Page 42 of Renascence

“Come on.” I jerk my head toward the door and we head back to the living room. “Sit, Emily.”

“What’s up?” she asks as she perches on the couch.

“There are some things we need to talk about before we go any further.”

“Okay.” Her fingers tap a nervous beat on her knee.

Taking a deep breath, I turn so I’m facing her. “First of all, this is about me, not you. Got it?”

“Yeah….”

“You’re probably not ready for anything serious anyways, but you need to know I’m not looking for that. At all. I’ve wanted you since the moment I saw you and you know that… but I don’t do relationships.”

“I understand… and you’re right. I’m not looking for that, either.” Relief floods my body. “I just have one request.”

“What’s that?”

“While we’re doing… whatever it is we’re doing… there can’t be anyone else.”

Normally, this is where I’d tell a woman “thanks, but no thanks,” and we part ways, but I understand where Emily’s coming from. She’s been cheated on, and even though she’s not my woman, me fucking around would stir up old hurts.Fuck James.

“I can do that, darlin’.”

“Good.”

“So we’re agreed on those terms?”

“Yeah. No wine and dine, no feelings. Just sex… with each other.” She cracks a smile.

“You should also know that I love to have sex… a lot. And by a lot, I mean frequency.”

Her eyes drop to her hands, folded in her lap. “Doesn’t sound like a problem to me.”

Fuck, I want to throw her over my shoulder right now, but there’s more I need to get out.

“Since we’ll be spending all our time in the bedroom—” I pause for dramatic effect, smirking at her sudden intake of breath. “—you need to know… in there? I’m in control.”

“Oh. Okay.” She blushes. “I kinda need to defer to you anyways. I’m not really experienced. Well, not like you.”

“Darlin’.” I squeeze her fingers. “I don’t think you understand. I mean you do what I say, when I say, how I say.”

Her eyes widen. “You mean… like that BDSM stuff?”

She seems so innocent, I can’t help but laugh. Confused at my reaction, she watches until I calm down.

“Not entirely. There are some aspects of the lifestyle I enjoy, but you don’t need to call me ‘Sir’ or ‘Master’ or anything like that. I don’t want to controlyou, just your pleasure. Everything I’ll do to you is for mutual gratification. If you don’t like something, all you have to do is say so and I’ll stop.”

“Okay.” She squirms a little in her seat, the action indicating she’s getting excited.

Fuck.Yes. With how responsive she is? I can’t wait to get my hands on her.

“I would like you to have an open mind, though, Emily. Some things I want to do to you may make you uncomfortable.”

“Like what?”

“Things no one has ever done to you.”

She snorts. “That’s a mighty long list, buddy.”