Page 20

He spun me around so my back was to him and I led the way past my fireplace, one guest room, and the only bathroom in the house that you could enter from either the hallway or my bedroom. Without pausing, I pushed open the door to my bedroom and walked straight into the large space. The house was small and nothing special, the bedroom sold me on the place. The room was large because at some point, this home had three bedrooms. Somewhere along the way, a wall had been knocked down. In its place was a sitting area where I had a chaise lounge beneath a large window.

Next to it, a fireplace that had been added on with the room demolition. Most nights, I came to my room to wind down before bed and ended up reading on the chaise in front of the fireplace. Especially in the winter and fall when it was frigid outside. The windows in my living room hadn’t been updated and could be drafty but my room was cozier, homier.

There wasn’t a hint of draft or chill in the room when he entered behind me, the click of the door echoing like a gong drum.

His voice rumbled behind me starling me. “I’ve imagined you over my knee squealing as I lay my hands on you, but tonight I’ve decided we’re going to do something different.”

“Like ignore this insanity and you’ll leave and we’ll pretend this never happened?”

“Ah, don’t back out on me now Rebecca.” His hands curved around my shoulders. With my back to him, I couldn’t see him, but as his hands slid down my arms, up the curve of my hips and around my waist, his touch left what I knew would be a lasting impression.

I leaned into him, the gentle grazing of hardened, callused palms on my pebbled abdomen. His hands spanned my waist and pushed me forward until I was in front of the wall, hands falling forward to stop my fall.

“What the—”

“Quiet,” he said in my ear. His voice, the warm rasp of his voice so delicious, I shivered. “How are you doing?”

One of his hands slid up my side, cupped my jaw and pressed, turned me until I faced him. Our eyes were inches apart, our lips even closer.

A whimper stuck in my throat. His eyes, deep brown pools, swirled with warmth as his gaze flittered over my face. His hand was soft on my cheek. It was that look, the same exact one he’d given the woman he whipped earlier that undid me.

“Bennett,” I whispered.

Lips quirked at one side. “You remember what you’re supposed to call me, right?”

“I’m sorry, Mr. Ashby. I forgot. Please.”

“Please what?”

Again, I couldn’t summon the energy to find his goading as irritating as it was in the office. Instead, I wanted it. Wanted his teasing and his pushing and my goodness I wanted his hands on me however they came. “Please spank me, sir.”

His forehead pressed against mine. Hands digging in at my waist and my cheek. “Hell, Rebecca. I am undone by you.”

We were even then.

His lips trailed my cheek, skated down to my jaw and then back to my ear. “Now, make sure your palms are flat on the wall and stick this sexy backside out for me. Okay? Let me know when you’re ready.”

My stomach dropped to the floor. My fingers stretched on the cool wall, the plaster ice against my skin. Tipping my butt out, I pressed my fingertips until my knuckles could pop.

“Ready, Mr. Ashby.” How in the hell could I go back to the office on Monday and call him that? I’d have to find another name for him.

Silence thickened the room. He stood behind me, not touching me, yet my skin grew tight with want. I waited for what seemed like forever until his palm pressed against my lower back. “I could look at you all night.”

“Please do more than that.”

His chuckle soothed me as his hand began warming my backside with relaxing, large circles. He squeezed and dropped my flesh until his hand disappeared. Before I could breathe, already overwhelmed and desiring his touch on me, his hand came back down. One quick slap downward that made me jerk forward, my arms losing their strength.

“Ow!” I shouted, as heat seared my skin and spread outward. “Damn it.”

“Get in position. Nine more Rebecca, and if it helps, count them.” His lips were at my ear. “Focus on absorbing the pain, not running from it. Trust me, it’ll get better and when you’re done, you’ll get all of me.” He stepped behind me, pressed his front to my back. His erection pressed against me. He was hard. Large.

“God, Mr. Ashby, please.”

“Nine more, can you take them?” His hand slipped around to my front, to my navel and south until his fingers were running along my clit. “You’re so damn wet and swollen. Is that for me?”

“Yes.” I rolled my hips, seeking him. Searching. “Please.”

“I’m going to dream for weeks to come about the way you beg me.”