She swallowed. “A little.”
“Good.”
The dark note in his voice made her insides clench. When he drew back, his face was as serious as she’d ever seen it. He cupped her face between his hands, his touch was gentle, warming her from the inside out. His words were not.
“You worried me. I know you’re sorry. But you know you’re supposed to have your cell phone on you at all times. You don’t have to answer if you don’t want to. A text would do. But you do have to let me know you’re alive if I’m on the opposite end, worrying you’ve ended up in a ditch and are dying. That’s why I’m going to be hard on you tonight. Because this can’t happen again. Not unless you want to give me a damn heart attack.”
She nodded, her eyes wide as she stared up at him. “I deserve it.”
“You do.” His gaze warmed. “But I’m glad you know that. Remember, you have your safe word.”
She wouldn’t need it. He would never go too far, despite his words. He wouldn’t whip her, cause her to bleed, or push her past her pain limits, no matter what she’d done.
He raised one eyebrow, and she realized he was waiting for her to verbally answer him. He was big on that.
“Yes, Sir.”
“Sir, huh?” One side of his mouth curled up. “Trying to butter me up?”
“Is it working?”
He chuckled and ran his thumb along her cheek. “You’re beautiful. A bit of a brat. You also have a habit of asking for forgiveness rather than permission.”
Drat. She did do that.
“I should probably be stricter with you.” He dropped his hands so they surrounded her neck. There was no pressure. No hint he might hurt her. But the presence of his heavy hands around the base of her neck felt like an act of possession. Dominance.
Butterflies fluttered through her stomach.
Leaning in, he kissed her lightly. “Luckily, I like redheaded brats who need someone to watch out for them.”
Her breathing grew faster, her clit throbbed. She pressed herself against him. Maybe she could make him forget about this silly punishment.
He bit her lower lip. Sharply. She groaned. Damn it. She’d just been warming up.
He stepped back, giving her a knowing look. “No coming for you tonight.”
“At all?” She winced at the high-pitched squeak in her voice.
He just shook his head.
Crap.
So, she was getting her ass spanked with no reward.
“That sucks.”
He snorted, and she realized she’d said that out loud.
“Isn’t that punishing yourself as well?”
Both eyebrows rose this time. Those stupid eyebrows had a language all their own.
“How do you figure that?” he drawled.
“Because you won’t get to come either.”
His grin was wide, his eyes sparkling. “Darlin’, sometimes I forget how new you are to all this. Just because you’re not coming tonight doesn’t mean I’m not.”