Part 10 (1/2)
”It's not like I was on my knees.” Yet she was picturing it. Lord help her. ”Or naked. Or being beaten.”
”But you did go to the door to lock it. Then you went to the center of the room. And you waited for me. You trusted me. You responded when I asked if the way I pulled on your nipples was too much.”
His words made her burn for him.
”Did I take you further than you could go?”
”Of course not.”
”Further than you wanted? Or were you left craving more, imagining more?”
She looked away, severing herself from the power of his eyes.
”We talked in my office about the fact D/s relations.h.i.+ps need tremendous amounts of trust. I outlined what I'm willing to do for you to feel safe, but it goes two ways. You will need to be scrupulously honest with me. More importantly, Lara, the only way we can have a successful relations.h.i.+p is if you're honest with yourself.” After pausing for a moment, he added, ”That can be the most difficult obstacle.”
His words, so accurate, gave her a chill. She'd been so busy fighting herself and her responses that she'd buried honesty several layers deep. What he'd done to her, with her, had made her panties damp. She'd been aroused even though she was apprehensive.
”Curiosity is part of the reason you're here,” he said. The words were a statement, not a question.
”And nervousness about what you'd demand is something that almost kept me away.”
”Fair enough. Ask me the dozens of questions that are going through your mind. Ask how I'd punish you.”
”Does that have to be part of it?”
”For me, yes. But here's the important part. Any relations.h.i.+p we enter into will have rules. I will follow them as well.”
”The idea that you would even consider punis.h.i.+ng me is a deal-breaker.”
”Is it? Let's consider the crime. Do you remember?”
She did. In detail. ”You told me to keep my hands behind my back, and I didn't.”
”And on a scale of one to ten, where would that fall as a real infraction?”
”One. You weren't angry, at least you didn't seem to be.”
”So, what kind of punishment do you think fits with what you did?”
”A spanking? And if you remember, I've had two and hated them.”
”I remember everything you've said to me.”
With each word, he drew her more under his spell.
”And you haven't had a spanking from me. Or it could be that I'd tie your hands to my bedposts and keep them there as I licked and sucked your p.u.s.s.y.”
For a moment, she wasn't sure she'd heard him correctly.
”Would you hate that?” Before she could answer, he continued, ”You have a very narrow definition of punishment. I like to be a bit more creative than that. And I promise you, Lara, you'll have to ask for it.”
She s.h.i.+vered.
”Let me show you the rest of the loft.”
He'd intentionally changed the subject, she was sure, just to keep her guessing. ”I haven't said whether I agree to...” She couldn't find the right word. ”This whole thing.”
”Just giving you more information to help make your decision.” He stood.
Slowly, she did, too, then she followed him down a hallway.
”Workout room,” he said, opening the first door.
”Nice,” she approved. He had a couple of pieces of cardio equipment, some free weights and a giant television along with a stereo and a fridge. The area was small, but organized well.
”You're free to use it whenever.”
”I never said-”
”I know. This way.” He opened a door to reveal his office. ”There's room for a second desk.”
Despite herself and without invitation, she entered. He had exposed brickwork, as she'd expected. But this place reflected the private Connor Donovan.
His college degree was framed and hung on a wall. At an angle was his college pennant. He had shelves that were filled with memorabilia-a baseball, an autographed football, a conch sh.e.l.l.
Another shelf was filled with pictures in all different sizes. Frames were crafted from every possible material...metal, glossy wood, plastic. Some were painted, others were ornate.
One photograph showed him in college graduation garb, flanked by his parents. Another showed him on horseback, wearing denim and a straw cowboy hat. There was a picture of a groundbreaking. He was holding a ceremonial silver-colored shovel. Standing near him was an older gentleman and two other men. His brothers, if she wasn't mistaken. ”This is your grandfather, right?” she asked, pointing. ”Erin calls him the Colonel.”
”We all do.”
”Rather formal.”
”You've never met him?”
”No. I've met your mom, but no one else. I'm guessing this one is Cade, right? Lives on the ranch in west Texas?”
He nodded.
”And Nathan?” The brothers were almost equal in height and they shared a similar, strong set to their jaws. Cade was the largest, and Nathan was the only one smiling. They all radiated strength and the aura that came with being born into power.
Behind several frames, she saw a snapshot of him with Erin. ”May I?”
”Of course.”
Lara picked it up.
They were on vacation, if their outfits were anything to go by. Erin was dressed in a floral sarong. He wore shorts, a sleeveless T-s.h.i.+rt and a jauntily tilted sombrero. Rather than looking at the camera, he and Erin were facing each other and both had big, goofy smiles. She had never seen this side of him, and it made him more real, less scary. Though trusting that could be dangerous for her, she realized. ”Were you in Mexico?” Lara guessed.
”Yeah.” He nodded. ”Cozumel. It was a port of call while on a family cruise.”