Page 49 of Haze

“I don’t think I could describe yours as anything less. That first glimpse of you in the sun through the windows.” I exhale, fighting away my physical response to the memory. “Those flowers below your tits. They’re so delicate with those little leaves. They must have taken hours of work. You’ve quite a pain tolerance, I take it.”

Rolling us so I can finally take a closer look, I trace the petals, trying to remember what flowers these are. Based on her reaction to the roses, I know each has meaning.

The attention, or something else, must embarrass her. Lena’s face reddens as she looks away. In the dim light of the room, I almost make out the flush tones painting her face.

She says what she’s thinking. “Pain isn’t a bad thing if it comes with purpose.”

My cock twitches. Oh, little masochist. I focus on her. It’s not responsible to take her when she’s not ready during heat. These moments of her willingness to talk to me have been so fleeting.

I turn her chin back toward me so she meets my gaze again. “Don’t hide your likes from me. I want to know your likes, your limits, and most importantly, all the dark fantasies you want to explore.”

She doesn’t say anything. Lena’s young, so I don’t expect her to have years of negotiating and talking it through under her belt. Sitting up, I pull her with me.

Trailing my nose along her ear, I whisper, “I’m—”

“I’m not obedient. I struggle with authority. You can’t punish a masochist with pain. My physical limits outside of activities that may make me require an attorney, a surgeon, or a coroner are relatively limited.” Lena cuts me off, explaining her limits eloquently.

Snaking my fingers back into her hair, I squeeze tight, and her eyes clench closed.

I explain mine. “No death or dismemberment, no children or animals. I’m strictly monogamous. I don’t have a switchy bone in my body, so you’d best remember there’s no pushing back with me.”

I relax my pull on her hair only to tilt her head back. Lena sighs with the release.

Running my free hand down her neck, I push her for more information. “How far is too far for you to submit?”

She swallows hard but doesn’t answer. I tighten my grip on her hair once more, giving her head a small shake.

“Speak,” I order.

No matter what she might say, I’m excited to hear it. Hopeful butterflies bang their wings against the inside of my stomach.

“That limit doesn’t exist,” Lena answers obediently. It’s cryptic, held with a pause before she continues. “I’ve never been pushed far enough to find it.”

“Do you want to be?”

That answer, so brave, so beautiful, was not on the list of things I expected her to say.

The butterflies have yet to ease as I wait, holding my breath in anticipation of a decline. It doesn’t stop me from hoping it’s a yes.

Her answer is hesitant, but honesty rings true. “I don’t know.”

“Good girl.” I praise her for answering me honestly.

An unknown leaves room for exploration. While I’ll never push her beyond her hesitance, it will be nice to move forward and see what she can tolerate. An ‘I don’t know’ is a maybe, and maybes are discussable.

Chapter 16

Lena

The night passes in waves of epic sex. Every time he says those two words, ‘good girl,’ I get this stupid little flutter in my heart. Finn brings a whole conflict of emotions into my life, ones I’m not ready to engage in.

In the cool morning light, I wake up to him watching me. His eyes slowly draw me in.

“Good morning, faolan. You look like you’re maybe up to eating this time.” Finn’s hand is gentle along my jaw.

I close my eyes against the intensity of my wolf rushing to meet him. Yesterday, I let myself be vulnerable. It was foolhardy, and since he hasn’t figured it out yet, I’ll do everything I can to not let that happen again.

Finn moves closer, drawing me into his arms, and the touch nearly shatters my resolve again. We’ve spent almost a full day in bed together already. Yet these tiny stupid little touches keep buckling every single wall I’ve ever built.

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