Chapter Twenty-Five
Over dinner,they shared stories of their youth. Alexander’s exploits on the rugby field, Elizabeth’s brief stint in the drama club, and stories of their parents—Alexander’s parents anyway. Elizabeth couldn’t bring herself to speak much about the people who disownedher.
When they moved to the couch, Elizabeth curled against him as he stared into the flames. “And conquests?” she asked with a smile as she wrapped her arms around his waist. “Rumors are, you’ve had a long line ofthem.”
Alexander’s body language changed, his back stiffening. “Not as long as the tabloids claim, but…I haven’t been a monk, by anymeans.”
She drew back to cup his cheek. “Alexander, I don’t care. I’ve only had four serious relationships, plus a couple of hookups in college. My boyfriend freshman year at Harvard taught me how to crack passwords and rewire a light switch. Howard used to sing in the shower, and he tried to encourage me to switch my major to pre-law—against my parents’ wishes. Once they found out…well…” Memories threatened, ones she didn’t want to delve into tonight. “I could never stand up tothem.”
“Until you did. Until you had something you knew you had to fight for.” Alexander ducked his head so he could give her a quick kiss. “Your strength amazes me, Elizabeth. Truly. That’s what drew me to you in the first place. And every day since, your spark, the fire inside of you…I can’t get enough of you. In or out of thebedroom.”
She blushed and fiddled with the blanket he’d drawn over her legs. “I’ve never experienced anything like being your…being in yoursilks.”
“Yet still, even saying the word sub makes you uncomfortable. Why? Because you’re such a strongwoman?”
She shrugged. “I…yes. I’ve been alone—no family, few friends—for five years. Kelsey keeps telling me it doesn’t have to be me against the whole world, but that’s how it feelssometimes.”
Alexander pulled her closer with a nod. “Ten years ago—right before I bought this place, I was in a relationship. It was…serious.” Sadness laced his tone, and Elizabeth tried to shift so she could meet his gaze, but he stared into the flames as if he barely saw her. “Serena and I were a good match, on paper. Mother was pleased. We met at boarding school when we were both seventeen, dated for a bit, and then when I took over Fairhaven Charities, I asked her to move to Boston to see if we had something tenable. She agreed, and we dated exclusively for two years. She loved me. I cared for her deeply, but I don’t think I ever fell in love with her. She very much wanted to get married. I was new to being a practicing Dom at that time. Serena was amenable to play, but though she was submissive, she lacked anything approaching a backbone, in or out of the bedroom.” He closed his eyes for a deep breath, and when he opened them again, there was painthere.
Elizabeth nestled closer. “You don’t haveto—”
“I do. For both of us.” His gaze trailed over the room, settling on their empty wine glasses. “I’d purchased a new crop. Serena was desperate for a commitment and willing to do almost anything to please me. Even the one thing she knew she should neverdo.”
“What wasthat?”
“She refused to safeword. I hit her too hard. Lost in the moment. Young. Inexperienced. I didn’t know that I was truly hurting her. I bruised her. Badly. The second I saw the blood welling purple under her skin, I stopped, but the damage that injury caused to our relationship never healed. I stayed with her for six months after that, largely out of guilt. But we never played again. Eventually, she confessed to me why she hadn’t told me when it started to hurt beyond the light pain I intended. She feared I would leaveher.”
“She wasn’t strong enough to stand up to you when she neededto.”
“I think that’s why I never fell in love with her. Strong women make the best submissives, Elizabeth. I can trust you because you’ll always tell me if I push too far. We’re tremendous together. With you, I feel as if I’m completelymyself.”
Elizabeth straddled him, draped her arms around his neck, and captured his lips. As she tasted him, the wine they’d shared, a hint of wood smoke from the fire, and his arousal, she knew what shewanted.
“Alexander, will you tie meup?”
“Sauna? You have a sauna here?” Elizabeth asked as Alexander cracked eggs into a bowl the nextmorning.
“In the backyard. I take it you’d like a session?” He chuckled as he glanced over at her, perched on a stool at the counter, dressed in nothing but a robe. Their play the night before had been incredible, but nightmares had plagued her, and Alexander hated feeling so helpless to take away herpain.
“Hell yes.” She rolled her head on her shoulders and tried to stifle the tightness around her mouth and eyes. “And a massage. My shoulders need attention. Among other parts of mybody.”
“A massage—” He snapped his mouth shut and tried not to grin. Once he lost the battle, he threw a towel at her. “You’re sending meup.”
She loosened the belt on her robe, exposing the gentle swell of her breasts. “Maybe.”
“Elizabeth.”
Her breath caught in her throat. She knew his tone. “Yes?”
“Strip and followme.”
The robe hit the floor a few seconds after he’d turned around. Her bare feet made soft slapping noises on the hardwood floors, punctuated by her erratic breathing. Under his own robe, his cockthrobbed.
Inside the bedroom, he whirled and caught her naked body in his arms. As she gasped, he thrust a finger inside of her bare folds to find her already slick for him. “Please,” shewhispered.
“Oh, you’ll be begging before long,chérie. Now get on the bed and spread your legs for me. Audible answers now. Do youunderstand?”
“Yes.”
