Page 13

(Matthew)
After a decadently long midday nap, therewasn’t a lot of time to prepare for the night I wanted us toexperience. The birthday party had been fantastic, the poolsideshenanigans filthy, but out of the entire trip so far, the mostmemorable sex for me had happened that morning, by ourselves, notoys, no tricks. Looking into Charlotte’s eyes as I let go insideher had been the highlight of my entire sexual life. It hadn’t beenplayful or staged. It had been raw, intimate, and deeplyconnected.
It had been so different because I lovedher. And now, I was at a bit of a loss as to how to arrange all thekink around that love.
For a guy as into wild sexual flings as Iwas, my relationships had been pretty tame, if I used the wordsubjectively. I’d opened my first Ascend property when I’d beendating Brett—fiancé number two—and since then, every seriousrelationship had included trips to Ascend Red. But a few weekendsof swinging with random kink nights sprinkled in here and there hadbeen fine with those partners.
Now, I had Charlotte.
There was no way I would be able to returnto New York and fall into a BDSM-on-special-occasions sex life withher. She wouldn’t be satisfied; that much had been clear to me asfar back as our dirty texting days.
Which has been weeks, not years, Ireminded myself. But it felt like I’d known Charlotte for so muchlonger. Like I’d always known her.
That didn’t make being with her any lessexciting or surprising.
I glanced toward the bathroom, where she wasfinishing up a shower, and called Miranda. “Is the room ready?”
“Fully stocked and decorated,” sheconfirmed. “And they did bring the extra restraints, just incase.”
“Just in case” had been the exactterminology I’d used when I’d made the request. If Miranda didn’tlove the climate on the island so much, I’d have lured her away toNew York by now. I could have used someone like her on a dailybasis.
“And the stylists?” I asked as the waterstopped running.
“En route, ETA five minutes,” she said. “Andthe final touches will be assembled while they’re working onher.”
“Thanks, I’m hanging up now.” I hit thebutton and tossed the phone on the bed on my way to the en suitebathroom.
“I’m hurrying,” Charlotte said, wrapping abig, fluffy towel around herself. “I promise, I’m hurrying.”
“No rush. We have all night.” I waited untilshe went to the vanity and picked up the hair dryer to add, “Andtwo stylists coming in to get you ready.”
Her eyes met mine in the mirror. “You’rekidding.”
“No. they understand my vision for our gametonight.” I placed my hands on her bare shoulders and gentlystroked my thumb down her neck. “I’ve been thinking of another safeword we could use. When it’s the two of us.”
“Ooh. Tell me.” She leaned back on me and myhands slipped down her chest, pushing the towel down and baring hernipples.
I leaned close to her ear. “Mercy.”
She shivered.
“‘Mercy’ it is, then?” I asked, and shenodded, wetting her bottom lip with a quick touch of her pointedtongue.
I captured one nipple between my thumb andforefinger, and her eyes in the glass. “Let me hear it now.”
Her eyes widened as I pinched tighter. Herchest hitched, and she leaned into my touch, despite the whimper ofpain she muffled behind her lips.
“I can’t hear you, princess.” I cupped herother breast and stroked with the pressure of a feather around thattight peak. The warring sensations pulled a cry from herthroat.
“Mercy,” she gasped finally. “Mercy, mydragon.”
“Good girl.” I kissed her cheek and reachedfor my cane. I needed to step away from her or else I was going toend up fucking her before the night even got started. “We only havea few minutes before the stylists get here, so I want to clarify,one last time: Is there anything you don’t want me to dotonight?”
“Anything that’s a go in the paperwork isfine by me.” She reached for a bottle of moisturizer and slickedsome between her hands. “Don’t worry. I’ve got the hang of safewords and boundaries. If I don’t like something, I’ll let you know.But I don’t want you to hold back.”
“Did you think I was holding back when I hadyou tied to a chair and forced you to come during breakfast on yourfirst morning here?” I asked, my own words quickening my pulse.
“No, but you didn’t do any of that to me,”she pointed out. “You asked other people to do those things.Tonight, you’ll be the one getting rough with me.”