Page 100 of Stripping Bare

His dad’s warning floated through his head again. But Jonah knew that real emotional pain was caused when one person abandoned another. When he was unwilling to be vulnerable enough to tell thetruth.

“That thing you said about pain and pleasure? How they sometimes work together? I…I think I’m wired thatway.”

She glanced down at the towel that was barely covering the substantial hard-on he’d developed as she bandaged his blistered skin. “So you like pain with yourpleasure?”

“I don’t want to scare you. I would never hurtyou.”

Her palm was soft and warm against his cheek. “I know that. Tell me what you mean. Bondage? Discipline? Roughsex?”

God, when she said it like that, it made him want to walk the fuck away from her and never come back. Jonah rolled off the bed and to his feet, and his towel dropped to the wood floor. He reached for it, but Tessa caught his hand. “Talk tome.”

“I’m not into whips and shit. I don’t meanthat.”

“Okay. But even if you were, that wouldn’t make you a badperson.”

“I…just like to run theshow.”

“And that worriesyou.”

“When it comes to you,yes.”

“Have you ever forced yourself on awoman?”

“Fuckno.”

“Then as long as whatever you do, whatever you want, is consensual, you have no reason to feel bad aboutit.”

“But what Iwantand what youneedaren’t the samething.”

“You don’t know that. And the only way we’ll figure it out is to try it. Turn out the light and come back tobed.”

He glanced at the switch, instinct and habit making him want to flick off the overhead light. “I want iton.”

He realized that he meant it. He had a real chance to change the images of Tessa—blacked out and bleeding—in his head. Exorcise them from his soul. He ran a hand down her thigh, urging her to turn sideways on the bed. “Scoot to theedge.”

“Are you sure about thelight—”

“I am. Do it,Tessa.”

Her eyes flared with arousal, and she scooted around until her hips were at the mattressedge.

His breathing already uneven, Jonah sank to his knees and slowly ran his hands along her legs, giving special attention to the fragile bones in her ankles and touching each of her red-painted toes. “Damn, your feet aresexy.”

She laughed. “I think you have afever.”

“Seriously. I didn’t realize feet could be a turn-on.” He traced a pattern on the sensitive skin of her instep and watched the way her thighs tensed and released. Oh, yeah. There were distinct advantages to being able to see every move Tessa made. It would take him years to find all her secret spots, all her hotbuttons.

For long minutes, he skimmed his fingers up her calves and explored the topography of her knees. A light touch behind one almost made her jackknife off thebed.

“Ticklish?” heasked.

Her breath was coming fast and shallow. “I…I don’t know how much of this I canstand.”

“Don’t like it?” By the scent that was coming off her skin—hot and spicy—she liked what he was doing just fine. “Spread yourlegs.”

She did so immediately, revealing a delicious landscape of smooth golden-brown skin. With the movement, her nightie rode up, revealing a skinny strip of lace between her legs, the center dark anddamp.

The need to rip away the fabric covering her hummed through his blood. He wanted to put his mouth right there, suck and tongue-fuck her until she screamed. Then he would do it all over again with his fingers. And again with hiscock.