My body jerked to a stop when I felt his warm, big, calloused hand close around my wrist.
“Not what I meant, Petra.”
He brought my hand up to the side of his face and I had to admit that I liked the way his beard felt against my palm. I always had.
I blinked at him as I straightened to my full height once again.
Oh!
I realized what he wanted a split second before his hand moved to the base of my neck and he tugged me forward. The two-inch gap between us closed and his lips were on mine before I could tell him no.
My lips were as stiff as my body but that didn’t stop him. He wasn’t rough. He wasn’t brutal. But there was a strong demand as his lips parted against mine and his tongue licked along my sealed-up tight seam.
The second swipe had me giving up the fight.
I softened for him.
I parted for him.
I let him in.
Like I had once before.
His hand gripped the back of my neck tighter as he ravaged my mouth.
My fingers curled into his beard as I tried to pull him in even closer. I wanted more. Ineededmore.
We continued to kiss like we were trying to devour each other. His hand slid down the length of my spine. I moaned as his fingers stroked my lower back. Then his hand palmed my ass and he was pulling my body flush with his. His thick, hard cock now trapped between our stomachs.
I wanted to reach down and stroke him but I held back. He wanted my lips right now. He wanted them on his. And something inside me warmed because this had been the thing he asked for.
The kiss slowed and he pulled away.
My eyes blinked open and I was instantly trapped in his gaze.
“Been waiting a long damn time to feel those lips against mine again,” he said and I felt myself smile a little. His eyes darted down to my lips and I instantly wiped the sappy expression away. “One day, Pet. One day you’re gonna stop hidin’ from me.”
He released me, his hands dropping down to his sides as he waited for my direction. I gave him the opening. He took it and he didn’t push for more.
That was the thing about Iron, he didn’t force me to give more than he knew I could handle. He came and he bent and he heeled whenever I needed him to.
I made a decision right then and there. I’d give him more from now on. Not much. Just a little. But I also had to be comfortable with it or this would never work. So I made a new rule in my head and I was going to let him in on it really soon. It wasn’t something I could verbally explain to him. I knew that I had to show him.
I turned on my heels. I didn’t need to give him direction, he’d follow on his own.
I led him down the long hall, one he was already familiar with, and into a room he knew well enough, too.
It wasn’t my bedroom. We hadn’t ended up there… yet. I wasn’t sure if I was ready to give him that much but I suspected that one day I might.
Iron had lasted longer than any other man had. He’d come when I called and he took everything I dished out. He never talked back or told me no. And despite the fact that I would never admit it out loud, I had kept him around because I wasn’t ready for it to be over.
“Where do you want me tonight?” he asked as we stepped inside and I shut the door behind us.
I didn’t need words. My eyes looked from him to the padded bench in the middle of the room.
I spared no expense when it came to most things, and everything in this room was no exception.
The wood was made of sturdy, dark oak. The varnish a near black color. The padding on the top and knee supports were brushed Italian leather. I wanted them to be comfortable while they were restrained. Even if what I was going to do to them wasn’t meant to bring comfort.
