Page 29 of Only for the Moment
Her brows veed together. “It’s not about fun; it’s—”
“What?”
“Isaac…” She placed her palm on his chest, her fingers digging intohis skin as if needing an anchor. “Look, I know myself pretty well by now. I’m tw— well, never mind how old I am.” A grin peeked out before fading away.
“My point is, I’ve spent most of my life at the mercy of parents who either shuffled me away to boarding school or with servants so they could roam the globe, or being trotted out on display at their whim to impress their friends. I decided along time ago that no one but me was going to control my life, and that includes my sexuality. The idea of being tied up, helpless, not in control…” She shuddered. “No.”
Her anxiety hit him deep. He couldn’t stop himself; he had to touch her. Cupping the side of her neck, he felt her fluttering pulse against his thumb, and damn if she didn’t relax every muscle in her body at the hold on her nape.She needed this, maybe more than she knew.
“Okay,” he said, “I can imagine being tied up could feel like being helpless or out of control. And sometimes, depending on what their subs might need, a Dom could play into that.
“The thing is, the sub…you…are the one who decides what you will do and, most especially, why. I’ve known many high-powered women who would never consider themselves submissivebut find the act of being tied up, of having all responsibility and decision-making taken from themby their own choice, freeing, relaxing, and even arousing.”
Kennedy didn’t say anything, but from her expression he knew there was a war going on inside her. When he squeezed her neck gently, needing to soothe her if only by applying the slightest bit of pressure, she tensed—and then went bonelessonce more, muscles relaxing, breath deepening, eyes dilating. He could see the moment her reaction registered, when she realized she liked being held and controlled, at least like this.
Fear sparked in her eyes.
“It’s okay, Kennedy. I promise.” He brought her close, their mouths barely brushing. “I’d never use this against you, ever.”
Wary eyes met his. “I don’t know if I can do this, Isaac.If I even want to do this.”
He planted a kiss on the tip of her nose. “The Kennedy I know? You’re brave enough to face anything. And nothing will happen unless you want it to.”
He leaned in again, waiting for permission. Kennedy tipped her head back, her lips parting in invitation, and their kiss made them both moan.
Isaac pulled back after a moment. “I have an idea.” In fact it was so obvioushe couldn’t believe he hadn’t thought of it till now.
Kennedy ran her tongue along her bottom lip as if savoring his taste. Something low in his gut clenched. “What?”
“Come with me to Club X. You can watch me do some rigging, see exactly what’s involved.”
Kennedy shook her head, backing up so fast he thought she’d fall off the couch. “I don’t want to see you tying up some woman. That’s—”
He put up a hand to stop her words, then turned until his palm was up. Waiting. Wanting. “I wouldn’t want that either, trust me.”
She eyed his hand. “You want an awful lot of trust, don’t you?”
From you, I want it all.The thought shocked the hell out of him, but then again, not. This woman was special; if he hadn’t known that the moment he met her, his music would’ve convinced him. But he didn’tsay it aloud. She was skittish enough already. “I’ll live up to every bit of it, Kennedy. I’ll never give you a reason to doubt me.”
When she slid her palm into his hand, it was as if his heart settled in his chest, in the right place for the very first time. It wasn’t safe or smart or under his control, but it was there all the same. And he wanted to explore it, so much it took his breath. Whatevershe gave him. Whatever time they had. Kennedy might never be his sub, but he’d take what he could get for as long as they were together.
