Page 41 of Obsession

She realized suddenly that his focus was on her, his blue eyes gleaming with amusement as he waited for her answer.

“Lovely, thanks.” Vegetable soup was far preferable to eating her family pet. “I’m hungry.”

“I bet.” He reached for a bowl and ladled a portion into it. “Here.” Turning, he grabbed a spoon and strode toward her. “Let’s get you fed.”

She eyed the cutlery at his approach, trying not to linger on its cleanliness. The truth was she had to eat. She couldn’t survive on thin air and Tucker’s cum alone. If she was going to get out of this situation, then she had to attend to her basic needs.

“It’ll be hot.” Perching on the edge of the bed, he dipped the spoon into the soup and lifted it toward her mouth. “Maybe you should blow it first?”

She lifted her chin at his wry tone, all too conscious of how naked she was compared to his half-dressed body. Ella wasn’t ashamed of her body—far from it. She was young and was well aware of how attractive she was, but there was still something awkward and mortifying about being the only one nude in a scenario like this.

A scenario like this?

She blinked at her ridiculous train of thought. Who would ever have conceived a scenario like this, let alone find themselves in one?

“Thank you, sir.”

Watching the spoon as it neared her, she pursed her lips and directed air at the meal he offered. In fairness to Tucker, the soup did smell good. She liked the look of the small pieces of celery and leek and while he hadn’t mentioned using any herbs, she could certainly smell additional seasoning. He was quite the chef.

“Ready?” He pressed the spoon to her lips and slid the soup past them when they opened.

A myriad of savory flavors flooded her taste buds as she chewed the soft celery.

“Well?” He withdrew the spoon, quickly replacing it with another offering. “What does my little girl think?”

His little girl.

The muscles of her sex clenched as the name echoed around her. Why did the patronizing label chime with her so badly? There should be nothing good about being condescended to by a man old enough to be her father, but then she should never have succumbed to his charms at all. Tucker seemed to have entirely ripped up the rule book she’d played by, yet kneeling there, she still wasn’t sure how he’d achieved it.

Like an animal in his headlights. She sucked in air at the disturbing analogy. That’s what I am. Like one of the rabbits he captured and killed.

“Ella?” The insistence of his tone snapped her back to her reality and to the spoon nudging at her lip.

“Oh.” Accepting the spoon, she met his eyes as she swallowed its contents. “It’s really lovely.” The fusion of flavors bursting in her mouth was genuinely delicious.

“Good.” He smiled, evidently pleased with her feedback. “Mind if I share with you?” He gestured to the bowl. “I’d like to try the soup, too.”

“Sure.”

What else was she supposed to say? She didn’t love the idea of sharing cutlery, but then she didn’t like the idea of any of this. The two of them had already shared bodily fluids, so what difference would it make? She inhaled slowly, all too aware of his dried cum on her face. She had bigger things to worry about than whether he used the same spoon as her, and at least he’d asked for her opinion.

Maybe that was a small step forward.

Yeah, right. That’s why I’m trussed up like a turkey!

“Thanks, little girl.” His brow arched as he dipped the soup into his mouth and reflected on the taste.

Hell. She bit her lip, ignoring the way her nipples pebbled. How does he manage to look so good, even though he lives in the middle of nowhere? Her gaze flitted back to his face. And why do I even care? Look what he’s done to me! Her fingers flexed in the binds. I must be losing it.

That’s what was happening, she was certain. Exhausted and dehydrated, she was probably going mad.

“That’s not bad.” His smug tone should have been riling, but Ella was inclined to agree. If she had to be stuck out in the middle of nowhere with an unknown and oddly handsome psychopath, at least he was a decent chef. “I’m glad you like it.”

He thrust the soup-laden spoon back in her direction, watching as she received it. She consented in silence, taking each one in turn as she enjoyed the flavors. It was like no meal she’d ever experienced before. Being naked and on her knees before a man who’d already overcome and come over her was the strangest repast of her life, and as she accepted the soup, she started to wonder if there was any coming back from the humiliating scene.

Could she ever be the same Ella who had holidayed in Mauritius and shopped with her pals at high-end stores? Would she ever be able to put this sorry incident behind her?

She clenched the muscles at the apex of her thighs, hideously conscious of how turned-on the denigration was making her, yet entirely powerless to regain any sort of composure.

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