Page 72 of His to Teach
And here I am, wondering exactly how hard I’ll need to spank her to get her talking. Jesus. I’m such an asshole.
“You want something to drink?” she asks, heading into the kitchen. I follow her, trying to brush off the thoughts of her brother. She needs me right now.
“Water is fine.” I watch while she pours us each a glass. She’s fidgeting a lot as she stands in front of me, fingers tracing the rim of her glass before traveling to her hair and then to her collarbone again.
That’s enough of that.
I lean in close to whisper in her ear, loving the way she shivers when my hot breath hits the sensitive skin of her neck. “Take five minutes,” I tell her, voice low. “Drink your water, use the restroom, wash your face. Whatever you need to do.” I nip her ear between my teeth and her shiver turns to a shudder. “Then meet me in your bedroom. I’ll be waiting.”
I don’t wait for her to respond, taking my water with me as I leave the kitchen. It isn’t difficult to decide which of the two rooms is hers. The smell of her permeates the air in the back bedroom, vanilla and roses and something unique to her that I can never quite put my finger on.
I take a moment to look around her room. It’s orderly, just like she is in her work, her desk stacked neatly with notebooks and texts. There are more books on the shelves, all organized by author name and genre. On the walls are black and white prints of generic cityscapes, the double bed covered in a fluffy white quilt.
It’s a quiet, staid little room, and it reminds me of her. A facade of innocence hiding the passionate desires that lurk below the owner’s outer walls.
I take a seat on the edge of the bed, loosening my tie, and wait for her.
HARPER
My hands shake as I set my empty water glass in the dish rack.Whatever you need to do, he had said.
The trouble is, I have no idea what that might be. What could I possibly do to still the raging thoughts in my head, to calm the rapid racing of my heart? I feel out of sorts, mixed up inside in a way I can’t put into words. I thought I’d be able to hide that from Nate the way I do with just about everybody else, but apparently, I misjudged him.
Somehow Jonathan Chase manages to see me, all of me, even the parts I want to keep hidden.
I walk slowly to the bathroom, splashing water over my face as he suggested. As I reach for a towel, I study my reflection in the mirror. Dripping with water, skin more pale than usual. Eyes wide and dark in my face. What is he planning on doing in my bedroom? He rejected my idea to go to the club—does that mean we’re not having sex tonight? But the commanding tone in his voice promised the domination I’m used to from him.
My pulse increases even more at the thought—Nate dominating me might be exactly what I need to clear my head.
Not that it helped for too long this afternoon,I think, drying my face. I give myself one more glance in the mirror, trying to shake off my nerves, and head to my bedroom.
Nate is sitting on my bed, waiting. He’s removed his tie and unbuttoned the top button of his pristine white dress shirt. As I watch, his fingers move to the cuffs of his sleeves, unbuttoning each before rolling up the fabric, showing off the taut skin and dark hair of his corded forearms. Something about the movement has my heart thudding with aching desire. He’s so intentional, so precise in his action. So in control of every single thing he does. I can’t help my brain from spinning through images of what he wants to do to me that would require those sleeves to be rolled up.
“Your mouth is open,” he observes, and I realize that he’s right. I’m completely gaping at him, and I’m sure my attraction for this man must be clear on my face. I snap my mouth closed, not missing the slight tugging at the corner of his lips. He’s smirking at me. “Come here.”
Something has me hesitating in the doorway. “Are you going to spank me?” I blurt out. I’m not sure if I’m excited by the prospect or frightened. Why does my head have to be so mixed up today?
Nate raises an eyebrow, watching me. “Not yet,” he finally says, and my heart sinks even as I feel a rush of relief.
I’m officially going crazy.
“You’re going to tell me what’s bothering you.”
My whole body stills. “Nothing is?—”
Dark anger flashes in his eyes, his jaw tensing. “We don’t lie to each other. Not ever.”
I have no idea what the hell has gotten into me, but I find myself crossing my arms, glaring at him. “Or what? You just said you aren’t going to spank me.”
His eyes narrow at me. “Don’t fucking test me, Harper.”
“So you’re going to spank me to get me to talk then? Is that the plan?”
“No.” His voice is maddeningly calm. I feel like screaming and he’s just sitting there watching me, completely at ease. “You’re going to tell me. Not because you’re scared of me. Not because you feel threatened. You’re going to talk to me of your own free will, because this kind of relationship will never work unless we’re honest.”
Something seems to light on fire inside of me, all of the mixed up, confused feelings coalescing down into one pinpoint of anger. “Honest? You want to talk about honesty?” My voice is raised but I can’t bring myself to calm down. I’m too pissed. “Why in the hell won’t you tell me about Renee then?”
Nate turns to marble right in front of me, and for the first time with him, I think I might be truly scared. It’s a different kind of fear from the thrill that comes to me at the club or in his bed. It’s a deep, chilling fear—the fear that I might have just pushed him away.
