“You want rules? Structure?” I kept my hand where it was, thumb rubbing small circles. “You want help figuring things out, not just play scenes?”
He shivered. “Sir, but…” Barely more than a breath. I waited for the question. I had a good idea. “You’re not a Daddy.”
I opened my mouth to argue, but I managed to stop myself. “No,” I answered truthfully. “It’s not something I’ve ever thought about, but I’m a Dom, and you are definitely submissive. I’m not promising anything,” I rushed out, even though it sounded all kinds of wrong. “But maybe we can figure it out together?”
He shivered. “Yes, sir.” Barely more than a breath.
“Then you have it. It won’t be forever. I can make a contract, but if you want me in charge, you tell me now.”
His hands shook harder. He stared at the glass, then up at me. He was so damn open, nothing hidden. He’d have gotten eaten alive by a lesser man.
But I wasn’t lesser.
“I want that. Please, sir.” And there it was. Theplease. I could have kissed him for it.
“Good. That’s settled.”
Chapter eight
Clayton
I followed Felix through the wide hallway, the lights low and golden, until we stood outside his bedroom. He didn’t ask. He just nudged the door open, then turned to look at me, in that slow, careful way he had.
I noticed the bed first. King-size. Neat and crisp, the kind of sheets you only ever see in catalogs. Not a stray sock anywhere. My stomach flipped. He watched me. Not moving. Just waiting.
“Get undressed,” he said, voice low but not unkind.
My fingers went numb. I stared, but he didn’t fill the silence. He’d just stand there all night, I figured, if it was what I needed.
So I did. Pulled my shirt over my head, fumbled the jeans down, nearly tripped trying to step out of them. I’d never felt so exposed in my life. The bedroom was warm, but goosebumps still shivered down my arms. I forced myself to look at him.
He nodded, approval in the tilt of his mouth. “Good.”
The word hit hard. I stood there in my underwear, wishing I’d worked out more, wishing I was…something else. Not old, not soft, not me.
But Felix didn’t look away. He sat on the edge of the bed, slowly, then patted the spot beside him. “Here.”
I went. Of course I did.
The mattress dipped under my weight. For a second I didn’t know where to put my hands. He made it easy. Just reached over, took my wrist, and tugged me close. His other hand came up, knuckles rough, and grazed my jaw.
“You look good like this,” he rumbled.
I almost laughed. “You don’t need to flatter me, sir.”
“It’s not a compliment. It’s a fact.” His thumb swept under my chin, forcing my head up. “You looked good tonight. You look even better now.”
He kissed me. Not a gentle, testing kiss, but deep and hot. I melted, instantly, leaning into the heat of him. His hand went to the back of my neck, holding me right where he wanted. I didn’t even try to resist.
I’d forgotten what it was like to be wanted. Not just tolerated, not just…there. Really wanted.
Felix tasted like wine and something minty. His beard rasped my jaw. I groaned into his mouth, and he swallowed the sound. I felt his hand on my chest, spreading wide, covering my heart. Warm. Heavy. Fuck, I loved that.
He broke the kiss, gaze flicking over my face. “You need rules tonight?”
Did I? My brain spun. I didn’t want to screw anything up, didn’t want to break whatever this was.
“I—I just want to do it right, sir.”
