Comforting Touch (Touch #5) by Cara Dee

obviously I want to celebrate it. So there's nothing Middle Eastern or harem-like about the Chamber tonight. Instead, Kayla and I turned it into a birthday bash for Master Rio earlier this morning. The décor is still there, but so are countless balloons and garlands.
    Much to Kayla's dismay, I went with black and gold for a theme.
    "You know, pink and yellow is funner," she'd argued.
    Imagine Master Rio's face.
    He's not aiming for the Chamber, though. Thankfully. He makes a turn around the circular bar in the middle and guides me into one of the bigger stalls.
    Oh, fuck yes. A large spider web created out of thick rope is constructed on a solid, wooden frame.

Chapter 11
    "Let's make this private." Master Rio lets the curtain fall, and then he spins to face me fully. "Christ, Chelsea." He backs me up against the web of hemp and steals my breath in a bone-crushing hug. "A simple apology would've sufficed."
    I'm too stunned to speak, but I've barely begun apologizing. And showing him. Showing him that we should give us a try.
    "Permission to speak, Sir?" Happy tears well up in my eyes, and I return the hug as tightly as I can.
    "Speak," he murmurs, kissing my neck. " Fuck . That was the most beautiful thing I've ever seen." He palms my cheeks and claims my mouth with his. "Seeing you by my feet—indescribable."
    Desire stronger than I've ever felt swirls around me, leaving me dazed and needy as fuck. "I'm sorry for running out—"
    "You're forgiven." He breaks the kiss and lets out a low chuckle. His dark green eyes track his thumb brushing over my bottom lip. Then his gaze lifts to mine, and he shakes his head slowly. "I'm a fair man, Chelsea. You went from overhearing me telling Nick I didn’t want you here…to being fucked into my mattress and wearing my bruises—in what, a week?" I flush at his words, completely breathless. And wetter than a river . "I understand your reaction. There wasn’t enough time for you to build a trust in me, and you believed I was the one who said those things about Miranda."
    The rope digs into my back deliciously, almost as much as the relief pierces through me.
    "I saw you," I say with a small nod. "I wouldn’t have fled like that if I hadn't seen you. Well, I thought it was you. Master Dante even told me it might've been a misunderstanding, but I was so sure…"
    Master Rio inclines his head and smiles faintly. "Gabe and I look that much alike, huh?"
    I make a face. Everyone's smarter in retrospect, and I'm no different. "I was on the stairs, and I saw him in the living room, facing the patio. I noticed he looked smaller than you, but I chalked it up to me being upstairs. And his voice—it wasn’t really yours. Or his hairstyle. Ugh." I look away and bite my lip. "I'm sorry."
    "It's okay, sweetheart." He rests his forehead against mine and grips my hips firmly. "So, did you have a plan for tonight, or can I take advantage of the evening since I have you alone now?"
    As badly as I want to say "Whatever you wish," I do have an agenda.
    "I want this, Sir," I admit, searching his eyes. "I think we can be great together."
    Surprise is the first thing I see. But he quickly becomes guarded—or maybe wary. "You're talking about more than a D/s arrangement where we play together every now and then."
    Hell, yes. "Yes, Sir."
    In a matter of seconds, he ages ten years in resignation and forfeit.
    He's really given up, like Master Cooper said.
    "Full disclosure," I say, ready to lay it all out there. "Ready to hear my story? You might wanna sit down." The last part was only half a joke.
    He doesn’t, though. He just stares at me.
    Very well.
    "My parents were shit." I go with bluntness, and I sure as fuck don’t plan to draw this out. "Deadbeat dad, alcoholic mom. My older brother and I were close until he started hanging out with the wrong people. He died of a drug overdose when I was twelve. He was sixteen."
    "Chelsea…" He palms my cheek, concern evident on his face.
    I shake my head. I