glanced away. Zoe knew he watched every moment of the action, making it more important
to get her answer right—including its contrition. “Because…I suppose I’m being a brat.”
“Hmmm.” He rubbed circles into her shoulders with his thumbs. Dios , even that felt good. “That’s probably true. Anything else?”
She pushed out a little huff. “Fine. You’re probably right about the dungeon research
paper.”
“Approaching a mini novel?” He kept his baritone low and controlled. And thoroughly
captivating.
She indulged one more tiny fume before admitting, “Yes. Probably.”
The copper clouds in his gaze changed into intense smoke. “And you like all the ‘facts’ you’ve learned? Is that it?”
His adamancy stunned her into silence. Vaya. Burnett actually thought she might answer him yes —and hadn’t reacted by ordering her to her knees, yanking at her hair, or ripping
off her top. Though the options sounded like paradise, what he’d really done was a
huger broadside. Knowingly given her a peek at his vulnerability. Wasn’t that a big
“Dommy Don’t” in a lot of books, not just the ones she’d read for her “research project?”
Yet the moment sealed her fascination with him deeper than anything since they’d met.
It made her yearn to reach to him, learning the new lines of his face even as she
soothed them…
She surrendered to the craving. Then rejoiced as he did the same.
He was beautiful. She reveled in stroking the fullness of his eyebrows, the strong
slope of his nose, the forceful cliffs of his cheeks. As Shane explored her face the
same way, she felt a smile bloom.
A silent reverie…a perfect proxy for time.
She’d called her best friend with the knowledge she’d be getting naked with this man,
but couldn’t imagine nudity being more magical than this. Or more intimate. The man,
already so stunning, stole even more of her common sense with the intensity of his
concentration. He smiled while tracing the little curves at the bottom of her nose,
then while drawing a finger into the deep indent of her upper lip…even learning how
ticklish she was at the base of her ears.
In return, she discovered a lot of new things about him too. Scars. The man was riddled
with them. One at the base of his throat. Another hidden just inside his hairline.
A few nicks along the left side of his neck. He’d either moonlighted as a stunt man
five miles north in Hollywood, or had been through a few war zones. While she burned
to complete the riddle, she also sensed the answer wasn’t as simple as one sentence—even
if he were inclined to give it.
She gave herself over to this moment, instead.
As Shane’s fingers learned more of her physically, he opened more of her spirit. Zoe
relinquished the energy with willing trust, because he’d gifted it to her first. The feeling was surreal. She knew Shane still controlled every moment of what
happened, guiding every touch and stare they gave each other, yet she’d never felt
more important in her entire life.
Was this the beginning of what D/s was all about? Was this why so many referred to it as a
“power exchange” and raved about the purity of its connection?
Her soul echoed with the only answer that made sense.
Yes.
Her heart joined the chorus as Shane formed a frame around her face with his hands,
tilting her head up for a long, deep kiss.
He took over her senses in a different way than before. The storm still gathered in
him but the front was more potent, requiring more power, needing her submission. He
kissed her deeper, not harder. He didn’t leave a corner of her mouth unexplored. His
mouth widened her with carnal intent, demanding more. He used her tongue as a plaything,
sucking it then giving it back, twirling it in time with the whimpers she emitted,
beseeching him to do more. Yes…more…
She couldn’t be blamed for the urgency. Just his kiss revved her blood
to get her answer right—including its contrition. “Because…I suppose I’m being a brat.”
“Hmmm.” He rubbed circles into her shoulders with his thumbs. Dios , even that felt good. “That’s probably true. Anything else?”
She pushed out a little huff. “Fine. You’re probably right about the dungeon research
paper.”
“Approaching a mini novel?” He kept his baritone low and controlled. And thoroughly
captivating.
She indulged one more tiny fume before admitting, “Yes. Probably.”
The copper clouds in his gaze changed into intense smoke. “And you like all the ‘facts’ you’ve learned? Is that it?”
His adamancy stunned her into silence. Vaya. Burnett actually thought she might answer him yes —and hadn’t reacted by ordering her to her knees, yanking at her hair, or ripping
off her top. Though the options sounded like paradise, what he’d really done was a
huger broadside. Knowingly given her a peek at his vulnerability. Wasn’t that a big
“Dommy Don’t” in a lot of books, not just the ones she’d read for her “research project?”
Yet the moment sealed her fascination with him deeper than anything since they’d met.
It made her yearn to reach to him, learning the new lines of his face even as she
soothed them…
She surrendered to the craving. Then rejoiced as he did the same.
He was beautiful. She reveled in stroking the fullness of his eyebrows, the strong
slope of his nose, the forceful cliffs of his cheeks. As Shane explored her face the
same way, she felt a smile bloom.
A silent reverie…a perfect proxy for time.
She’d called her best friend with the knowledge she’d be getting naked with this man,
but couldn’t imagine nudity being more magical than this. Or more intimate. The man,
already so stunning, stole even more of her common sense with the intensity of his
concentration. He smiled while tracing the little curves at the bottom of her nose,
then while drawing a finger into the deep indent of her upper lip…even learning how
ticklish she was at the base of her ears.
In return, she discovered a lot of new things about him too. Scars. The man was riddled
with them. One at the base of his throat. Another hidden just inside his hairline.
A few nicks along the left side of his neck. He’d either moonlighted as a stunt man
five miles north in Hollywood, or had been through a few war zones. While she burned
to complete the riddle, she also sensed the answer wasn’t as simple as one sentence—even
if he were inclined to give it.
She gave herself over to this moment, instead.
As Shane’s fingers learned more of her physically, he opened more of her spirit. Zoe
relinquished the energy with willing trust, because he’d gifted it to her first. The feeling was surreal. She knew Shane still controlled every moment of what
happened, guiding every touch and stare they gave each other, yet she’d never felt
more important in her entire life.
Was this the beginning of what D/s was all about? Was this why so many referred to it as a
“power exchange” and raved about the purity of its connection?
Her soul echoed with the only answer that made sense.
Yes.
Her heart joined the chorus as Shane formed a frame around her face with his hands,
tilting her head up for a long, deep kiss.
He took over her senses in a different way than before. The storm still gathered in
him but the front was more potent, requiring more power, needing her submission. He
kissed her deeper, not harder. He didn’t leave a corner of her mouth unexplored. His
mouth widened her with carnal intent, demanding more. He used her tongue as a plaything,
sucking it then giving it back, twirling it in time with the whimpers she emitted,
beseeching him to do more. Yes…more…
She couldn’t be blamed for the urgency. Just his kiss revved her blood
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