Connor’s curiosity piqued as he looked at Wren, her hesitation evident in her eyes. “What’s your idea?” he asked gently.

Wren hesitated, her gaze dropping as she gathered the courage to speak. “I was thinking about switching roles,” she finally said, her voice soft and uncertain.

Connor tilted his head slightly, confused but intrigued. “What do you mean by switching roles?”

Wren bit her lip, unsure if she could actually say what was on her mind. Her shyness was endearing, and Connor couldn’t help but notice the way her cheeks turned a delicate shade of pink.

She glanced up at him, then quickly looked away again. “Umm… I was thinking I could be in…,” her voice trailed off, the words catching in her throat.

Connor leaned in, encouraging her with a gentle smile. “You could be in?”

Wren took a deep breath and then blurted out in a rush, “I could be in charge!”

Connor nearly laughed out loud, but he managed to hold it in. She was just too damn cute when she was flustered like this. He decided to tease her a bit, unable to resist.

“You want to be in charge,” he said, raising an eyebrow playfully. “Does that mean you want to have your way with me?”

Wren’s eyes widened, and she quickly covered her face with her hands, mortified. “I can’t believe I said that to him,”she thought, her embarrassment growing by the second. “He must think I’m weird.”

But Connor gently removed her hands from her face, his smile warm and reassuring. “Hey, don’t hide,” he said softly. “I’m just teasing you.”

His laughter was light and affectionate, and Wren couldn’t stay mad at him, even if she wanted to. She smacked him playfully on the arm. “You jerk! Do you know how hard it was for me to say that?”

Connor chuckled, the sound rich and soothing. “I know, I know. I’m sorry.”

“No, you aren’t,” Wren pouted, crossing her arms defiantly.

Connor leaned closer, his expression turning more serious, though his eyes still twinkled with amusement. “Yes, I really am. Don’t be mad, okay?”

Wren glanced at him, seeing the sincere, almost pitiful look in his eyes. He really did feel sorry for teasing her. After a moment, she sighed, her resolve softening. “Fine. I’ll forgive you this time.”

Connor grinned, leaning in to press a kiss to her temple. “Thank you, Sunshine. I love you.”

“I love you too,” Wren murmured, her heart warming at the tenderness in his voice.

Connor’s smile grew as he held her hand, his thumb brushing gently over her fingers. “Now, tell me what you meant by taking charge.”

Wren swallowed nervously, her mind racing. “Well, what I meant was that maybe I could…”

Connor gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. “Maybe you could?”

She hesitated, the words once again stuck in her throat. But the warmth of his touch, the comfort he provided, gave her the courage to finally speak.

“Would it be okay if I was the one who initiated the love play between the two of us?” she asked quickly, her voice barely above a whisper.

As soon as the words were out, she hung her head in embarrassment, her hair falling forward to hide her face. But Connor wasn’t having any of that. He gently tilted her head back up, his fingers brushing the hair away so he could see her eyes.

“Sunshine,” he said softly, his voice full of warmth, “don’t hide from me or feel ashamed for how you feel.”

Wren looked at him, her cheeks still flushed with embarrassment. “It’s just… embarrassing,” she admitted.

Connor shook his head, his expression serious now. “I’m not embarrassed at all. I’m happy you’re being open and willing to tell me how you feel.”

“Are you sure?” Wren asked, her voice small, but there was a glimmer of hope in her eyes.

Connor smiled, his gaze never leaving hers. “Of course I’m sure, and I’m definitely fine with you being in control.”

Wren let out a small sigh of relief, the tension slowly easing out of her. “I thought it would make me less scared,” she confessed.

Connor’s heart ached at the vulnerability in her voice. He had always known that Wren carried scars from her past, but hearing her admit her fears so openly brought a fresh wave of protectiveness over him.

“Do I scare you?” he asked, his voice gentle as he searched her eyes for the truth.