Page 60

A sigh trembled through me. I pushed away from him and slid off the bed.

“Ainsley.” He was faster than I expected and caught my arm before I could get too far. “I told you to tell me or at least give me some sort of sign that we were moving too fast.”

I pulled away from him, letting out a huff.But I want you,I signed before I could stop myself.

He sighed, righting his pants and running a hand through his hair. “Listen, I like you. A lot. I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t, but this is new for me too. I’ve never gone to a woman’s home before because she woke up from a nightmare. I’ve never taken a woman out on a date only to drop her off right after.” He came toward me. “I’ve never played video games with a woman either,” he said gently, cupping my face. “And I’ve never drank wine for a woman either.”

I frowned, staring up at him.

He chuckled, placing a soft peck on my forehead. “I don’t like wine, but I didn’t want you to go through the trouble of getting me a different drink.”

I pushed out of his hold.So you drank almost two bottles with me, just so you wouldn’t bother me?

Cyrus shrugged. “I was trying to get to know you and to not be difficult.”

What do you like to drink?

He grabbed my hands, kissing my fingertips. “Dark rum is my drink of choice, but I’ll settle for a cold beer too.”

I made a mental note to grab a bottle of dark rum, so he could have some the next time he was over.

Pulling my hands from his, I took a step closer to him. I reached a hand out, running my fingers along the light scars scattered across his hard torso.

When my fingers touched his tattoo, my throat closed over a hard lump. I wish I’d loved my parents enough to miss them like he did. Or maybe it was a good thing I didn’t, seeing as what I had already been through. Dealing with the loss of parents I had never been close with, plus my trauma, might not be a good mix. But I would always wish I could tell them I loved them. So maybe I did miss them more than I thought I had.

“They would have liked you,” Cyrus said, kissing the top of my head.

My parents would have liked him too. Even though I had a hard time getting along with them, they were good people. I just didn’t like their strict ways even though I definitely could have had it worse.

Now that our moment was over, I gave Cyrus a small smile, a hard sigh leaving me that I couldn’t give him what I wanted to yet. Could we ever get to that? The physical touch? Sex? I had sworn it off ever since I was rescued from hell, literally, but now that I’d met Cyrus, I wondered if I could give him enough of me that we could get to that point.

Cyrus tilted my head back, placing a soft peck on my mouth. “Thank you for giving me a piece of you, pet. I promise to protect it and to never take these pieces you share, for granted.”

I threw my arms around his shoulders, my eyes welling at his sweet words.

“Why the tears, baby?” he murmured, kissing the side of my throat.

Before I knew what I was doing, I cupped his nape and pulled him down to meet my mouth. The rough impact forced a growl from somewhere deep inside of him and it only intensified this burn I felt for him.

“Ainsley,” he whispered, but he never stopped me.

He had said that there was a passionate woman inside of me. A sex kitten. He was right. She was there, waiting until I was ready for her. Maybe I already was, and I just didn’t know it. Looked like there was only one way to find out.

Lowering to my knees, I took a deep breath and then another before I met his beautiful dark eyes.

“You don’t...what are you...Ainsley.” He petted a hand over my head. “You don’t have to do anything.”

I know but I want to try. Please let me try. I needed some sort of control in my life. I needed to know what it felt like to be in control of someone else. As long as Cyrus gave me his consent, it was all I needed to satisfy this ache, this need to be powerful. I wasn’t a dominant person by any means, but I needed this.

“What do you need?” he asked me, staring down at me with lust written all over his handsome face.

Control.

He backed up and went to the bed. “I’ll give that to you, Ainsley. Whatever you need,” he said, lying down.

My stomach flipped.

Rising to my feet, I went to the bed. His cock was still semi-erect beneath his pants, the bulge making my mouth water. Was this normal? Should I even be reacting this way? Was it too soon?