Page 32 of Bought

I could feel the spark of interest inside me catch alight, the dominant wanting more, wanting to peel her apart and study her, find out where exactly her vulnerabilities lay and why. Explore them. Crack that armor of hers and show her how to build it again into something stronger and more flexible. Less brittle.

Then teach her that she didn’t have to be afraid, that she could explore her desires, and that I would show her just how much pleasure that beautiful body of hers was capable of. It was a rush doing that for a sub and it had been a long time since I’d felt it.

You were supposed to give her a taste of what being yours would be like in the hope of scaring her off.

Except while she’d been scared, she hadn’t run. I’d treated her the way I treated all my subs, by demanding absolute obedience, though I’d allowed her some leeway to give her time to adjust, and still she’d given me sass.

The threat of punishment had frightened her, yet that hadn’t stopped her from disobeying me. She wanted my attention, that was obvious, even though she was afraid of it.

Interesting little sub.

I was hooked, I couldn’t deny it, and in a way I hadn’t been in far too long.

If it had been a different night and I hadn’t been so worried about my daughter, I would have ended things immediately. But it wasn’t a different night. I needed a distraction and this little one with her combination of vulnerability, bravery, and fire was perfect.

So I stood by the bed and took my time, looking at her, listening to the sounds of her breathing, because eventually, she’d realize that shutting her eyes was a mistake. That she should have kept them open to make sure she knew where I was at all times and so she could see what I was doing. But she hadn’t and so now all she had was her brain feeding her all sorts of wild fantasies. She could open her eyes, of course, but I knew she wouldn’t, not when that would be giving in.

Satisfaction shifted inside me. A satisfaction I hadn’t felt in far too long. I loved using a sub’s own brain to tangle them up since it made everything so much more intense for them.

I didn’t move and didn’t speak, giving her no clue as to where I was, taking my time to examine her.

A pretty, feminine little sub, with generous breasts and rounded hips and thighs. Her pale skin was flushed with desire now and her pink nipples had hardened; she was aroused by me looking at her.

I wasn’t a fan of tattoos, but hers in no way detracted from her loveliness. They were pretty — those stars falling down one forearm, a delicate flower on her side, a little black cat curled up on the inside of her wrists. I wanted to know what they meant.

This is a taste for her, not you, remember?

Oh, I wouldn’t forget. I wasn’t going to let her get under my skin.

I bent over her, putting my palms carefully down on either side of her head and leaning on them. Letting her feel the pressure of my gaze. Her pale lashes fluttered, but she didn’t open her eyes.

I remained still, staring at her face, noting the dusting of pale freckles across her nose and her silvery brows. Her straight nose and her lush, kissable mouth. She was very lovely.

The pulse at the base of her throat was racing and as I watched, her white teeth sunk into her bottom lip. She knew I was there; she knew I was looking at her, and she was getting off on it.

That pleased me. That pleased me very much.

I lifted a hand and touched that pulse, pressing my fingertips lightly to the warm skin of her throat, hearing her gasp aloud and watching her whole body tighten with reaction.

She was very aware of me.

I ran my finger down from her throat to between her breasts, goosebumps rising on her skin. “Responsive,” I murmured approvingly. “That’s good.”

Taking my finger away, I gently cupped one breast in my palm, weighing it with care. She gave another delicate shudder, a sound escaping her. “Your breast fills my hand perfectly,” I told her. “Very satisfactory.”

Given the way she was biting her lip, I could see she wanted to say something yet was holding herself back. She was obeying me, which pleased me, but not so much if she was holding back from saying her safe word.

“Did you want to say something?” I asked, to be certain. “Your safe word, perhaps? You don’t have to wait for me to speak to you if so.”

She shook her head, yet her muscles were tense. Not discomfort then. Or maybe there was discomfort, but also desire.

Her nipples had hardened still further, so I brushed my thumb over one. It was only a light touch, not even a pinch, yet she shifted restlessly beneath my hand.

Good. That was very good. I liked how responsive to me she was.

I took my hand from her breast and trailed my fingers down her stomach, feeling the muscles beneath her skin tense, her breathing getting shaky. She shifted again.

“No,” I murmured. “Don’t move.”