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naked in front of him.
His firm, sure tone reassured her, and she was able to stop shaking quickly. It was just the right
approach to take with her if he d been sympathetic and cooing, she would have dissolved into tears.
Instead, she was able to pull herself together and be strong.
Simon s finger lifted her chin. Very good girl. You ve done very well so far.
It was the so far that made her knees shake for a minute before she got control of them again.
What s your safe word, Maura? he quizzed as he opened the bed, pulling the sheet, blanket, and
comforter almost off the end of the bed.
Safe word, she returned quickly.
Good. He came back to her and grabbed her hand, tugging her over to guide her down to sit on
the edge of the bed. Simon took both of her hands in his, asking in a very deep, serious tone. I want you to
be very sure you want to do this, Maura. I don t get this involved with someone easily, and to me, this is
the beginning of a real commitment between us not love, but commitment. Your submission to me will
probably, eventually lead us to live together.
Her head snapped up, eyes wide.
It didn t make him happy that she apparently hadn t considered that possibility. I just want you
to know that I m thinking ahead. Thinking that we ll be together more in the future. That seemed to
soothe her, and he wasn t sure exactly how he felt about that. You have to be willing to be monogamous
from this point on.
Maura almost snorted, but resisted. It wasn t like men were busting down her door to sleep with
her. She d been monogamous with him from the beginning, if one wanted to look at it that way.
And make no mistake, I expect the same thing from myself. I will never run around on you. I m a
one-woman man.
She nodded. Yes, I have no interest in multiple partners. I can barely handle you!
Good. Her answer seemed to satisfy him. Lie in the middle of the bed on your back. Put your
hands above your head. You can grab onto the headboard if you like or not, but do whatever you need to
to make sure that your hands don t come down again until I tell you that they can. If you move your hands
down even once I ll tie them to the headboard and punish you thoroughly for disobeying me.
She was slow at obeying, but he could and would fix that. It was all new to her, and he was
enjoying seeing everything through her eyes. Simon hadn t realized that he d gotten somewhat jaded, but
seeing Maura s reactions and trying to see this situation through her eyes made things sharper for him.
He wanted this to be the best experience of her life he wanted her to want him as much as he wanted
her, and when he had a goal in mind, he was positively dangerous.
But never to her.
Finally, she settled into the position he d ordered, and he could see that she was gripping the rails
of the headboard for dear life.
50
Nervous again.
Well, he had to see if he could knock that out of her for good. Respect was good. He wanted it
from everyone he met. He demanded it. But fear there were elements of it that could be good, that
would keep her in line when she might stray from his strict rules for her behavior, but he d never wanted a
woman to truly fear him. Most of them did, because there was something about him that made him a
person that was not easy to be around some people, usually women, sensed that he had seen death had
caused deaths easily and without remorse, and had confronted and come to unflinching terms with his
own. Simon discomfited people, and he knew it. That had worked in his favor on occasion.
But, although he would be imparting quite considerable pain to her at times this weekend, and
certainly over the length of their relationship whatever that ended up being he never wanted Maura to
be afraid of him. There would never be any reason for it he would never really hurt her. He couldn t. She
had become much too important to him, even in such a short time.
Close your eyes.
Of all his commands, that one bothered her the most. Somehow, not being able to see him would
make her almost more vulnerable to him than she could stand.
Although he was arranging things on the table to the side of the bed, he was still keeping a close
eye on her, and he was quite well aware of the fight she was having with herself, and left her to it. She
would either trust him enough, or she wouldn t.
He didn t know what he would do if she couldn t.
But when he snuck a last peek at her, he saw that her eyes were screwed tightly shut. There were
tears leaking out of them, to be sure the hair at her temples was dark and wet. But her eyes were shut.
He knew how much it had taken for her to close them, and something burst inside him, something he
refused to examine or acknowledge.
She trusted him.
For a woman like Maura independent, fierce, happy, proud to offer him her submission was a
more profound gift than he deserved.
He mumbled a silent prayer that he would be able live up to that level of trust.
Simon stood at the end of the bed, gazing down at her with his heart in his eyes. Her breathing
was irregular as she fought back tears. Take a deep, slow breath, Maura. Nothing s going to happen
other than some things we ve already talked about you wanting. And I hope you know that I would never
really hurt you.
She opened her eyes automatically when he began to speak to her, but Simon chided, Ah-ah-
ahhh, and she closed them quickly again.
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