I’m one hundred percent speechless now. Looking away, I fight to keep my emotions at bay.
 
 “So, cops then?”
 
 My head snaps back to look at him, angry tears burning behind my eyes. He’s smiling. It’s not a cruel smile, but smug and even though I damn well deserve it, it pisses me off.
 
 “No,” I grumble, barely audible.
 
 He nods curtly. “Okay.Beg then.”
 
 If my jaw got any tighter, it might crack. Did Gran foresee me coming back here? Did she know Gary would cheat? Did she think this man… no, this brute, would be good for me?
 
 “I’m not joking Tessa, beg me to spank that naughty ass of yours. It’s time we work things out. Get on the same page here so we can move on. This is the only way.”
 
 “Spank me,” I say without feeling, even though I am nothing butfeelingright now.
 
 He closes the distance between us until there’s only a foot separating us. He raises his phone, showing me the already keyed in numbers for the police. Then with his free hand he tips my chin up so we’re looking each other in the eyes. “You can do better than that, Sunshine. Ask properly or I press dial.”
 
 I growl, ripping my chin out of his grip. Balling my hands into fists, I slam them against my sides. “Please… punish… me.” I grind out the words.
 
 He shakes his head slowly and presses his lips. The lips I remember quite well being both demanding but soft andoh soskillful.
 
 “Tell me you deserve a hard spanking.”
 
 If looks could kill, he’d be dead. I need a new tactic though. I’m Tess Harlow, the queen of getting the upper hand. I smile my sexiest and nibble my bottom lip.
 
 “Please, Case,” I say breathily. “I’ve been a bad, bad girl.” I lick my bottom lip slowly, noting the way his eyes follow my tongue. “And I need to be disciplined. Punish me. Oh, please, Sir.” A breathy gasp comes out of my mouth, and I push out my bottom lip out in a pout. “I need it so bad. Spank me till I’m sorry.”
 
 He grins boyishly and it throws me off.Asshole. Hot, hot, asshole.
 
 There’s heat in his eyes, and it’s molten, I focus on that, but he blinks it away and I wonder if I’d even seen it at all.
 
 “Good enough, Tessa. Your begging lacked honesty, but I’ll let it slide and deliver anyway. Rome wasn’t built in a day.”
 
 I narrow my eyes on him, but I don’t speak, mostly because he’s taking his sweet time unbuckling his thick leather belt and I’m trying not to let my knees buckle. I’m also not sure where all the oxygen in the room is, because it certainly isn’t in my lungs.
 
 “Go ahead, get out of those pants, babygirl.”
 
 “Don’t you darebabygirlme, Case. I’m not your babygirl and never will be,” I say knowing I will be replaying every second of this whole conversation later as I touch myself.
 
 His hand flies out to yank me forward against his hard chest and just when I’m completely discombobulated, he lands a smack on my ass, jolting me against him and his huge hard cock. “Hurry up now, woman, I’m getting impatient.”
 
 I grab my bottom in both hands, ignoring the tightening of my nipples which just brushed against his chest. “Fuck you.”
 
 “If you ask nicely, after we’re done I’ll consider it. I can’t deny you get me all revved up, Sunshine. Now get going or we’ll be here all night.”
 
 A zing shoots through me, landing right between my thighs.
 
 I think by this point my panties are so wet they could be wrung out and I’ll die if he notices.
 
 As soon as the pants drop to my ankles, I step out of them, portraying someone far more confident than I am. He bends to toss me over his shoulder, and I grunt.
 
 “I never agreed to being manhandled,” I say, winded by the swift movement.
 
 “Too bad.” He holds up his phone. “Feel free to call the police.” He laughs dryly. “But I recorded you begging me to punish you so?—”
 
 “I bet you’ll play it later as you spank something else, pervert.”
 
 He chuckles as he heads toward the screen door, and I start squirming.