Lunchwith my mother was delightful, and I can’t stop thinking about the change in her during the long train ride back to Manhattan.
Nate’s car is parked in the garage when I get back to the brownstone. My chest squeezes, knowing he’s home. I haven’t been living here long enough to become familiar with his routine, so I never know when I’m going to see him. He leaves early for the office and comes back late. I usually don’t hear him moving around on his side of the building, either, and I know it sounds silly, but I get lonely sometimes.
How much will I change when my arrangement with him is over and I’m auctioned off? Will I be like my mother and find an inner strength and defiance I didn’t know that I had? Or will it be something else? I don’t want to become complacent like my mother did when she married my father. But maybe that’s exactly what my future husband will want.
Slipping the key into the lock, I turn it and open the door. Self-preservation is fine, of course, but I don’t want to lose myself in the process. How much will I have to bend and change to attract a husband? How much of myself will I have to give away?
The light in my bedroom is on, which makes me pull up short. I clearly remember turning it off. Who would have come into my apartment while I was out? Nate?
“Hello?” I call out.
I listen for any sound of movement in the bedroom, but all I hear is silence. Tiptoeing cautiously to the room, I peer inside and find the small space empty. Everything is the way I left it…except for the red silk dress laid out in the center of the bed.
It’s a showstopper. It has thin straps and a narrow waist with a skirt that flares and ruffles like a lettuce leaf at the hem. The faint scent of Nate’s cologne lingers in the air.
I grin.
He was here. Recently, it seems.
Slipping my purse from my shoulder, I move to the bed and run my fingers over the dress. It’s so vibrant and beautiful. The kind of dress that screams “look at me.” Does this mean we’re going out again tonight? A little thrill zings through me, a combination of nerves and desire.
I toe off my flats and think about what to do with my hair to complement such a pretty outfit. Maybe an elegant French twist, or beachy waves left loose around my shoulders.
A light knock from the living room draws my attention. The connecting hallway door opens, then closes. Mybreathing slows as I listen to the sound of footsteps crossing the living room of the small apartment. And then Nate is here, standing at my bedroom door, taking up the space with his muscular body. I instantly forget what I was about to say.
Our eyes meet and then he crosses the space to where I’m standing. This close, I can smell his cologne again, feel the heat radiating off him. My body comes alive with him so near.
He nods to the dress. “Do you like it?”
My mouth is dry, but I manage to answer. “Yes.”
“Put it on.”
I pick up the hanger and turn toward the door, intending to go change in the bathroom, but he shakes his head no.
“In front of me. Don’t be shy, Piper. Men love to see their woman naked.”
Another wave of heat washes over me. I’m about to step back when he reaches a hand behind my head and then gathers my hair in his fist, pulling it up off my neck. I literally shiver as his gaze bores into me. When his eyes drop to my mouth, I’m sure I’ll melt under the weight of his gaze.
He runs a finger beneath the neckline of my shirt and then drags it down my chest, to the center of my sternum. I try and work the buttons, but my hands shake, and it takes me a minute. Finally, I’m able to release two buttons and then three. He watches as I finish the task and the shirt hangs open, revealing my simple black bra. He’s still holding my hair as I shrug out of my shirt and let it drop to the floor.
Reaching for the button on my jeans, I gasp softly as he grips my hand to stop me.
“The bra comes off. You’re not wearing one tonight.”
I glance at the fine fabric of the red dress. It’s going to cling to every curve of my body, leaving little to the imagination. There’s no way my nipples won’t show clearly through that material. And yet…I’m a little excited at the thought. Of showing off for Nate.
Calmly, I unhook the back of my bra and pull it off. The way he watches me bolsters my confidence. I can tell he’s enjoying this. I’m not sure if he’s more turned on by the way he’s dominating me, making me obey his every command, or by my nudity. Maybe it’s both.
Once I drop the bra on top of my shirt, Nate lets go of my hair and brings his hands to circle my rib cage, just beneath my breasts. My nipples instantly perk in response, and I want so badly to put my hands over his and drag them over my aching flesh.
“Pants now,” he says, his voice throaty.
Feeling bolder, I quickly unfasten my jeans but take my time unzipping them. My breathing gets harsher as I start to slide them down my hips, realizing I’m about to be standing here naked before my teacher. I snag my thumbs under the waistband my panties and work those down along with the jeans. Before I can bend over and finish pushing the clothes down my calves, Nate drops to his knees.
Without a word, he helps me, his hot palm resting against my right calf as he helps me step out of the jeans and underwear. Then he does the next leg. And just like that, I’m fully exposed. Not a stitch of clothing on me.
My body explodes in goosebumps. It’s not that I’m cold, either. The heady rush of desire does it to me. Heat pools in my belly and I feel an aching tug between my legs.
