Page 20 of Playing By His Rules

She shook her head, her cheeks flushing. “No. I liked it. I told you I didn’t need a safe word.”

“Youalwaysneed a safe word when you’re putting yourself in a sexual situation or scene that you’ve never experienced before. Not having one is a deal breaker for me.”

She smiled at him. “I’m sure I’ll be a little sore tomorrow, but other than muscle aches I’ll be fine.”

“Good. I like the idea of you being sore and remembering who made you that way.” His voice was low and possessive as he kissed her again.

Then, he stood up and helped her to her feet, too. “Come on, I’m taking you to bed.”

The first sign of panic flashed in her eyes, and she shook her head. “I really can’t.”

Clearly, she thought he intended to go another round with her, but in all honesty, he was pretty tapped out himself. “Me either,” he reassured her. “I’m taking you to bed tosleep.”

“Oh.” She visibly relaxed. “Okay.”

Slipping his hand in hers, he led her into the bedroom. He let her use the bathroom first to wash up while he put on a clean pair of black boxer briefs, then he did the same. When he came back out, she was sitting on the mattress at the foot of the bed, looking uncertain.

“Obviously, I didn’t plan for a sleepover,” she said, smoothing a hand down the front of her dress. “Do you, umm, have something I can sleep in?”

“No. I want you naked.” He grinned.

He could have offered her one of his shirts, but the selfish fact was, Rick didn’t want anything between them while they slept. Well, except for his briefs, which would hopefully make her feel a little more comfortable, so his dick wasn’t prodding her ass for most of the night.

She exhaled a breath but didn’t argue. “Okay.”

Walking to the opposite side of the bed, she slid the straps of her dress down her arms and let it fall to the floor, then hurried to get beneath the covers.

He chuckled at her sudden bout of modesty. “You do realize that I’ve seen nearly every inch of your body, right?”

“Yes.” She pulled the comforter up to her chin, her cheeks pinkening. “It’s just . . . I’m not used to sleeping without anything on, and I feel so exposed.”

He understood. Now that the adrenaline rush was gone, she was completely aware of her nudity and more self-conscious.

He switched off the lamp that was on his side—leaving the glow of lights from the Las Vegas strip to illuminate the bedroom—and got into the large, spacious bed, realizing there was way too much room separating them.

“I don’t ever want you to feel that way with me,” he said, realizing his words had a much broader meaning than just this one night, which was something he was seriously considering—spending more time with her. “I’d never take advantage of you just because you’re naked.”

“I know,” she said, then yawned sleepily. “The hang up is mine, not yours.”

Clearly, she’d never had a man in her life who appreciated cuddling with a beautiful, naked woman like Madison. “So, let’s try and change that.” Propping himself up on his side, he crooked his finger playfully at her. “Come here, Madison.”

It wasn’t a demand or an order . . . not like the ones he’d issued out in the living room that he’d expected her to obey because it had been part of a scene where the only way out was a safe word. This request left the decision up to her, and after a few seconds passed, she wriggled toward him a few inches.

He laughed and arched a brow at her paltry attempt to close the distance between them. “Closer, sweetheart,” he murmured, patting the mattress right next to him. “I want to hold you.”

A small frown furrowed her brows. “Why?”

Yeah, any guy she’d been with before tonight had to have been a fucking idiot not to cherish this sweet, selfless woman. “Because I put you and your body through a lot out there and I just want to make sure you feel safe and protected.”

“I do,” she said softly. “More so than I have in a very long time.”

He liked hearing that. Liked even more that he was the man to give her that sense of security. When she cuddled up next to him, he made her turn around so that he was spooning her from behind, her ass tucked up against his groin. They shared one of the over-sized pillows and he wrapped an arm around her waist, letting it drape loosely in front of her so that she felt his presence, but wasn’t overwhelmed by it.

“Get some sleep,” he said, and pressed a kiss to her bare shoulder.

“Mmm,” was the last thing she said, and minutes later her body relaxed fully against his, her breathing deepened, and she was out cold.

It took him a while longer to fall asleep, and he marveled at how right Madison felt in his arms. It was a novel feeling considering he didn’t actuallysleepwith the women he fucked. If he had sex with a woman at The Players Club, once he was done with aftercare, he left them behind so as not to form any attachments, or give them any reason to think he was more serious than just a good time.

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