Why did my clit throb at the very threat of it? A shiver ran through me that had nothing to do with anger. Suddenly I found myself wanting to push him further.
"What? You're going to punish me because I don't appreciate you trying to buy me. What's the matter, Nate? Don't women want you unless you flash your cash around?"
He clenched his jaw and stared straight ahead. "We'll deal with this when we get home."
My stomach knotted. I'd got the reaction I wanted from him, but already I regretted it. Nate turned and cupped my cheek, stroking my face with a tenderness that belied his next words.
"Don't say I didn't warn you.”
Chapter Six
Juliet
The drive back to Mist Hollow felt longer than the journey into town had. Neither Nate nor I spoke much as the truck rumbled steadily along the narrow roads back to the vineyard. Unlike earlier, I found myself unable to appreciate the beauty of the landscape. Knowing there would be a reckoning for my bratty behavior, I could think of nothing but the punishment ahead and how I would cope with it.
The thought of pain didn't bother me. I doubted Nate would push me beyond what I could bear. It was fear that I might embarrass myself if I liked what was happening too much that put me on edge. What if I made weird sounds or said something stupid in the heat of the moment? I didn't want Nate to think I was an idiot.
While thoughts churned in my mind, Nate was infuriatingly calm. With one hand resting lightly on the wheel and the other by his side, his focus remained on the road ahead. Being unable to work out what he was thinking unsettled me more than anger would have.
My heart beat faster as Nate turned the truck up the long driveway leading to the house. The vineyard was peaceful now, but in a few hours, it would be bustling with people once more.
As Nate pulled the truck to a stop beside my rented Audi, my stomach twisted into a tight knot. He switched off the engine and got out. I didn't move until he came around to open my door.
"Out you get." His voice was calm. With shaking fingers, I unbuckled my seatbelt and accepted his help to get safely down from the truck. I stood there for a moment, brushing my palms nervously over my leggings.
"Come on," Nate urged me.
"I, uh, I need to get the car back to the city," I stammered. "I only rented it for the weekend."
Nate quirked an eyebrow at my pitiful attempt to stall. "I'll have someone deal with it."
"Oh, right, but I should probably…"
"Juliet," he said firmly. "I know you're nervous, but dragging this out won't help."
He was right. In order for us to move forward, I needed to know what a punishment would feel like. Nate and I had agreed on a safeword, and surely that meant he'd honor my wish to stop.
I waited while Nate fetched the shopping bags from the back seat and then followed him into the house. It was quiet, but the aroma of onions and garlic in the air told me Eileen was in the kitchen, cooking up a storm. I loved how she made sure all the workers were well fed before they began their long overnight shift.
Nate headed straight upstairs, and I trailed behind him as he made his way to my bedroom. He set the bags down at the door to the closet, then turned to face me. The weight of his scrutiny made my pulse race.
"You remember the rules I set out?" he asked, and I nodded. "Which one did you break?"
"The one about respecting you."
He nodded. "So you understand why you've earned a punishment?"
"Yes."
"Good. I want you to know I understand why you were upset. You had every reason to be aggrieved about your mother cutting you off. You work hard for your family and represent them well. What she did was designed to humiliate you, and you didn't deserve that."
Tears burned behind my eyes as Nate spoke. I expected a lecture from him about my behavior, but instead he showed that even if he wouldn't accept me lashing out at him, he realized why I did it. Few people ever considered my point of view.
"I'm sorry for the way I spoke to you." I meant it. "Pushing you like that was unfair."
"Yes, it was, but I think perhaps you pushed me on purpose."
Ugh, this man saw too much, but I was not about to admit he was right. "What are you talking about?"
