Standing back, she admired the image of Marc stretched out before her, magnificently naked and at her mercy. A red stripe welted his thigh-Dio, that must hurt-serving as a reminder for him to behave. She hadn't done much to teach him discipline yet, though. He'd earned two more already, and she was certain they wouldn't be the last.

A surge of power coursed through her. Being the Dominant was heady stuff and more than a little sexy. His pecs were so taut and lickable she had to tear her gaze away to keep from indulging too soon.

His focus returned to her face, and he flexed his fingers. "I'll let you know if my hands tingle or anything else goes numb."

Angelina blinked. Crap. She'd forgotten to tell him to do that. Focus. Don't let him control this scene.

"Boy, you and I have been together long enough I shouldn't have to remind you of our safety precautions. Mistress is very disappointed that you have to be reminded about this. I count four times you've disobeyed me by looking directly at me. I already owe you three punishment stripes." Clearly, Marc would continue to top from the bottom unless she did something about it. "Might as well deliver those three now."

His legs jerked as if trying to protect his rigid penis. He should have thought about that before.

"Count for me, boy, and ask for the next."

The crop whistled through the air as she brought it down hard just an inch away from the first strike. At least she was moving away from his balls.

"I can't hear you."

He gritted the words out. "One, Mistress. May I have another?"

She brought the crop down again, only this time it hit the same spot as her first blow earlier. Marc fought the restraints and perspiration broke out on his upper lip. "Two. May I have another?"

Trying to go for new territory this time, she moved to the other side of the bed before delivering the third blow.

"Three, Mistress. Thank you."

He sounded anything but grateful, but he'd obeyed her. "Good boy."

Red welts raised on his thighs. She'd apply the lidocaine later.

Since he not only had trouble averting his gaze but also keeping his mouth shut, she returned to the toy bag and pulled out the new ball gag she'd found in her Christmas stocking. Marc hadn't used it on her yet, but he'd given it to her technically, so...

"You aren't putting that thing on me."

She turned to find him glaring at her. She hadn't intended to use the gag right away, but have it be a visual deterrent. Apparently, she would have to reconsider.

"You've earned five more lashes for not disciplining your eyes and five more for speaking without permission. To keep your thighs and backside from being raw by night's end and because I am a loving Dominant, I'm going to gag you." She crawled onto the mattress. "Open wide, Marc."

He glared at her, jaw clenched.

"I said, avert your eyes and open your mouth. Two more strikes. Don't continue to defy me. I need to concentrate on this scene, and you topping from the bottom is distracting."

"I'm not topping-just offering you some helpful suggestions."

Now Angelina clenched her teeth. "You have earned five more for sassing me. They will commence as soon as you put this on. Now. I said. Open wide. Boy. I'll give you a safe signal. Now, open."

He sobered, but his mouth remained closed.

"Eyes on me." He obeyed. "Be honest with me, Marc. What scares you about the gag?"

He remained silent for several moments. "I'm not scared."

"Your eyes disagree." Angelina understood Marc's fear of losing one of his coping mechanisms-that snarky mouth of his-but knew they'd reached a turning point in the scene. "Boy, the intent of this scene is for you to show you trust me. Therefore, as I see it, you have two choices. Either you use your safeword and we are finished with this scene, or you choose to trust me and let me continue. Which will it be?" He remained silent, defiance and fear mixed in his eyes. "That was a direct question, boy."

He glared at the ball gag for several long moments.

"I'll give you the clicker to hold for your safe signal when I apply the gag. If you click it, I'll remove the gag immediately and the scene will end, as if you'd spoken your safeword."

"Fine," he said grudgingly. "I'll take the ball gag."

Chapter Ten.

Trust me, Marc. Can't you please just trust me?

Angelina tried to hide her surprise, not expecting him to relent. "Good choice, boy."

"I want the clicker in my hand before you put the gag in place."

She had no desire to terrify him, though. Something about the ball gag scared him. She just wanted to get him to trust her. Maybe she could gain some ground here. "We'll continue this scene without the gag, if you behave." Marc's body relaxed into the mattress. "But if you start topping or speaking out again, I will use it. Understand?"

"I understand, Mistress. Thank you."

Angelina smiled and leaned over to place a kiss on his lips. Maybe by backing down on the gag she'd made giant leaps in earning his trust. That he would accept something that obviously terrified him for whatever reason gave her hope, as well.

When he kissed her back, she became momentarily distracted. Dio, the man knew how to make her weak in the knees.

She broke the kiss. "Mmmm. Thank you. Mistress is now very pleased with her boy."

His eyes twinkled when he smiled, but he quickly averted his gaze. To reward him, she reached down to stroke his penis.

Angelina straddled him and pressed her bare pussy against his erection. He pumped his hips against her core, and she closed her eyes, moaning. She reached for the top button of her shirt and undid it. When she opened her eyes, Marc's gaze lingered on her breasts waiting not-quite patiently for her to undo the next button. Well, at least he wasn't challenging her by looking her in the eye.

"Tell Mistress A what you need, boy."

He licked his lips. "I need to see Mistress's tits, so I can suck her nipples into my mouth, one at a time, until the peaks harden. Then I need to bite them until she screams for me."

Mio Dio. Her pussy muscles clenched. Well, she'd asked him a direct question and had gotten honesty in return. Drawing a deep breath, she undid another button and spread the flaps of the shirt open, tucking them around her breasts like a sling. As she leaned forward, she reached out to hold onto the headboard, dangling a breast just in front of his face like a ripe apple hanging from a tree.

"Suck Mistress's tit, boy."

When her left breast was still an inch or two from his mouth, Marc raised his head to grab her nipple between his teeth, tugging at her breast. Her clit spasmed, stimulated not merely by his sucking but also by his throbbing penis pressed against the tiny nubbin.

Marc's tongue flicked against the captured peak, and she moaned.

"Bite me, boy." His teeth bit into the engorged tip and she screamed. "Oh, Dio, yes! Again." He bit down harder and pulled her breast with his teeth as he laid his head back on the pillow. When her breast plopped out of his mouth, she looked down at him, and he smiled.

"Put my cock inside your pussy, pet. Now."

She almost reached down to comply but stopped and glared at him. "Who gives the orders tonight, boy?"

Marc's body grew rigid, but his cock bobbed against her hidden entrance, making her wish she could just do as he'd commanded. It was what they both wanted, but he hadn't earned that reward yet.

He turned his gaze from her chest to the mattress. "You do, Mistress. I'm sorry. Quite sorry, actually, as I'm sure you must be."

He only sounded sorry that she hadn't followed through on his command.

"What did I say about sassing your Mistress?"

His gaze went to the ball gag lying a few feet away on the bed. He paused a long, tense moment. "Do as you must, Mistress."

She didn't miss the flash of fear in his eyes nor the arrogant dare. Did he think she wouldn't do it? As his Domme, she had to follow through on any promises if she wanted him to come to trust her in the slightest. What did he fear so much about the gag? For her, the ball gag was a major annoyance, but something about it really scared Marc.

As his Domme tonight, if she could get him to trust her enough to let her do something that scared him so much, maybe they would be able to make some headway toward breaking down some of the barriers lying between them. But he had yet to relinquish control.

She silenced him with a scathing glare. "I've given you ample opportunities to behave. You were told to only speak if I ask a direct question, so you also know what you've forced me to do."

He smiled at her and relaxed again. "Your boy understands and thanks Mistress for her patience."

With a sigh, Angelina got off the bed and returned to the toy bag. She ought to just bring the whole damned bag up onto the bed but hoped this was the last thing she'd need to retrieve for this scene. How did Marc seem to know everything he'd need and have it at the ready for their scenes? Being the Dominant partner was damned hard work.

She found the clicker from a long-forgotten board game. She'd used the noisemaker as her own safe signal several times in the past and took it to him, placing it in his right hand.

"Click it, and we stop. Immediately. Do you understand you have a safe signal now?"

He paused a moment then nodded. "Yes, Mistress."

She almost expected him to click it immediately, but he held on until his knuckles turned white. Straddling his waist again, she pressed the gag against his mouth. He didn't open at first, not even a tiny bit. She wiggled her ass against his erect penis to distract him. Slowly, he opened his mouth, and she pressed the red ball against his teeth but couldn't insert it between them.

"Open wider and rest your tongue flat on the bottom of your mouth." She knew how uncomfortable it would be in short order if his tongue wasn't positioned properly. He did as she commanded, but when he began to panic, taking short, shallow breaths, she backed off with the gag. "Deep breath." He ignored her. "Now, boy. Don't make me repeat myself."

Marc inhaled deeply through his nose. When he released the breath, the air felt warm at first and then chilled her bare, wet nipple. She wanted his mouth on her again but helping him overcome his fear of the gag was her main objective, not her own satisfaction. "Again."

What were some of the things Marc had done to help her get over her own anxieties? He touched her a lot, spoke softly to her.

"Good boy. Keep breathing through your nose." Of course, he knew how to breathe with a gag in his mouth. She just didn't want him to let the anxiety get the better of him again. She knew firsthand that remembering to breathe was the first thing to go out the window when she grew anxious. She tried to remember how Grant had handled some of her male subs, but they tended to be less intimidating than Marc.

Angelina stretched out beside him, draping her arm and leg over him. When he jerked his legs, she remembered the stripes on his thighs and removed her leg. "I know this isn't easy for you, boy, but Mistress is proud of you for trusting her." Her words of praise had the same effect on him as his often had on her. He relaxed.

"Now, we're going to proceed."

He nodded.

"That's my good boy." She straddled him again. "Lift your head." He complied without hesitation. She stroked his cheek, satisfied that he'd gotten his anxiety under control again and trusted her enough to do this. She maneuvered the ball between his teeth with little resistance this time, wrapping the strap around his head and tightening it. "How does that feel? Nod if you're doing okay." He nodded. Good. She tried not to laugh at the image of him with the gag in his mouth. His male ego would so not appreciate that.

Oh, hell. Gags could be messy. She should have thought about that before. Humiliation wasn't her goal tonight. "Mistress will be right back. I just need to get something for you from the bathroom."

Angelina scooted off the bed and ran to the bathroom to get a washcloth and a tube of toothpaste for later, scurrying back to him. His gaze was on the bathroom doorway waiting anxiously for her to return, but he averted his eyes immediately. Did he not trust her to return?

He obviously wasn't going to obey her either, so she walked over to the dresser drawer and opened it, retrieving the kelly-green resistance band her oldest brother Rafe had given her. He'd refused to do any more physical therapy with it on his leg after an injury during a fire call four months ago. She'd been using the stretchy latex band to build the muscles in her arms and legs.

Now it would serve as a blindfold. Having Marc continue to challenge her authority with his gaze was preventing her from maintaining Dominant authority over him.

Taking the ends of the band, she returned to the bed, ignoring his frown as she straddled his chest. "We both will enjoy this scene better if you can't see what's coming. As you know, sensations are so much more intense when one or more senses are removed." She wondered if he remembered telling her something similar when he blindfolded her in her bedroom in Aspen Corners that first time. He captured her gaze with his and held it, defiant to the end.

"You just earned five more lashes for looking at me." He tensed, but she planned to use the flogger for some of these. His skin would be raw otherwise. Amazing that, even after she'd shown him how hard she would deliver the punishment blows, he still wouldn't obey.

Stubborn, stubborn man.

Though his eyes blistered her with defiance, she stood her ground. After a tense standoff, he closed his eyes and raised his head off the pillow, allowing her to tie the blindfold around his head. The shift in authority as she removed yet another of his defense mechanisms gave her a sense of power she'd rarely felt. She adjusted it over the bridge of his nose, preventing him from being able to see what she was doing.

Trust me, baby.

Angelina stood and stared down at Marc's gorgeous, restrained body. Where to begin? First, something simple. She stood up beside the bed and picked up the deer-hide flogger. She wanted to warm his skin with the thuddy implement before setting it on fire with erotic tingling and a mixture of sting and thud with the nylon chain flogger later. Soon she'd have him begging for more. For her.

Well, not verbally begging.

She smiled.

She'd been on the receiving end of this implement many times. Marc was an expert, but he'd let her practice with it a few times and had pointed out where her technique was lacking.

Taking the wrapped handle, she dragged the soft falls over his chest and abdomen, working around his penis to his thighs. He clenched his fists when they touched his welted skin but relaxed within seconds. She lifted the flogger off him and began swishing the falls in the air, coming closer and closer to his skin each time but not touching. Surely he felt the breeze the motion created and heard the sound, though. He held his body rigid, as if waiting for the first impact. But when it didn't come, he relaxed. She'd made that mistake many times, letting down her guard too soon.

Flick, flick, flick.

When she struck his sides and pecs the first time, he raised up his chest as if to meet the falls. His nips enlarged as she repeatedly struck them, light at first, then harder. He clenched his fists but seemed to be enjoying it, if his bobbing erection was any indication. Over and over, she flicked the deer-hide tips against his skin. His olive skin turned a dusty rose. Time for the nylon-chain flogger. She switched the softer flogger to her left hand and moved down his body, flicking him with the harsher falls, bypassing his balls and penis. She flicked his striped thighs, and he hissed at the impact on his now-sensitive skin.

Angelina walked around to the other side of the bed and, at first, just stroked him with the soft falls of the flogger. Then she began lashing him again. As she drew closer to his penis, it bobbed in the air, seeking contact with the leather. Precum dripped from the tip of his erection. She began to lash his balls ever so lightly at first, then harder. His hips jerked away as much as they could move, which wasn't very far. This he didn't enjoy.

"Lie still. Mistress didn't give you permission to move."

She smacked the flogger across his balls with a thud, and he jumped, groaning through the gag.

"Quiet. Mistress knows what her boy needs."

Dio, I hope so, anyway.

As she let the falls thud more heavily against his penis and balls, he hissed. Deciding to give him a rest, she brought the flogger down in an overhand motion onto his chest. He jerked his torso up when they slapped against his nipples again. Ah, so her boy wanted more play there.

"Lie still." She hoped her voice sounded firm, but it was difficult to contain her happiness at bringing him excitement. He seemed to enjoy having his nipples stimulated.

Happy to oblige, she laid the flogger on the bed and walked over to the toy bag. "I know just the thing." She rooted around a bit. "This should do the trick." She knew he couldn't see what she'd found, but anticipation was good for him. His nips were smaller than hers, but these alligator nipple clamps would exert enough pressure to make him squirm-and he'd squirm even more later on when she removed them. She wondered if her man's nips were as sensitive as hers.