hungry.”
“No doubt. What did I tell you yesterday?”
She flicked a glance at him, but said nothing. Today he wore plain gray sweatpants, a black T-shirt and athletic shoes. The fabric clung to his shoulders and followed the outline of his flat abs. The material in his pants draped over his package. Her gaze settled on the shape of his penis under the loose fabric. Her mouth went dry.
“Your time at Sweet Discipline is going to be difficult until you lose some bad habits.
It’s your choice. Easy way or hard way.”
“ Sweet Discipline , my ass! They should have called it Abandon Hope Spa .”
He chuckled. “I see your sense of humor hasn’t deserted you. You’re going to need it.”
She needed more than that. She needed to feel good about what she was doing. She needed encouragement and support, but he made her feel small. Last night, she’d fallen asleep reminding herself of her goals, and bolstering her resolution to do whatever it took to lose her weight and gain control of her life. And here she was, on her knees, feeling humiliated and awkward.
“You are to be naked in my presence,” he reminded her.
“You have your clothes on,” she retorted.
“Stand up. Go brush your teeth and come back naked.”
A few minutes later, she found him in the training room. He pointed to the floor at his feet. Reminding herself that she’d leave here skinny and sexy, she took her position at his feet.
He lifted a foot and placed it on her neck. She felt the treads on the sole of his shoe as he pressed her body down. She put out her hands to balance herself but he had her nose to the floor in an instant.
He kept her in that humiliating position while he spoke in a dry, unemotional voice.
“It takes several days to make new habits. At the rate you’re going, it may take you a week or more, but you’ll make them.”
“Okay, okay. You made your point.”
“The question is, Norris, are you going to fight me every inch of the way, or submit?”
His foot grew heavier on her neck by the second. Her instincts yelled, Fight, fight !
Her ego refused to let him get the better of her. This wasn’t learning new habits. This was cruelty. Sadist! She squirmed. She hadn’t signed up for this. She wanted to be thin and in control of her eating, but this was too much!
36
Sweet Discipline
He waited. Her breasts, squashed to the floor, hurt. Her ass, pointing up to the ceiling, quivered. Her practical side reminded her of the charge on her credit card.
She gulped. “Okay, you win.”
His foot didn’t move. “You submit to me? Say it.”
She couldn’t move her head, couldn’t move. She was forced to say the words.
“Yes.” She swallowed. “I submit to you.”
The pressure on her neck eased immediately as he lifted his foot, but came back on her ass as he moved his foot there and crushed it to the floor.
“Don’t move.” He cautioned her. “Not until I tell you.”
She nodded.
“What is the rule about eating?”
“Wait until you tell me to,” she answered, her voice small but rebellious.
“And about the food you eat?”
“Only what you tell me to eat.”
“What is the rule about speaking?”
“Only when you give me permission.”
“Very good. Will you remember all that?”
“Yes.”
He removed his foot. “You may kneel.”
She scrambled to her knees, lowered her head, straightened her back and placed her hands, palms up, on her thighs.
“Very good.” His voice was still emotionless. “Stand and go to the mat.”
She waited by the mat for further instructions.
“We will begin with some basic exercises. Stretches first.”
He led her through the routine, correcting her stance, pushing her until her muscles relaxed and lengthened. She panted and muttered under her breath.
“Stop.”
Gratefully, she crumpled onto the mat, breathing hard.
“You are out of shape.” He said it without expression, but she winced.
“Get up. Drink some water.” He pointed at a small
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