“Okay?”

“Um, yeah.” She tests her range of motion a bit and then stills, nervous.

“And now this one.” I gently stroke her right foot and pull the cuff around it. Then I do the same with each hand. When I finish she wriggles a bit, testing out her bonds, but no more.

“Do you want me to undo you?” I whisper, and sit down gently on the bed.

She shakes her head no. I find it interesting that she’s reverted to nonverbal responses.

“Okay, Don’t worry, honey, I’m gonna make you feel good.”

She sighs and I feel it in my *****.

I rest my hand over her heart, move it up slowly to her neck, feel the pulse beating wildly there. I kiss her temple, laying down beside her, bodies pressed close.

I’m touching her gently all over, no different than I was before, that horrible time when I did this against her will. But now everything has a more intense meaning, because she has begged for it. Every touch is heightened for her, for me, and she gasps and wriggles and sighs.

“I can’t even tell you how beautiful you look, all spread open for me. I want you so much.”

She just moans.

“Are you okay? Comfortable?”

“Hmm. Yeah.” She whispers the last word with a fricative hiss that makes my heart pound.

“If you get cold, or hungry or thirsty or whatever, I want you to tell me.”

“Just touch me,” she whispers. The sound of it makes me swallow.

“I will. I could touch you forever.” I raptly move my hand over her arm, all the way past the leather cuff that anchors it to the left side of my bed. I lean in that direction, and press a kiss to her palm. Her fingers splay open under my lips. She hasn’t taken her eyes off of me.

“Where would you like me to touch you?”

“Wherever you want.” She smiles and I realize it’s not an evasion, but true submission. She’s not in a hurry. That means so much to me that I feel light inside and out.

“Okay.” I press my lips to her sternum, feeling the bone there under her flesh, kissing. She wants touch but I can’t stay away from the temptation of her lush lips. I kiss her tenderly, then passionately, and she matches me every step of the way. She suckles my bottom lip between her own and I moan loudly. God. Want her. Without meaning to I clench a fistful of her hair.