Page 29 of The Gilded Cuff
They were luminous, her lashes at half-mast. He was lost. A world of unimaginable beauty existed in the crescent silver of her dreamy gaze. He felt like a man from the ancient world, gazing north at the distant star Polaris, finding his way home by the loyal light that shone there. She saw him, every part of her, her light penetrating the shadows stretching out from his soul. He was open, laid bare before her, a man prostrate before a goddess.
Completely and totally vulnerable.
A tremble racked his shoulders, his muscles clenching and tensing. Then pleasure swept through him. He was in control of this luscious, precious woman. He could take her, give her such ecstasy she’d never recover.
Sophie licked her lips, her breath slightly uneven.
“You have to stop doing that,” she whispered in all seriousness, her nose wrinkling just a little.
He cocked a brow. “Doing what?”
“Kissing me like that.”
“You don’t like the way I kiss?” Her body told him otherwise as he shifted above her, the movement pressing his groin into hers. She raised her hips, seeking him, but the sheet and their clothes kept them worlds apart.
“I like it too much. That’s the problem.”
He rolled his hips again, reveling in the little hiss of frustration she made.
“What else do you like too much?” He dropped his head to her neck and nibbled on the underside of her throat. She shook slightly, her pulse leaping beneath his tongue. She was incredibly responsive and her inexperience made her reactions raw and pure. It was perfect. She was perfect.
“That. That’s definitely too good.” Her response was barely more than a breathless rush of words.
“Good. My sub has pleased me with her honest responses. You’ve earned a reward.” He eased off her and lay down beside her on the bed.
Sophie’s hands fluttered to her wrists, making contact with the gold cuffs.
“What are these?”
“Cuffs.”
Sophie’s lips twitched, even as she narrowed her eyes. “Yeah, I can see that. Why’d you put them on me?”
He propped himself up on one elbow and drew a finger along the sensitive skin of her inner right wrist by the cuff.
“It’s part of our bargain. The cuffs remind you that you are mine.”
“Okay, so what’s my reward for allowing this?”
“You didn’t allow it, Sophie. You surrendered to it. Never think being a submissive is about allowing your dom to do something. You surrender. You give me your power.” Emery cupped her face and held her gaze, forcing her to confront his domination and accept it.
Her eyes—still wild, still free—darkened like a waning moon. “I surrender.”
His smile was instant and overpowering. He couldn’t have stopped it from happening. The promise of pleasure was there, in her gaze and his body. Sophie returned his smile.
“Now, your reward is to play tennis with Cody while I have a business meeting. I want you to get good and tired for later. Tired subs are less rebellious.”
The look she gave him would have melted metal. “Oh yeah? Good to know.” Sophie slipped free of him and caught sight of her luggage. A little squeal of joy escaped her lips as she darted over to it and began pulling items out. His eyes locked on the sight of her bottom as she bent over to dig through her suitcase.
Emery swallowed hard as desire struck a vibrant cord in him—pure, hard and ravenous to lay his hand to her bottom, to get her off on the faintest edge of pain.
“I can’t wait to take a shower.” She padded over to his bathroom. He should have let her clean up, but the desire to get his hands on her bottom was a siren call impossible to resist.
“Stop.”
She froze, one bare foot on the marble bathroom floor, the other in the thick bedroom carpet.
He rose and crossed his arms, enjoying this far too much.
