Free London Bound by Jessica Jarman Page A

is, so get to it.” He nodded at the food in front of her.
    “Are you going to tell me to clean my plate like a good girl, too?” she joked, trying to keep her excitement under control because if she thought too much about what was coming after, there was no way she’d be able to eat.
    Slowly, deliberately, he rested his forearms against the edge of the table and leaned forward. “Would you like me to?”
    “No,” she said quickly even as a hot clench low in her belly nearly stole her breath.
    “Hmmm.”
    He straightened and began eating again, looking at her plate pointedly. When she grabbed a chip and popped it in her mouth, his lips curved. It wasn’t until she’d eaten nearly a third of her food he spoke again.
    “Were you Scott’s submissive?”
    The fork slipped from her fingers, clattering against her plate. Her chest tightened as her breathing quickened. Nathan, on the other hand, was the picture of cool and collected. His empty dish pushed aside, he sat back, relaxed, waiting patiently for her to answer.
    She didn’t have to ask why he’d assume she was submissive—she certainly hadn’t hidden what had turned her on when they were together—just as she didn’t have to wonder if he was a Dominant. It was in everything he did, in the way he drew that part of her out with so little effort.
    “Meg?” he prompted when she remained silent.
    “No,” she whispered. Then, determined to be as open as he’d been with her, she continued, “Well, not really. We’d explored and experimented, and had talked about taking that aspect of things to the next level, but then he got sick. And, everything else faded to the background.”
    She braced herself for the apologies and sympathy that usually came whenever Scott’s death was mentioned, but they didn’t come.
    “Is that what you want in this, Meg? In what we have together?”
    “It was a part of what we did the other night, don’t think?” She squirmed as she remembered his commands, his bruising grip, the sweet mix of pain and pleasure.
    “I’m not talking about a bit of play now and again in the bedroom, love,” he murmured. “I need to know how much, Meg. Is it just a bit of a slap and a tickle you’re looking for? Because I can do that, gladly, but if you want more—”
    “You can’t.” She nodded, fear washing over her. “I’m fine with what we did before, Nathan. I don’t need anything more than that.”
    “If you want more,” he repeated, slowly, harshly, “I need to know. As I said, I’ll gladly continue as we were, but if you do want more,” he hummed low in his throat, “if you want to be my submissive for however long we’re together, that would please me more than you could imagine.”
    Oh, God... Meg struggled to breathe evenly, to control her body’s instant reaction to his words. Oh, God... She wanted... She wanted so badly. And, she had no fucking words to express just how much.
    Nathan moved to the edge of the bench and, pushing her unfinished supper to the side, grasped her wrist. Pulling gently until she leaned over the table, he lifted a hand to cup her face.
    “Will you submit to me?” His thumb skimmed along her cheekbone. “Give yourself over to me, completely?”
    Closing her eyes, she turned into his touch. “Please.”
    “Oh, sweet girl.” His husky whisper skittered over her nerves. He trailed his thumb down to press lightly on her bottom lip. “As much as I love the sound of that word falling from your lips—and I plan on hearing it again and again, later—I need you to answer. Open those pretty eyes and answer me.”
    Meeting his gaze, Meg fought not to cry from the intensity of it all. The want, the need, the anticipation overwhelmed her senses.
    Nathan smiled, the gentle quirk of his mouth at odds with the powerful desire in his eyes. “It’s all right to say no. No matter the answer, I’m still here, and I’m still going to make you feel so good.”
    That promise—and knowing he was good