Page 62 of Jase

“You?” His hand lifted as he slowly paced in his jeans. His eyes were cut up from his lowered head. He was studying me. “You did nothing wrong. Quite the opposite. Do you usually ask permission to have an orgasm?”

My mouth closed as I blinked through the question.

“No. I just…I told you before, I wanted to come, but I was holding off. Then I thought maybe you’d want me to prolong it. I didn’t want to anymore; I was ready.”

“So, you decided to ask me?”

I tried shrugging. “It felt right.”

“It was right. It was perfect.”

“Then why did you stop?”

He grew still, putting his hands on his hips. “Because we’re finished.”

“But we’re not.”

“You’re not ready for me yet. Not like that.”

“What do you mean? I’m ready. I want to keep going.”

“It’s best we don’t. You’ve come far but continuing will only set you back.”

“No. I am ready. I can do this.I want to do this.” My tone grew angrier through my frustration. One of Jase’s eyebrows rose, but I didn’t stop. “I think you’re just not telling me the truth. I did do something wrong. Or maybe you’re just not into me as much as you thought. You don’t have to use my state of mind to get out of this. I get it. You’re having regrets. It’s fine.”

I tried reaching for the buckle of the cuff with my injured hand knowing there was no way in hell I was going to get it off.

“Don’t touch that.”

I paused as Jase stalked around the side of the bed.

“I’m not going to stay in your bed when you’re clearly finished with me. I told you, it’s fine. You didn’t hurt my feelings.” Again, I brought my nearly immobile fingers closer.

“You’re going to hurt yourself. I said, don’t. If you want out of those cuffs, it’ll be me who sets you free.”

I did stop, then, but not because he wanted me to.

“You don’t want me unbuckling because they’re yours? Jase, I don’t understand what is happening. You have to talk to me. I’m not a mind reader.”

His knee pressed into the mattress as a battle swept over his face. He didn’t unbuckle me. He didn’t touch me, either.

“It’s not that I’m not into you. God, I fucking am. That’s the problem. I can’t lose control. I want to keep going. I wish it was time, but you’re not ready.”

“Stop. Why wouldn’t I be ready? I wasn’t raped. I’m not broken in that department. I told you I wanted this.”

“You want sex. I don’t have regular sex, Kody. I don’t fuck for a means to an end.” His brows drew in as he leaned in, gripping firmly to my jaw. “You need to know that before we go any further. I don’t do one-night stands. I don’t fuck randomly. When we finally go all the way, we’re together. Do you understand me?You’re mine. For good.”

“Are you saying you want a commitment?”

“The act will be the commitment. What I’m saying is, I don’t want to hurt you, and I very well could if I wasn’t careful. I’m not like other guys. Do you feel these hands?” Pressure increased on my jaw, only to ease as they moved down my throat. “These hands bring pleasure and pain. They wield things that’ll make you cry.” He paused, searching my face. “Iwantto see you cry just as much as I want to see you come. It’s a beautiful balance, but not one many have been able to embrace. After what you’ve been through, I’m truly not sure whether you could handle it either. Just think about what I’m saying. If you can’t, you can’t. If you want to try, we’ll go from there.”

“I—”

“Right now you’re just listening.”

“I can do it. I want to try.”

Jase’s jaw flexed as he gripped tighter to my throat. The act alone had my mind spinning with terror, and yet I’d never been more turned on in my life. I wanted him to make me come again. Just like this; where I knew I was safe.