Total pages in book: 153
Estimated words: 155903 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 780(@200wpm)___ 624(@250wpm)___ 520(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 155903 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 780(@200wpm)___ 624(@250wpm)___ 520(@300wpm)
Gradually, she found herself able to breathe easier again. She stared down at him in shock.
“You’re all right, baby. I know this is overwhelming. I can be a bit overbearing sometimes.”
A bit?
“But I’ve changed my mind.”
Wait? What? No! She hadn’t meant it when she said that she didn’t want this.
“I like you working here. Where I can keep a close eye on you. In fact I think it’s time we made it more permanent. Let the agency know that you’re no longer on their books.”
“Really?” she asked.
“Yes.”
Oh, thank God. Relief flooded her.
“I swear I’m going gray dealing with you every day,” she muttered.
There was a beat of silence.
Oh fuck. She was dead.
This was the reason she shouldn’t have come in this morning. When she was tired, she tended to just say whatever she thought.
Bad, bad idea.
18
“Is that so?” he drawled.
“No! No, it’s not so. I’m sorry, I don’t know why I said that.”
“Yes, I definitely need you close so I can keep an eye on you. You need someone to care for you. I can see how much you want it.”
God, she wanted that. She should be telling him no.
Would he fire her?
Maybe.
But that wasn’t her reason for not saying anything.
No, it’s because you want this.
Because he’s right.
Do not tell him that. Do not.
She knew this wouldn’t last. A man like Reuben Jones didn’t tie himself to someone like her forever.
But perhaps she could figure out what she’d always been missing with Matt.
“Attention on me,” he warned. “I don’t know where your mind keeps wandering off to, but if you keep doing it, I’m going to keep pulling you back.”
She licked her lips.
“Do you want this, baby? Now is the time to tell me no if you don’t.”
Was he really giving her an out?
Which meant she truly had to think this through. Did she want it?
Yes.
Was she brave enough to tell him that?
Probably not.
“You won’t fire me either way?”
“I will not. I know I’m the one in the position of power, and I won’t lie, I like to use that to my advantage. But your job is safe either way. And I promise this won’t be all rules and discipline. You’ll like being mine, baby girl. I take good care of what belongs to me.”
That was partly what she was afraid of. When he decided he was sick of her . . . would she survive?
But, on the other hand, would she regret it for the rest of her life if she didn’t say yes?
“Yes. I want to be yours,” she said, for one not overthinking her options.
Oh, that smile of his was wicked. And it had her pressing her thighs together.
“Good girl,” he murmured. “I’m so proud of you.”
Oh no.
She could feel the tears welling. When was the last time someone had told her that?
“Now, back to your punishment for disobeying me and coming in early today.”
“You can’t give it to me here!” she cried. Faith was having trouble keeping up with his changes in mood and conversation.
He raised his eyebrows. “Why not?”
“B-because we’re at work. We should really keep work and our personal life separate.”
Holy heck.
Was she really going to have a personal life with him? What did any of this even mean?
He didn’t want to date her. This wasn’t going to follow a conventional path.
Nope.
This was about as unconventional as it got.
“I tell you what, I’m going to give you two choices for this punishment since it’s your first and you’re clearly worried.”
Wow. That was so generous of him.
And really surprising. What sort of choices? And why did she have the feeling that she wouldn’t like either?
“You can take your spanking now, like a good girl. You’ll go over my knee and receive ten. That’s not a lot, I know. But I don’t know your pain tolerance.”
“Low, very low.”
Liar.
“The punishment for lying to me is distinctly harsher. You might wish to keep that in mind.”
Gulp.
“You know what? We should talk about a safeword and limits and boundaries,” she said desperately.
“I don’t like the idea of limits and boundaries. I make my own rules and now I make them for you too.”
He sounded far too pleased about that for her peace of mind.
“But you can have a safeword in case I push too far.”
Jeez. That was big of him.
“I don’t want to scare you,” he added. “What safeword would you like?”
“Cranberries.”
“Cranberries?” he asked.
“I hate those let red balls.”
“Cranberries, it is. Are there any things that you simply cannot stand to have done to you?”
“Um. Well.” She’d had limits with Matt, but he had never come close to pushing any boundaries. “No scars or blood. No name calling or giving me to other people to use.”
“I would never do that,” he growled. Just as she was starting to wonder if she was well over her head, his face softened. “I’m not going to harm you, baby.”