Something flickered across her expression. Yeah, she didn’t like to talk. Too bad. They were going to have to eventually. But he wasn’t going to push her tonight. He wasn’t going to try to dig deeper into her psyche when it had already taken a hit tonight. The confession of what she needed was enough for now.

He was going to give her what she needed, pleasure her, and show her she could trust him.

Taking her clothes from her, Michael stepped back. “Alright then. Up on the table, Ellie.”

6

Heart pounding in her chest with relief and excitement, Ellie hopped up onto the doctor’s table while Michael put her clothing on the counter. There was something hot about being completely naked while he was completely clothed. Sure, she felt vulnerable, but in a good way. Sexually vulnerable, physically vulnerable... not emotionally.

Emotionally, she was still a little off-kilter, but she was already feeling better. Leigh’s words had helped a lot, Michael’s understanding and his lack of pushing for more answers had helped even more. Plus, she was going to get her scene. Just the anticipation helped make her feel more centered, more calm.

“Lay back, hands above your head,” he said, his voice deepening, making her shiver as she raised her arms above her head, spreading her legs for balance as she lay back.

Michael moved around her, his gaze sliding over her naked body with appreciation as her nipples hardened. She could see he was still a little concerned, but at least he wasn’t stopping.

At least he wasn’t questioning.

That would be a serious mood killer.

Wrists went into leather straps, feet went into stirrups, and then leather straps secured her ankles. Michael ran his fingers up the inside of her leg, making her squirm a little as his fingertips brushed over her sensitive skin. She also felt a trickle of dread as he neared her pussy, but she trusted he remembered her hard limits.

No touching the top of her mound.

For just a moment, she felt dragging fingers pulling on hair that no longer existed, and she shuddered as her skin crawled, fear welling in her chest. Michael stilled immediately, his fingertips soft against her inner thigh.

“What is it?”

Dammit.

“Just...” She hesitated, wetting her suddenly dry lips with her tongue. “You’re getting close to my mound.”

His eyes softened. “I remember your limits, sweetheart, it’s okay.”

“I know that... it was just a physical reaction.”

Tilting his head to the side, Michael studied her, and Ellie flushed, suddenly feeling vulnerable in a not very good way. She was on the verge of saying yellow when he spoke again.

“Would a lighter or firmer touch make you more comfortable?”

“Firmer,” she said immediately, her words almost a plea. Anything but dragging fingers. It was too close to feeling like her skin was crawling.