“Open it,” he said gruffly and she wasn’t about to disobey.
The white satin bow came apart in her hands when she tugged at an end and she let the silky fabric slip through her fingers. Had he done this himself? Probably, judging by the precise and even way the corners were folded and taped down. She hated to wreck it but she also didn’t want to try Ryker’s patience. Inside was a plain white box and when she lifted the lid there was a crush of pale pink and mint green tissue paper cradling…
Holy shit.
* * *
Ryker
He’d been wanting to give these to Cosima since they arrived and it had been torture to have them sitting in his room, wondering how she’d feel about them. It looked as though she’d stopped breathing which could either be very good or very bad. If it was bad and she passed out, well, it wasn’t as though he hadn’t carried her to the room she shared with his partners and had Ian and Hudson take over from there before.
He did hope her breathlessness was good. When she blinked her gaze to meet his, he was almost positive that was the case. Amber eyes wide, pink plush lips parted, and a beautiful blush rising on her cheeks—yes. All signals pointed towardWay to not totally fuck up, Donahue.
But were those tears gathering along her bottom lashes? Fuck, he hadn’t meant to make her cry, he’d just thought—
“I love them,” she breathed. “They’re beautiful.”
She picked up the cuffs and set the box on the floor, ran her thumbs over the pliable and padded leather. The cuffs were mostly black but there were flowers cut out on either side of the silver D-rings, and the leather underneath was a soft pink.
There had been cuffs with ribbons and bows but he wanted to mess her up, make her sweat and cry, and he didn’t want her being sad when the ribbons got stained or ripped. So as darling as she’d look, no thanks. Maybe for being paraded around the club by Hudson and Ian, but not for actual playing.
He’d also been assured by the owner of the shop that she could make a collar to match. He’d had to school his voice to say a calm, “No, thank you,” instead of hanging up.
Sure, he could see pretty little Cosima kneeling before him or bound to a St. Andrew’s cross with his collar buckled snug around her neck. It was a vision so clear and perfect it made him want to puke. Because he could see it,feelwhat it would be like for her to belong to him, and it was too much. Physically painful. He couldn’t let himself care for her that much. It was enough to be fond of her, to protect her, and to occasionally play. That would have to be sufficient. No fucking collars.
“Thank you,” she said, giving him the sweetest smile. Felt like shards of sugar were being pushed into his heart.
“You’re welcome.”
He scooped Stella up in his arms and stood so he could get the hell out of here before he did something very stupid, but Cosima’s little voice stopped him.
“Um, Ryker?”
He closed his eyes and breathed out before facing her. How many fit, able-bodied, six-foot-tall men were terrified of tiny women in frilly party dresses? Idiot party of one, right here.
“Yes?”
“Did you…Did you give these to me for a reason or…?”
The hope in her doe eyes was murder. He’d rather be tased than have to look at that anymore.
“I thought you’d like them.”
Which was true. God knew he’d like them on her. But that wasn’t what she meant and they both knew it. He was being a gutless asshole to pretend otherwise and what the hell good were assholes without guts?
“I thought you might wear them when we play.”
Closer.
“And when might that be?”
Cosima might be small and fragile but this woman was tougher than he’d ever been. She might be turning bright red, probably feeling like she’d asked for too much but at least she’d fucking well done it. If he couldn’t give her an answer she wanted to hear, he could at least give her the truth.
“I don’t know.”
Her brows lowered, her mouth thinned into a line, and then she set the cuffs in the box and got to her feet, setting her hands with their glittery pink nail polish on her hips. She looked like a really pissed off fairy. There was nothing he wanted more than to cuff that nymph to a bench and spank the pixie dust right out of her. Okay, he could think of a long list of things he’d like more than that, but almost all of them started there.
Ryker swallowed as Cosima walked up to him, not stopping until she was close enough that she had to crane her neck to make eye contact.