Page 56 of Of Pucking Course

“Fuck, that’s hot,” he mutters. He huffs out a breath. “Are you sure you want to do this?”

I nod. My heart is racing, and my skin is tingling. “So very sure.”

A full-fledged bonfire ignites in his gemstone eyes. He reaches over and gently grabs the vibrator from my hand.

“Is this the only toy you have?”

I shake my head. “I have a couple more. A dildo and a rabbit vibrator.”

He smiles like he’s approving of my sex toy collection. “That’s good. This one will be good for tonight, though.”

I gasp softly, my body buzzing with anticipation. This is actually happening.

“We should come up with a safe word,” he says.

“Papaya,” I blurt out.

He grins wide. “Papaya it is.” A second later, he reins in his smile. His thick lips are a straight line. There’s a hungry look in his eyes. “If I say or do anything that makes you uncomfortable, say that word. Understand?”

“Yes.”

“What are your hard limits?” he asks. “Things you don’t like or don’t ever want to do.”

“I don’t like name-calling. I don’t like role-playing. No hitting or slapping my face.” My mind drifts to what Jake did the night before our reception.

Sam’s gaze on me focuses. “Did someone hit you, Dakota?”

I hesitate for a second. I don’t want to ruin the mood by revealing all my baggage in the bedroom…But I need to be honest with him. He’s being honest with me.

“No one’s ever hit or slapped my face.” I take a breath. “But, um, the night before our reception, Jake and I were together. He was trying to make me come and I was taking a long time, and he got frustrated and slapped the inside of my thigh and said, ‘What the fuck is wrong with you? Why can’t you come like a normal person?”

I swallow back the sick feeling that rushes through me when I repeat what Jake said.

The side of Sam’s jaw bulges, like he’s biting down. There’s a flash of anger in his gemstoneeyes.

“That piece of shit,” he mutters, his voice low and lethal.

A tense feeling courses through me. I don’t want Sam to flip out. I don’t want him to go after Jake.

He looks off to the side, like he needs a second to collect himself. A second later, he huffs out a breath. His broad shoulders relax. Then he looks at me.

I register the pain in his eyes. My chest aches. He’s in pain thinking about me being in pain.

“I’m so sorry he did that to you, Dakota. He’s trash.”

“I know,” I say softly. “That’s why I ended things at the reception. The cake was just the straw that broke the camel’s back. I finally realized how wrong he was for me.”

“I’m glad you’re not with him anymore. He didn’t deserve you. You’re a goddess, Dakota. And he’s nothing.”

There’s a sparkle in my chest at the conviction in his tone. I can tell he’s not just trying to build me up. He truly feels that way about me.

The uneasiness inside of me melts away.

He pins me with an intense stare. “I would never hit you. Ever.”

My heart thuds in my chest. “I know you wouldn’t.” Sam would never, ever hurt me. I know that without a shadow of a doubt. He would hurt himself before he ever hurt me.

The intensity in his gaze fades, leaving behind a softness in his eyes as he looks at me.“What do you like?” he asks, his tone soft and gentle.

---