doorknobs. Two wrought iron bed frames and one wooden one with four posters.
“Do you have a playroom?” I asked when I rejoined him in the living room. Or the reading room. I wasn’t sure what to call it, but it was warm and inviting, and definitely urged me to curl up in the corner of the couch with a blanket and a good book.
Jared sat in the arm chair, his booted foot crossed over the opposite knee. “No.” We stared across the expanse of feet, neither moving, neither speaking. The air hung heavy with questions and anticipation. He dropped his foot to the floor and leaned forward with his elbows on his knees. “Do you think I need one?” he inquired softly.
“Not if you have other ways and places to play.”
“You mean The Club ?”
“There. And here,” I confirmed.
“I see. What do you think a playroom should contain?”
“I, uh…” When I asked the first question, I hadn’t known where I thought it would lead and what sort of conversation it would start. I should have, but I hadn’t thought that far ahead. It had just been the first thing that popped into my head as I looked at the beds he’d chosen. But, he was waiting for an answer, his gaze unwavering. “I guess it depends on what sort of things you like.”
It was a cop out reply and we both knew it. His smile told me so. “You’re after something, Claire, and I’m not sure what it is. I told you that you’re safe here with me. I won’t —”
“But what if I don’t want to be safe anymore?” I hastily interrupted him and his lips snapped shut. “I know. I do. I’ve been safe and cocooned inside my head and heart and body for too long. I did it to myself, I know that, but I don’t want to be that way anymore. I didn’t think I wanted anyone else. I didn’t think I could, but I do. I really, really do.”
“Claire…”
“You’re not him, I know that, too. I haven’t been with anyone since him. Not for sex. Not for spankings. Not for anything. I haven’t been out on a date. I’ve kept myself separate, going to work, going home, and doing the same thing over and over and over again. Please, Jared… Please.” I didn’t know how else to get my point across without actually dropping to my knees and crawling to him. I was on the verge of doing just that when he moved.
He stood and slowly closed the distance between us. “You can say stop at any time and I’ll stop. You can sleep in one of the guest rooms and I won’t say a word. You can ask to be taken home and I’ll do it that very second without question.” He stopped in front of me and my heart skittered to a halt when he cupped my cheek and kissed my lips with insistent pressure. I hadn’t been prepared for it, but melted with a sigh. “But, if you do none of those things, I’m going to take your clothes from your body and put you in my bed and…” His gaze locked with mine, and a smile ghosted across his face. “And I’m going to fuck you until you scream.”
I shuddered and my knees threatened to give out, but his arm slid around my back and held me up, pulled me into him. I hadn’t expected any of his words, but especially the last few. Yes, what he said was what I wanted. I wanted to be fucked. There was no other word to describe the need coursing through me. I didn’t want love making. I didn’t want sex. I didn’t want anything sweet and tender and loving. Not yet, anyway.
No, I wanted him to fuck me. To make me scream. To make me claw the sheets. To make me forget and to make me remember. “Yes.”
Chapter Seven
Jared
I didn’t show her, but I was dumbfounded. After all she’d been through, she was saying yes. I had put it out there to stun her, to make her slightly uncomfortable, to push her. Not to be cruel, but to see where her head actually was. She’d asked about a playroom and I knew her mind was whirring with the possibilities of something. I knew she didn’t want to be alone, but I didn’t know what
“Do you have a playroom?” I asked when I rejoined him in the living room. Or the reading room. I wasn’t sure what to call it, but it was warm and inviting, and definitely urged me to curl up in the corner of the couch with a blanket and a good book.
Jared sat in the arm chair, his booted foot crossed over the opposite knee. “No.” We stared across the expanse of feet, neither moving, neither speaking. The air hung heavy with questions and anticipation. He dropped his foot to the floor and leaned forward with his elbows on his knees. “Do you think I need one?” he inquired softly.
“Not if you have other ways and places to play.”
“You mean The Club ?”
“There. And here,” I confirmed.
“I see. What do you think a playroom should contain?”
“I, uh…” When I asked the first question, I hadn’t known where I thought it would lead and what sort of conversation it would start. I should have, but I hadn’t thought that far ahead. It had just been the first thing that popped into my head as I looked at the beds he’d chosen. But, he was waiting for an answer, his gaze unwavering. “I guess it depends on what sort of things you like.”
It was a cop out reply and we both knew it. His smile told me so. “You’re after something, Claire, and I’m not sure what it is. I told you that you’re safe here with me. I won’t —”
“But what if I don’t want to be safe anymore?” I hastily interrupted him and his lips snapped shut. “I know. I do. I’ve been safe and cocooned inside my head and heart and body for too long. I did it to myself, I know that, but I don’t want to be that way anymore. I didn’t think I wanted anyone else. I didn’t think I could, but I do. I really, really do.”
“Claire…”
“You’re not him, I know that, too. I haven’t been with anyone since him. Not for sex. Not for spankings. Not for anything. I haven’t been out on a date. I’ve kept myself separate, going to work, going home, and doing the same thing over and over and over again. Please, Jared… Please.” I didn’t know how else to get my point across without actually dropping to my knees and crawling to him. I was on the verge of doing just that when he moved.
He stood and slowly closed the distance between us. “You can say stop at any time and I’ll stop. You can sleep in one of the guest rooms and I won’t say a word. You can ask to be taken home and I’ll do it that very second without question.” He stopped in front of me and my heart skittered to a halt when he cupped my cheek and kissed my lips with insistent pressure. I hadn’t been prepared for it, but melted with a sigh. “But, if you do none of those things, I’m going to take your clothes from your body and put you in my bed and…” His gaze locked with mine, and a smile ghosted across his face. “And I’m going to fuck you until you scream.”
I shuddered and my knees threatened to give out, but his arm slid around my back and held me up, pulled me into him. I hadn’t expected any of his words, but especially the last few. Yes, what he said was what I wanted. I wanted to be fucked. There was no other word to describe the need coursing through me. I didn’t want love making. I didn’t want sex. I didn’t want anything sweet and tender and loving. Not yet, anyway.
No, I wanted him to fuck me. To make me scream. To make me claw the sheets. To make me forget and to make me remember. “Yes.”
Chapter Seven
Jared
I didn’t show her, but I was dumbfounded. After all she’d been through, she was saying yes. I had put it out there to stun her, to make her slightly uncomfortable, to push her. Not to be cruel, but to see where her head actually was. She’d asked about a playroom and I knew her mind was whirring with the possibilities of something. I knew she didn’t want to be alone, but I didn’t know what
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