Again he chuckles, shaking his head like I’m too silly for words. “Your list has a theme, little girl.”
For some odd reason my heartbeat kicks up. “It does not.”
His hand slides back up to my nape. “I can assure you, you’re wrong. You’re full of surprises. I’d never have guessed you have a taste for domination.”
“I do not!” I don’t even know what that means, but I’m smart enough to deny it.
“Is that so?” His grip tightens so I feel the pressure of his thumb on the pulse beating rapidly in my neck. He gives me an appraising look. “I was going to go easy on you, but since I can see you’re going to be difficult, I’ll spell it out.”
That sounds ominous. I’m one-hundred-percent positive I don’t want to hear this. I say nothing; staring down at the silverware as though it were the rarest of treasures. Maybe if I ignore him he’ll stop talking.
“You want to be tied up, spanked, put on display in a sex club, captured and used hard.” His warm breath on the shell of my ear makes me tremble despite my nerves. “Do you know what kind of girls like that kind of thing?”
Why did he have to put it like that? Skin flaming with embarrassment, I shake my head.
“Look at me.” His voice reaches inside me and tugs.
The last thing on earth I want is to look at him, but some mysterious force compels me to meet his gaze. At his expression, I suck in a breath. I expect to see repressed laughter, but his dark eyes smolder.
“Girls who like to be dominated.” He brushes his thumb over my lower lip. The touch erotic as he captivates me. “Controlled.”
I frown. That’s not possible.
“I can see you’re confused,” he says conversationally, as though we’re discussing the weather. “Do you know much about domination and submission?”
“No.” The word comes out like I’m being strangled. I clear my throat. “Isn’t that when people dress up in leather and wear collars and stuff?”
I shudder, none of that is on my list, and this time I’m thankful I have the visual proof as testimony to that fact. I can show him in black-and-white I said no such thing.
He picks up a lock of my hair and twirls it around his fingers. “For some people, if that’s what they like, but for others it can be strictly in the bedroom where one person gives up complete control to another.”
Complete control? I’m not sure I like the sound of that. “What does that mean?”
“Whatever we want it to.” Brown eyes gleaming, a smile of pure sin slides over his lips. “Or should I say, what I want it to?”
At those words, and the expression on his face, an unfamiliar ache takes up residence between my thighs.
“Let’s try a little experiment.” He flashes that damn dimple, all charming and casual.
There’s no dipping my toe into the shallow end with him. He’s getting right to it and now that the dawning is upon me, nerves twist in my stomach.
“Like what?” I’d somehow given him the wrong impression. All I’d been talking about was a little bit wild. I want the exact opposite of what he’s proposing. I want to take control, not give it up.
“Abby.” His tone takes on the same edge from earlier and like before it makes goose bumps break out over my skin. “Have you ever had an orgasm?”
Oh no, we’re back to that.
Heat fans out over my cheeks and on instinct I move back, wanting to widen the distance between us, only his fingers are locked around the back of my neck in a tight grip.
His thumb presses, bringing my attention to my rapidly beating pulse point. The gesture is threatening, but somehow my body betrays me and my stomach dips with excitement.
My heartbeat picks up another notch as a thread of panic weaves an unexpected pattern with desire.
Before I can process my reactions, he moves fast, his mouth claiming mine.
At his onslaught, I gasp, parting my lips. His tongue curls around mine, scattering my thoughts. His hand tightens on my throat as he kisses me with that aggressive, hard possessiveness I’ve always craved but didn’t have a name for.
A wave of lust crashes over me and I’m sucked into the swirling, chaotic undertow.