"okay, man, keep me posted, okay?"

"will do. you just keep faith safe and happy."

gray chuckled. "i'll do my best."

he slipped back inside and went in search of a piece of paper and a pen. after jotting a note for faith, he eased back into the bedroom. he stared down at her sleeping face for a long moment, studying her features and how beautiful and peaceful she appeared.

unable to resist, he leaned down and trailed a finger down her cheek. she stirred and leaned into his touch but didn't awaken. he reluctantly drew away from her then left the note on the pillow next to her head.

when faith awoke, gray was no longer beside her. bright sunlight blazed through the window, and she squinted against the glare.

when her gaze dropped to gray's pillow, she saw a single sheet of paper propped against it. she picked it up and saw gray's almost indecipherable scrawl.

when you wake up, come into the kitchen. i'll have breakfast ready. don't put anything on.

she let the paper drift back down to the bed, and she felt the beginnings of a full-bodied blush coming on. naked. if she was honest, she had no idea what to expect. he'd managed to keep her off balance so far. instead of having sex, he'd spent the entire previous evening showering her with attention. she'd never felt so pampered and cared for in her life.

"don't be a chickenshit," she muttered as she climbed out of bed.

she walked into the bathroom and quickly ran a brush through her hair. it didn't need much. gray had brushed it until it had shone. now it fell down her back in soft waves.

she gazed at herself in the mirror. the woman who stared back fascinated her. there was a softness about her. a happy, radiant glow that was reflected in her eyes and smile.

she took a deep breath and left the bathroom. as she got closer to the kitchen, her pulse sped up, and a nervous tickle started rolling in her stomach.

he was standing by the bar, holding a skillet in one hand as he spooned eggs onto plates. when he looked up and made eye contact, her first instinct was to cover herself.

she halted several feet away and swallowed against the knot in her throat. he set the skillet down and wiped his hands on a dishrag. then he stepped around the bar, his gaze roving up and down her naked body.

as the distance closed between them, her arms crept up to cover her breasts.

"good morning," he murmured as he bent to kiss her.

his hands circled her wrists, and he pulled them down to her sides.

"don't hide. you're much too beautiful for that. i want to look at you."

satisfaction was mirrored in his face as she blushed. why he liked that about her, she'd never know. it seemed a little silly for a grown woman to blush as much as she did.

"come, sit down, and we'll eat," he said as he tugged her toward the bar.

she followed him, her confusion building. she sat down, and he shoved a plate in front of her. bacon, eggs and toast. and a tall glass of orange juice.

he sat down across from her and stared up at her with his gorgeous blue eyes. he was dressed, which put him at a distinct advantage in her mind. t-shirt and jeans, though he was barefooted, and for some reason, she found that sexy.

it was hard to concentrate on eating when she had no idea what to expect or what would happen next. he'd hardly fallen into the role of the dominant male. quite the opposite, actually. he'd been clear that he expected things to go his way. what she hadn't expected, however, was that his way had been to lavish attention on her. she'd worked herself up into quite a knotted mess when gray looked over at her. he put his fork down.

"faith, just ask. i can see a million questions running through your head."

she smiled ruefully and set her fork down as well. "i guess i don't know what to expect. i mean, i'm a little confused. it's driving me crazy."

he raised a brow and stared intently at her. "did you expect to be kneeling? have to ask permission to speak? did you expect me to beat you before fucking your brains out?"

she winced at the crudity of his description, but she also knew he was partly right. a little embarrassed, she lowered her head and nodded.

she heard him sigh. when she looked back up, he was shaking his head.

"faith, i'm not an asshole. i'm not going to treat you like a piece of garbage. ever. you don't ever need permission to speak, for god's sake. kneeling is just dumb. there are lots of ways to show your submission and your respect and for me to return it as well. none of those include humiliation or ill treatment."

a warm prickle spread over her cheeks as his eyes bored into her. he spoke earnestly, and it was clear he meant every single word.

"no doubt, there will be times when i push you," he continued. "we both have fantasies. i like kink as much as the next guy, and i'll expect you to do as i tell you, but this isn't a game. i can't stress that enough.

"i'm not your parent. have no desire to be placed in that role. we're both adults, and the petulant master/slave game bores me to tears. the little fake disobedient act so the master will punish the naughty little slave-it's ridiculous. if and when i spank you, it'll be because i like seeing my mark on your ass and because you'll enjoy it. not because you disobeyed me. you're an adult with a mind of your own."

her stomach tightened, her pussy clenched and her nipples formed achingly hard points. she had to open her mouth and force herself to breathe.

"any more questions?" he asked calmly.

she shook her head and tried to stop her legs from trembling.

the corners of his mouth turned up into a smile of pure male appreciation. a predatory gleam shone in his eyes as his gazed raked over her body.

"good. now, yesterday was all about you. today? all about me."

chapter 31

faith swallowed, then swallowed again. she'd never wanted another man as much as she wanted gray. ever. she wanted his touch. his mouth. his cock. every inch of him.

her food was long forgotten. not that she would have tasted it anyway.

"are you finished?" he asked.

she nodded, not trusting herself to speak.

he got up and gathered the plates. "go on in the living room and have a seat on the couch. i'll be in as soon as i get the dishes picked up."

she rose unsteadily and all but fled the room. she needed as much time as possible to regroup before he finished. when she got to the couch, she sank down onto the soft leather and covered as much of herself as she could by hunching forward.

if she was braver, she'd spread out in a provocative pose, play the seductress. but the truth was, she was nervous as hell.

she heard the bang of dishes, then all went quiet. anticipation licked up her spine. she looked up and saw him standing in the doorway watching her.

she curled her fingers until her nails dug into her palms as he started toward her. he stopped a mere foot away, his thumbs hooked into the pockets of his jeans.

he radiated power. a sensual heat that made her nerves tighten in anticipation. with slow, methodical movements, he reached for his fly and undid the button. she watched, mesmerized, as he lowered the zipper.

he reached into his pants with his right hand and pulled out his cock. her eyes widened in appreciation. before, in the dark hallway of the house, she'd only been able to feel and taste. now she could see the thick, ruddy member jutting outward from a nest of light brown hair.

his hand gripped the base, and the broad head was directed at her mouth. she licked her lips. his breath escaped in a hiss. "you have the sexiest mouth," he said.

he reached for her with his other hand and curled it around the back of her neck. then he pulled her forward as he positioned his cock at her mouth. "open for me," he rasped.

she parted her lips, and he slid inside. she closed her eyes as she processed the bombardment of sensations. he was thick in her mouth, soft on her tongue and rigid across her lips.

he thrust deep, stealing her breath. he moved his hand from his cock and threaded it through her hair until it met his other at the base of her skull. he held her in place as he thrust deeper.

the head brushed the back of her throat, and she inhaled deeply through her nostrils. "swallow," he commanded. "swallow with the thrust and relax your jaw. take it deep."

she did as he directed, and on his next thrust, he strained forward, sliding deeper with her swallow. he held himself deep. his fingers curled into her scalp.

finally, he withdrew and then he released her head. he gripped his cock again as it hovered close to her lips.

"lick it," he said hoarsely.

she ran her tongue around the satiny crown and lapped at the small opening at the tip. he groaned, and she smiled in satisfaction.

"happy with yourself, are you?"

she responded by circling the head with her tongue, pausing to pay special attention to the seam exposed when she shoved at the foreskin.

"suck it," he growled.

she parted her lips and coaxed the tip into her mouth. she sucked lightly as he held still in front of her.

"now take it deep."

she opened her mouth wider and sucked him inside.

"f-fuuuck," he gasped out.

he put his hand on top of her head and grasped his cock with the other.

"hold still," he said hoarsely.

he began jerking at his cock with rapid back-and-forth motions. she closed her eyes and relaxed, allowing him to take over. a light spurt hit the back of her mouth just as his movements became more frantic.

he pulled from her mouth, and a hot jet of cum splashed onto her breasts. she opened her eyes to see his head thrown back, a look of pure agony on his face.

his hand jerked over his cock as he directed the spray onto her chest. the creamy fluid slid over her breasts and lower to her belly.

when he opened his eyes, they glittered with satisfaction. his gaze stroked up and down the same path his cum had landed on. he reached a finger out and trailed it up the underside of her breast to her nipple, where he collected a droplet that had tracked downward. then he held his finger to her lips. he nudged her mouth open, smearing the cum on her lips and then over her tongue.

"lick it clean," he said huskily.

she tasted the light, musky essence and sucked at his finger until he eased it out again.

he stepped away. her body ached and trembled. she wanted his touch. needed the release. she was more aroused now than she had been last night when he gently fingered her to orgasm.

"i love the way you look," he said. "sexy as hell with my cum all over you."

his eyes gleamed with male power, a man self-assured of his control. and if she was honest, the idea of him marking her gave her a delicious thrill. it sounded silly said aloud, which is why she allowed the thought to remain unspoken.

he held out his hand for her, and she reached up and allowed him to help her up. his gaze lowered one last time to the trails of cum down her chest before he tugged her toward the bathroom.

once there, he turned on the shower, and after the water had warmed, he drew her in with him. he bent his head and captured her lips with his. his mouth moved hard over hers as water rained down on them both.

his hands cupped her elbows and slid slowly up her arms until he grasped her shoulders. he didn't overpower her, but he overwhelmed her senses. his kiss was gentle, but she felt him in every nuance of her soul.

there was no one else. nothing but him and her. and how he made her feel.

she slid her arms around his waist and she splayed her hands over his muscled back as his lips moved from her mouth to her jaw and then her neck.

his cock pressed into her belly. she stepped back an inch and slid one hand between them, wanting to touch him, caress him, but he grasped her wrist and halted her progress.

"not yet," he murmured. "if you touch me, i won't last."

she stared at his face, absorbing the way he looked at her, as if she was the only woman who'd ever mattered to him. she was transfixed by the unguarded emotion she saw there. it sent a host of butterflies winging their way from her stomach into her throat.

"i love how you look at me," he said, as he reached for the soap.

she cocked her head to the side. "how am i looking at you?"

his blue eyes blazed as he returned her gaze. "like i'm all-powerful. like i'm the only man. like if you ever look at another man like that, i'd kill him."

her cheeks grew tight, and she smiled. "i was just thinking that i loved the way you looked at me."

he arched a brow. "and how is that?"

"like i'm beautiful," she whispered. "like i'm the only woman who's ever affected you this way. like in a room full of other women, you'd only see me."

"all true," he said as he stepped even closer to her.

he began soaping her body, his touch alternately firm and gentle. when he was done, she wrestled the soap from him, despite his protests, and she began soaping his big body.

as her fingers glided over each sleek muscle, she marveled at the perfection of his physique. not an inch of spare flesh dotted his body.