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“You didn’t leave my side all day. How did you get these gifts?” They’d spent the morning by the pool, soaking up the sun. Since the wedding was scheduled for midafternoon, they didn’t have time to do any sightseeing on the island.
“I have a phone, an amazing personal assistant, and unlimited funds. There’s very little I want that I can’t acquire.”
Liza had grown up in a middle-class family and while she made a good salary, she lived within a budget and was an accomplished bargain hunter. “Must be nice.”
He winked at her. “It’s very nice, kitten.”
“Why kitten?”
Matt never missed a beat, his expression pure amusement. “Because you’re soft and sweet and adorable, but you also have very sharp claws.”
She narrowed her eyes, feigning a warning tone when she said, “And don’t you forget it.”
“Never,” Matt murmured.
They continued swaying in time to the music, Liza too distracted by thoughts of what Matt had planned for the rest of their evening. She loved Johnnie and Arnold dearly, but she couldn’t help but wonder how early was too early to bail on someone’s reception.
Matt, ever astute, chuckled. “We’ve got all night, Liza. Let’s enjoy the rest of the party.”
She grimaced but nodded. She’d spent a lot of time offering input while Johnnie planned the wedding. He’d be hurt if she missed a huge part of the reception because of her raging hormones.
The slow song ended, a fast one starting. Matt, no fan of dancing, grasped her hand and led her off the floor.
“Wine?” he asked.
She nodded and the two of them made their way to the bar.
The rest of the evening passed more quickly than Liza anticipated, as Matt stole every single one of her slow dances. They spent more than a few minutes chatting with the grooms, who were absolutely aglow with happiness. There hadn’t been a bit of drama regarding the warring cousins, Maya and Maggie, and Johnnie had jokingly bitched about how they’d appeared to make amends.
As the evening wound down, she and Matt said their goodbyes, walking hand in hand back to their room. Closing the door behind them, Matt gestured toward the bar in the suite. Because, of course, Matt had a suite with a substantial bar. “Want a nightcap?”
She shook her head. “Nope. I want to show my appreciation.” As she spoke, she began to unbutton his Hawaiian shirt, aware there was nothing this man wore that didn’t look incredible on him. He was the sexiest man she’d ever seen, whether he was wearing a bespoke suit, jeans and a tee, or even khaki linen pants and a Hawaiian shirt.
Matt tsked, gripping her wrists tightly. “Did I give you permission to do that?”
Her breath caught in her chest, her heart racing. “Do I need permission?” She’d intended to put some pretend heat behind the question, but it was too airy, too needy.
Matt pulled her wrists behind her back, gripping them together with one hand as the other cupped her jaw. His lips brushed her cheek. “You’re going to do everything I say tonight.”
“Everything?” she repeated.
“You’re going to be a good girl.”
Those words rubbed up against her feminist side, and she was tempted to push back despite the fact those last two words also ensured her panties were drenched. Her gaze lifted to his and she saw something shift behind them, something dark and dangerous. The dominant man was emerging, and he was testing her.
For a second, she tried to decide if it would be better to pass or to fail.
“I’ve never punished you, Liza.”
God, how was he so good at reading her thoughts? Then she scoffed. “I beg to differ.”
“Those spankings were foreplay, not correction. You don’t want to discover what the difference is. So tonight, you are going to be my good girl.”
Liza stood there, letting the words sink in—really sink in—and then she just let it all go. There was no one in this bedroom except the two of them. They weren’t subject to societal norms, didn’t have to answer to judgmental pricks, didn’t have to hide their kinks, their darkest desires, their wildest fantasies. She didn’t have to use her public face, the one that revealed her as a strong, capable woman who took no shit. The idea of not having to try so hard, to analyze every action, every word, felt like a gift.
Right here, right now, with him, she could just be. Thinking wasn’t necessary. All she had to do was trust him and feel.
Matt must have noticed the change in her because he smiled, placing a soft kiss on her cheek. “There you are,” he whispered.
