“Let’s get one thing straight,” he said, meeting her horny gaze. “If I let you in, if we do this, we do it my way, got it?”
“Absolutely. I know what you like.”
“How the hell would you know?”
“I’ve done my research, Mr. Black. Lots of research.”
“What the hell kind of research would tell you what I like?”
“Trade secret.” She smiled coyly. “But you like what I’m wearing, don’t you?”
He couldn’t deny it. She was a Dominant’s wet dream. But he wasn’t a Dominant. Not really. He liked bondage especially, and he wasn’t averse to spanking and flogging, but to have total domination over someone? That wasn’t him. He couldn’t imagine it.
…
“You couldn’t?” I ask.
“I’ve told you before,” Braden says. “We were both young and inexperienced. Neither of us knew what we were doing.”
“But—”
He places his fingers over my lips. “Shh. We’ll get there.”
…
He had no idea how Addie knew his tastes, but somehow she did. “I need your consent,” he said.
“You have it.”
“And I’m going to give you a safe word.”
“Whatever you want.”
He opened the door and allowed her to enter his apartment. “Your safe word is black.”
“Your name?”
“My last name, yeah.”
“What if I call out your name in passion?”
“Then you’ll call out my first name.”
“No. I want to call out Mr. Black.”
This was getting creepy now. “Do you have some kind of daddy fetish or something?”
“Don’t be silly. You’re way too young to be my daddy.”
“I am, but I’m not into that. You will not call me Mr. Black. Understand?”
She smiled again. “Of course. Whatever you want, sir.”
Sir. Hmm. He could live with that. “Good. Call me sir. And your safe word is black.”
…
“You never asked me to call you sir,” I say. “And you’ve never given me a safe word.”
“For God’s sake, Skye, would you just let me finish? You’ve been pestering me for weeks to tell you all this. I’m not the same man I was then. Are you the same as you were eleven years ago?”
“Well, eleven years ago I was thirteen, so I’m going to say no.”
His lips quirk. “I ought to bring you over my knee and give that cute ass of yours the spanking from hell.”
My core throbs. “Okay,” I say coyly.
“Sorry, babe. This is your one chance to hear this story. So choose. The spanking or this.”
I could tell him I choose the story, that I know he’ll spank me later. But that’s not Braden. If I choose the story, he will intentionally not spank me later, no matter how much I crave it.
I’m caught between a rock and a hard place, my usual spot with Braden.
“Continue,” I say. “I need to know, and I think maybe you need to tell me.”
Chapter Forty-Eight
She nodded.
“No, tell me in words.”
“Yes, I agree to all that.”
“All what?”
“I’ll call you sir, and my safe word is black.”
“And you’ll do what I want.”
“God, yes,” she said breathlessly. “I’ll do whatever you want. Sir.”
Braden’s cock was hard inside his jeans. “I’m going to take a shower. I’m a mess.”
“I think you look great,” she said. “All dirty after a day of hard work. Work that gives you those amazing muscles.”
“Are you saying you don’t want me to take a shower?”
“No,” she said. “I want you just as you are. You’re so hot.”
Braden walked toward her, intentionally not touching her. “Honey, this isn’t about what you want.” He walked to his bathroom, stripped off his clothes, and got under the pelting water.
He scrubbed his body clean with lukewarm water, wondering what he’d find once he was done. Most likely, she’d realize what she’d gotten into and turn tail and run. That’d be okay. He’d jack off and be done with it. Not like he’d never done that before. It was most of the sex he had these days.
He stepped out of the shower, dried his hair and body, and then wrapped a towel around his waist.
Here goes nothing. He opened the door and walked out into the living area.
He’d gone over in his mind what he might find. Most likely she’d be gone. If not, she might have gone into the small kitchen area and gotten a couple beers out of the fridge. Maybe some bourbon. Maybe just some ice water. That sounded great right about now.
Or maybe she’d have discarded her trench coat and be lying spread eagle on his bed.
Those were the things he expected.
Not what he got.
Addison was kneeling by his bed.
Kneeling.
This woman knew something about submission. More than Braden knew at this point.
And he was more than slightly turned on.
He walked to her. “What’s going on here?”
“May I look you in the eye, sir?”
She asked permission to look him in the eye? This was what she wanted? What she thought he wanted?
Fine. He’d give it a try. It was kinky. What the hell?
“You may.”
She raised her head, meeting his gaze with her neck bent backward. “What can I do to please you?”
“Bring me your flogger and then get on the bed.”
She walked to her trench coat, got the flogger out of the pocket, and then sat down on the bed. She held the flogger out to him as if in offering.
Okay, he could live with this.
“This is a two way street,” Braden said to her. “I’m going to tell you what I want to do, and you have the choice to say no.”
“I’ve already consented. I don’t want that choice.”