Page 33 of Sunrise

Gaze shifting to the man of the hour, I arch mybrow and wait. Knox settles back into my lap again, and I continue to pet his hair.

After several long, dragged out seconds, Vault silently climbs into the bed and presses his mouth to mine. Knox doesn’t move.

“Mmm.” I smile against his lips when he pulls away from me a little. “Again.”

Vault kisses me again, putting a little more energy into it this second round.

“Again.”

He dives in a third time and Knox hooks his arm around my back, running his fingers over my heated skin.

“Fuck, again.”

Vault kisses me harder. Stronger. Angrier.

“Again.”

Now he’s pissed. Pulling my hair, he crushes his mouth to mine and damn near sucks the air from my fucking lungs.

I love it.

He’s my Dom some nights and the only man to claim the honor. Vault has confidence, control, and patience… he just needs to show those things to himself instead of me. At any point, he can call Red, and the scene is over. They know the color system because I use it on them both.

My fingers comb through Knox’s hair while I stare into Vault’s eyes. “Do you miss kissing him?”

Neither answer.

“Your Mistress asked you a question. Do you miss kissing him?”

“Yes,” Knox says.

Vault swallows hard, his chest heaving as he fights what may well turn into a panic attack. I can’tlet that happen. “It’s okay to say you don’t want to answer.”

He doesn’t open his mouth.

“You don’t have to use your words this time, Vault.” I tilt my head, keeping my hand steadily stroking Knox’s head to give him comfort and assurance. This is a dangerous line I’m crossing. Words are always necessary in our scenes. But I’ll push the boundary this time if it’ll help.

Vault barely nods.

Knox holds his breath because he sees it.

“Do you want to kiss him right now?”

Vault’s face pales. He nods ever so slightly again.

“Do you want Knox to kiss you back?”

I think we’re both frozen in place, waiting for Vault’s response.

He shakes his head no.

I can work with that.

“Come here.” I crook my finger at Vault, even though he’s practically hovering over me as it is. “Knox is going to stay still for you. Go at your own pace.”

I’ll never forget this moment for as long as I live.

The anguish in Vault’s expression. The heat rolling off Knox because he’s terrified this will fail. The euphoria that alters my brain chemistry when Vault leans down and kisses the top of Knox’s head.

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