Hers to Keep (Irresistibly Bound, #3)

by Anna Stone

“I don’t see anything wrong with that,” Lindsey said. “And I don’t mind being on the other end. Of giving up control. It’s nice, sometimes, to be told what to do. To have someone else make decisions for you. It can be freeing, not to have to worry about the little things.”

“BDSM isn’t about sex,” Lindsey said. “Sure, there’s usually a sexual element to it, but it’s about so much more than that.”

“The thing about Camilla is that she’s so determined not to rely on other people that she pushes everyone away. She’s always been like that, ever since we were kids. And everything she’s gone through with her health has made her even more cynical and blind to all the people out there who love and care about her. Perhaps it makes it easier for her to justify her decision to never let anyone in.”

“Over the course of my life, I’ve become accustomed to being alone. The truth is, it’s easier that way. It means that I don’t ever have to worry about being a burden on anyone. I don’t have to worry that those close to me will start to resent me for all my limitations.”

“It helped. My therapist told me that it was okay to grieve for the life that I once had, for the old me. That it was okay to feel lost and hopeless sometimes. That I didn’t have to pretend that everything was okay all the time. And she taught me how to deal with all those feelings. You should consider seeing someone too.”

She doesn’t need anyone else to survive. But it’s a very lonely existence when all you do is survive.”