Chapter One
I walk toward her and wrap my arms around her. We look out at the beauty of the harbor, the moon shining down and casting silver sparkles on the boats below.
“I have more in store for you,” I whisper, “now that I control you in the dark. Will you follow me, Skye? Trust me to give you all kinds of pleasure?”
“I will.”
I kiss her forehead. “I can’t believe what I’m about to say.”
She pulls away slightly and meets my gaze.
“What?” she asks.
“Maybe we can give this relationship thing a try.”
She smiles then, and of all the smiles I’ve ever seen on Skye’s face, this one is the most radiant.
She parts those lips—
“I love you, Braden.”
The words.
The words I’ve been feeling in my heart but was going to wait to say.
She said them.
Skye said them.
My heart fills with everything I never knew I wanted. She loves me. I love her and she loves me. We have a lot more to learn about each other, a lot more to experience together.
But in this moment—
“I love you, too, Skye.”
…
I’m in love.
It’s not something I thought would ever happen to me. It’s not something I thought I’d ever allow to happen to me.
But I’m determined to embrace it, make the most of it, with Skye.
After a beautiful weekend together—a lot of time in the park playing with Sasha and Penny—I take Skye home, actually drive her in one of my cars rather than have Christopher drive us, on Monday morning before I head into the office.
“I’d like to see you tonight,” I tell her.
“I’d love that, Braden.”
“Are you ready to discover more about yourself in the dark?”
“Very ready.”
I kiss her lips. “See you tonight, then. I’ll text you the details.” I kiss her again. “I love you, Skye.”
“I love you, too.”
My first call once I’m at my desk is to my decorator, Glenna Rice. Already I’m planning to make one of my guest rooms into a sanctuary for Skye—her own place in the penthouse, where she can keep her things, have a little privacy when she requires it. It’s not lost on me that I’ve never considered such a gift to any other woman…but then, I’ve also never uttered those three words to any other woman.
I love you.
I love Skye.
And I want to do this for her.
With a reply from Glenna that she can make it happen by this evening, my plans are in motion.
I text Skye a few hours later.
Be ready tonight. I’m going to take you where you’ve never gone before.
She replies instantly. Can’t wait!
Neither can I. Will she be ready for what I have in mind?
I rub my arms against a chill. Nerves? Damn. Braden Black doesn’t get nervous. Of course, Braden Black also doesn’t do relationships. Braden Black doesn’t fall in love.
Things change, apparently.
Things change where Skye Manning is involved.
A smile edges onto my lips.
I’m in love. Truly in love, and while I’m ecstatic about it, I’m also looking at tonight with a certain amount of trepidation.
I don’t want to drive Skye away by going too quickly too soon. I want tonight to bring us closer, so I must tread carefully.
I must think about things I’m not used to thinking about.
And it dawns on me…
Being in love is about giving up a little of my control.
I’ll make sure it’s damned little.
After an afternoon of grueling meetings, I make a few calls. Plans. For tonight.