She relaxes a little. “But what if—”
“No buts,” I tell her firmly. “I command it.”
Isabelle’s lips curve. “I thought you liked my butt,” she grins. “You certainly left your mark.”
I lean to look. The curve of her ass is mottled red from my handprint.
“Does it hurt?” I ask, concerned. I thought I judged her pain threshold correctly.
“It stings a little,” Isabelle shrugs. “But, it was amazing. Like you woke my body up with the pain, and then the pleasure felt so much better. You always know what I need.
“That’s just the start of it,” I murmur, proud of her bravery. “I’m going to show you exactly what your body is capable of. Limits you haven’t even dreamed.”
She shivers with excitement.
“But first, let me tend to that pain.” I slip my arms around her and stand, effortlessly lifting her in my arms as I do so. I carry her to the bathroom, and set her down on a padded bench by the bath as I run the taps, filling the air with steam from the hot water. I add bath oils especially designed to soothe the skin, and soon the tub is filled with water and frothy bubbles.
I lift her again, setting her down gently in the water.
She sighs happily. “Aren’t you joining me?” she asks.
“Just admiring the view.”
I strip off the rest of my clothes, and climb in behind her. I pull her wet, slippery body back against my chest and exhale with satisfaction.
Perfect.
“This feels so good,” Isabelle murmurs. I slowly stroke her shoulders, and feel all the tension melt out of her body.
“You can relax with me, Isabelle. This house is a safe place for you and I want you to feel totally at home.”
“Thank you,” her voice is soft. I can’t see her face from this angle, but I can hear all the emotion in her voice.
“Because this is your home. You’re here where you belong.” I drop a kiss on her naked shoulder, slowly sliding my hands over her body, softly soothing every inch. “You’re not alone anymore. I’ll protect you now.”
Isabelle sinks back against me, the last drop of tension draining from her body. She finds my hand and lifts it to her lips, pressing a tender kiss into my palm.
It’s only a small gesture, but it fills me with unfamiliar emotion.
This is what it should feel like. Safe and warm.
Like home.
SEVEN: ISABELLE
I wake with a smile on my face for the first time I can remember. I stretch, feeling the delicious ache of my bones.
It feels like a dream come true.
Cam lies next to me, his arms wrapped tightly around me, the steady sound of his breathing lulling me in a reassuring lullaby.
I can’t believe that this is real. With a chill I realize that I almost walked out of here last night, walked out on Cam and on all of this. I haven’t felt so good, so happy, in years, if ever. Just laying here with the sunlight falling through the drapes, knowing that I belong to him.
Everything will be OK now.
I wriggle against him, loving the feel of his hard body spooning me tightly.
His very hard body.
The thick ridge of his cock nudges against my ass. “Good morning,” Cam’s voice comes, amused.
It’s so easy, so natural, to snuggle into his embrace. “Hey,” I breathe, leaning my head back to rest against his chest.
“How’d you sleep?” he murmurs, sliding his hands around over my stomach.
“Amazing,” I reply. “I don’t think I’ve slept so deeply in months, thanks to you.”
He chuckles. “My pleasure. Any time you need another workout, you let me know.”
“How about now?” I press my ass back against him. Cam groans.
“I don’t have time to fuck you the way I want right now,” he drops a kiss on my shoulder. “But I promise, it’ll be worth the wait.”
I sigh in disappointment. Now that he’s awakened this side of me, I want him all the time, my body screaming for his touch.
“But maybe there’s time for you…” Cam slips out of bed and I track his chiseled naked body over to the dresser, where he pulls something dark and clinking from a drawer.
As he turns towards me and makes his way back to the bed, I stare at the pair of black leather cuffs in his hands.
“These are soft cuffs. Leather over steel, and padded on the inside to protect you.
Roll onto your belly and put your hands behind your back.”
I obey his commands. My heart thuds as the cuffs snap shut. They’re tight around my wrists, but surprisingly comfortable. Cam positions me on my side and slides his hand down my stomach, lower and lower, teasing at the apex of my thighs. The other hand moves to cup my breast, pinching suddenly at my nipple.