“No,” she says, turning away from me.
“Then why are you crying?”
She flinches at the question.
“I am notweeping.”
“You are.”
She looks at me. Indeed, her eyes are slightly swollen. Ever so slightly,she sniffs.
I sit on the bed next to her.
“We will not have much time together, Annabelle. You said you will return to London soon.”
“I will be done using you, you mean,” she says.
“Yes, if you see it that way. I don’t see why we can’t be honest with each other in the short time we have together.”
She looks away and then back at me. I am relieved to see her expression relax slightly.
“It was just very intense,” she says. “The pleasure.”
“I have affronted you. Scared you perhaps.”
Annabelle gives a little laugh.
“No,” she says. “And I am done following your orders. Now it is your turn to listen.”
Chapter 19
Annabelle
That orgasm was the most intense of my life. I was so dismayed and surprised at the frustration of him denying me—no lover has ever dared to trifle with me in such a way before—and then the intensity of his words. I know I am undeserving of such ardor. But his ardor moves me all the same.
He needs to understand, however, that he isn’t in control.
If he refuses to believe me when it comes to my intentions, then he’ll at least see that I am the master between us. So that when I break him, he’ll know it was all my doing.
“Undress me.”
He obeys, making me stand and then undoing my dress, removing my petticoat, and stripping me down to my corset. He unlaces and removes it.
“Beautiful,” he says, palming my breasts, his cockstand evident through his trousers. “Absolutely perfect.”
I smack his hand away.
“No touching.”
I undress him then. Soon, he is completely bare.
“Lie down on the bed,” I command.
He complies without question.
Already, I am feeling better. More in control.
“There is no use using a letter,” I tell him. “You are too large. So if you are concerned with getting me with child, you will have to withdraw.”
