for me to show you just what you will expect, experience, and enjoy as my mistress. Take the gown off.”
C HAPTER S EVEN
He waited.
“Did you not hear?” He deliberately made his voice harsh.
“I heard.” He could tell she knew she was insolent in her manner. Her eyes gave her away. “I was making my considered decision.”
“I trust...” His tone was scathing. “That has now been made? And in your own time you will apprise me of it?”
Hah. Why did she like to tweak the tail of the tiger? For she knew it took a lot for him to lose that legendary temper of his. Also that on the rare occasions he did, grown men were known to seek cover. She, however, was continuing to provoke him, and his tail was lashing.
He wondered what he would do if she called his bluff. For he might like to dominate, but he was no true dominant. Coercer, persuader, encourager, yes. But dominant, as some people he knew were? No, never that. His dominance was definite, detailed, but limited to what he wished. That this was nowhere near what a true dominant desired or demanded neither bothered him nor made him wonder why. Ashley was truly comfortable in his own body. Usually. Now his greatest desire was to be comfortable in hers. Ever since his visit from an ill-at-ease Barnes, the newspaper owner, and that astonishing announcement from his—as he thought—contented fiancée, his libido had been rising, intrigued and demanding knowledge of what she wanted.
As he now was mistress-less, it amused him to think he could have both that and a wife—for whatever she said, she would not renege on that agreement—he would make sure of it—in one persona. Perhaps, he mused, as he continued to watch her tussle with herself, the way to keep a husband from straying is to be a wife and lady in the drawing room and a licentious whore in the bedroom, as Ivo had commented.
Still, she stood close, hardly touching. But she made no move to disrobe, merely studied his face, her own expressionless. Time to force the issue.
“By your lack of compliance, do I take it you are no longer desirous of pandering to my every whim? You wish not to service me, how and when I please? Then, my dear, I will go and continue with the plans for our nuptials...” he paused, ready to take the biggest risk so far in all of this risky business. “And, I bid you goodnight.” He bowed, making sure she could not read his eyes, and turned.
He had taken but two steps.
“Stop.” Her voice was shaky but unwavering. He stood but did not turn. “I accept. I will do as you ask.”
Without haste, he changed direction and raised an eyebrow. “Be my wife?”
“No.” Now her voice was determined. Slowly, she smiled a smile both mischievous and full of promise, and her hands moved to the front of her gown. “No, my lord. I am not to be a passing thought in your mind. I am to fill your mind. During every waking moment you will think of me, lust for me. During your sleep, your dreams will be of me, of filling me, and exploring our desires. I will be a mistress and more. I will be your nemesis and your soul.”
That was an intriguing description.
“Nemesis? Of what? For what?”
Her eyes bored into him, and he could see the passion flaring.
“Nemesis? For your lack of thought for me as a person. Your soul, so I am totally thought of by you as a person.”
“Adriana, I am not trying to ridicule you, or think less of you.” Ashley was aghast she may think so. “I am worshipping your body.”
Her lips twitched, at odds with the fire he saw in her eyes.
“Then, my lord, perchance you could worship my body with your body and not just your mind?”
***
Would he? What would be his next move?
Riana could feel his eyes boring into her. She felt herself grow wet and wondered for the n-th time whether she knew what she was letting herself in for. Well, Riana, she admonished herself as she considered the man in front of her, if it is not to your taste, there is no one else to
C HAPTER S EVEN
He waited.
“Did you not hear?” He deliberately made his voice harsh.
“I heard.” He could tell she knew she was insolent in her manner. Her eyes gave her away. “I was making my considered decision.”
“I trust...” His tone was scathing. “That has now been made? And in your own time you will apprise me of it?”
Hah. Why did she like to tweak the tail of the tiger? For she knew it took a lot for him to lose that legendary temper of his. Also that on the rare occasions he did, grown men were known to seek cover. She, however, was continuing to provoke him, and his tail was lashing.
He wondered what he would do if she called his bluff. For he might like to dominate, but he was no true dominant. Coercer, persuader, encourager, yes. But dominant, as some people he knew were? No, never that. His dominance was definite, detailed, but limited to what he wished. That this was nowhere near what a true dominant desired or demanded neither bothered him nor made him wonder why. Ashley was truly comfortable in his own body. Usually. Now his greatest desire was to be comfortable in hers. Ever since his visit from an ill-at-ease Barnes, the newspaper owner, and that astonishing announcement from his—as he thought—contented fiancée, his libido had been rising, intrigued and demanding knowledge of what she wanted.
As he now was mistress-less, it amused him to think he could have both that and a wife—for whatever she said, she would not renege on that agreement—he would make sure of it—in one persona. Perhaps, he mused, as he continued to watch her tussle with herself, the way to keep a husband from straying is to be a wife and lady in the drawing room and a licentious whore in the bedroom, as Ivo had commented.
Still, she stood close, hardly touching. But she made no move to disrobe, merely studied his face, her own expressionless. Time to force the issue.
“By your lack of compliance, do I take it you are no longer desirous of pandering to my every whim? You wish not to service me, how and when I please? Then, my dear, I will go and continue with the plans for our nuptials...” he paused, ready to take the biggest risk so far in all of this risky business. “And, I bid you goodnight.” He bowed, making sure she could not read his eyes, and turned.
He had taken but two steps.
“Stop.” Her voice was shaky but unwavering. He stood but did not turn. “I accept. I will do as you ask.”
Without haste, he changed direction and raised an eyebrow. “Be my wife?”
“No.” Now her voice was determined. Slowly, she smiled a smile both mischievous and full of promise, and her hands moved to the front of her gown. “No, my lord. I am not to be a passing thought in your mind. I am to fill your mind. During every waking moment you will think of me, lust for me. During your sleep, your dreams will be of me, of filling me, and exploring our desires. I will be a mistress and more. I will be your nemesis and your soul.”
That was an intriguing description.
“Nemesis? Of what? For what?”
Her eyes bored into him, and he could see the passion flaring.
“Nemesis? For your lack of thought for me as a person. Your soul, so I am totally thought of by you as a person.”
“Adriana, I am not trying to ridicule you, or think less of you.” Ashley was aghast she may think so. “I am worshipping your body.”
Her lips twitched, at odds with the fire he saw in her eyes.
“Then, my lord, perchance you could worship my body with your body and not just your mind?”
***
Would he? What would be his next move?
Riana could feel his eyes boring into her. She felt herself grow wet and wondered for the n-th time whether she knew what she was letting herself in for. Well, Riana, she admonished herself as she considered the man in front of her, if it is not to your taste, there is no one else to
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