Page 36 of No Going Back

The hope in the question made his heart ache. “All weekend, if you’ll have me?”

Her soft gaze, twinkling with suggestive humour, filled him with guilt for harbouring such suspicions about her. “As it happens, I’m available until Monday. You may have to fight your way out of here on Sunday night.”

“Oh, like that, is it? Planning to tie me to your bed, then?”

“No, but I was hoping you might tie me to it.”

His breath hitched. “You were?”

“I have scarves.”

What? Was he hallucinating now? “What did you say?”

“I have scarves.” She nodded in the direction of the dressing table. “In the top left drawer.”

Guy followed her gaze… and roared with laughter. He’d been well and truly played. “So I wasn’t the only one hoping tonight.”

“I couldn’t possibly say.”

He kissed her hard. “That’s the kind of attitude that earns a spanking.”

Fire crested in her cheeks. “Why?”

“To remind you that I’m in charge.”

The comment slipped out before he could stop it.

“You’re in charge? Really?”

Okay, so he’d run with it. “Really.”

“So you’re saying using the scarves is your decision?”

“That’s what I’m saying.” Although scarves wouldn’t be his first choice for a serious scene, they’d work for a little light play. And hell, if she was so willing, who was he to disappoint her? “Do you mind if I fetch them?”

Eyes wide and innocent, she shook her head. “Please, help yourself.”

“Thank you. Go and stand by the bed for me, Maddie mine.”

When she’d said she had scarves, she wasn’t joking. The drawer was full of them, in a glorious profusion of colourful swirls. Guy selected one and snapped it to test the feel. “These are new. Is this your first time?” He’d already been planning to take it easy with her, but if she was a complete novice, he’d keep it even more low-key.

“If you’re asking if I’ve read those books everyone’s been talking about for the last couple of years, the answer is yes.”

“I’m asking if this is your first time to try a little bondage.” This time, Guy kept the levity out of his voice. What they were about to do might be termed “play”, but it still had to be safe, sane and consensual. If he had to explain that to her, he wanted to know before they started. He might already have spanked her, but the constriction of bondage was a different matter entirely.

Her sudden silence concerned him, to the point where it made him wonder about the true extent of her experience. He’d made certain assumptions, which, on reflection, she’d neither confirmed nor denied. “I want the truth, Madeleine.”

“I’ve… dabbled. Metaphorically speaking, it’s not my first rodeo, but it’s a while since I’ve… been in the saddle.”

And she appeared to be more than a little uncomfortable admitting it—as well she might. “Do you recall what I said about honesty?”

“That it’s important to you.”

“That’s putting it mildly. You haven’t been completely honest with me, have you? Why is that?”

“Because… I think you’ll take this to a different level.”

“I won’t take it to any level you can’t handle. But if you don’t want to do this, all you have to do is tell me.”