Page 28 of Autumn Ritual

“Angel,” he rasped and ascended the step. “How long have you been waiting?”

“Long enough to make my scene accurate.”

He viciously kicked over the last candle and wrapped his hands around my hips. I peered down at him with a smile. I couldn’t see his face in the dark, but my mind drew his features from memory.

“You came,” I breathed, reciting the dialogue from tonight’s last chapter.

“You reckless, beautiful creature.” He wrapped my legs around his waist before reaching for the rope.

This wasn’t how the dialogue between my characters was supposed to unfold. But it was a damn good line!

“Oh, no! Don’t take me down!” I squeaked.

He paused.

“I have to…uh…hang,” I explained. “And you—”

I blushed. Hard. The words wouldn’t come out. I couldn’t say ‘fuck me’ and make it sound good.

Those strong hands slid up and down my sides. “Are you open to changing the scene?”

“Um….”

“Or….” His voice dropped to a seductive rasp. “What if we make our own scene?”

Our scene.

Now that was a good idea.

My voice turned breathless. “We could do that.”

I smiled, a little shyly. This was better!

The monster unhooked the rope from the rafter of the porch and draped my shivering arms against his chest. Those hard hands were gentle as they rubbed feeling back into my wrists. My arms tingled with pins and needles. But the warmth of his body went a long way to bringing them back to life.

He looped my arms around his neck. “Fuck, angel, you make me want to punish you for being so careless.”

A shiver raced through me, and my core clenched tight. “Really?”

He stilled.

“You really want to punish me?” I breathed. “How?”

“Cazzo.” The word dragged slowly from his lips.

Heat spread between my legs. I was eager for whatever he had in mind. I pictured myself as an offering, completely at the monster’s mercy. It wasn’t far from the truth.

His warm body flexed against mine. “Can you stand?”

I nodded. “Of course!”

Gently, he set me on the ground and pushed me against the porch railing. The wood bit into my stomach. The devil took the length of rope as pressed himself against my ass, grinding against me. The middle of the rope dragged down my spine.

“You know I’ll never hurt you, Sara.”

It wasn’t a question, but I answered anyway. “I know.”

“Your safe word is ‘ghost’. Say it, so I know you understand.”