Her champagne-colored bra was demure-understated and s.e.xy because of it. Her thong was nothing more than a sc.r.a.p of dark blue silk. Tonight, he knew, he'd make this woman his.

She reached back to unhook her bra then allowed the straps to fall down her shoulders. After shrugging, she tossed the bra on top of the dress.

"You've got great b.r.e.a.s.t.s, Lara. Have you ever worn nipple clamps?

"No."

The way she'd responded to his touch yesterday, he'd bet she'd enjoy them.

She removed her thong and tossed it on the pile.

"Before you kneel, please turn. Slowly."

A gorgeous pink colored her cheeks.

"Think of me," he reminded her. "Not yourself."

"That's not all that easy."

"Think of the feeling of accomplishment, then."

She shook her head but did as he said.

"Wait. Stop." Her back was to him. "I've got to look at your a.s.s." He imagined her closing her eyes or sighing. But it didn't matter since he couldn't see her reaction. "Spread your legs a little farther. Then grab your ankles."

"Maybe your other women were super flexible."

"Do your best. Your knees or calves are fine."

She managed to hold onto herself just above her ankles. Her hair touched the floor, and her p.u.s.s.y and a.s.s were on perfect display. And yet, he demanded more. "Reach back and spread your b.u.t.tocks for me."

Once she had, his b.a.l.l.s pulsed. "You asked once if I ever had regular s.e.x. This is why I don't. The way you respond, the way you're so gorgeously displayed for me... I would absolutely have no interest in having you just get into bed at the end of the day and lie there while you're thinking of something else. I have no interest in just sticking my d.i.c.k in you and getting off. I want this. I love seeing your body spread wide open for me. The sight of your a.s.shole..."

Her knees wobbled.

"And I'm imagining f.u.c.king it."

She released her grip.

"That's what you want, too. What you've been looking for. You told me before that you were left unfulfilled, wanting might have been your word. This... This, Lara. For today, just today, don't fight it. We owe it to ourselves before we sign the contract. Put aside your inhibitions, doubts, fear, and just go with the experience. Get everything possible out of it. Can you do that?"

Chapter Seven.

Lara considered her answer. His words-naughty and slightly dirty-aroused her, and that shocked her. He ordered her to do things she'd never done before, and they thrilled her. He was right. Until Connor, she'd been wanting more, wondering if her lackl.u.s.ter s.e.xual experiences were typical. But now...

She had to know.

He was offering her the opportunity to experience things she might otherwise know nothing about.

So far, the things they'd done had turned her on, even the spanking, and the slight sting from the harder single tail strike. Even if they ultimately didn't marry, she knew she'd be sorry if she missed this opportunity.

He was right that she wanted everything he'd mentioned, no matter how scandalous the suggestion.

He'd told her previously that being honest with herself might be her biggest challenge. She'd had no idea how prophetic those words were. "Yes," she admitted aloud.

"Give me today?"

She nodded.

"Good. Now kneel as if you're greeting me."

Lara had to focus on his instructions and ignore her embarra.s.sment. After what they'd shared and she'd just done, there couldn't be anything more to worry about.

She knelt, spread her knees wide, put her hands behind her neck then tipped her head back. A bit belatedly, she remembered to draw her shoulders together.

"Very nice."

Her hair flowed down her back and she stayed in position as he stood over her and looked down.

She avoided eye contact but not the awareness of his proximity and power...or that of her own arousal.

He slowly walked around her. Even though he'd done so in the kitchen, here, with her being naked, she experienced it in a whole new way.

When he was in front of her again, he stopped. "I like the way your body is open for me.

He crouched in front of her. Staying in position was more difficult than she could have imagined. Gently, he cupped her b.r.e.a.s.t.s.

She started to sway toward him, but caught herself.

"d.a.m.n." He took hold of her nipples and rolled them gently.

"Mmm," she said, the sound part moan, part plea.

Connor responded by tugging up on her nipples, pulling them away from her body.

It hurt, ached, but it also felt exquisite.

"You like that," he said.

She closed her eyes, just allowing herself to enjoy the moment.

"I'm going to slap your c.u.n.t."

In a moment of panic, she started to close her legs.

"What's your word if you need me to slow down?"

The question jolted her out of her momentary fear.

"Bring your head to neutral and look at me."

She took a steadying breath. He was right there, looking directly at her. At one time she'd thought his eyes were cold. Now the gray seemed molten. She drew strength from him as well as rea.s.surance.

He stroked a finger across her cheekbone. "What do you say if you're lost, need to connect, need a break?" he repeated.

"Yellow."

"And if you need to stop immediately?"

"Red."

"And where are you now?"

"I'm fine." Her voice sounded surprisingly strong. "A little apprehensive, honestly. I know it will hurt. But I'm willing to try."

"Have I asked you to do anything that's caused you more pain than pleasure?"

Even the single tail had been enjoyable. The sting had faded quickly. "No, Sir."

"Are you ready to continue?"

In that moment, she realized that he'd read her slight nervousness and had responded to it. He'd let her know what he was doing and made sure she was okay. "Yes." She nodded. "Yes, Sir. I am."

"Let's go back to where we were. I want you to give yourself over. Keep your body as relaxed as you can. Great posture, please, so that you're thrusting your b.r.e.a.s.t.s out. And tip your head back."

Chastened, she returned to the correct, open stance, and he started to torment her p.u.s.s.y. She was beginning to really understand his version of Dominance and how he ensured her compliance.

His touches, squeezes, pulls and the strokes against her swollen c.l.i.t all were starting to drive her mad. She could do nothing but endure. And, she admitted, enjoy.

Lara concentrated on her breathing and she closed her eyes. That seemed to help her stay focused.

He palmed her b.r.e.a.s.t.s again, teasing. He tugged on each nipple in turn, and he pulled them high. Little pulses of exquisite torture ran through her.

"Do you like that?"

"Yes, Sir." And she did. She'd never known how much.

"Most times, if we're having a scene, I'll keep you tied. Right now, I want you to work on keeping your arms where I told you. Consider that you're tied, by my will. More of a challenge, and you may have to fight your own reactions. But if you really can't endure this, you can move."

She felt him slide a dampened finger between her p.u.s.s.y folds and she rocked her hips forward a bit.

"That's it." In response, he moved his hand.

Lara groaned.

Her body began to shake as he brought her to the edge of an o.r.g.a.s.m and kept her there.

"I enjoy playing with you, little Lara, learning about your responses."

"This is incredible for me, Sir," she admitted. Part of her wanted to hold onto him, look at him, but another part felt free to just savor, not worrying about what he thought or what his facial expressions meant. This was what she had been hoping for when she'd played with a blindfold, the ability to simply experience rather than antic.i.p.ate what was next.

"Are you on the edge?"

"Right there," she admitted.

"What would it take? A little more pressure on a nipple?"

She couldn't give voice to the truth. That just a little more pain would tip her over the edge.

"Maybe my thumbnail across your c.l.i.t?"

In response to his vivid description, she jerked.

"A finger inside you? Two? Three? Forcing your c.u.n.t wider, letting me feel your G-spot?"

Lara pursed her lips to hold back a whimper. Even the suggestion was enough to make her mad.

"Maybe one up your a.s.s?"

All that. All of it.

He slapped her p.u.s.s.y, hard. She gasped, screamed, but no matter what, she stayed where she was, open, her arms behind her, available for his torment.

"I want your o.r.g.a.s.m," he ordered, words biting, as if sharpened by jagged gla.s.s. He slapped her again.

She screamed as she came.

"Gorgeous," he approved, catching her body as she pitched forward. "In every way."

"That..." Lara couldn't think.

"Put your arms around me."

She was only peripherally aware of doing what he said. As if it came from far away, she felt his soothing touch and absorbed his mumbled words of rea.s.surance. He stroked her hair, then put a hand behind her head to hold her protectively against his chest.

There was nowhere she would rather be.

It took her a few minutes for her breathing to regain its normal pattern. The whole time, Connor held onto her. Part of her never wanted him to let go.

"I think I liked that," she admitted. Eventually she pulled away. "When you first mentioned that you were going to slap me there-"

"On your c.u.n.t?"