He wasn’t asking her about her young, innocent declarations of love for him. She knew exactly what he wanted to know. Did she still fantasize about giving upcontrol?
Her pulse throbbed in her ears, but she held her chin high, knowing this might be the last chance she had to experience everything she’d been searching for over the past decade. “Yes, Ido.”
Cole didn’t speak, but his demeanor shifted. He straightened from his casual pose, more alert. His nostrils flared, and his lips parted. “I need you toclarify.”
It’s now or never,Tomi.
Drawing on every bit of inner strength she had, she crossed to him, coming to a stop when her toes were just inches from his. She had to tilt her head back to look at him, already feeling surrounded by his tremendous presence. “I’ve searched for someone to replace you. Someone who knows what I need, a man who can read me and understand me without being told what I’m feeling.” Tomi sucked in a breath, fear holding herhostage.
Cole looked at her darkly. “And did you findhim?”
“No one could replace you,” she admitted quietly. “No one could ever replaceyou.”
19
Tomi’shonest admission shook him to his core. He’d been prepared to wage war for her, to do anything and everything he had to do to make her see that she needed him. But her open, raw admission had left him speechless. By her own words, she’d been floundering these past several years…both of them had been. His mind raced for an answer—why had she left? Had she actually feared his dominance, only to later realize her mistake? But Tomi had always seemed mature beyond her years. The questions whirled inside of him, dizzying, but damned if he was going to risk shattering the current between them by questioning hermotives.
Instead, he held out hishand.
After a second’s hesitation, Tomi tookit.
“I have something special planned for you,” he began. “It’s something I’ve thought about ever since you mentioned it the firsttime.”
She looked at himquestioningly.
“If at any time you feel uncomfortable, tell me and I’ll stop,okay?”
“Okay.” Her response was slow andbreathy.
Cole gathered her into his arms and took her lips with a fierce and passionate kiss. “Tomi, today’s all about you. It’s about your pleasure. This is my gift toyou.”
Forcing himself to release her, he turned and strode from the room, doing his best to contain his raw emotions. If she were the woman he believed her to be, she would follow. The few feet down the hall felt like miles, but he didn’t look back, not once. He stopped at the door to the next bedroom and opened it. Then he stepped back, crossed his arms over his chest, and watched her approach. She was coming. Thank God, she wascoming.
She looked scared and aroused all at the same time. It was a glorious sight. He wanted to scoop her up in his arms and carry her back to the other bed and make love to her until they both couldn’t breathe, but that wasn’t what she needed by her own admission. He sensed her craving for dominance and he intended to give her everything she’d everdesired.
She stopped at the edge of the door and stared up at him. He made her wait, letting the excitement build insidehim.
“When we enter that room, you no longer belong to yourself. You are allowed to either look at me or look at the floor. You may address me by my name only. Is thatunderstood?”
Like he’d whipped her, she jerked, her petite frame visibly trembling. Her light blue eyes darkened witharousal.
His desire for her grew. “If you are not okay with anything I ask, you will tell me immediately, without fear of reprisal. I will never do anything to physically or emotionally scare you. My every intention is to give you unbelievable pleasure. If this is what you want, go into the room and kneel in thecenter.”
Her eyes widened with every word. Fear licked at him—would she walk away?—but if they were going to have a meaningful relationship, she had to know exactly what he wanted. He wouldn’t lie to her, not aboutthis.
She stood there so long, he almost saidsomething.
Almost.
Tomi turned and slowly walked into the room, eyes down. Then she knelt down, as instructed, and waited at hispleasure.
Cole fought the groan of relief. He lifted his hands and stared, shocked by the light trembling he saw there. He’d laid all his cards on the table, totally unsure if she’d trump his hand or fold. “Gorgeous.”
With renewed determination, he pulled off his T-shirt, threw it on the floor, and stalked into the room, allowing his true nature to take control. He was already hard for her. But no matter how badly he longed to sink back inside her, he had to start by breaking down herdefenses.
That she knelt so beautifully was further proof of the experimentation she’d done in his absence. And even though that thought made his guts churn with jealousy, he was still thankful for her willingness to trust him. Of all the insane suicide missions he’d taken on his life, tonight was the most frightening. Tonight, he didn’t risk his life, he risked his verysoul.
He wouldn’t ask her about limits, but he had no intention of using any tools to actually physically harm her. Not that he would tell her that. A little bit of fear in a submissive was alwayssatisfying.
