Free Awakening by Gillian Colbert, Elene Sallinger Page A

to her reading. If only he could leave her out of his brain too.
    Claire watched as Evan retreated to the front of the store. As per usual, she’d pretended to ignore him as he cleared out the back area, but in truth had watched his every movement. He was male grace personified in the way he moved. She got lost in the flex and pull of his lean muscles under his customary black shirt and jeans with each lift of a chair. The grace of his fingers so long and strong where they gripped the seats as he cleared them away.
    Claire bit her lip and imagined those fingers running over her body, stroking her, teasing her. Closing her eyes, she sank more deeply into the chair, allowing the fantasy to wander where it willed. Within seconds, however, she was asleep and lost in the dream …
    ‘Look at me.’ His deep, gravelly voice was sharp with command.
    Claire’s eyes snapped open in answer as she obeyed his command. He stood before her, gloriously naked. Tall and lean and wonderfully sculpted, he wore his nakedness with pride. She strained to make out his features, but only the faint glow of candles lining the room provided any illumination. The rest was in darkness; she couldn’t make out any detail, but the reflection off his skin caused him to glow with an otherworldly light like some demon or angel. She wasn’t sure which. The flicker of the candlelight caused the shadows in the room to dance and sway, shielding his face from her and making him appear to flow with the darkness. Her inability to focus on him for any length caused her heart to race with fear, but his voice was familiar and comforting. She knew that voice. She yearned for that voice.
    ‘What do you see?’ he asked.
    ‘I don’t know,’ she whispered as she struggled to see him through the rippling candlelight. ‘I can’t focus.’
    ‘Yes, you can. You’re not trying.’ Something dangling in his hand caught her attention. She forced her eyes to focus, to peer through the swirling light and see, to no avail.
    ‘I can’t. The candles …’ Claire could only plead for understanding.
    ‘You can.’
    Claire struggled harder, willing her senses to break through and see what he held, and then wished she hadn’t. Her indrawn breath had his focus sharpening on her. Claire couldn’t fully see him, but felt his intensity.
    ‘Answer me, Claire.’ His voice was even sharper and an edge of disapproval tinged his words. That small tone made Claire’s belly clench in worry. She wanted to please him desperately.
    ‘A rope,’ she murmured as fear choked her.
    ‘That’s right.’ He stroked her cheek with gentle fingers and Claire leant into his palm, relaxing under his tender touch.
    ‘Tell me what you want me to do with this rope.’
    Claire’s chest constricted. She didn’t want to be tied up. She couldn’t bear being helpless.
    ‘Nothing.’
    ‘You just broke the rules, Claire.’ His words dripped with disappointment.
    ‘What? How?’ she cried out, shame twisting her belly.
    ‘You just lied to me.’
    ‘No. I don’t want you to tie me up. It frightens me.’ Panic was making her voice go shrill.
    ‘You’re lying to me.’
    ‘No!’ she pleaded in desperation. ‘Why are you saying that?’
    He moved to stand behind her before speaking. She felt his heat scalding her from head to toe. She longed to lean into him, but didn’t dare move without permission. He leant in closer and she felt the warm silk of his erection stroke along the top of her buttocks as he raised the rope and stroked her nipple with it. The rough silk of the cord abraded the bud and dragged a moan from her. Only then did Claire realise she was naked too.
    ‘Your nipples are hard,’ he whispered in her ear, so close she could feel his lips move. ‘Your pussy is drenched.’ He moved the rope between her legs and rubbed along her cleft. Claire shivered in response. ‘If you were truly frightened, you wouldn’t be aroused.’
    He draped the rope around her neck so that it