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33

BEN

“You’re really not going to tell me what you’ve got planned?”

She swipes some gloss on her lips and looks at me through the mirror. The gloss highlights the plumpness of her lips, making me want to kiss her properly. Sure my voice will give away my desire, I don’t verbally answer, just shake my head and smirk.

“Fine, but you will tell me what happened earlier at lunch after I left to go to the bathroom.” She raises her brow at me in challenge as I laugh softly.

“Okay, I’ll allow that. Kingston was talking about fucking you and I saw red. I hate the way you’ve been treated in the past, and I refuse to allow it to continue on my watch.”

I fold my arms over my chest, rest my ankle on my thigh, and lean back on the wingback chair. Her hand is frozen in mid air, the mascara she was applying inches away from her lashes as her eyes meet mine through the mirror. She blinks a few times and I know it’s to stem the tears that have formed. She takes a couple of seconds to compose herself, breathing deeply but never letting her gaze fall from mine.

This is what I love about her. Her strength. Her ability to do everything on her own, but also accepting that she doesn’t have to and letting me be here in the moment with her. She shields her vulnerability from everyone, but little by little, she’s letting me in. I know this is hard for her—letting people help her and not feel like she’s being rescued—but I need her to know that I have her back, I’m in her corner. It’s not about rescuing, it’s about supporting.

“Thank you, Ben. But what did you do?” Her voice is shaky, but I ignore it, not wanting to draw attention to her emotions knowing it’ll make her clam up again.

“I may have threatened to end him whilst choking him with his own tie.”

The mascara wand drops from her hand, her mouth agape.

“And I may not have. It’s not a big deal.”

She turns to face me with a look of incredulity on her face as well as admiration. I expected anger, so I’m taking it regardless.

“I don’t approve of violence, but I’m grateful, so thank you. But in the future?—”

“I know, I know, you’re not a damsel in distress who needs rescuing. I got it the first time. But you have to realise that I’m a possessive, arrogant douche who will go to extreme lengths to protect what's mine. I promise I will always protect you and your reputation.”

She frowns at my words but her eyes flash with desire. She likes it, even if she doesn’t want to.

“And is that what I am now? Yours? Don’t you think we should have a conversation about what exactly this is?” She pops her hip out and places her hand on it, looking entirely too fierce, and I want nothing more than to bend her over that dressing table and fuck her into submission. I stand up and stride toward her, catching her off guard and wrapping my arm around her waist to pull her against my chest.

“Here’s the deal, Little One. I like you. I want you. And I think the feeling’s mutual.” She nods without taking her gaze away from mine, so I continue. “I don’t know where this is going, but whilst it is going, I’ll be yours and I expect you to be mine. We can keep this between us or you can tell the whole fucking world, I don’t care which you choose. All I do care about is doing what I have planned now, so I can come back here and bury my dick inside you and make you scream my name as you come. Does that sound okay to you, Penelope?”

She’s back to blinking furiously and biting on her lip as she nods. “So, um, you like me? Like really like me?”

A small laugh falls from my lips and I place a gentle kiss on her temple. “That’s what you took from all that?”

She nods again, a smile on her lips as she rests her chin on my chest whilst looking up at me.

“Yes, Penelope, I like you. I have for a very long time now. You intrigue me. Make me turn a blind eye to the risks of being in a relationship. Drive me fucking crazy with your sass, but make me the happiest with your submission. It's a complicated thing, but I’m enjoying exploring it.”

“So you like my sass and my compliance? That's a contradiction if I’ve ever heard one.” Her scoff makes me raise my brow at her, but she shrugs and smirks in return.

“I’ve never done this side of things, Penelope. I normally meet a woman, have her sign a contract, let my dominance reign over her in the bedroom, and never speak to her out of it.

With you, everything is different. I like that you challenge me, call me out on things. It turns me on. But I also really like seeing you on your knees and following my orders. I don’t want you to sit in a corner and ask me how high when I say jump, but I do want you to let me control our activities in the bedroom. If that’s okay with you.” My bravado slips slightly and she smiles at the vulnerability in my voice.

“I think that's a valid contradiction, and I’d like to explore this too. Although I’m not sure about telling the world yet. Maybe just our friends? But not yet. I kinda wanna make them sweat a little.”

“As you wish, Little One.”

She rolls her eyes and steps away from me, turning her head over her shoulder as she talks to me. “Gah, you have got to stop quoting Westley to me. He isn’t even my favourite character. He’s blond. And I prefer my men to be tall, dark, and arrogant.”

I can’t stifle my laughter, and she grins at the sound of it. Yep, I definitely like that sass. A lot.

“I don’t even know who Westley is.”

She gasps and shakes her head in disgust whilst I chuckle.

“Oh, one more thing.” She slips her bag over her shoulder and waits for me to finish. “When I said I was yours and you’re mine, I meant it. I don’t share, Little One.”

Nerves flitter in my stomach as she smirks and slowly walks back to me. She doesn’t stop in front of me, though. She strides out of the bedroom and heads toward the main door as I follow blindly. She bends down to put her trainers on and snatches her coat from the hook. Once she’s secured the last button on her coat, she pops a knitted hat on her head.

Standing a couple of inches away from her, still waiting for her response, she pops up onto her toes, grips my shoulders and whispers into my ear, “I don’t share either. I can be just as possessive, Ben, when it comes to my man.”

A shiver trails over my body as she plants a smacking kiss on my cheek. She laughs and heads straight out the door, whilst I’m left to fight my erection and the urge to spank her arse before we go anywhere. She’s bloody perfect.