The pressure in her chest lightened. He really wanted her to stay. He hadn’t said he loved her, but it was a beginning. She leaned back and peered up at him. “I’m sorry, but I’ve been so confused. When I saw you kissing her, I just…”

He gave her a hard look. “Yes, I know what you thought.” Some of the warmth left his face. “Yet, as always, you were so very controlled. You did not stay and demand answers. You did not make a scene. You might have lost your precious control.”

The accusation hurt. “You have no idea how I felt…”

“No, I do not. How could I? You left.” His hands came up to her shoulders. She could feel a new tension in him. “Tell me,sherree, what would happen if you gave up that control of yours. Why does it frighten you so much? Would it be so terrible?”

Unease spread through her body. Where was he going with his comments? “I don’t know.”

He shook his head. “I think you do. I think you cannot trust enough to give that much of yourself. You say you love me, but do you trust me enough to truly lose all control with me? To show me yourself?”

He was scaring her, but she was honest enough to admit he could be right. The safe thing to do would be to take a step back from him and end this discussion now. She wasn’t going to do it. She was through playing it safe. “I don’t know, but I’ll try.”

His smile held a cruel edge. She knew he wasn’t going to make it easy for her, not when she had hurt him so badly this morning. “Then we shall see.”

Liken turned from her, not wanting her to see the hope on his face. Would she really give him her trust? Thoughts of her dark fantasies flashed through his mind. Walking across the room, he sat down on the couch. “Remove your clothing. Now.” His voice was firm, as if he expected some resistance.

She felt a shimmer of nerves. To her embarrassment, she could feel a growing arousal at his tone. He was going to try to take control and dominate her sexually, she knew. It went against her every feminist principle, but the thought didn’t stop the warmth spreading through her. She wanted him. Even more, she wanted him like this.

Taking a deep breath, she brought her hands to her blouse and drew it over her head. She tossed it to the floor. She could feel his heated eyes watching her every movement. Her nipples tightened under his gaze. She bent down and hurriedly began to take off the skirt.

His voice was cool and distant, a direct contrast to the heat in his eyes. “Turn around. Take it off slowly.”

She turned around and began sliding the skirt over her hips. She was left only in her skimpy panties, facing away from him. She turned around to see his face.

“I did not tell you to turn around,sherree, did I?” He sounded angry.

She shook her head. “I just wanted…”

His smile made her nerves jump again. “I know what you want. I have been inside that mind of yours, remember? You have quite an interesting fantasy life. I believe it is time for us to explore some of those dark little secrets.” He motioned her forward. “Come to me.”

As she walked across the room, she was acutely aware of her exposed body. At the mention of her fantasies, a dark thrill had gone through her. She could feel herself blushing. Stopping in front of him, she waited for his next move.

“So willing,sherree. I am impressed.” His voice was faintly mocking. He grew serious again. “Lay facedown across my lap.”

No, she wasn’t going to do it. She could feel the moistness between her thighs and was mortified. She was not going to lie across his lap. Would he really spank her because she had turned around? Or because of her distrust this morning? Shame warred with arousal. She shook her head.

His eyes were as hard as his voice. “Do it.”

Cheeks burning, she shook her head. “No.”

Reaching out roughly, he pulled her downward until she collapsed on his lap. Squirming, she tried to break free, but he was too strong. Eventually, she found herself draped across his lap, staring down at the floor. She protested. “This is ridiculous. Let me up. What do you think you’re doing? Are you crazy?”

The hard pressure of his hand on her back kept her down. His other hand came down with a light tap on her ass. “Be still.”

She was shocked. He’d actually done it. She went still from surprise.

She heard his low chuckle. “Very good,sherree.” He raised his hand and delivered another couple of smacks. He wasn’t hurting her, but she felt her bottom begin to grow warm. With a sense of embarrassment, she felt the wetness between her legs grow, too. She squirmed.

The hand on her back grew heavier as he kept her in place. “You still think you have some choice, I see. Perhaps I should make myself clearer.” She felt a tug on each side of her panties as he released the strings. Then, cool air brushed against the warm cheeks of her bottom as he lifted the back of the panties away. She was exposed.

She felt his rough hand lightly caress one pink cheek. Suddenly, he moved his hand up and he began lightly spanking her again. The minor sting of his hand was nothing compared to the heat blooming inside her. She couldn’t understand it. She was trembling with excitement and nerves.

Suddenly, he stopped. His hand lightly traced her bottom. His voice sounded husky, but it was still firm. “At this moment, you are wondering what I will do to you. What you will let me do to you.”

His hand moved lower and he trailed one finger along the wetness of her thighs. “You are so wet.” Her body tensed as he lazily drew that finger upward toward her sex. He teased her swollen lips and then probed gently inside. With a moan, she went limp.

“That’s it,sherree. I can feel your walls clinging to me. Tighten around my finger.” He brought the rest of his fingers under her and began circling her clit. It was exquisite torture. She felt him pressing and playing with her. The finger inside her began moving in and out. She let out a whimper of need. It felt so good, but she wanted his hard cock in place of his finger.

Bringing her head up and turning, she could see his hard cock straining within his pants. “I want you inside me.”

He withdrew his finger from inside her and trailed it along her swollen lips again. “Do you?” His finger left a trail of wetness in its wake as it slowly climbed upward between the cheeks of her bottom. Reaching the tight bud of her ass, he lightly touched the knot of nerves. “Where?”

Oh no. She was not into anal sex. No way. Her body tensed instinctively. She made a strangled sound of protest.

He laughed. “Nervous,sherree? I am in control here, remember? You have no control. I can fuck you any way I like.” He continued to tickle that tight ring of nerves with light strokes of his wet finger.

Her sudden twisting motion away from him nearly sent her sprawling to the floor. She landed on her knees and began to stand up. Her panties fell away, and she was naked, standing in front of him. Like lightening, he grabbed her hips and brought her forward to his mouth. Her knees wentweakas she felt the stroking heat of his tongue across her clit. She closed her eyes and her head went back. It was too much. He sucked and circled, and probed delicately until she was moaning with the pleasure. Suddenly, the incredible sensations stopped. She opened her eyes.

Liken stood and looked at her with the eyes of a hungry predator. She took an instinctive step backward in surprise. He smiled. He took a step forward and then grabbed her. His movements were rough, but the hands on her arms were gentle as he turned her and walked her around to the back of the chair. Pushing her facedown over the back of it, he put one hand on her back to hold her down.

The rustle of his clothing as he unbuttoned his pants was the only sound in the room. With no other warning, his hard cock thrust into her aching sex. He began pumping in and out of her roughly. She felt her whole body catch fire. She began to push her hips back against him to meet his strokes. He brought one hand down into stinging contact with her bottom. His voice was firm. “No.”