“And lastly . . . shoes.” He dropped a box containing the same Asics athletic shoes she already had—in the right size—plus a pair of rhinestone FitFlops in black, and a pair of sheepskin slippers.

Shiori studied this man who knew her better than she’d imagined.

HOW DID YOU KNOW MY SIZES?

Knox pulled her into his arms. “Not only have I had my hands and my mouth all over you for almost three months, but I pay attention when it comes to you. Not because I have to as some sub requirement, but as a man who wants to know everything about you, including your offbeat color choices in underwear. I’ll admit I had to call Katie and ask your shoe size.”

She managed a thick-tongued, “Thank you, Knox.”

He tipped her chin up. “No talking.”

She disentangled from his embrace.

NO KISSING EITHER.

“Afraid not.”

BUT YOU CAN KISS ME IN PLACES BESIDES MY MOUTH.

“You were in an accident. Your body has been through a lot.”

MY BODY NEEDS YOU. I NEED YOU. TAKE ME TO BED. AND I DON’T MEAN TO SLEEP.

“Is that an order, Nushi?” he asked softly.

She nodded.

“Hang on.” He carefully picked her up and carried her to his bedroom. The first thing he did after depositing her on his bed was take off his shirt.

“I know you don’t think you’re fragile, but you are. I don’t want to hurt you.”

She mouthed, “You won’t.”

He ditched the pants. Then he kneeled on the bed and lifted the baggy T-shirt over her head. He tapped her hip for her to lift up and the sweatpants were off. Gently pushing her thighs apart, he made a place for himself there. His hands slid under her butt cheeks, being careful not to squeeze too hard.

Teasing kisses skimmed the inside of her thigh. Left, then right. Knox pressed his mouth against her core, licking her softly up one side and down the other. Swirling that tongue around her clit and then back down to her opening. That’s when his hands tightened—when he had his tongue buried so deep inside her she wondered how he could breathe.

Shiori touched his forehead, then let her hands stroke his hair.

He looked up at her with his tongue still licking her pussy from the inside out. He eased back, gifting her with more soft, sucking kisses. “Sometimes when I’m kissing your mouth, I imagine kissing your pussy that way. But today, when I’m tonguing this hot cunt, I’m imagining kissing your mouth.”

That sweet confession had her lying back on the bed, giving herself over to his care completely.

Knox ate at her delicately. Languidly. But with the same passion that flared between them at the first touch. And she’d focused on letting the sensations roll over her. No hurry, no need to guide him. Hearing his sucking sounds, the occasional grunt, and her quick intake of breath that meant her orgasm had crept up on her. Starting with a tiny pulse in her clit, followed by stronger contractions until that moment when every sensation coalesced and she went soaring.

He peppered kisses across the top of her mound as he slid his hands free.

As the fog cleared, she tried to rise up and bring him where she wanted him—on her, in her.

But Knox had other plans. He pushed up to his knees, his eyes roaming over every naked inch. “I want to roll you in Bubble Wrap so I don’t ever have to live through another day like yesterday.” His hands spanned her waist and then drifted up to cup her breasts. “But that’s the kicker, kitten. You are alive and here with me, and there’s no way I’ll ever be able to let you go. Not because you’re my Mistress, but because you’re the woman I love. The woman I’ve waited for my entire life.”

Before she could find any way to respond, she realized that she was crying. His sweet confession had brought her to tears, yet she had never felt happier.

Knox petted and stroked her, every touch filled with the depths of his love and possession. He rolled the condom on one-handed so he never stopped touching her.

Shiori reached between them and held his cock as he eased in inch by inch.

He rested his forehead to hers. “I love you, Shiori.”

If he hadn’t been gently sucking on her neck as he moved inside her, he would’ve seen her mouth the words, I love you, too.

*   *   *

AFTER Knox so thoroughly wrecked her, she curled into a ball and fell asleep. When she came to, shadows fell across the windows. Voices drifted down the hallway from the living room. She stood and stretched, seeing that Knox had set clothes on the end of the bed for her. She dressed, used the bathroom, and went to see who’d shown up.