“Didn’t you?” he drawled. “Tell me, how far away were we from everyone else? You think they wouldn’t have heard you if you’d yelled? Hell, if you’d spoken loudly? You’re the princess of Sanctuary Ranch. All you had to do is call out and a hundred people would have come running to rescue you.”
“I don’t need rescuing.”
“Not from me, you don’t. And you know it. Because you trust me.”
Fuck. Shit. Goddamn it.
She couldn’t trust him. How could she trust him of all people?
Maybe because he was right. He sees you. The real you. Not the person you try to portray to everyone else. Not this secure, confident shell.
And that was terrifying. And freeing.
She licked her dry lips. She didn’t know what to do with this. With him. She’d worked so hard for her independence. Well, as much of it as she could get. She still lived under her brother’s roof, had to obey his rules. But she couldn’t claim to follow them to the letter.
Zeke reached over and clasped her hand in his.
“Show me your Little, baby girl,” he said in a low voice.
Oh God, those words. Baby girl. She’d heard her brothers call Charlie and Abby that. Saw the way the women melted. She hadn’t exactly understood the effect those words had.
Until now.
“I can’t,” she whispered.
“I promise I’ll take good care of her. Of you.” He ran his thumb over her knuckles and it was doing strange things to her, sending tingles over her skin.
“I don’t know how to let her out,” she admitted. Fuck. What was she doing?
“I’ll help you.”
She took in a low, slow breath trying to calm her racing heart. “It’s a bad idea.”
“Is it? I don’t think so. But then, there’s only one way of finding out.”
Shit. She shouldn’t do this. She needed to tell him no, go inside and pretend like he wasn’t completely ripping her apart. On the other hand, how many times had she longed for this, thought about it, dreamed of it? She never thought she would get this. Get him. Could she say no? Was she strong enough?
That would be no.
“One night,” she told him quickly before she could change her mind. “No promises.”
There was a beat of silence. Shit. Was he going to refuse?
“All right,” he said slowly. She let out the breath she hadn’t realized she was holding. Fuck. Was she really doing this? With him? “While we’re talking rules, we should make some boundaries clear. Will you let me undress you? Bathe you? Put you in your PJs?”
What? Crap. She didn’t think she’d have to think about all this. When he’d said he would take control. . .
“I thought. . .I mean, I figured you would be in charge of that.”
“Oh, believe me, I want to make all those decisions. But this first time, at least, we should negotiate. You haven’t done this before. I haven’t done this with someone who means as much to me as you do. So, this is different for both of us. I’m not even sure how old your Little is.”
Neither was she.
“Not that you have to stick with one age,” he mused. “But for tonight, we have to discover what you need from me.”
“Okay, I don’t. . .I don’t think I can be naked. Not. . .I just. . .” She’d never been naked in front of anyone before. Well, obviously not since she was a child.
There was silence and she had to fight the urge to fill it. “I don’t know if this is a good idea, Zeke. What if I hate it? What if you do? What if I can’t do any of this? What if I fail? What happens then? What happens tomorrow?”