Page 12 of Too Hot

Rafe tipped her head up until her eyes met his gaze. “It’s all right. We’re just beginning. Don’t berate yourself for slips.”

That simple statement rolled through Brianna like warm cocoa. He cared for her peace of mind.

“No punishments. Yet.”

She might have freaked out a bit, but the laughter in his eyes brought a smile to her face. Rafe crooked his elbow for her to slip her hand through, then he rested his other hand atop hers on his arm. This felt comfortable. Good. Right. Brianna smiled up at him.

A few hours later, she and Rafe were back in the quiet area. It was nice to walk around and see the different scenes and who was in the scene. Doms and subs of different sizes, nationalities, and communication styles.

She knew communication was important, but it really showed tonight. He’d kept it very casual. He would run his fingers up and down her arms, over her bare abdomen, the back of her neck. Each touch made her skin heat, and she was surprised how strongly she reacted to his touch. It wasn’t like someone hadn’t touched her like that before.

“Would you be okay sitting in my lap while we talk?”

“Yes, Sir.” That was one thing she was still getting used to. Consent. If he was doing something they hadn’t talked about, he would ask her permission. If they continued on together, and she suspected they would, she would tell him that, unless it was pushing a soft limit, he had blanket consent. She’d not left even one blank spot on her questionnaire.

Rafe sat and pulled her gently onto his lap. That was another thing. He kept his touch and gestures soft and gentle, as if he was afraid of hurting her. It warmed her heart, but she wasn’t a fragile flower. “I’m not glass, Sir.”

“Oh?” His eyes gleamed in the low light. “Are you saying you want me to be rough?”

She bit her lip. “No. It’s just…” Lord, she had no idea how to say this, and hesitation wasn’t like her. How had Rafe made her lose words like this?

His fingers trailed from her temple over her cheek to her shoulder. “What did you mean?”

Brianna closed her eyes and gathered her thoughts. “If we’re going to continue after tonight, you don’t have to ask for consent on everything, Sir. If you’re going to push my soft limits, then ask. Talking about what we’ll do before a scene also. But that’s really it.”

“I see. After tonight, I’ll take that into consideration. But you have the power to revoke consent at any time, okay?”

“That’s acceptable, Sir.” She relaxed against him.

“Good. What did you see tonight that you’d like to try?”

“Tall order, Sir.” It was. “The bondage scene was interesting, as was the flogging scene.”

“You didn’t like the web?”

“Web?” It took her a minute to remember which one that was. “Oh, that one, Sir. It looks uncomfortable, and I wouldn’t want to be spun around.”

Rafe nodded. “What was interesting about the bondage and flogging scenes?”

Another tall order. Brianna took a breath and let it out. She hadn’t talked with a man like this before. Not even when she’d played a little bit in the Seattle clubs. Initial negotiations, but that had been it.

“The bondage scene looked so sensual, Sir.” It had. The Dom and sub were great together. “I liked how Dom Dane took his time with Regina, Sir. He didn’t rush anything.”

“A good Dom doesn’t rush. He makes sure his sub feels every touch, every tingle of excitement. What about the flogging scene?”

A shiver went up her spine. “Is it always so sensual, Sir?” That was the only word she could think of at the moment.

“Depending on the couple, it can be.” He shifted and tightened his arm around her shoulder. “What made it seem sensual to you?”

“The way Dom Damon touched Tessa. He checked in with her often and…” How to explain this? “There was something in her eyes, something more than love, Sir.”

His lips turned up. “They’ve been together for a while now, and yes, they’re in love.”

“It shows, Sir.”

“As it should. You’ll see that between several couples here, but you’ll also see satisfaction and pleasure.”

Brianna nodded. She’d never really observed scenes at the club in Seattle, but then again, Seattle had been more about hooking up and not necessarily about embracing the lifestyle and all it had to give.

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