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“I’ll be right back.”
Several minutes later, Ari returned with a large glass tray. He laid it on one of the rugs in front of the fireplace.
“Come, we’re going to play a game.”
There was a pitcher of water and two water glasses. In the center of the tray was an assortment of catered finger foods. There were mini-quiches, chicken salad tarts with grapes, something that looked like cream cheese mixed with something on crackers, butter mints, and fancy chocolates. Each portion on the glass was maybe a full bite or two at most.
“I had a party the other night. These are the leftovers. Unfortunately, some of the better stuff ran out first. Like the shrimp, and my pet polished off the last of the salmon puffs this afternoon.”
Saskia glanced toward the door, suddenly wondering what Quill was doing with Ari’s pet. A twinge of jealousy shot through her.
Ari’s hand pressed against her cheek, directing her attention back to him. “You must pay attention, or I’ll have to punish you. I’ll be gentle tonight if you’ll let me.”
Ari’s arctic blue eyes seemed to freeze as if mere verbal warning weren’t enough.
“Y-yes, sir.”
He nodded, the glaciers melting back into a warmer shade. “All right. How hungry are you?”
Now that she thought of it, and now that the wonderful smells were drifting toward her nose... pretty hungry. The Viking only had to see the look in her eyes for his answer.
He smiled. “Good. This game is better if you’re very hungry.”
Saskia swallowed around a lump forming in her throat. Quill wouldn’t have left her alone with him if he wasn’t sure, would he? It was just occurring to her that there had been a comfort in knowing Quill was on the other side of a screen watching, that he’d intervene if anything happened that he didn’t like. Or when Marcus had been just outside the door waiting to pounce if anyone crossed any lines. They’d both guarded her in their own ways.
But it was just her and Ari tonight.
“Don’t look so terrified. I won’t be too horrible with you. The game is simple. I issue an order. You do exactly as I say, and then I let you have a bit of food.”
Saskia nodded, looking from the tray to Ari.
He poured water in each of the glasses and took a sip from his, then he leaned back against the pillows. “Whenever I issue a command, you will say, ’It would be my honor, sir’, and then do whatever it is I’ve ordered. Sound simple enough?”
“Yes, sir.”
“First, I want you to crawl around the room so I can get a good look at you from every angle.”
Saskia dropped to her knees. “It would be my honor, sir.” She crawled slowly around the circumference of the room, avoiding the furniture and the hard marble around the hot tub.
When she returned to Ari, he motioned her closer and fed her one of the chicken salad tarts—or half of one, anyway. It was all she could get in one bite.
He pulled the rest of the tart away. “Don’t be greedy. If you please me, you won’t have to worry about starving in my care.”
Ari watched her kneeling on the rug waiting for his next command for several moments, then he said, “Go stand under the waterfall and wash yourself for me. I like my toys freshly cleaned before I use them.”
“It would be my honor, sir.” Saskia rose and climbed the marble steps, then descended into the hot bubbling water. A bar of peppermint soap rested on a ledge just to the right of the waterfall. The entire suite made her think of winter, from Ari’s long blond hair, to the fireplace, to all the white fur rugs, and now the soap that made the air feel colder when she breathed in its scent.
She bathed under the flowing water, its warmth hiding how her nerves were beginning to get the better of her. Saskia found herself captivated in Ari’s warm gaze. She didn’t know how eyes so pale blue could sometimes be so warm. Why couldn’t Quill look at her with just a fraction of that?
How pathetic. Her master was pimping her out to all these other men and rather than be horrified by it, instead of hating him, all she could do was wonder why he couldn’t touch her with Phillip’s care or caress her with the warmth of Ari’s gaze. Or why he couldn’t watch over her and stay close like Marcus. He seemed to have Nolan’s single-minded fixation with little else attached to it. And yet Nolan had made her the most uncomfortable—the one who’d seemed most like Quill. Shouldn’t that tell her something?
“Saskia?” Ari’s voice dropped deeper. A reprimand.
She looked up, startled. “Yes, sir?”
“Where did you go just now?”
“N-nowhere.”
