I watch him scribbling what looks like a list on the pad of paper. I’m in shock. And I can’t deny, at first blush it all sounds very obscene.Perverted.A little wrong.
Intriguing. I bite my lip.Dangerous.
I have no idea what I’m getting into, but I don’t want to let him go. I’ve never been an adventurous woman, but I’ve always wondered what it would be like, and Mason is worth the risk.
Plus, that kiss affected me. He’s always affected me, but this is something different. There’s an edge in his gaze, a directness when he speaks that makes me shiver.
I’m not giving up. I refuse. What do I have to lose but a broken heart? If I don’t try, that’s a certainty. If I like it, well, then I get Mason.
Besides, if I'm honest with myself, I’ve never been much of a take-charge woman anyway. What does it matter if he wants to control our sexual relationship? It’s not like I’m a seductress in exotic lingerie when he comes over. I’ve never even worn a sexy dress.
After I get used to the idea, I think I’ll like not having to worry about doing anything exciting. If he wants to do all the work, I can stop fretting about how to entice him.
Yes, his high handedness is a little irritating. For some reason it makes me feel uppity, like I want to scratch his eyes out. Odd sensations for me, but I figure it’s years of feminism raising my hackles.
But giving up something I don’t really care about in order to keep someone I do seems a fair trade.
At least in theory.
He stops writing, tears the piece of paper from the pad, and hands it to me.
I skim the list, written in his strong, bold strokes.What is this?It looks like a bunch of books and websites. “Are you giving me a reading list?”
“Yes.” His firm expression is a contrast to the amusement dancing in his eyes. “Consider it Domination 101. I figure this is an exercise you’ll appreciate.”
I raise a brow. “Like homework?”
“Yes. This little experiment of ours starts now. I’m making the rules, and this is your first assignment.”
Normally I’m pretty docile, but the edge of his tone makes me want to roll my eyes. Something warns against it, but I do have a few questions before I start my class. I tilt my head. “I don’t understand.”
“What are you confused about?”
“You said you wanted to be in control of sex.” I hold up the slip of paper. “What does a reading list have to do with sex?”
“Fair question.” He flashes a grin that can only be described asdiabolical. “I think that will be fairly clear when you start reading.”
“What kind of answer is that?”
“Read first. Question later.”
This change in attitude will take some getting used to, but I’ve always been a quick study, and this is what I agreed to, so agreement seems prudent at the moment.
“All right.”
He gives an approving nod. “Excellent. I know you have a lot of stuff going on with school right now, and I refuse to add more stress than necessary to your hectic schedule.”
I smile. There he is, the Mason I know and love. It’s just like him to remember my parent-teacher conferences and want to make things easy. “Thank you.”
He laughs, reclining against the high back of the sofa. “You’d best hear the rest of what I have to say before you go thanking me.”
I nod. “I’m listening.”
“Over the next two weeks, you’re going to read every book and visit every website I’ve listed. The content and subject matter range from mild to extreme. I’m not interested in all the things you’ll read about, and I’ve done that on purpose. The point of this exercise isn’t me; it’s you. I want you to put yourself in those situations and think about how you’d feel. Make sense?”
I glance at the paper clutched in my hands. The list has three books and six websites—doable in two weeks. “That won’t be a problem.”
“Good. I know this all seems odd to you right now, and as you start reading, you’re going to have a ton of thoughts, feelings, and questions.” He runs a hand over my hair, twirling a curl around his finger. “I promise I want to hear every thought, every emotion. And I will answer every single question you have.”