Page 42 of Safe
I sat with her words for a minute, struggling between two truths: the pain behind what she was asking, and the trust it took for her to ask me. She wanted to surrender something that had once been used to hurt her—and she was giving it to me. The amount of trust she had in me wasn’t lost on me.
I kissed her forehead, giving her a reassuring smile. “If that’s what you want, my love.”
After closing the door behind us,Danielle turned to face me, her eyes locked on mine as her fingers slipped just beneath the waistband of my pants. It was a silent invitation—and it took everything in me not to lose control right then. Before she could go any further, I slid my hands to her waist, fingers curving around the shape of her body, easing her back until she met the door with a soft thud. My lips found hers, then wandered lower, slower, savoring every inch.
I pulled the straps of her dress down, inch by inch, watching as it fell away, revealing the soft curves of her bare chest. She stood still, watching me—vulnerable, but open—giving me everything without saying a word. I knelt in front of her, tugging the rest of the dress down, planting reverent kisses along her thighs, her stomach, the swell of her hips, until I was back at her mouth again.
Then I felt her fingers on my belt.
But before she could finish, I caught both her wrists and pinned them above her head, my body flush with hers. It was out of pure hunger, but the second I did it, my gut twisted. I’d forgotten how easily a touch could turn wrong for her. I worried I’d shattered the moment.
But she didn’t flinch.
She looked at me, really looked at me, biting her lip, eyes locked on mine like she was searching for something deeper. Waiting. Trusting.
“Cody…” Her voice was soft. I froze, giving her space, bracing for her to pull away again.
She didn’t. Not exactly.
She paused, and so did I, meeting her eyes in a moment of seriousness. “Whatever you need,” I said quietly.
“I just—are you sure?” she asked. “I mean, I’m just…” Her voice trailed off, the words stopping in her throat before coming out.
The fire I usually saw in her eyes had dulled—not gone, just hiding. Like she wasn’t sure if this version of herself was enough.
“Scared?” I offered, hoping she'd hear that I was trying to understand—even if I didn’t fully understand.
She hesitated, then nodded, just enough for me to notice. “Somewhat. I just don’t understand—”
And then I knew exactly where this was headed.
Crystal clear.
“What I see in you?” I offered again.
This time, her lips curved into the faintest smile—like she was relieved I’d said it so she didn’t have to.
I paused, searching her eyes, trying to figure out what she needed from me. She was doing the same—watching, waiting.
There were two ways this could go. And while I wanted to choose the safe path, my eyes kept falling to her mouth as it parted, tempting me.
So I said fuck it.
My kiss was unhurried as I savored her before tracing a path down to her neck, each breath skimming her neck as my lips hovered just shy of her skin. A tease. A promise. I pressed soft kisses along her neck, then moved to her ear, letting out a quiet exhale before I spoke.
“Listen to me,” I said. It wasn’t a plea, but not quite a command. Something in between. Firm enough that she’d know I meant it. “You are a good person. Yes or no?”
She didn’t speak, but managed a shaky, uncertain nod.
I kissed the edge of her ear, lingering for a second, then pulled back, stopping just short of her mouth again. I was close enough to feel her breath on my skin. Then I leaned into the other side, brushing her hair back and lowering my voice.
“And good people deserve good things. Yes or no?”
I caught her earlobe between my teeth with the faintest pressure, enough to draw a restless shift from her.
“Yes,” she rasped, just barely finding her voice.
“Good,” I whispered, pressing a kiss just beneath her ear before wandering lower, each kiss slower than the last, until I reached the delicate ridge of her collarbone. “Now... repeat after me. I. Deserve. Good. Things.”
