Her small smile grows as she relaxes even more, nodding up at me. “Yes, sir.”
Fuck,I love the sound of that coming from her lips. I know she’s not saying it in the way I heard it, but I have a hard time stopping my body from reacting to her words. Guiding her to the chair, I help her climb up. She’s so tiny. I’m not sure if I ever noticed before. Maybe because I’ve never been as aware of her as I am right now. She places the bag on the table as I walk to the other side and sit on the chair across from her.
Fighting the urge to pull my chair right next to her so I can feed her, she’s not ready for me to push her boundaries. Not yet, but I do pull the food out for her. She rubs her hands together when I pull the pretzel bites out, making me chuckle. Folding the bag, so it’s not in the way, I lay it down and push the sandwich toward her. I glance toward the drink machine against the wall.
“What would you like to drink?” I ask her, standing from my chair.
“I’m okay. Don’t leave.”
I place my hand on top of hers. “I’m not leaving, sweetness. Just getting you a drink. What would you like?”
She swallows and nods. “Diet Coke, please.”
Rubbing my thumb over her hand, I smile at her pleased she answered. “Good girl.” Her eyes light up and mouth parts slightly at my praise. It hits me in the gut.Has no one ever praised her?Stepping forward so I’m closer to her, I slowly lift my hand to rub my thumb along her cheekbone. I didn’t mean to say that, it just came out, but her reaction to it makes me want to say it again. “You are such a good girl.”
She stares at me with those beautiful blue eyes and leans into my touch. “I don’t think anyone has ever said that to me before.”
Taking another step toward her, I drop my hand to cup the side of her neck, and run my thumb along the column of her throat. She swallows and pushes her neck so it’s more firmly grasped in my hand. Her eyes dilate as she stares at me. Does she realize how she’s reacting to me?She’s perfect.
“Such a shame, because you are. I’ll make sure to remind you as often as possible.” My cock twitches when she exhales sharply, her breath causing goosebumps to break out over my arm, but I force it to behave as I focus on her and how she reacts to me. The way she’s leaning into me, how her breathing has sped up, and her sweet smile tells me everything I need to know. I want to lean forward and kiss her, but know she’s not ready yet.
Instead, I turn toward the drink machine and grab her a Diet Coke, unscrew the top, then place it in front of her. She takes a bite of her pretzel ball and closes her eyes as she savors it.
“These are so good,” she says as she swallows.
I chuckle as I climb onto the chair across from her, then push the turkey club toward her. “You need to eat some of this too.”
She smiles at me as she grabs one half of the sandwich and takes a bite of it. It’s like she was made for me and she has no idea. Realization dawns on me that I’m going to break my vowto never take another submissive after my divorce from Josie. I grit my teeth. Not that Josie was a real submissive to begin with. Forcing myself to look away from Olivia so I don’t make her feel uncomfortable while she’s eating, I stare out the large windows, watching the street.
Does Donovan know where she’s at? I haven’t heard from him in a while.Maybe I need to reach out to him to feel him out and see if I can get some answers.
“This is really good.” I turn to look back at Olivia. She’s a lot more relaxed than she was earlier. “I think I like this better than the Korean Cheesesteak.” She takes another bite, and it takes all I have not to lean forward and touch her.
“Good to know.” I can’t take my eyes off her as she finishes that half of the sandwich.
“Can I have another pretzel bite?” she asks. She glances down at the table and licks her lips like she’s not sure she should be asking. This time I do lean forward and place my index finger beneath her chin, lifting her head until her eyes are on mine.
“See, youarea good girl. Of course you can have another pretzel bite.”
Chapter seventeen
Olivia
My stomach has so many butterflies in it that it’s hard to focus on chewing the pretzel bite and swallowing. Him calling me a good girl twice and not making fun of me for needing his permission is making me hot. In more ways than one.
What’s wrong with me that I need his permission to eat another pretzel bite? Is there something wrong with me? He seems to enjoy me asking.
I think about how Caroline and Bass are with each other. They don’t have this kind of dynamic. And if Lincoln ever tried to tell Ansley what to do, she’d probably do the exact opposite just to piss him off.
Not that Lincoln and Ansley are in a relationship, but I don’t know anyone else. I think about Bec at the gym and wonder if she has a boyfriend. I grab the Diet Coke, then take a sip to helpdislodge the lump in my throat. Finally bringing my eyes back to Victor, my heart takes off at a dangerous pace with how he’s looking at me with that small smile of his. That look feels like it’s reserved just for me, but who knows?He could have a lot of other women.
I scrunch my nose at that thought. He’s free to be with whoever he wants, but I don’t want him to.This is not good. I need to stop these feelings.Climbing off my chair to clean up, I avoid looking at him anymore.What the hell is wrong with me?I’ve never been interested in having a relationship. I always thought I’d grow old with my flowers and plants; and be referred to as the plant lady. That made me perfectly happy until he walked back into my life. What changed?
“Olivia?”
My head snaps up in surprise. Victor is standing right in front of me. So caught up in my thoughts, I hadn’t realized he moved. He lifts his hand slowly, and it makes me want to cry. Victor is so observant of how I react, so he goes out of his way to make me feel comfortable. He cups the side of my neck and rubs his thumb along my jaw.
“What’s going on in that head of yours?”
