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“Now, that’s where you’d be wrong, little one.”
She thought she’d imagined it, but just in case, she looked to the door and gasped.
He stood in her doorway with a huge grin on his face. “You really should lock your door. It’s not safe to leave it otherwise.” He nodded toward Abby. “Abby.”
“Hey, Cole,” Abby said.
Sasha was still staring at him like he’d descended from a UFO. Cole was here. In her apartment. “Cole,” she said. “What are you . . . why?”
He walked farther into the room. “Abby, if you don’t mind, I’d like to speak to Sasha privately. Matter of fact, I’ll make you a deal. If you let us talk privately, I won’t tell Nathaniel about the asshole speech.”
“Please.” She waved her hand. “Nathaniel wrote the asshole speech.”
Cole lifted an eyebrow.
“Okay, okay.” Abby stood up. “I’m out of here. Call me, Sasha. And you.” She pointed to Cole. “You were picked for a reason. Live up to it.”
“I will,” Cole said. “Now out.”
Sasha couldn’t keep her eyes off him, afraid if she looked away that he’d disappear. But he wasn’t saying anything.
“Why are you here?” she whispered.
“The short answer is, I’m not letting you chase me away.”
Her breath caught. “What?”
“I’m a Dom worthy of your time.” He took three steps in her direction. “So I’m not letting you chase me away. I don’t care how long it takes or what I have to do. I’m going to prove I’m the man able to Master you.”
She got up and stopped when she stood in front of him. Not quite close enough to touch. “What made you change your mind?”
“I thought it wouldn’t be right for me to ask you to only be with me. That I’d be somehow cheating you out of something if you didn’t experience more than what I offered.” His expression grew serious and he looked unsure for the first time. “But I love you, Sasha, and if you might perhaps feel the same about me, I think maybe it doesn’t matter that you experience other Dominants.”
He loved her?
She couldn’t contain her silly grin. He loved her.
“I love you, too,” she whispered. “And no, it doesn’t. It doesn’t mean I’m not strong if I only want to be with you. It just means I only want to be with you. I’m sorry I didn’t understand sooner, and I’m sorry if I made you feel like you failed me.”
“And I’m sorry I let my fears and doubts get the best of me.” He closed the distance between them and cupped her face. “You are more than just strong, you’re strong enough for both of us.”
She entwined her fingers in his. “I can’t imagine you’re afraid of anything. What do you fear?”
“Abby was right. I don’t want kids. Ever. It was one of the things that ended my relationship with Kate. I should have told you sooner, but since I wouldn’t allow myself to think of a future with you, I didn’t see why I should.”
“Cole, I—”
“Wait,” he said. “Let me finish. You’re my air, I need you, and if you want kids, well, we’ll somehow work it out. But I’m not going to let that keep us apart.” His smile eased the hurt in her heart. “You’re more than my air, you’re my sun, and my moon, and when I’m weary and tired, you’re my shelter.” He lowered his head so their foreheads touched. “Let me be the same to you.”
She lifted her head and her wet cheeks brushed his chin. “I love you, Cole. I want to live with you and for you and by your side and at your feet. And not having kids doesn’t bother me.”
“You may change your mind one day.”
“And purple aliens may invade Earth, but I’m not going to let the possibility of something that might happen in the future take away my happiness in the present.”
“You humble me. How you accept so much of me. Everyone else has always tried to change me.” He ran his knuckles across her cheekbone. “You’re amazing. Has anyone ever told you?”
“No, Sir.”
He nearly growled at the Sir. “Bloody hell, Sasha.”
She couldn’t reply because he pulled her into his arms and settled his mouth over hers in a kiss that had her entire body begging for more. His mouth was hungry and urgent and she parted her lips to taste him. He trailed his fingers down her spine. She brought her hands to his waist. She wanted to feel him.
He pulled back. “Wait.”
“Why?” She could have groaned in frustration.
“Trust me.”
“Always.”
“Before I take you again, I want to show you something I found on my way back from my speaking engagement.”
She tried to think of what he could want to show her that would take precedence over where she thought the kiss was leading.
“You wrinkle your nose when you’re trying to understand something. Did you know that?”
“I do?”
“Yes.” He kissed the tip of her nose. “It makes me smile.”
She brought her hands up to his chest and started unbuttoning his shirt. “I’m glad it makes you smile. Now will you show me the thing you found so we can get back to the kissing part?”
“So impatient, little one.”
He was being an awful tease. “You’re in my apartment. We’re alone. And my bedroom is right down the hall. Give me one reason not to be impatient.”
“You underestimate me. I’ll give you five: One, because I said so. Two, I love you. Three, I want you. Four, I want everyone to know you’re mine. And five,” He slipped his hand into his pocket and withdrew a slender box. “I want you in my collar. And not a training one this time.”
She stared at the box as tears filled her eyes. “Oh, my God.”
“Sasha?”
It was too much. Him coming to her apartment and saying he loved her and then offering her his collar. It was all her best days wrapped up together in one. Emotion welled up in her throat and she buried her face in her hands right as a sob escaped her throat.
“Don’t weep, little one.”
“I just, it’s only . . .” She looked up. “I never imagined.”
“And I can’t imagine anything else. Will you wear it?”
She bit her bottom lip. She wanted so badly to say yes, but knew better than to let excitement overrule her common sense. “If I agree to wear it, will I be your submissive or your slave?”
“As long as you’re mine, I’m flexible as to how we work.” His fingertip traced her collarbone. “Which would you prefer?”
His response was everything she wanted it to be. “I enjoyed being your submissive, but it was being your slave that made me complete.”
He tilted his head. “I’m hesitant to collar you as a slave right now, but I think we could start out in a structured, daily Dominant/submissive role and work toward Master/slave.”
“I’d like that.” She put her arms around his neck. “Will I live here or at your place?”
“I want you at my place as often as possible, but there’s no reason for you not to keep the apartment. I doubt you want a stranger living above your shop.”
Suddenly she didn’t see herself living in the apartment for much longer. She wanted to be with him every night, every morning, for always.
“Yes, Sir, I’ll wear your collar with pride. Please.”
He opened the box and took out a necklace that left her breathless. The collar was made of interlocking links of white gold, black ceramic, and diamonds. “I knew the moment I saw it. It carries a unique sensuality that reminds me of you.”
“I’ve never seen anything more beautiful.”
