“I’m sorry, you do what?” I questioned, hoping it was exactly what I wanted.
“I do have questions,” she said matter of factly.
“Go ahead,” I started firmly setting my fingers under my chin as I leaned forward placing my elbows on the table, staring at her as she fidgeted with her finger nail.
“Well, I just want to know…” she paused.
I was quiet, giving her the time to muster up the courage or whatevershe was gathering for herself.
“W…why me?” Her confidence faltered at the last word, exposing the insecurity she was masking.
“Why you?” This can’t be the only question she has before she can decide?
“Yes, why do you want me to participate in this auction? I’m sure there are plenty of women eager to do this, ones that would make you more money, certainly more experienced.”
She seemed to be worried she wouldn’t be good enough compared to the other participants. It amazed me that someone like her couldn’t see just how beautiful she truly is. I’m sure she has been told that her entire life, there’s no way she hasn’t. A woman with such exquisite beauty has to know her worth.
“The better question is, why do you want to participate?” I asked her with a slight tilt of my head.
Her breath hitched and she fidgeted for a moment. I was just about to ask another question when she opened her mouth to speak but quickly closed it again.
“What is it, Delaney?” I questioned.
She stared down at the glass that was placed in front of her. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. If she were anybody else I would have already snapped waiting for them to just say it already but sitting here with her, I felt a certain calm that was so easy. Patience was something that felt natural with her.
“It’s stupid, it’s nothing.” She said when she finally spoke up, her cheeks flushed with that red color I adored so much.
I stood quickly, my chair scraped the floor making a loud sound in the wide open space that normally would be filled with sweaty bodies grinding on each other as they danced. I walked over to her and offered my hand. She looked up at me with that meek, innocent look andtook it.
I pulled her up and pressed her body against mine in a long embrace as I stared into her eyes, watching for a reaction.
“Nothing you have to say is stupid, nothing that ever crosses that beautiful intriguing mind of yours is meaningless.” I grabbed her hands in mine and gave them an endearing squeeze.
“Tell me what keeps you guarded, closed off from exploring these desires. I know you feel it because your body shouts for me to touch you anytime I’m near you.”
She looked up at me through her lashes with wide eyes. Her face flushed and her breathing uneven.
“I don’t want to be auctioned off like livestock, but…” she froze and bit her lip, staring into my mask, searching deeply.
“But what, sweetheart?” I eagerly pushed.
“I want the experience.” She said, looking down as if she was ashamed to admit it.
“What is it you want to experience?” I needed to know she wanted this for the right reasons.
“I want to feel safe in a world I have no control in. I want to trust with no doubt, I want to love unconditionally. I want a chemistry so powerful that our bodies ache for both the romantic and the animal inside of us. I want to know what it feels like to give all my power away to a man that makes me feel the most powerful I’ve ever felt in my entire life” She whispered.
Her eyes were closed as if she could feel every word before they were spoken.
She slowly opened her eyes to gaze at me. Waiting for my response that couldn’t come because I had no words for what she had just perfectly defined.
A few moments of silence passed, not awkward silence, just silence, while we gazed at each other.
“Let me be all of that for you…” my words slipped from my lips before Ieven knew what I was saying.
A small gasp escaped her chest right before she pulled away from me and giggled nervously. She rubbed her hands together deep in thought as her eyes wandered over my mask. I was unreadable and I was grateful, I didn’t want her to see the softness that I was sure to be wearing on my face. It was like the world stopped and all I could hear was the sound of my heart racing.
“What? What do you mean?” She finally forced out as her voice wavered with nerves.
