Page 49 of His By Contract

Her fingers trembled at her sides, but she kept them still. The urge to cover herself, to shrink away from her exposed reflection, pressed against her resolve. But Adrian’s command held her in place more effectively than physical restraints.

“When I return, you’ll go straight to bed.” His voice carried the edge of authority that brooked no argument. “No diversions. No distractions. You’ll spend the night reflecting on what happens when you keep secrets.”

The soft sound of his footsteps retreated, followed by the subtle click of the door. The silence swelled in his wake, pressing against Georgia’s skin like an invisible weight.

She remained motionless, watching her reflection waver in the glass. The vulnerability of her naked form against the backdrop of the glittering city drove home the lesson with crystal clarity. Every second that ticked by reminded her of the choice she’d made, of the trust she’d abused by meeting Vaughn alone.

The weight of Adrian’s disappointment pressed heavier than his anger ever could. Her skin cooled in the empty room, but she didn’t move, understanding that this moment of absolute exposure was meant to strip away more than just her clothes.

CHAPTER 15

Dawn crept across Georgia’s bedroom, painting golden fingers through the gauzy curtains. The light touched her face, warm and insistent, drawing her from dreams into the stark reality of morning. Her eyes fluttered open, adjusting to the soft glow that transformed her stark room into something almost ethereal.

She shifted beneath the silk sheets, savoring their coolness on her skin. Then memory struck like lightning, Adrian’s command echoing in her mind, clear as crystal: no clothes, all day. The silk turned alien and judgmental against her bare skin, each rustle of fabric echoing her vow like a whisper in her mind.

For one cowardly moment, Georgia considered hiding beneath the covers, letting the hours slip past in the safety of her cocoon. The temptation pulled at her, sweet and seductive, to pretend this day was like any other, to ignore the challenge that waited beyond her bed.

But something stronger stirred within her chest. With deliberate grace, she grasped the edge of the sheet and pulled it away. Theair kissed her skin as she sat up, spine straight, shoulders back. No hesitation, no second-guessing. This was her choice now.

Cool air wrapped around her body as her feet found the plush carpet. The bedroom that had become familiar over these months now seemed vast and exposed, every surface reflecting the morning light, every corner holding the weight of her vulnerability.

Heat crept up her neck, a blush that spoke of more than simple embarrassment. There was something else there, a flutter of defiance, of pride. She could feel Adrian’s gaze from the night before, those eyes holding not anger, but expectation. He’d known she wouldn’t hide, wouldn’t shrink from this.

Her heart drummed against her ribs as she approached the bedroom door. She lifted her chin, steadied her breathing. The woman reflected in the nearby mirror wasn’t a victim of punishment; she was choosing this, claiming it as her own.

The hallway stretched before her, all polished wood and cool marble, silent but full of possibility.

Georgia stepped into the dining room, where morning sunlight spilled through the windows. The light caught her bare skin, warming her shoulders and casting gentle shadows across her breasts. Crystal glasses sparkled on the polished table, their facets throwing tiny rainbows across the pristine white tablecloth.

Adrian sat at the head of the table, his dark suit a stark contrast to the brightness of morning. His attention shifted from the tablet beside his plate, eyes finding her with predatory focus. His gaze swept down, lingering as her nipples tightened in response to the room’s cool air.

The marble floor chilled her feet as she crossed the space between them. She kept her chin high, shoulders back, each step confident and purposeful. No crossed arms, no attempts to shield herself from his scrutiny. She claimed her usual chair across from him, the leather cool against her thighs and back.

The silence held weight, pressed against her skin like a physical touch. Adrian’s expression remained unreadable, but his attention never wavered. He lifted his coffee cup to his lips, watching her over its rim.

Georgia reached for her fork, aware of how each movement drew his eye. The simple act of cutting into her eggs felt charged, intimate. She lifted her coffee cup, the porcelain warm against her palms, and took a slow sip.

Heat bloomed across her chest, crawled up her neck. Shame tangled with something darker, more primal, as Adrian’s gaze tracked the line of her throat when she swallowed. Pride warred with vulnerability, her skin hypersensitive under his sustained attention.

When she finally met his stare, she held it. Her heart thundered in her chest, but she refused to look away first. His gaze sharpened slightly, and the faintest shift at his mouth hinted at something she couldn’t name, something too controlled to fully surface.

Adrian set down his empty cup with unhurried movements. He pushed back from his chair, his broad frame casting a shadow that seemed to swallow the air between them. As he passed behind her seat, his fingers brushed her bare shoulder, the lightest touch, barely there. A sharp inhale lifted her chest as his fingers skimmed her skin, her muscles tightening before she could stop them.

The room felt larger after he left, emptier. Georgia sat motionless, her skin still singing from his touch, the weight of the silence pressing in around her.

Afternoon sun poured through the penthouse windows, transforming the austere space into something almost ethereal. Light caught the edges of glass tables and marble countertops, creating halos that seemed to float in the air. Georgia’s bare feet made no sound as she moved across the floor.

She spread her sketches across her workspace, trying to lose herself in the familiar routine. The silk charmeuse samples slipped through her fingers as she arranged them by shade. Her skin prickled with awareness; every brush of fabric, every whisper of air conditioning against her naked body demanded attention.

A flash of movement caught her eye. Her reflection stared back from the living room’s mirrored wall, shoulders straight, chin lifted, body bare. She looked different somehow. Vulnerable, yes, but also… claimed. The thought sent heat crawling up her neck.

Shame coiled in her stomach, not from her nudity, but from how readily she’d accepted this punishment. How some hidden part of her had yearned for it, for this raw exposure of truth between them. She’d kept secrets, played games, and now stood stripped of both clothing and pretense.

Georgia moved to her sketchbook. Her fingers tightened on her pencil, knuckles whitening before finding their strength. She tried to focus on the lines of a new design, but her mind keptcircling back to Adrian. She couldn’t shake the way he’d looked at her that morning, his eyes filled with more than authority. Something watchful, claiming, almost tender.

The silence pressed against her skin. Hours stretched, marked only by the sun’s slow arc across the sky. She paced the length of the living room, hyperaware of each step, each breath. The emptiness of the space, Adrian’s absence, made everything feel heightened, suspended.

His voice echoed in her memory, the quiet authority when he’d issued his command. There had been no cruelty in it, only certainty. A correction, as precise as a surgeon’s cut. She touched her collarbone, remembering his fleeting caress at breakfast.

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