Trying to push his strange conversation with Sean from his mind, Zane smiled at Ellie as she met him at the door.
She shot back a tentative smile.
She's nervous.
Zane unlocked the door, and then he led the way inside.
He looked around the immaculate kitchen and then peeked into the living room.
"Oh, my God. The house looks amazing. What did you do?" Ellie asked, her tone slightly awed.
Ellie had gotten a lot of things organized before she'd left this house, but it hadn't been this clean and not nearly as inviting. Zane had a feeling Ellie hadn't wanted to intrude, or put anything of herself into either of his homes, so he'd done it himself.
As requested, there were various fresh flower arrangements around the home, something that Zane had specifically requested for Ellie's homecoming. Her work supplies for her aromatherapy had been duplicated, the new stuff stowed neatly in the pantry. There wasn't a speck of lint or dust on the floor, and the decorator he'd hired had changed the downstairs space to something lighter and brighter. It was a contemporary look that would suit Ellie, so much different than the previous traditional, heavy décor.
Honestly, Zane preferred the change himself. When he'd built the house, he hadn't really given any input into what kind of feel he wanted inside the house. He was more interested in the design and getting all of the rooms and amenities he wanted. He'd told the initial decorator to make things functional, and she'd done exactly that. The woman had used expensive, heavy furniture and ornate designs that she probably assumed a wealthy man would want.
"Oh, my God. What did you do?" Ellie repeated in amazement as she twirled around, as though she was trying to take in her new surroundings.
Zane watched as she peeked into the family room, her eyes growing wide. "My pictures are in here," she said with confusion. "And some of my old throw pillows."
Zane already knew that. He'd asked the decorator to incorporate any of Ellie's items from her old place that she could before the rest were stored. Obviously, she'd found some things that worked.
Since Ellie hadn't budged from the doorway of the family room, Zane went and took her hand, leading her past the kitchen and into the living room. "What do you think?"
She opened her mouth, and then closed it again as her eyes lit on a collection of photos over the couch. "That's us," she said in a hushed tone, walking over to the pictures and staring.
Zane let her tug him along with her, and he nodded at the wall, happy to see how well the wall collection had come out. Every image was framed beautifully, arranged in a pattern that looked natural.
"I know," he finally answered. "I collected all of the pictures I took wherever we went and asked them to be finished out on the wall."
She finally turned to him, her expression perplexed. "Why?"
He shrugged. "Because you were always so worried that you didn't have a real home. I wanted my houses to be your homes, too. Our homes. I wanted to see our things mingled together, to know that it wasn't just me living here. We live here together." He took a deep breath before asking a question he dreaded. "You don't like it?"
"I love it," she replied in a tremulous voice. "It just makes us really … entwined here."
That was exactly what Zane wanted. He wanted the two of them to mesh so tightly that Ellie would never want to leave. "I know. I like it that way. I told you this wasn't a quick fling for me, Ellie. I want you to stay in our homes. I want to smell your scent lingering everywhere. I want to see your things next to mine. Fucking hell, I want to tie you to our bed so you can never leave."
She turned to look at him, her bright blue eyes sparkling, wet with tears. "I want that, too. I just can't believe you did all of this for me."
"It was partly for me, too," he admitted. "I'm a selfish, greedy bastard who wants to make sure you have every reason to consider this as much your home as mine. I want you to stay."
With an emotional sob, Ellie threw herself at him, and Zane happily caught her.
"I can't believe you're concerned for a single minute that I'd go anywhere," she told him, sounding astonished. "Tie me to your bed. I'd happily stay there."
"I wasn't kidding," Zane told her huskily. "But I'd never literally restrain you, Ellie. Not after what you've been through."
Christ! He actually had dirty fantasies of having Ellie exactly where he wanted her, but it was one fantasy he'd never act out. His damn primitive caveman instincts to conquer and keep her would have to go screw themselves.
Sexually, Ellie was open to trying just about everything. In fact, she had an earthy lust for him that drove him insane. And the woman was an adventuress when it came to trying out new ways to drive each other crazy in the bedroom. But bondage was one thing he refused to do.
"Zane," she whispered against his ear. "I trust you. If the thought turns you on, it will turn me on, too. I guarantee it."
"No," he answered simply, grasping her tightly around the waist and glaring at her stubbornly.
She gave him a sultry smile. "I thought you like acting out your dirty fantasies."
"I do. But not that one." He heaved a masculine sigh. "Stop looking at me like that."
"Like what?" she asked innocently.
Damn! She was far from innocent now that he'd been unable to keep his hands off her since the first time he'd taken her. That heated, carnal look worked on him every time.
Ellie clasped his hand and led him determinedly to his bedroom.
What Zane had done to make her feel like his home was also hers had touched her in a way she'd never experienced before. She refused to be a woman with hang-ups anymore. Anything he'd ever done to her sexually had been orgasmic. There was no reason for him to believe she wouldn't play with him just because she'd been held prisoner by a monster.
This was Zane.
This was a man who cared about her.
This was the man … she loved.
There! She'd admitted it. She loved him. Ellie couldn't say exactly when her fondness and infatuation that she'd had as a teenager had morphed into a love that rocked her to her soul. But she was pretty sure it hadn't taken long. Her trust in him was complete, her love endless. Now, she wanted to prove it by giving him total control of her body and her heart.
If she couldn't seem to confess how she felt in words, she was going to show him.
"Ellie, I don't care how hot it might be, I can't do it," Zane growled as he stopped beside her in the bedroom.
"Why?" She grabbed the hem of the lightweight shirt she was wearing and pulled it over her head.
The bra went next as Zane stayed mute, but she could see his eyes caressing her. She shucked off her jeans and panties, not the least bit shy as she stood before him completely nude. She'd lost her shyness with him weeks ago. He knew exactly what her body looked like. Every scar. Every imperfection. And he appeared to love it exactly the way it was.
Nonchalantly, she sashayed to the closet and pulled out a cream and navy-blue tie she'd never seen him wear, and then took it to him and held it out. "Do it. You know you want to." Zane liked to be in control, and she had no problem giving it to him. It was glorious to watch him the moment he snapped.
She climbed on the bed and raised her arms, clasping two of the wooden posts on the headboard.
"Ellie," he said dangerously, starting to slowly and methodically remove his clothing, but she could tell he was rattled.
"I'm never going to be afraid of anything you do to me." In fact, her body was already clamoring for her to touch him as he revealed his powerful body slowly.
Her eyes wandered from his muscular chest to one very aroused cock as he kicked his jeans and boxer briefs aside, leaving him completely naked.
His eyes had never left her provocative position, his expression growing darker and darker as he climbed onto the bed. He'd tossed the tie beside her, but he picked it up again as he moved toward her.
"You're aroused," she purred.
"Jesus, Ell! With you, it doesn't take much. All I have to do is think about you and I'm cocked and ready to fire," he told her angrily. "I don't need to tie you to my bed."
"I wish you would," she said encouragingly. "I've known what it's like to be confined by an asshole. I'd much rather make a better memory."
His expression was unreadable as he seemed to think about her words. He met her eyes, and they stared at each other, Ellie trying to silently communicate her feelings.
Suddenly, he straddled her body and quickly took the tie and knotted her hands together, and then connected the ends to the headboard. "One look of fear, one flinch, and I'm letting you go," he said hoarsely, his eyes moving hungrily over her face, and then he secured her hands above her head.