Page 103 of Freefall

He looks down, concern edging past the dark lust in his eyes. “You were okay with this before. Has that changed?”

I shake my head. “No, but…”

“This only works if we’re honest,” he reminds me. “If we trust each other.”

I take a breath. “Have you used these with anyone else?”

His shoulders visibly relax. “No, Harper. Anything I use with you…” He brushes his thumb lightly over the leather around my wrist. “is new.”

The words hit me harder than I expect. He’s clearly thought about it, planned for it even.

“I told you,” he says as if reading my mind. “As long as we’re doing this, you’re mine, and I don’t share what’s mine.” He strokes his finger along my wildly beating pulse. “So why would I ever ask you to?”

The same finger reaches up and catches a tear I didn't even know had slipped free. “Do you trust me?”

“Yes,” I whisper. More than anyone.

The thought materializes without hesitation. Despite everything that’s happened between us, I still trust him with my whole heart, and that has to count for something, right?

Slowly, he guides me back until my head hits the pillow, his hand cupping my cheek. “Good, because you’ve been so obedient tonight, Harper. I think you deserve a reward.”

He leans in like he’s about to kiss me, but instead his lips drift lower, brushing along the column of my throat until they reach my collarbone. He licks the length of it before sinking his teeth in—hard. He doesn’t break the skin like he did the first time, but I already know there’s going to be a mark.

“Fucking beautiful,” he says softly.

A tiny flicker of disappointment erupts in my chest. I don’t know why I thought he might actually kiss me. We haven’t kissed since the night he took me against the kitchen counter, and that was only because I initiated it. Just like I have every time since I’ve been back.

My nipples instantly pebble under his hungry gaze. He sucks one into his hot mouth while he twists the other.

I moan softly, and he lets out a low laugh. “Already?” Amusement dances in his eyes. “Just from this?”

“You’ve been teasing me all fucking night.” The words are supposed to come out defiant, but they sound more desperate than anything else.

“Careful, Harper. You’ve been such a good girl. You don’t want to ruin it now.”

I bite the inside of my cheek, resisting the urge to roll my eyes.

He moves lower, his mouth trailing over the curve of my stomach until he reaches the hem of my underwear. His mouth glides over the thin material, licking and sucking my clit through the fabric.

It’s so close to what I need yet just out of reach—like taking a greedy sip of water only to realize the cap is still on. I wiggle my hips in an effort to get him to take off my panties, but he just laughs again.

“So impatient,” he tsks.

My heart sinks when he abandons my underwear altogether, smoothing his hands down my legs until he reaches my left boot. He slides the zipper down and eases it off, pressing a soft kiss to my ankle before repeating the process with the other one.

By the time he takes pity on me and pulls my thong off, it’s completely soaked. He brings the lace to his nose, inhaling slowly before shoving it in his pocket.

Then his mouth is on me, his hot tongue teasing slow circles against my clit before stabbing inside me. I come fast—embarrassingly fast. But Nate doesn't stop, working me through every aftershock with his mouth still latched to me. It’s not until I shove his head, squeezing my legs together, that he finally lets up.

It takes me a second to catch my breath, but when I finally sit up, I realize Nate is still fully dressed, the thick outline of his cock straining against his jeans. I reach out for the button only to remember my hands are still cuffed.

Nate lets out a dark laugh as he catches the chain between my wrists and yanks it back against the headboard.

“Did you think I was done with you, brat? I’m just getting fucking started.”

With that, he grabs something from the nightstand and nudges my knees back apart.

I hear it before I feel it.