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"Is irl awake?"
Tate’s voice ruainst his chest where her lips rested
"You’re s," he said
Her smile broadened This was the old Tate Always so in tune with her every ht She closed her eyes, siht tears to her eyes but she refused to allow the way and they’d be right back at square one
Instead she sied her to hihtly and brushed an affectionate kiss on the top of her head
"Not that I’ you naked and in my arms, but I promised you a do-over of our anniversary dinner out, and if we’re going to et cleaned up and I was thinking about a dual shower, one where I wash and pamper you And then we have dinner and then coain"
"Mainst his chest "That sounds wonderful, Tate"
"I’ruffly "I owe you so et that from me twenty-four-seven from now on"
She pushed up to her elbow so that she looked down at his contented, sleepy eyes as they gleamed back at her
"I believe you," she said quietly
Relief brightened his eyes, fire quickly replacing any signs of sleepiness "Thank you for that, Chess You have no idea what your forgiveness ive ly cupped a hand to his face, stroking the chiseled line of his cheekbone with her thumb Then she leaned down and kissed him For once she was in a position of control, her over hi the initiative
His hand i in her hair, but he was careful to allow her to direct the kiss It was al in very careful waters, and if he only knew that wasn’t what she wanted from him at all She wanted hiain She craved it with everything she had in her heart and soul
She was born for this man Born to be his submissive and he her Dominant It was a need that defied reason or explanation Sos just were and for her that was their relationship She hated to even use the word e because it was so … traditional and quaint and in a lot of ways outdated What they had between thees of s she offered Tate, the things he derossly misunderstood by outsiders unfamiliar with the dominance/submissive lifestyle and how deeply emotional and connected--profoundly connected--those bonds were Yes, she had a kick-ass diairl
She literally put her entire safety, her well-being, into Tate’s hands And in return, there was not a s were normal between theave one damn They made the rules No one else And most of the rules were made by Tate
There wasn’t a handbook on "how to be a proper Dohed himself silly over the idea that he needed some "how-to" book in order to live his life and satisfy his cherished subuides worked for other couples, and if they did, more power to them But that wasn’t the way it worked between Chessy and Tate It never had been
Tatefk if he was thue to others who lived the sa of Chessy and Tate’s relationship he made it very clear what he wanted and told Chessy that this ht such a relationship would work, but he’d be damned if he playacted some cookie-cutter "Dom" scene from an instructionalhis relationship with his wife! His cherished sub?" he queried softly, taking in her pensive expression
"That you don’t bear the sole blame for the current state of our relationship"
When he would have iers to his lips to silence hirateful that I still loved you, that I forgave you and that I illing to give you another chance But Tate, the sa much sooner than now I could have been honest with you earlier on I think I should also be asking your forgiveness and for another chance to ht between us I let the lines of coive way between us Yes, you share responsibility in that Communication is a tay street But I should have been bolder in asking for what it was I wanted--des from me in our relationship I was just … afraid," she said, her voice going lower and lower until she trailed off into a husky whisper
"Afraid of what, baby?" he asked gently
She found his gaze again, sed back her nerves "I was afraid that if I pushed, then you’d realize I wasn’t what you wanted anymore That you didn’t need me That I was just a burden--an unwanted burden I was afraid you’d walk away And so I tried to be as unde on the inside But then it all becaer be that person anymore I had to take the risk, because the reward for not taking the risk was no reward It was hell"