toward the window, I looked out at the dramatic ocean view. Up here in what felt like a loft, the vantage point was just as enthralling. My fingers caressed the hairs on my nape—I could feel him staring at me.
I turned to face him.
Then I saw them.
Red silk ties hung down from each of the carved bedposts, the sashes of scarlet suggesting that someone could be tied to that bed.
Someone like me. “You’re not…”
“If you remain in this room, yes.”
Licking my lips to wet them, I tried to rally my courage. “Will it hurt?”
His shoulders relaxed as he asked, “Do you want it to?”
“I want it to be special.”
“I can promise it will be memorable.” His eyes narrowed on me. “Would you like that?”
Damien took my hand and led me toward the bed, his gaze never leaving mine like a hawk watching its prey.
He’d already shown me what kind of man he was, dismissive and punishing. I sensed his brand of love making wouldn’t be much different. Everything rested on me surrendering to this moment. Surrendering to him. That’s what he wanted to see.
With a gesture he ordered, “Lie down.”
After slipping off my shoes, I lay on the bed feeling the firmness of the mattress beneath my body, tulle swimming around my waist. I rested my head on the soft pillow and stared at the ornate ceiling, trying to steady my breathing.
At least he hadn’t asked me to remove my dress.
Damien wrapped a silk ribbon around my left wrist and tugged the material to ensure it was inescapable. He moved over to my right wrist and did the same. Then set to work attaching the lower ribbons to my ankles, tying them to the lower two bedposts after easing my legs apart, leaving me sprawled out and vulnerable.
He stepped back. “How does that feel?”
“Nice,” I confessed, enjoying the sensation of him stealing all responsibility from me. He’d made it impossible to break free. Guilt for what came next might not even find me in all of this drama. Being tied down meant nothing that happened would be my fault.
I’d secretly yearned for this. For him.
The bed dipped as he reached over to brush a strand of hair out of my eyes. His gesture could easily be mistaken for someone who had a heart. “Do you trust me?”
When I did not respond, he ran his hand over my dress like I was a plaything—tugging the material and caressing the tulle as though his thoughts carried him far away.
Damien reached out and stroked the ribbon around my left wrist, running a fingertip beneath it. “This is so that you understand what I need.”
I exhaled sharply; obviously he was into bondage.
He gave me a slow smile as though sensing I understood. “Follow my rules. Once you abide by them, I will let you come.”
“Rules?”
His hand slid down to my neck, his palm resting on my throat. “Please me and coming frequently will be your new reality.”
Excitement caused my chest to rise and fall and my breasts to swell, nipples pebbling and showing through the material of my dress.
Having him this close in a sensual way felt like a dream. Damien was too powerful a presence to ignore as he assessed my curves, his pupils dilating at what he saw.
Our eyes locked.
“Are you aroused?” he said, his voice gruff.
“I imagine you’d like that.”
He lips curved, showing me he knew the answer to his question was yes.
My body tingled simply from hearing his seductive voice. His fingertips grazed my breasts through the material, my nipples beading beneath his circling thumb.
His hand gliding all the way down to my pelvis. “So much to explore.”
He hoisted my tulle skirts up and I raised my hips to help him expose my panties.
I jolted when his warm palm cupped me between my legs, causing me to writhe a little at the sensations he aroused there.
Damien was reading every nuance of my expression, sensing my response to the way he commanded my body with his firm caresses and tender stroking, greedily assessing my white thong.
His thumb caressed my clit through the thin material of my panties, causing it to throb and swell.
Feeling frantic from his teasing, I pulled against the silken binds that captured me, but they only grew tighter, making me feel vulnerable. My heart rate skyrocketed, as though I really wanted to be free. Exhilarated, I feigned resistance, as though he’d captured me and was forcing me against my will to feel this pleasure.
I stopped struggling for a