I untied the remaining knots in the silk scarf and tossed it to the bedside table, thinking I might want it again later. He watched me with a curious expression.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“You are more of a puzzle than you know.”
I sat up and ran a fingernail lightly up and down his arm, from the shoulder to the elbow. It made the tiny hairs on his arm stand up, and I enjoyed the sight of it.
“So what about me has you so puzzled?” I crooned seductively.
“Why did you not release yourself, particularly when the first part of our game had ended?”
“Because I couldn’t get out of the knot,” I answered factually, my seductive tone failing. “It was tied too tight. I couldn’t get my fingers into it to loosen it.”
“Really?” he mused softly. “And why did you not use your mind?”
What?! I frowned at him and stopped stroking his arm.
“You heard me. You and I well know that the power of the mind is far greater than any physical power.”
“Uh, well…” I stammered, trying to understand what he was implying. “I do believe that, but I can’t use my mind the way you can.”
He smirked at me. “Who is lying now?”
Lying?
“Not me,” I answered, raising both hands in the air in a gesture of innocence. “You can read my mind. Can’t you see that I’m telling the truth?”
Those green eyes of his became a piercing jade while he studied me for a long moment, his expression becoming more puzzled as he searched. I vacillated between being uncomfortable under his gaze to wanting to kiss those pursed lips. Just as I had that thought, he smiled suddenly, then went back to rummaging through my head. I saw flashes from my past as he did so, fleeting images from my memories.
“My, my, my,” he intoned as his eyes focused on the external again. “You are quite unique.”
“How so?”
“You long for power, but you neither recognize true power nor do you know how to use it when you have it.”
I gaped at him, unable to answer for a moment while I made sense of what he said.
“I… don’t… have…any… power,” I said slowly, enunciating every word.
“You are clearly intelligent, so I will not insult you by calling you ignorant,” he stated. “But you are most definitely lying, my dear. To yourself.” He reached over and stroked my cheek softly while I frowned and tried to find in myself what he was so obviously seeing in me. I came up blank.
He cocked his head to one side as he scrutinized me again.
“You really are oblivious to what you are capable of,” he concluded, his eyes returning to emerald and his expression softening. “Your innocence has a certain charm, I must admit."
I couldn’t help but grin seductively at that comment. “Oh, I’m far from innocent,” I replied, trailing my fingers from his hip down to his knee. His leather pants were warm and smooth under my touch, so I stroked back up along the inside of his leg.
His eyes widened in pleased surprise, then he smiled and leaned back slightly on his hands. “Do what you will, my dear.”
