Free Dark Demands 04: Bound to Him by Nell Henderson

and I want you in my bed,” he sai d tugging her towards the staircase .
    What does he want to talk about?  But he still wants you – wants your body.  Could it be that he wanted her back in his life like before ? 
    Gina knew how difficult that would be.  She couldn’t be the sort of woman Matthew needed anymore – she had James now and she’d changed.
    “Gosh this place is huge,” she exclaimed as they walked up the stairs and along the large open landing.  And what a master bedroom – it was spectacular with large glass doors that opened out onto a railed terrace complete with patio furniture.  Of course there was the king sized bed with black silk bedding and the walls seemed to be covered in floor to ceiling mirrored robes .   She peeped into two other adjoining rooms – one a beautiful bathroom and the other a large fitted dressing room .  She smiled at her reflection in a full length mirror and twirled around thinking to herself that th is really was some place Matthew had bought.   But what she couldn’t figure was why.  What use was a place like this to him – a man who travelled such a lot and mostly lived alone ?
    “A spanking stool,” he informed her matter of factly as she made to return to the main bedroom and ran a hand over the low slung, smooth curved leather seat of something she didn’t understand .  She looked again and saw the metal r ings down the legs for restraining wayward arms and legs and shivered.  But was it fear or excitement that snaked a fiery trail down her spine?
    “ Nice isn’t it,” his deep Scottish voice intoned as he reached for his crop .   “But do we use it or not?  Perhaps we should be a little less adventurous now ?  What do you think ” he asked with that dark, emotionless look on his face?”
    Gina shrugged – a spanking stool the idea of Matthew binding her to it while he did that thing with his crop suddenly made her flush.   But what was it he’d just said – less adventurous?
    “Well, he asked again.  “Don’t you agree ,” he slapped the crop hard against the stool watching her wince at the noise it made.  “D on’t you think the time has come for me to stop punishing you with these things just to slake some dark, sexual thirst of mine?”
    “I don’t know,” Gina whispered confused.  She’d no idea what was going on – she’d never seen him like this before.
    “But you’d miss it – wouldn’t you,” he said accusingly.
    Then he picked up the stool and flung it across the room making Gina jump with fright as it bounced off the corner of the bed .  “ And I blame myself - it’s my fault you’re like this.  I’ve awakened a monster in you – a monster with appetites that I encouraged, appetites I forced on you – and I’m s orry,” he admitted watching as puzzlement wash ed over her face.
    “ No you didn ’t ,” she admitted guiltily.  “T hose appetites as you call them must have been there – somewhere inside me all the time.  But I really don’t need you to do those things to me , Matthew,” Gina almost whispered.  “ Particularly when you very nearly go too far – when you almost cross the line ,” she brushed a hand over her cheek – she was blushing again.  She felt so foolish – like a young inexperienced girl but at least she’d told him and he appeared to have listened to .
    “Come here,” he ordered flinging the crop after the stool his deep voice sending a shiver of need down her spine.
    She hesitated .   “But I don’t understand – you aren’t yourself - what’s happened to you,” she asked with concern.  
    “You happened, Gina,” he told her simply.
    “Yes but that was ages ago now so why suddenly are you so – so different?”   Gina went to his side and threw her arms around his neck holding his broad frame close .   “ Wh ere is all this com ing from?   Why do you want to change things between us?”  She suddenly dropped her eyes from his – God this was