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His low chuckle moved something inside of me I thought was dead until I saw him like he was in that moment.
“I asked if you were doing okay.”
“I think so.”
He walked to the bed, and his finger lifted my chin so I was looking up at him. “Do you want me to stay in one of the other guest rooms?”
“No. I want you to stay with me. Is that okay?”
“I’ll give you anything you want, Little Bird. I promised you that.”
He bent down to me as I reached for him. When our lips met again, that same rush of heat flickered inside of me. The bed dipped as he took a seat next to me and my hands roamed over his body. His skin was warm from the shower and he smelled like the lavender body wash I had used while I was in there. I wanted him closer. I needed more, but I wasn’t even sure what that was yet.
“Talia, I don’t want to rush you. I want this more than you can imagine, but you’ve gone through a lot. If you just want me to sleep here next to you, I can. Just tell me what you need.”
“I need you, please Leo. I want to go to sleep in your arms thinking only of you and nothing about what happened while I was there.”
He nodded, and I reached for his towel, pulling him closer to me and he laid back on the bed and reached out his arms. I went willingly. His hand ran carefully over my body as I sat straddling his waist. Everything about him felt good, but the terrible visions that intruded my mind made me tense as his hand brushed over a place on my shoulder.
“Not there,” I whispered.
“Show me where they hurt you, Talia.”
He pushed himself up as I reached for my shoulder, and then for my right side. “The bruises were awful here. It doesn’t hurt anymore, but it feels weird for you to touch me.”
“Anywhere else?”
I nodded my head slowly as I thought about how to tell him what I needed. I didn’t want him to think we were making a mistake, but I didn’t want to freak out on him either. That would be something he’d never forget and maybe never trust me for again.
“Little Bird, let me share something with you. I consider myself part of the kink community. Are you familiar with that term or anything about it?”
My eyes widened as he spoke, and I nodded my head.
“There are things in that world that are built in to keep partners safe. Things like open communication about limits are extremely important. There are things like hard limits, which would be something you would never consider doing because it does not interest you or you fear it. Then there are things like soft limits, which are things you are not comfortable with but you may consider given the right partner. I would like for you to share with me what your hard and soft limits are tonight. You don’t have to tell me why unless you want to, but it’s important to me I don’t hurt you.”
“What happens if I don’t know if something is a limit?”
“Then if we reach one, you use something like a safe word.”
“Like Rumpelstiltskin?” I said with a smile.
“If that’s something you can remember, then sure, we can make that your safe word.”
“I thought this stuff was only for spankings and things like that.”
“It can be, but tonight I want to use it for anything you want to do. I want you to feel safe again. You are in control of what is about to happen and we can stop at any time.”
I looked down at the man who had not only saved my life, but somehow worked his way into my heart. He reached up and wiped away a tear that had fallen from my eyes without me even realizing it, and he smiled up at me.
“Thank you.”
“Never thank me, Talia. You deserve this from me.”
“I want to do this with you, all of it. I’m just scared it will hurt again.”
“Tell me where you are worried I’ll hurt you.”
“Anywhere really. I just don’t want to feel any pain tonight.”
