"Why not?"

Ben's jaw was clenched so tight Jenna saw the muscle pop. He was doing it again.

Holding himself so tight she wouldn't be able to penetrate his armor. It only took a single step back to break his embrace.

"Stay here a minute."

She ignored his questioning look and skirted around him and the couch. Standing at the threshold of her bedroom, she cursed her lack of housekeeping abilities.

"Jenna?"

"Hang on."

A few well-placed kicks revealed the still half wrapped box she'd wanted, buried under at least a week's worth of clothing. Tearing the rest of the birthday paper off, she flipped the lid off and smiled.

"Perfect."

"Dare I ask?"

She jumped at the sound of his voice. She turned to see him leaning in the doorway, arms loosely folded across his chest.

"I told you to stay put," she said and pulled the box to her in order to hide the contents.

"You were taking too long." He motioned with his chin. "Hiding something fun?"

Jenna pushed her nervousness down with a deep breath and rose to her feet.

"You don't trust me."

"Jen, I told you-"

She held up her hand to cut him off.

82.

"What I have in mind will prove that you do then."

He didn't move, but she saw something change in his eyes. A mixture of uncertainty and interest.

Ben finally nodded. "What?"

She couldn't help but smile. This was going to work. She could feel it.

"Come here."

She watched him flinch, pause and let his arms fall to his sides. He stood straight and hooked his thumbs into the waistband of his pants as he walked towards her.

"Yes, ma'am."

He was so big. She loved the wall of heat and scent his body generated. She closed her eyes and let his presence wash over her. She needed all the strength she had for what she wanted to do next.

"Take your shirt off."

He didn't hesitate this time. The shirt landed with a dull whoosh on the floor. That order carried out, he re-hooked his fingers and silently waited for the next.

Jenna took her time, letting her gaze roam over his well-defined upper body. Thin corded muscles flexed in his arms and across his chest. When she'd looked her fill, she found the edge of the bed and sat down.

"Now your shoes and socks," her voice sounded husky.

Ben smiled and she could tell he knew his little striptease was exciting her. As he bent over, Jenna was able to watch the muscles in his back ripple. He was perfect. When he stood again, he now wore only his pants. His next move would either send him running out the door or into her bed.

She reached into the now-crushed box that held her other birthday present from her friends. A small black blindfold untangled itself from the other contents of the box as she pulled it out slowly.

"I want you to put this on."

He didn't run. That much was good. But he didn't move to take the blindfold either.

Ignoring her sexual as well as emotional frustration, Jenna managed a throaty chuckle.

"I thought you trusted me?"

His eyes shot her a warning, but he nodded and took the blindfold from her outstretched hand. She watched, enraptured, as he brought it to his face and secured it tightly on his face.

"Can you see?"

"No."

"Are you sure?"

"Jenna."

"Okay, okay."

83.

With it securely in place, Jenna simply sat on the edge of her bed and watched him.

Amazingly, he didn't move. Not a single muscle, most of which she could currently see.

His abs were well-defined, the gentle rolling ripples covered by a dusting of dark hair.

She knew exactly where that trail of hair led to under his pants. But she wasn't ready to go there. Not yet.

Jenna stood and stepped close beside him. She ran fingers over his stomach, gently scraping her nails over his skin. She could feel him straining to maintain control over his body, to keep still.

"Don't move now," she said and barely recognized her own voice. The power of having Ben at her mercy was going to her head.

With her fingers still on him, she walked around to his back. Again, she traced a pattern over his exposed skin and smiled when she heard him groan.

"You're killing me, Jen."

A well-placed kiss in the middle of his back elicited another moan.

"You'll die well then."

With both of her hands on his back, she let them slide down until they were stopped by his pants. She gave them a little tug.

"These seem a bit tight. Why don't I make you more comfortable?"

She reached through the space between his arms and his body to find the button that held his pants in place. A single tug was all it took to free it, providing her with complete access to the rest of him. Gods, she wanted nothing more than to strip the damn things off him right now, but she couldn't. Not yet.

Next, she moved beside him, taking his hand in hers. Now it was time to put the rest of her plan in action.

She led him to the bed, turned him around and gave him a little push so he sat on the edge.

"Comfy," he said as he gave the mattress a pat. "Care to join me?"

"Oh, I'll be joining you soon enough, Mr. Hawthorn. But for right now I want you to lie back."

He smiled his crooked grin and lay back and placed his hands behind his head.

"How's this?"

Jenna shook her head and grabbed his feet in an attempt to spin him into the right placement. Ben had to help her, and after a bit of maneuvering, he finally had his head on the pillows and his feet by her footboard. When she stood to admire her handy work, a rush of adrenaline pulsed through her body. She was really going to do this.

It took a second to locate the present box again. But she was able to pull out the rest of the items and line them up on her nightstand. Never did she honestly think she'd have an opportunity to use the gift the girls gave her last year for her birthday.

Especially not on Ben. It's a good thing she hadn't thrown it out like she'd planned on doing.

84.

Another cautious glance at him and she pulled the last of the presents-a set of silk restraints. Her hands shook a little as she attempted to attach them to her headboard.

"What are you up to?" He sounded more amused than anything.

"You'll see in one...second." A final yank secured the scarf in place.

She took his hand in hers and brought it above his head. She could feel his pulse beating hard in his wrist as she wrapped her fingers around it. Either he was horny or scared. She doubted he was scared.

"Are you sure you trust me?"

His lips turned down for a split second before he nodded. "Yes."

His arms were too long to secure him too close to the headboard, so she decided she'd have to leave them at right angles. She slipped the end of the scarf under his wrist and began to tie a loose knot. Ben turned his head to face her and jerked his arm when she finished.

"Did you just tie me?"

Jenna leaned in and ran her tongue over his bottom lip. "You said you trusted me.

So trust me."

"Jenna?" his tone gave her all the warning he'd ever be likely to give her.

This time she kissed him. He didn't immediately respond to her advances. She slipped her tongue into his mouth, seeking his. Her fingers found his chest and flexed against his skin. She could feel his resistant begin to wane, each kiss he responded to grew with insistency and strength. Finally, he moaned as his free hand found her hair and gently began to massage her scalp. She pushed hard against him, her body responding to the contact between them. If she didn't stop this now, the rest of her plan would be useless.

She pulled back as far as she could and placed a final kiss on his forehead.

"I'm going to tie your other arm now. Remember our safe word?"

He was panting, his fingers stroking the back of her neck and preventing her from moving.

"No. Wait, apple?"

"Yes. Are you okay with this?"

Ben pulled her back down for another kiss. Jenna's heart and stomach began to beat together, her nerves growing. But when he released her and lay back against the bed, her doubts disappeared.

"I trust you," he said with confidence.

She found her legs weren't as steady as they were a few minutes ago and she almost tripped trying to make it around to the other side of the bed to secure his arm. She decided to leave his feet free for the time being, at least until she was ready to take his pants off.

Finished, Jenna stood back to admire her handiwork. Ben's long arms and naked 85 chest were wide open to her. She watched as he tugged on the scarves, testing her knots. The fact that he couldn't see her turned her on even more. Her breasts were tingling, her nipples hard and begging to be touched. The fabric of her shirt rubbing against them was driving her insane. She took it off and threw it in the pile with the rest of her things.

"What are you doing?" Ben asked, his own voice sounding strained.

"Getting naked. Why?"

He groaned. "Want to take this bloody blindfold off?"

"Oh, I don't think so. Not yet anyway. For now, you'll have to use your imagination."