I wanted to prove to him that I trusted him. I looked down at the long necklace. It was a fake. A good quality fake, but a fake nonetheless. And I knew exactly what I wanted.

I set the last dish on the top shelf of the dishwasher, and Talon added some detergent and started it. When he stood, I faced him, winding my fingers around the pearls at my neck.

With my other hand, I played with my nipple through my bra.

Talon groaned. “Blue eyes, not tonight.”

But I wasn’t going to take no for an answer. I continued to play with my nipple until it hardened into a tight little knob poking out from my bra, and then I switched to the other one, until two ripe berries protruded against the cotton of my T-shirt. My pussy was fluttering, and I knew I was getting wet. I grabbed Talon’s hand and brought it to my breast. He thumbed my nipple.

“God, blue eyes.”

“Touch me, Talon. Please touch me.”

He fingered my nipples through the two layers of clothing. Lust coursed through me.

“I want you,” I said.

“I can’t… I want… Oh, fuck…” He pulled me toward him and crushed his lips to mine.

I kissed him with all the passion I felt, letting my tongue wander into his mouth, twirling with his. We kissed hard. As sweet as it had been to sit with him on the couch before dinner, saying nothing and just snuggling, now I wanted passion, fire, unbridled lust.

I grabbed the cheeks of his ass and squeezed, pulling him into me so that his erection probed my tummy.

He groaned into my mouth, and I answered with a moan of my own. My nipples were still hard, aching for his touch, his lips. I pressed against his chest.

When he finally broke the kiss and took a gasp of air, I pulled his head toward mine, gave his earlobe a sharp bite, and whispered, “Take me to bed. Please.”

He didn’t answer. Just took my hand and led me to his bedroom.

I undressed slowly, provocatively, until I stood naked before him, wearing only the long string of pearls.

Then I moved toward him, and slowly, achingly slowly, I unbuttoned each button of his shirt, even though what I longed to do was rip it off of him so the buttons went flying. When the last button was finally released, I slid the soft fabric over his shoulders until it landed in a wine-colored heap on the floor. I sat him down in a chair and removed his boots and socks. Then I pulled him up again and unbuckled his belt, still going slowly, achingly slowly.

I unbuttoned his jeans and then unzipped him. Still slowly, achingly slowly.

I slid his jeans and boxer briefs down his narrow hips and taut buttocks. Still slowly, achingly slowly. I savored each new inch of bronze skin revealed to me, skimming his strong thighs and firm calves. He stepped out of his jeans and boxers and stood before me, naked, glorious, his cock extended as far as I’d ever seen it.

I knelt before him and gave his cockhead a lick. He groaned. How I wanted to suck it to the back of my throat, to show him how much he meant to me, but that wasn’t what tonight was about.

Tonight was not about showing my love.

Tonight was about showing my trust.

I took his hands and led them to the shiny pearls around my neck.

“Take these beads, Talon. Take them and tie me to the bed, facedown.”

His eyes glinted with fire, smoking black in their intensity. Was he turned on by the idea? I couldn’t quite tell, so I waited, biting my lower lip, bringing my fingers to my nipples and squeezing, my pussy heating.

He said nothing to me, just gazed at me, never letting the dark fire of his eyes stray from mine.

He lifted the necklace over my head. “Are you sure, blue eyes?”

I nodded.

“Verbal,” he said.

“I’m sure.” I walked to the bed, got on my hands and knees, and grasped two bars of the headboard. “Tie me up, Talon, and then fuck me. Fuck me like you’ve never fucked me before. I want you to take my ass tonight, while I’m tied up, at your mercy.”

“Oh, God,” he groaned. “Are you sure?”

“Positive.” I turned my head and looked into his blazing eyes. “I want to be yours tonight, Talon. I want to be yours in every possible way. No one’s ever taken me there before, and no one ever will again. I trust you to do it. I trust you to do it while I’m tied to a bedpost.”

“No one’s ever”—his voice cracked—“placed so much trust in me.”

I doubted that was true. The men under his command in the military had probably placed that much trust in him. They hadn’t had a choice. But I did have a choice.

“I trust you, my love,” I said. “I know you would never hurt me. And I know you’ll stop if I tell you to stop.”

“Oh, God,” he groaned again.

My nipples were so hard they poked into the mattress, and my pussy was gushing wet. I wasn’t sure how I would handle not having that hard cock shoved up my cunt, but I would deal. One way or another, Talon would bring me to climax. Of that I had no doubt.

Talon came to the bed, and his fingers grazed my skin as he tied one wrist to the bar and then stretched the string of pearls to my other wrist, binding it. It was tight, but not so tight that it hurt. I tried to get loose, and I couldn’t. He had done a good job.

“Lift your ass, baby,” he said. “Present yourself to me.”

I complied, and he slid his warm tongue up my slit and over my asshole.

I nearly burst into hot blue flames.

“God, you’re wet, baby,” he said.

I sighed into the pillow. “It feels good, Talon. Eat me.”

“You taste so good, baby. Always so good. Strawberries, champagne, green apples, and sex.” He licked my pussy again and then shoved his tongue inside. He moved downward a bit and sucked on my clit, and then he plunged two fingers inside me, bringing me to instant orgasm.

I cried out as the waves of pleasure erupted around me.

“That’s it, baby,” he said, “come for me. I need you really relaxed if we’re going to do this.”

His words drifted around me in a sea of passion, coming to my ears in slow waves.

Funny, I hadn’t been tense, or at least I didn’t think I had been, but once I came down from this climax, I knew coming had been a good idea. I was definitely more relaxed now.

He got up from the bed for a minute and came back a few seconds later. “This is just some lube, baby. Makes it easier.”

Something cool and wet drifted over my anus. He massaged it with his finger as another finger entered my pussy.