Page 114 of Windlass

Stevie pulled all the way out with a wet pop that left Angie shaking. “Never say I deserve better than you.”

“Stevie—”

“Promise me.”

“I promise. Please—”

“And?”

“Please, I need—”

“The truth, Angela. What are you so afraid of?”

“Losing you.” The truth Stevie had asked for came out in a sob. “I can’t lose you. I can’t. Stevie, I need you so much it hurts my teeth.”

She didn’t mean it carnally. Well, not entirely, anyway. She couldn’t afford to need anyone the way she needed Stevie, but it was too late. She did. The axe would fall where it may.

“Angie—” Stevie’s whisper brushed Angie’s thigh, hot and sweet. Her thumb still teased, and rather than numb Angie’s desire the confession pushed her into a new frontier.

“That’s the truth,” she said. “I swear.”

“Well,” said Stevie, wrapping another twist of rope around her hand, “thank fucking god.”

“What?”

Stevie’s thrust sang up her spine and slammed Angie’s eyelids shut as her whole body rose to meet it. Rather than repeat the motion, however, Stevie pinned her there, perhaps unaware that doing so risked ending this prematurely, for the angle was exquisite.

“I need you too. Not so much it hurts my teeth, though. You might want to get that checked out.”

“You’re an asshole,” Angie said, laughing. The motion shook her body, which created a ripple of pleasure she couldn’t help squirming to extend.

“I’m kidding obviously.” Stevie kissed her thigh. “You wreck me, Angela.”

“Wreck me, then?” She couldn’t help the evasion as she moved her hips to illustrate her request. It was habit. Stevie’s words had penetrated every part of her, and the emotion that responded only had one name, and it was too big for her to put into words. Not yet. She stared at Stevie, hoping Stevie could read her mind, but instead she saw hurt.

“I’m scared of one more thing.” Angie stumbled over the words.

“You mean I gave you everything too soon?”

“Depends on how you use it.”

Stevie’s smile erased the hurt. “Okay, what else scares you?”

She held Stevie’s eyes, needing her to read between the lines. “I’m scared of being trapped.”

“I have you literally tied up right now. Why would you let—”

“Loveis a trap.”

Every part of Stevie froze except her eyes. Those darted from Angie’s right eye to her left, searching, seeking, terrifyingly hopeful.

“Are you—”

“Yes. A thousand times yes and all that. Now, will you please,please, fuck me?”

“Angie—” Stevie stopped herself, glanced at Angie’s mouth, then back at her eyes and at the rope that bound them. Angie saw the moment Stevie decided to let Angie off the hook, and she saw the moment after that when Stevie changed her mind again.

“Why is love a trap? Tell me, and I promise I won’t stop.”

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