Unbound Surrender by Sierra Cartwright Page B

reached up and traced the line of his chiselled jaw, but two years ago, she’d given up that right. “I want you to teach me.”
    “We were together eighteen months, married for five of them.”
            “I always trusted you,” she said. “You never crossed any of my boundaries. But honestly, it was me I didn’t trust.” The evening air whispered over the skin he’d bared. “This time, I want you to push me. I want you to demand everything I never offered before.”
    “Why in hell would I even consider this?”
    “No good reason that I can think of,” Jessica admitted. “Maybe revenge?”
    “Again, you’ve got the wrong man.”
    His integrity had never been on the line, only hers. “Curiosity? Do I mean what I say? How far will I go?” She’d spent hours lying in bed, tossing and turning, trying to talk herself out of coming here, then just as many hours dreaming up ways she could talk him into it. “Maybe the challenge? Maybe because you haven’t had a good scene in a while and need the diversion?” At least she prayed that was true. If he had another sub, another woman, she wasn’t sure what she’d do. It had taken her weeks to gather the courage to face him; she hadn’t even allowed herself to think that he’d found someone to replace her.
    His brows were no longer drawn as tightly.
    He hadn’t sent her away. If he had someone else, surely he would have. Boldly she pushed forward. “And maybe because I’m asking?” Her voice dropped as she looked up at him. Was she getting through to him? Or did he still hate her? She wouldn’t blame him if he did, but he of all people would know how much this was costing her emotionally.
    “Because I’m begging?” That was something she’d never been good at. She’d never let herself be vulnerable enough to beg for his touch, his lash. He’d said he’d been foolish enough to believe she’d be less resistant once they’d married, but she hadn’t. “I’m asking you to please do this for me, even though there’s no reason you should.”
    He caught her chin and tipped it back, holding her captive.
    A shudder, part fear, part arousal, went through her. She hadn’t completely forgotten how much his power affected her, but two years was a long time to keep the memory as vibrant as reality.
    “I don’t think you can do it,” he said.
    “Maybe not.” She had to admit that was a possibility. She’d been running her whole life. Changing wouldn’t be easy. “All I’m asking for is a weekend of your time. You can make me go away after that, and I promise never to bother you again.”
    “Four days,” he countered. “Starting immediately.”
    She blinked. It was Wednesday evening, and she’d been thinking they could spend the upcoming weekend together. She wanted to go to her yoga class tomorrow evening. God knew she needed the stress relief. She’d planned to use Thursday and part of Friday morning to tie up all the loose ends for her freelance work, leaving Friday afternoon free for a   haircut and manicure and maybe some shopping. New shoes would improve her self-confidence dramatically.
    “You’re still wanting to control things, Jessica, little wanna-be-a-submissive. First step is to do this on my terms.”
    “I have work.”
    “You may use my computer three hours a day.”
    He knew as well as she did that she could shuffle her work. She didn’t punch a time clock, and the time he allotted was more than generous.
    She was going to protest that she didn’t have her toiletries or clothes. But those were excuses. Under his roof, she’d have no need of anything except what he provided.
    “You’ll be naked of course, but you’ll be allowed to do your work.”
    Her mouth felt as if it had been stuffed with cotton wool. What was she getting herself into? This was a man who showed no quarter, and she’d asked him to test her every emotional limit.
    He took a step back. She’d been hoping he would, but now that he was no