Colters' Daughter

Chapter Fifteen

“I have a present for you,” Max said.

Callie was sucking air through her nostrils, so turned on that she shook in Max’s arms. And now he casually changed the subject. She wanted to growl in frustration.

But still, mention of a present perked her up.

“I’ll admit up front that it’s as much a present for me as it is for you.”

She arched an eyebrow and leveled her stare at him. “Oh?”

He smiled and then carried her over to the couch. “Wait right here while I get it.”

She watched as he rummaged in the bags that had been delivered earlier. He pulled out a white, nondescript box and carried it back to where she sat.

He settled beside her and opened the box. She frowned when she saw black material. Clothes? Hadn’t he just said he wanted her naked?

But when he pulled it out, it was apparent it wasn’t any sort of clothing she was familiar with. It looked like half a corset.

“Stand up,” he directed as he unfolded the item.

She rose and stood before him.

“Turn around.”

Dutifully she turned until her back was presented to him. She heard him shove off the couch and the next thing she knew, he reached around her and positioned the wide band of material over her waist.

Maybe it was a corset. It was soft but stiff, like the material covered a harder object. But it was flexible and wrapped around to secure in the back.

He adjusted and pulled until it rested just below her breasts and fit snugly about her waist. She looked down, still unsure of what it was or what purpose it served.

She soon had her answer.

Gently he pulled one arm behind her and bent her elbow so that her wrist lay flush against her back. She jumped when a band wrapped around her wrist, securing it to the contraption she wore.

Her pulse leapt and sped up as he pulled her other arm and secured it in the same fashion.

“Turn around.”

Slowly she turned and realized that the way her arms were confined by the apparatus forced her chest forward.

“Very beautiful. I think I’d like you in this when we eat so you’re completely dependent on my hand to feed you.”

Her cheeks grew warm under his scrutiny. She rolled up on the balls of her feet but then flushed harder when she saw his gaze tracked the bounce of her breasts.

He lowered his head, and she closed her eyes just as his tongue flicked out and licked her nipple.

Desire crashed through her, jolting her senses into instant awareness. It was like being hit by a bus.

She was vulnerable in this position. Was it a test? Or was he simply trying to rebuild her trust? She wasn’t sure she liked being pushed. Or was he simply enjoying what he’d been so straightforward in saying he wanted?

Slowly he straightened, his brows drawn together as he studied her expression.

“What are you thinking?” he asked quietly.

She shivered under his scrutiny and swallowed nervously. Before, she would have thought nothing of letting him have it with both barrels. She’d never had any problem with speaking her mind. But now, she wasn’t in a position of equality.

She licked her lips and forced herself to meet his eyes.

“Is this a test?”

He frowned and confusion—genuine confusion—clouded his eyes. No, it obviously wasn’t a test and now she’d stepped into it all over again. If it had been a test of her trust, she’d failed miserably.

Without a word he reached round her and set her wrists free. He pulled at the material until she heard the sound of Velcro separating. It slid from her waist and he tossed it aside.

Then he turned and walked out of the living room, leaving her alone and naked.

She trembled, suddenly cold. Silence crept around her until it was heavy against her ears. She became aware of each breath until she purposely lowered her respirations so the sound wasn’t so explosive in the quiet.

She’d hurt him. It hadn’t been intentional. It wasn’t some vindictive payback to make him suffer. But the truth was there for the both of them to see. She didn’t trust him anymore. Not completely.

Hadn’t she wanted him to feel at least one-quarter of the pain she’d felt when he’d left her? Hadn’t she wanted to get back at him even just a little?

She had, if she was honest, but now the victory—if it could be called that—was hollow and unsatisfying. She wanted to cry, not for all the pain she’d endured but for something beautiful that was lost.

Her shoulders sagging, she turned and walked slowly to the couch where she sank into the cushions. But the leather that had felt warm and comforting before was now cold and unwelcoming.

She pulled the thin blanket around her body and up to her chin. She wouldn’t cry. Not now. She’d managed to go a long time without tears.

Her eyelids drooped and she nestled her head against the arm of the sofa. Her heart ached, but it went even deeper. Soul deep.

Now that she’d actually hurt Max, she realized she didn’t have the stomach for revenge. Unintentional or not, she knew that she’d suffer just as much as he would.

She wanted him back. Wanted his hands on her. His mouth. She wanted him to smile at her. She wanted him to love her.

When Callie awoke, she lay still a moment and stared dully toward the fireplace. The hearth looked cold and empty. Pretty symbolic.

She stirred and twisted the kink from her neck. When she stared down the couch, she saw Max sitting at the end, his gaze fixed on her.

“Max.”

She hastily sat up and the blanket fell to her waist.

He cocked his head to the side as his stare slid down her body. “Why didn’t you dress?”

She glanced down, frowned and then looked back up at him. “You told me to stay naked.”

“Hmmm.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

Okay, she sounded defensive. Hell, she was defensive. She was seriously teetering here and definitely working without a safety net.

“Just that on some level you trust me. I haven’t completely lost it.”

She sighed. “I’m so sorry, Max. I didn’t mean to make you feel bad.”

He scooted forward on the couch and put a finger to her mouth. “Shhh. You won’t apologize for the way you feel. It’s my fault. I pushed too hard, too fast. It’s easy to forget that we’ve been apart for so many months. I’d love nothing more than to forget it and go back to the way things were before… Before I hurt you. That’s on me, though. I can’t expect to gain back everything we lost in a day. So it’s me who is sorry, Callie. Your hesitation hurt me more than I expected. I can’t bear the thought that you’d worry I’d in some way hurt you.”

She leaned forward until her forehead rested on his mouth. “I don’t think you’d hurt me, Max. I don’t. I want this to work.”

He laid his hand on the back of her head and then gently stroked over her hair as he kissed her forehead.

“I want this to work too, Callie. I shouldn’t have reacted as I did. You have the right to question me. You have the right to stop me at any time if you don’t feel comfortable. I don’t want you to feel like you ever have to suck it up and deal when you’re frightened or unsure just because you don’t want to hurt my feelings.”

She closed her eyes and smiled as she circled his neck with her arms. “I really didn’t mean to hurt you, Max. I guess you’re right. I’m just a little unsure. I’m still unbalanced by it all. A few days ago I was alone and unhappy. Now such a short time later, I’m with you in Denver and we’re flying into the wind again.”

He cupped her face and brushed his lips across her cheek and then pulled her against him to cradle her in his arms.

“I’m sorry, dolcezza,” he murmured against her hair. “I’m sorry I hurt you. I’m sorry I overreacted earlier.”

She snuggled against his chest. “Think we could take up where we left off?”

He chuckled softly. “I can arrange that.”

She slid off his lap and went to her knees in front of him. She eased her thighs apart and slowly turned her hands palms up on top of her thighs.

His nostrils flared with his quick intake of breath. “How beautiful you are, Callie. There on your knees, your eyes and mouth so sweet you take my breath away.”

She stared back at him, her heart squeezing so hard in her chest she became light-headed. She put all her conviction into her gaze, her expression, the position of her body. She wanted there to be no doubt. She was his. This time… This time would be right. This time would be different.

For the first time since Max had stormed back into her life she didn’t feel foolish for thinking that things could be worked out between them. She was able to look at him with love, and in time she knew that her trust would be complete and whole again.

Maybe not overnight, but it would come.

She had faith.

She had love.

She had…hope. Sweet, healing hope.