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“And after?”

“After our talk? We’ll put these words into action, Sunshine.” He lowers his mouth to mine in a kiss that can only be defined as possessive.

What have I gotten myself into?

Whatever it is, I'm not backing out now.

CHAPTER 6

The rehearsal and dinner pass in a blur of practiced smiles and professional efficiency. I act the dutiful maid of honor, all while hyper aware of Matt's presence.

He doesn't crowd me or make obvious gestures. In fact, to anyone watching, we're simply polite acquaintances fulfilling our respective wedding roles. But every time our eyes meet across the church aisle, every accidental brush of hands when reaching for the same program, every subtle nod he gives me when I manage a particularly tricky situation all feel charged with unspoken promises.

Tonight,his eyes seem to say.Tonight we begin.

By the time the rehearsal dinner winds down, my nerves are stretched to a breaking point. I make my excuses to Catherine, promising to be available first thing tomorrow for the hair and makeup marathon, and slip outside to call a rideshare. I need to go back to the hotel and regroup before heading over to Matt’s.

Before I can open the app, Matt appears beside me, car keys dangling from his fingers.

"Need a ride?" he asks, his voice casual even as his eyes communicate something far more intense.

I should say no. Should maintain some distance, gather my thoughts, prepare myself for whatever is about to happen between us.

"Yes," I say instead, because apparently my self-preservation instinct has taken the night off.

The drive to the hotel is silent, tense with anticipation. Matt keeps both hands on the wheel, eyes on the road, maintaining a respectful distance that somehow feels more intimate than if he'd been touching me.

When we pull up to the hotel entrance, he turns to me. "May I come up?"

Three simple words that carry the weight of everything we've been circling since we met. My answer will set the course for the rest of this wedding weekend and possibly beyond. He’s asking, not demanding. Not telling. Asking. Another green flag. Another assurance that my gut is correct in trusting him.

"Yes," I say again, crossing a threshold I can't uncross.

In the elevator, we stand a careful foot apart, neither speaking. An older couple joins us on the third floor, chatting about their dinner plans, oblivious to the crackling tension between Matt and me.

By the time we reach my room, my hands are actually shaking as I tap the key card against the lock. The door swings open, revealing the generic luxury of a high-end hotel suite, a king bed, desk, sitting area, tasteful abstract art on the walls.

Matt follows me in, closing the door with a soft click that sounds unnervingly final. For a moment, we just stand there, the reality of being truly alone together settling around us like a physical presence.

"Would you like a drink?" I ask, falling back on social niceties to break the tension. "There's a minibar."

"No." He steps closer, eyes never leaving mine. "What I'd like is for you to tell me what you want."

Right. He'd asked me to consider what I wanted, what I needed. I'd thought about little else all day, even while going through the rehearsal and dinner.

"I want..." I begin, then pause, struggling to articulate desires I've barely admitted to myself. "I want to explore this. Whatever this is between us."

He nods, encouraging. "What else?"

I take a deep breath. "I want to feel... taken care of. Guided. But not controlled in a way that diminishes me." My cheeks heat as I force myself to continue. "I've read about these dynamics in books, fantasized about them, but I've never... It's all theoretical for me."

Understanding dawns in his eyes. "You've never actually experienced it."

I shake my head. "No. Just fiction."

"I see." He moves to the sitting area, taking a seat in one of the armchairs. Not what I expected. "Come here," he says, patting his lap. I hesitate before I join him, sitting on his lap. He turns to face me, expression serious.

"Let me tell you what I want," he says. "I want to give you what you need. The guidance, the care, the structure. But for that to work, we need trust. Absolute trust."