She savored the hand he left heavy on her thigh. It was a simple gesture, tame in comparison to preceding activities, but the weight of his hand felt proprietary. It should bother her, that he touched her like he owned her, but the dark little thrill sparking up her spine made clear that Samuel had not overestimated his power. For as least as long as this moment lasted, Samuel held her in his power. It was a choice she made freely.
Her jaw clenched at his refusal, but it was expected. As badly as she wanted to solve whatever was now standing in their way, she wouldn't demean Samuel by blundering into his matters. She had little control beyond this moment, her reach decreasing as he spoke, but she saw her opportunity. She could do nothing about tomorrow, but tonight, she held the power to make this moment easier for Samuel.
Sitting up, now shoulder to shoulder, she considered briefly before placing her chin on his shoulder. It was almost ridiculous how quickly she could rewrite herself in a moment to adapt to him, but it felt natural. She shifted for him but didn't change who she was. It was a slight distinction, but it stood between her and self-loathing. She would adapt to Samuel but never compromise who she was for a man again. That had been the entirety of her marriage. It would never be her again. Somehow, she knew Samuel would never ask such demeaning things of her, no matter how far she fell under his sway.
"If that is the case," she said mildly as if he wasn't proposing an absence now that he inverted her sense of the world. "I have a proposal." She tested her theory, pressing a soft kiss to the shell of his ear and cheek. "Stay with me tonight. I will have Tilly bring us dinner and a bottle of the German wine you favor. Relax, enjoy a hot bath, and end the evening in my bed. Tomorrow morning, you may leave on your own terms, and I will abide by the rules you set for us." She offered her plan casually as if she wasn't offering him access to her privacy and one of the few places in the world where she felt fully safe. She knew, even as she offered that there would be no going back from this moment. They had shared something intimate, but whether he viewed it as a path forward or a mistake was yet to be seen.
She was running out of weaknesses to expose to Samuel, a thought that would normally horrify her, but Samuel was no other person. She would need to consider the future tomorrow and rethink how she handled the connection that mattered most to her daily. She feared what came next, but she would live honestly tonight. Tonight, she was Samuel's. "Please, Sam, stay with me tonight. I will not ask again, but I will not force you." If her voice dropped and her tone became flirtatious, she would deny it. What was serious was her sense of his limits. She wanted him safe and in her presence; wanted to know that she would wake to him sleeping soundly next to her, but that was not for her to decide. Whatever he decided, she would respect, no matter how her heart begged for him to remain and reassure.
Her jaw clenched at his refusal, but it was expected. As badly as she wanted to solve whatever was now standing in their way, she wouldn't demean Samuel by blundering into his matters. She had little control beyond this moment, her reach decreasing as he spoke, but she saw her opportunity. She could do nothing about tomorrow, but tonight, she held the power to make this moment easier for Samuel.
Sitting up, now shoulder to shoulder, she considered briefly before placing her chin on his shoulder. It was almost ridiculous how quickly she could rewrite herself in a moment to adapt to him, but it felt natural. She shifted for him but didn't change who she was. It was a slight distinction, but it stood between her and self-loathing. She would adapt to Samuel but never compromise who she was for a man again. That had been the entirety of her marriage. It would never be her again. Somehow, she knew Samuel would never ask such demeaning things of her, no matter how far she fell under his sway.
"If that is the case," she said mildly as if he wasn't proposing an absence now that he inverted her sense of the world. "I have a proposal." She tested her theory, pressing a soft kiss to the shell of his ear and cheek. "Stay with me tonight. I will have Tilly bring us dinner and a bottle of the German wine you favor. Relax, enjoy a hot bath, and end the evening in my bed. Tomorrow morning, you may leave on your own terms, and I will abide by the rules you set for us." She offered her plan casually as if she wasn't offering him access to her privacy and one of the few places in the world where she felt fully safe. She knew, even as she offered that there would be no going back from this moment. They had shared something intimate, but whether he viewed it as a path forward or a mistake was yet to be seen.
She was running out of weaknesses to expose to Samuel, a thought that would normally horrify her, but Samuel was no other person. She would need to consider the future tomorrow and rethink how she handled the connection that mattered most to her daily. She feared what came next, but she would live honestly tonight. Tonight, she was Samuel's. "Please, Sam, stay with me tonight. I will not ask again, but I will not force you." If her voice dropped and her tone became flirtatious, she would deny it. What was serious was her sense of his limits. She wanted him safe and in her presence; wanted to know that she would wake to him sleeping soundly next to her, but that was not for her to decide. Whatever he decided, she would respect, no matter how her heart begged for him to remain and reassure.
![[Image: Bka0H0x.jpeg]](https://i.imgur.com/Bka0H0x.jpeg)