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  Her mouth opened. Then closed. Opened again. “You are farming me out to your friends?”

  “No.” His scowl was downright outraged. “I was going to set up a meeting to see if the two of you hit it off.”

  I’m going to kill him. “That’s very kind of you, but totally unnecessary. Not to mention doomed for failure.”

  “And why is that?”

  “Because I don’t want anyone else!”

  He stepped forward, his brown eyes intense. “What do you want?”

  “I want….” She looked away. “I want….”

  “Look at me, Noukrani.”

  Her head snapped back. “You can’t call me that.”

  Amir scoffed at her claim. “Because you’re not wearing the necklace? Because our contract is over?”

  She took a step back. “I can’t stay.”

  “Coward.”

  The word scraped at her backbone. “I prefer Noukrani over coward.”

  He gave a dismissive wave of his hand. “You’re no longer my servant. If you had the courage, you could have been my lifelong servant.”

  Her eyes narrowed. “I have chutzpah to spare.”

  “Oh, of course.” He nodded as if he was indulging a child. “That chutzpah was quite evident when you disappeared.”

  She stomped her foot. “It took courage to walk away, don’t you understand. I had to walk away or I would have gladly handed over my life to you.”

  He had the audacity to roll his eyes. “You were not too deep into the scene.”

  “This had nothing to do with BDSM.” She pointed a finger at him. “This is about you and me.”

  It was now or never. She would never get the opportunity to say it. It didn’t mean anything to him, but she would not let this be one of her regrets. She claimed she had courage. She was going to show it to him and to herself.

  Belinda looked into his eyes. “I l-.” She paused and tried again. “I l-love you, Amir.” Her voice shook. Damn it, I’m blowing it. The knowledge made her lips quiver even more. “Not as a servant l-loves her Master. That is why I l-l-left. You suddenly had too much power.”

  “You put me through hell and all this time you loved me?” His voice thundered.

  Belinda eyed him cautiously. This was not the attitude she expected. “Yes.” She mouthed the words as her voice deserted her entirely.

  He was suddenly in her face, towering over her, his anger washing over her like tidal waves. “You left because you thought I would abuse that?”

  “No, but,”

  “You didn’t trust me enough—.”

  “Amir! I submit mentally and physically to you. The one thing that you didn’t have power over was my emotions.”

  “How could I?” He tossed his splayed hands in the air. “You refuse to give your emotions any power in your life. You cheated me and yourself because of it.”

  “Cheated!” The man was living dangerously. “I’ve never cheated in my l-life.”

  “I have loved you from the first time I met you. I did everything in my power to show you my love without frightening you. I protected you, made you feel safe and cherished.”

  “I did the same for you.” Life suddenly became more colorful and vibrant. He loved her. He always had. She stepped forward, hope springing in her step.

  “No.” Amir held his hand up, holding her back. “You honored my position. You respected my power. You did not show me love. You couldn’t have. That would reveal how you felt. Had you shown me that, our relationship would have been…” he struggled for the word.

  “Wondrous,” she completed. Amir’s tormented gaze collided with hers. He nodded in agreement.

  Belinda kept his attention, silently begging for him to make the next move.

  He said nothing.

  She realized it was up to her.

  Her throat contracted. Her body felt suddenly cold. “I want to try again.”

  “No.”

  The air left her lungs. She blinked at the sharp, immediate rejection. Belinda wanted to hide in some forgotten corner and curl up into a ball. Her mouth felt dry as she kept pushing. “I will do better.”

  “Better.” He sneered at the word. “And just how do we quantify that in our contract? How do we place parameters and boundaries on your demonstration of love?”

  “I…I don’t know.” Couldn’t he see that she was reaching out to him? That she was offering all that she had and she would disintegrate if he didn’t accept?

  How did a couple demonstrate their love? Belinda scanned her memory. Love. Honor. Obey. Forsake all others. She already did that.

  She already did that, but with a safety net.

  Her knees knocked. Her legs felt like cotton wool. She wanted to sit down. She wanted to pace. Belinda’s head throbbed as her heart jumped. “Forget the contract.”

  Amir’s head reared back. His eyes widened with surprise. “Excuse me? The contract is drawn up for our safety.”

  “The contract is too limited.” She leaned closer to him. He didn’t push her away. “It defines our relationship as strictly sexual.”

  Hope gleamed in his eyes, but Amir didn’t budge. “But without the contract, you might get a D/s relationship you don’t want.”

  “I want a relationship with you, both in and out of bed.” She reached for his hand, nearly wilting when he didn’t pull away. “If that requires no contract, then I’m ready to make that commitment.”

  “That’s a lot of trust on your part.” His other hand found the curve of her jaw. He crooked his finger under her chin and tilted her face.

  “Are you accepting my offer?” she asked, her body humming with joy.

  He lowered her head. His firm mouth almost brushed her parted lips. “What exactly is your offer?”

  She smiled fearlessly. “To share my life.”

  “Completely,” he added as their lips met.

  Epilogue

  Calm. Amir gripped onto his briefcase with such force it was a wonder it didn’t disintegrate. Stay calm. He rocked on the heels of his custom-made shoes as the usually lightning speed elevator crawled up to the top floor where he resided. His nostrils flared as he tried to regulate his breathing.

  Amir cast a quick look at the floor numbers. Bunching his other hand into a fist, he stuffed it into his trousers pocket. His knuckles brushed against the velvet jeweler’s box.

  Impatiently snatching the box, Amir clenched it to his palm. He wanted Belinda to like it. Wanted her to accept it.

  They had only been living together for a few months. Amir knew long before that he wanted to be with Belinda forever. The uncertainty of living together was wearing on his nerves. Wondering if Belinda was ready to commit fully. Wondering what it would take to prove that he loved her to distraction. Not as a master adores his slave, or as a man woos his lady, but as a husband loves his wife.

  The elevator bell chimed and the metal doors slid open, revealing Belinda at their front door. She was turning the key and glanced over her shoulders. Her blonde hair floated like feathers around her face from the movement. Her eyes lit up and sparkled as she saw him. Her smile greeted him, warming his heart as he strode out the elevator.

  “Amir! You’re home early.”

  He wordlessly dumped his briefcase onto the carpeted floor and captured her face between his hands. He tasted her lips that were soft and sweet. Belinda eagerly opened for him. He dipped his tongue into her heat, feeding his need to get closer, get inside her, under her skin.

  She laced her hands around her shoulders and moaned her approval. Belinda melted around him, enveloping him with the scent and touch that was exclusively her. Her kisses matched his intensity, their need leaping and colliding until it crackled the air.

  “Amir,” she muttered against him. She turned her head, but he chased her lips with his. “Amir, we’re still in the hallway.”

  “So?” His hands slid to her lush bottom. He pressed closer into her. She tilted her pelvis and provocatively rubbed against his thickeni
ng penis.

  Belinda smiled as he muffled a groan. “I don’t need to share you with any voyeurs this time. I want you all to myself”

  “You have that anyway. You know I love you, Belinda,” he whispered fiercely as he kissed her again. She leaned into him and responded with wild ferocity. The way she did every time he told her how much he loved her.

  Her response gave him hope. He reluctantly pulled away. He would ask her now. The hallway might not be a romantic spot, but he didn’t think he should mention it while they were in bed. While he filled her and shouted it out as he climaxed.

  The sex was very much apart of their relationship, very much their homelife. Everyday when he came home from work, Belinda would lure him into the bedroom until they stood in front of an antique wood carved box that rested in the center of her dressing table next to her jewelry box.

  He would open the box and see the gold choker laying in a bed of red velvet. Amir would remove the necklace from the box and command Belinda to gather her hair before fastening it around her throat. And every morning he would remove it and put it safely away before they went to work.

  “Amir?” Belinda asked as her forehead ruffled with a frown. “What is it?”

  ‘We’re getting married.”

  Belinda’s eyes widened. Amir grimaced. He didn’t want it coming out that way. The main reason he wanted to propose when she didn’t wear the necklace. He coughed and cleared the nervousness from his throat. “I mean; will you marry me?”

  A smile burst across her lips. “Yes.” She clung to his shoulders and tried to press closer. Frustrated that it wasn’t close enough, she wrapped her legs around his waist. Her mound cradled his penis.

  He grabbed her derriere, bringing her closer until his penis could rub against her welcoming core through the layers of clothes. “This is not going the way I had planned.” He wanted to present the diamond ring. Let her know that his feelings weren’t based on their sex life. He wanted to be with her even if she was no longer interested in D/s.

  She tilted her face. Wickedness twitched the corners of her mouth. “Then take me inside and do it properly.”

  Eagerness kicked him in the ribs. “You’re getting a little sassy these days.” He squeezed her buttocks playfully.

  “Your influence, no doubt. Come on, Amir.” Her eyelashes lowered provocatively. “I want you to get on your hands and knees and beg me to marry you.”

  He pushed open the door and scooted his briefcase inside with the sweep of his foot. “Just wait until tonight, then we’ll see who does the begging,” he warned as he carried her inside.

  Her pale skin blushed with anticipation. “I’m looking forward to it,” she replied as she kicked the door shut.

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  Also by Jenesi Ash:

  Ellora’s Cave

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