When shelooked at him questioningly, he winked and he held her arms uptowards the hook measuring for distance. Pleased, he nodded with awicked smile on his face. “Stay there. Don’t move,” he said as heleft her for a moment, returning with the belt of one of thebathrobes. “Now, forgive me, had I known you’d be joining me onthis trip, I would have come better prepared.” He then tied herwrists together with it and hung them up onto the coat hook overher head. He slid his fingers around her wrists, checking fortension.
“All good?” he asked, checking her over.
“So far so good.” Nervous but otherwise quite willing, shenodded in anticipation of what came next. He took a step back andfeasted his eyes on her with a look so primal it had her pressingher knees together. Closing the distance between them again,Crispin wrapped his arm around her waist and rested his forehead onhers, his other hand on her breast.
For whateverreason, Gwen suddenly felt compelled to ask him an importantquestion. “Wait... Don’t I get a safeword?” When he groaned androlled his eyes, she felt as though she had ruined everything.Stepping back, he looked away from her, hands on his hips. He’dgone cold and it was her fault. “Sorry, I just...”
“You don’t need one of those,” he growled before turning tolook her way once more.
“I don’t?”
“Not with me you don’t,” he said, crossing his arms and leaningup beside her, against the wall by the door.
She turned tolook at him. “Then how will you...”
“How will I know if you’ve had enough?” he interrupted her.“When to stop? If I’ve crossed a line?”
She shruggedand nodded in response.
“Well, that’s where the trust comes into play.Understand?”
“Oh...”
“Yes, oh...” he repeated, running his fingers over her ribs,along her middle and then hung them casually on the waist of herjeans. “You simply say so. And even if you don’t. I willknow.”
“How will you know?”
“I’m good like that. Trust me.”
“Well, okay. I mean, I really do trust you.”
“Do you?”
“Yes.”
“Let’s test that theory,” he said, leaving her for a momentwhile he went to rummage through his night table.
She watchedwith interest as he grabbed a foil packet and something else beforereturning to her side. The condom, she recognized, but the otherobject, she didn’t until he held the sleeping mask up and preparedto use it to cover her eyes.
“No!” She shook her head and fought with her restraints,tugging and pulling at her wrists.
“Hey... it’s okay,” he said, tossing the mask over his shoulderonto the bed. “Gwen, stop struggling. You’re hurting yourself.” Hepressed himself against her and steadied her wrists from straining.“If you want, I’ll release you.”
“No blindfolds,” she whispered, instantly relaxing, resting herhead on his chest. The very idea of being denied her vision wasunacceptable. Already, she wasn’t allowed to touch him, not beingable to see him was just unfair.
“Shall I untie you?”
“No, just...”
“No blindfolds,” he finished for her and pressed a kiss to hertrembly lips. “No problem, I promise.”
“Crispin?”
“Yes?”
“Promise me something else.”
“Making demands already?”
“Just one.”
“What is it?”
“Grant me a wish after we make love?”
“Huh... is that what we’re doing?” Giving his head a shake ather choice of words, he looked at her to be sure she was serious.Oh, yes, he could see she was quite serious, of that, he now had nodoubt.
“Well, that’s what I call it.” She stared him down.
“Call it what you want.” With an indulgent smile on his face,unable to resist, he kissed her again. After a moment, he drewaway, resting his arm over her head, his fingers in her hair. “Whatkind of wish and why should I grant it?” he asked, watchingher.
Flustered butdetermined to stick to her guns, she caught her breath beforespeaking. “Well, in exchange for trusting you enough to tie me up,I think it’s only fair. But as for what it is, I can’t tell youuntil after.”
“Hm... well, I don’t know. You can be quite sneaky.” He tappeda finger to his chin. “I’m not sure I can trust you.” He cocked hishead and quirked an eyebrow. “Do I get a safeword?” he asked, his voice anoctave higher than before. He ran his fingers over her neck anddownwards, lightly tracing the lace trim of her bra.
Giggling, shepursed her lips and shook her head, no.
“Fine...” he said with an exaggerated sigh, looking ever sohard-done-by.
“Promise?” she insisted.
With feignedreluctance, he nodded. “I promise,” he purred, nuzzling his noseagainst her ear. “Now, shall we fuck?” He gave her fleshy lobe asharp bite, followed by a healing lick of his tongue. “Come on,lady, you’re killing me here.”
“If that’s what youcall it.” She smiled up at him. “I’m allyours.”
“Finally...”
Chapter 21
To hide thebeauty that was Crispin from view would be the cruelest of tricks,thought Gwen with a sigh. He could tie her up, and deny her thetactile pleasure of touching him all he wanted, but take the sightof him away from view and the deal was off. Maybe down the road,she might be willing to try it, maybe after a thousand rompstogether, but not now, not this first time.
The man wasstunning in every way, from his ethereal facial features to histall willowy stature. Standing shirtless, the zipper to his pantsundone, they hung dangerously low on his slender waist. He had thebody of a ballet dancer, a strong sculpted torso, trim hips, andstrong shoulders like that of a runway model. With every calculatedstep, he moved with catlike grace, his wavy dark hair framing itall in Victorian Gothy splendour.
Crispin’sromantic efforts did not go unnoticed. The man was a master ofseduction, of that Gwen had no doubt. He had done all he could toset the scene from the dimming of the lights in the room to themuted music coming from his phone somewhere in the background. Shedidn’t recognize the tune, but whoever that was singing, he had themost seductive voice.
When hefinally
