even remember the kiss. Yes! Suddenly, she felt much more confident. “All right.”
He looked dumbstruck. “Really?”
“Unless you’ve changed your mind?”
“Nope. Terms set and accepted.”
“So, we’re good?”
“Pretty much. Except one tiny, last thing.”
“I just gave you the kiss.”
“I know, I know. This isn’t about a specific rule, really. Just an overall, in general, sort of thing. I don’t want to be penalized if I break the rules.”
“What? What did we just hammer out, then? Rules are specifically set up not to be broken. Now you’re telling me you’re going to break the rules?”
He took a quick swig and suddenly seemed antsy. His leg was tapping, and he was fidgety, as if he could feel that they were close to closing the deal. “Let me explain. I don’t plan on breaking the rules, but —What if it just kind of happens?”
“What?”
“Look, I’m a man, right?”
She couldn’t help but glance down. Gulp . “I’m counting on it.”
He shot her a look and continued, “And my body is going to be reacting to some intense interactions, right?”
“I repeat. Counting on it.”
This time he smiled. “So what if it’s involuntary?”
“Puh-lease. Involuntary.”
“Caelen, if I’m in the moment and reach out without thinking and break the ‘no touching’ rule, I want to make sure I’m not penalized. I don’t want you bolting right in the middle of things.”
“Oh, come on.”
“All I’m saying is that you can explain the rules to me all you want, but my dick has a mind of its own. And he kind of takes over at times. If I react and accidentally break the rules, all you have to do is remind me, and I’ll stop. Immediately. That shouldn’t be a problem, right?”
Damn. He had her there. How to explain that she might be the one begging him to break all the terms if she got caught up? No, no, no . She could do this. For Ms. Belle.
Please let that be true.
“I mean, come on. I’ve conceded to most of your rules. That has to count for something, right?” His lopsided grin was firmly in place. He looked far too confident for a man who’d just ceded control.
“Can you swear you will try your hardest to follow the rules?”
“And if I say yes, you’d believe me?” He snorted and took a drink from his beer.
She stilled, realizing how important her answer was, not to him but to herself. Did she trust him enough to believe his answer? Did she trust him enough to do any of this? Now it was her turn to grip the table. Her voice was much softer than her conviction. “I would.”
His eyes popped up and for what felt like hours, they got lost in the gaze. Somehow, without words, things were heating up, intensifying between them. Her breasts felt as if they were swelling, her skin felt flushed. His eyes narrowed and she saw his chest rise and fall a little more quickly. He cleared his throat. “I will do anything I have to, to make this happen. Anything.”
She licked her lips in nervous anticipation. “Then we only have one more hurdle to clear.”
He ground his teeth, and Caelen could feel the frustration coming off him in waves. “What now?”
Chapter 13
‡
T IME TO HAVE a little fun.
Things had gotten too serious, too fast. She couldn’t help but torture Dare just a little bit longer. Trying to stay as composed as possible, she fought the damn near impossible task of keeping a straight face. “What if I don’t like it?”
“It? What the hell are you talking about?” Dare had been pushed to the limit. He looked seriously frustrated.
“You know,” she gestured with a flick of her wrist toward his lap, “ it .”
“What? My cock?”
“Shh! Keep it down. Yes, your ‘man meat.’” This time there was no way she could hold onto her giggle.
“Man meat? That’s disgusting. You must mean, Mighty Man.”
“Oh God. Please, please tell me you don’t call it Mighty Man.”
“Of course I do. Here he comes to save the day! He’s never let
He looked dumbstruck. “Really?”
“Unless you’ve changed your mind?”
“Nope. Terms set and accepted.”
“So, we’re good?”
“Pretty much. Except one tiny, last thing.”
“I just gave you the kiss.”
“I know, I know. This isn’t about a specific rule, really. Just an overall, in general, sort of thing. I don’t want to be penalized if I break the rules.”
“What? What did we just hammer out, then? Rules are specifically set up not to be broken. Now you’re telling me you’re going to break the rules?”
He took a quick swig and suddenly seemed antsy. His leg was tapping, and he was fidgety, as if he could feel that they were close to closing the deal. “Let me explain. I don’t plan on breaking the rules, but —What if it just kind of happens?”
“What?”
“Look, I’m a man, right?”
She couldn’t help but glance down. Gulp . “I’m counting on it.”
He shot her a look and continued, “And my body is going to be reacting to some intense interactions, right?”
“I repeat. Counting on it.”
This time he smiled. “So what if it’s involuntary?”
“Puh-lease. Involuntary.”
“Caelen, if I’m in the moment and reach out without thinking and break the ‘no touching’ rule, I want to make sure I’m not penalized. I don’t want you bolting right in the middle of things.”
“Oh, come on.”
“All I’m saying is that you can explain the rules to me all you want, but my dick has a mind of its own. And he kind of takes over at times. If I react and accidentally break the rules, all you have to do is remind me, and I’ll stop. Immediately. That shouldn’t be a problem, right?”
Damn. He had her there. How to explain that she might be the one begging him to break all the terms if she got caught up? No, no, no . She could do this. For Ms. Belle.
Please let that be true.
“I mean, come on. I’ve conceded to most of your rules. That has to count for something, right?” His lopsided grin was firmly in place. He looked far too confident for a man who’d just ceded control.
“Can you swear you will try your hardest to follow the rules?”
“And if I say yes, you’d believe me?” He snorted and took a drink from his beer.
She stilled, realizing how important her answer was, not to him but to herself. Did she trust him enough to believe his answer? Did she trust him enough to do any of this? Now it was her turn to grip the table. Her voice was much softer than her conviction. “I would.”
His eyes popped up and for what felt like hours, they got lost in the gaze. Somehow, without words, things were heating up, intensifying between them. Her breasts felt as if they were swelling, her skin felt flushed. His eyes narrowed and she saw his chest rise and fall a little more quickly. He cleared his throat. “I will do anything I have to, to make this happen. Anything.”
She licked her lips in nervous anticipation. “Then we only have one more hurdle to clear.”
He ground his teeth, and Caelen could feel the frustration coming off him in waves. “What now?”
Chapter 13
‡
T IME TO HAVE a little fun.
Things had gotten too serious, too fast. She couldn’t help but torture Dare just a little bit longer. Trying to stay as composed as possible, she fought the damn near impossible task of keeping a straight face. “What if I don’t like it?”
“It? What the hell are you talking about?” Dare had been pushed to the limit. He looked seriously frustrated.
“You know,” she gestured with a flick of her wrist toward his lap, “ it .”
“What? My cock?”
“Shh! Keep it down. Yes, your ‘man meat.’” This time there was no way she could hold onto her giggle.
“Man meat? That’s disgusting. You must mean, Mighty Man.”
“Oh God. Please, please tell me you don’t call it Mighty Man.”
“Of course I do. Here he comes to save the day! He’s never let
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