Daniel had promised a weekend at his vacation home in the Adirondacks. Juliet had been thrilled. She’d packed hiking gear and lingerie side by side, expecting a week of full day workouts. But when she woke she was confused. She was tired, and her head felt heavy.
She groaned as she sat up, realizing she was on a beautiful bed. She looked around, seeing a bedroom and some doors that perhaps led elsewhere. The bed she was in was gorgeous. She went to get out when she realized her wrist was chained to the bed. She was able to move around, but not anywhere near the door.
“Hello?” She called. “Help!”
“Am I?” He said. “You’re rather soft yourself.”
Christine giggled. “You take really good care of your skin. I can tell.” She ran her fingertips along his cheeks and over his chin dimple.
“I do have a rather rigorous skin care routine,” he teased. He stayed still as her fingers trained along his features.
“It’s working,” she murmured, her eyes still trained on his features. She ghosted her fingers along his jaw, the tips of his cheekbones. She traced the circles under his eyes, then trailed back down until she reached his lips.
Erik pressed a kiss to her fingertips as she touched his lips, featherlight and full of love. Because he did love her. He adored her. She was his and he had to prove that to her.
Christine’s eyes widened as he kissed her fingers. Carefully, slowly, she cupped his cheek and reached up to kiss him.
Erik kissed her gently. He cupped her cheek and let her guide the kiss.
Her kiss was unsure at first. The idea of giving herself to him right now was terrifying. She knew that it’d be too much, but her lips craved his. So little by little, she felt herself letting go; surrendering to that craving.
Erik moved to cup both of her cheeks now, holding her as if she were fragile and something to be cared for. He moved to kiss her jaw, her cheeks, her eyelids before returning to her lips.
Christine was overwhelmed by the softness of his kisses. He was handling her as though he loved her.
Did he?
Did he really love her back? The thought made her heart ache. If he loved her, why was he keeping her down here? Why wouldn’t he just take her upstairs to his room and handle her just as tenderly? She wouldn’t run from this. Why couldn’t he trust her?
“Is this okay?” He asked softly, breathlessly. “I don’t want to do anything you don’t want to do…”
She nodded quickly. “Yes,” she breathed. Did she dare ask to go upstairs? She didn’t want him to think that this was an act, or an attempt to trick him. She couldn’t bear to ruin this. She kissed the corner of his lips and rested her forehead against his jaw. “This is okay.”
Erik held her, letting her kiss where she wanted and waited for more. “Good. I enjoy this. I enjoy being with you.”
“I enjoy being with you, too,” she replied. “But I just…I do ask that we take things slowly. I…I’ve never…” She blushed and hid in the crook of his neck.
“I know, I know,” he said. He brushed back her hair and hummed. “We go at your pace, my love.”
Christine froze. “You know?” she asked. “Is it that obvious?”
“I just know. It’s not obvious, but I know you haven’t dated really,” he said. “I assumed. Maybe that makes me an asshole.”
Christine shook her head. “No, it doesn’t I just…I’m…I’m sorry that I don’t have as much experience with…with intimacy as you do.” Her cheeks were hot and she hid in the crook of his neck again.
“None of it bothers me,” he said. He kissed her temple. “All I want is you, Christine. Just you.”
Christine looked up at him in shock. “Just me?” she whispered.
He stroked back her hair. “Just you.” He kissed her forehead then her cheek. “You’re all I want, Christine. My every fantasy.”
She was his fantasy?
Her fantasy’s fantasy…But was this his idea of a fantasy? Her locked away in his basement to be used as an experiment?
“We won’t do that down here, will we?” she asked, her voice small.
“Not unless you want to,” he said. “That’s your decision. Not mine.”
“Not here,” she begged. “Please not here. I…I want my first time to be upstairs. This—this isn’t what I imagined for us. You’ve always been my fantasy, too. I was just hoping it’d be a little different.” She sniffed and hid in the crook of his neck again, afraid of what his response would be.
He simply held her tightly and nodded. “Then upstairs. We all wish things could be different sometimes. But things will work out. I promise you that.”