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He raised a brow at her. “Are you naked yet?”
Laila gritted her teeth, then quickly smoothed her expression, as if she refused to show even the tiniest vulnerability. Instead, she slid her bra straps down her shoulders and reached behind her to unclasp the garment before tossing it away. Then she shot him a challenging glare, as if to say, I hope you’re enjoying gawking at my tits, asshole.
Trees merely smiled—and felt the blood rush to his cock. “Beautiful. Now the panties.”
A part of him hated to lose the transparent lace perched on her lushly curved hips. The silky fabric clung temptingly to what sure looked like her swollen pussy, delineating the engorged curves of her labia and the crease in between. But for what he had in mind, the lacy scrap needed to go.
With a huff, she worked the undergarment down her hips, then bent and stepped out of them, rising in all her naked glory to stand before him, seemingly detached and unafraid.
He knew better.
Her pussy was definitely puffy and rosy from his earlier spankings. Even at a distance, he could see that. He’d bet she was aroused, too. But he’d get to that.
With a nod, Trees acknowledged her. “Next time, I’ll reward you if you comply faster and give me less attitude, but some effort is better than none. I’ve got something for you. Come here.”
Laila stiffened, unmoving, as if it had finally occurred to her that he couldn’t hurt her simply by looking. But now he intended to touch her. She was afraid of what he might do. That fact was all over her face.
His expression became a warning even as he lowered his voice into a coaxing rumble. “Laila, if I have to ask you twice, your reward is off the table. You won’t like what happens then.”
Her jaw tightened. Yeah, she hated being coerced. Trees understood.
He softened his tone. “But it’s your choice. Everything that happens between us is.”
Cajoling seemed to do the trick, because she finally shuffled forward, stopping in front of him. To his shock, she laid her palm over his chest. “What is happening? I do not understand this game.”
“I think you do.” He covered her hand with his own. “But I promised to explain, so I will.”
He led her to a nearby chair and sat, then drew her onto his thighs. She settled stiffly against him…but curled her legs onto his lap, unconsciously giving him more of herself.
She blindsided him by tracing a fingertip across his chest and skimming her pouty lips up his neck as she wriggled on his hard dick. “Can you not simply ask me what you wish to know, then take me to bed?”
Her touch induced tingles that threatened to scramble his brain, despite the fact he knew she’d switched tactics purely to usurp him. That wasn’t happening. He grabbed her wrist and stilled her hip to stop the distraction. “Not when you’ve proven you can’t be trusted to tell the truth. Besides, this isn’t about sex.”
“I am naked.”
Too many people confused nudity with sex, so he wasn’t surprised. “This is about control. It’s about power. You cede it to me, along with your trust, and we grow together.”
Trees didn’t tell her that he would give things she needed back to her. Attention, affection, praise, reassurance, caring, boundaries. A safety net she’d never had. Those were bonuses she had to figure out for herself, because if he explained, she’d either dismiss him or laugh in his face. Or both.
She scowled. “Why would I cede anything?”
“I’ll reward you when you do.”
“And you will punish me when I refuse?”
“Yes. But your punishment won’t be a beating, Laila. Hurting you against your will is something I’ll never do.” She still looked as if she didn’t quite believe him. No shock there. Too often, words were just BS in syllable form. But he’d get through to her…eventually. “There are rules while you’re in this room with me. One is that you’re honest to the best of your ability. If you don’t know something, tell me you don’t know. But if you lie…I’ll take that as a sign that you’re seeking punishment and act accordingly. Two, you have to try to trust me. I’m not expecting miracles, but this will go a lot easier if you just believe that, when I tell you something, I mean it. And three, you have to let me know if I’m hurting you beyond what you can bear. My goal isn’t agony or humiliation. If you need your safe word, use it—with the understanding it isn’t for minor pain or mental unease.”
“If you have no intention of hurting me, why do I need a safe word?”
“I said nothing about discomfort. There will be lots of that if you choose not to cooperate.”
“So I must give in to you or suffer the consequences?”
She was trying to make him feel bad; it wasn’t going to work. “Do you have any other questions?”
“No.”
“Stand,” he commanded.
She got to her feet, then he rose behind her.
“That’s a good start,” he praised. “I promised you a reward earlier. As a show of good faith, I’ll give you two.” He reached into the drawer of the desk behind him, withdrew a little foil square, and unwrapped it. “Open your mouth and stick out your tongue.”
She didn’t right away. They would work on that. But when she glanced at the chocolate square between his fingers, she sent him an unconscious smile of delight and obeyed.
He settled the square on her tongue. She drew it into her mouth with a moan, eyes closed in pleasure.
As she sucked and swallowed it, he skimmed his thumb across her plump lips. “Did you like that?”
She nodded, opening her eyes and looking somewhat puzzled. “I love chocolate. How did you know?”
He gave her a wry smile. “I’ve met very few women who don’t.”
“Valeria does not.”
Trees was surprised she’d volunteered anything remotely personal. He took it as a good sign. “She’s missing out.”
“I think so, too. But chocolate has always been a rare treat for me.”
If she stopped trying to throw herself into danger at every turn, he would give her plenty more. “Want your next reward?”
She nodded. When he raised a rebuking brow, she corrected herself. “Yes.”
“Good.” He drew her closer and cupped her face, staring straight into her eyes.
Laila’s breath caught. She blinked up at him. The pulse pounded at her neck.
