lost.
A part of herself.
Her mouth opened again and only a squeak came out. Elliott shook his head, cursing her damn corset, wanting to be as close to her as possible. He lay on his side, tucking her against him. “Shhh…don’t talk.”
She stayed silent and sobbed against his shoulder.
Elliott shut his eyes, overwhelmed by her. Mary needed him now, and that was one of the most satisfying feelings he had felt in years.
A submissive depended on him.
Not for sex, but for an emotional exchange. There was something so unexpectedly perfect about it that it changed something inside him.
Warmed parts of him that he wasn’t sure had ever been touched.
He brushed his hand over her heated bottom, tucking her head under his chin. “Stay right here, darlin’. Right here in my arms.”
—
Time passed in a blur. Mary hadn’t known how long she’d been crying, she only knew that she finally stopped. Part of her felt foolish, sobbing in the arms of a man she barely knew, yet somehow she also felt appreciative and thankful it was Elliott.
He had stayed silent, simply embracing her, as if he never intended to let go. Such a long time had passed since anyone had hugged her like this, like a lover. Not like a mother or a friend. As if the world was perfectly aligned simply because they were hugging each other.
She had missed such affection, possibly even the length of time in his strong hold.
Maybe she hadn’t realized how much until now.
Pressing her face against Elliott’s chest, moisture from her tears lay between them. His arm was locked onto her, making her feel as if no harm could come to her if she just stayed right
there.
After a long breath, she recognized the cry was most definitely therapeutic. For the first time in longer than Mary dared to count, her mind was quiet. She didn’t think of the past or future; she stayed in the present. She lifted her head, wiping the tears off Elliott’s chest and her face before leaning her head back against his strong arm, looking to him.
He stared at her with warm yet powerful eyes and asked, “Better now, darlin’?”
She nodded, feeling her cheeks flush. “That wasn’t quite the reaction I was expecting when I arrived tonight.” She had expected pleasure and pain, and a mind-blowing orgasm that had her screaming for all to hear. She certainly wasn’t expecting to be cuddled in the arms of the Dom she played with in such an intimate way. “I’m sorry for falling apart like that.”
“Don’t be.” He shifted slightly, leaning against his arm to face her. “Quite the release you had there, hmm?”
“I…” She paused, drawing in another long breath. “I didn’t know it would be that intense…or that I couldn’t hold it all in until I was alone.”
“You should never deal with anything like that alone.” He watched her with furrowed brows. “Can you share with me why you reacted so strongly?”
Another thing that proved Elliott wanted to get deep into her head. If it was simply his Dom duty to take care of her after the scene, he’d ensure she was safe, back to her solid self, and in a good mental place, but he wouldn’t be so interested in the
why.
Before, she wanted to keep it all in. Now, she couldn’t find any part of herself wanting to refuse him. More than anything, she felt the need to share what she’d experienced with him—she wanted to be heard. “I think I forgot what it feels like to be touched so intimately.”
His gaze softened. “I know losing your husband must have been horrible and heart-wrenching. I can understand why you’ve been hesitant to move on.”
She stared at the starry sky she saw through the big window across from her and then returned her focus to him. “It’s not that I didn’t think about it. It simply never seemed like the right time to get back into the lifestyle. I was busy with my kids, healing them and myself. I had to make sure that we were all okay without Charles. Somewhere along the line, I guess
A part of herself.
Her mouth opened again and only a squeak came out. Elliott shook his head, cursing her damn corset, wanting to be as close to her as possible. He lay on his side, tucking her against him. “Shhh…don’t talk.”
She stayed silent and sobbed against his shoulder.
Elliott shut his eyes, overwhelmed by her. Mary needed him now, and that was one of the most satisfying feelings he had felt in years.
A submissive depended on him.
Not for sex, but for an emotional exchange. There was something so unexpectedly perfect about it that it changed something inside him.
Warmed parts of him that he wasn’t sure had ever been touched.
He brushed his hand over her heated bottom, tucking her head under his chin. “Stay right here, darlin’. Right here in my arms.”
—
Time passed in a blur. Mary hadn’t known how long she’d been crying, she only knew that she finally stopped. Part of her felt foolish, sobbing in the arms of a man she barely knew, yet somehow she also felt appreciative and thankful it was Elliott.
He had stayed silent, simply embracing her, as if he never intended to let go. Such a long time had passed since anyone had hugged her like this, like a lover. Not like a mother or a friend. As if the world was perfectly aligned simply because they were hugging each other.
She had missed such affection, possibly even the length of time in his strong hold.
Maybe she hadn’t realized how much until now.
Pressing her face against Elliott’s chest, moisture from her tears lay between them. His arm was locked onto her, making her feel as if no harm could come to her if she just stayed right
there.
After a long breath, she recognized the cry was most definitely therapeutic. For the first time in longer than Mary dared to count, her mind was quiet. She didn’t think of the past or future; she stayed in the present. She lifted her head, wiping the tears off Elliott’s chest and her face before leaning her head back against his strong arm, looking to him.
He stared at her with warm yet powerful eyes and asked, “Better now, darlin’?”
She nodded, feeling her cheeks flush. “That wasn’t quite the reaction I was expecting when I arrived tonight.” She had expected pleasure and pain, and a mind-blowing orgasm that had her screaming for all to hear. She certainly wasn’t expecting to be cuddled in the arms of the Dom she played with in such an intimate way. “I’m sorry for falling apart like that.”
“Don’t be.” He shifted slightly, leaning against his arm to face her. “Quite the release you had there, hmm?”
“I…” She paused, drawing in another long breath. “I didn’t know it would be that intense…or that I couldn’t hold it all in until I was alone.”
“You should never deal with anything like that alone.” He watched her with furrowed brows. “Can you share with me why you reacted so strongly?”
Another thing that proved Elliott wanted to get deep into her head. If it was simply his Dom duty to take care of her after the scene, he’d ensure she was safe, back to her solid self, and in a good mental place, but he wouldn’t be so interested in the
why.
Before, she wanted to keep it all in. Now, she couldn’t find any part of herself wanting to refuse him. More than anything, she felt the need to share what she’d experienced with him—she wanted to be heard. “I think I forgot what it feels like to be touched so intimately.”
His gaze softened. “I know losing your husband must have been horrible and heart-wrenching. I can understand why you’ve been hesitant to move on.”
She stared at the starry sky she saw through the big window across from her and then returned her focus to him. “It’s not that I didn’t think about it. It simply never seemed like the right time to get back into the lifestyle. I was busy with my kids, healing them and myself. I had to make sure that we were all okay without Charles. Somewhere along the line, I guess
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