She swallowed, scanning his eyes, seeming to test his sincerity.
He let the gravity on his face speak his truth. “I’m telling you this because I’m not good at romance, but I want you to know that if my feelings change, it will only be because they’ve grown stronger.”
“You can’t know that—”
“I can. I know what I feel. And I’m mad about you.” He ran his finger along her jawline. “I’m consumed with you.”
Heavenly stared mutely, breathing, blinking, pulse pounding in her neck.
He pinned her hand between his. “Are you afraid?”
“No.” Her answer was breathless and immediate.
He reined in a smug smile. “Good. I can’t make apologies for who I am, but when I’m wrong, I say I’m sorry. I won’t always be easy on you, but I’ll do everything in my power to make you happy.”
“I’m happy when I spend time with you. I don’t expect more from you than that.”
“You should, and I want you to. I’ve spent months studying you for a reason. I needed to know what you need.” He kissed her hand. “I think I’ve figured out what you want.”
She stilled. “What do you mean?”
“Your body told me your deepest fantasies without saying a word the night I took you to the art gallery.”
Now she looked nervous. “I was responding to art.”
“You were responding to sex. You like the idea of being adored while being made to submit, of being orally pleasured, of being controlled and overpowered and fucked. But most of all, you like bondage. You ache to be tied up and utterly helpless. At my mercy. You’ve thought about it since that night, haven’t you?”
A flush swept up her face, not the sweet blushing pink he often saw, but a blazing, undeniable red. Her plump lips parted. No words came out, but her rapt expression told him everything.
“I want to explore a few of those things with you today, Heavenly. Are you willing to give it—and me—a chance?”
She fidgeted. “I’m nervous.”
“I know. But I chose this booth for a reason. No one can see us. Angelo won’t disturb us after he brings our appetizer.”
“W-what did you have in mind? Are you going to kiss me?”
“Absolutely.” He slanted a wolfish smile. “I’ve been obsessed with tasting you.”
Her gaze flitted down. “I’ve thought about kissing you, too. A lot.”
“I was hoping you’d say that. I need your honesty going forward.” At her nod, he plucked the napkin from beneath her hands shook it out. “You still trust me?”
“Yes.”
“Good. I’m hoping you enjoy this, but if you don’t or decide it’s too much, tell me to stop. Understood?”
“All right.”
Beck wrapped the fabric napkin around her wrists and tied it in a loose knot. Understanding slowly rippled across her face. She squirmed in her seat, her breathing turning ragged. Yeah, he was homing straight in on one of her hot buttons—and she was reacting exactly as he’d hoped. “If you want me to slow down or you want to talk about what’s happening, say ‘wait.’ All right?”
“O-okay.”
He caressed his thumb across the soft skin of her hand. “And if you’re happy with everything I’m doing, say ‘more, please.’”
“I will,” she breathed.
“Good girl.”
As soon as he praised her, Angelo appeared at the end of the shadowy hall, making far more noise than necessary. Beck covered Heavenly’s bound hands with his napkin and signaled the man over.
“Your ravioli appetizer.” He slid a tray in the middle of the table, along with a basket of bread and spice-laden olive oil. “Anything else for now?”
Impatience bit at Beck. “We’re good. Give us half an hour?”
Angelo sent him a sly wink. “You won’t be disturbed.”
The moment the restaurant owner disappeared, Beck whispered in Heavenly’s ear. “Put your hands on the table and keep them there.”
She hesitated a mere instant before she complied.
“Excellent.” He popped a ravioli in his mouth to test it. Perfect temperature. “Stick out your tongue, little girl.”
Heavenly parted her lips and presented her wet, pink tongue. His blood surged. He lost himself in imagining his stiff cock disappearing between the sweet bow of her mouth. If she only knew how badly he wanted to melt all over her tongue right now…
He inhaled an uneven breath as he lifted the appetizer to her lips. A tremor of need rippled through him as he placed the pasta in her mouth. “Take a bite; let all that meat and cheese roll over your taste buds.”
Again, she obeyed. Beck both felt and saw the shiver wrack her as she closed her eyes, sank her teeth into the crispy crust, and moaned. When she swallowed, he pressed the wineglass to her lips. “Drink.”
As she sipped from his hand, she blinked at him, her pupils dilated.
Beck swallowed back a growl. “Your eyes are the same deep blue they were at the gallery. You like being bound and cared for by someone you trust. Someone like me, don’t you?”
She pressed her lips together and sent him a barely perceptible nod.
“Little girl? I need you to talk to me. Answer my question.”
Her lips trembled and he wanted to kiss away her fears, but dredged up a little more patience.
“Yes,” she whispered. “It feels so…”
“What?”
“Wrong…but not. Forbidden, I guess. I’m scared, but not in a way I’ve ever felt.” Her words trembled. “I’m not sure what you plan to do to me.”
He swept the hair off her shoulder and leaned in before dragging his tongue up the side of her throat. Berry and the subtle hint of salt on her skin flowed over his taste buds. “For now, I’m simply going to feed you. Close your eyes.”
Heavenly sent him an unfocused, almost spellbound glance before her lashes fluttered onto her cheeks.
Jesus, it was all he could do to hang on to his self-control. His hand shook as he tore off a piece of bread, swiped it through the herb-infused oil, then dragged it across her lower lip.
“So pretty,” he whispered. “I bet your pussy glistens like that when
