Adam crossed his arms. “You’re going to talk to your date like you’re a character in a Jane Austin book?”
“Maybe that’s how I talk to my dates, Adam!” Apparently when I was sad, I screeched.
“Adelaide…” He came toward me, his arms out, pity painted on his expression. If I let myself tumble into his arms, I’d give in to my heavy heart. He’d make it better…temporarily, at least, but then what? I’d fall deeper for him and only feel worse.
I backed away until my legs hit my mattress and fell down with a bounce. His mouth quirked as he dropped to his knees in front of me, cupping my biceps.
“You’ve got something big running through your head, huh?” he asked gently.
“Please, let me wallow in my misery. I need it.” But I was already leaning into him. It was impossible not to. “Please, Adam.”
“I can’t do that.” He reached over to the end of the mattress and tugged on the loop I’d attached there. “What’s this about? You have plans for these?”
“No.” I bit down on my lip. “I’ve just been thinking about them.”
He tugged the strap again. “Do you want to try them out?”
“Now?”
“Why not? We’ll see if you installed them correctly.”
“And you’ll let me go when I ask?” Already, the idea of being helpless to Adam was settling a chaotic place deep inside me.
“Of course I will. You know that.” His gaze held mine until I nodded. He rubbed up and down my biceps. “Any time you don’t like it or want free, tell me and I’ll get you out. I promise, Adelaide.”
“Okay,” I croaked from my suddenly dry throat. “I trust you.”
The corners of his mouth curled in pleasure. “Thank you for that. You should.”
He let go of me so I could scoot to the center of the bed. I lay flat on my back, my toes curling as I waited for him to strap me down. Adam paced around the bed, checking each strap, then he took my hand in his, gave it a warm squeeze, and wrapped the soft cuff around my wrist.
“Pull. See if you can get free,” he said softly.
I did as he asked, and while the cuff wasn’t tight enough to cut off circulation, it was secure. “I can’t get free,” I said.
He stroked my hair from my face. “Still good?”
“Yes. Still good.”
He went to my ankle next, trailing his fingers along the inside of my calf before cuffing me. He did the same to the other ankle, then had me kick to show I could still move, though not far. My stomach was in knots. The anticipation and excitement of being completely out of control of myself had me on edge.
Adam took my free hand in his, rubbing the inside of my wrist with his thumb. He crouched down so we were eye level.
“Are you still good?” he asked.
“Yes.” My fingers curled around his hand. “I’ll tell you if I’m not. I feel…calm.”
He pressed my palm to his cheek. “That’s good, baby. I want you calm right now. I missed you while I was gone.”
“I missed you too.”
He closed the cuff around my wrist, and I was completely trapped and at his mercy.
Adam stayed crouched, circling his thumb over the pulse in my wrist. His eyes darted around my face, checking in on me.
“Are you good?” he asked.
I sucked in a breath. As I exhaled, I found myself smiling. “I’m really good.”