Page 44 of He Knows When You're Awake

“Deadlines, remember?” I hold up the finished pieces. “Happy now?”

His eyes focus on what I’ve created. “Those aren’t bracelets.”

“They are. Just not what you expected.” I stand, moving toward him. “They’re exactly what this collection needs.”

“Restraints?” he asks, still not stepping into the room, though his knuckles whiten where he grips the doorframe.

“Cuffs,” I correct. “Functional jewelry. Come in and I’ll show you.”

The invitation hangs between us.

“Are you sure about that? Once I enter...” Cole’s voice is controlled, but I can hear the tension underneath.

I hesitate, knowing where this might lead. “Yes.”

His eyes darken as he steps across the threshold, closing the door behind him.

“Put out your hand,” I say, testing how far this new power dynamic will go.

“I’m the one that gives the orders.” His voice drops lower, a warning that sends heat through me.

“Scared?” I challenge.

Something shifts in his eyes. He extends his hand, palm up.

I place one cuff in his palm instead of on my wrist. “You want control so badly? Here it is.”

Cole studies the cuff, running his thumb over the locking mechanism. “You’ve been holding back on me.”

“You have no idea.”

His eyes snap to mine.

Without breaking eye contact, I hold out my wrists. “Go ahead.”

For a second, he doesn’t move. Then he steps closer, his body radiating heat. He takes the first cuff and locks it around my left wrist, his fingers brushing my skin.

“Both,” I say, my breath catching.

He secures the second cuff on my right wrist. The chain between them is short, maybe six inches. Not enough to pull my arms apart.

He yanks the chain, pulling me against him. Our bodies collide. His free hand grips my hair, tilting my head back.

“This what you want?” he asks, his eyes dark.

His grip tightens. The sting on my scalp only heightens my need. I’ve never wanted something...someoneso much in my life.

“Yes...”

His mouth crashes down on mine. The kiss is intense, hungry, with all the tension that’s been building between us since we met. I bite his lower lip, and he pushes me backward until I hit the wall, my bound hands trapped between us.

I’m vulnerable, and I fucking love it.

He breaks the kiss, both of us breathing hard. His hand slides from my hair to my throat, not squeezing, just holding. “Once I step forward, I never step back. You better be fucking sure.”

“I know exactly what I’m doing.”

“Do you?” His thumb moves along my jaw. “Because once we cross this line...”