It was only a matter of time before she got around to asking him whatever was on her mind.

Eli sat on the living room floor playing with Hope. Every time he tried to leave, Hope followed him to the gate and held up her arms. The bookcase falling had really scared her, and he blamed himself for the oversight. Even though he didn’t have children, he knew that bookcases were a safety risk. He should have bolted it to the wall the first day they were here. That kind of lapse could lead to a serious injury. Hope toddled over to him and handed him one of her alphabet blocks.

“This is an A. For apple,” he recited.

She clapped her hands, her eyes dancing with glee. “Abba!”

His heart turned over in his chest as she toddled over and brought him another block. When he took it, she patted his cheek as if congratulating him on a job well done.

“You know exactly how to wrap me around your little finger, don’t you?” Eli tickled her under the chin.

Kay appeared at the edge of the gated area. “Dinner’s ready.” She lifted Hope over the gate and placed her in her booster seat at the table.

“It smells great, Kay. Thank you.” He smiled at her and then took his seat next to hers.

“You’re welcome.” She ladled soup into both of their bowls. For Hope, she’d saved some of the chicken and diced it. She also gave her some cooked carrots she could eat with her fingers.

They ate in relative silence except for Hope’s random squeals. Afterward, they cleaned up the kitchen together while Hope played unaware in the background. He wiped off the counters and the table while she packaged up the leftover soup and put it in the refrigerator.

She took a seat at the table. Eli sat, too, choosing to remain quiet. It was obvious she was working up the nerve to say something.

“Do you hurt them?” She looked down at her lap before continuing. “The women you use those things on, I mean.”

Eli froze, his hand suspended over the table. He slowly set his drink down again. “It depends on what they want.”

“Who wants to be hurt?” There was no vitriol in her voice, just pure curiosity. Kay twisted her hands together in her lap. “I’m not trying to pry. I’m just trying to understand.”

“I know. It’s not the kind of thing that’s easily explained.” He reached over and picked up her hand. She tensed and then allowed him to lace his fingers through hers.

“There are some sensations that you can’t understand unless you’ve experienced them.” He drew his finger down the delicate skin on her inner arm. She glanced at him, a quick flash of her eyes before she fixated on her lap again.

“Experienced?”

His finger continued its trek from her inner arm to her wrist. She had small hands, the contrast between their sizes more noticeable as he held her hand cradled in his. Not wanting to shock her out of the moment, he continued his gentle massage of her wrist. When she let out a soft breath, he stroked his thumb into the center of her palm.

“Oh, I… what are you doing?” Kay tried to pull her hand back, but Eli encircled her wrist and held fast.

“Just wait.”

He continued his path, digging his thumb deeper, massaging the fleshy skin from the center of her palm to the crease between her thumb and forefinger. Once her hand relaxed again, he dragged his nails over the heart of her palm. She let out a soft moan and then snatched her hand away.

He didn’t try to hold on this time. After a few moments, Eli asked, “Did I hurt you?”

Kay nodded and then shook her head. “Not really. Maybe a little.”

“But it felt good in a way, too. Didn’t it?”

She stared at him for a long moment before dipping her head. “Yeah. It did.”

The rest of the evening passed agonizingly slowly. They both took seats on the couch and took turns playing with Hope. Kay disappeared around eight o’clock to bathe the baby and get her ready for bed. The television was on in the background, but he couldn’t have named a single one of the shows that played to save his life.

Would she go to her room alone and shut the door? Or would she come back and see where things might lead? Would she trust him to take her to a new place?

When he looked up and saw Kay standing in the doorway, wringing her hands uncertainly, his heart leaped.

“Good show?” she asked, nodding at the television.

“I have no idea.”

She let out a small, surprised laugh. “I’m glad it’s not just me who’s feeling a little awkward about this.”

“It’s definitely not just you.” He held out a hand, relieved when she walked forward and grabbed it. “Let’s just sit for a while.”

“No.”

He flinched, startled at the suddenly vehement tone of her voice.

“I want to go to your room.” She glanced behind her nervously. “I want you to show me… everything. I want to pretend for just a little while that I’m sexy enough to know how to use that stuff.”

He stood then and came around the couch to hold her in his arms. “It’s not about being sexy. Knowing or doing certain things doesn’t make you sexy. It’s your attitude. It’s that stubborn tilt to your chin when you stand up to me and give me hell. That’s sexy. All the rest is just a little fun and games.”

She eyed him, a sudden gleam in her eyes. “Well then, teach me how to play a game.”

His blood heated as he imagined her spread on his bed, all her lush curves his to tease and torture. “You want to play?”