Page 73 of Untamed

I pull back, searching his face. “You did this for me?”

He chuckles, pushing a stray lock of hair behind my ear. “Yeah. I did.”

“Thank you,” I whisper, voice thick with emotion.

He presses a kiss to my lips, slow and sweet. “You don’t have to thank me. Now come on, let’s eat some cake.”

Colter drops onto one of the cushions, taking me down with him. Wrapped in his arms, I listen as he sings a soft a cappella version of ‘happy birthday’ against my ear. When he’s finished, he digs around in his jeans pocket, pulling out a pen knife, and slices into the cake, handing me a piece.

The moment I take a bite, the taste of lemon floods my mouth, and I groan. “Hmm, this is really good.”

He shrugs. “I guess, it’s okay. Would’ve been better from a bakery, but this was all I could get this late at night.”

I turn to face him, my expression serious. “Stop. It’s perfect, Colter. You didn’t have to do all this.”

His finger skims the corner of my mouth, scooping up an errant bit of frosting. Without breaking eye contact, he brings it to his lips, sucking it clean. Arousal tightens my stomach.

“I did have to,” he murmurs. “You deserve so much more, Mila. But this is all we’ve got for now.”

I don’t respond. Instead, my focus shifts to the hardness bulging against his jeans and desire pools between my thighs. I want him with a need so fierce, I ache. And then I remember something—something he said once before he finally gave in to us.

Something about his… kinks.

I swallow, meeting his gaze. “I want to hear about your kinks.”

His brows shoot up, and he nearly chokes on his piece of cake. “What?”

“You mentioned having certain kinks. I want to know about them.”

He shakes his head, a low chuckle escaping him. “I don’t think you’re ready for that, Sunshine.”

Frustration flares inside me. “I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t want to know.”

Colter sighs, setting his cake aside. His eyes find mine now, more intense, darker. “It’s not so much a kink,” he says slowly. “I mean, I don’t need it. But I do enjoy it…”

My heart pounds in my chest. “What is it?”

He hesitates for a moment before his voice drops, low and husky. “I could show you?”

I nod, unable to speak. His gaze stays locked on mine as he reaches back, blindly searching for something. My heart slams against my ribs when I see the rope in his hands. What the hell kind of kink involves a rope?

My pulse pounds in my ears as I force the words out of my mouth. “What’s that for?”

He laughs, though the sound is humorless. “Oh, Sunshine, there’s still so much for you to learn.” Is he going to tie me up? Is he going to… Colter’s voice cuts through my thoughts. “We don’t have to do anything you’re not comfortable with.”

I mull over his words. This might be way out of my comfort zone, but how can I know what I do and don’t like if I’ve never tried it? Before I can stop myself, the words rush out of me. “I want to.”

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” Colter smirks, idly twisting the rope in his hands. “I like the thrill of the chase—the primal rush of hunting you down and catching you. And the things I’ll do to you once I’ve caught you…” he trails off, his brows knitting together. “You think I’m weird. Fuck, I knew it would be too much for you.” He exhales sharply, dragging a hand across jaw. Disgust tightens his features, but I know it’s not directed at me. It’s for himself.

I cup his face, forcing him to meet my eyes. Shaking my head, I whisper. “No, not at all. I’m intrigued.”

He turns his head, kissing my palm. “You’re fucking amazing, Mila Becker, you know that?”

I roll my eyes, a smirk tugging at my lips. “I do now. Now, back to the chase. I want to try it.”

He freezes; his eyes burning into mine as a ragged breath falls from his mouth. “You want to try it? Here?”

I nod, the thrill of exploring his kink sending a shot of liquid lust between my thighs. But then something hits me—Colter’s done this with other women, with… Annabeth. Nausea churns inmy stomach. Still, I won’t let it stop me. Colter has a past, and I need to accept that. It just means I’m going to be the best damn chase he’s ever had.

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