He nods.
“Did it make you want to work the next one harder so you were more confident it wouldn’t do the same thing?”
Again, his head drops, then he lets out a long sigh. “Okay, yea, I did.”
Some of the stiffness in his spine relaxes.
It’s a struggle not to touch him yet. “I bet that one turned out better with the extra training?”
“Best ever.” His smile pulls up his cheek.
I let my tongue trace my lower lip, pulling his gaze.
“I know so.” Finally giving in to the urge, I reach out and tangle my hand into his t-shirt to pull him closer.
He lets me, framing my hips with his arms on either side of me.
“So for this to work, you need to tell me…what doyouwant? And not what you think I want to hear. Be honest.” Fuck, I want to kiss him.
His stubbly jaw tightens and his lips flatten. “It’s stupid.”
“Sawyer—” I trace the tensed muscle up to his ear, then raise onto my toes until my mouth hovers near the lobe. “—do I need to make you talk?”
His breath catches.
Slowly, he bends until his cheek brushes mine. “Yes, please?”
Hot breath ripples down my neck.
“Hold out your hands.” Picking up the set of reins from the bench, I loop them around his wrists. “Will you talk if I tie you up?” There’s a thrill racing through me that sends a flutter of excitement deep into my belly.
“Maybe?” His nostrils flare with a flush of pink racing up his throat.
“How do I lower that?” I point past his head to the heavy hanging hook from the ceiling.
He gestures with his bound arms. “The remote on that cable.”
With a mechanical whine, the thick clasp drops.
When it’s within reach, he raises his arms and loops his tied hands without being told.
“You’re being a good boy.” I hit the button to raise him until he has to stretch to keep his boots flat on the floor.
He’s long and lean with his slim waist exposed from under his shirt.
“Going to share now?” My nails rake over his lower abs, threading through the short hairs that lead to his belt buckle.
“I don’t know,” he stammers. “What if you don’t like it?”
He’s dangling there, completely at my mercy, and still doesn’t feel comfortable enough to be vulnerable?
Maybe I need to go first?
“Sawyer, I want to let you in. I thought I had to keep my distance to protect you, but I was really hiding myself. It’s time for me to admit that I hated every second of it.” I can’t count how many times I would want to send him a text, or call him, and didn’t.
“You did?” He chews on the inside of his cheek, then hangs his head. “I thought you were embarrassed of me.”
Something inside of me cracks.
