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"I might not have lived that life or relationship with you, but it had meaning for me too." She fiddled with the bracelet, brushing her thumb over the silver leaf. "It always reminded me of you. Of having fun with you and feeling…loved or taken care of, and safe. It calmed me to know that you cared about me enough to give me something." She gulped, her eyes welling up briefly. "No one ever gave me jewelry before. Never. You would think after all the relationships, fleeting or less so, I've had, I would've been given something. Especially by the guys. They think all women love jewelry. But never. Not once." She met my gaze, grabbing handfuls of my hair again. "Just you."

"You deserve to be given everything, Nora. Everything." I leaned my head back against the pillows while gazing at her perched in my lap. In my favorite place with my favorite person, nothing could steal that from us now.

"So do you." Her gaze landed on her wrist again. "I want to be yours…"

"You are mine." I tugged her a little closer to me so that her belly pressed mine. "Not letting you go again."

"I mean…I want you to collar me." She gnawed her lip and met my gaze. "I want to be your sub."

My mind bounced around hearing her say that, partly out of disbelief and another out of joy. I made to respond, but she continued.

"I want to be your Kitten. For you to call me Kitten all the time." She smiled while she spoke, though tears trickled down her cheeks. "I want you to let me kiss you and touch you whenever I want." She sniffled, a soft laugh escaping her in between. "And I want you to make me purr."

I laughed despite the swell of tears that managed to escape me under her sweet words. I caressed her cheeks, tucking her hair behind her ears while I doted on her. "I love making you purr. And you are my Kitten. Always were."

She leaned forward, her lips brushing over mine until I closed the distance between us. Her body surged in my lap, her hands cupping my face as we swam together in a sweet kissing session. I smiled through it, and it made her laugh.

"You're the best kisser. Why am I not surprised?" she said, grinning while nuzzling my nose with hers.

"I should've kissed you sooner…" My hand fell to the small of her back, holding her close to me when I claimed her mouth again, this time kicking up the heat a bit. She rolled with it, her shaking hands gripping my shirt after a moment. I made to part us, but she wouldn't let me, forcing her lips back against mine. I met her there, cupping the back of her head and devouring her mouth the way she wanted me to.

Her nails raked my shoulders, tumbling down to land on my breasts. She ended the kiss suddenly, her back arching as a deep shudder raced through her as she gazed down between us.

"You okay?" My brow furrowed, and I steadied her with a hand on her shoulder.

Her breaths left her in heavy puffs. "I feel funny."

"What kind of funny?" I looked her up and down, as if expecting her to explode.

"I've never gone a month without…sex or getting myself off. I feel funny," she repeated, her hands falling to her thighs.

"What feels funny? Being aroused or your girly bits?"

"Both. I haven't been since…at all." Her hands kneaded my stomach as if attempting to soothe herself while she rocked a little.

"Are you right now?" Confusion muddled my worried thoughts, and I nudged her chin up to look at me after she nodded. "You look very uncomfortable."

"I feel different," she said, nearly breathless. "What if he… What if I'm broken or something? What if I'm different and I can't?" And there arrived her panic. "I feel different."

"Okay, honey. Look at me." Her wild eyes eventually landed on mine. "Your body feels different?"

She nodded, her bottom lip quivering as she fought tears. "Yes."

"Do you hurt?"

"A little." She clawed at my shirt, then tugged at her pants. "Burns."

"Can we look at you for a second? I'm worried about what you're describing, Nor."

She nodded, though she cried softly while leaning back to lie down on the bed beside me. She covered her face, sobbing into her palms. "I don't want to be different."

"Honey…what makes you think you'll be different?" I rubbed her stomach in soft circles and she started when I touched her left side where the faint reminders of the cattle prod she endured lingered. "Nor, did—"

"Just look at me, please." She cried hard, her legs writhing in the sheets.

"Okay. Okay." I tugged her pants down with her help and checked her out the best I could. "You're not different, honey. You look just the same to me." I leaned down and kissed the spot just below her navel. "Just as beautiful as always."

"Honest?" She sniffled, gazing at me through tear-filled eyes.