me again.” He was quiet a moment, allowing her to absorb his words. “The eyes really are the windows to the soul. And I need to know you on the inside if this is going to work. Understood?”

“Yes. I just… something is happening to me already.” She shook her head helplessly, hating to admit it, loving that he still held her chin in a way that already made her feel owned.

“I can see that, and trust me, it’s good. You’re responding to the mere idea of what we’re about to do. I can only imagine how you’ll respond once we begin. Do you have any questions?”

“I don’t really know. I’m sure I will, but right now I can’t think of anything.”

“Let me ask you, then—do you still feel the same about all the answers on the questionnaire?”

“Yes.” She bit her lip. “Yes.”

One corner of his mouth quirked, but she knew he wasn’t laughing at her, that he was simply pleased.

“You remember your safe words?”

She nodded.

“Say it, Skye,” he demanded.

Something new was happening inside her head. It was a sort of soft sinking sensation mixed with an almost unbearable anticipation. She answered right away, “I know my safe words. I understand that I am to use them if it feels like I should. Yellow for slow down or to check in, red to stop the scene, green to indicate that I’m doing well.”

“Very good. I’ll consider this the final moment of our negotiations for the time being, until we need to renegotiate as your boundaries change and expand. I’ll ask you once more, do you have any questions for me?”

“When do we begin? Is it now?”

That devastating smile again. “Yes.”

He stood and offered her his hand. She took it, letting him guide her to her feet.

A small wave of panic hit her, her pulse fluttering. “Where are we going?”

He turned to her and she realized she’d never been this close to him before. He seemed even taller standing right next to her. He smelled like pure male, just clean skin and a hint of earthy musk. Sexy as hell.

“Shh, no more questions now. No speaking unless I ask you to, unless it’s to use your safe words.” He cupped her face in his palm, making her legs go weak with desire, and something else—that sensation she couldn’t seem to put a name to. “You are in my hands now, Skye. No more worries, no concerns, no control here. I will do it all. For you. Just let it go. That’s why you’re here.”

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