Page 72 of A Breath of Life
“One minute. Ready?”
“Wait. No. Don’t start counting yet. If I get that door open in one minute or less, what do I get?”
“An open fucking door.”
“Ha ha. And?”
“And nothing. You’re not a child. You don’t get a reward.”
“I need an incentive.”
Diem narrowed his stormy gray eyes, but I caught the hints of humor he was trying to hide. “Fine. If you open the door in under a minute, I’ll fuck you when we get home.”
I huffed. “You were going to do that anyway.”
“No, I wasn’t.”
“Um, yeah you were. I’m irresistible, and whenever I get naked for bed, you lose all self-control. I don’t mind. I love it, but I need a better prize.”
Diem growled under his breath and wet his lips, seemingly considering. “I’ll… Maybe I could… Christ, I don’t know, Tallus. What do you want? I’m not good at this stuff.”
“You mean I can pick the prize?”
“Yes. Hurry the fuck up. I don’t want to stand in the hallway all night. We’re exposed.”
“Hmm… What do I want?”
“Jesus fucking christ. Never mind. Give me the kit.”
“I got it. It’s a no-brainer.”
Diem paused, waiting.
I grinned. “I want you to mark me.”
“No.”
“Teeth, hickey, scratches, slap my ass and call me a good boy. Take your pick. One of those.”
The horrified look returned to me spoke of exactly the kind of limits we had in our relationship, and I knew the answer before I’d even voiced the suggestion.
No aggression. No marks.
None.
Zip. Zero. Zilch.
I rolled my eyes. “I’m not asking you to abuse me. It’s kinky.”
“Tallus—”
“You can get a little rough sometimes. I’m not fragile. It’s hot. It’s a turn-on. I want to carry you with me. Suck a hickey into my skin for once. Leave teeth marks on my inner thighs or fingerprints on my hips so I can look at them in the mirror and know I belong to you. I consent. Do it. Give me a safe word if you’re truly afraid you’ll take it too far, but I know you won’t.”
The closed-off look in Diem’s eyes told me I’d asked things of him he couldn’t deliver. That was not the definition of fun or kinky to Diem. I should have kept my mouth shut.
“No.” The single word came out strangled. “I won’t do that, Tallus. If you aren’t happy with the sex we’re having—”
“I love the sex we’re having. That’s not what I’m saying.”
