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“I said I’m not wearing underwear,” I blurted, probablyloud enough for the rest of the house to hear. My face burned, and I hid it in the bedding. “Leggings show panty lines, and so I just skipped them.”
Gabe froze and then ran his hand gently over my butt. I wiggled, wanting to break away but also getting wetter by the second. “I bet that’s why I can scent your arousal so much clearer today,” he said in a strangled voice. “Take them off, Ella.”
His voice was so firm, and insistent. My wolf begged me to listen. Slowly, I stood and reached for the waistband of the leggings. I hesitated, not wanting to give him a show in the process. I turned to the side so my sex was obstructed and pulled them off with one fluid motion. Without a word, I settled back on his lap, though I could feel his hardness through his jeans this time. I squirmed against it, trying to get comfortable.
“Goddess, Ella,” Gabe moaned. “If you keep that up, you’ll get more than just a punishment out of this.”
I froze. I had been around plenty of naked men in my life. That was part of being a shifter, having to see other people nude occasionally. But I had never looked at their genitals. Besides basic mechanics, I had no idea really what to expect from the physical side of being mated.
If the bulge in Gabe’s jeans was any indication, I’m pretty sure it wouldn’t even fit inside of me. Not that I was going to try.
Gabe took a shaky breath and rested his hand on my backside, this time directly on my skin. “I’m going to give you ten with my hand, okay? I want you to count for me.”
I was thinking about arguing when the first one landed. I cried out, wanting it to stop already.
“Count, Ella,” Gabe reminded me.
“One,” I said miserably. How was I going to make it to ten?
Whap.“Two!” I hollered.
It went on like that all the way to ten. I called out the last number in between sobs. Gabe started massaging my cheeks, and I was too upset to feel embarrassed, so I let him.
“Shhhh,” he said, pulling me into his arms. “It’s all done, Ella. You did great. And I think you’ll remember this the next time you want to disobey.”
The next time?That was enough to break off my tears and had me up searching for my pants. Gabe reached for me and let his arm drop when I made no attempt to return to him.
“This is important for us, Ella,” he said. “Let me comfort you and remind you that I love you.”
“What? What did you say?” I asked, blinking. Clearly, I had misheard him.
Gabe frowned. “Aftercare is important. Your punishment was warranted, but things between us will always return to normal afterward. The punishment acts like a reset. Don’t you want to cuddle or…aren’t you, you know?”
I stared at him blankly.
“Aren’t you turned on, too?” His cheeks were red.
The truth was I was turned on. He could probably tell that, too, if his nostrils flaring were any indication. But all that didn’t matter. Gabe had just told me he loves me, despite having an attachment to Samantha.
“I went to the diner today,” I said evenly. I pulled up theleggings, refusing to have this conversation naked. “I went with Mariam and Justine after the hair appointment. Samantha was there.”
“Okay,” he said slowly. “How is she? I would have taken you to meet her, you know. I just haven’t had a chance.”
I snorted. “I’m sure that would’ve been a million times more awkward, so I’m glad you weren’t there. Just know that everything is fine. I’m fine with it, really. None of this changes anything.”
I gestured to Gabe and myself, hoping he’d take the hint and not make me say out loud that being bare-butt naked and having him spank and caress my body wouldn’t come between him and the other female.
Thankfully, he nodded. “I agree. This doesn’t change anything. That’s what I was trying to say, anyway.”
“Okay, then. I need to change and find Mariam, so if you wouldn’t mind….” I nodded to the door, and he seemed to get the hint, though he looked bewildered.
“You’re really not mad? Everything between us is okay?”
“Yes,” I said, exasperated. “And it doesn’t have to be weird for you and Mariam, either. I mean, you two can still be friends.”
This earned me a laugh, which felt like a knife twisting in my gut. “Okay, I’m glad to hear that, too. I’ll see you in a little while, Ella.”
I closed the door, not trusting myself to answer. For some unknown reason, I was on the verge of tears.
