“Good evening, Martin. I’d like to put in an order for a plate of potato and cheese pierogi as well as the dry aged filet for me. Send up dessert as well. You may surprise me with that,” he instructed. My body throbbed with warmth. I shouldn’t enjoy him ordering for me, but I couldn’t help it.
“You didn’t have to…”
He slapped my ass lightly in warning, which simply made me blush.
“We’re going to eat dinner and then I’m going to take you downstairs to my media room. There, you will curl up under a blanket in my lap and we’re going to watch a movie. After it’s over, you will go to bed like a good girl.”
“Or else what?” I sassed. His gaze darkened with clear arousal. He didn’t answer, but he chuckled quietly, which was infinitely worse. My bottom twitched as he kissed the top of my head.
I should want to run right now, but all I could think about was how nice it felt to be held like this.
“James?”
“What is it, angel?”
I opened my mouth and closed it, losing my nerve as quickly as it had come. He must have seen my hesitation because he cupped my face and held my gaze.
“Tell me,” he coaxed. His gentleness made my nerves fray and I swallowed anxiously, looking around the room.
“I don’t want to sleep alone tonight,” I whispered. I glanced up to watch his expression, expecting to see anger or at least the slightest hint of annoyance, but I saw none of that. Instead, there was a moment of relief before his jawline tensed with decision.
“You will sleep in my bed tonight. There was never any question about that.”
There was a hard decisive edge to his voice.
“Yes, sir,” I breathed. The corners of his eyes crinkled as he smiled, his expression once again gentle. I shifted on his lap, biting my lip as I thought of something else.
“Is there something else?” he asked, lifting a single brow.
“I don’t have any clothes,” I muttered.
“Tomorrow, I will take you shopping. Tonight though, you will remain naked until I decide to dress you in the morning,” he answered simply. I blushed hard and opened my mouth to protest. Quickly, he wrapped his arms around my waist and flipped me so that I was facedown over his lap.
I yelped in surprise.
“Would you like to have a bright red bottom for the rest of the night, angel? I pay my staff well enough not to mind. They know what happens to naughty girls over my knee,” he warned. He kept his palm still, simply laying it against my bare flesh as a silent threat.
“Sir,” I whined, hiding my face in the blankets on the bed. As embarrassing as being made to remain naked was, a part of me was excited about it. He lifted me up off his lap and situated me on my feet. I breathed a small sigh of relief.
“Come. Dinner will be ready shortly.”
He took my hand and led me out of the guest room. The carpet was soft between my toes as we walked down the hallway together. His arms swept underneath me when he reached the staircase, eliciting a surprised gasp as he carried me to the first floor. My face felt like it had caught fire when the doorman nodded in greeting.
He hardly reacted to my nakedness, and I wasn’t certain if that made it worse or not.
James walked me past the grand dining room meant for a great number of guests, leading me to a much smaller room that was designed to be cozier. There were candles all around and a softly lit chandelier hung over the round table at the center of the room. It felt much more like a private room at a restaurant.
In many ways, it was romantic.
I tried not to let it give me hope.
He let go of my hand and pulled out the soft padded chair. When I took a seat, he pushed it in, like a perfect gentleman who hadn’t just threatened to spank my bare bottom bright red. There was a bottle of red wine at the center of the table. With practiced hands, he uncorked it and poured me a generous glass.
I sighed when his hand traced the line of my chin. He put the glass down in front of me. As if he didn’t want to distance himself from me, he placed his palm down on my shoulder. It was a possessive gesture, even in its simplicity. I reached up and brushed my fingers against his. He entangled his hand with mine, holding me tightly until there was a knock at the door.
“Come in,” he ordered.
I shivered, knowing that the person at the door was going to see me naked.