HotTango by Sidney Bristol Read Free Book Online Page B

romance
books.”
    “I started when I was traveling a lot.” She stared at the
blanket, and if possible her face grew even redder. “They’re the really hot
kind. Anyway, I started reading them because I missed you. I read them and
imagined you were the hero. I know, crazy, but whatever.”
    Cole sat there stunned. He’d begun the slide down the
slippery slope of resentment toward these fictional men who stole her away for
a few hours, only to be turned on his head. Again.
    He didn’t know what she read, but the idea of her in a tent
in the middle of nowhere thinking about him doing nine kinds of naughty things
to her—it did something to him.
    And he was willing to help fulfill a fantasy or two.

Chapter Four
     
    Cole cleared his throat and struggled to get back on track.
    “Uh, I see. So this bondage kit?”
    “I cannot believe we’re having this conversation.” Tanya
huffed out a breath, visibly collecting herself. She turned toward him, staring
at the ceiling rather than him. “Okay, so I’ve been reading a lot of BDSM
books. They’re—interesting. The characters have these deep, really close
connections and I just—I just wanted to get back there. With you.” She swiped
at her face and Cole felt his whole world shake.
    “Hey, babe.” He slid to his knees and cupped her face.
Wetness greeted his touch. “Tanya, please don’t cry.”
    What kind of bastard was he that he made his wife cry? She
hadn’t cried in years. Not since the funeral they’d attended for a fallen
officer who’d been a close friend. How had they gotten to this point?
    He gathered her up in his arms and held her. She muttered
what sounded like apologies and hugged him back. Part of him was relieved she
didn’t want a physical result out of the bondage kit. It was intimacy she
craved.
    Cole could work with this.
    After a few moments Tanya pulled herself together and sat
up. She wiped at her face and darted glances at him.
    “I’m sorry,” he said. “I didn’t mean to upset you. I didn’t
honestly know what to think when I found the box.”
    She nodded. “That was not how I wanted that to go. Ohmygod,
you probably think I’m hiding kinky sexual fantasies from you, don’t you?”
    “The thought did cross my mind. Won’t lie. I’m a little
relieved you don’t want to call me Lord Master of the Universe or anything.”
    Tanya sputtered in laughter and he cracked a grin.
    Cole schooled his face into a stern expression, or as close
to it as he could get. “You could stand to follow a few orders though.”
    That silenced her, but from the wide-eyed hopeful look she
was giving him, Cole was willing to bet he’d stumbled on to something.
    Cole studied her, the flushed quality of her cheeks, lifted
eyebrows, dilated eyes. “Is that what you want? To follow directions? Do what I
tell you to?”
    Tanya licked her lips and glanced at the bedroom door.
“Maybe.”
    “Hm.” Cole wasn’t a saint. He’d had a few fantasies himself
that involved tying her up, but he’d never imagined they would become reality.
“I read one of the cards. It said to try new things in bed. Tanya, I think this
means I’m going to tie you up and make you scream.”
    Tanya’s knees were pressed tight together and her mouth
formed a little “O” he was learning to adore.
    He slid his hand up the hem of her skirt and caressed her
thigh. “What do you say, babe?”
    “O-okay. If you want, I mean.”
    Cole kissed the top of each knee. “Oh, I want. But, babe?
This isn’t sweet lovemaking.”
    She shivered and her gaze widened, but he didn’t see any
fear there. No, she was aroused.
    He forced his knee between hers and reached up to feel the
crotch of her panties. The delicate fabric was damp.
    “Is that what you want, babe?”
    “Yes,” she said with more force than was necessary, as if
she had to expel the answer from deep within.
    “Okay, I want you to stand up.”
    Cole pushed to his feet and backed up a few paces. Tanya
sucked in a