ways. “It’s not what I think you need. It’s what I know.”
Chapter Six
A soft knock sounded on the door and Elliott slid out of bed, glancing to Mary lying in the bed. She was tranquil, breathing deeply. It’d been ten hours since she’d drifted away, and two hours since he had woken. He had watched her sleep, wondering if maybe she hadn’t slept that well in a long time. No lover had ever relaxed so peacefully in his presence.
Warmth slid into his veins and his smile felt good.
Last night, when he heard of Mary’s pain, his heart reached for her. It was clear from the second she mentioned her husband that his death had devastated her, and even more apparent that she hadn’t completely moved on yet. Though, from her heated reactions to Elliott, he understood that deep down she wanted to, but she simply didn’t know how.
With a final look at her, seeing her dark hair curtaining her face, he turned away. He fought the urge to stay right there with her while he entered the living room, finding it empty of last night’s guests, as he expected. Being so late in the morning, Elliott assumed most had gone home, or possibly were in another hotel room.
Another knock sounded at the door before he opened it. The young server greeted him with a smile. “Your breakfast, sir.”
“Please come in,” Elliott replied quietly, so as not to wake Mary. Once the server pushed the cart into the room, Elliott grabbed his wallet from the back pocket of his slacks and took out a bill, then handed it to the waiter. The young man looked at the money with obvious gratitude. “Have a wonderful day, sir.” He turned on his heels and shut the door behind him.
Elliott took the lid off the tray, finding everything he had ordered—all types of berries and warmed croissants, along with two fresh cups of coffee. He placed the cover on the piano, then pushed the cart into the bedroom and noticed Mary awake and smiling at him.
“Good morning,” he said, settling the cart next to the bed.
“Morning,” she said, a little groggily. “I slept awhile, didn’t I.”
He gazed over her face, seeing that the makeup she had worn was smudged under her eyes and her hair was disheveled. He couldn’t hold back his smile, he liked her a little messy. “A good twelve hours, I would say.”
“Wow.” She sat up, her corset still firmly in place. “I haven’t done that in years.” Her smile came quick and full of wit. “Must have had something to do with a Dom, a flogger, and an orgasm.”
He chuckled. Though what he liked most was that she hadn’t attempted to fix her hair or makeup, either. She was okay with herself, done up or messy. That confidence was attractive. “Lovely compliments from a pretty mouth.” He winked at her pinkened cheeks. “Are you hungry?”
She nodded.
“How do you take your coffee?”
“One sugar.”
“Strong, but a little sweet,” he murmured, adding the sugar to her mug. “Much like yourself, darlin’.” He glanced up, noted her blush deepening, and his returning smile was instant.
She accepted the mug from him, took a sip, and smiled. “Perfect. Thank you.”
“You’re quite welcome.” He joined her on the bed and reached for one of the strawberries, then placed it in front of her mouth. “Open up, darlin’.” She frowned at him, but her hesitation didn’t deter him.
Last night she had told him she had been the one to take care of many people, always caring for others before herself. Elliott thought that quite possibly Mary was the one who needed to be taken care of. Maybe she forgot how good it felt to be cared for. How, as a Dom, he enjoyed pampering a woman in his care. That together they could take care of each other. He assumed that Mary had gotten accustomed to becoming second, and even more so, not thinking it a requirement that she should be put first.
Something he thought needed to change now.
After a long play-for-power moment blazed between them, she finally took a bite
Chapter Six
A soft knock sounded on the door and Elliott slid out of bed, glancing to Mary lying in the bed. She was tranquil, breathing deeply. It’d been ten hours since she’d drifted away, and two hours since he had woken. He had watched her sleep, wondering if maybe she hadn’t slept that well in a long time. No lover had ever relaxed so peacefully in his presence.
Warmth slid into his veins and his smile felt good.
Last night, when he heard of Mary’s pain, his heart reached for her. It was clear from the second she mentioned her husband that his death had devastated her, and even more apparent that she hadn’t completely moved on yet. Though, from her heated reactions to Elliott, he understood that deep down she wanted to, but she simply didn’t know how.
With a final look at her, seeing her dark hair curtaining her face, he turned away. He fought the urge to stay right there with her while he entered the living room, finding it empty of last night’s guests, as he expected. Being so late in the morning, Elliott assumed most had gone home, or possibly were in another hotel room.
Another knock sounded at the door before he opened it. The young server greeted him with a smile. “Your breakfast, sir.”
“Please come in,” Elliott replied quietly, so as not to wake Mary. Once the server pushed the cart into the room, Elliott grabbed his wallet from the back pocket of his slacks and took out a bill, then handed it to the waiter. The young man looked at the money with obvious gratitude. “Have a wonderful day, sir.” He turned on his heels and shut the door behind him.
Elliott took the lid off the tray, finding everything he had ordered—all types of berries and warmed croissants, along with two fresh cups of coffee. He placed the cover on the piano, then pushed the cart into the bedroom and noticed Mary awake and smiling at him.
“Good morning,” he said, settling the cart next to the bed.
“Morning,” she said, a little groggily. “I slept awhile, didn’t I.”
He gazed over her face, seeing that the makeup she had worn was smudged under her eyes and her hair was disheveled. He couldn’t hold back his smile, he liked her a little messy. “A good twelve hours, I would say.”
“Wow.” She sat up, her corset still firmly in place. “I haven’t done that in years.” Her smile came quick and full of wit. “Must have had something to do with a Dom, a flogger, and an orgasm.”
He chuckled. Though what he liked most was that she hadn’t attempted to fix her hair or makeup, either. She was okay with herself, done up or messy. That confidence was attractive. “Lovely compliments from a pretty mouth.” He winked at her pinkened cheeks. “Are you hungry?”
She nodded.
“How do you take your coffee?”
“One sugar.”
“Strong, but a little sweet,” he murmured, adding the sugar to her mug. “Much like yourself, darlin’.” He glanced up, noted her blush deepening, and his returning smile was instant.
She accepted the mug from him, took a sip, and smiled. “Perfect. Thank you.”
“You’re quite welcome.” He joined her on the bed and reached for one of the strawberries, then placed it in front of her mouth. “Open up, darlin’.” She frowned at him, but her hesitation didn’t deter him.
Last night she had told him she had been the one to take care of many people, always caring for others before herself. Elliott thought that quite possibly Mary was the one who needed to be taken care of. Maybe she forgot how good it felt to be cared for. How, as a Dom, he enjoyed pampering a woman in his care. That together they could take care of each other. He assumed that Mary had gotten accustomed to becoming second, and even more so, not thinking it a requirement that she should be put first.
Something he thought needed to change now.
After a long play-for-power moment blazed between them, she finally took a bite
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