younger, freer than he had since the moment he removed her blindfold, and so beautiful it was enough to break her heart. This was the man she remembered, a man whose sharply angled face and dark eyes were softened by intelligence and thoughtfulness, a man who could be scary but never would be because he knew right from wrong.
She knew it was lunacy to believe a shared love of relaxing walks through the woods and her newer, fuller figure had changed Jackson’s plans or her fate. But her gut practically sang with assuredness that something was different and things were going to be better between her and Jackson from here on out. He’d seen something in her, something that he could respect mingled in with all the things he hated.
It didn’t mean the hard times were over, but it was a start, enough to make her wish this hike would last forever and they never had to go back to the warped world of the bedroom at the end of the hall.
Liar. You like that world and everything he’s done to you in it.
Hannah wrinkled her nose. It was true, she did like what she and Jackson did together in bed, but it would be nice to know that when the games were over she could spend the rest of the night with this man, a person who didn’t seem to resent the fact that she was allowed to draw breath.
They reached the summit at a little after two o’clock and spread out the picnic Eva had packed for them on a large flat rock, staring out at the jagged edge of the coastline far below as they unwrapped their toasted cheese, basil, and tomato sandwiches.
“It’s nice not to have to worry about snakes, isn’t it?” Hannah said, watching Jackson’s powerful jaw work as he took his first bite, finding it fascinating to see him doing something as normal as eating a sandwich.
Maybe the man was human, after all.
“When we first moved to the islands,” she continued, “I was always worried about running into snakes sunning themselves on rocks, until I learned there aren’t any snakes here. Or poisonous spiders.”
Jackson reached into his pack, pulling out a container filled with freshly cut vegetables and some sort of dip in a separate compartment. “So I’m the only predator you have to worry about up here, then?”
“I guess so,” she said, the teasing note in his voice making it clear he was kidding. Besides, she wouldn’t mind being preyed upon right now. It had been far too long since she’d felt his hands on her, and she was curious to learn if this new, easier feeling between them would follow them into the bedroom.
Curious, and a little anxious.
If fear were eliminated from the equation when they were skin to skin, it would be all too easy for another powerful emotion to sweep in and take its place. But she knew better than to think that any affection she felt for Jackson would ever be returned. He would never care about her and anything she imagined she felt for him was the result of a psychiatric disorder.
Better to keep him talking and enjoy the respite from their kinky sexual games as long as possible.
“Can I ask you a question?” she asked, shifting to face him instead of the stunning view. But Jackson was every bit as captivating, especially when he met her gaze with an unguarded look.
“You can,” he said. “But don’t ask if you don’t want an honest answer, princess.”
“It’s not a serious question,” she assured him, not wanting to mar the peace of the afternoon. “Well, maybe a little serious.” She bit her thumb, second-guessing herself now that the words were on the tip of her tongue.
“Spit it out,” he said, nudging her boot with his. “I won’t bite. Not until we’re back at the house, anyway.”
The thought made an unhealthy wave of longing sizzle across her skin and she was suddenly shy about the nature of her question, but she pushed on anyway. “I was just wondering when you knew you were Dominant?” she asked, keeping her eyes on her sandwich. “Were you always that way or
She knew it was lunacy to believe a shared love of relaxing walks through the woods and her newer, fuller figure had changed Jackson’s plans or her fate. But her gut practically sang with assuredness that something was different and things were going to be better between her and Jackson from here on out. He’d seen something in her, something that he could respect mingled in with all the things he hated.
It didn’t mean the hard times were over, but it was a start, enough to make her wish this hike would last forever and they never had to go back to the warped world of the bedroom at the end of the hall.
Liar. You like that world and everything he’s done to you in it.
Hannah wrinkled her nose. It was true, she did like what she and Jackson did together in bed, but it would be nice to know that when the games were over she could spend the rest of the night with this man, a person who didn’t seem to resent the fact that she was allowed to draw breath.
They reached the summit at a little after two o’clock and spread out the picnic Eva had packed for them on a large flat rock, staring out at the jagged edge of the coastline far below as they unwrapped their toasted cheese, basil, and tomato sandwiches.
“It’s nice not to have to worry about snakes, isn’t it?” Hannah said, watching Jackson’s powerful jaw work as he took his first bite, finding it fascinating to see him doing something as normal as eating a sandwich.
Maybe the man was human, after all.
“When we first moved to the islands,” she continued, “I was always worried about running into snakes sunning themselves on rocks, until I learned there aren’t any snakes here. Or poisonous spiders.”
Jackson reached into his pack, pulling out a container filled with freshly cut vegetables and some sort of dip in a separate compartment. “So I’m the only predator you have to worry about up here, then?”
“I guess so,” she said, the teasing note in his voice making it clear he was kidding. Besides, she wouldn’t mind being preyed upon right now. It had been far too long since she’d felt his hands on her, and she was curious to learn if this new, easier feeling between them would follow them into the bedroom.
Curious, and a little anxious.
If fear were eliminated from the equation when they were skin to skin, it would be all too easy for another powerful emotion to sweep in and take its place. But she knew better than to think that any affection she felt for Jackson would ever be returned. He would never care about her and anything she imagined she felt for him was the result of a psychiatric disorder.
Better to keep him talking and enjoy the respite from their kinky sexual games as long as possible.
“Can I ask you a question?” she asked, shifting to face him instead of the stunning view. But Jackson was every bit as captivating, especially when he met her gaze with an unguarded look.
“You can,” he said. “But don’t ask if you don’t want an honest answer, princess.”
“It’s not a serious question,” she assured him, not wanting to mar the peace of the afternoon. “Well, maybe a little serious.” She bit her thumb, second-guessing herself now that the words were on the tip of her tongue.
“Spit it out,” he said, nudging her boot with his. “I won’t bite. Not until we’re back at the house, anyway.”
The thought made an unhealthy wave of longing sizzle across her skin and she was suddenly shy about the nature of her question, but she pushed on anyway. “I was just wondering when you knew you were Dominant?” she asked, keeping her eyes on her sandwich. “Were you always that way or
Similar Books
