Bondage Wedding by Tori Carson

didn’t want to be away from James and she refused to admit that.
    With mixed emotions she headed to the office. Once she’d got there, she didn’t know what to do. She didn’t want to eat. After seeing the email, she felt more like throwing up than eating. Amanda only glanced at the monitors then turned her back on them. She didn’t need to scare herself out of a relationship with James.
    Hearing the door open, she pulled a chair in front of her. Realizing what she’d done, she took a deep breath to steady her nerves. As soon as she saw it was James, she pushed the chair away. When he took her in his arms tears welled in her eyes. Damn it.
    Careful not to touch his sides or back, she rested her forehead on his chest, content to stay there a while.
    “We’ll figure this out, Amanda.”
    She nodded. “I guess I’d better get back up there.”
    James shook his head. “André asked one of his subs to take over for the night.”
    “They have names, you know.” She didn’t like how some of the girls were treated like second-class citizens.
    “I don’t care if he closes the club down for the night, so who takes over the lobby is of no consequence to me.”
    He didn’t understand and she didn’t have the energy to explain it to him. “Was the email the same basic stuff?”
    “Yeah, I think he used a video of Amy and Stephan in the spy theme room.”
    “That poor girl.” She shook her head.
    “Sweetheart”—he gently put his hands on her face and tipped her head back—“Amy loves a good flogging. The photos themselves aren’t bad, only what he wrote on them.”
    “James, there is no such thing as a ‘good’ flogging.” She started to panic. What if he demanded that kind of thing? She wouldn’t allow him to hurt her just to keep him. Would she?
    “There are a lot of people who feel differently, Amanda. Impact play can be fun, but it isn’t what interested me in the lifestyle.”
    “What got you involved in the community?” She hadn’t wanted to ask. Talking about it made it seem like she approved. Still, the unknown was scaring the hell out of her. Maybe if she knew what she was up against she could organize a defense against it.
    “I have a very dominant personality and I want my woman to enjoy submitting to me. Based on your mom’s experiences, I’m sure the idea frightens you. We’ll go slow and talk about it each step of the way. I want you comfortable and happy with D/s.”
    “I’ll try, James, but understand this—if you hit me, I’m out of here.”
    “If I ever hit you in anger, you should leave because that’s unacceptable.”
    “Don’t play a word game with me, James. Hitting of any kind is unacceptable.” She couldn’t let his hands roaming her back and scalp turn her resolve to mush. This was important. She had to stand firm on this.
    “I swatted your ass in the bedroom this afternoon, you didn’t seem to take offense to that.”
    “That was just playing around. You didn’t hurt me.” She did remember that. She remembered enjoying his hand on her bottom—not that she’d admit that to him.
    “We’ll figure it out, Amanda.”
    He wasn’t playing fair. His fingers in her hair were making her want to give him the world. She nodded.
    “Hmm, I think you’re a very smart girl and yet you seem to need a lot of reminders to answer using your voice. Makes me think I might need another type of discipline to reinforce my rules. But we’ll try it one more time.”
    As soon as his lips touched hers, the world faded away. She brought her hands to his biceps and held on. No doubt about it, she was fast becoming addicted to his kisses. And his touch. And his arrogant, bossy ways. Oh, heaven help her.

Chapter Five
    “Come with me.” He looked into her eyes as if he were asking permission instead of issuing an order.
    “Okay.” She nodded and took his hand as he led her out of the tiny office. At the entrance to the great hall, she dug her heels in and stopped. “Where are