My stomach was in knots and I didn’t know what to do with my hands. Reb had been in my shower for ten minutes, and I doubted he’d be much longer. At least, I hoped he wouldn’t be. I was starting to have doubts about my decision. Not the one to give Reb a second chance, but the one where I was going to have sex with him when he got out of the shower.

Kinky sex.

Romance wasn’t my favorite genre, but I’d read a few over the years, including some that had a little S&M in them. Reading about it, however, and actually doing it were two completely different things. Hell, seeing it live and doing it myself were worlds apart.

“I thought I gave you clear instructions about how you were supposed to wait for me.”

I froze. I’d been so caught up in my thoughts that I hadn’t heard the shower stop or the bathroom door open, and now, my brain was scrambling to make sense of what Reb was saying.

“Turn around, Paige.”

It was a command, not a request, but the sort of demand I heard wasn’t some sort of misogynistic power-trip. I’d heard that same authoritative note in the woman’s voice at Gilded Cage when she’d ordered her men around. It was the voice of a Dominant, regardless of gender.

I turned to face him, heat flooding my body as I saw he wore only a towel around his waist. I wasn’t so noble that I didn’t feel a thrill at the realization that this gorgeous man wanted me.

“Did I, or did I not, say that I wanted you naked when I got out of the shower?”

The unadulterated desire shining in his eyes made my mouth dry and my pussy wet.

“Paige.” My name was a warning.

“Yes.” The word was little more than a whisper. I cleared my throat and tried again. “Yes, you did.”

“Then why aren’t you naked?”

The question was casual, almost as if he’d been asking why I didn’t have an umbrella when it was raining. Then he tossed his towel toward my hamper and, even though I’d seen him naked before, I completely lost the ability to think clearly.

I suddenly became aware that Reb was talking to me. I jerked my head up, cheeks flaming.

“I suppose I’ll give you a pass for not listening that time,” he said with an amused smile. “But you still haven’t done as you were told.”

I kept my eyes on him as I pulled my shirt over my head. I folded it and put it on the dresser, then took off my pants and did the same.

“Good girl.” He didn’t look away as he walked toward me, his hand dropping to his cock. “Now, face the bed and bend over.”

“What?”

He stopped less than a foot away from me. “You said you wanted me to be honest about the things that I want.”

I nodded. “I do.”

He reached out and took a lock of hair between his fingers. “You know a bit about BDSM. Do you know what happens when a sub disobeys their Dom?”

I shivered, but it wasn’t an unpleasant sensation. “They get punished.”

He nodded. “They get punished. And I’m a Dom, Paige. What does that make you?”

I understood now what he was doing. Part of this was sexual, but part of it was making sure that I truly knew what I was getting into.

“I’m the sub.”

He moved a few inches closer, and I could smell my shampoo and soap. It smelled better on him.

“Whose sub, Paige? Whose sub are you?”

I swallowed hard. “Yours.”

He leaned down and brushed his lips across mine. “And what did you do?”

The words came easier than I’d expected. “I disobeyed.”

He nodded. “Yes, you did.” After a pause, he added, “What should I do about that?”

My mind immediately flashed back to what I’d seen at the club. If I gave the answer I knew he wanted, I didn’t know exactly what he was going to do, and the possibilities weren’t equally appealing. Which meant I needed to trust him.

“Punish me,” I whispered.

For a moment, he stared at me, as if he couldn’t believe I’d actually said it, and then he pulled me to him, skin against skin as our mouths crashed together. I moaned as he ravaged my mouth, his fingers digging into the small of my back, into my neck. I thought I’d known how powerful he was before, but it was nothing compared to the strength I felt in his body now.

By the time he finally broke the kiss, it was all I could do not to jump him right then and there. My entire body ached. His cock was hard and hot against my stomach, leaving a trail of pre-cum on my skin as he moved a few inches back. His eyes dropped, and he used his thumb to rub the salty liquid into my skin.

“I like the idea of you wearing my cum.” His hand moved up to my breast, and he squeezed hard enough to make me catch my breath, but not quite hard enough to actually hurt. “But not tonight.”

He took a full step back and raised an eyebrow. I almost asked him what he wanted, but then I remembered. I turned around, took a slow breath, and then bent over. I placed my hands flat on the blanket…and waited.

“Each Dom has their own way of doling out punishments,” he said. “Even my friends and I don’t come at things the same way.”

He was staying just out of my line of sight, and I had no doubt he was doing it intentionally. Using anticipation to ramp up the tension.

“I believe in punishments growing in time and intensity, so for this first offense, I’ll be using my hand.”

I flinched as he touched me, but his palm only rested against the top of my ass.

“You need a safe word.”

His tone had changed, and I immediately felt guilty for flinching. “I’m sorry.”

“That’s usually not a good safe word.”

“For flinching,” I clarified. “It wasn’t fear, just nerves.” I risked a look over my shoulder. “I trust you.”

The tension on his face eased. “Thank you.”

“Bananas.”

He gave me a puzzled look.

“My safe word. Bananas.”

He nodded, amusement dancing in his eyes. “All right then. Let’s begin.”

I nodded and faced front again. The next time his hand came down, it wasn’t a touch. His palm hit my ass with a cracking sound, and I gasped. More blows came, one right after the other, alternating from one side to the other until my ass was burning. The pain wasn’t unbearable, more like a sunburn sort of sensitivity and sting, but it was definitely intense.

“All done.” His voice was almost gentle as he ran his hand up my spine. “Now, my Paige, what will you do when I give you an order?”

“Obey.” I closed my eyes and concentrated on his touch. The heat of his hand, so different from the more pleasant feeling a little farther south.

“Good answer.” His hands settled on my hips, thumbs stroking my skin. “I didn’t bring any condoms with me tonight.”

This was about more than him just checking to make sure I was okay with us not using a condom. This was about whether or not I really did trust him. If I thought he was lying and he’d had sex with Mitzi, I wouldn’t want him inside me bare.

“I don’t want anything between us…fuck!” The curse burst out of me as he buried himself deep with one stroke. I wasn’t even close to use to this, but I sure as hell didn’t want him to stop.

He wound his hand in my hair, using it to leverage me as he drove into me with one thrust after another. Each one drove another cry from my lips even as the air escaped my lungs. I curled my fingers into fists, the comforter keeping my nails from my palms.

“I’m going to fuck you in front of a mirror sometime,” Reb broke the silence. “I want to see every expression on your face when I take you from behind.”

His free hand moved underneath me, pinching my nipple between finger and thumb hard enough to send a jolt of pain through me. He held on to my sensitive flesh, even as my breasts moved with the force of his thrusts, causing new little ripples of pain with each stroke.

“I love these tits. Perfect nipples for clamps.” His hand moved down between my legs, fingers finding my clit. “We’ll try those out before we move on to putting one on this pretty little thing.”

I whimpered at the thought of something pinching my clit as hard as he was holding my nipple. But I wanted it. Him spanking me had turned me on more than I’d realized, and I knew he could show me things that I’d never find with anyone else. Because I’d never let anyone else this close.

“I’m going to fuck your ass one day.” He spoke so matter-of-factly that it took a moment for his words to sink in. “And then we’re going to try some double penetration.” Before I could react, he leaned over and put his mouth against my ear. “Don’t worry, my Paige. I don’t plan on ever sharing you with anyone. But there are ways to have just as much fun.”

I groaned as he bit down on my shoulder, then shouted his name as he pressed his fingers hard against my clit, forcing me over the edge. My arms shook, elbows giving out as an orgasm ripped through me. I yelped as his grip on my hair tightened, holding me in place as he slammed into me one more time.

As he came, he said only two words.

“Thank you.”